By John Gibson. Traverse 1 at Traverse Theatre |

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This performance feels like the culmination of Elaine C. Smith’s career.  Not many actors have parts written for them and Cathy fits like a glove.  The story of a widow navigating grief, dealing with the varying responses of her family and trying to move on, should not provoke such big laughs.

From the opening the audience was on board with the acerbic granny’s observations and put-downs: From the priest at the funeral who ‘wasnae even wearing fuckin socks’ to Bradley Walsh’s ‘beady wee eyes’  on The Chase, the gallows humour of working people was the beating heart of this original piece by Eilidh Loan.

Smith was also ably supported, most notably by Chloe Hodgson as her granddaughter, and Sally Reid as the new-age charity shop manager who revitalises Cathy’s life.

This is an excellent play about Scottish people – one of the rarest things in contemporary theatre today.