Inheritance Blues

DugOut Theatre's prior Fringe offerings—adaptations of classics like Patrick Marber's Dealer's Choice and last year's praised Bouncers Remix—have marked them out as a young company to watch at the Fringe. Inheritance Blues, part of the National Student Drama Festival, is their first devised piece, and its artful blend of musical cosiness and mild intrigue means it’s a satisfying late night offering that showcases the company's varied talents.

The house blues band, The Hot Air Ballues, welcomes the audience into the theatre with some jazzy tunes before they relate a story about being snowed in after playing at a wake in Dorset. It's a completely unlikely setting made even more so by the presence of the three sons of the man who has just died, who are stuck with them. The brothers spend their evening reminiscing about the good and the bad aspects of their father’s life, while the band just want to get paid and go home.

Despite the serious undercurrent, there's a noirish humour to the piece that's well pitched, and the green and black colour palette helps with the slightly seedy atmosphere. Yet although the ambience is right, the story needs a bit more drama and it sometimes feels unnecessarily convoluted.

But musically it's excellent and there's a particularly memorable saxophone scene to watch out for. The all-male cast is great, stylishly dealing with the multiple narrative threads and blending their talented musical skills with polished acting to create a fun and energetic evening.