Mel Moon : Sick Girl, Counting House, Edinburgh Fringe

Moon relates the tale of her own life over the past few years, a period in which she became seriously ill, was eventually diagnosed as having an incurable and life threatening condition, and contemplated suicide as her best way out of the life she felt trapped in.  Clearly, since she's here to tell us all this in the form of a stand up comedy show, we know what the end result of that last part was....

This could so easily be a morbid show, one you might emerge from in tears.  There are certainly dark moments, and some very moving passages, but this is billed as a comedy show and Mel never lets her audience stay down for long.  In Moon-world every cloud has a silver punchlining.  This show is far, far funnier than the subject matter suggests, because Mel Moon is a very funny woman.

If I tell you that the show has an uplifting ending please don't get the impression this is going to be some sort of American-style self help bollocks.  It's fun, involving, thought provoking  and will send you off with a smile on your face and happy to chuck cash into the proffered bucket.  (This is a Free Fringe show.)

Afterwards, as I made my way down to the outside world, I thought about the irony of sticking a show called Sick Girl at the top of a long and winding staircase.  Maybe that's why it's such a hidden gem?

Highly recommended.

Mel Moon : Sick Girl is in The Counting House at 12.05 until the 30th.