Showing @ The Arches, Glasgow until Sat 29 Mar @ times vary
Alan McKendrick explores Alexander Trocchi‘s novel about the impact of drug culture and alienation in his adaptation of Cain’s Book. The performance in three parts uses different mediums of storytelling to explore the life of heroin addict, Joe Necchi. Based on largely autobiographical elements, Cain’s Book tells the story of a character who, much like Tocchi himself, is living and working on a scow on the Hudson River in New York.
Necchi is an embodiment of a ‘junky’ and McKendrick explores the difficulties of the life of an outsider in this gritty and alienating drama. As Necchi’s life is not led by a traditional plot the performance mimics this, instead putting a greater focus on the visual spectacle of the show. As a result the production uses lighting and visual clues to guide the audience through Necchi’s drug-ridden life.
Alienation is shown by the removal of a plot and through the language. The audience is addressed directly in poetic speech that’s difficult to follow and instead acts as an accompaniment to the limited movement on stage. McKendrick’s adaptation of Trocchi’s writing offers the audience a window into Joe’s world but reminds them that a life of addiction is impossible to understand having not experienced it yourself.
Cain’s Book provides a reflective look at the life of a heroin addict, giving insight into a life centred around addiction. This is not a piece of theatre for the light-hearted; it is raw and engages in the darkness at the core of drug culture leaving the audience uncertain of what they have seen and what to think. One thing they do know though, an addiction is not something that you can just kick.