Ria Lina: School of Riason

• Brian Donaldson
• 10 August 2014

This article is from 2014.

Thoughtful and likeable show exploring modern education makes the grade

For a wide variety of reasons (some of which sound truthful, others are purely for the purposes of a gag), Ria Lina decided to home-school her three kids. This is the story of how and why she took that major task on board. After a shaky start featuring the 21st century equivalent of a mother-in-law joke (involving Lina’s husband and her own dreams of being a feminist comedian) and some chatter about her own love of forensic science, she gets into the heart of this matter.

There are a few musical numbers (the uke count must be at a record high on this year’s Fringe) including one about the dark side of nursery rhymes to keep the show rolling while she amusingly displays a burning resentment towards Michael Gove. But that’s all neatly balanced with equal disdain for the two Eds, Balls and Miliband.

There is perhaps a little too much reliance on the crazy things people put on social media (sometimes even with their own names attached) while the title, School of Riason, seems to straddle two different references yet adding up to nothing. But this is a thoughtful and likeable show that has (you know it’s coming) certainly made the grade.

Gilded Balloon Teviot, 622 6552, until 25 Aug, 3pm, £8-£9 (£7-£8).