Showing @ Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh, Thu 06 – Sat 08 Jun (now finished)

As we continue towards the 2014 referendum on independence, national identity – both the real and idealistic versions of it – is becoming more and more important to voters (on both sides of the argument) nationwide. Communicado Theatre Company and the National Theatre of Scotland‘s production of David Harrower’s story of a man’s determination against bureaucracy to connect people with the island of Raasay, now seems all the more relevant. It’s a play that eloquently captures the theme of identity, on personal, social and national levels.

In a remote part of Scotland, beyond Skye, Calum (Iain Macrae) and his family reside on the small island of Raasay. Calum owes his life to the fresh air and idyllic lifestyle among the rugged landscape. As the population begins to drop, Calum starts to build a road, one that will bring the islanders home. His story is paralleled with that of a father (Lewis Howden) and son (Ben Winger) journeying back to the island years later.

Directed by Gerry Mulgrew, Calum’s Road depicts a real sense of time, place and environment. The landscape is depicted by a black box set, turned and tipped between locations. The ensemble multi-role their way through the text, their characters being vehicles for the storytelling, a blend of dialogue and direct audience address dramatising this historical story accompanied by live music, underscoring proceedings throughout. Harrower’s text weaves the witty with the stoic attitudes and reflections of lonely island life: Portree (Skye’s largest town) is referenced as though it is some kind of metropolis and Calum’s sense of betrayal when other islanders leave is bitter. As the play heads towards its climax, the relationships the characters hold with each other, with the island and with their homes are questioned, considered and mightily re-evaluated. Calum’s road was built to connect people with the land and with their heritage and this production goes a long way to do a very similar thing.

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