Multi-talented Kate Robbins entertained her substantial first night audience with an hour of songs and tales of her upbringing in Birkenhead before crossing the Mersey and experiencing the life and humour of Liverpool. Kate gets the show off to a cracking start with her version of Chattanooga choo choo name checking places and famous people from the city. Her long and varied career included acting in ‘Crossroads' and ‘Dinner Ladies' and musically she had a top 2 hit with ‘ More than in love' and was part of ‘Prima Donna' who earned the UK a respectable 3rd place in the Eurovision Song Contest.
Her skills as an impressionist were used in ‘Spitting Image' and Kate gave the audience a selection of voices such as the Queen, Felicity Kendall and Margaret Thatcher. Her talents also extend to song writing including ‘Surprise. Surprise' for Cilla Black and confessed that the cringe worthy ‘Cillagrams' on the TV programme were produced in rhythm under a tight deadline.
A second cousin of Paul McCartney, Kate drew on a number of his songs to demonstrate her talents as a vocalist backed up by sister Jane and an able trio of Jenny Adejayan on cello, Peter Dale on keyboards and Dado Pasqualini on percussion
Some of the numbers might have benefited from a softer touch or done in character.
Anyone who has heard George Martin's arrangement of ‘In my Life' read by Sean Connery will find it difficult to listen to it getting the big number treatment.
The hour showcases Kate's considerable range of talents but lacks the structure of other one woman shows.
The first night audience was mainly middle-aged and appreciated the reprise of her career to date. If you want to see her ‘off the telly' then this could be the show for you.
Times: 30 July - 24 August (not 11 Aug), 21.15 (22.15)
Tickets: Mon - Thurs £10.00 (£9.00), Fri - Sun £11.00 (£10.00)