Set in the claustrophobic confines of The Attic space at Pleasance Courtyard, The Fetch Wilson is a tale of a boy growing up in modern-day Dublin whose life has no meaning until he discovers a talent for playing poker, but whose life then spirals out of control as he enters the murky world of the card sharp.
Performed by Edwin Mullane as a monologue, this dark and disturbing piece is inspired, according to the company, by the worlds of Edgar Allen Poe and Chuck Palanuck. It certainly contains some evil characters and macabre happenings and explores the black heart of the underbelly of society.
Billy Wilson tells his story almost back to front. He starts with his current unsuitable girlfriend and his life in Dublin as a shady card player with a few anecdotal stories that lull you into a false sense of security before he begins his tale of how he got there: through friendship with a boy at school who uncannily has the same name as him and subsequently keeps appearing at moments of significance in his life.
The actor drew us in from the start, with his soft lilting Irish brogue and strange costume of boxer shorts, vest and dressing gown, telling the story with animation and pace through the trials and turns of Wilson’s life to the final shocking twist.
A well-written, forensically directed and charismatically performed piece that deserves a wider airing.