ScotsGay Magazine

*****

It says something about the reputation of this play that it was on in the 697 seat Pleasance Grande and the place was nearly full. It was also one show where some of the audience behaviour was bizarre. When I sat down the woman in front seemed uncomfortable with my knee in her back, when I tried to remedy this by sitting back the woman behind seemed uncomfortable with my back in her knee, but we compromised. However there appeared to be more communication between the three of us than the couple on my right who after 30 minutes just stood up and walked out. As I said bizarre.

This is the story of a young idealistic American woman, Rachel Corrie (Josephine Taylor), who died aged 23 and the story is told through her own words. She comes across as a brilliantly incisive person. Her writings at the age of 12 would put anything I could have produced at that age to shame. The first 40 minutes is spent describing her youth, growing up in the US in Washington State and becoming more aware of what is going on in the world. What isn't explained - presumably because of gaps in her writing - is how she became passionate about the plight of the Palestinian people. However she did, and ended up there respecting the dignity of Palestinians and hoping to make a difference.

Unfortunately she assumed that everyone respected human life and so put herself between an Israeli Defence Force bulldozer and a house they were planning to demolish. Murdered, what a loss. However Alan Rickman and Katherine Viner brilliantly bring this story to life. One of the highlights of the 2006 Fringe.

Martin Powell

Back to Fringe Review Index