Everything Must Go – Pulse Fringe Festival, New Wolsey Studio

When at the end of a show all you can hear is a minute of audience quietly sobbing you know you’ve just watched something special. Everything Must Go or The Voluntary Attempt to Overcome Unnecessary Obstacles is a deeply personal, deeply moving and utterly gripping examination of a father and daughters love.

Through a seamless medley of comedy, movement, music, puppetry and multimedia. Kristin Fridicksson has created a fitting tribute to her father Karl, from his early life through her mothers death and ultimately to his passing. This is a show that could easily veer into saccharine coated sentimentality but Fridicksson is on top of her game delivering a performance of intense emotion, theatricality and stagecraft.

Although technically a one woman show, in reality the spirit of Karl is never far away (in fact the show was performed with Karl three times in 2008 before his death in 2009). We get to know him so well that by his passing at the end we are genuinely moved at the loss.

It is a tour-de-force performance by Kristin and one that must be emotionally draining. Here is theatre at its absolute best, demonstrating its ability to touch the rawest emotion and celebrate life. I defy anyone to watch this show without a lump in the throat or a tear in the eye.

I challenge Dame Liz Forgan and the rest of the board of the Arts Council England board to see the show when it moves to the Barbican later in June and still justify their disgraceful decision to decline funding for this innovative company.