On the Island of Aars

It doesn’t all have to be high art; sometimes you come across an hour of pure, unadulterated fun like On the Island of Aars.

Equal parts HMS Pinafore, Hamish Macbeth and Monarch of the Glen, this musical comedy stubbornly refuses to take itself seriously. Adapted from the text by director and performer Chris Larner, On the Island of Aars is an exposition of exemplary comic writing, combining subtle innuendo, appalling puns and irreverence towards its craft. The story doesn’t unfold with mainstream grace; you’ll be awed by its comic finesse, if not the slickness of the production.

The whole cast performs admirably, milking the outrageous elements of their characters with the best pantomime skill, and Larner’s perfectly weighted asides deserve credit for setting the madcap tone while binding the unruly performance together. But it is Laura Main who brightens this show like a lighthouse erected in the island's Crack of Aars. It’s a shame to think that this young Scottish talent might easily fall into musical theatre with her crystalline voice and covergirl looks, because as an actress she is formidable. Main exhales the rural simplicity and innocence that is written into her role, but seasons it with her own spice that is both naughty and nice. She recalls the classical French actresses who reinvigorated the cunning, virginal female leads of Molières masterpieces in the 1960s and 70s. She won't remain long in Fringe sideshows.

In spite of the Scottish weather, this show is a ray of sunshine; there could be no better escape from the gloom than On the Island of Aars.