Comedy review: Leah MacRae – My Big, Fat, Fabulous Diary, Beacon Arts Centre, Greenock

PERFORMING her debut one-woman tour of Scotland, Leah MacRae occasionally acknowledges Senga, her “Z-list celebrity stalker” in the front row, and this contrived, one-way interaction neatly encapsulates the appeal of the River City and Gary: Tank Commander actor. On one hand, she’s an effortlessly down-to-earth Glaswegian, capably ad-libbing and engaging the audience with her life story. On the other, she’s a desperate and deluded wannabe diva, possessed of more than enough ego to be a stage icon yet denied the big opportunities, invariably due to her size. Ultimately though, with her vulnerabilities exposed, and her exceptional singing voice unleashed, she reconciles the two aspects to emerge as a bona-fide stage star, with charisma and talent to burn, her future as a variety performer assured.