Gagarin Way Review by Ariadne Cass-Maran

Article by Ariadne Cass-Maran | 20 Aug 2009

Gagarin Way is bleak, claustrophobic, and savagely funny; and in this, it is very Scottish indeed. Gregory Burke's tale of ideology gone violently wrong in the hands of hopeless men is brought to life by the excellent direction of Maggie Inchley, and by the superb acting of comedians Phil Nichol, Will Andrews, Jim Muir and Bruce Morton.

The hysteria which mounts up in this small space is utterly believable. The set is simple, and even though the room is a nice temperature we begin to feel the sweltering closeness of the tiny room under the single overhanging light. Every single one of the actors is excellent, but special mention must be given to Will Andrews, whose blinking, shy portrayal of a man forced into a direct confrontation with a terrible, and impossible situation, is flawless. He is wonderful to watch.

There are some laugh out loud moments in this play, and quite a few too in which the audience jumps with real fright. Since its debut in 2001 Gagarin Way is perhaps more urgently relevant than ever, asking us to examine global economics and the volitility of ideological protest. It is wonderful to see this important, witty play handled so magnificently.

Read Sarah Clark's review of Gagarin Way

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