Max Dickins has the ability to give incredible depth to a solo performance. He did it to great effect last year with The Trunk, and now he does it again with new show The Man on the Moor. Max shares the stage with only six chairs and a screen, which is used sparingly to highlight key moments where a visual aid is necessary.
A young man’s father went missing twenty years ago, just disappeared completely, and after all this time the young man still can’t let go, he feels an overpowering sense of guilt and needs to have closure. One day a photograph in the newspaper takes him on a journey he wasn’t expecting. As with Max Dickins previous works, this is part monologue and part mystery.
Max gives us yet another masterclass in storytelling, he layers up the story perfectly; the audience get the right amount of information drip fed to them to ensure they are completely captivated, but not overwhelmed. He brings in some wonderful comedy elements via step-dad Colin and his penchant for exotic cooking and minimalist decor.
As you wait with baited breath for each new piece of information and each new clue, you realise just how invested you have become in the story, willing the central charter on to succeed. Max rolls out a host of characters who illustrate the devastation to those left behind and it’s impossible not to be moved by the poignancy of it all.
The Man on the Moor possibly doesn’t quite reach the emotional intensity of The Trunk, but it’s still gloriously absorbing, moving and tender. Just to see Max perform is an experience, couple it with the meticulous writing and this is the perfect addition to any Fringe schedule.
The Man on the Moor is based on a real missing person found on Saddleworth Moor, Max Dickins is raising money for Missing People and you can make a donation here.
