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| Edinburgh : A&E : Theatre: Reviews |
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Theatre listings > HyperLynx Written as a one-woman show for Elizabeth MacLennan, his wife and collaborator of more than forty years, John McGrath's final play HyperLynx is a witty and arresting piece about the world without values, 'the world where enlightenment is dead'. Originally given a rehearsed reading at the Edinburgh Festival in August 2001, it was later rewritten in the wake of September 11th. This new, extended version includes the second act, an acerbic political commentary on the failure of modern democracy. The play is set in St. James's Park (a simple but catching design by Jenny Tiramani), on a sunny September day. In this peaceful surroundings, a senior MI5 controller Heather Smithson spends her lunch break reflecting upon her recent dilemma, whether or not to accept her newest assignment to crush the world protest movement, despite its ethical repercussions. As political and personal issues begin to merge, MacLennan's character
depicts the world where multinational corporations apply commercial pressure
as a global weapon, and where democracy and humanity have become empty
words. McGrath takes no prisoners in his ultimate attack on the hypocrisy
and complacency of western society; the bull in a china shop comes to
mind when it comes to the brittle political satire and no one is spared.
'Bush is a mad dog, Blair is a rabid pup', the author's words boom from
the stage. Blair, Bush, Thatcher, bin Laden, Hussein, the world leaders
are paraded in these lines like the characters from The Spitting Image,
and MacLennan is Director Kate McGrath courageously takes on this not so easily staged script, and overall manages to create a balanced piece of theatre, though it is a shame that the screen in the background is not used more to enrich the visual side of the play. Julian McCready does a fine job of setting up the mood of the piece with his low key lighting, while Rich Welsh's subtle sound design should be commended for adding a potent metaphor to the play. The sound of the birds twittering - a simple signifier of the safe, peaceful environment of the park from the beginning of the play - continues throughout the intermission, as a contrast to the sinister twist to come. In the second act, the birds' singing is replaced by the noise of the plane jetting through the sky, a remembrance of the recent demise of the 'twin gods of America'. Observing the audience during the show, yours truly noticed a few twitches and a couple of absentees after the intermission. This may be due to the Circle Studio's uncomfortable seats, but it is also due to the fact that in this world of multimedia people seldom stop to listen to the power of the written word. In this context, HyperLynx belongs to the best tradition of political satire that strikes to the very core of one's belief system, and it remains a powerful legacy to the work of one of the most talented writers this land has produced in modern time, and a truly remarkable man. Wholeheartedly recommended. Theatre listings >>
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