Q: What can you do with a hospital screen, a clock, a table, a
chair and a preserving pan? A: Build the most compelling piece of
theatre you may ever see in your lifetime! In Jack Hibberd's
celebrated monodrama, recluse Monk O'Neill (played by Peter
Hosking) is the ultimate stand-up comedian. He talks directly to
the audience about his past life, he jokes with them, tells them
stories (some bawdy, some laden with pathos), almost always going
beyond this to comic re-enactment. The humour is black, and
there's plenty of it. To witness Hosking in full flight is to be
caught up in the momentum of a full scale tornado. The range of
this actor is truly incredible; he is vibrant, physical and
in-your-face. Every irony, every nuance, every gesture had the
audience enthralled. Hosking's subtlety of interpretation, his
rapid shifts of character, and lively digressions make this a
superlative performance. The man is brilliant. By all means spend
some Fringe bucks on froth and bubble, but for truly inspired
acting, astute direction, innovative and faultless design, music
and lighting see Greg Carroll's production of Stretch. (And see
it soon - when the word gets out there won't be a seat left in
the house.)