Erroll McGlashan’s raw comedic and heartfelt performance of Something to Take the Edge Off sweeps the audience back to the 1980s. Ezra and Terry are doing a “long stretch” in Her Majesty’s Pleasure. Why they are on I side doing time isn’t important it’s what happens while they are in there. The insight into prison life during the 1980s draws the audience in.

Elements of verbatim are spread throughout the storyline although it’s never confirmed which parts. The high-energy performance lifts you into the cell mate’s work and I felt that by the end of the play, I knew flatmates Terry and Ezra very well.

It’s a long way from the BBC sitcom Porridge although the infamous “Grouty” is replaced by “Diesel” who appears to have an endless stash of gear and isn’t someone you double cross or fail to pay back. Although Ezra remembers him while they were growing up and reminds him of how his Mother treated him with kindness when Diesels’ mother neglected him. Inside you do what you need to to get by and survive.

Ezra’s escape from prison walls takes the form of literature working his way through the classics and finding a love for Shakespeare.  Henry V taking centre stage. He realises that fellow cellmate Terry cannot read or write. Leading to some extremely funny scenes where he attempts to teach him.

McGlashsn’s performance embarks on every emotion along the way from the excitement about his literature classes to the lows he faced on a nightly basis where the drugs helped him to sleep and temporarily dream about having his freedom back.

However, with many Fringe Festival performances averaging 55 minutes the production would benefit from editing around ten minutes off the show although, with the rich textual content, I wouldn’t envy McGlashan the task of editing.

It’s performances and shows like these that make the Theatre a better place, which keep drawing me back into the Fringe venues.

For more details on this production running throughout the Camden Fringe and future productions at Aces and Eights please use the links below.

Four Stars

https://camdenfringe.com/events/something-to-take-off-the-edge

https://www.acesandeightssaloonbar.com/events/something-to-take-off-the-edge-3