Follow Me
Guy Masterson Productions
Director: Guy Masterson
Fringe Factory Pastry Bakery
Until Sun 16 March


'Follow Me' is an uncompromisingly direct and powerfully personal tale of the great and petty issues of legalised death based on the life of England's last Chief Executioner Albert Pierrepoint and his final execution; of 28 year old murderer Ruth Ellis, in 1955.

A bare stage with a table centre stage, a smaller one stage right and carefully managed sound effects are all Director Guy Masterson and cast need. Beth Fitzgerald as Ruth and Ross Gurney-Randall are actors of immense, commanding power no audience member could resist, let alone attempt shying away from the grip of their characters, whose whole lives involve pride in being a modern day efficient angel of death and economising death morally for the sake of hope as the noose approaches. They address the audience as if they were friends who bring hope and comfort.

Both are rattled by death and their duty in dealing with the situation they are in. For Pierrepoint, there's comfort and security in his role as defending English honour through his prowess in arranging quick, dignified ends for murderers of all kinds - from the common English type to the 26 Nazis a day he hanged in Nuremberg. For Ellis, the noose offers redemption, reunion with the lover she shot dead. At the same time she harbours an unspoken desire to live, explain her dilemma and move on.

Fitzgerald and Gurney-Randall prowl that stage with grace and power, waiting for the moment Pierrepoint will utter his last words to Ellis - follow me.

The only drawback to this must see show is the length of the script. The mid section of the piece begins to meander somewhat, losing the tight focus the fist scenes and end of the production feature. Nonetheless this should be excused as the work is greater than this flaw.

David O'Brien