Anna Burnside reviews ‘a chewy and satisfying piece of drama’.
As she patrols Edinburgh’s Meadows, police officer Nicky sees more than cherry blossoms: she observes the different waves of humanity that cross her path with the observational skills of a stand-up comedian.
But Isla Cowan’s tight one-hour monologue, first seen at A Play, A Pie and A Pint in 2022, goes well beyond the single dimension of Scot Squad. Nicky, the daughter of a police officer, worked through pretend scenarios in her childhood bedroom. With her teddies.
Her father taught her the mantra: don’t be weak, don’t be emotional, don’t be a girl. And as the show unfurls, it becomes clear that following these rules—beside toxic male colleagues who want her to play a heavily gendered role in crime prevention while still being vulnerable as soon as she steps out of her uniform—has not worked out well.
Dani Heron is tremendous as Nicky, brittle and brave-faced as she puts on her uniform, then howling with rage at the gross unfairness of being pulled in three different directions at once.
She brings out all the subtleties in Cowan’s rich script. Debbie Hannan’s sparky direction keeps the pacing tight and the plot twisty. It’s a chewy and satisfying piece of drama that thoroughly deserves a life beyond lunchtime.
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Alright Sunshine performs at the Tron Theatre as part of its Studio3 Season until May 15, 2025. For further details, go to the theatre’s website.
Photo by Eoin Carey.
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