Timmy is unlike most adolescents - he's sensitive, articulate, insightful. And he's killed a kid. We watch him deliver this darkly gleaming monologue on the eve of his release from a secure unit.

Ben's performance was one of the most talked about on this year's fringe. His deeply empathetic portrayal of Timmy's anger and confusion, penitence and vulnerability, was combined with an understanding of the character's acerbic wit and precocious intelligence.

The Age of Consent co-stared Katherine Parkinson as Stephanie, an ambitious mother who will force her daughter to do anything to become a star. Anything.

Together, Peter Morris's pair of intertwined monologues explored the shattering of childhood innocence, daring to make comment where conventional morality falters and mob psychology rules.

Peter Morris has received rave reviews Off Broadway, in London, Chicago and Amsterdam. Recipient of the Sunday Times Playwriting prize (2000) and Eugene O'Neill prize (2000), his writing blends nihilism, word-play and biting social satire to dazzling effect. His prize-winning plays include The Square Route of Minus One, Marge and The Second Amendment Club.

This show marked Director Edward Dick's fifth collaboration with Peter Morris.

Dear Readers,

I am no writer and my spelling and grammar leave a lot to be desired, so please bear with me whilst I try to find the words to describe the performance that I was treated to last night.

FANTASTIC...BRILLIANT...MARVELOUS...SUPERB

Ben Silverstone and Katherine Parkinson gave outstanding solo performances in "The Age of Consent" which is now showing at the Pleasance Above Theatre in Edinburgh, Scotland. The show runs until 19th August, a show NOT TO BE MISSED. If you can go and see the show...please do not read any further. For I am about to reveal all.

Katherine plays the part of Stephanie, a young mother who will stop at nothing to make her daughter a star. For she firmly believes that her six year old daughter Raquel has all the acting talent in the world. During her monologue she delights you with her cheery enthusiasm for herself and her daughter. Then you begin to wonder if it is more for herself than her daughter,as you are told of how the unwilling daughter is dragged around from audition to audition and is bribed with treats to make sure she goes. She is spotted by a director when she is at the park one day and is offered a part in a T.V. advert, Stephanie willingly accepts the part for her...and signs the age of consent forms, giving the Director carte blanche to do what he likes with her daughter... (I did say she stops at nothing) as time goes by you hear how Stephanie has now moved from BASINGSTOKE to London, this makes you realise that her daughter must be making an awful lot of adverts and mother is making an awful lot of money out of it, as she is both her daughters Agent and Manager. In the last scene you hear how the Director is coming to take Raquel out for a picnic, alone. Meanwhile Raquel is loosing her innocence of childhood... that is the tragedy.

Ben plays the part of Timmy a young man who eight years ago committed a murder when he was only ten years old. Who is now about to be released from prison. He takes you back over various stages of his life, he shares terrifying secrets with you and makes you sit bolt upright in your seat with his portrayal of Timmy who doesn't know the answer to the question 'WHY did you do it'. What he does let you know is that he (imho) is so desperately sorry for what he did, and just wants to now start his life over... all fresh again... no more bad memories to keep coming back to haunt him, giving him nightmares and daymares. He wants to be just another face in the crowd... not to be pointed at or used as a punchbag by the media and T.V. ... just another ordinary guy living his life. He wants some peace and quiet in his life. He is a racist, with some very odd thoughts about things, but he has spent almost half his life locked away, and you get the feeling that he is still a (tormented) child. Ben made me believe that he had committed murder and was talking to me from a prison cell, his presence on stage is explosive, his acting goes from strength to strength.

After the performance was over I did the usual Scottie thing and hung around outside for a few minutes (actually only 4minutes), it paid off as Ben came out from the theatre and I asked if I could take a photo of him...of course Ben said yes and gave me a big hug and said it was nice to see me again and that he had spotted me in the audience, and had noticed the tears on my face during his performance. Well yes its true, his acting was the cause of my tears. Anyway Ben was chatting to me and then he invited me to come and meet Katherine and all the crew members and have a drink with them...it was wonderful, they really are a smashing group of people. Alas the journey up to Scotland had worn me out and I had a long journey home to come, so I didn't stay and watch 'Hedwig and the Angry Inch'. But I will go back to Edinburgh before the 19th and see'TAOC' again and stay up there a few of days this time, to take in more of the events that are going on. If you have gotten this far and are still reading ...then...thankyou :-)

Just one more snippet of news, Ben does visit the site and reads the GuestBook... he thinks that the site is very good and thinks the crowd on the GuestBook are a wonderful crowd of people. :-))))))

Thanks again for reading. :-)

Hugs,
Scottie