Writer: Joel Horwood

Director: Joel Horwood

Reviewer: Deborah Klayman

The Public Reviews Rating:

Tender and touching, Joel Horwood’s I Heart Peterborough is set in and revolves round the inhabitants of the city, centring on the unconventional relationship between a father and son who are at odds with their surroundings and find solace in each other’s company. The script is witty and thoughtful in equal measure, and the staging surprising and simple, with the odd couple occupying Lulu’s compact flat with its faded floral wallpaper.

A production that utilises contradiction to the full, I Heart Peterborough is a two-hander that is at points both inexplicably sad and wonderfully heart-warming. With outstanding performances from Milo Twomey (Lulu) and Jay Taylor (Hew), the piece is punctuated by the music that inspires and affects both the performers and audience as we follow the course of the men’s lives. Exploring this journey through the eyes of two people intrinsically different from those they encounter, together they find a way of navigating an unfriendly world. From Hew carefully dressing Lulu and fixing his make up at the beginning to their hilarious ‘duet’ mid way through, the show is pitch perfect and deftly knits together aspects of light and shade that are at the heart of any meaningful relationship. Meanwhile, Taylor showcases his musical skills throughout, manning the keyboard and making the hits of the past his very own.

After producing his first play at Edinburgh in 2005, it seems only fitting that Horwood should bring this new production to the place where he had his first success.  Intelligently and lovingly put together, this piece is yet another of his triumphs and one that you should be loathe to miss.

Until 27^th August

Tags: 2012, EdFringe, Edinburgh Fringe, I Heart Peterborough, Pleasance Courtyard, Theatre