Fall

Gruelling. Demanding. Gut-wrenching. Devastating. These are but a few of the words that could describe Zinnie Harris's Fall, probably the most difficult theatrical experience to grace a Scottish stage in years.

It makes demands on the audience; its blunt depictions of the aftermath of torture may put off the faint of heart. But if you are willing to stomach the parade of unpleasantness, the production is a emotional journey that will leave you breathless.

Set in an unnamed country, the action follows a group of people during a war crimes tribunal. Civil war has just ended and the masses want justice. Justice in this case means more bloodshed, which the newly elected government is more than happy to supply in the form of executions.

All of the suspected stereotypes for such a story are present, including the bleeding-heart liberal, the abusive guard, the power-hungry political advisor and the grieving widow. Harris's greatest success in the play is not in the idea or the plot but in her ability to turn each of these common caricatures into three-dimensional humans that surprise the audience with their choices. No one is completely innocent or evil, and every character believes that they have right on their side, leading to an inevitable confrontation that leaves some dead.

The company of eight actors are consistently strong. Harris's scenarios and dialogue asks a great deal from them, and they all deliver performances filled with passion and torment. No cast member stands out from the rest; everyone is equally effective in both creating individual humans and playing as an ensemble.

This is Dominic Hill's first production at the Traverse as its Artistic Director, yet he uses using the main stage so competently that it feels as if he already knows the space intimately. At times beautiful and other times terrifying, Hill's visual interpretation of Harris's world constantly commands the audience's attention. He uses a clever set, sparse lighting and an eerie sound design in order to ratchet up the tension, creating unease that is almost unbearable in parts as approaching doom becomes inevitable.

Like many grim stories about war and its consequences, Fall is an emotionally draining experience. It offers no solutions to the audience and little justice to its characters, but its themes and ideas are heavily pertinent, especially in these difficult times. Those strong enough for the experience will find themselves shaken to the core.