Fringe review: THE DEATH & LIFE OF ALL OF US, Victor Esses - Edinburgh Festival Fringe

Photo credit: Greta Mitchell

Mixing documentary footage, storytelling and live music, The Death and Life of All of Us is an exploration into family secrets, shame and embracing imperfections. Aged 19, Victor found his long-lost great-aunt Marcelle in Rome. She had converted from Judaism to Christianity, moved from Lebanon to Italy, changed her name and kept her secret for the whole of her life.

Victor Esses both created and performs this piece. An explanation of his research is combined with video footage of his great-aunt speaking and music (composed and performed by Enrico Aurigemma). He has a cheeky glint in his eye and a good rapport with the audience.

Some parts of the video footage are hard to process, partly because of the location and partly because we can't make out some of the conversation taking place.

It is a very interesting story that Victor has uncovered. It takes courage primarily to unearth the secret that is being kept, but it takes further courage to continue with the project when you unearth the homophobic views of the person that you are talking to. Being family doesn't justify having to accept this behaviour.

It's an engaging and well performed piece, maybe just a few tweaks are needed to capture everything that it has to offer.

An eye-opening family discovery.

*** Three stars

Reviewed by: Rachel Louise Martin

The Death and Life of All of Us plays in the Demonstration Room at Summerhall at 11.30am until 27 August.