Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451@ The Gilded Balloon (SKINNYFEST)

From the company that staged last years sell-out A Clockwork Orange, comes Bradbury's stage adaptation of his distopian novel, which, while it may discard some of the more nuanced moments of the book renders the tone, the energy and the message even more immediate. The urgency of the script, which lurches from one disaster to another, is matched in this production by the lean, energised performances and deft, imaginative direction. Each element of the look and sound stays true to the disturbing tone of the original work, capturing Bradbury's intent to produce a stark, unsettling affront to complacency.

Most striking are the images of the fireman that are surprising in how quickly they conjure modern connotations to 9/11. The image of this ultra-masculine hero, compromised broken and confused, screaming Alexander Pope at an oppressor, is just one of many exceptional moments in an inspired production. Amongst the wonderful farce and fanfare of the Fringe, it is gratifying to be reminded that a visit to the theatre should be challenging; that a play can strive to be an instrument of change.