Review – Fleeto – Paddy Cunneen

Read our Q&A with Paddy Cunneen.

SHAKESPEARE and Greek tragedy rolled into one and spat back out in the reality of Glasgow gang life and lingo.

Magnificent Scottish actors transport audiences to the rougher side of Glasgow, where gangs roam the streets seeking revenge for blood spilt on their turf. Set in a city where the marginalised claim their right to dominance by violent means, the vicious cycle of bloodshed and unrest are the starting point for the audience’s departure into a world which is both foreign and familiar.

Mesmerising energy depicts the gang mentality and how our young protagonist Mackie (the brilliant Jordan McCurrach) falls quickly into step with its tribal acts. Inadvertently drawn in, Mackie’s tragic descent continues via an act of random murder. The audience too is carried along by the waves of emotion that swells through this series of events. Prepare to feel stunned and awed as the play unfolds, before being caught up in the characters’ fears, grief and inner turmoils.

For theatre buffs out there, you can appreciate Andy Clark as the policeman/narrator. His direct explanations set the tone, pre-cursing the action that is to follow a la Greek chorus style. His social commentary gives the audience opportunity to step back from events and evaluate the action and its implications.

Minimal movement, props, lighting and sound is perfectly effective and all that is needed as ultimately it is the language that is the medium and the vehicle that propels this modern day tragedy. Stylised violence is graphic enough when paired alongside the powerful script created by Paddy Cunneen.

This stunning play can also be complemented by seeing Paddy Cunneen’s Wee Andy, which is the story of a lesser character in Fleeto, but can be thoroughly appreciated as its own stand alone piece.

Pro tip: Pick up a program for just $1 at the box office, inside you’ll find a glossary of handy Glaswegian slang.

The well informed reader might already know that Fleeto picked up the Adelaide Critic Circle’s ‘Best in Fringe’ award for week 1. – Ed