Òran – Traverse Theatre

From the fantastic minds of Wonder Fools comes Òran, a contemporary retelling of the famous greek myth of Orpheus. Fresh from its 2024 Edinburgh Fringe Festival run, this piece, written by Owen Sutcliffe and directed by Jack Nurse, has embarked on a new tour.

Òran (Robbie Gordon) has a difficult relationship with his parents, particularly heightened by the loss of his older brother. Alone, he strikes up a strong friendship with Liam. However, as two young boys living in the modern age of social media, this friendship soon goes awry as indecent images are shared by the young boys in an immature attempt at revenge. Like the Greek myth, Òran heads into the underworld to make amends with Liam, who serves as a Eurydice-esque character.

Robbie Gordon performs the poetic, spoken word-infused text all by himself with help only from an electrifying underscore from VanIves and Ben Deans. Gordon is instantly watchable, drawing the audience into the mixed world of modern and myth. His voice is song-like, beautifully floating through the text, allowing us to savour every syllable. Later in the play, he also takes on the role of Hades, bringing great physicality and a genuine eeriness to his performance.

From a technical point, Òran combines light, sound and projection with great effect without overshadowing the performance. The projection, designed by Heather Scott, is smooth and really immerses the audience into the action. It’s not just something there for show. Instead, Gordon regularly interacts with the video behind him, adding a clear link between tech, performance and Sutcliffe’s text.

Òran is an interesting exploration of young male friendship in the modern world. With an energetic performance and electrifying score, it is sure to keep all audiences engaged throughout.

Òran tours until November 28th and tickets are available at https://www.wonderfools.org/projects/oran/

Reviewer: Dylan Mooney

Reviewed: 13^th November 2025

North West End UK Rating: