THEATRE

Finding Fassbender

Pleasance Courtyard (Venue 33)

Following the death of a relative whose life was lived almost entirely within Wolverhampton, Eve (writer-performer Lydia Larson) accepts an enticing promotion down in London. The Big Smoke isn’t all it’s cracked up to be, however, and she’s on the verge of packing it in when she discovers that her squalid accommodation was once home to Hollywood A-lister Michael Fassbender. And she has found some mail she thinks he’d appreciate receiving.

None of this happens until we are more than halfway through the play and have already followed Eve’s adventures in both Wolverhampton and London. This isn’t a criticism – the time spent developing Eve’s family and friends, and detailing the events leading up to her crisis of confidence, is well-spent, and both Eve and her supporting

cast are fun to be around. All the same, the second act feels undercooked; the speed at which Eve’s quest becomes a farcical obsession is too fast. It’s not a fatal flaw, but it does squander some of her grounded and relatable goodwill.

NIKI BOYLE

Until 27 August. Today 11:45am..