Mrs Bang: A Series of Seductions in 55 Minutes

There’s only one seduction, and it happens not far into the 55 minutes. Taking the pain and heartache of singers like Edith Piaf to the level of hysteria, fragile songstress Mrs Bang (Sheridan Harbridge) has asked three of her ex-lovers to play in her band. They haven’t shown up. Nonetheless, the audience can’t help but fall for her.

The emotional breakdowns are overdone, and the setup takes too long, but they are carried off with bravado. Indeed, the character outpaces her act. The conceit of Mrs Bang’s missing band is clever, and structures the show well, but it isn’t all that funny. Harbridge’s voice, recalling a frazzled Julie London, suits her selection of 1950s nightclub classics and pop reinterpretations. However, the humour lies solely in the added histrionics, rather than the songs themselves. The few true musical jokes rely on instant recognition of lyrics and melodies, perhaps expecting too much from listeners she dismisses as "lowbrow".

Instead, the show’s success is down to Mrs Bang’s interactions with her audience, spontaneous or otherwise. Never breaking character, she remains firmly in control of the room, modulating her performance and the reality of the situation with a deft touch. You're pulled in almost immediately, and with more laugh-out-loud gags she would be irresistible.

It is a shame Mrs Bang’s name and late-night slot risk coming on too strong, scaring off audiences in the same way she scared off her exes. Those who do attend will find nothing to regret.