Joy Watters reviews 'a cracking piece of theatre'.
Director Cora Bissett hits the stage running with this stunning revival of playwright Gregory Burke’s first work. It grabs the audience by the throat for the next 90 minutes, alternating humour and horror in its examination of the effect on the individual of the changing face of politics.
Burke’s award-winning play was first staged in 2001 and still resonates loudly today. Set in his native Fife, describing the decaying hotbed of socialism, it shows a ham-fisted attempt by two factory workers to take direct action on capitalism. An outstanding cast of four immerse themselves in the action in Bissett’s gripping production.
The two workers plan to kidnap a boss who they think is visiting from Japan, but the battered hostage is a local who has himself experienced the erosion of socialism.
Factory worker Eddie is a self-taught dictator with a love for violence. He claims political purpose for it by executing the kidnap. Ewan Donald frighteningly realises the character, from arrogant stance to the cruel verbal justification of his brutality in an ever taut performance
His accomplice, disillusioned Gary (Michael Moreland) struggles to accept the changing order of politics and find his place in society. Moreland perfectly captures that sense of loss and Gary’s inability to form personal relationships.
The kidnap goes awry when young student/security officer Tom (Ross Baxter, bringing an engaging innocence to the role) intervenes to help boss Frank, but his barely formed political views and attempts to avert catastrophe crushed.
Barrie Hunter’s Frank is outstanding, a tired middle-aged man reflecting on what capitalism has brought him, talking to keep alive, sharing experiences with his captors.
Gagarin Way is a cracking piece of theatre, provocative, black, hilarious, posing a host of political questions in its progress.
Gagarin Way runs at Dundee Rep until November 3.
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