Here at Hairline we actively hunt out the productions that we like to call, the little gem. These are absolutely incredible performances that for some reason remain firmly under the radar and struggle with only a handful of audience members. Ladies and gentlemen of Hairline the hunt is over.
With only ten audience members in the spacious Pleasance Dome Ace venue the signs were not good, but in one hour these ten people shared something very special together, laughing and crying as they watched South African Pedro Kruger’s one man portrayal of Alex, a young man who has to live with the debilitating and painful condition, juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. We follow what has become normal to him in his day to day life and what happens when he begins to fall head over heels in love with a young journalist who is interviewing him for an article.
This is a multi-layered production that tackles its issues head on and is filled with hope, joy and quite brilliant boogie-woogie musical numbers performed with dazzling energy by Kruger. This man is a tour-de-force creating a gut wrenching and beautiful story that in the final section will have even the most hardened festival goer moved to tears.
This play is sensational in every count, immaculately written, acted and directed, Shirley Ellis has weaved a tight little production that effectively uses costumes, music and lighting to create quite possibly the best show at the Fringe.
They may have a small audience tonight but these ten people all stood and loudly cheered on Pedro Kruger, I suggest you go and do the same.
5/5 
Martin Miller
Loading ...