Revu Safety

“Safety” Poster

A parasocial weapon of mass destruction: Safety is a deviously clever written, strongly delivered solo production.

“The therapist” is a popular archetype and starting point for many pieces of new writing. It offers a quick and easy way to the heart of a character and allows for their inner and - often darkest - thoughts and ideas to be exposed. However, this popularity comes with its cliches and pitfalls.

Safety deftly avoids all of these. It even turns the table on some of them, pointing the finger instead at the therapist themselves and exploring the concepts such as what if the wrong person with the wrong relationship to you can weaponise those dark thoughts and those dark ideas of yours against you.

Adam, played well by Michael Reid (who is also the writer) seems initially to be a caring, patient, if a little timid, psychotherapist. One who has forgone the more traditional clinical and matter of fact approach to his field due to a perceived dehumanization and lack of humanity in the process, His humanity is something he prides himself in.

When Adam gets a new patient, Bill, a man with a history of violence, something develops in him. Something that he perceives to also be developing in Bill as well. When Bill suddenly breaks contact, ending their sessions, Adam finds himself with a relationship left open, left unfinished, left unsatisfied and whether he knows it or not, seeks him out.

The simpleness of this production is its strength, not a prop or piece of set on stage is left unused or unspent. The simple chair, lamb and shelf set up lined with medical text books is enough to create the atmosphere of Adam’s office. The simple but effective lighting design paired with a stripped back yet keenly acute sound design by Dominic Brennan is exceptionally compelling. Michael Reid’s writing is spectacular, complex and engaging without ever losing its tenderness of becoming self indulgent.

Perhaps this production could only be improved with a stronger build up in some of the climactic moments within the play and for an elimination of slightly too long pauses between scenes, but these are small blemishes on an otherwise compelling piece and very impressive first production from Light Mends Carefully.

Link to tickets for Safety: https://edinburghfestival.datathistle.com/event/3010950-safety/

4/5 Stars

By Ethan H.M.M