Trainspotting Live has set off on a UK tour and is now being performed at Riverside Studios in Hammersmith in a production that’s immersive and literally in your face.
If you saw the show a few years back at The Vaults at Waterloo you’ll know that no one is safe from the abuse, the liquids, and other assorted stuff that is flung and thrown at audience members. And just so you know the actors sit amongst, and at times, on the laps of, audience members, it’s immersive theatre to the extreme.
Trainspotting is the story of Mark Renton and his friends, living through the Edinburgh heroin scene of the 80s. Harry Gibson’s original stage adaptation, written before it became the famous blockbuster film directed by Danny Boyle in 1996, was instantly successful and controversial, and won the Sunday Times Award for Best New Play. In Your Face Theatre’s Scottish cast has pulled out all the stops and are in character the moment you walk into the theatre, they are mesmerising and at times terrorising, and from them it’s dialogue and action that come at you 1000 beats a minute. And while the actors accents are a bit hard to understand, it doesn’t at all take away from their amazing performances – they are all fantastic.
The audience, as mentioned above, are literally part of thIs semi interactive show, and are too close for comfort for the notorious toilet scene. When you walk in chose your seat carefully. And another word of warning – don’t wear your best outfit if you plan to attend this show!
Now playing in London until Nov. 6.
riversidestudios.co.uk/see-and-do/trainspotting-live-27057/
Venue: Riverside Studios LONDON
Dates: Tuesday 18th October to Sunday 6th November
Time: 7.30pm (Tuesday to Thursday), 6pm (Friday to Sunday) & 7.45pm (Friday & Saturday)
Box Office: 020 8237 1010
Online: riversidestudios.co.uk
Venue: Mayflower Studios SOUTHAMPTON
Dates: Wednesday 9th to Saturday 12th November
Time: 8.00pm (Wednesday) / 7.00pm & 9.00pm (Thursday to Saturday)
Box Office: 02380 711 833
Online: mayflowerstudios.org.uk
Age Guidance: 16+ This immersive production contains nudity, strong language, sex, violence, and drug/needle use.
Review by Tim Baros