*****

Hugh Hughes show is like a breath of fresh air. He opens with an extended beginning which is a prelude to the main event. This is a thoroughly absorbing story about his long standing friendship with Gareth, his best mate, as its theme.

The story opens with their friendship as 8 year olds. It continues with key events when they were 10 year olds and finally as adults. Hugh Hughes is a natural story teller. He enthralls with humour, tension and the mental images he creates. It is also a very physical performance as he effectively uses the whole auditorium. This physicality is balanced by the quiet observation of tiny details.

There is a gentle moral in the story he tells and the conclusion gives a feeling of warmth and optimism. Hugh Hughes hails from north Wales and amongst the Celtic peoples there is a centuries old tradition of the storyteller. He is a true exponent of this art, but I doubt if previous generations of storytellers included graphic descriptions of poo or cross dressing in their tales.

Hugh Hughes in ...360

Company: - Hoipolloi / Escalator East to Edinburgh

Venue: - Pleasance  Two   V33

Dates: - 5th  to  31st  August  2009  not  11th or  17th

Times: -  19-05   to   20-05

Fringe Programme Page: - p58   (C23)