Lorna Irvine greatly enjoys this 'wee triumph, with fire in its furnace'.
It is somewhat tempting to read Freudian metaphors into critic Robert Dawson Scott's debut play for PPP, The Great Train Race, what with the phallic imagery of express trains and tunnels, and general dick swinging contests between its two male leads, the terrific Grant O' Rourke and the incomparable, naughty little pixie himself Iain Robertson—but that would be telling only half the story.
Indeed, this is the little play that could, directed by emerging director Rob Jones with frenetic dialogue, sharp pacing and no shortage of belly laughs, in spite of being a wee bit weighted down in historical detail. Joyce Falconer completes the trio as Kinnaber and is as funny and feisty as we have come to expect, but it's the seamless transition of characterisation from the two men (O' Rourke as a cheeky child into pompous Norrie, and Robertson's delicious Bearsden hornbag Jean, foppish Paul Pettifer, or his demented Weegie Cammie) that makes it considerably appealing—even for non- train geeks like me.
The subject matter is somewhat timely, given the current 'Yes to Scotland’ independence campaign, pitting Glasgow against Edinburgh; the posh hierarchy against the poor and progress against tradition, and it's all massively good fun, alluding to a more innocent time of Kelvingrove's Great Exhibition, chunky suitcases, mutton chop sideburns and the tambourine-banging Temperance Society.
The mantra of “ga'un yersel,” representing Glasgow's Caledonian Line during the race, is a nice slice of audience participation pie, too. Robertson nails it all the way—he is a scream. A wee triumph, with fire in its furnace.
Run ended
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