A Giant On the Bridge @ Assembly Roxy

Assembly Roxy’s main room is set up ready for a gig. Despite being the venue's biggest space, it feels intimate. Plush rugs cover the stage, and a semi-circle of instruments line the edges. Dotted between them is a mismatch of furniture, fake foliage and curious woodland creatures, forming the backdrop for A Giant On the Bridge, a show that is part fairy tale, part home truth. Directed by Fringe First-winning theatremaker Liam Hurley, a quintet of talented Scottish musicians – co-music directors Louis Abbott (Admiral Fallow) and Jo Mango, alongside Kim Grant (Raveloe), Louise McCraw (Goodnight Louisa) and Solareye (Stanley Odd) – make up the cast of this important piece of work.

A Giant On the Bridge is a formidable piece of gig theatre that weaves together the stories of D (a prisoner three days away from parole), June (D’s sister), Clem (a prisoner ghostwriter, frustrated with the system), and a Songwriter who has been running songwriting workshops with prisoners. It’s all framed by the fairytale story of the titular Giant. The production is a creative exploration of all sides of the criminal justice system, with the songs written in songwriting sessions facilitated by Vox Liminis in HMP Huntly, HMYOI Polmont, HMP Barlinnie and HMP Inverness, as well as with staff and young people from Dundee youth work organisation, Hot Chocolate Trust.

Telling the Songwriter's Story, Abbott discusses the process of going into prisons to help lead songwriting sessions. He tells of fears that participants might not show up the next time, and details the songwriting process, the different kinds of songs you can write and the difference between verse, chorus and bridge – the word ‘bridge’ taking on myriad meanings in the show, both musically and figuratively. He tells us that honesty makes the best art, and as D’s Story – told by Solareye – progresses, and as he gets closer to parole day, his songs evolve from the playful, almost nursery rhyme-like Robot Arms to the more open and honest titular track where he sings and raps about the anxieties he has around rejoining society, and seeing family again. 

For the most part, transitions from spoken word sections to songs are perfectly timed and seem effortless, apart from one small blip when a guitar doesn’t sound quite right, but within seconds we’re back in it, such is the professionalism and skill of these musicians (special shoutout to guitar tech and background bassist Joe Rattray who steps in at this point to help). The lighting of the show is uncomplicated but effective throughout, with tube lighting that comes to life as part of the staging at points, strobing during more intense and upbeat songs, or low and warm lighting during spoken word sections as the cast take turns to come to the front to tell their stories. And of course, the music is excellent – songs are catchy, expertly structured and incredibly performed, and our five core cast members couldn't be happier to be there telling these important stories.

A Giant On the Bridge is an ambitious and important piece of work, with its 80-minute runtime sure to have a much longer lasting effect.

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A Giant on the Bridge, Assembly Roxy (Central), until 18 Aug, 10.40am, £12.50-14.50

A Giant On the Bridge was co-created as part of the Distant Voices: Coming Home project. It's the result of a four-year research collaboration between the University of the West of Scotland, the University of Glasgow, the University of Edinburgh and Vox Liminis, an arts and community charity working within criminal justice. Find out more about Vox Liminis at voxliminis.co.uk