This revival of the 2005 play is a fitting tribute to Rachel Corrie, the 23 year old peace activist who was killed by an Israeli armoured bulldozer..
The story takes us through the life of Corrie, played by Sascha Shinder, through real excerpts from her diaries, letter and emails, mostly addressing her mother. The story is powerful and thoughtful, and this new rendition respects the original play whilst holding its own.
Shinder is a triumph in the play, capturing the audience’s attention for the entirety of the hour and a half. She shares such complex emotion as Corrie and has a youthful hope that aids the story. This allows us to understand the Corrie’s mind and her motivations. However, there are some moments when the actresses’ accent slips which is slightly distracting.
The set consists of a single stool in the middle of the stage. It is not a play that needs to be busy, and is best kept simple. Shinder takes advantage of this and uses her body to create the emotion.
The most poignant part of the production comes when Shinder starts to sing. Although not crucial to the plot, it reminds the audience of Corrie’s adolescence and is a beautiful moment that breaks up the text and breaks your heart.
There are some tender moments in the show, which are handled with care. Shinder’s variation of talking with each parent pulls on the heart strings. The end of the show focuses on the final days before Corrie’s murder, there is a desperation in Shinder’s voice that makes for an emotive finale.
Although 20 years old, the play is still sadly topical today.
My Name is Rachel Corrie: 19:00, Studio at Zoo Southside, 1st – 24th (not 11th, 18th)
