The Road to Huntsville

A woman with a one-eyed cat, and a man on death row aren't the usual pen-pal pairing. But in Stephanie Ridings' one woman documentary show about unconventional beginnings, we see how the unlikeliest duos can lead to rather fascinating, if fatal, endings.

In the search to discover why women fall in love with men in prison, we join Ridings on the path to meeting a murderer. With a similar tone to Greg Wohead's The Ted Bundy Project in terms of its exploration of our attraction to violence, Ridings balances on a tightrope between research and personal investment. Her open humour, easy attitude and friendly Northern accent make it feel like she's telling us this story over a pint, and Jonathan McGrath's direction lends itself to this casual tone. If things ever get too serious, cat gifs are always on hand.

But as she gets a little too devoted to the project, Ridings' hobby becomes an obsession that painfully impacts on other aspects of her life. Caution is thrown to the wind in favour of adventure as we follow her all the way to Huntsville, nervous about what she's left behind. While the world of death row is spookily fascinating, the message of the play rings deeper than execution tourism. It's about the balance of saying 'yes' to opportunities, while remembering not to take what you already have for granted. Above all, Ridings shows the incredible journey that one small, crazy idea can take you on.