Harpy at the Kings Theatre, Southsea REVIEW: 'A strong script and a very strong performance'

She followed that with similar roles in You Rang M’Lord and other TV work which confirmed the likeability of the character.

In 2018 Su made something of a departure from her niche, playing hoarder Birdie, a South London spinster in Harpy, a one-woman show written by Phillip Meeks.

Following that successful run at the Edinburgh Fringe, a nationwide spring tour of the play produced by the Kings Theatre, opened there on Thursday.

Birdie lives alone in South London (there are too many Londoners North of the river) and narrates her story through conversations with her pet fish, interactions through the wall with grumpy neighbour Joyce and recollections of several disturbing moments in her troubled life.

As Su convincingly and sympathetically builds the character, we learn that Birdie’s mother died in childbirth. She was sent to live with Aunt Maureen who blamed her for her mother’s death. Despite now being cremated ashes in an urn, Maureen is still able to interact with ghostly commentary on Birdie’s failings.

As the story unfolds and Birdie’s mind begins to unravel it seems that she may have given birth to a daughter who was taken from her. However, since much of her life is a blend of eccentricity and a vivid imagination, assumptions are often on hold.

Su’s performance throughout is sympathetic and convincing and while 90 minutes as the sole character would be admirable enough, this goes way beyond an impressive monologue.

One scene as Birdie approaches breakdown is particularly spellbinding and the combination of a strong script and a very strong performance make this an intriguing insight into the fine line between eccentricity and mental illness.