Threshold

The coach trip to get to Threshold is air-conditioned, and the seats are comfortable, despite their gaudy upholstery and lack of legroom. The scenery outside is attractive: the Scottish Borders are a very pretty part of the world.

However, at roughly one hour each way, a three-hour round trip including the performance, it is overlong and wearying. The audio played over the PA, full of gruesome squelching sounds, won’t help those suffering from motion sickness. Also, the show itself is something of a Freudian treasure hunt, requiring lots of running around the grounds of a country manor. Bring comfortable shoes, though; rain and traffic could ruin everything.

It is to their credit, then, that 19;29 make you forget these fairly major grievances. The destination, the striking Traquair House in Innerleithen, almost justifies the trek. The use of the location is faultless, inseparable from a well handled, intertwining narrative. On arrival, you are asked to select a character and witness events from their point of view. In truth, the central story is weak and overly vague, but so much is glimpsed and overheard one would gladly do it all again, even the bus, to see things from another perspective. Occasionally the audience might desire clearer instructions, but this adds to the frantic atmosphere.

Threshold demands a huge commitment, both from the cast and the audience. Indeed, it pushes the boundaries of an Edinburgh Fringe show, in a purely geographical sense. However, this well-acted and ambitious production ultimately rewards those willing to go the extra mile.