A heavy, thoughtful silence is followed by a standing ovation for Richard Clements’ raw retelling of his grandfather’s traumatic life. Norman Clements enlisted while underage into the Royal Irish Fusiliers in 1939. The soldier’s mind was lost to Italian minefields and raining shrapnel for the duration of WW2; his consciousness never left the trenches, even into his old age. 

Nominated for Best New Play at the 2022 UK Theatre Awards, this heart-rending, one-man take on a deeply personal story leaves its mark. Clements Jnr delivers his family’s history with a flawlessness that builds in intensity as we encounter the inner workings of a spirit shattered and never restored.

Wartime photos and footage are projected onto a backdrop that casts the soldier’s shadow across the screen. Real audio recordings of the writer’s grandfather echo through the atrium at this show’s closure, bringing a harsh realistic element to a dramatic interpretation of his life. There’s no shortage of historical theatre at the Fringe, but this powerful and personal story, shared so candidly, is a rare find. 

How To Bury A Dead Mule, Pleasance Dome, until 27 August, 11.50am.