I was lucky enough to see rehearsals of 1902, at the time I thought it was a tight production, but it was a real honour to see it come to life in its final weekend show. I also got to learn about immersive theatre – a branch of theatre I wasn’t previously aware of, which fits neatly between your typical theatre experience and pantomime.
Set around Hibs famous 2016 Scottish Cup Final, the Edinburgh club’s first cup victory since 1902,, this piece of theatre depicts the working class exploits of four boys who manage to get tickets to that fateful day. The show has already run the rounds, returning to mark the 150th anniversary of the football club, it’s aptly shown in the Hibs Club just off Easter Road – away from the mayhem of the city centre at festival time.
Football is central to the plot, but the story is much deeper than that. It explores family, friendship, drugs and more. In a month where it sometimes feels like the city of Edinburgh abandons the locals, it’s nice to see a story which accurately represents the people of the city (although the rival maroon wearing Hearts supporters might disagree!).
The production makes use of live music, and breaking the fourth wall – the audience comes part of the play -booing, cheering, singing, reacting to what they see in front of them. The action takes place two feet away from the front row in a central table meaning that you feel fully a part of the show – the actors even run in and around the audience at points. The story beats are slick, moving from joke to joke with constant plot progression and when it does slow down, it allows the actors to show their range with a deep emotional payoff.
The characters are well defined – they feel real, the way they talk and interact with each other feels like watching a real group of pals and that’s largely due to the skill of playwright Nathan Scott-Dunn. Together with the direction and talent on stage – it all combines to create a really impressive show.
