Edinburgh Fringe: Morning – Traverse Theatre

Writer: Simon Stephens

Designer: Hyemi Shin

Music: Michael Czepiel

Director: Sean Holmes

Reviewer: Deborah Klayman

The Public Reviews Rating:

What do we think when a crime appears to have no reason behind it? As a society we find it necessary to get to the root of the matter, as believing that people just do terrible things randomly is too frightening to entertain. In Simon Stephens’ new play, Morning, these concepts are turned on their head, shaken, and then thrown into a fishless water tank leaving the audience unsure of what may unfold.

Dark, evocative and visceral, Morning challenges the usual form of narrative structure and staging. Performed by a cast of seven actors from the Lyric Young Company, including talented composer Michael Czepiel, the piece begins with Stephanie (Scarlet Billham) and Cat (Joana Nastari) discussing Cat’s imminent move to university. Stephanie doesn’t want her best friend to leave, so she decides to find a way to make Cat stay. This leads to a slow descent into madness that affects every fibre of the onstage world and sends a frightening message into ours.

Tackling the concept of death head on, with Stephanie and Alex’s mother dying of cancer and a murder to boot, this play certainly doesn’t pull any punches. Utilising live music and sound effects, performed onstage by Czepiel and as part of the action, there is an urgency and immediacy to the piece that is only amplified by the youthful energy onstage. The production is elemental, with water, earth and fire used by Stephanie alongside various items that are smashed, twisted and combined to make and suggest the world of the play. A brave and exciting new piece that showcases up and coming talent alongside established producers.
Until 19^th August

Edinburgh Fringe: Morning – Traverse Theatre, 2.4 out of 5 based on 8 ratings