Buyer and Cellar, Menier Chocolate Factory

What better place is there for an unemployed actor to find work than in the shopping mall in Barbra Streisand's basement? This is the question presented to us as Jonathan Tolins' New York hit Buyer and Cellar comes to the Menier Chocolate Factory fresh from a successful stint in the States. 
The play is inspired by Streisand's book 'My Passion for Design' in which she documents the numerous homes that she has decorated and objects that she has collected, allowing Tolins to root his fictional work in a factual (albeit utterly bizarre) reality.
Carrying this one man show is actor Michael Urie, best known for his portrayal of Marc St. James in hit sitcom Ugly Betty. Urie has transferred with the show from New York where he originated the role of Alex, garnering rave reviews and receiving a Drama Desk Award.
Buyer and Cellar is, by all appearances, a bit of an odd show – one man on stage by himself talking about Barbra Streisand could be reminiscent of a bad night in Soho. Yet it is this oddity, plus plenty of heart, that creates the humour. Urie is an underratedly good actor with a strong background in stage, and this, combined with a script that's been described as sidesplittingly funny, makes for a promising combination.