Passing Places Review

Submitted by Alex Eades on Thu, 28 Jan '10 10.36am
Rating (out of 5)
4
Show details
Production
Duncan Yellowlees (Director), Nicola Hazelton (Producer), Cat Hobart (Stage Manager), Camille Acosta (Graphic Design), Gordon Nimmo-Smith (Technical Manager)
Performers
Tom Shah, Chris Craig Harvey, Alexandra Wetherell, Robin Hellier, Emma Kemp, Sam Irving, Kimberley Cody.
Running time
120mins

I’ve always thought Passing Places to be a little bit of an odd one. It doesn’t read like a play particularly. Frequently described as ‘a road movie for stage’, it doesn’t perform like one either. It is, much like its two main characters, neither here nor there. Caught between two different worlds, unsure of what it is or where it wants to go.

Scary...and kind of exciting, I think.

So we take the journey. We get on the ride.

And fasten your seatbelts, folks. Cos this is gonna be one hell of a trip!

Alex and Brian choke across Scotland in a clamped out old Lada, desperately seeking escape from a mad shop owner whose surfboard they have ‘acquired’.  But a trip from Motherwell to Thurso brings some unexpected turns and becomes a road to self-discovery.

The star of the show here is the play itself. Devastatingly funny, fast and furious, Passing Places is a beast all on its own. It does have its moments of over-sentimentality and fires from scene to scene more like a movie than a play, but these are minor details in what is a very entertaining piece.

The acting in this student production is very energetic. The comedy of the play is blown to full effect and the quieter scenes are as tender as you are likely to see. A talented young cast. It was odd that the two leads sounded more from Mansfield than Motherwell...but, as I said before...minor details.

Overall, it is a fun filled evening with plenty of laughs guaranteed.

It’s not on for long though, so catch it while you can.

Show times: 7:30pm 26 - 30 January