The Tailor of Inverness - Krawiec Z Inverness

Matthew Zajac's one-man show about his own father's life achieves more power, humour and inventiveness in its 75 minutes than most full-length plays manage in three hours.

It's a potent statement about family roots, the effect of history on the masses and the burden of buried secrets.

The play follows two narratives. The main focus is on the title character as he speaks to the audience about his life.

The action alternates between his shop and his imagination, chronicling his life and experiences from his Polish childhood, his involvement in the Second World War and his eventual emigration and life in Scotland.

The second narrative, which encompasses most of the second half, chronicles Zajac's personal search for the truth about his father's roots.

Zajac's performance is phenomenal. He alternates characters with ease, using single props or costume pieces to switch persona. It's easy to get lost in the power of his storytelling as his energetic performance quickly shifts between comedy and pathos.

Harrison's direction enhances the power of the story. The innovative use of the tailor shop and its contents is one of the most ingenious and creative things I have seen in recent Scottish theatre. Maps, song translations and images of people mentioned are projected onto a backdrop made from clothing. Inanimate objects become characters the audience care deeply about, and everyday items are used as theatrical masks that allow Zajac to morph into different characters.

If there's one weakness in the piece, it is in the presentation of Zajac's autobiographical account. While his own story is fascinating, it at times feels disorientating and confusing, especially near the end when he bounces between his father and himself.

But this is only a minor point. This production features some of the most inventive artistic work I've seen on stage in some time. It is easy to get swept away by the narratives, the numerous characters and the constant theatrical surprises that Harrison and Zajac create. Quite simply, it is a wonderful example of Fringe theatre: personal, creative and mesmerising. This should not be missed.

Reviewed at The Arches, Glasgow in August 2008.