Bewley’s Cafe Theatre ***

VIVIENNE and Cecily are jokes without a punch-line; vaudeville stars without a stage. Vivienne is clinging to the dream of success of fame, but Cecily is ready to retire. In Pocket Music, they have come together for what will be their final performance.

Written by Gavin Kostick, Pocket Musicis old-fashioned, pun-laden fun. As the duo reminisces, we hear of fart-lighting monkeys in far-flung locations, and of Vivienne's sudden downfall as he is hit with the most damning curse of all: stage fright. The question that thrusts the duologue on is whether he will be able to step into the limelight for one last time.

Performed with camp manic glee by Donncha O'Dea and Camille Ross, with original songs by Dennis Clohessey, Pocket Musicis far from the contemporary musical it asserts itself to be. But the theatre is as good a place as any to escape from real life, and Vivienne would certainly agree.

Runs until September 23rd