Marshmallow Me – Old Red Lion Theatre, Angel

Writer: Rosie Pepper
Director: Scott Le Crass

Reviewer: Christine Stanton

“Personable Performer“

3.5 / 5

~This review was originally written for The Reviews Hub ~

Ruby left behind her small town in Scarborough to chase her dreams as an actor in London. But the initial excitement of being amidst the hustle and bustle soon wore off, and the high cost of living combined with the struggle to get her acting career off the ground quickly started to take its toll.

At first, jumping between flats and jobs was exciting, happy to be constantly meeting new people, learning new things and exploring new areas. She knew building an acting career would take time, so temporarily transforming into a children’s party princess or lending a hand at her local restaurant wasn’t an issue, but without any auditions or opportunities on the side, she couldn’t help but feel that she was wasting her time.

Add creepy flatmates, unwanted critters and dingy box rooms to the mix, and her unravelling was only a matter of time. Making herself sick was the only thing she felt in control of within her manic lifestyle, the only thing that helped to release the pent-up stress and anxiety buried deep within her. But after finding a support network, enlisting in therapy and putting all of her effort into getting better, she’s finally on the right path and feeling stronger than ever.

Writer and performer Rosie Pepper is immediately and infectiously likeable, her busy and bubbly energy completely enthralling as she flits from story to story. Her naturally comedic and excellently descriptive manner completely sets each scene as though you are in her small flat in Earl’s Court or on the beach with her as a child. As the play progresses, her light-hearted, frantic, funny storytelling starts to fade into more serious subject matter. Pepper fantastically displays an impressive level of emotional vulnerability, heartfelt and raw. The subject of eating disorders and anxiety is sensitively but honestly broached, with occasional humorous stories still sprinkled in to keep her personality present and stop the script getting too heavy and overwhelming.

The empty stage, aside from a few scattered suitcases that hold the contents of Ruby’s life, works well to ensure the story is at the forefront. Abruptly woven into the performance are blue flashes of light alongside a busy soundscape as she occasionally shows flashes of her anxiety creeping into her life. A simple technique, it’s executed very well and helps to flag the signs early on. Though Ruby’s life is brilliantly interesting, at points it would be beneficial to tighten or cut out a couple of the stories, to keep it flowing and the storyline more succinct. Currently, every job, flat and interaction is told at length with great detail, and although initially interesting, the latter half of the show bears the brunt of having somewhat of an information overload, which slows the momentum and makes the narrative start to feel slightly repetitive.

Delving into the subject matter of eating disorders and anxiety, still with a humorous lens, is a tough balance to pull off, but Pepper’s personable manner and engaging storytelling help the audience walk away both entertained and informed – an impressive performance.

Runs until 31 May 2025