@ Tron Theatre, Glasgow, until Sat 26 Mar 2016 (and touring)
David Leddy‘s self proclaimed “perverse Aesop’s fable” presents four glamorous asylum seekers who have paid their way onto the last boat leaving an apocalyptic UK. These elitist refugees muse as to whether they can be considered a migrant ship whilst they sip champagne in the Caliban Suite of the vessel. The unpleasant atmosphere comes not from anxieties or distress about societal meltdown, but rather some repugnantly excessive fracases over foie gras, Chanel and cocaine. These #firstworldproblems causing tantrums from the foursome of 1%ers, achieves some uncomfortable laughter from the audience. Although the often farcical, status-driven quartet offer pejorative relief, we’re all guilty of the occasional loss of perspective and the play shouts this in your face – without being too vulgar of course, darling! The vulgarities appear later with the graphic sexual suggestion, vomit and excretion.
Sarah Cobb, played by Claire Dargo, sparkles as much as her prohibition-era gown, playing the sweetly naive banker’s wife. Selina Boyack, Lesley Hart and Robin Laing offer equally attention-grabbing performances as the tone quickly becomes as tempestuous as the sea. On a few occasions, the meticulously planned chaos overrides the story and it all becomes a little samey. However, vigorous performances and dynamic writing crammed with biblical, historical and literary references – from Shakespeare’s The Tempest to Melville’s Moby Dick, as well as the characters being named after passengers from the ill-fated Mary Celeste – mean Fire Exit‘s new work has plenty to keep the audience aboard.
Becky Minto’s powerful design places the characters in a distorted reality, somewhere between Noah’s Ark and Armageddon and is expertly complemented by Danny Krass’s sound design, which effectively skews the era. Occasionally, Krass blends eerie chorales into a resonantly pious soundscape for the religious turmoil occurring somewhere in these International Waters and beyond.