EDINBURGH 2013- BWW Reviews: STUART: A LIFE BACKWARDS, Underbelly, August 2 2013

Stuart: A Life Backwards is a play based on the life of Stuart Shorter. An unlikely hero, Stuart is a homeless man who forms an unexpected friendship with middle class charity worker Alexander.

As a fan of the biography by Alexander Masters which the play is adapted from, I had very high hopes when it was announced to debut at the Fringe. The show exceeded all of my expectations. Dealing with a heavy subject, it manages to be very touching and surprisingly funny.

The play opens with a campaign to free two charity workers who have been wrongfully arrested. Stuart becomes involved in the campaign and this is when the friendship with Alexander begins to develop. Alexander becomes interested in Stuart's life. Born with muscular dystrophy Stuart now also suffers from mental illness, has had issues with drug abuse and spells in prison. Alexander gains his permission to write a book on his life and to discover what happened to Stuart and how he came to be the way he is. To tell the story of his life, backwards.

A talented cast of six transformed into more characters than I could count and the two leads were exceptional. Will Adamsdale as Alexander Masters and Fraser Ayres as Stuart Shorter. The transformation of a simple set throughout the performance was flawless.

Stuart: A Life Backwards runs at the Underbelly until August 26th. Timings and tickets here.

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