Sam Shaber is a talented musician with a raw, husky voice. The story of her life is bittersweet, as she remembers the deaths of friends and family. This show is somewhere between a gig and a piece of storytelling, but not quite either and this, unfortunately, works to its detriment. The storytelling isn’t crafted or compelling enough to stand by itself, and there just aren’t enough songs to keep up the momentum. Shaber is clearly a more confident musician than storyteller: she owns the stage when she sings, but when she talks she quickly retreats into a much more stilted performance. The stories are heartfelt and her singing is stunning, but I left needing a little more from this show.

Gilded Balloon at Rose Theatre, until 28 Aug.
tw rating 3/5 | [Lizzie Milton]