Further Than the Furthest Thing

Amazing performances all round at the Dundee Rep tonight on the penultimate night of Further Than the Furthest Thing by Zinnie Harris. The play's set on a remote island in the middle of the Atlantic, based loosely on the real island of Tristan da Cunha – but cleverly adapted using lilting Gaelic accented English into an apocryphal story of any remote island community isolated from the world. The picture (left) is indeed the stage of the Rep flooded with 29,000 litres of water for James Brining's last play as Artistic Director before he heads off to take over at Leeds. I've rarely felt so moved by a play – I won't spoil it for those lucky enough to have final night tickets. And it may move south to the Barbican. Suffice it to say that for me poet, trouble-maker, friend, actor and all round Gael, Angus Peter Campbell was the stunning, sympathetic, believable pivot of the entire proceedings. Any knowledge of Hebridean history creates obvious parallels with the story – particular the trip made by Lewis men to see Lord Leverhulme's factory and housing at Port Sunlight in the early 20th century. He thought he'd provided model living conditions for his soap making employees. The islanders came back and announced "everywhere there was slavery". Angus Peter carries this legacy and this awareness of the long struggle to stay connected to land and tradition in every movement. It's almost unbearably poignant to watch – afterwards he told me he'll also be mightily relieved when the play is over. But someone – get him back on stage asap! We also bumped into the departing James Brining and the victorious Dundee SNP Housing Convenor Jimmy Black who used to work with me at the BBC. Jimmy says he's fitter after weeks of climbing tenement stairs – but dreams about them too. "No excuses for us now" was his verdict on the SNP's clean sweep of Dundee – very true. But for Jimmy – very well deserved.