Prodigals, The

Gilded Balloon Teviot    16 - 29 August @ 17.00    Inspire

Set against the backdrop of the British Forces in Afghanistan, this re-telling of the parable of The Prodigal Son rings with contemporary references. There are many parallels with Black Watch, particularly in some of the staging techniques, but the well-known story is at the heart of this show. In this version, the Prodigal son (played by TV’s Aaron Sidwell) becomes an overnight pop sensation in the company of Kelly – a childhood friend from another Force’s Family (played sweetly by Lucie Jones of X-Factor Fame). The show charts their surprisingly swift rise to fame and the indulgences it brings: Kelly’s untimely death due to a drugs overdose and Kyle’s fall from grace.

Meantime, the war continues in Helmand and the father and elder son continue their distinguished military careers. The hard working ensemble in this piece are both the regiment and the backing group for Kelly and Kyle’s pop duets as ‘The Prodigals’. The conflicts within are clearly exposed when Kyle returns in this modern parable.

Energy is high and the songs many – there is clearly more to the book for this show than we can see in this shortened Fringe version. The dialogue is one of the stronger elements in Joe Harmiston’s show – his decision to avoid a ‘romantic story’ for Kelly and Kyle is a good one as it allows the focus to remain on the relationships between the two brothers and their father.

The strongest song, ‘Where Do I Go From Here’ is used to great effect by the three leading men. Another highlight is The Regimental Song which could have more prominence in the earlier part of the show, making the finale more resonant.

Movement and staging are excellent – the direction strong and assured – as a work in progress, The Prodigals shows great promise.

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