Every now and then, you find a show that epitomises the spirit of the Fringe and challenges your perception of what theatre is.
Lots and Not Lots is an intriguing physical musical production by Greig Sinclair, performed by a group of youngsters from the Lyra Young Artists programme, that poses the questions of why are we here and what is the point of life? Powerful topics.
But it begins simply with a girl playing with a ping pong ball. She is joined by four others creating circles of light with torches and exploring their lit hands and arms. There follows a play on the words of the title of the play spoken in repeated ways.
Sounds are created by whirling plastic tubes in the air with the cast having much fun as a battle commences. Five recorder players, lined up in height order, deliver a rather discordant melody.
They chant a song, explore the space they are in interrupted by a girl on a scooter who circles the group and then disappears. We wait in a long, long dramatic silence.
The spell is broken by some enthusiastic line dancing and the strands are eventually brought together in a tense and moving monologue, "power, kindness, love we can have lots. We need to share and we can."
The dramatic theatrical ending brought gasps of surprise from the audience and tremendous applause.