Sylvia's Ball

When I saw the words 'cancer' and 'comedy' on the poster, I was slightly worried that I might be in for another dose of risqué Fringe humour. Sylvia's Ball is instead a thoughtful and interesting play about one woman's painful struggle to fight the lethal disease, a far cry from shock-horror novelty.

In the cosy setting of The Green Room, her journey is entertainingly detailed by two actors, one of whom is Sylvia's son. His obvious intimacy with the subject and the pair's relentless energy keep the audience engaged.

Visual aids also help to keep all eyes peeled. A large plasma screen is installed slap-bang in the middle of the back wall, where it plays a series of short clips, showing friends, doctors and Sylvia herself. A polystyrene ball multi-tasks as a prop, and is used especially well to represent Sylvia's malignant tumour.

The actors play a clever mix of roles – including a pair of frisky dogs – yet although these are amusing, they also lead to moments of confusion. Uncertainty as to who is who, and what is actually happening, do creep in a few times during the show, unfortunately detracting from this touching mixture of documentary and stage performance.