25/08/26

Underbelly Cowgate (Belly Laugh), Edinburgh

Meet Jack (Daniel Adolfsson), a laid-back kind of guy, just trying to make his way in the world. Okay, so he recently split up with the girl he’s still hopelessly in love with, and from whom he’s inherited a bulldog (her new partner is allergic, apparently). And yes, he does live in a crummy little flat that doesn’t even have its own shower, but he’s determined to make it as an actor. Meanwhile, to make ends meet, he’s happy to man a suicide line and talk people out of doing something desperate… and there’s no chance of him ever doing anything stupid like that himself because that big break will surely come along one of these days. Won’t it?

Oh, and the guitar on the chair beside him? He doesn’t even play guitar, it’s just there as a conversation piece.

Adolfsson has a relaxed and likeable presence and the story (which he also wrote) is gently and confidently told – which makes the character’s toxicity all the more chilling. He describes his irascible landlord, the shy woman who recently moved in next door, and her eight year old daughter, who just might be interested in having occasional guitar lessons. And then, one day, his best friend casually mentions that he might have fixed him up with a major role in an adaptation of Anna Karenina…

Directed by Lilac Yosiphon, this piece of narrative storytelling is described as a dark, Nordic comedy. It follows a linear path and is most interesting when things go wrong for Jack, which they inevitably do. However, I can’t help feeling this piece could do with a little more fire in its belly, a little more jeopardy.

And the guitar? Sure enough Adolfsson eventually picks it up and gives us a couple of (very good) songs. Which only goes to show, you can’t trust everything a Fringe performer tells you. Maybe it’s a sign that Jack is starting to deal with all those unresolved issues.

3 stars

Philip Caveney