3rdThought, the renowned over-65’s theatre company, have bestowed upon the public an utterly charming new idea that revolves around personalised one-to-one performances. Dressed in mystical white robes and striking organic headpieces, the Invisible People are quite the sight to behold within the fracas of the Fringe. Moving somewhere new every day (directions can be found via their facebook page), stumbling upon them is like finding the X that marks the spot - a delightful oasis that caters for absolutely everyone.
The system is simple: In exchange for a pound that goes to the Sick Kids Friends Foundation - an organisation that works with the Royal Hospital for Sick Children here in Ediburgh - you can pick a counter that corresponds to a story, a poem, a theatrical scene, a joke, a piece of good advice, or even a trick. Once you hand over the counter, you get a performance just for you.
I, among many others I expect, find the prospect of one-to-one performance slightly uncomfortable. But the Invisible People are in no way brash or imposing, and in practice, the piece feels like hearing a story from that relative we all have who always has a folk song up their sleeve, or can tell you about the time they stowed away on a train to Timbuktu. However, unlike everyone’s Uncle Dave, these people are true professionals. If you fancy taking a break from the mayhem of the Royal Mile, do yourself a favour and indulge in the Invisible People; you may just learn something new.
