From the title of this show alone, you can probably deduce that it’s Welsh. It’s actually very, very Welsh, as Ryan’s one-person show tells us a story of Welsh myths, Welsh identity, and queerness. In fact, the only way it could be more Welsh would be if Ryan had ridden in on a dragon, dressed as the Doctor from Doctor Who.
Presented through a series of observational sketches, Ryan takes us on a journey from mythical Wales, to the very heart of Wales – via Arriva Trains, of course! Set in the real Welsh town of Llanidloes, we are guided through a series of encounters with a collection of familiar characters, all of whom have a little something unexpected about them. There’s some audience interaction here, some of it more involved, and Lane impressively improvises around the audience responses.
Whilst the characters seem familiar, Lane’s observational humour is so sharp that we see behind the common stereotypes, and often arrive somewhere slightly uncomfortable. The underlying theme that there’s more queerness amongst people than would be expected, is subtly included, to illustrate that, even if you are in the “first town on the Severn”, you will find yourself amongst your own community, whatever that might be, and even if you’re not aware of it. As ever, people have more in common than divides them, even if that often seems not to be the case.
The show is, to be fair, slightly chaotic. There’s a lot of frantic costume changes, and a slightly unpolished air to the entire production, all of which cleverly contributes to heighten the humour. But that’s what Edinburgh Fringe is supposed to be about – stories you wouldn’t expect, in places you wouldn’t expect to find them, being told from the heart. And make no mistake, Lane has poured his heart into this show, which is an embodiment of the spirit of the fringe.
Whilst possibly not one for the youngest members of your family, for anyone from teenagers upwards, this is a cracking little show that will make you laugh, and make you think about the myths we create around ourselves.
