Nobody will ever Forgive Us is the final production in the Traverse/National Theatre of Scotland's 'Debuts' series, where plays have been showcased by new writers.
Written by actor Paul Higgins, it is a searing portrayal of a dysfunctional, working class family living on the edge of society. Here the intensity of the emotional dialogue is enhanced by the stage being set in the round.
Laced with much black humour, the action revolves around a bullying, poetry-reciting drunk of a father who is gnawed by the bitterness of failed aspirations; a 22 year old son Johnny whose only ability now is being able to manipulate his younger brother and sister into giving him money to further his fantasy of becoming a snooker success; an 18 year old sister Cath, who, doped up with anti-depressants, grieves for the death of young Ruth; Patrick, who shatters the mother's dreams of becoming a priest and the mother whose only salvation is to immerse herself in Catholicism.
Directed by John Tiffany, currently associate director of new works for the National Theatre of Scotland, the production and acting is superb, particularly Gary Lewis as the Dad and Ryan Fletcher as Johnny. With its claustrophobic set, the audience is engaged from beginning to end.
Concluding on an extremely poignant note, Nobody will ever Forgive Us is a brilliantly written psychological drama that captures the nuances and essence of desperate lives on the fringes of society. A powerful debut by Paul Higgins. We look forward to seeing more of his work.
Dates and Times:
Saturday 22 Nov - 8pm
Tuesday 25 - Friday 28 Nov - 8pm
Saturday 29 Nov - 2.30pm and 8pm