Blood Wedding

The claustrophobic feel of an isolated community in early 1930s Spain is tangible in this production of Lorca's well-known tragedy. The tension between rival families living in close proximity can lead to only one conclusion, and Lorna Craig's portrayal of the bride, in tumult over her extreme options, is intelligent – she can either indulge her illicit passion (her lover is locked in marriage to another) or settle down to the quiet, profitable life with the only eligible man in sight. Meanwhile, the use of north-east accents is clever – instantly suggesting rural society to a Scots audience. By accent, Cara Kelly as the groom's mother is an Aberdonian farmer's widow but, veiled in black and with the talk all of knife-fights and blood spilled in the dusty Andalucian ground, she ensures Spain is never far away in the imagination. It's only the the play's length which, at 90 minutes, limits its overall impact.