Words: Rae Stewart

4 Stars

Bookies explores dynamics between 2 employees Pat and John played by Ruaraidh Murray and Dayton Mungai, and their fierce manger Michelle played by Francesca Hess. We also meet Harry a mountaineer with aspirations of returning to Mount Everest, played by Fraser Wood.

This dark comedy unfolds in a betting shop located in Leith. We meet Pat and John on what appears to be a useful shift as they chat about their frustrations within the work place. John can be seen as a well-mannered, intelligent young man on a journey to university, very much in contrast to Pat who is consumed by his spiteful rage and is a magnet for trouble. When Michelle, the high powered manager breaks the news that the betting shop is closing, Pat consists a plan to rob the shop and enlists John to get involved. When Harry overhears this he joins the pair but their ill-fated scheme culminates into a dark and bloody conclusion that catch the audience by surprise.

Produced by Kit Bromovsky Productions with Virág Tóth, this production is straight off a successful run at the Dundee Rep in Spring 2023. Addressing significant and pertinent themes, writers Joe McCann & Mikey Burnett have created a play filled with lively banted that authentically represents Edinburgh life.

Where it sometimes lacked sharp delivery the ensemble always pull it through to create a very real uproarious piece of Scottish theatre.

The Bookies
Cairns Lecture Theatre, Summerhall
19:35
2nd-26th August