Edinburgh Fringe Review: Hindsight

Words by Susan Ford

Hindsight is a new play written by Keir McAllister especially for this year’s Fringe, and stars three Scottish actors James Kirk, Ray Mearns and Paul Sneddon.  Keir McAllister, and the cast, are all great comedians in their own rights, and bring very unique comedic quirks to the play. At 13.15 in the gorgeous George Street Assembly Rooms, ‘Hindsight’ is a true afternoon Fringe delight.

The three actors, as mentioned, personally contribute something very original to the play, and are extremely well suited to their characters.  Kirk portrays a young man, confident and brash in his youth.  Mearns is a bitter middle-aged man, who plays his part with convincing anger, and lending his Glaswegian accent poetically to the role.  Sneddon plays an older, and wiser man, a character who’s wisdom ties the ending together.

And how do they meet, or know each other within the play? That I can’t tell you, I wouldn’t want to give away an excellent story line. At first, it’s very difficult to figure out what is going on, but then as Mearn’s removes his balaclava, it all starts to sink in to place. One theme that is very dominant throughout however, is that of love: how do we handle love at different ages, what will we do for love and where are the boundaries that we are willing to push to discover just how much we love someone?

‘Hindsight’ offers a few themes in fact that will make you think about yourself, persuading you to side with one of the characters that may well represent your own personality the most.  Because of McAllister’s background as a comedian, Hindsight has been written with wit and humour in mind, and the three actors bring their comedy skills in to the mix throughout as well.  So, whilst you are trying to place yourself as a character in Hindsight, you will also have a good laugh in doing it.

Hindsight is on at 13.15 at Assembly, George Street https://www.edfringe.com/whats-on/theatre/hindsight