She may not be The Controller that every fan of cult sci-fi hit Space Station 17 remembers, but it doesn’t stop Penelope playing the diva.

She is the special guest on a cruise to New York reluctantly meeting uber-fans like “Mr Halitosis” while showing off her new trophy husband – not expecting to meet an old flame in a robot costume.

Nigel Fairs co-wrote and stars in this new musical which tackles the tumultuous relationships between four characters, none of whom are what they first appear.

The piano-driven songs are diverting – highlights include fan Max’s embarrassing gush to Penelope on their first meeting and Penelope’s new beau wishing he wasn’t forced to live a lie.

But the story trundles along, only picking up in pace when the characters find themselves in a real-life situation which could have come out of a sci-fi film.

The cast performed gamely, carrying on through first night technical failures and demonstrating impressive voices.

But at the heart of the show is a fairly ordinary story, with too many unbelievable twists.

The potentially interesting vein of geek culture is ignored in favour of a run-of-the-mill tale of love across different sexualities. Performances on Sundays until June 2, and Saturday, June 1.