Edinburgh People’s Theatre (EPT) has been at the Fringe since the very beginning. The members speak with pride of their heritage, of which Ne’er The Twain is a fine example.
The play was written by EPT stalwart Alan Cochrane and premiered by the company in 1971. Some of today’s cast also performed in its 2012 revival, and this play is dear to their hearts.
It is 1919, and the neighbouring towns of Leith and Edinburgh each have their own culture and identity. But Leith is about to become part of the City of Edinburgh, much to the indignation of its populace.
The McIvors are Leithers, proudly working class, although their lavvy is across the border in Edinburgh. Their neighbours, the Burns family, are Edinburgh people and afflicted with an unfortunate dose of snobbery. However, the down-to-earth Jean McIvor (Mandy Black), and Meg Burns (Lynn Cameron), are old friends and one suspects that the toffee-nosed Meg may not always have been quite so posh.
The play is set entirely in the McIvors’ tenement kitchen, complete with ditzy printed textiles and an old-fashioned pulley for the washing. A play like this depends on the dynamics between the cast, and they keep up the pace, always generous and bouncing off each other. The audience gives them a boost too, engaged and laughing throughout.
Both families have their quirks. Aunt Nellie McIvor (Lyzzie Dell) is delightfully dour, although we see a different side of her later on. Ronnie Millar revels in the coarse aspects of his character, dock worker Bob McIvor. The McIvors’ freeloading relative, Willie Lomax (Carter Nisbet), has a cheeky glint in his eye as he stirs up trouble in order to sneak more food from the table. Meanwhile, Hugh Burns (Des Linton) just likes messing with people. There is a charming love story between childhood sweethearts Carol McIvor (Ellie Duncan) and Robin Burns (Aric Hanscomb-Ryrie).
After we get to know the families, hilariously farcical situations unfold. There is a drunken aunt, a teetotal minister (Gordon Braidwood), and people hiding in cupboards and under tables. There is a little bit of comedy cross-dressing, perhaps a bit outdated but still good fun. The laughs keep coming and we continue to root for the characters throughout.
Carol Caldwell, costume coordinator extraordinaire, has made great use of the EPT’s wardrobe archive, fitting everyone out with authentic-looking styles. I liked the Fair Isle knitwear sported by the men, and the elegant dusty pink dress worn by young Carol.
The towns merged over a century ago, but the story feels pretty modern overall. Social class and snobbery are still with us, and Leith remains a vibrant and distinctive community. Cochrane grew up in Leith, and the details of the period and the locality really sell the piece. I enjoyed this funny, moving piece of social history.
Reviewer: Wendy McEwan
Reviewed: 7th August 2024
North West End UK Rating: