ED2019 2/5 Reviews ED2019 Theatre Reviews

Last Life: A Shakespeare Play (The Box Collective and Piece of Yourself)

By Andy Leask | Published on Saturday 17 August 2019

The fault, dear Brutus, lies not in the performances, but in the script. ‘Last Life’ is a play composed of lines lifted from Shakespeare’s plays and poetry, stitched together to form something “new”. And, sure, that sounds like an honourable plan, but the result is frustratingly disengaging. There is no cohesive plot, and no real sense of character – despite the best efforts of the excellent actors, who give an intensely physical performance – and so everything is, ultimately, meaningless. Each line immediately sparked its original context in my mind, pulling me away from these ciphers to the Shakespearean characters to whom those words belong. Inviting comparison with Shakespeare is risky; ‘Last Life’ can’t help but pale in comparison. 

Greenside @ Infirmary Street, until 17 Aug.
tw rating 2/5 | [Andy Leask]