by an anonymous guest critic

Casey Jay Andrews is a regular fixture at the Fringe. She is a purveyor of small, touching stories and beautifully constructed set designs. For this piece, she tells the story of Freddie, born during a meteor storm, who returns to her family home in the woods now inhabited only by her grandad and his Scottie dog. The meteor storm has returned 33 years on, and she and her grandad go out to watch the shooting stars. Meanwhile, her grandad has a secret he has not shared with her. 

This is a lovely, heartwarming story. It is a tribute to what makes a house a home, alongside addressing family drama and tensions, and the comfort that family can bring you when you’re struggling with loneliness and mid-30s angst.

Andrews is a warm, compelling storyteller whose use of small props and innovative, precise projections cleverly play with scale and effectively support telling the story. The production is beautifully soundtracked live by Jack Brett, whose songs and building guitar loops have an uplifting, post-rock feel to them. 

The story is touching, with a lovely attention to detail. Andrews manages to smartly weave in an emotional perspective into the big-picture universe she creates. This reminds us that regardless of our small stature in the world, our actions are always meaningful to the ones we love.

Oh My Heart, Oh My Home runs through 27 August.

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