Trainspotting Live - Tour

I saw this last year. Not for the faint-hearted, but I thought it was a remarkable production and an incredible, energetic cast.

I saw this last Tuesday and am only putting down a few words now as A) the cast asked us all to spread the word at the end of the show, B) it closes in a couple of weeks time and C) part of me has taken its time to process what went on.

After the audience congregated in the bar area, listening to 90s rave tunes, we were then led in to a low dark room, three rows of steps used as seats while the cast danced about to more rave tunes at a MUCH louder volume while waving glowsticks about. I had kind of hoped the immersive thing about this show would just be them dancing about a couple of feet in front of us, and maybe one or two people having to join in (one 'lucky' person got dragged round for a couple of minutes before being allowed to sit back down) - oh how wrong I was...

I've only seen the film a few times, and haven't read the book since it came out, so would hardly describe myself as an expert on either, but the fact this only runs for 70 minutes or so belies the fact that some serious editing has gone on story wise - several characters are either removed completely (no Diane) or reduced to a few mentions (most mention of Spud is gone), and there are no scenes in London, for example and the ending is different.

Now on to the play itself, like the book it is pretty much several scenes where each of the main actors gives a speech to the audience while walking about, usually in some state of disrepair. Renton gets the erm... 'meatier' of these scenes. First of these, curled up under a blanket in the dark, he wakes up to throw the blanket and sheet on top of him off to reveal his nekkidness to all and sundry, he then stands up and turns round to reveal he has, er, soiled himself before proceeding to wonder round giving numerous poor unfortunates an up close and personal view of his crown jewels, and a couple of not so lucky people at the back got a prime view of him bent over, wiping his erse (to quote it in Irvine Welsh vernacular). At this point he then threw the soiled sheet into the audience and it hit the woman sat next to me full on in the face - which is when I decided that maybe I should be a lot more careful about immersive shows, especially ones where I stupidly think it's a great idea to sit in the front row (I had gone straight from work wearing a suit I had only got out of the dry cleaners the same day, so I spent the next hour having visions of having to wear it home with what might  look like giant skid marks on it, but thankfully nothing touched me).

I'll keep the rest of this brief, but we also get the Renton toilet scene, with various fluids and bits of wet toilet paper being flung up into the air and into the audience, Begbie wandering around waving a snooker cue about and getting lairy of various members of the front row (someone was compared to Rolf Harris, bet he was happy to boast about that to whoever he told he'd been to see it), then whipping his pregnant wife with a belt (don't remember him even having a wife mentioned in the film or book), more nudity, both male and female, along with plenty of flashing lights, and a LOT of swearing.

I'm usually pretty OK with watching films with Scots accents, but I have to admit these are pretty full on, there are moments when the words come so thick and fast it like some sort of Shakespeare and it just blurs into one.

It started off enjoyable enough but I have to admit but what with living in fear of being splashed by some unmentionable object, or having to partake in banter with the cast, it got a bit wearying by the time it ended (the plays ending was delayed just before the end when a man fainted, I don't know if it was the heat, the darkness in there, whatever he had been drinking or if he had just become bollock-bedazzled).

I'm glad I saw it, it has certainly left me with enough anecdotes to impress my friends and colleagues with over the next few months when they try to impress me with what they've seen, but I don't know if I'd be in a rush to see it again. Recommended if you want something full on, but not one to take you elder relatives to see, and not one to go wearing your best clothes to.

Well, 'bollock-bedazzled' is not a phrase I've encountered before.

I suspect this one may not be for me but I hope to hear much more about it!

Is this the same version that was at the Edinburgh Fringe last year? If so, I couldn't understand most of what was said due to the accents/dialect/slang. But I'm American, so that certainly was a contributing factor. Most of the audience there was drunk and/or stoned, and I'm sure they knew the story, so I don't think they really cared what the actors were saying. (A lot of the audience left early, probably to hit the WC, and since re-entry wasn't allowed, the crowd had definitely thinned by the end.) If nothing else, it was an experience. But I certainly would not pay more than a fringe price to attend.

I saw a much better version at Edinburgh many years ago. It was on a traditional proscenium stage, without all the noise and special effects, and I found it much more effective. The soiled bed and toilet scenes were plenty shocking without having to chuck anything at the audience.

Marwood I think this is the best review I have ever read. It had me laughing out loud on the train. However I am afraid I have no desire to see the play.

I know right? Especially not to throw them around either. I'm surprised the actor didn't get a punch in the face or a kick in the balls for his trouble.

I’m guessing the audience member was a stage manager

Both a relief and yet strangely furious at immersive stooges.

I'd hope it is a stooge, but if I wasn't 100% certain, I am dependent enough on my own glasses to be unwilling to take the risk. Hopefully not too many glasses wearers feel the same way and read the same post, or it could impact ticket sales!

I’m thinking/hoping the erm, soiled article was a Now You See Me type of magic trick and it was just a dry and stained cloth but I have no intention of sitting front row again to find out. I also wear glasses and bought a new, expensive pair a couple of weeks ago: I saw Begbie take someone’s glasses off and fling them: I was ready to take his snooker cue off him and stick it where the sun don’t shine if he tried it with me...