My Robot Heart produced by Show and Tell

The piece is a collaboration (the first, the programme tells us) between Molly Naylor, a writer, performer and broadcaster and the Middle Ones who are a musical duo.  Molly was an engaging performer who told an interesting story of three characters – a 12 year old boy torn between siding with the cool, school bully or the friendly nerd, a 29 year old woman about to get married and her father of 62 who has one year to live (my recollection of the ages may not be utterly accurate, but you get the gist of it).  So really it was about the nature of human relationships, the mechanics and biochemistry of love and the human heart and a Japanese robot who nearly hugged a scientist to death when they programmed it to fall in love.

The musical duo were fine at the music (if a little tentative) but looked nervous/embarrassed/giggly when asked to do more than strum, drum or sing.  I always think when performers look visibly nervous this unsettles the audience and makes them nervous – never conducive to a relaxing and enjoyable time.

Notwithstanding that minor blip, I enjoyed this piece very much. It cut between the three interlinking stories, taught me about the various stages of life in terms of wardrobes – working up through various stages including makeshift rail with plastic cover, IKEA etc up to the heavy wooden substantial beast that needs WAXING!!...  (I think I am at the built-in stage) and it also made me cry for the first and indeed only time this Edinburgh when Molly talked about the father’s legacy to his daughter at the end of the piece.  (And that is saying something as I was about the only dry eye in the house after Mayday Mayday which I found uplifting rather than emotionally upsetting!) 

It would be easy to tour – nothing too tricky or technical - and hopefully the Middle Ones would toughen up a bit and come out of their shell after the baptism of fire of a rural tour.  Would be interesting to see how audiences react to this one.

Review by Gill Vickers