FringeReview Scotland 2026
More than Conquerors The Centre for Contemporary Arts Glasgow
Royal Conservatoire of Scotland Emergence Festival 2026
Genre: New Writing, Theatre
Venue: The Centre for Contemporary Arts Glasgow
Festival: FringeReview Scotland
Low Down
We begin with an abandoned child in a church being rescued by a concerned passer-by. It leads to a narratively unconnected but thematically linked storyline with Grant and Niamh looking after their grandfather, whilst discussing their faith as Niamh is struggling to maintain hers. Tim, their minister is a constant in the background, described as an enigmatic figure, who is visited by Niamh, this charming man who captured their attention in school assemblies attempts to keep Niamh as a congregant. Meanwhile Grant has his own issues with which the wrestle, and grandad is concerned about where Ann Robinson is positioning herself onscreen.
Review
The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland’s Emergence Festival provides a platform for senior students to present their work to an audience as part of their final preparations for joining the profession. They are designed to challenge us and the students onstage.
The opening scene of the child being rescued is slightly odd, but it sets the scene and the agenda as the child, played by Matt Page reappears as Grant. It allows us to understand Grant’s naivete. With the introduction of grandad, played by Errol Rodriguez, the temptation would be to juxtapose the two – the beginning of a faithful journey against the end-of-life reflections of having followed a faith, but these are, interestingly the bookends of the narrative. This is about how faith in your God can be tested by many elements, not least an enthusiastic yet annoying brother who is also going through some form of similar crisis.
As a writer, Matt Page has given food for thought, not least that this is a piece about Christianity, which some may claim is rather neglected in the world, often vilified because of its history or ignored because people see other religions as threats.
Our three actors, perform admirably and the play allows the careful unravelling of people within scenes rather than trying to find the over dramatic to make an entrance or point. The role of grandad does, however, seem a little perfunctory rather than impactful – Niamh and Grant are caring is established but the role could have a much greater influence over the two of them.
Niamh, Rebecca McDiarmid, and Page’s Grant exhibit the playfulness of a familial closeness which is quite touching. Rodriguez, as the grandfather Eric, doubles as the enigmatic pastor Tim, who’s is able to help explore these issues
This is a pleasant trio and the politeness of discord between was gentle – perhaps over gentle. There was a lack of also pace which meant that it became ponderous. Whilst peeling back layers of faith may take an evolution to achieve, theatrically it needs more – we sometimes had to strain and listen to conversation about huge topics rather than debates about them.
The pace brought issues around Tim as he was promoted as enigmatic and a man who could enthral. I didn’t find him quite as enigmatic as suggested. It was compounded by times when it became quite difficult to hear, the tone matching the pace of quietness. I also wondered what it was that Tim was doing with crumbling crackers or bread? I would not be willing to take that offering, after he cracks I up as a wafer-thin sacrifice for Christ’s body.
The staging was decent and clear whilst lighting added to the overall shape of the piece.
More than Conquerors would, I think, be better as a shorter and more concise piece or it needs an injection of pace to push all four characters to find the internal drama.
MacDiarmid, Rodriguez, MacDonald and Page provided something of challenge. It made me think about faith in the West Coast of Scotland and shows that the Emergence Festival is being exactly what it ought to be: for emerging actors, writers, producers, directors but also the emergence of ideas and that for me was the best bit about More Than Conquerors.
