Gareth Vile

A combination of the Faust myth, through Goethe’s version, and a commentary on Africa’s post-colonial conflicts, Handspring’s version of the devil’s deal ponders theology and human power in a witty and sometimes harrowing display of puppet power that links the rise of Enlightenment thought to the subsequent atrocities imposed on the African continent.

There are few shows at the Fringe which are on the epic scale of Tom at the Farm. A huge stage, an impressive lighting rig and a run time of over two hours, the production has the sense of a ‘proper’ theatre. Languid pauses, serious acting and the theme of homophobia given weight by the transfer of the script to Brazil, it majors on the appearance of seriousness.

Playing on the ambiguous relationship between Dame Granny Smith and ventriloquist David Salter, this hour smoothly moves between gentle humour and pathos. Granny Smith is an apple, but whether she is a deluded old lady or genuine superstar is ambiguous: Salter himself doubles as carer and host, before the show gradually reveals a more poignant truth and touches on themes of grief and isolation.