Lockerbie: Unfinished Business

There are two categories of people who need to see this show: those happy to sound off about anything to do with Lockerbie despite knowing little or nothing about the bombing, the investigation or the trial; and those who know plenty, but not as much as they would like, and have been following the extraordinary efforts of Dr Jim Swire to uncover the truth.

Bafflingly, a woman could be heard to mutter something about “a latter-day Lord Longford” to her companion as the audience was filing in. She, and perhaps many others, were facing a steep learning curve as David Benson began his performance as Swire, which takes the form of a public lecture.

There's certainly a lot to take in, even for those who go in understanding that Swire is no terrorist apologist and that the unfinished business has nothing to do with revenge, oil deals or the naked political opportunism that has been in evidence in recent weeks. Information about explosives, suspects and cash exchanges comes thick and fast as evidence dating back decades is revisited.

However, before all that, and at regular intervals in between, the audience is confronted with the raw grief of a bereaved father. The thundering title sequence of the Nine O'Clock News from 1988 ramps up the dread in a recreation of the terrible night when Jim and Jane Swire learned of the crash and – after an agonising wait – were told their daughter Flora was a victim.

This is a personal story as well as damning and frightening account of discarded evidence, gagged witnesses and a seriously problematic trial, and the strength of Benson's telling is the way in which he combines both dimensions. His impersonation of Tony Gauchi, the Maltese shopkeeper on whose evidence the conviction of Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed Al Megrahi hinged, provokes chuckles – followed by a sharp reminder of what was at stake.

The show is based on Swire's book as-yet-unpublished book – this is essential Fringe for anyone who shares his aim to find out the truth of the events leading up to the terrible events of December 21, 1988.

A version of this review first appeared in The Herald.