Edinburgh Festival Fringe Review: The Presentment (***)

This heavyweight ecclesiastical play deals with the political ‘hot potato’ of gay priests being active in the church. It shows how the younger generation have become more accepting of such a change but the older generation have not.

The plot is based on a true story of a heresy (Presentment) trial of a man accused of being an active gay priest. This in turn leads to the interweaving of relationships with the stubborn prosecutor’s family and to their eventual implosion. There is no comedy in this play and some parts are both emotional for the actors and for the audience.

The acting is strong and well played although it is probably not a play to see if you are in a light-hearted mood.

The audience was thin on the ground for this particular show and they left with mixed feelings. At one and a half hours, it is longer than your average Fringe show too.

You can see the Presentment daily at 9pm at St Augustine’s Church, George IV Bridge.