EDINBURGH FRINGE: Standing in the Shadows of Giants at the Traverse Theatre****

Lucie Barat began her show by asking for the lights to come back up and then addressed the audience directly. She told us, This is my story. It’s hard.

Thereafter she brought forth all sorts of emotions in me? And questions? Was that a theatrical ploy? Why should she want to do this? Why was she telling us such terrible things about her life and her famous brother? What does her brother think? Was this a form of therapy for her? Was it all even true?

Because I don’t think I’ve ever heard anyone, either publicly or privately, bare their soul so graphically and openly. 

Lucie is the sister of Carl Barat, frontman and guitarist with The Libertines. And while he was living the life of a rockstar she was failing as an actress, a waitress…. living a life of chaos and rejection and becoming more and more reliant on alcohol and pills.

It’s hard to hear, uncomfortable even. But now, here she is, standing centre stage, singing her own songs with a raw, soulful voice and no longer in the shadows but finding herself and proud of who she has become.

So yes, I believe it is her own story and I felt privileged that she should want to share it with us. It is a very brave thing to do. And it gives hope to anyone whose life is just as dark.

Standing in the Shadows of Giants is on at various times until Aug 24 at the Traverse Theatre. traverse.co.uk (1 hr)