Sometimes all that glitters is gold, and Alexandra Keddie has certainly tapped into a rich comedy seam with her (mostly) one-woman performance of I See Me and Meryl Streep.
With Keddie taking the persona of a Meryl Streep obsessed teenager, also called Meryl, the audience are invited into a bedroom that resembles a shrine but also serves as a stage for her to practice her GCSE drama performance with a little help from ‘family members’ and life-sized cardboard cut out of Meryl Streep that gazes silently at the proceedings.
She presents a potted history of Meryl Streep’s life and career interspersed with clips, monologues, songs and even a couple of dance routines. There’s light, there’s shade and of course the cerulean speech that’s known to even the most casual of moviegoers. With so much ground to cover, the costume changes are speedy and the gags flow thick and fast, but this isn’t impersonation; at the centre of the sequins and spangles is the character of teenage Meryl, and Keddie cleverly interweaves her bravado and enthusiasm with self-consciousness and loneliness. It’s tough to be a teenager, especially one with big dreams.
It's also difficult to play a character who is giving their own version of a different actress’s most famous moments, and Keddie balances this incredibly well, switching accents and vocal registers with ease, an excellent approximation of Streep without veering into parody. The inclusion of songs that range from Sondheim to Brecht via music hall and of course Mamma Mia create a rounded experience as well as showcasing Keddie’s range. Fans of the film will be happy to know a red pashmina makes an appearance—if you know, you know.
Running at an hour, this is a perfectly contained show with a pace that, like real Meryl’s career, picks up speed quickly and offers plenty of variety. Keddie’s Meryl has a whiteboard with a ‘Meryl Mountain’, and she awards herself points when she learns a new skill, always edging closer to her idol at the pinnacle. Judging by the audience reaction, Keddie should put her own creation at the top, the journey to peak Meryl an entertaining, feel-good and fabulous ride.