PERFORMANCE & COMEDY

Theatre Royal Bath (Mon 7-Sat 12 Nov)

Those who have yet to realise what a noxious, obnoxious, nausea-inducing circus 'The X Factor' is need to get a grip and indulge themselves in a journey back in time to London's once most happening nightspot, the Talk of the Town. It's 1968 and legendary actress, singer and original diva Judy Garland is embarking on yet another comeback extravaganza. Or is she? Entering her suite at the Ritz with new young fiance/manager Mickey Deans and close friend/pianist Anthony in tow, Garland is upbeat, optimistic and ostensibly sober. It's not long, however, before the rot that blighted Garland's entire career (a toxic cocktail of pills, booze and and unreliable, opportunistic men) is unleashed from the suitcases she's living out of.

Garland's tragic life story is familiar enough to be tossed around as a wearied, showbiz cliché – one only needs to mention in passing the fact that Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston or Amy Winehouse might have 'gone Garland', and the reference will be immediately understood: another diva has become a victim of the celebrity excess treadmill. But Garland was godmother of them all; a role model, for better or worse, who showed 'em just how fast and furious the plunge from pedestal to gutter could be. 'End of the Rainbow' turns the spotlight on the behind-the-scenes factors that guarantee a one-way ticket to such depths... and it's a journey that today's wannabe superstars should pay great heed to next time they're begging Tulisa (who the hell is she, anyway?) to take them through to the next live show.

Peter Quilter's fast-paced script is gripping, witty and dramatic. The set – which cleverly switches between richly decorated rococo hotel suite and Talk of the Town stage, complete with live orchestra – is plush, flamboyant and beautifully designed. But one gets the feeling that even without such grand, clever staging, Tracey Bennett as the leading lady at the heart of the action couldn't fail to captivate and mesmerise an audience spellbound by her incredibly evocative, dazzling performance. Seamlessly switching between charismatic superstar, vulnerable victim and pathetic addict personas at will, Bennett is Garland through and through: the mannerisms of near-madness, the permanent almost-hysteria – heck, even the googly-eyed, pantomime horse facial expressions – are all there, in perfect order. But it is That Voice which sends the chills up your spine; you don't have to close your eyes when she sings 'You Made Me Love You', 'The Man That Got Away', or, of course, 'Somewhere Over the Rainbow' in order to believe that you're watching Garland at her most powerful, shimmering best.

As a result, Norman Bowman's seedy, weedy Mickey Deane is almost lost in the drama (and there are many folk who say they wish he had been, literally), while Hilton McRae as the gentle, perceptive voice of a reason born from unconditional love (Anthony) puts up an admirable fight against the emotional commotion. But ultimately, this is Bennett's moment: a star is born indeed. (Melissa Blease)

Copyright Melissa Blease 2011