Tessa Walker

Run, Rebel

07/11/24

Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh

Theatre productions are always a team effort but I’ve rarely been so aware of the fact as I am watching this sprightly offering from Pilot Theatre, written by Manjeet Mann and directed by Tessa Walker.

Amber (Jessica Kaur) is a fifteen-year-old Punjabi girl making her way through a world that seems determined to put obstacles in her path. She is nursing a serious crush on her friend David (Kiran Raywilliams) and is somewhat disconcerted that he is spending a lot of time with her other close friend, Tara (Heather Forster). Meanwhile, Amber is a talented athlete, always leading the field for her school running team, and her coach is talking seriously about the possibility of her one day qualifying for the Olympics…

But Amber’s controlling father, Harbans (Pushpinder Chani), keeps telling her that it’s time for her to think about settling down and accepting a husband, like her older sister, Ruby (Simran Kular). Meanwhile, their mother, Surinder (Asha Kingsley), is trapped in a violent, loveless marriage, unable to read or write a word of English. It doesn’t help that Harbans is a hopeless alcoholic, who spends nearly every penny that comes in on drink…

If the plot of Run, Rebel occasionally feels a little over-familiar, Mann’s script is sure-footed enough to keep me hooked throughout, while Walker’s direction moves the players from scene-to scene with absolute authority. Kaur is compelling in the lead role, and her co-stars move effortlessly through a selection of different characters, all of whom have enough individual quirks to make them feel real.

Debbie Duru’s fabulous set design features ramped edges, so that the running sequences are suitably propulsive as the actors literally race back and forth through Kuldip Singh-Barmi’s cleverly-choreographed sequences. Daniel Denton’s atmospheric video designs lend the story added depth and I particularly relish the moments when Amber steps out of the action to replay those scenes that go particularly well for her.

Only the most impassive viewer will fail to be thrilled as Run, Rebel races headlong to the finish line. It will be at the Traverse until Saturday 9th November, so anybody in search of an uplifting couple of hours in the theatre should grab some tickets without delay.

Ready? On your marks, get set, GO!

4 stars

Philip Caveney

Bright Places

06/11/24

Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh

Rae Mainwaring’s Bright Places is advertised with the quirky tag-line, “a three-woman, one-woman show about Multiple Sclerosis, MS for short, not to be confused with M&S or S&M.” It’s an apt introduction to what proves to be a thoughtful yet riotous piece of theatre, exploring both the playwright’s personal experiences and the wider picture of societal responses to disability.

I love the writing. It’s to Mainwaring’s credit that she has managed to convey the brutal realities of her condition with such humour and heart. She neatly avoids any disabled-person-as-inspiration traps, presenting us instead with a young protagonist (‘Louise’) learning to navigate a landscape she never expected to inhabit, slowly adjusting to her new limitations while also finding ways to hold on to the fun-loving, lively person she’s always been. Mainwaring doesn’t shy away from the difficulties Louise faces, but they’re not all-encompassing. MS is part of Louise’s life; it isn’t the whole thing.

Produced by Carbon Theatre in association with Birmingham Rep, the style is boldly meta-theatrical, opening with the trio of accomplished actors (Lauren Foster, Aimee Berwick and Rebecca Holmes) explaining why they, three non-disabled women of different ages, races and physical appearances, are playing ‘Louise’ – who is both a fictional construction but also Rae, the playwright. It’s complex but it all makes perfect sense as they tell it, and addresses the question of authenticity head-on. Rae can’t perform this ‘one woman’ show herself: it’s literally the work of three people, and she’s got MS. It’d exhaust her.

Under Tessa Walker’s direction, Bright Places is a fast-paced and lively piece, all high-octane vitality, even as Louise’s energy flags. We’re led from nightclubs to hospitals, sickbeds to game shows, anger to acceptance. The costumes are bold, sequinned and vivid, as irrepressible as Louise. As Rae. And the soundtrack is bangin’.

A delight from start to finish, Bright Places is the most fun you’ll ever have learning about a chronic autoimmune disease. It’s got two more nights here in Edinburgh before continuing on its UK tour (next up, Exeter). Catch it if you can.

4.3 stars

Susan Singfield