First Class, Laughing Horse @ Espionage 12pm, until 24 August, Free
Arriving at the atmospheric ‘Pravda’ platform in Espionage is First Class, a combination of emotional journeys set on a train journey to create an overall poignant, memorable journey for all concerned; as you might be able to tell, there is a lot of travelling.
Having said this, what initially appears to be just one journey soon transpires to be multiple expeditions during different decades, with much more than just a physical destination being reached. This engrossing exploration of numerous themes emphasises how life’s struggles are dwelled upon and the stark reality of the effects people, pressures and negative circumstances can have.
This Aulos Productions and Relief Theatre production recently won Best New Writing at the Buxton Fringe 2014, and it’s clear to see why. Sharp, interconnecting dialogue is delivered impeccably by Erin Elkin as Lydia, Joe Walsh as Jack and Maddie Haynes as Rachel, who have evidently invested a lot of time into encompassing their own characters but work very impressively together to create the trio of trips.
Upon alighting from the performance, some of the audience were evidently drained; one woman was in tears. This is a unique, meaningful piece of drama which showcases three skilful talents and is definitely worth a ticket, even though this is a free, non-ticketed event!
