Edinburgh Fringe: When Vincent Met John ★★★★★

I'm a sucker for anything Beatles related - and the fringe has no shortage of musicals, reinterpretations, and shameless cash-ins of the Fab Four.

When Vincent Met John is an oddity in that it is a normal play, rather than a musical. It is also an oddity in being 90 minutes long rather than the standard fringe slot of no more than an hour.

What if van Gogh and Lennon could have a conversation? They were both tortured artists whose influence spanned the world and only grew after their untimely deaths.

It is incredible!

Much like Yasmina Reza's "Art" this is a meticulous argument about the nature of creativity. And, much like, The Last Laugh this feature fastidiously observed recreation of beloved figures.

Can Lennon conceive of someone who doesn't recognise Him? Can van Gogh conceive of Yoko Ono's conceptual art? Is Lennon's braggadocio an impediment to his happiness? Is van Gogh's obsessive nature blocking him from progressing?

The script sizzles. Lennon almost seems to speak in rhyming couplets - as befits a lyricist and poet. It is peppered with throwaway references to his cannon (including many deep cuts for the obsessives). One of those plays where I immediately want to grab the script and study it to death.

Both actors utterly inhabit their characters and give play off each other perfectly. The direction is precise and inventive. Even the set construction is perfectly attuned to the needs of the show.

An astounding piece of theatre and strongly recommended.