Written by Gary McNair
Directed by Gareth Nicholls
Review by Marina Funcasta
Gary McNair, characteristic in his ample vocality and stiff gait, demands attention from the moment he sets foot on stage. His Glaswegian accent booms across the theatre, leaving no doubt in our minds as to the certain Scottish edge of this cautionary tale.
Not shying away from the perils of addiction, McNair strikes a sharp balance between the universal and personal nature of his theme. His story is as ordinary as it is extraordinary, as funny as it is tragic. A testament to McNair’s vitality, he embodies a generational ebb and flow between a grandson and his gambling grandfather, gently unfolding both of their dream and disappointments about life, and indeed, each other. It is a complex narrative which McNair writes and performs with ease. But filtered with Glaswegian charisma and a Scot’s wit, the darker shades of the play are covered in self-deprecating curtains which let in the light.
McNair’s show is, more than anything, a very important style of theatre, and one which I believe is becoming all too infrequent. Taking grasp of time, and reflecting on how ordinary people seem to factor their own lives in its limitless abyss, McNair strikes at questions which feel all too easily forgotten in the modern age. Performed with a sort of archaic, mystical air, McNair sculpts his own version of heroism in the form of a dying gambler and his pondering grandson. Showcasing the love between the pair, as well as the stories told and retold amongst them, McNair’s script emerges as an ultimate love letter to the act of storytelling, even in spite of its self-betraying nature. Belief and delusion seem to go hand in hand for McNair’s characters; whether this comes at too high a cost is up to us to decide.
Very Important Style of Theatre
A Gambler’s Guide To Dying runs at The Traverse Theatre
Running time: Seventy minutes without interval
Photo credit: Mihaela Bodlovic
Review by Marina Funcasta (contact@corrblimey.uk)
Marina is halfway through an English literature degree at Edinburgh University, wherein she has been (considerably) involved in the drama scene: enjoying performing with their Shakespeare Company shows, but also modern takes on Arthur Miller. However, Marina’s interests are wide-ranging under the theatre genre – enjoying abstract, more contemporary takes on shows (with a keen interest in Summerhall)
