Stalin’s Daughter is about one woman’s memories and nightmares as she seeks to cast off the shadow of her father’s brutal regime by living a life of anonymity in Bristol.

Totally alone, she lives a life of self- inflicted isolation but is confronted by memories her father’s brutality at every turn. All attempts at friendship are rebuffed and her only “real” contact is with an imaginary better half invented by her father to show up her weaknesses.

Haunted by her own unhappy childhood and the suicide of her mother, she is torn between her recollections of her father’s generosity and kindness and his uncaring cruelty.

Kirsty Cox holds the attention of the audience at the Rialto Theatre with a commanding performance. She exposes the woman’s inner turmoil as she gradually comes to terms with her past and finally entrusts her true identity to the one person who has consistently shown her kindness.

Written by David Lane and produced by the Kevin Cattrell from Bristol’s Blue Brook Productions, the play has already had successful runs in Salisbury and Exeter and will run at the Rialto until 17 May before moving on to the Redgrave Theatre in Bristol.

Four stars