Outpatient at The Lowry
Kristy Stott, Theatre Editor
Garnering a string of five-star reviews and fresh from a sell-out run at this year’s Edinburgh Fringe, Crowded Room and super talented writer-performer Harriet Madeley return to The Lowry with Outpatient, an explosive autobiographical comedy.
Outpatient is an award-winning solo show exploring the world of Olive, a self-obsessed entertainment journalist who sets out to make her name interviewing people who are receiving palliative care, only to discover that she is also living with a life-limiting incurable diagnosis too.
On receiving the news, Olive has it all figured out. She wants to live what little time she has left to the fullest. She has plans to sever all ties with her partner, audition for a reality singing competition, start running and make new friends, all in the name of freedom and making an impact.
Intelligent and wryly funny, Outpatient is a relatable monologue set alight with astute comedy. Exploring the fantasies of human minds and the fragility of human bodies, this show is all about living and embracing the joys of each new day.
Hailed “a masterclass in comedic writing” (Fringe Review) with Madeley described as a “terrific storyteller” (The Stage), Outpatient won the Summerhall’s Lustrum Award for Unforgettable Theatre at Edinburgh Fringe 2024.
We’re big fans of theatre makers who manage to put a fresh spin on difficult (and potentially gloomy) subject matters – and Madeley’s solo show is an excellent example of this. Life-affirming, clever and darkly humorous, Outpatient offers a hopeful and highly entertaining perspective on mortality. Go see.
