The Events runs at the Tron Theatre until 21 February
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First performed at the Traverse Theatre in 2013, David Greig’s The Events returns, presented by Wonder Fools in a bold new staging. When a boy walks into a choir practice and opens fire on their members, many people are left asking why.
Claire Lamont plays Claire, the head of the choir and local priest in a small town. Sam Stopford is The Boy, among other characters. The Events is a quiet play about grief and rage. The Boy has a great deal of misplaced anger within him, and we witness the journey of his emotions from before he carries out his attack to the aftermath.
The Boy’s issue with the choir is multiculturalism. He feels like something is being taken away from him and his statement that “I don’t have an issue with foreigners, I have issues with foreigners here” packs a punch. Claire has a gentle devastation throughout as she deals with what happened.
Onstage, there is a community choir and prior to the show, the audience are offered tea and coffee, which is a nice touch and makes the space feel very welcoming. It gives you a sense of the inclusion that the choir members feel and why it is so shocking that this was taken away from them in such a brutal way.
Becky Minto’s set design is stunning, with rows of stacked chairs that are striking but don’t pull focus from the performance.
This delicate two-hander is a little too delicate in places, and it doesn’t quite stir up emotion the way it should. That said, its still an interesting piece that remains relevant thirteen years after its first staging.
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