The Truman Capote Talk Show, Pleasance Courtyard.
Confession time: I’ve never read anything by Truman Capote; in fact, I don’t think I’ve ever seen him interviewed. That’s why I was curious to see The Truman Capote Talk Show, to fill the gap in my knowledge. And what a fascinating character he turns out to be! A loner with a gift and indeed a need for writing, master of the acerbic turn of phrase, hob-nobber with the great and the good, essentially sad, but always making the best of it. Apart from the booze that is. Bob Kingdom presents a riveting, confiding, neatly-written and stylishly presented account of this outrageous man, who worked his socks off to alienate people, even those he wanted to keep close. A true tour de force, and a welcome insight into this legendary figure. 4 stars.
Managed Approach, Gilded Balloon Patter House.
In 2014, the Holbeck district of Leeds became the UK’s first legalised red-light district. It was then legal for sex workers to operate under what was called a Managed Approach. The idea was that it would be safer for everyone concerned if sex work could take place under the supervision of the law; and, to an extent, it worked. However, such a step would always have wider consequences, as Open Aire’s production eloquently makes clear. Interspersed with genuine verbatim accounts from sex workers and their friends and family, we see the household of mother and daughter Kate and Abbie, a vulnerable 16-year-old girl who relishes the party lifestyle and often comes close to danger. Kate embarks on a crusade to make her daughter’s life and those other young people in the neighbourhood safer, but does it achieve what it sets out to do? With great work by the entire cast, but a particularly stunning performance by Eanna Ferguson as Kate, this is a very powerful and thought-provoking piece of theatre. 4 stars.
Hot Mess, Pleasance Courtyard.
Have you ever wondered how life on Earth might have started? Earth was looking for someone she could get along with – those dinosaurs were great but that blasted asteroid killed the lot of them. But then along blunders Humanity, meekly looking for a place to stay and, against her better judgment, Earth falls for him. But after a while, as he starts to get too big for his boots, can they sustain the relationship? Wonder no more, as Jack Godfrey and Ellie Coote’s extraordinarily creative Hot Mess explains it all in an hour packed with witty, tuneful songs, and two remarkable performances from Danielle Steers as Earth and Tobias Turley as Humanity. Wonderfully clever, amazing songs and a surprise ending – which is perhaps a little more optimistic than we all deserve! A brilliant new musical that I have no doubt will continue to have a Life After Fringe. 5 stars.
Ben Pope: The Cut, Assembly George Square. 
The Unkindest Cut of All is an overworked phrase, but if you’ve been circumcised as an adult, it only has one meaning. In his show, The Cut, Ben Pope not only describes what led to his decision to have his foreskin swiped away, and the process by which it became detached from the rest of him, but he also introduces us to his parents and home life, and his relationship with his no-nonsense chef girlfriend. Ben is an excellent storyteller, with a superb command of the English language that means he always knows how to select le mot juste, and to find comedy in the most tragic of circumstances. It’s a very entertaining narrative, with plenty of laugh-out-loud sequences, delivered at a measured, intelligent pace. Laconic, but polished, he sets up a solid, trusting rapport with the audience who feel his pain every inch of the way. 3 stars.
Centre of the Universe, Summerhall.
15-year-old Mary knows but one thing; that she is destined to be a star. The guest speaker at school virtually told her so. It doesn’t matter that she has no particular talent or aptitude, all she needs is an Internet connection and a willingness to be noticed, and her increasing number of “likes” will do the rest. Starting with a very cunning coup-de-theatre that certainly had me fooled, Gaia Mondadori gives a frenetically excitable performance as the over-the-top Mary, bungling her way through attempts to be successful, desperate for inspirational messages and signs that fame will come her way. Structurally innovative, with the start and the end of the play making an impressive loop, we see fragments of Mary’s life that don’t entirely make sense until we gain an understanding of the play as a whole – and then it all slots into place. Very clever and very well performed. 4 stars.
Paldem, Summerhall.
In these days of cost of living crises and young people struggling in the gig economy to make enough cash to make ends meet, thank God for OnlyFans, one of the more modern methods of making some extra cash – and for massaging one’s ego – just by doing what comes naturally. Some of these performing partnerships are exactly that – established couples who film themselves for the lols and the bank balance. But some are just friends, performing sex acts for an appreciative and generous public, on a purely professional basis. David Jonsson’s Paldem asks the question, when does a simple “paldem” sex performance agreement end and a committed relationship begin? And does it matter? This is a well-written and entertainingly performed play, which makes excellent use of stage tech; there is a particularly memorable and hilarious scene where pals Megan and Kevin invite another couple to film with and they realise how totally out of their depth they are. The play does get a little bogged down with additional questions about race towards the end that aren’t entirely clear and feel superfluous to the rest of the content, but otherwise this is a challenging and funny play that makes you laugh, gasp and cringe! 4 stars.
Why I Sent Dad’s Mate a Dick Pic, Hoots @ The Apex. 
Boasting one of the best titles of an Edinburgh show this year, Henry Bretz bursts onto the stage full of energy and keen to share three of the most awkward text exchanges of his life. But that’s not until he’s told us about his move from Australia to England (via Edinburgh) because – well, who wouldn’t want to swap the Gold Coast for a Warm Coat? Henry has a terrific presence on stage – welcoming and hugely likeable, and with a confident, fluid delivery of his nicely paced material. We do get to find out why he sent a dick pic to his dad’s mate, but it’s perhaps not for the reason we all might have supposed; context is everything! An ebullient and cheery chap whom we definitely want to see again. 3 stars.
