Review: BLACK DIAMONDS AND THE BLUE BRAZIL, Lyceum Theatre
Black Diamonds and the Blue Brazil runs at the Lyceum until 23 May
Black Diamonds and the Blue Brazil is a play based on the book by Ron Ferguson and adapted by Gary McNair, directed by James Brining and with music composed and performed by Ricky Ross.
Sally (Dawn Steele) has just lost her beloved dad (Barrie Hunter) and has returned to Fife for the funeral. Now based in London, Sally is working hard to earn a permanent position at her workplace, but she puts everything on pause when her father passes away. Most of Sally’s memories when she was little involve his beloved football team, Cowdenbeath FC and she’s not overly fond of either the game or the team.
A close friend of her dad’s tells her that his wish was to have his ashes scattered on the pitch at Central Park after a game, which is an easy request to fulfil. However, Sally quickly discovers that there’s a caveat: it needs to be after a win, which is not so easy when Cowdenbeath are, quite frankly, a bit shite.
Attending games becomes an obsession for Sally, who is determined to get this over with, hand her dad’s house back to the council and get on with her life in London.
Dawn Steele is captivating as Sally, capturing the wide range of complex emotions surrounding grief. She loved her father dearly, but she isn’t fond of where she grew up, and she cannot fathom why he was so obsessed with this football team.
Barrie Hunter is wonderful as Dad, a loveable guy with an unwavering love for both his team and his daughter. He’s a dynamic personality and his corny jokes are charming.
Ricky Ross performs the original music, which is a gentle companion to Gary McNair’s script. It doesn’t pull focus from the story and makes a lovely accompaniment.
Black Diamonds and the Blue Brazil is a deeply moving and human piece of theatre that is brought to life with a strong performance from Dawn Steele.
Photo credit: Aly Wright
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