I heart Peterborough, Pleasance Courtyard, 22nd August

There is a well established theme in drama of disfunctional single parent with unwanted young adult offspring. A Taste of Honey, Little Voice. It works.The twist here is that the parent is a gay transvestite. Set in Peterborough, a town I know little about, the piece is about Michael/Lulu's relationship with awkward Huw after the early death of his mother. Much love grows between them but Lulu is still desperate to find the different sort of love that she's been seeking all her life. Inevitably this brings tension to the relationship.

A theme of this year's fringe seems to be story telling and the show is delivered by both actors direct to the audience rather than to eachother. The style owes a lot to companies such as Forced Entertainment. The timing is impecable and both actors deliver superb performances. A special mention goes to Jay Taylor who plays Huw. His part is in danger of being over shadowed by the glamour of Lulu but he more than holds his own including some great singing, comic gossip impressions and an innocence which is sad and touching in equil measure.

This piece was sohisticated and polished; full of detail that means it would remain fresh for a second viewing.

I loved it but I don't think that the company are planning to tour it rurally. Look out for this writer. He's called Joel Horwood. One to watch.

Review by Robert Howell, Spot On Rural Touring.