A tale of mistruths and memories of the past, and how they affect the present. Nightlands is political theatre set during the collapse of the USSR, and focuses on the conflicting ideologies of older and younger Russian generations at that time.
The story takes place in a remote outpost in the Soviet-controlled town of Pyramiden. In it, there are two guards, Sasha and Slava. Sasha (played by Matthew Zajac) is an older man who’s been there for many years, and reminisces about what he believed to be the Soviet Union’s golden era of communism. Whereas Slava (played by Rebecca Wilkie) feels disillusioned with the current state of affairs in Russia, and dreams of a different, more prosperous future.
Whilst the premise of the show is different and interesting, and the acting is to a good standard, the lack of variety in the characters and the setting make it a bit one-dimensional. For an hour-long show, it could do with some scenery and style changes.
Despite this, the show deals with important, topical issues such as misinformation and the weaponization of nostalgia to push political agendas. Over the course of the show, the story line develops and changes, adding new layers to the plot, which makes the whole experience more entertaining and surprising for the audience.
Even though the show has quite a repetitive element, it is still an enjoyable, well-performed and thought-provoking piece of political and societal theatre. For those looking for non-comedy, this is a good piece of theatre that will have you thinking about the accuracy of your own memories, and the power that they possess.
Nightlands by Jack McGregor, 20.45, Summerhall, August 11-14
https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/nightlands-by-jack-macgregor
