Given the sheer size of the Fringe, it is inevitable that some subjects are going to be given a lot of coverage. Generally, these are inline with current global happenings – the last three years have seen a dearth of material on American politics, Islamic fundamentalism and terrorism – but one subject has been constantly prevalent over the last few years. Paedophilia.
While never a cheery subject, it is often handled in a very heavy-handed and obvious manner so it is a surprise to find that Too Write Productions have managed to take an original approach and inject some humour into this morbid genre.
What makes The Fourth Wall interesting is that it doesn’t purport to be so dark from the off. Instead of launching straight into the subject, it starts off as a play about acting theory – in particular the Stanislavski Method – and pulls the audience into a scenario where an inexperienced actor breaks the fourth wall and loses his confidence. It is only when this fear is investigated that we discover the truth behind the stage fright and see a darker side of backstage goings on.
The Fourth Wall does have a fairly obvious conclusion and, with that in mind, loses itself a little towards the end. Thankfully, it’s not too hackneyed and the quality of the earlier stages more than make up for the slightly flaccid ending. Overall, The Fourth Wall is an original, well-conceived idea coupled with a convincing, enthralling delivery.
4/5
Richard Biggs
