What’s it all about?
30 Million Minutes. The length of time a Friday in the office feels like? No. The notes from a very long meeting? No. The duration of Dawn French’s life to date? Of course.
And so we have an autobiographical one-woman show exploring how the Vicar Of Dibley star came to be a daughter, woman, wife, mum and sister through laughter and a surprising amount of emotional soul-searching.
Who’s in it?
That ‘autobiographical’ word should have given it away. This is the Dawn French show – though ‘Fatty’ Saunders does get more than a couple of mentions – and the nation’s favourite celeb-snogger and Spice Girl-imitator is at her beaming, bounding, heart-warming, immediately relatable best.
What’ should I look out for?
Willie Williams’ visual aids, which find hip-wobbling diagrams and touching family photos – including footage of a young French desperately trying to avoid meeting the Queen Mum – projected behind the all-singing, all-dancing actress.
In a nutshell?
Dawn French touchingly and hilariously lays herself bare as she delves into the lessons of her life.
What’s being said on Twitter?
Been to see the vivacious @Dawn_French in her one woman show #30millionminutes with @SarahE_Jones. Fabulous! ???? #rimgate #vaudevilletheatre
— John Lee (@johnleee) November 11, 2015
.@DawnFrenchUK I laughed at your humour, cried for your pain & wished I cld read yr dad’s amazing words to my own daughter #30millionminutes
— Jo Beswick (@JojoBeeswax) November 8, 2015
Will I like it?
If you’re a fan of the fabulous Ms French, of course you will.
But beware, if you’re expecting an evening of non-stop belly laughs, this isn’t it. Oh, they’re there but they come complete with sadness, sweetness and – for me, at least – heart-breaking revelations about how Dame Dawn of Dibley spent that titular time.
30 Million Minutes plays at the Vaudeville Theatre until 5 December. You can book tickets through the show’s website.