★★★☆☆

A tribute to the most obscure songs in modern musical theatre, but sung beautifully.

It was the longest merchandise queue I’d ever seen! Hoards of Carrie-esque young women with their symbolic tattoos, librarian-style outfits and entitled countenance, shoving past us non-conformists to get their £55 CHF branded hoodies.

In their eyes, Carrie could do no wrong. For the rest of us, we left with a yearning for at least one song that she was known for singing from her extensive catalogue of leading lady musicals…

Bad Cinderella … Crazier than You … On My Own … No ! Why have those hits, when you can have … *googles* … ” First Date, Last Night and Move the Line??

Things didn’t improve even when her ex-Heathers leading man, Jamie Muscato strolled onto the stage…

Surely they’ll do Seventeen… Surely ? It’s what the people wa—

Oh no, some obscure duets…one being from a limited run musical Muscato was in once…without Carrie.

The love letters concept would have been a good one… the words spoken by Fletcher offering anticipation and speculation as to what the next hit song would be. Except you’d never be able to guess the answer. Even I, Front Row Frankie was left bewildered at my seemingly base knowledge of musical scores. In that respect, it was like watching a musical version of BBCs ‘Pointless’, without the kicking yourself for not getting it… because I really didn’t care.

Just when you think that it’s all hopeless, CHF comes out to surprise us with an encore. On your feet everybody … let’s all sing along …

Oh.

It’s a forgettable post script song warning us about the demons of social media.

Suitably cheered by all of this, there was one last sight to see before we left: the extensive queue of fans snaking around the theatre, waiting for their heroine to appear at stage door. Half of them had already paid to see her for the meet and greet earlier. They’ll be there just as enthusiastically for the next one: Carrie Hope Fletcher : Reads the Phonebook.

Entertainment ★★★☆☆

Musicality ★★★☆☆

Value ★★★☆☆