Anna Burnside reviews a ‘charming and emotionally resonant’ production
Maggie is on the train from Glasgow Queen Street to Aberdeen. In her pyjamas. With nothing but a stale Go Ahead bar in her tote bag.
Within the first five minutes we’ve established that she is a ball of anxiety wrapped in a cardigan, that the train announcements are part of her internal monologue and that we are in for a wild ride that’s part Zara Gladman character comedy and part KT Tunstall.
On her way north Maggie encounters a hen party, a helicopter mother who shares DNA with Gladman’s Aileen, a hot guy with a Margaret Atwood book and a kindly widower.
Each one illustrates her constant battle between social inadequacy and the need for connection. Her backstory and the dramatic events that led to a Scotrail carriage on that particular morning dribble out between songs, looped verbal sound effects and the gallus announcer, who demands tickets in the medium of rap.
Off the Rails is Stephanie MacGaraid’s professional writing debut, and it’s a deliciously accomplished piece of work. She’s alone on the stage with a semi-acoustic guitar, a keyboard and an electronic box of tricks that allows her to loop and repeat her own voice.
With the help of director Katie Slater, she navigates all the characters and changes up the tone and pace throughout the hour.
The writing is keenly observed and neatly delivered - MacGaraidh keeps Maggie lower key so she can let off the fireworks with the interlopers. We don’t actually meet hot guy at all - he is presented purely as a linen-suit wearing fantasy in Maggie’s lonely head.
The ending is optimistic without being a cheese-fest, something more experienced writers struggle to bring off.
This charming and emotionally resonant piece of work explores the familiar territory of mental health issues, social isolation and millennial angst with fresh eyes and a keen wit. It has all the makings of a Fringe hit, and it deserves an afterlife.
Off the Rails performs at Oran Mor’s A Play, A Pie and A Pint until April 25, 2026. It then transfers to the Assembly Roxy (April 29-May 3).
Photo by Tommy Ga-Ken Wan.
RSS