Catherine Tate as Eva Braun. Picture from Radio Times

Originally published by L.S. Media. June 26th 2012L.S. Media Rating ****

Cast: Rebecca Front, Catherine Tate, Katy Brand, Sheila Reid, Samantha Spiro, Selina Griffiths, Andy Nyman.

The final part of Sky Arts series of short plays finished on a particular high with the bizarre but ultimately enjoyable Psycob**ches.

The play was written by an array of talent that included Morwenna Banks, George Jeffrie and Jeremy Dyson and the cast responded to the excellent writing with performances that were in keeping with, not just this particular play but the series as a whole. The idea of madness and split personality were enlarged and made cartoon like but the message was clear. Madness prevails throughout humanity; it just seems to be magnified when in the confines of a psychiatrist’s office and when the person who sit before you is a rather filthy George Eliot, a foul mouthed Mother Teresa of Calcutta or Judy Garland with just that little something extra rattling around in her head.

The psychiatrist was played by Rebecca Front, a star of programmes such as Lewis, Knowing Me, Knowing You…With Alan Partridge and the excellent The Thick Of It.  Rebecca Front never seems fazed by any script, any situation that is presented to her and her ability to remain aloof in Psycob**ches when confronted by the most unreal situations that her patients present to her as  some of the most famous women from history and the obsessions and neurosis that drove them, is nothing short of impressive.

Amongst these stand-out performances was Samantha Spiro and Catherine Tate. Samantha Spiro has never really got the true recognition for her work and perhaps the only thing many television audiences would know her for is the Barbara Windsor/Sid James Biopic Cleo, Camping, Emmanuelle and Dick and the Simon Amstell comedy Grandma’s House. Her work in theatre though is impeccable and it was that theatrical training that came shining through like a 100 foot wide lazer beam as she hammed it up as the troubled Broadway and film star Judy Garland. Every attempt to get to her problem was treated as a chance to show off her singing voice and dance routines. An inspired piece of acting! Catherine Tate did what she normally does and just oozes appeal as the camera highlights her as the audience realises that no one ever loved Eva Braun and a very confessional Edith Piaf, who really did have a lot of regrets in her life.

Sky Arts have really come across a captivating, winning formula in this series of plays, even with the couple of below standard moments, the series as a whole has been outstanding and well worth the expense it must have cost to bring the likes of Stephen Fry, David Tennant,  Douglas Henshall and Catherine Tate to the screen.

Ian D. Hall