Pole is about to make its way to the exhaustingly incredible Edinburgh Festival Fringe, where it’ll have to scramble its way into the consciousness of thousands of visitors choosing between a veritable catalogue of 3000 shows. On paper Pole has exactly what it takes to stand out against the multitude of options: three alpha females, exhibiting their prowess on and around a pole as they deliver differing verbatim accounts of what that pole stands for. In reality, the pole’s significance is as much a mark of feminist strength and athletic well-being as it is about sex. But sex sells and sex can be sold.

Amy Bellwood, Anais Alvarado and Lyndal Marwick multi-role their way through the spectrum of perspectives surrounding pole with pace and definition. From the smart, high-earning business woman whose drive for fitness led her to the pole, to a classically-trained dancer whose discipline suited it, and an erotic dancer whose sensuality gave her the opportunity to earn. Bellwood, Alvarado and Marwick spin the audience along with them as they exhibit everything: the glamour, the abs and the inhumane underbelly of the pole dancing profession.

So these girls are spinning a lot of plates, not only in the telling of the individual stories but also in the layers of effect they intend for those stories to have on their audience. Firstly, a sense of empowerment: that pole dancing is a sport, that’s for everyone. I for one am in the ‘I wouldn’t mind a bash at that’ camp: wouldn’t mind a body like Alvarado, the skill, poise and flexibility of Marwick or the strength of Bellwood. Secondly, we need to understand each of those stories, to form an affiliation with those perspectives and, more importantly, to empathise. Specifically derived from the main meat of Pole’s narrative is the darkly and socially ignored topic of sex trafficking. The research gathered and the intensity of the truth is heart-wrenching and awakening, but it is told with a sterility, an objectivity and a distance that facilitates the cold, hard facts – but that needs to be counterbalanced by at least an undercurrent of emotion.

This seems to be where the cast and creator slide, ever so slightly, down the slippery pole. Their pole ability is far superior to their acting ability, and that wouldn’t be so overt if the plot was more cohesive. The plot needs polishing and the words need coherence and naturalism to derive meaning. At the moment, the delivery of those words is taking too much thought, becoming laboured and severing the audience’s connection to that which is being told. For Pole everything is there, and believe me there is a lot to try and carry off, but what’s there needs tightening. It’s like the cast are dancing and wearing heels when they need to be dancing whilst wearing heels to truly impress.

Pole played at the Etcetera Theatre until 19 July. It will play at Underbelly, Cowgate (Venue 61) at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe from 6-30 August. For more information and tickets, see the Edinburgh Festival Fringe website. Photo: Etcetera Theatre.