Theatre-on-wheels worries police

EDINBURGH, Scotland -- An actor has gone ahead with a one-man car show around the streets of Edinburgh despite not having been given permission by authorities.

Benji Ming, 43, is offering to drive an audience of one in his two-seater car around the city while delivering a choice of three 15-minute monologues as part of the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

He claims "Drivetime Drama" is the "smallest play in the world," but has been told by police that it is unsafe.

The local council has refused to give him an entertainment licence as a result.

But the former Edinburgh University student took to the wheel regardless.

He told the UK Press Association: "Driving is a dangerous thing to do but it's not as if I'm juggling or anything.

"I hope that I won't get arrested but I'm not going to let that threat stop me."

A spokesman for Edinburgh City Council confirmed that the performer's application for a theatre licence had been refused after a police report expressed safety concerns.

He added: "Clearly as the application was refused the performance should not be going ahead and any other further enforcement would be a matter for the police."

Police on Tuesday said they would investigate any complaint which was raised about the performance.

A spokesman said: "We believe that performing a show in a moving vehicle is dangerous, and although we accept that the Fringe is slightly zany, we object to this because of safety reasons."

The performer estimates that running his mobile mini-theatre costs about 16 pence per performance.