I Can Die Too at the Pitlochry Festival Theatre*****

Where else would you see a playwright, composer, lyricist, sexy chanteuse, heartbroken deserted lover, drunken actor, grieving mother and rock star all rolled into one?

Why, Pitlochry Festival Theatre, of course! 

While this idyllic theatre in the Scottish hills may not be on the doorstep of many theatregoers, its latest production is well worth the effort of getting there. 

And if you think its star is spreading herself too thinly, well, she has a lifetime of experience on stage and screen behind her since winning a Tony Award on Broadway for playing the original Eponine in Les Miserables both there and in London.

Frances Ruffelle co-wrote I Can Die Too with Pitlochry’s artistic director and all round-superstar Alan Cumming, and actor Sally George, and in it plays a leading actor who can’t bear the role she’s playing.

A play with music about a play with music, it was inspired by Cocteau’s La Voix Humaine (The Human Voice) and is playfully reimagined during a chaotic tech rehearsal.

It’s a tour de force. Not only does Ruffelle exude despair, pathos, black humour and love, she also displays her not insignificant talent as a singer (she once represented Great Britain in the Eurovision Song Contest), whether it’s as a sexy chanteuse or a wild rock chick, And with a stellar supporting cast who are also fine musicians we are treated to concert performances.

Although Ruffelle is spellbindingly centre stage in a role she could almost carry as a one-woman show, the cast add much to our enjoyment, especially Olivier Award winner Stephen Ashfield (The Book of Mormon and The Jersey Boys), totally convincing as the much stressed director, and Maya Rugen, whose adoring looks as a starstruck young girl will melt your heart. 

This is a show not to be missed, so why not make your visit worthwhile and see I Can Die Too and Maureen Beattie’s epic Lear on the same day. Both are running until the beginning of August.

Images: Tommy Ga-Ken Wan

I Can Die Too is at the Pitlochry Festival Theatre until Aug 2

pitlochryfestivaltheatre.com