Clare Sinclair reviews a new production of a modern Scottish classic.
David Harrower’s 2007 Olivier Award-winning play Blackbird pulls no punches in terms of content; a sexual relationship between a 12 year old girl and a 40 year old man is about as taboo as they come. Yet Harrower’s unflinching approach, laying bare the emotions of the couple whose lives have been torn apart, leaves the predominantly teenage audience at the Tron Theatre in contemplative silence.
There’s realism in the way Harrower conveys speech through his text – stuttering and emotional as Una (Charlie Covell) finds Ray (George Costigan), the man she fell in love with some 15 years before when she hadn’t even reached her teens. Ray – now called Peter after taking an assumed name – is horrified to find her at his workplace. Neither of them really know why she is there as they piece together the fragmented emotions they left behind.
Lydia Denno’s set design shows a filthy workplace break room; the litter strewn around the floors and the audience’s feet pulling them – quite unwillingly – into the room. Watching a subject like this behind a TV screen provides a barrier, one this audience has no luxury of having as Katie Posner’s direction allows the strong subject matter to speak for itself.
Blackbird is an uncomfortable watch, yet the text has a habit of playing to this by holding back key elements of information until they’re most likely to provide the most impact. There can be no denying its power, but this is a show likely to live in a shadow of infamy for the subject matter alone.
Blackbird performs at the Tron until November 19 and continues to tour the UK.
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