Trust me, I’m a reviewer. Well, OK, don’t. But why and why not? This show is about trust and mistrust, comparing the border-crossing experiences of travellers who are migrants with those who are not. Performer and teacher, Karen Houge, draws on both skills to good effect here. Starting incongruously with a sexy burlesque costume, she draws us into the hazardous journey she shared with Middle Eastern refugees. Confidently staged, strengthened by multimedia and well-judged audience participation, the didactic purpose gradually comes to the fore. Karen’s case is rational as well as emotional: we need immigration to provide the workforce to fund our retirement; yet mistrust of strangers bears heavily on the politics. But it’s complicated: do we trust her analysis?

Zoo Southside, until 23 Aug.
tw rating 3/5 | [Alan Cranston]