@ Citizens Theatre, Glasgow, until Sat 28 Feb 2015 (and touring)
Starting a performance by telling the audience that there have been problems with the venue heating and lighting may not be the traditional way to grab someone’s attention, but Long Live The Little Knife is a show that follows its own rules and this makes the performance feel fresh and new.
The Circle Studio of the Citizens Theatre looks like an artists’ workspace. The seats are covered with paint splattered drapes, while temporary heating and lighting keep the room bright and warm. Writer and Director David Leddy wants to take us into a colourful and dangerous world and the set design reflects this.
Wendy Seager and Neil McCormack portray Liz and Jim, two small time crooks who give up selling fake designer handbags and take up art forgery. Their story is not that straightforward as we learn of their elaborate and intuitive cons that exploit the extravagant and corrupt nature of the art world.
The story may seem familiar but it is delivered in a non-linear fashion, with the characters occasionally breaking the fourth wall and jumping back and forward in time by recalling a meeting with Leddy in a Glasgow pub that sparked the idea of the play.
Long Live The Little Knife is a sharp, well-written performance, which at times moves at a 100 miles per hour, but always knows when to draw back and be reflective. The writing, along with the talents of the two performers, make it an engaging and unpredictable theatre piece.
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