It’s Saturday night, long awaited but never as planned, as a string of interruptions prevent this girl from preparing to party. It’s a topic ripe with comic potential, but here it only manages to draw a few dry chuckles. Eme Essien is personable and relaxed onstage, but there are problems. Mainly with pacing: too much time is given to the voice-overs of characters on the phone, and her interactions with them don’t feel believable. I would have preferred to see her act out these characters herself, that might have got more laughs and would have also shown range, which is an important part of a solo show. The material itself could work, but maybe with less tech and more energy.

theSpace @ Jury’s Inn, until 27 Aug.
tw rating 2/5 | [Jane Berg]