This one-hander starts off with aging actress Emily Benton (Jac Wheble) in her dressing room looking back on the highs and lows of her showbiz career. We get the humble beginnings as Emily arrives in the UK as an eighteen-year-old Australian to work as a back up dancer, the singing career that led to hit singles, subsequent West End musical roles that led to marriage and a life in Hollywood and the eventual divorce that led her to return to provincial theatre. So far, a solid rags to riches story with flashes of darkness, such as a story involving Emily and her dead sister that factors into her entry into show business.

However, the play’s second half reveals the reality of Emily’s life, conveying how damaging sexual assault and the general misogyny of the entertainment industry affects the careers of women. The incidents suffered by Emily are recounted in punishing detail, with their inclusion serving to dramatically shift the overall tone in a way that effectively reflects their impact on Emily’s career. The deterioration of Emily’s marriage in particular is well drawn out, as the once budding star is reduced to impoverished single parenthood from working in the West End. In addition, the attempts by creative industries to capitalise on the #MeToo movement and the stories of victims is sharply skewered in an explanation of Emily’s fantasy version of her life.

Whilst the script is obviously well-written, it’s Wheble’s lead performance that really makes things work. She captures the tonal shifts perfectly, embodying Emily’s shift in mood from early bitchiness about deceased rivals to energetically recreating the dance moves of her youth and finally the sadness and anger at both her shattered dreams and the men in her life. It’s difficult to portray this kind of character as a fully rounded figure – there’s a danger of Emily coming across as a third rate Norma Desmond or one dimensional victim. It’s to the credit of the script and Wheble that this never happens.

‘Almost Famous’ is a funny, harrowing yet powerful account of the toxic effects of the entertainment industry on one woman that never hits a false note.

‘Almost Famous‘ is at theSpace @ Surgeons’ Hall – Theatre 2 until Sat 16 Aug 2025 at 17:45