EDINBURGH FESTIVAL 2009 - REVIEW: WOLFBOY, George Square 4, August 15

Bernie is a 17 year old who has attempted suicide, hiding a dark secret that motivates his psychological problems. In the next room of the Boys home where he is currently staying is David, a teenage street-hustler, who hides his own secrets - and claims to be a wolf. This is the character-based setting for Wolfboy, a new musical based on a play by Canadian writer Brad Fraser and adapted by director Russell Labey with music and lyrics by Leon Parris.

From the first hauntingly beautiful notes sung by Gregg Lowe as Bernie, the audience members at Edinburgh's George Square 4 venue are drawn into the intense atmosphere of the piece and are kept on The Edge of their seats throughout. The cleverly constructed and razor sharp writing weaves snatches of songs through the dialogue and examines questions concerning the boys' sexuality and the emotional and psychological core of their personalities.

Raising the issues of child abuse and lycanthropy is not the typical basis for a musical. And certainly there are few musicals where the verbal and physical elements are as obtrusively harrowing as this. But it works. And it proves that musical theatre can be as challenging to the mind as any piece of "traditional" theatre - especially when the writing of the Book is this "edgy"  and is complemented by an equally "edgy", but also highly melodic, score.

The theatrical experience is further enhanced by the quality of the performances by the four-strong cast. Katie Beard (as the boys' nurse, Cherry) and Lee Latchford Evans (as Bernie's older brother, Christian) are convincing and compelling in their roles. Gregg Lowe's Bernie sings beautifully throughout and the depth and intensity of the acting of both Lowe and Paul Holowaty (as David)are quite astonishing. They have to rank as two of the most outstanding performances I've witnessed at this year's Fringe.

This is one of the most gripping, haunting and deeply disturbing musicals I've ever experienced. Those theatre-goers who like their musicals to be "sit back, relax and enjoy the whimsical ride" in the vein of Mamma Mia, Hairspray or Priscilla, Queen Of The Desert may find Wolfboy a trifle too dark for their tastes. But I for one thought it was mind-blowingly brilliant.

*****