Showing @ Assembly Hall, Edinburgh until Mon 26 Aug @ 14:45

At the centre of Michael Milligan‘s one man show is not just a searing indictment of the US healthcare system but also a surprisingly tender love story. It is a combination perfectly judged to affect the audience, to break through prejudices and politics straight to the core of a very real problem.

Joe is a patriotic, conservative, hard-working small business owner. He believes that the system will take care of him as long as he plays by the rules, something he has done for his entire life. But when his wife falls ill, he learns the hard way just how damaged that system really is.

Milligan has created a noble character in Joe, a man who seems bemused by this tragedy and is still fighting to uphold his moral code. Mercy Killers transcends party politics to bring the real cost of a fatally damaged health care system sharply into perspective. This production has been touring the US on a pay-by-donation basis to inspire discussion of healthcare reform but also to highlight the need for accessibility of the arts, issues that are also relevant in the UK. Mercy Killers also stands out however as some of the best theatre at the Fringe.