27/08/16

Spotlites, Edinburgh

The Edinburgh Fringe has nearly come to an end and yet, there are still some fabulous shows to be caught before it breathes its last for another year.

Take Cracked Tiles, for example. This beautifully crafted monologue, written and performed by Lorenzo Novani, is the downbeat tale of a young man who inherits a Glasgow fish and chip shop from his father Aldo. The place has been there for decades and Aldo spent every spare hour there, so much so, that as a child, Riccardo barely ever saw him. Now, after years living away from home, he returns to discover that what everyone regarded as ‘Aldo’s little goldmine’ is anything but that. One look through the accounts suggests that things have been going downhill for years…

This play is about the fractured relationship between a father and son. It has the unmistakable ring of truth about it and Novani is quite staggering as Riccardo, as he switches effortlessly from character to character, portraying old Italian-Scottish relatives and cantankerous customers with ease.

The play’s heartbreaking conclusion had me in floods of tears. If you’re looking for something special to finish off the Fringe on a high note, please consider this little gem. It’s an absolute delight.

5 stars

Philip Caveney