Words: Michael Whitham

Who gets to make art, to take up space, to command an audience, to have their work celebrated…? And at what cost? This is the central question at work in Adrienne Truscott’s and Brokentalkers’ bold and beguiling piece of feminist meta-theatre. The show begins with Truscott portraying a famous, revered male auteur being interviewed about his work. Silliness and slippery jokes punctuate the scene, but the undertone speaks to darker and more serious themes about the abuse of privilege. When the play becomes really interesting, however, is as this scene starts to disintegrate, forming and reforming into a different kind of two-hander altogether. The piece is beautifully paced, allowing the performers to deftly bounce between absurdity and profundity in a way that shines a spotlight on both. Clever, witty, strange and performed with great aplomb – this is what we come to the Fringe for.

Masterclass is on at the Pleasance Dome at 5.40pm until August 28th