A Little Piece of Heaven Review

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Edinburgh Festival review
Rating (out of 5)
3
Show info
Company
Duckegg Theatre Company
Production
Haley Cox (Writer/Director), Phil Collingwood (music), Tilly Needham (Choreography)
Performers
Angelica Hughes (Shanie), Joe McWilliam (Dom), Matthew Crowe (Tim)
Running time
70mins

Although set at the time of the London Olympics the themes of ‘A little piece of Heaven’ are very current in this new piece of writing by playwright Haley Cox.

Performed by a very talented and confident company of teenagers, it's a multi-media show, looking at the dangers of social networking.

From a position of isolation Shanie (Angelica Hughes) manages to create an enormous group of followers who buy into her somewhat warped view of the world. At a time when teenagers are seeking to make sense of the world they are susceptible to influences and there is no more powerful than one of their own.

Shania believes that the London Olympics are a cover for something really strange to be happening and organises her own followers to come to the venue as a flash mob.

Eventually as Shania comes to meet her followers she becomes the subject of competition between Dom (Joe McWilliam) and Tim (Mathew Crowe) and Martha (Tilly Needham) makes her bid to become leader. As Shanie’s conspiracy theory dissipates, the teenagers start to take an interest in drinking and each other as opposed to changing society.

The music (Phil Collingwood) is in rock style and the youngsters sing powerfully aided by on-stage musicians demonstrating the range of talent on show.

While the older generation need to come to terms with how the world of Social Networking works particularly in relation to bullying it is a powerful tool that can create chaos as this piece suggests.

This is a production that will be best enjoyed and understood by their peers but maybe parents have to watch and learn.

Runs to 18 Aug, 1.45pm