Parasocial Activity at Gilded Balloon Patter House Review
According to my Letterboxd account, I have seen 20% of James McAvoy’s filmography, but still know he is regarded as the darling of Scotland’s creative industry. So when going into this one-woman show, I was interested in how they were going to approach a “relationship” with the Glaswegian actor.
Jenny, up from London to see her mum, meets James McAvoy at the Sauchiehall Street Costa and soon becomes enamoured in a relationship with the celebrity through messages and calls. Dealing with other deranged, obsessive fans and the weight of a stagnant life, Jenny soon struggles with what is real and what she’s imagined.
Having seen Briony Martha at last year’s fringe in Do Astronauts Masturbate in Space, I already knew the scope of her range. Seamlessly flowing through emotions so quickly, yet still able to know where the character’s mind is at any second, and this show is no exception.
I already knew a bit about parasocial relationships through the theatre community and one of my closest friends’ dissertations (thank you Tommy) before going into this show. Which sadly I fear made me guess the plot twist early on, but even with that, the script kept me engaged the whole way through, even smartly incorporating AI as a plot point.
The use of two microphones and stands is an inventive way to envision other characters instead of just voices, which can soon become confusing and indistinguishable from one another very quickly. I will say, though, that there seemed to be an issue with the main mic, but the sound system felt like it didn’t want to cooperate that day. There also felt like an indecision on using the main microphone, which led to a struggle in hearing or understanding certain lines.
Yet, even with technical struggles “Parasocial Activity” delves deep into the psychological aspects of parasocial relationships without ever feeling like an educational lecture, but instead like you’re catching up with a mate over an egg mayo sandwich.
Parasocial Activity plays at The Penny at Gilded Balloon Patter House until 31 August.
★ ★ ★ ★
Written by Kerry for Theatre and Tonic, August 2026.
