By Zinnie Harris
Questors Theatre 31st Jan to 7th Feb

I first heard about the island of Tristan da Cunha as a schoolboy when Alf Tupper – the tough of the track – represented them, fictionally at the 1972 Commonwealth Games. He almost lost his amateur status for advertising the Tartan Design Centre (TDC). It is the remotest, inhabited place in the world. Fifty years ago it was visited only by a boat twice a year. And for ten years even that boat failed to arrive. This is the setting for this compelling drama by Zinnie Harris. The outside world arrives to disturb this Island, a commercial bottling plant. But the sins of their past, present and even future haunt the islanders and the Island will have its retribution upon them. You are compelled to ask what you would have done in their circumstances. In answering, could you live with that guilt as each sin is revealed? In spite of these sins, can we justify our own actions? How can we live and do the things that we do and still judge others according to our own corrupt morals. What right do we have to exploit these remote and isolated places?

This is a piece of fiction; the Island is not named as Tristan da Cunha. Tristan da Cunha is remote and isolated. The volcano did erupt and the Islanders were evacuated to Southampton and all but fourteen returned back to their old lives on the Island.

I found this production very compelling. The language of the play draws you into this strange world, a cross between the island of ‘Lord of the Flies’, Pitcairn island and the war time Guernsey Island with a few touches of the volcanic islands around Scilly. The play is long at about 3 hours, but in truth I did not notice that. That they be due to the masterful set and design. David Emmet’s direction of this production was excellent.
Bill Boyd was mesmerising as Bill and Clare Cooper was superb as Mill although all the cast were excellent. So much so, that I had to remind myself these were Questors members and not Islanders flown in.

A not to be missed play, a not to be missed production.

Reviewed by Evan Rule