One

I wasn't remotely prepared for the extraordinary bit of storytelling I was privileged to be immersed in this evening. James Rowland moves smoothly from chatting to the audience, letting us know about potential triggers and getting us all to sing a song - allegedly for his niece - into performing his light, humorous, self-deprecating, profound, devastating, shocking, heart-breaking story and he moves between all of these with a bewilderingly accomplished lightness of touch. I'm not going to give away a word of what Revelations is about, other than what is in the promotional material: The premise is based on two of his married lesbian friends asking him to be a sperm donor, and the issues surrounding that. Part comedy, part storytelling, James says: “I was so lucky to be chosen by my friends but the show is about the intimacy and consequences of that and how the baby will change my life."

It is so, so much more than that. 

The friend I was going with was unable to come as the person she was birth-partner to went into labour. A very strange synchronicity. Instead I went with her partner, a writer and theatre critic. Both of us were reeling after the performance and needed a drink and wind-down. Neither of us had ever seen theatre like it. I will now pursue everything James Rowland has ever performed.

Look at his twitter account to see whether you are lucky enough to have it coming your way (WalkingMarj, you're in luck) and do take the trigger warnings seriously.