Fronting – Pleasance Courtyard

David brings Will back to his flat after a night in a club. Will is keen to get down to action, but David holds back. Darren Hardie's play considers how a young man, recently diagnosed with HIV, deals with the guilt and rage which stop him moving on. Although medication can now control the disease, the play questions how living with HIV might affect a young man, his family and friends. There is valuable content here, but at times it sounds preachy -would two young guys really debate in such an informative manner?

The direction could be more imaginative. Too much time is spent with two characters sitting on the sofa talking. They could bring on another chair to vary the picture, or have a rug which the potential lovers could snuggle on. They might look more comfortable than on the mocked sofa, despite Will's claims that it was comfortable.

The play is predictable in bringing three other characters on-stage to fill in their part of the story, but they get one scene each with David and that's it. Maybe a variation on the pairings with David would have given a new dynamic.

All the actors fulfil their roles well; David is strong with his angst and outbursts, while Will's slight drunkenness is beautifully played. This young cast effectively highlight the current reality of living with HIV.

Derek Benfield