Scribble by Andy Edwards and Amy Gilmartin
"A brave, insightful piece of theatre that takes you on a journey and leaves you with much to think about."
Well this is going to be a tricky show to review without spilling the spoilers.
Scribble is written by Andy Edwards and directed by Amy Gilmartin and although we never meet these two people, they somehow become part of the show through their letters to the audience and one supporting actor who performs the script unseen (in the show I saw, Sean Langtree).
Alan MacKenzie plays Ross, a friendly likable student who enjoys his cornflakes in the morning (yuck) and seems happy to share his story. MacKenzie manages to put his audience and the naïve supporting actor at ease, making us relate to his stressful life but soon, he reveals there’s more underneath, sending the play to a darker more uncomfortable place. But what should we have expected? This is a play on how mental health can affect a seemingly ordinary man, and the play tackles a topic many feel is alien or “old news” and give little thought. As much as we feel that other topics are more important to discuss (the rise of the alt-right, Brexit, etc) why is it so easy for us to forget or ignore the issue of mental health?
A well written, well-performed and well-directed piece that, rather symbolically, is an unfinished piece – but then treatment for any form of mental health is often an unfinished business. A brave, insightful piece of theatre that takes you on a journey and leaves you with much to think about.
Until 27 August at 15:50 at the Assembly Roxy (venue 139).
written by: Emma McCaffrey
Emma McCaffrey has performed with Lung Ha Theatre Company since 2013. She is the co-founder and film editor of a YouTube film production company called "The Reluctant Penguin Production" which films for and with performers with learning disabilities and for charities such as Get2gether. She also performs in the Edinburgh Salvation Army City Corp band on tenor horn and performs with the Wester Hailes drama group "Whales Without a Cause". Emma writes and develops her own plays, music and stories.