A heart-rending tale of the bond between two brothers overcoming mental health struggles and alcohol addiction.
Raised Voices is an award-winning Edinburgh-based charity for those who have experienced or are experiencing homelessness, addiction and mental health issues.
All their productions are written and produced by cast members and are stories of their lived experiences. They are survivors.
So it comes as no surprise that this drama is told and acted from the heart. There are very strong performances from Eddie, (Colin Brown) and his much younger brother Grant, (Matthew Power) who gel together well as though they were actual siblings, enjoying banter and a genuine warmth.
Their relationship begins to fall apart due to Eddie’s drinking and his £150 debt to his brother, who is himself battling anxiety because he can’t pay his rent. Things begin to spiral for both…There are powerful scenes by both these performers with a realistic portrayal of descent into alcoholism by Colin Brown.
They are very ably supported by other cast members, including their mother Louise, (played by Katy Greeney) and her friend Christine (played by Liz Hill) who have a wonderful humorous rapport and support each other during the ups and downs of their lives. Despite tackling serious subjects like alcoholism and anxiety almost every character in this play delivers witty lines which are appreciated by the audience and serve to lighten the mood. The balance between highlighting serious social issues and humour is just right.
The writing is tight and in just under an hour the audience becomes engrossed in the roller coaster story of the lives of Eddie and Grant. There are genuinely moving performances throughout.
Other cast members provide good support and include Keith, played by Keith Chalmers, Andy by Andy Dickson, Jess by Liz Wamaguru, Peter by Peter Sabine.
Excellent sound and lighting is provided by Martin Splatt and the show is produced and directed by Archie Gray.
thespace@Surgeons’Hall – Stephenson’s Theatre until 24th August. 11.55am.
Tickets Brothers | Theatre | Edinburgh Festival Fringe (edfringe.com)