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Faslane at Summerhall, Edinburgh Science Festival

April 11, 2017 by Carmen Paddock Leave a Comment

Review of: Faslane
Price:
£10-12

Reviewed by: Carmen Paddock
Rating:
4
On April 11, 2017
Last modified:August 16, 2018

Summary:

Exploring the lives touched - directly and indirectly - by the UK's Trident nuclear programme, Faslane's honesty, humour, and complexity make it a powerful work of art.

More Details

The multifaceted issues and implications surrounding nuclear arms – specifically through the lens of the UK’s Trident programme, housed at Faslane near Glasgow – cannot be summed up by one woman over the course of seventy-odd minutes.  However, in the talented hands of Jenna Watt, Trident is explored in surprising scope and engagement.  Watt relentlessly documents every step, every quote, and every interaction along her self-education about nuclear weapons and their multiple meanings today: to the community largely supported by Faslane’s industry, to the politicians intent on their UN Security Council seat, and to the activists who sport the peace symbol – or more accurately the Centre for Nuclear Disarmament (CND) symbol – while keeping the memory of Hiroshima alive.

 

Faslane’s approach to the moral and social consequences of Trident and nuclear arms is laid bare in the first fifteen minutes.  After an introductory speech from Albert Einstein’s anti-nuclear weapons essay, Watt clearly states her intention not to obfuscate any facts, statements, or quotes throughout her exploration of the issue.  Growing up among Trident workers, in an area whose economy was bolstered by the base, Watt invites the audience into her internal dialogues and debates surrounding her growing awareness of nuclear warheads and their implications for the UK and world.  These investigations take her to the permanent caravan camp outside Faslane, an activist’s house in Edinburgh, her uncle (an employee of Trident), and to the base itself.  While each turn is supplemented by sound bites of famous pro- and anti-nuclear speeches, it is these human stories and Watt’s relentless internal monologue which captures all attention.  They are all conducted with honesty, and no attempt to override anyone’s opinion is made.  That said, no attempt to hide the horrible destruction wrought by Little Boy is made either, even if other historical elements of the atom bomb’s creation and history are not as fully examined.

 

Watt is a magnetic performer with the charisma and presence to pull off the piece’s nuance and emotional changes easily and engagingly.  She wins the audience’s trust through her amiable personality and honest – essential for such a judgement-free narrative.  She imbues each story with the characteristics of her interviewees, slipping between performance and direct address while never losing focus.  Her comic timing is impeccable and excellently executed, bringing levity to the discussion and winning the audience’s trust through her amiable personality.  The care and consideration she gives her story and audience drive the show’s success.

 

While not everyone may have given nuclear weapons the same thought as Watt has, the indecision, confusion, and stress resulting from a conflicting heart and head are palpable and poignant – this struggle is relatable across many challenging issues affecting families, livelihoods, and lives.  This clear connection and communication, combined with a judgement-free (albeit emotionally-charged) presentation of the issue, make Faslane a powerful work of art.

 

Faslane is playing at Summerhall as part of the Edinburgh Science Festival for two nights only, until Tuesday 11th April.  Performances start at 7.30pm and last for 75 minutes.  Tickets are £12, £10 concessions.

 

Writer/performer: Jenna Watt

Sound designer: Kim Moore

Dramaturg: Louise Stephens

Stage Manager: Sam Ramsay

Outreach Coordinator: Jack Stancliffe

PR: Miriam Attwood, Storytelling PR

Producer: Callum Smith, Showroom

Tour supported by Creative Scotland

 

Development supported by Creative Scotland, Cove Park, National Theatre of Scotland, West Yorkshire Playhouse, and Contact

 

Faslane is a Contact Flying Solo Commission.

Author: Carmen PaddockTheatre goer and theatre writer
T: Twitter

Filed Under: Review Tagged With: Cove Park, creative scotland, edinburgh science festival, faslane, jenna watt, kim moore, louise stephens, National Theatre of Scotland, one woman show, sam ramsay, trident nuclear, West Yorkshire Playhouse

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