In the Studio Theatre at the York Theatre Royal, Badapple’s Crumbs proves that you do not need a sprawling cast or elaborate sets to create an entertaining evening. Written by Kate Bramley, her 27th original script for Badapple, this eccentric one-woman show is packed with energy, creativity and quick-fire jokes.

The intimate setting of the Studio Theatre works perfectly for the production. With the audience gathered close around the action, every raised eyebrow, muttered aside, and absurd character detail is beautifully received. The set itself is tiny but perfectly formed, cleverly designed and atmospherically lit, creating a space that feels both homely and slightly chaotic. This is ideal for the whirlwind about to unfold.

At the centre of it all is Ellen Carnazza as Petronella Parfait, a woman determined to reinvent herself as an influencer. What begins as a quirky comedy about social media ambition quickly spirals into something far stranger and funnier, as Carnazza morphs into a parade of wildly eccentric supporting characters. The plot twist allows for an astonishing display of performance skill.

Carnazza’s work is nothing short of exhausting to watch. She ricochets between accents and personalities with astonishing precision, each character fully embodied and instantly recognisable. The rapid costume changes and disguises become part of the comedy themselves, adding to the sense that the entire evening is teetering on the edge of glorious collapse.

The standout of the night is undoubtedly Big Tony: a man of very few words but enormous comic impact. Every appearance earned laughs, proving that sometimes the quietest character can steal the show completely.

As if juggling an entire cast alone were not enough, Carnazza also bakes bread live on stage throughout the performance. Watching the dough steadily rise becomes its own accidental subplot, and audience members could be forgiven for occasionally being distracted by the hypnotic transformation happening beside the action.

Crumbs is wonderfully bonkers theatre: fast-paced, inventive and bursting with personality. Badapple Theatre has created a production that feels both meticulously crafted and delightfully unhinged, while Carnazza delivers a performance that barely seems human in its stamina. By the end, the audience is left amazed not only by the number of laughs squeezed into the evening, but by how one performer managed to carry such a wildly ambitious show entirely on her shoulders.

York Theatre Royal until 23 May