Picture: Robbie McFadzean
Legacy: The Book of Names continues at Assembly Rainy Hall until 26 August 2018 (not 20).
Star rating: three stars ★ ★ ★ ✩ ✩
Born of a remarkable collaboration between the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and the American Music Theatre Project in Chicago, the ‘Legacy’ series of new musicals explores heritage, history, and the common resounding voices of our ancestors.
The Book of Names is a relevant and compassionate portrait depicting a cross section of immigrants arriving at Ellis island in the early 1900s. Held in overflowing dormitories, awaiting approval and transport to the American mainland, their hopes and fears spill together across the pages of the history books.
The soaring voice of Pablo Laucerica (Simon) brings us into the fray as we find he and his newly pregnant wife (Bethany Palmer) separated at the checkpoint, a life-altering choice hanging ominous in the air. The magnetic Finnegan (Hale Stewart) gets himself arrested for the sake of Catriona (a lively performance by Jennifer Hart). Meanwhile, an Albanian family look after their little girl (Natalie Welch in a joyful performance as Zjarrta) and hope to see their patriarch on the other side; and a Greek mother who cannot speak the language (Andromache Voutsa) is separated from her son and translator (Will D’Sousa).
There is some lovely character work going on with the ensemble, though often accents are far too generalised and a little woolly.
Johnathan Bauerfield’s score is flush with folklore and leads us beautifully through the piece. However, there are occasions where, considering the narrative, there are opportunities missed for wider worldly influences. It is, nonetheless, a truly moving experience to hear this ensemble tackle such a harmonically strong work.
The show requires a formidable premise and the challenge here is finding a focus amongst the voices – there are, of course, so many avenues of heritage, character and circumstance to explore. Unfortunately, there’s a touch of inertia in the narrative which, for the most part, doesn’t allow us a full picture of the characters.
Despite the arching shadow of papers and approvals, there isn’t enough immediate conflict to be found. Often, narratives are resolved a little too easily, the humanity of the characters presented without enough complexity or darkness. It is more important to give our ancestors a voice than it is to sanctify them, and it’s this that prevents the piece from truly taking wing.
Nonetheless, this is an engaging work of great ambition and potential, presented by a powerhouse cast.
Aura Simon
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