‘Bits N Pieces’ by Saltire Sky Theatre is an interactive dark comedy play that at its heart seeks to educate its audiences about the serious harm that current drug stigma, misinformation and ignorance, can do. The play follows three friends Dougie, Tommy and Matty as they regale of past escapades, figure out what on earth they are going to do with their lives and party one last time. Before Matty goes off to war-torn lands with the RAF, his friends want to have one last night at Usher Hall listening to class tunes spun by their favourite DJ. Dougie suggests an untraceable drug to fuel their shape-cuttin’ and save Matty from a failed drug test- Mandy (MDMA). The worst happens to cap off the night, lack of knowledge, misinformation and media stigma makes for a dark, tragic and troublesome next few months.
The show itself is incredibly interactive, the audience is made to feel as if they have walked into an underground rave. This feels intensely realistic as the cast are dressed like classic windbreaker wearing shufflers, there is a dj on a set of decks, the lights are turning and jaws are turning.
The cast did not break character once every actor’s motives were clear, they never stopped interacting with the people and environment around them making the scenes feel all the more real and the audience completely included. They improvised conversation, broke tensions and even got everyone on their feet raving themselves. The show was completely unique in the fact that the audience had fun and danced as the characters did, we were made to feel as one homogenous group of people enjoying a fantastic night.
The principal characters were acted beautifully, the moments of intensity and seriousness were just as well played as the moments of hilarity. It must be said that the soundtrack to this play is phenomenal, anyone who has an appreciation for 90-00s dance, trance and rave classics will be very much at home here.
Another key thing to note about this show, it is for the working class. At it’s bones this play deals with issues that are felt at the heart of working-class people, situations we have been in, characters like people we know. Its honest, non-judgemental approach to drugs is something to be applauded, I felt truly represented. There was no naivety or idealism surrounding the themes, it was just truthful- as a working class Scottish person I felt for the first time ever in a theatre… truly welcome.
Nathan Scott-Dunn the playwright, director of this show and the actor who played ‘Tommy’ should be immensely proud- he is the type of theatre-maker Scotland needs and deserves.
I urge you to see this show, you will not regret it.
10:30pm in Leith Arches (Venue 324) till 23rd August
https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on#q=%22Bits%20’N’%20Pieces%22
Theatre Scotland 
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