The Tailor of Inverness @ Tron

The Tailor of Inverness is the true story of writer and performer Matthew Zajac's father – firstly, with Matthew playing his father telling his own tale of how he came through the war and arrived in Scotland, then as himself relating the discovery of what really happened, and his coming to terms with it. The father's story meanders through the war and back again, woven with stories of his time in Scotland, and growing up in a Polish family in the modern Ukraine. 

The show acknowledges the limitations of a one man performance while pushing them to the breaking point, with the 'train' scene in particular a triumph of physical theatre and creativity. The musical accompaniment is integrated into the show without once feeling intrusive, and subtitles for the Polish and German language segments are likewise well placed. Every aspect of the production is clearly the result of a deliberate and well thought choice.

The only criticism to offer is that while Zajac characterises his father brilliantly, he does not dramatise his personal part of the story. This does lead to the later stages feeling dry and somewhat cold in parts. With that said, The Tailor of Inverness is to be praised for handling a personal and harrowing tale of the Second World War without dragging on the heartstrings. The play is frank and straightforward without passing judgement, and is all the more tragic for it. The Tailor of Inverness stands as a brilliant example of how to tackle a serious subject with the maturity it deserves.