Showing @ St. Augustines Church, Edinburgh until Sat 02 Feb (run now finished)

Since debuting in 2008, That’s Lunch Productions has delighted audiences with ambition and a natural instinct for storytelling. The up and coming theatre company founded by writer/director Michael Shand (originating from Edinburgh’s Telford College) presents the collectively directed Out in the Boat. Starting as a light-hearted comedy the play effortlessly masters the arch to drama, proving once more that Shand isn’t afraid of uncomfortable topics.

Liam (Fraser Littlejohn) and Peggy (Kristi McDonald) are just snuggling in for a telly night when Liam’s friend Jim (James McIvor) suddenly appears in their living room proclaiming that his new girlfriend Donna has an important announcement. It turns out that Donna has (or possibly hasn’t) pushed her brother from a bridge and even worse, she’s decided that Liam and Peggy’s house is the ideal place to hide from the police, inviting herself to stay.

While visibly constructed, the arising situation is truly dramatic. The stark contrasts between happily married couple, infatuated geek and potential murderer give the play a farcical beginning but as the layers are peeled away, Donna’s secrets, (issues like mental health and moral responsibility) emerge. By having his characters take contrasting stances on these issues, Shand allows the viewer to form their own opinion. The suspense is repeatedly upheld as new facets of the characters are revealed and previously unknown truths discovered. The performances are at times sketchy and differences in acting styles within the ensemble further contribute to a sense of disjointedness, however the characters’ complexities and ambiguities are predominantly sustained by Shand’s ever evolving text. Bold directorial visions or experimentations shouldn’t be expected; despite admirable ambition, the modest budget cannot be denied and the minimalistic style occasionally limits both the acting and directing possibilities. However, the small budget shouldn’t be a discouragement but rather yet another reason to support this local ensemble.