Lizzy Sunshine by Liz Coin (who we were lucky enough to chat to on our YouTube channel, which you can watch at https://youtu.be/xVaQ3xZiT84) is a powerful depiction of how one theatre kid tries to overcome life’s struggles with eternal positivity, only to realise that sometimes no amount of joy can make a situation better. Balancing the line flawlessly between effervescent positivity, through ample audience participation and hilarious sketches, and the heartbreaking realities of living with someone suffering from addiction, Liz has the audience in fits of laughter throughout until everything comes crashing down in the closing moments! Regardless of how many times the audience sees this show, they cannot help but be stunned into silence (and extremely close to tears) every time the closing sequence takes place.
Coming from the wonderful mind of Liz Coin (who pulled double duty by both writing and performing in this show), Lizzy Sunshine follows Lizzy as she prepares for the opening night of her feel-good show, only for her co-star to initially be running late, causing her to chaotically improvise her way through the start of the performance. This meta-play is intended to instil an overwhelming sense of positivity into the crowd, but as she discovers that the other half of her duet is running late, she really has to tap into her unrelenting positivity. In terms of the staging, the show is cleverly split between the on-stage area (on the actual stage at Coorie in the Gilded Balloon Patter House) and a behind-the-scenes area at the side of the audience. This allows the crowd to easily see the switch between the turmoil happening behind the show and the actual play, which is also captured flawlessly by the solo performer. This staging choice helps to reinforce the contrast between the positive, energetic performance Lizzy is attempting to deliver and the increasingly chaotic reality taking place behind the scenes.
Inside the chaotic scramble through what was initially presented as a two-person show, Lizzy adapts her pre-rehearsed bits and sketches to include selected audience members, which is the perfect addition, as this is a brilliant encapsulation of what a theatre kid would do in this situation. At one point in the show, Lizzy selects an audience member to join her on stage, only to steal another crowd member’s phone as a stimulus for an improvised section, guided by whatever texts appeared on the newly acquired phone. This hilarious improvisational section was not only a fantastic display of Liz’s theatrical talents but also provided a launchpad for the scene, which is again something a seasoned performer would do if they found themselves in this situation! At another point in the show, Liz and her co-star (more so led by the latter) are supposed to deliver a series of audience-generated impressions, but Lizzy has to navigate this on her own without the skills and talents the other person was supposed to share. Instead of attempting an impression she cannot perform, Lizzy appears to take an almost Borat-style approach to every suggestion from the audience, as this is the only impression she knows she can do well, which was absolutely hilarious! This perfectly captures Lizzy’s ability to turn an unexpected problem into another opportunity for comedy, while also reinforcing the idea that she will do anything to keep the show going. The closing moments of the show take an extreme and intense turn as the harsh realities of what is actually happening begin to rear their ugly head. Liz receives an on-stage phone call informing her that her brother and co-star is no longer joining her, as he has relapsed into his drug addiction. This is so perfectly delivered by the solo performer and instantly tugs on every audience member’s heartstrings. This leads to a series of powerful moments in the closing section of the show, where the lyrics and sounds of Tomorrow from the musical Annie begin to fill the space, pulling the crowd into an impromptu rendition that helps to refuel the on-stage performer. Despite having seen this show before and knowing exactly what would happen, almost the entirety of the crowd (myself included) is pulled into this moving rendition. It visibly recharges Lizzy, and we cannot help but feel empowered and joyous as the crowd and performer finally come together.
In conclusion, Lizzy Sunshine by Liz Coin is an equally hilarious and heartbreaking exploration of the life of someone dealing with the extended effects of someone else’s addiction. Through an almost meta-style play within a play, Liz is able to create immense amounts of joy and laughter throughout the show with impressions, fancy dress and boundless energy, until things start to take a much darker and more intense turn towards the end of the show. Having seen this show before in London (which you can read about at https://rhysreviews.com/2026/05/26/lizzy-sunshine-production-review/ ), it does not take away a single bit of the impact of the emotional ending. In fact, knowing what is coming almost makes the experience even more powerful, as you can see the significance of the earlier moments building towards the eventual reveal. The more energetic and positive Lizzy Sunshine is at the beginning of the show, the harder the heartbreaking reveal is at the end, with the show itself really leaning into this contrast. Ultimately, Lizzy Sunshine demonstrates how comedy can be used to explore incredibly difficult subjects without diminishing their seriousness. Liz Coin creates a performance that is hilarious, interactive and full of energy, but underneath all of that is a deeply emotional story about addiction, family and the lengths people will go to in order to keep moving forward. I would rate this show 4 out of 5 stars!
Rhysreviews 