Credit: STAG
Culture Deputy – Travel
Max Kelly takes a trip to Edinburgh to review Student Theatre at Glasgow’s newest theatrical offering at the Festival Fringe.
Student Theatre at Glasgow (STAG) – the oldest student theatre company in Glasgow – know in their 41st year of performing at the Fringe that it isn’t always plain sailing. Incidentally, the characters in their newest Fringe production, Trips and Falls, are no stranger to things not quite going the right way.
Trips and Falls follows the tale of two sisters who plan to scatter their grandmother’s ashes in her ideal location. They steal the urn as well as their mother’s car and head north for ‘Scotland in miniature’ – the peaceful and scenic Isle of Arran. The sisters are chased by their bickering parents, whose argumentative nature trips them up on more than one occasion. To make matters worse, the two are also pursued by a by-the-book detective intent on having the perfect first case, and her oxymoronic bumbling but clever schoolboy sidekick. If that wasn’t enough, all parties have to deal with the kind-hearted but rather lost local shopkeeper. Will the race to Arran repair a divided family or will it end in chaos? It’s anyone’s guess.
One thing you can be certain of is that with Trips and Falls you’re getting quality entertainment. The play held my attention throughout and was perfectly spliced with witty one-liners, visual puns and wholesome family content. The dynamic cast clearly had a good understanding and rapport with each other. The only genuine criticism I could have of this production is that it didn’t go on for longer – but that’s just me personally. It was short and sweet, undoubtedly in-keeping with the spirit of the Fringe. A performance perfect for both seasoned Scots, as well as first time visitors alike.
The minimalist setting juxtaposed with the richly-crafted and developed characters but certainly did not detract from them. In fact the opposite was true – the three boxes that adorned the open space acted as the perfect setting for the style of this play. The chemistry not just between the director Aimee Buchanan and playwright Maddie Beautyman (Ah Dinnae Ken), but the whole cast and production team was clear to see throughout the production. This effortless chemistry masking what must have been a whole lot of effort on the part of everyone involved. Not to mention, watching the action unfold on stage it doesn’t take a genius to figure out why Beautyman has been shortlisted for Dundee Repertory Theatre’s ‘Rep Stripped’ 2019 programme, featured in the 2018 Inter University Drama Festival, and sold out STAG’s Fringe run last time around.
Unfortunately, the production is on for just another five days, so don’t miss on this emotional rollercoaster, whistle-stop tour of Scotland. You can catch the play between 4.05 and 4.55, so it’s perfect for that fuzzy period between a boozy (or sober) lunch and dinner. If you find yourself in Edinburgh this summer and are looking for something wholesome, emotional and amusing I would advise to look no further than STAG’s Trips and Falls – it really does have something for everyone.
Trips and Falls will be at the Edinburgh Fringe until Aug 17 at the Space at Niddry Street. For tickets and more details go to: https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/trips-and-falls
