ROAD MOVIE Adelaide Town Hall Until 03 Mar 2012 Review by Chris Eaton There are some stunning productions that are blessing this year’s Adelaide Fringe Festival and “Road Movie”, solely performed and presented by Dirk Hoult is one such blessing.“Road Movie” is set in mid 1990’s United States, when the country could no longer avoid or deny the HIV/AIDS crisis that had claimed a generation of people. It charts the journey of Joel, a New York based PR executive self-medicating with alcohol to make the false world he sees bearable. A booze-filled episode at a press junket in San Francisco leads him into the care of Scott who nurses him back to sobriety. Following his reluctant return to New York, Joel soon sets out on journey cross-country back to Scott by way of Washington DC and Atlanta. Written by Godfrey Hamilton the subject matter is by no means unfamiliar but the elegant, evocative and stirring text places it firmly in the lexicon of another seminal homosexual piece of its time, “Angels in America”. Hoult’s execution of the text is all consuming. On a creatively lit bare stage with two stools as the only props, he flicks between the characters that Joel encounters on his journey without missing a beat. In addition to Scott, his saviour and muse, he meets ‘Mama’ a southern transvestite dispensing condoms; and Dharma/Deidre a stoned free spirit. Each character is whole in voice, movement and natural expression; it is a sight to see and hear.Operation of light and the atmospheric soundtrack should also be given credit but this show belongs to Hoult and his seamless, bravura performance. Rating: 5 stars (out of 5)