A SENSE OF HOME True North Youth Theatre Ensemble Domain Theatre Until 25 Jun 2018 Review by Anthony Vawser Director Alirio Zavarce deserves the heartiest of congratulations for the achievement of bringing together such an impressively natural and talented ensemble of young adults to perform this terrific hour-long journey. “A Sense of Home” is not a show that reviewers like myself will have any need to ‘make allowances’ for; it is not tentative, indulgent, or childish, but could stand proudly alongside the highlights of many a Fringe Festival. It is not simply an ‘educational experience’ for parents, teachers, and youngsters, and it feels no need to be unnecessarily confronting or abrasive, simply as a way of holding one’s attention or ‘leaving a mark’. It is both entertaining and enriching, and can be enjoyed and appreciated by all ages. This show is accomplished and alive, reflective and intelligent, warm and compassionate, thoughtful and empathetic. It is a musical and multimedia presentation that deploys its technology and talent with great imagination and assurance, always in service to the themes and emotions being dealt with, and never merely for gratuitous effect. The amount of colour and texture to be found here, purely on the visual and sonic levels, is commendable – and how refreshingly honest and un-cynical it is to encounter a piece of theatre, sprung from the minds of young artists, containing such a balance of humour, heartbreak, and hope… Ultimately, “A Sense of Home” presents snapshots, flashbacks, and perspectives from a series of lives that allow us, the viewers, a little glimpse through their windows and into their hearts, in order that we recognise how much is shared from one person’s existence to that of the person right next to us. With free entry on offer, there’s simply no excuse for anyone with an hour available on Saturday (afternoon or early evening) to miss such a treat. In any event, True North is a group that this reviewer eagerly awaits seeing more from in the future.