YORK actor and writer Harry Revell performs his one-man show, Life Through A Convex Lens, at the Great Yorkshire Fringe on July 28.

He bills the 4pm performance at the John Cooper Studio @ 41 Monkgate as a "personal project" about his childhood memories. Diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome at a very young age, Harry travelled from country to country – England, the Falkland Islands and Canada, to name a few – but felt socially disconnected from other people.

"It’s partially why I like acting so much. It’s all pretending to be someone else, even if that person is a murderous evil twin!" he says, referring to his role as Ferdinand in York Settlement Community Players' March production of John Webster's Jacobean revenge tragedy The Duchess Of Malfi at York Theatre Royal Studio.

York Press:

Harry Revell as Ferdinand in the Settlement Players' The Duchess Of Malfi in March 2019

"That’s not to say the play is all doom and gloom," Harry adds. "Life Through A Convex Lens is more about showing my love for the art of performance, in theatre, films and music."

At specific intervals in the story, he plays segments of favourite songs on guitar to illustrate the tone of the next chapter.

York Press:

Harry Revell at play in his childhood on the Falkland Islands with penguins nearby

"The more I think about it, I'm not even sure it's about my Asperger's, or raising awareness of Asperger's, because I never considered it to be a major problem. But that is probably because stories and music, in general, were always in my life. Because of them, I never felt lonely. I’d act and I’d go into a fictional world."

The play covers Harry’s life from age three to ten in only 45 minutes. Split into five chapters, each chapter has its own song, them, and fictional character with whom Harry was obsessed at the time, drawing parallels from his own life with that character.

Tickets are on sale on 01904 500600 or at greatyorkshirefringe.com.