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Michael Cox reviews a production that is headlined by a riveting performance.
The Tron’s production of Edwin Morgan’s Dreams & Other Nightmares is a bit of an odd beast. It’s an episodic look at the life and work of Morgan which works better in parts rather than as a whole, save for one wonderful aspect.
And that would be the performance of David McKay, both as Morgan and as his defiant ‘life force’. McKay is brilliant, constantly captivating as we watch Morgan’s life, poetry and dreams unfold on stage. McKay bounces back and forth between vibrant youth and frail elderliness with ease, and his performance is full of empathy and good humour.
Andy Arnold’s production is solid. He not only gets good performances from Laurie Ventry as ‘The Biographer’ and Steven Duffy, who is tasked with playing a multitude of men from Morgan’s life, but has also assembled a design team who have created a production that looks, sounds and feels compelling.
If there is a weakness, it can perhaps be found in Liz Lochhead’s script. The episodic nature means that moments can be a bit hit-and-miss with some scenes working better than others but, more importantly, it also feels like Morgan’s life and work are presented more as a taster session to entice audiences to go out and experience more. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but it does make one feel a little short-changed and undernourished, especially when what is offered is quite rich and powerful.
But it all comes back to McKay’s riveting performance as Morgan, which is one of the most dynamic to be seen on a Scottish stage for some time. Watching him, and hearing Morgan’s wonderful poetry, makes this a worthwhile production.
Edwin Morgan’s Dreams & Other Nightmares performs at the Tron until August 2.
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