A step above the usual outpourings of biography theatre is this one-man show about the rise and fall of Orson Welles.

Far more than just some unimaginative actors rifling through the lives of the famous for an act, this tribute by Mark Jenkins has been loudly acclaimed and won the Fringe First Award at Edinburgh last year.

It does offer up some facts about Welles' life - documenting his speedy elevation to Hollywood golden boy via the radio adaptation of War Of The Worlds, which had New Yorkers fleeing their city in terrified droves; the timeless, brooding classic, Citizen Kane; and his marriage to Rita Heyworth.

But it also delves deeper into the years of struggle and frozen pea adverts which followed - examining the mysteries of prodigy and creativity, success and failure along the way.

Described as "more genius than talent", Welles failed to better his early glory and found himself exiled from Hollywood. His battles to find and fund outlets for his creativety were continually thwarted.

"His rise was absolutely meteoric," says Mark. "So my initial thought was, What the hell do I do for the second act?' Consequentially, there's a Lear-like tragic quality to the next part. In Citizen Kane, Welles picked on the biggest bully in the playground, William Randolph Hearst. What's ironic is that he became as isolated in his self-imposed exile as Hearst.

"All that's left at the end is Welles' inner integrity, his principles and beliefs. He achieves true greatness through his self-reliance and determination to make the art he believes in, even if it means financing it with commercials."

The cinematic mastermind is played by Christian McKay, who, as well as bearing an uncanny likeness to Welles, has won rave reviews for eyeballing the audience with the self-confidence of a true raconteur.

"I was taken by his resemblance to the young Welles," says Mark.

"But it went beyond the surface. He has the same kind of intellect as Welles - a voracious reader and a polymath. He knew far more about Welles than I did"

Starts 8pm, tickets £8-£10. Call 01273 647100