A modern monk as he, or sometimes she, makes a pilgrimage across central Scotland and explores the mysteries of life and love. Reflections of a Constant Monk is a joyful and highly original show that combines performance, music and poetry. It takes audiences on a quest to discover a little more about themselves and their place in the universe.

The monk comes from the imagination of award-winning Scottish-based New York playwright and poet Lee Gershuny. It is presented by Edinburgh’s Elements World Theatre and the performers are all aged 50 to 70.

The sense of fluidity, not least in gender, marks out Reflections of a Constant Monk as being very much a contemporary piece of work. Yet there’s a timelessness in the questions it addresses like whether life has purpose, why bullies get away with trampling the weak and why we always seem to be on the brink of catastrophes of our own making. Gentle and funny, poignant and intelligently observed, Reflections of a Constant Monk is full of parables, insights and questions but refreshingly free of firm conclusions.

Gershuny is joined on stage by an accomplished cast consisting of Robin Mason, music composer and director, James Bryce on keyboards and Peter Galinsky on clarinet.