Radio, Komedia, Brighton

1:42pm Thursday 7th June 2007

Charlie Fairbanks has been born slap bang in the middle of the land of dreams at the exact centre of the 20th Century.

Through the eyes of this young man from Kansas, we get a personalised view of America as both Charlie and the country grow up, suffering the knocks and hardships of youth while dreaming of reaching the stars.

Mixing black comedy, social history and pathos, this one-man show relies solely on Nick Chambers's performance, aided only by a single light and a chair.

It is a demanding role, which not only requires Nick to play the 19-year-old dreamer whose dreams have turned sour but also his entrepreneurial father and his farm girl mother, putting up with her husband's schemes.

In the programme, Nick enthuses about discovering young writer Al Smith's "play of startling power" last year in Edinburgh.

His performance certainly does it justice. The intricately plotted piece is both an entertaining story, complete with snatches of down-home philosophy, and something which keeps you thinking long after leaving the studio.

Certainly a great little gem to open the 2007 Festival Fringe programme.

Winner of The Reader's Angel Award.

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