EDINBURGH 2016 - Review: THE BOOKBINDER, Pleasance Courtyard, 12 August

We are welcomed to the office of a bookbinder as he lets us know what we are in for working as his apprentice. In a small, dark room with a desk he tells us the story of his last apprentice. It was a boy who, when fixing a book, did something that could not be undone (defying the number one rule of bookbinding), and he reveals what happened to him as a result.

The Bookbinder relies heavily on lighting. Some of the story is told through shadow puppets and this has been executed beautifully. The storytelling is mesmerising and has the audience gripped throughout the entire play. The tale is a little dark in places, but not scary, and has more than a touch of Neil Gaiman to it.

Written and narrated by Ralph McCubbin Howell, this is a piece that has been carefully crafted. The story is told with the assistance of a large pop-up book, which is a really lovely touch and makes the piece all the more enchanting.

The Bookbinder runs at the Pleasance Courtyard until 28 August.