REview: 1902
Credit: Saltire Sky
By Erin Deborah
Saltire Sky’s production of ‘1902’ is equal parts fun, striking, and emotional. Recounting the story of Hibernian FC’s victory in the Scottish Cup Final, which follows a 114 year wait, the audience follows a gang of Scottish youngsters as they navigate friendship, money and complex family relationships.
‘1902’ pivots around the story of Derek “Deeks” Longstaff (Bailey Newsome) and his friends, who spend their time in the local pub The Dug and Duck. Newsome displayed the depth of his character, and grew into the emotion of his character. A particular highlight was his fraught reactions with his older brother, and the revelations this uncovered about his deeply upsetting family history.
A realistic portrayal of working class life in Scotland, the play highlights contemporary issues including gang culture, class division, toxic masculinity and mental health, without forcing social messages down your throat, brought together by cohesive and colourful publicity by Gabriella Sills.
Directors Nathan Scott-Dunn and Sands Stirling did a stellar job of handling such important themes in a sensitive manner, all whilst keeping the show relatable. A social drama delivered as pub theatre, they struck a balance between more heartfelt moments, darker scenes, and football hooliganism.
The play is littered with moments of light-hearted comedy. The band of boys provide moments of laughter, sarcasm and irony. Frank ‘Frankie’ Armstrong (Josh Brock), Samuel ‘Sambo’ Donaldson (Alexander Arran-Cowan), and Thomas ‘Zippy’ Collins (Kieren Lee-Hamilton) played off each other’s energy. Ella Stokes as Margaret ‘Mags’ Evesham and Alexander Bain as The Musician contributed to the overall musical, energetic pace of the show, and allowed for theatrical variation that made the play entertaining and fast-paced.
Yet ‘1902’ does not shy away from portraying the toxicity of male bravado and gang violence. Stand-out performances from Sands Stirling (as Anthony ‘Tony’ Longstaff) and Jonny Tulloch (as Craig Turnbull) were phenomenal; the tension on stage when they were present was palpable.
Praise must also be given to the set design and costume. The use of space kept the audience on their toes, and contributed to the colour and energy of the play. Different physical levels were explored, and the audience engagement provided comic relief, and displayed the improvisational skill of the actors.
The dynamic cast and artful direction left the audience constantly anticipating the next move. From intense shouting matches, to cheery football chanting, and moments of loud silence, ‘1902’ is a powerful yet relatable play that highlights the hope and passion that football inspires despite the hardships its devoted fans may face.
