Radiant Vermin
By Philip Ridley
Presented by: Tron Theatre Company
Directed by: Johnny McKnight
Scottish Premier: 28 June 2024
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Wickedly Good!
A young couple are offered their dream home for free - but it comes with a few conditions. The house is in an undesirable area and in need of renovation. Ollie and Jill can have the house, only if they improve it enough to spark interest in other homes in the area. But what are they are willing to do to upgrade their home and to have everything their hearts desire? Why are the local homeless people going missing? And how bad can a garden party be?
Radiant Vermin is a darkly funny fable about the unaffordable housing market and our materialistic culture. It's full of twists and turns, shocking revelations and wickedly good performances.
Julie Wilson Nimmo is the mysterious Miss Dee who offers Jill and Ollie the chance of a lifetime. As always, Nimmo is sublime, and when she turns up in another role later in the play, shows us just how versatile and heart-rending she can be.
Martin Quinn and Dani Heron are the young couple looking to move out of their dingy flat to improve their living conditions for their unborn baby. Quinn and Heron give the performances of their lives. Hilarious, captivating and poignant - I was on the edge of my seat and completely absorbed by their every word. They frequently break the fourth wall to ensure that the audience understand their reasons for taking certain actions, and they are both so charismatic and engaging that it felt like we were all in on it with them. They shift from jaunty to frantic and fearful in a heartbeat, and their garden party performances will go down in theatre history. Simply wonderful.
Johnny McKnight's expert direction ensures that every line and every scene is played for maximum impact - whether than be shocks or laughs. His playful style and razor-sharp eye for mischief is gloriously evident throughout.
The set for Radiant Vermin is a clean, simply lit outline of a house with a couple of windows and a door. There are no props or scenery - everything is left to the imagination. But what seems deceptively to be a bare, open setting comes alive at the hands of Emma Jones' extraordinary lighting. The windows shimmer and haze in such a clever way that I had to ask myself if I was seeing it correctly. The stage gleams with unexpected colour that not only aids the storytelling but wows and shocks. Lighting accents are timed with the utmost precision that results in the most effective and successful use of lighting as a storytelling aid as I've ever seen. It's a stunning presentation.
Originally a one act play of 90 minutes, the Tron Theatre's production of Radiant Vermin is now two acts of just under one hour each. The story moves along at pace and every scene is filled with pure pleasure. I can't imagine what we would miss with the shorter run time, and I'm so thankful the decision was made to let it have the breathing space it has here.
The audience gasped with glee at the end of the show and the standing ovation was thoroughly, deeply deserved. Playing at Glasgow Tron Theatre until Saturday 13th July, Radiant Vermin is an unmissable production. And at a top price of only £20 per ticket, I can't recommend it highly enough. Go!
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
📸 Production photos: Mihaela Bodlovic
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Radiant Vermin Cast and Creatives
Jill Dani Heron
Ollie Martin Quinn
Miss Dee Julie Wilson Nimmo
Writer Philip Ridley
Director Johnny McKnight
Costume & Set Design Kenny Miller
Lighting Design Emma Jones
Sound Design Patricia Panther
Stage Manager Suzanne Goldberg
Deputy Stage Manager Bryan Gallagher
Wardrobe Supervisor Jennie Lööf
BSL Interpreter Catherine King
Audio Describer Hazel Ann Crawford
Captioner Glenda Carson
Radiant Vermin Listings 2024
Tron Theatre, 63 Trongate, Glasgow G1 5HB
Thu 27 June - Sat 13 July 2024 7.30pm (matinees Sat 6 and Sat 13 July, 2.30pm)
🎟️ Tickets: £15.50, £17 or £20
Box office: 0141 552 4267 / www.tron.co.uk
Accessible performances:
British Sign Language interpreted: Fri 5 July, 7.30pm
Audio Described: Wed 10 July, 7.30pm
Captioned: Thu 11 July, 7.30pm
⚠️ Age recommendation 14+. Adult Themes, Strong Language, Violence
Radiant Vermin review, Tron Theatre, Glasgow June 2024. Philip Ridley, Johnny McKnight, Dani Heron, Martin Quinn, Julie Wilson Nimmo, Scottish Premier
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🎟️ Disclosure: I was invited to review this show and received a complimentary ticket in exchange. Neither the venue nor show has a say in what I write. I'm completely independent and invites have no impact on my analysis or star ratings.
