Local residents will concede that there is some seriously weird stuff to be seen around our wonderful city pretty much the whole year ‘round, but the festival has to be the optimum time to see our streets our bursting and buzzing with the bizzarist of the bizarre. With this in mind, I couldn’t help but be drawn to a little show at the Pleasance Courtyard one afternoon in which a failing artist is terrorised by a haunted sock. Yes, you read that right. A haunted sock. Only at the Fringe.
A haunted sock offers a struggling and desperate painter the world. Money, recognition and, perhaps most importantly, the affections of the one he loves. But all of this must come at a most bloody price. Murder most foul. Will he follow through with his cotton companions wicked desires? Or will he see the light before it is too late.
Sock Puppet is a very silly play that sometimes falls into the trap of being a little too silly, but for the most part is a quietly entertaining sixty minutes. It is carried well by writer/performer John-Luke Roberts, who displays great comic timing and a command of the audience and, for what it’s worth, the sock.
I couldn’t help but feel, as odd as it may sound, that more could have been made of the haunted sock who, apart from killing people, really isn’t that interesting. There are a few laughs to be had with him, and these are all very well and good, but a few more and with a darker edge would benefit the piece.
Overall, though, it’s not at all bad and there is a lot to like. It just could have done with a little more bite in my view.
Runs til 26 Aug (not 13), 2.10pm.