Auditorium

Three’s Company are full of experimental ambition in this cross between a comedy Pirandello play, a sci-fi thriller and a detective mystery.

While we’re being ushered to our seats and told to write our names on stickers, the action suddenly starts in the background. Farcical shenanigans in an Edinburgh bookshop take a turn for the chaotic when owner Guy discovers a portal to the theatre auditorium in his storeroom. Cue duplicitous characters, audience interaction and a sinister US agent’s plot to steal the portal key.

Tom Crawshaw’s play has some clever variations on the fourth wall-busting theme. It thrives on surprise, making you suspicious of whether the person next to you is an actor or just a regular audience member. You could be asked to guard the portal, trigger an alarm or take photos with your mobile as evidence – you might even be kidnapped.

Unfortunately, the plot unravels a little in the second half and the actions veer on the wrong side of chaotic, becoming confusing rather than humorously complicated. But the ingenious premise, a series of brilliant little coups de theatre and some strong comic performances make this a very watchable show from an inventive young company.