Everyone has a Kate Bush story. Whether you’re a big fan, have only ever heard her from Stranger Things, met her or know someone who knows someone who has met her. She is a staple of the 70’s and 80’s. So what’s the best thing to do with this love in 2024? Go and see a theatrical homage to the great.

This is not Kate Bush, this is without her and to some level, a love story to a childhood. Sarah-Louise Young is our Kate Bush, intimately telling us about growing up, with every element of comedy in her re-telling of wanting to wear spandex and the practice she has undertaken to move just like the great Kate.

The audience is full of those who love Kate, who have been dragged along, who have only heard a few songs, and we all collect together as Young brings us in with comical outfits, movements and “scenes” playing out Kate’s songs. She uses puppetry from a giant eye, to a mop, which weirdly still feels like something Kate Bush would do. But it brings it down from being a tribute act to something more avant garde and stylistic.

Young is very personable; she is in the audience, speaking with different people, bringing them on stage to party with her and we are all welcome in the room like old friends. She shares her love of Kate with us and so this barrier broken down between audience and performer helps us get on her train.

And it would be amiss to forget her phenomenal singing voice – while I’ve not seen anything else from Young, there’s a sense that, while you could close your eyes and swear Kate was in front of you, she effortlessly seems like a performer who is talented in changing her voice and still keeping the range and impact.

An Evening Without Kate Bush balances seamlessly the bridge between a tribute act and a fantastic piece of fringe theatre. With Kate Bush rarely in the public eye, Young’s talent is the closest you will get to a concert by the great moor dancing singer.