Lynn Ferguson’s award winning Heart and Sole returns to the Fringe and it still beats the competition hands down. This one woman show is about an overweight teacher who begins to notice she has an admirer in the local aquarium, from a tub gurnard. Through psychic transference she begins to reciprocate this fish’s advances knowing that it can only end in tragedy.
You could be forgiven for dismissing this as one of the more silly Festival productions but really you would be missing out on one of the funniest, tender and at times beautiful productions around. For when you strip the story to its core it’s about finding love and how that threatens the happiness of those around you. Helped along by a powerhouse performance from Fergusson she expertly plays a host of believable, true to life characters and weaves an excellent tale that has the audience in awe.
There are some minor criticism to be found, specifically in one section where she treats the audience like her school children, getting us to spell tub gurnard and praising us for knowing the difference between salt and fresh water fish. Though it is very funny and is even tied in nicely to the narrative arc of the plot (when she confesses her true love with the fish it is this conversation that leads her to being fired). However it jars with the beautiful story and ultimately takes away some of the magic.
Also the sub plot involving a cult of fish lovers is unnecessary and confusing, but overlooking these minor glitches this show will break your heart and made you grin from ear to ear.
4/5 
Martin Miller
