The mistress of black comedy returns, pulling no punches, laying bare everything that’s pompous, conceited, vain or deluded.In Muriel Pulls it Off our heroine inherited an estate from an eccentric relation. Muriel’s Reign picks up the story, following her chaotic attempts to play the role of a landowning country aristocrat. As the shock of her new life begins to wear off, Muriel has to deal with one problem after another. Neighbours competing for her favour, troublesome celebrity guests, an ex-husband living in a nearby squash court and a blind brother-in-law. A sex crazed judge, recently sacked, makes ill advised passes at one of Muriel’s female guests, and the mayhem continues from beginning to almost the very end. Susanna Johnston’s tragically flawed creations inspire compassion even as they have us laughing out loud. Not one to read in a hushed library or a crowded train.
