Live online – 30 September 2020
4****
Reviewed by Claire Roderick
From humble beginnings (well, as humble as Myra Dubois from off the television can manage) as a weekly Facebook live stream during lockdown, A Problem Shared has hit the big time and production values have soared – TWO cameras! The show has corporate sponsorship from Beauty by Rose, and a wonderful send-up of nonsensical perfume adverts (and some cracking old-school cinema advert slides pre-show),
But Myra hasn’t changed at all, her mission to guide her audience on an introspective journey of self-betterment continues in style – and she makes it very clear that we should all be grateful!
With her 3 point programme of aromatherapy (provided by Myra’s sister Rose), positive reinforcement (chocolates are thrown at the crew) and serenity breathing, Myra is here to make life better. Myra obviously thinks that the fact that she is just engaging with the audience makes their lives infinitely better, and the constant battle between disdain and concern for the people with problems is delicious. With a live audience, DuBois picks off her victims with gleeful ease, building a rapport that is joyfully unpredictable and hilarious; relying on problems tweeted in for material will never produce such comedy gold, and this section was a little hit and miss, but there were some killer one-liners and sage advice.
Global megastar Barbra Streisand turns up in Myra Towers feeling flat, so obviously the two divas sing a duet to cheer her up in a fabulous section, and Myra manages to navigate a question about smelly drains into a monologue about death, relics and, of course, a song.
Myra DuBois’ trademark acerbic, but warm and welcoming, humour is best served with a live audience to bounce off, but if you can’t get to her live performances yet, then her online show is still a real tonic. It will keep you laughing and cringing along with Rotherham’s finest, and her advice may just change your life. Streaming monthly on 28 October, 25 November, 24 December – visit www.myradubois.co.uk for tickets