Ruaraidh Murray as Pongo is a brooding and violent Hibs football casual who may or may not have just murdered a rival hearts supporter.

Murray, with his closely cropped hair and Stone Island jumper delivers a believable performance that becomes more unsettling as the play goes on.

There has to be more to this local tough-guy but while we are led to believe there is a more compassionate side reserved for this brother, the truth reveals a network of abysmal dysfunctions working in tandem.

An abusive father haunts both brothers and his shadow lingers long in the flat they share. There are some lighter moments with his brother Pete (Sean Langtree) who has special needs. Support of Hibs is a lifeline for this vulnerable adult and the score, the songs and sense of being part of something wider is clearly a lifeline but it’s not enough. It soon becomes clear that the character is something of a prisoner in the Leith flat. 

While many Fringe shows carry a trigger warning, perhaps Colours Run is one of the few where it’s absolutely necessary. It deals with some shocking domestic abuse and dark themes, and the room becomes like a pressure cooker as the drama unfolds becoming almost impossible to bear. While we don’t quite know how it will all end, we are left in little doubt that things can only get worse for both characters.

For more information about Colours Run please use the link below.

Reviewer Richard Purden.

Three Stars.

https://festival.summerhallarts.co.uk/events/colours-run/