The Chronicles of Long Kesh

FRINGE REVIEW

Chronicles of Long Kesh

Green Shoot Productions 

Assembly at Rainy Hall

August 13th - 30th £13.00

The Chronicles of Long Kesh is the story of the infamous internment camp and prison as seen through the eyes of Prison Officer Freddie Gillespie.

Martin Lynch has bought his special comedic touch to this often grim story. Despite the humour he manages to avoid the pitfalls that could so easily trivialise it.

Chronicles outlines the personal stories of of three IRA and two UVF prisoners as they each moved in and out of the prison over the space of more than two decades. This is an honest play with a surprising amount of music in it. Derry Provo Oscar loves Motown songs. Hank, the UVF commander, favours Bob Dylan. Had the Troubles not broken out, Hank would have ended up as a hippy in San Francisco. You'll also find a spirited rendition of The Sash.

This was no propaganda piece for the paramilitary organisations. Lynch does not attempt to gloss over these organisations' own acts of violence. What the play does chronicle was the dreadful toll it placed on everyone in the prison – inmates and screws alike – and how they tried to cope with it all. Lynch's script is laced with strong black humour.

The six actors played a dizzying multiplicity of roles. It's a wonder they didn't get confused as to who exactly they were supposed to be! Chronicles is not one of those quiet plays where you can nod off in a corner and miss little. There was no fear of that in this gripping tale.

Audience reaction was hugely positive. The packed crowd gave the plays a long and well-deserved standing ovation; a fairly uncommon event in the Edinburgh Fringe. Black Ulster humour seems to travel well.

Chronicles of Long Kesh has already toured in Northern Ireland but it's sure to get a repeat showing sometime soon. It's bound to become a modern classic so look out for it in the papers if you can't make it to Edinburgh this month.

***** This is a five star production.