Ursula Burns: The Dangerous Harpist

Expanding on the stories of her previous Fringe shows, The Dangerous Harpist finds Ursula Burns swapping the inexplicable South American vocals inspired by her Paraguayan harp for a more straightforward recreation of her life growing up on Belfast's Falls Road in the 1970s.

That's a relative description though. The madness of ever-present bombs and religion inspires hysteria-fuelled songs about Heaven and Hell, and a bizarre Hispanic romance between two characters who have a fetish for the local hospital, attracted by the angelic nurses who nevertheless leave their patients lying in the corridors.

Burns' cynicism about her upbringing is also referenced through an initially melodic number that begins in the womb and gradually swells with despair as it emerges that she's going to be born into the strife and torment of The Troubles. Her misgivings about learning the harp over the piano are unequivocally shared in 'I Do It for the Money'. And despite a life spent in the circus and amongst other travelling folk, she's as uninspired by fey Celtic mysticism as she is by requests for her to play rock songs at weddings and funerals – even if she does belt out a bit of Queen.

Performing the standout set-piece that first made her name in Edinburgh, making love to her harp to the tune of Snow Patrol's 'Chasing Cars', it's all a bit risqué for an early afternoon audience. Still, Burns retains a lovely, lilting voice, utterly unique act and enough spikiness and crazy glint in her eye to ensure that you can't take your eyes off her.