'A sparkling hour of new-writing. Sumptuously funny. Big-hearted. Ideal.' So says Tim Key, who awarded Mark Fiddaman’s piece of original writing the 2011 Footlights Harry Porter Prize. And indeed, the script does strike a near perfect balance between the hilarious and the moving, as Agnes shares the touching story of her relationship with her deceased father at his wake. The play is light-hearted, but also concerned with the fallout of failed relationships and emotional stress in grief, in an unlikely combination that proves to be wonderfully entertaining. Occasionally, a joke felt a little disconnected from the plot, but this minor criticism is more than outweighed by the fact that any digressions – such as the Sainsbury’s Basics version of Pride and Prejudice – were very funny.

However, there is still much work to be done for a successful script to become a successful performance. It may be anything but a one-woman play, but it certainly was one as far as the staging was concerned. The show depended entirely on Abi Tedder in the lead – and only – role of Agnes, and she was simply brilliant. In a character, refined by the masterly direction of Ben Ashenden, she carried the play beautifully; developing vividly, not only her own, but also the other characters she describes. The required balance between humour and emotion was perfectly struck: jokes were timed to effortless perfection, as were her pauses for laughter, while her ability to convey sincere feeling and genuine anguish made for an endearing portrait of a woman searching for answers in her life at a time of mourning.

The staging, too, added some pleasing touches. Projector screens seem on trend in the Cambridge comedy scene, and this production put one to sparing but good use. Simple yet effective cartoons accompanied the introduction of any new characters in the script, as well as important points in the plot, adding another dimension to the monologue format of the play. Voiceovers also featured in places, revealing Agnes’ inner thoughts to good comic effect, and the set allowed Agnes to make free but not distracting use of props.

Anything But combines the very best of comic writing and acting in Cambridge, a show that has restored the good name of the Footlights, following the travesty of last week’s Spring Revue. Some of the more junior members of the company on display last week could learn a lot from this lateshow – no 'not-particularly-funny pantomime', but an excellent script brought to life by masterful acting. The end of term may be hectic, but Cindies is no match for this – be sure to squeeze it into your diaries.