Part of the Free Fringe, the New Zealand company Trick of the Light Theatre has travelled across the world to tell a wonderful story of maps and roads that exist only if you know where to look for them. And if you follow them, the consequences may be more real than you expected.

The starting point of the story is the paper roads of New Zealand – roads that were built and drawn in on several maps but never materialised as the money was missing. Conjuring up a visual imagery that switches between episodic temporalities in refreshing ways, The Road that Wasn’t There imagines what would happen if one did indeed follow one of these paper roads off the edge of the real world.

The story centres on Maggie, who as a young girl follows one of these paper roads leading off behind the graveyard on her way to work for her family. She finds everything she has always wanted, but is drawn further and further away from the real world and into this wondrous world where time stands still. Performed through acting, puppetry and shadow theatre, the story is woven into a contemporary plot where her grown-up son is moving her to an old people’s home to protect her from her fantasies. As the two stories unfold, we learn something both about reality and about responsibility, love, and the changes that have occurred between generations.

Though the play is largely aimed at children, it is equally entertaining for anyone older, whether parents or not. The piece never plays to the audience, but rather plays with us in a way that challenges our imagination and perceptions of reality. Though the more philosophical themes of the performance may be beyond the grasp of the youngest children, the sense of wonder certainly captured those present in the room, both young and old. A small piece of everyday magic, inviting its audience to step onto the unknown roads of their carefully drawn map. Whichever paper road this company heads down next, I highly recommend paying them a visit here in Edinburgh.

**** – 4/5 stars

The Road That Wasn’t There is playing at the Free Sisters until the 26 August as part of the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. For more information and tickets, see the Edinburgh Fringe website.