We first meet Cathy as a much younger woman though and see the seeds of what will happen coming from a tough upbringing in an unforgiving part of Stockport and her meeting with a darkly enigmatic man. But there’s something very artificial about the whole thing – there’s nothing discernable connecting the two versions of Cathy we meet – her rebirth is too much of a copout without any hint of redemptive quality in her – and the world(s) around her are poorly populated, the supporting character mere wisps.
And the nakedly political narratives – both the early Thatcher government and the infancy of New Labour are heavily referenced - feel mainly designed to get laughs rather than an integral part of the fabric of the show. But Stephens’ plays rarely go the way you think they will and that’s when the magic can happen, when something unexpected comes shining through. For me though, the darkness was too unremitting here.