The Breakout at The Mill, Wed 4 Mar.

Who hasn’t heard someone reminiscing about something and you know instinctively they are gilding the lily, putting a positive spin on events, or perhaps deluding themselves?

This amusing play, written and performed by Poppy Mee as the central character is all about just this. A dishevelled housebound character shares her recent adventures in London. Of course it was the perfect holiday, full of museums, personal growth and sexual exploits. She is confident and animated recalling it all. Suddenly three voices – the ones we all have hidden away – make their presence felt. The romanticised prattling is dampened, literally, and a truer, greyer version of events is reluctantly revealed.

Poppy’s script is full of wry asides and at times veers towards a stand-up comedy routine. Audience members are invited to contribute a joke, so make sure you bring a good one. Her comparison of unsatisfactory sexual experiences to eating McDonalds with a friend is hilarious, as are her tales about going down the Rabbit hole with YouTube gridiron football replays.

Poppy shows talent as a playwright and performer. In this play her touch is light but there is depth lying just below the surface. The narrative flows easily, so the audience remains engaged and entertained.

It’s no exaggeration to say that Poppy is funnier than many stand-up comics mining the same field. This performance deserves to be seen and appreciated. Why not make your way down to The Mill!