“Well-meaning left-wingers are hardly the toughest target for satire - no matter how many would-be outrageous Fringe shows think they’re being oh-so-shocking by taking on the liberal shibboleths.  It’s not that difficult to cynically mock the idea of changing the world, even though, oddly, the world somehow gets changed surprisingly often.

“But done right, it’s as ripe a subject for satire as any - and The Altruists manages it with style and wit. 

“The writing, by Nicky Silver, is sparkling with lines so sharp you almost miss the barbs.  Snappy back and forth dialogue and quick cut scenes are perfectly timed and the performances are excellent.

“It’s very much a slice of clever New York hipster schtick, but done with charm and an absence of malice which avoids the path of simple cynicism.

“When you found out that those white ‘Make Poverty History’ bands were being made in a sweatshop in China, were you one of the many people who though, ‘Hang on a minute...’? 

“If so, then this play is right up your street.  This play is a cunning satire on just that type of hypocrisy from some activists, as well as poking fun at lots of other things too.  It focuses on six campaigners, preparing for a rally, (about what, they can’t remember, but they shout the slogans anyway) and trying to get around the problem that there is a dead body in one of their apartments. 

“This beautifully acted play left me feeling happy and cheerful.  Which, given it’s about a murder, is no mean feat.

“Once described as the bad-boy playwright of Off-Broadway, Nicky Silver is known for his black comedies. In The Altruists, Silver pokes fun at the politically correct with a snappy and often-times hilarious tale of 5 people in New York.

“The pace of the show is electric and the banter is side-splittingly funny. Scenes change in the blink of an eye, cutting back and forth between three apartments. Silver takes his characters on a wild ride, and in the end these do-gooders choose to save their own necks rather than practise what they preach.

“The shockingly talented cast from New York handle the material so well it hurts. Split second timing is required to pull this off, and they don't disappoint. It's only a pity they have such a limited run in Edinburgh - let's hope they bring it back again next year.