ED2015 4/5 Reviews ED2015 Theatre Reviews

A Gambler’s Guide To Dying (Gary McNair with Show And Tell)

By Bruce Blacklaw | Published on Saturday 22 August 2015

We open with Archie Campbell cheering Geoff Hurst’s ‘they think it’s all over’ goal in a Gorbals pub. That goes down as you’d expect, but then he did have a sizeable bet on the outcome. His grandson loves to hear the story and, as we visit moments of him growing up, we learn more about the two, both portrayed by the excellent Gary McNair, who also wrote the play. Archie, diagnosed with cancer, makes one more bet to keep things interesting. The title doesn’t suggest hilarity but there are laughs aplenty in a warm tale about the relationship between a boy and his granddad, the nature of stories, memories and the inevitable time when, finally, it really is all over.

Traverse Theatre, until 30 Aug.
tw rating 4/5 | Bruce Blacklaw