Yellow Moon

‘Yellow Moon - The Ballad of Leila and Lee,’ a contemporary play by the prolific Scottish playwright, David Greig. Because of David’s stimulating and creative style of writing, this play was commissioned by the Royal Court to encourage young actors. It won a Laurence Olivier Award in 2004.

The one-hour play is presented by the Black Swan State Theatre Company and the 2010 HotBed Ensemble at PICA, Perth Cultural Centre, James Street, Northbridge until 22^nd August. Shows nightly at 8.00 pm plus matinees Saturday 21^st August at 2.15 pm and Sunday the 22^nd August at 5.00 pm. The show is 90 minutes non-stop, no late entry.

 

        Living in the tiny central Scottish village of Inverkeithing, on the outskirts of Linlithgow, is disenchanted 15-year-old Stag Lee MacAlinden (Tim Solly). He stays with his alcoholic mother (Melanie Munt) who was abandoned by Stag’s father when he was five.  Lee spends most of his days planning, how as Inverkeithing's first pimp, he will become prosperous. Stag regularly steals booze from the supermarket and constantly argues with his stepfather, Billy Logan (Austin Castiglione).

        Then Lee meets the academically perfect, but shy and withdrawn, Leila (Adriane Daff). She is a 17 year-old Muslim girl, who is desperate to ‘fit in’ whilst attempting to stay away from the sins of the world. Leila spends her Friday nights reading celebrity gossip magazines and self-harming. Stag invites Leila to a romantic walk through the cemetery.

        On returning home, Lee murders his stepfather in a brawl. What should he do? His mother is incapable of helping, so Stag and Leila take to the Highlands of Scotland in search of Stag’s hero – his long lost, wealthy Dad.

 

This is a very rich script, with superb characterisation and touching, yet chilling emotion. Director, Adam Mitchell, has added some humorous action, which worked well in contrast to the dark story. The actors narrate virtually the whole story, with very little actual dialogue. Even when there is powerful action, the players are not facing each other, but in an estranged way, addressing the audience as though they are the other person.

An imaginative set design. The set was staged on three levels, the floors thickly strewn with pine needles. The centrepiece was a spectacular Monarch of the Glen stag head above a fireplace. This theme of the stag runs throughout the play, hinting at an aura of black magic. The strong symbolism throughout the script, coupled with the superb visuals projected onto the bunched-up white backcloth, gave great strength of atmosphere to the already wonderful acting. A couple of interesting ‘stag’ props were sourced.

The marvellously portrayed young couple had true empathy, and convincingly created the essential innocent love for each other. The well thought out lighting was carefully operated.

The soundscape was excellent, with many subtle hints of surrounding sounds. There was a clever use of a reverberation unit / echo box at the end of the play which added to the isolation of a character.

Sorry but I haven’t a programme, however the technical team included Fiona Bruce, Peter Dawson, Mia Holton, Tess Reuvers with stage manager Genevieve Jones, and manager Hugo Aguilar Lopez.

This was a magnificent production of an intellectual play. I am not a great fan of the narration style of delivery, but the cast played their multitude of characters brilliantly. Another masterpiece from HotBed.

Gordon the Optom