When We Were Young – theSpace on the Mile

When We Were Young performs for the first time at the Edinburgh Fringe this month, produced and written by Liam Lambie of Glasgow-based company, Geez a Break Productions. This play looks at the lives of one of Glasgow’s ‘Young Teams’ in the 90s—gangs made up of teenagers who grouped together based on the area they lived in. We explore the teenagers’ relationships with each other, gang culture, their community, and the societal constraints they live under.

The play begins in the future, with the young team’s leader, Mooney (played by Lambie), reflecting on his time as a teenager. We are then taken back in time to witness the fatal consequences that the young team brought into the characters’ lives. Lambie’s writing is brilliant, with brazen and vulgar dialogue that encapsulates both the immaturity of teenage boys and the classic ‘ned’-style patter.

The audience’s reaction stood as a testament to the quality of both the writing and the performances, with the whole room guffawing at the equally clever and crude jokes. Not only was I audibly laughing throughout—I was also “pure greeting,” as one might say. The hilarity of the script and the actors’ playful delivery lull us into a false sense of security, until we are suddenly hit with the reality of the teenagers’ situation. When violence occurs, the senselessness of the teenagers shifts from something laughable to something we pity. This is the culture they are born into, and there’s no escaping it.

What is especially striking about the content of this play is that young teams are still very much active, and the issues that follow still affect communities around Scotland. It is clear that the cast are incredibly passionate about spreading knife crime awareness—so much heart is put into this production, and it couldn’t be more relevant or poignant.

Each cast member displays unbeatable talent, delivering lines with complete authenticity and creativity. The girls of the group, Michaela (played by Dionee Frati) and Sammy (played by Candace Nicholson), add an extra layer to the play, demonstrating where women fit into this landscape. Frati and Nicholson are pure class, showcasing their knack for comedy—especially in the scene where Michaela takes her first pregnancy test, asking if she just “sticks it in.”

The young team is made up of Mooney, Tam (Ross McAree), Gee (Elliot McLean), and Joe (Euan Ferguson). Each actor performs with such specificity and a deep understanding of their character that it becomes a completely natural act. Their dialogue is completely ridiculous yet delivered in such a believable manner. The cast are incredibly versatile, tackling both the hard-hitting themes and the laugh-out-loud dialogue without missing a beat.

I loved this play so much that the only aspect I questioned was the use of a piano score over the monologues. I felt it actually took away from the moment—silence could have made these parts much rawer, allowing us to really listen and take in the weight of the writing.The 55 minutes we see of this play is only just scratching the surface of When We Were Young, with a full-length version having previously toured, and will be touring again.  I cannot emphasise enough how important and how impactful this play is – if you only see one piece of theatre at the Fringe this year, let it be this.

When We Were Young runs until the 23rd of August at theSpace on the Mile, with tickets available at https://www.thespaceuk.com/shows/2025/

Reviewer: Jessie Martin

Reviewed: 4th August 2025

North West End UK Rating: