Written by Stephen Christopher & Graeme Smith

Directed by Jake Sleet

Review by Laurie Kemmett

Òran Mór

Sean and Davie are best pals – and cellmates. They’ve shared everything in life, from childhood games, to a love of Hollywood blockbusters, to addiction problems. When Davie passes away on the day of his release from prison, Sean embarks on a mission (with the help of Davie’s ghost) to save him from a council funeral and give him the send off he deserves. What follows is a romp through the city, blasting through red tape and bureaucracy in an effort to say goodbye to their best friend. 

The setting of The Legend of Davie McKenzie is made immediately obvious through Gillian Argo’s design, with a number of structures made out of wire, evoking prison cells, high rise towers, and cages. Standing in centre stage is a glowing doorway which is used effectively throughout the performance as a symbol of inside/outside. In fact, the entire set is used efficiently, with wire towers serving as prison doors, hospital beds, and even at one point Hannibal’s elephants. 

Outshining the set, though, are the performances. The dynamic between Sean and Davie is immediately apparent, falling into a formula that many will recognise from childhood friendships: Davie is the leader, Sean the follower. For these two, the dynamic never changes, even with Davie’s death. Sean Connor is delightful to watch, turning Davie from brash child, to charismatic cheeky chappie, to pressure cooker in startlingly smooth transitions. Connor is particularly talented at painting a picture of the anxieties and insecurities bubbling just under the surface of Davie’s confident persona. A special mention must go to the accent work of Ruaridh Murray, playing upwards of five characters with a distinct voice each.

The script falters at one or two points, as exposition is occasionally ham-fisted and takes some realism out of conversations. Another sticking point is the character of Sean – it was never quite clear whether the audience is meant to see themselves in them, or feel exasperation for their lack of assurance. A slight nudge either way would have solved this issue, especially with Afton Moran’s understated and emotional performance in the final fifteen minutes being a highlight of the show, transforming how we understand Sean. 

Despite some of these flaws, ‘The Legend of Davie McKenzie’ is a truly fun and moving piece of theatre. A dreamlike journey in the middle of the story leads us back to where it all began: childhood. Watching Sean and Davie transform back into weans as the story climaxes is heart-breaking, and serves to help audiences understand why exactly the show is a love letter to Hollywood blockbusters. ‘Escape’ is the name of the game with this play. 

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