Dating, obsession and life shaped by celebrity culture

AT first glance Melissa Center’s confessional one-woman show seems to have all the elements required for a stalker dramedy about celebrity culture obsession.

Which to be fair it partly is, as her mother who checks in with the 30-something actress and film-maker at her home in West Hollywood by phone every Sunday, plants the seed in her brain that movie star Jake Gyllenhaal would be the perfect match for her.

After all, they work in the same industry, albeit Melissa is ten years out of college and success hasn’t come calling yet. Her mom even sends clippings about the star.

But the show is about serendipity being shaped to fit your emotional needs; singledom and the minefield that is the dating game – and the yearning for connection with a significant other. That and discovering your selfworth. Think of an episode of Rhoda, only interspersed with songs of varying quality that could easily be cut, and leave the monologue fine as it is.

Initially dismissing her mother’s idea as ridiculous, a series of coincidences – including getting some work on a TV show with Annaleigh Ashford, Gyllenhaal’s co-star in Sunday in the Park with George – means Melissa begins to change her mind that there’s no such thing as fate.

Who knows, maybe she and Jake are destined to be together? Spoiler alert. They aren’t.

Away from this fantasy, however, real life is not quite so rosy. The break up of a ten-year relationship leads Center to a variety of dating sites (Bumble;

Match) where she stumbles into bad choices and disappointments.

Bachelor number two sends her abusive texts and emails; a sexual experiment just leaves her feeling sad and lonely.

To fill the void, project JG as her increasingly desperate obsession over Gyllenhaal is now christened, becomes a bigger focus in her life.

So she sends him an Instagram post; goes to see him give a talk on acting; rattles off a list of his ex’s faults. Until eventually her six degrees of separation moment arrives and isn’t quite the kicker she hoped.

As a performer Center has an engaging charm, vulnerability and honesty. Her writing isn’t too shabby either.

Maybe that shot at success she hoped she’d have hasn’t passed her by after all.

Online.thespaceuk until Aug 30