The Bookies – Summerhall Cairns Theatre

Treat yourself to a spot of pre-show research but hold on tight. Tapping ‘Bookies’ into any search engine is not an edifying experience. The avalanche of links, options and manoeuvres from betting sites is staggering. Obscene probably a more accurate description.

Originally written as a sitcom pilot one pines to know why this script was never properly picked up, the seams of the subject rich enough to mine for episode after episode… anyway, years after, the writers re-wrote ‘hings as a play and pitched it to Dundee Rep who ran it in May 2022 to some well-deserved acclaim. Mikey Burnett (co-writer with Joe McCann) has worked in such establishments and hails from Edinburgh so ticks all the boxes necessary to fashion a paean to desperate locals, the lines between staff, customers and higher management almost non-existent when measured against misery, manipulation, betrayal and/or bare-faced evil. What’s more, never mind the broken people, the air-con in this particular shop doesn’t work and wait for it, nor does the safe!

Somehow, tonight’s performance isn’t right either. Starting off between beats it takes a while for the show’s rhythm to click back into time. The cast is not short of chops and commitment, Michelle’s haughty superiority nailed by Francesca Hess, Pat’s unpleasant hubris by Ruaraidh Murry, while Dayton Mungai’s delivery of John’s monologue (resulting from years of pent-up resentment and anger) was, excuse the cliché, show-stopping. Traipsing out into the night though the chilling sequences depicting Harry’s (Fraser Wood) return to the heights of Everest haunt the longest.

Plaudits to the sound and lighting folks too, if only I had their names. That this was early in the run was betrayed by some lines, marks and beats going missing but pitch yourselves in almost any night from now until Aug 26^th and this should be rocking nicely. By which time the props department will hopefully have nipped down to Easter Road to locate a proper Hibs bag.

https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on#q=%22The%20Bookies%22

Reviewer: Roger Jacobs

Reviewed: 2nd August 2024

North West End UK Rating: