Maja Ardal’s one woman play is an incredible and touching production about growing up in Scotland in the 1950’s from the eyes of an Icelandic immigrant, Elsa. While this is Elsa’s story it could belong to anyone’s and that is the trick that has the audience glued for the entire two hour production. We follow Elsa into a world she doesn’t quite understand, the social hierarchy of children and the cruelty that can come with it. Elsa slowly begins to realise that only through being horrible to others she can become popular. Not that this is a dark production, far from it in fact. It is a charming, sweet and very, very funny tale about life in Scotland that never once lets down Ardal’s eleven or so characters she expertly portrays.
Ardal does a sensational job flipping between these characters and at one stage, she even has a scene set in a singing contest, so must portray four characters singing Scottish songs, in character and with their unique voices. This must be a phenomenal task but Ardal flawlessly pulls it off.
Raw, funny, emotional and like nothing else you will see at the Fringe, this production is incredible and made all the better with the tight direction, razor sharp writing and an flawless actor.
5/5 
Martin Miller
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