Edinburgh Fringe comedy review

Mel Hudson presents as a fantastic suburban rock chick with a mop of Robert Plant curls and confident swagger, making you feel in safe hands with her performance.  She introduces her mardy daughter to set up a deliberately ‘embarrassing mum’ dynamic, a homoeopathic level of Saffy and Edina almost, so maybe she’s not as confident as the strutting start would suggest. She doesn’t need to do this; it makes her more of a sitcom type than owning the whole work for herself, which she absolutely should.

The vibe is very much of the oversharing neighbour, delightful company with a penchant for indiscretion. She sets out to ask what you can do as a menopausal, post-divorce, empty-nester, not sure if you want a partner because you’ve got no libido, or whether finding one would be the solution.  But by the magic of a perfectly understandable middle-aged crush on Richard Ashcroft, she’s restored to herself. This is the story of that journey.

She brings the audience along by a whistle-stop tour of early friends and relationships, some of them imaginary.  This, oddly, fails to be illustrated, since slides contain just the names of the imaginary friends and exes, adding nothing – whereas the use of actual footage and photos of Richard Ashcroft, Tracey Emin and some apparently screen-shotted dating app contacts (I hope they’ve been faked, otherwise it’s cruel) do push home her themes. 

The show’s interesting, but it could do with tightening up.  A bit less daughter and a bit more Mel would be good. She has plenty to say on the grim medical management of menopause and expectations of behaviour, without remotely becoming biological or vulgar.  She’s measured and clear but could permit herself to give it more energy and spark, as I felt she held back. This is not the time to hide your light or share the stage unnecessarily.  

She’s disarmingly self-deprecating and amusing, but funny moments are in danger of being thrown away. This is a cute, feelgood, empowerment show which knows its demographic, but has appeal beyond it. 

Review date: 9 Aug 2026
Reviewed by: Julia Chamberlain
Reviewed at: Gilded Balloon Teviot