FringeReview Scotland 2025
Óran
Wonder Fool
Genre: Drama, New Writing, Theatre
Venue: The Traverse
Festival: FringeReview Scotland
Low Down
In Wonder Fool’s powerful reworking of the Orpheus myth for the digital age, Óran and Euan are beset by bullying and trolling from older boys at their school. When their friendship is broken apart and Euan descends into the depths of despair, Óran sets off on a quest to rescue his friend. A commanding solo performance from Robbie Gordon, combined with Owen Sutcliffe’s hip hop script and Van Ives and Deans’ high octane soundtrack, make this a powerful piece of theatre.
Review
The story of Orpheus’ descent into the underworld for love and redemption has inspired multiple adaptions for genre from novel to opera and stage. In Wonder Fool’s very topical version, Óran is descending into the depths of digital darkness to rescue his friend, Euan.
This version of Orpheus is set firmly in the contemporary world of digital devices, trolling and bullying. When close friends, Óran and Euan, make that precarious transition to ‘big school’ they encounter older boys who make it a perilous journey straining their close friendship. And Óran, under pressure at home, abandons his friend to the wolves. Euan meanwhile is pulled deep into darkness and depression. Above all else, this play is a reminder of what a menacing place the world of young men can be and just how intense and valid teenage feelings are.
Owen Sutcliffe’s script is firmly anchored in hip hop with internal rhyming underscored by a pulsating bass undertone. It tells the story of Óran and Euan’s friendship, of their fall from grace and Óran’s quest to recover his friend. It also references Óran’s home life – an older brother but sometimes the incessant pace doesn’t always allow it to shine through clearly.
Robbie Gordon’s solo performance is riveting. Even before the show, out of character, he’s engaging with the audience, pulling us in and inviting some gentle audience participation. By the time, he’s in character, he’s a frantic dervish contending with his inner demons. He prowls the stage like a man possessed, occasionally returning to pick out the score on his keyboard. Together, with the soundscape and projections, he creates a panicky claustrophobia of the small space that evokes a descent into the underworld. Gordon’s delivery is breathless and frenzied, and there are times when some variation in pacing would have helped to clarify what was going on, but nonetheless this is a powerful and immersive performance from Gordon.
It’s a technically impressive production with music, projection and lighting combining to add to the feverish atmosphere. VanIves and Robbie Deans are responsible for the electronic score that keeps up a heavy beat throughout the play, Benny Goodman’s lighting is integral to the effect. Heather Scott’s video design provides screens of projection behind Gordon, one constantly the image of a door, of lift doors, the others variously of red-orange fire, or jagged colours. While the visuals and sound track are effective, there are times when they threaten to overwhelm the production, both by obscuring the words and by their incessant assault on the senses.
Jack Nurse as director has brought together a production whose impact is more than the sum of its parts – its immersive quality ramps up the tension, pulling us deep into the dark underworld of Óran and Euan, and offering us a nightmarish glimpse of what being a young man can be like in today’s world.
