CityLife

Fourteen @ 24:7 Theatre Festival

DESPERATELY mixed up serial runaway Anne-Marie is the Fourteen of the title, years old that is. But she has enough emotional problems to last anyone a whole lifetime.

Writer/director Ian Moore's involving drama is a story of parental neglect but one in which a caring sister and a pair of social workers are trying to get the girl back on the rails.

The subject matter covers familiar territory but the presentation is unusual and ambitious, featuring a Muppet-style stripy pink puppet alter ego. This is mostly a good idea but sometimes vocally too shrill and needs softening slightly.

An appealing performance from Dolly-Rose Campbell, as the so-vulnerable girl, sustains this engrossing play very convincingly.

Fourteen is at Blue at Pure, Printworks until Sunday, July 27. Performance schedule: July 21, 6pm; 22, 7.30pm; 24, 12.30pm: 26, 6pm; 27, 2pm. Click here for more information.