Review: Fresher play ‘Yellow Moon’

Yellow Moon is a Fresher Play. Fresher Plays are not meant to be perfect. They are meant to be a first step, a practice run. Nobody said this to Fraser Craig, whose bold directorial vision has created one of the best pieces of drama in St Andrews this year.

Yellow Moon tells the story of “Stag” Lee and “Silent” Leila, two young kids on the run. At the start of the play, the two children’s backgrounds are outlined; Stag Lee (Charlotte Kelly) is revealed to be a troubled teen with an alcoholic mum, Silent Leila (Shelby Nelson) a self-harming but bright girl who, as the name suggests, rarely talks. When Lee accidentally murders his mother’s good-for-nothing boyfriend (Radhaika Kapur), the two run off to the north of Scotland together where they meet the mysterious gamekeeper “Drunk” Frank (Sofia Langthaler), and celebrity Holly (Mishia Leggett). Much of the play is told through Leila’s thoughts, with the supporting cast and herself narrating, which adds a chilling, distorted touch to the piece.

The quality of acting was incredibly high, and although the cast occasionally tripped over their words, all were believable and gripping. Kelly should be congratulated in particular; despite playing a boy, and a laddy one at that, she pulls it off convincingly. The emotional tension between her and Nelson was compelling, and the audience suspected an on-stage kiss at least twice. Nelson herself was an incredibly touching actor who quickly won over the audience’s sympathy. She was at her best when she wasn’t talking, however – for a “silent” girl she had a lot of lines. The three supporting actors were all terrific, particularly Kapur, who again played a very believable man.

The exciting plot was energised by the actors’ excellent pacing, and the play was full of movement, making full use of the small space and keeping the action flowing. The stage was strikingly simple, and the use of lighting imaginative. Although mostly a dark piece, the play offered the occasional joke, always generating large responses from the audience.

Yellow Moon was a successful and enjoyable performance, and the entire cast and crew should be proud of what they have achieved. And at only £3 a ticket, it really is something to see.

Catch Yellow Moon tonight at the Barron at 8:30pm!