Anna Burnside reviews a production that 'looks great' and has a solid performance but is 'ultimately unsatisfying'.
Shows bearing the imprint of Fleabag and Baby Reindeer producer Francesca Moody arrive in Edinburgh with high expectations. She has an unnerving ability to read the Fringe’s sweaty room and give it something it didn’t even know it wanted.
On paper, Weather Girl ticks many boxes. It’s written by Brian Watkins, whose scorching CV includes the Amazon Prime series Outer Range. It’s a dark comedy about a hot button issue - the climate emergency - allowing audiences to laugh and feel good about themselves at the same time.
Stacey is a California weather girl, literally melting before our eyes. She tells audiences the terrifying truth about what is happening every morning, but no one listens. Her coping mechanisms are prosecco instead of coffee in a keep cup in the morning and hate-sex with tech bros at night.
Stacey's disintegration, as seen live on telly before cutting to the clip about the dog show, mirrors the weather apocalypse she updates on the hour.
It looks great. Julia McDermott nails the blonde-in-Spanx smiling in front of the natural disaster look and unravels convincingly. The production values are high by fringe standards, with an oppressive green screen set and apocalyptic soundscape.
The pitch starts high and gets higher, with a zigzagging Carl Hiaasen-level crazy plot. But despite a strong premise and a crucial subject, the treatment is overcooked and ultimately unsatisfying.
Weather Girl performs at Summerhall until August 26, 2024 (no performance on the 12th) from 1800-1900.
Photo by Michael Wharley.
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