It’s important to acknowledge off the bat that Twisted Tales is not for everyone. In fact, it’s probably not even for most people; if you’re looking for something lighthearted to wander into post-lunch, then ‘Owdyado theatre‘s latest offering is probably going to upset your stomach and leave you in dire need of a lie-down. However, if the slightly macabre and unsettling is your thing, then there are definitely worse ways to spend an hour while you digest whatever you managed to scavenge from the George Square food trucks.
Twisted Tales is a double-bill; the first act involves a mysterious character who appears to be in love with the very person keeping him hostage in a small flat. The second involves two children’s TV presenters – complete with rictus grins – as they try to fix a catastrophe of their own making. If those descriptions sound irritatingly vague, that’s because – as the name of the show implies – both stories involve a twist which ‘Owdyado theatre explicitly ask us not to reveal to future audience members. While neither of these twists are completely unexpected, it’s still enjoyable to see them play out in real time, and who is the Wee Review to begrudge them the element of surprise?
There are lots of uplifting, life-affirming shows at the Fringe. Twisted Tales is not one of them – you’ll be feeling distinctly unnerved as you head out of cocooned Pleasance Bunker and back into the hustle and bustle of the afternoon crowds. But despite – or maybe because? – of the morbid content, it’s still surprisingly enjoyable.