Printable CopyTRAINSPOTTING
Station Underground
Until 19 Feb 2017

Review by Luke Wagner

The process of taking a film to the stage is not a new concept, but what Irvine Welsh and the team at In Your Face Theatre have done is unique: creating a world for audiences to become part of in this adaptation if the 1996 film Trainspotting.

Mark Renton will do anything for his next hit of heroin. He is addicted and he knows it. His friend Tommy is clean and it's not until his break up with his long-term girlfriend that he tries heroin for the first time. The people who Mark associates with do nothing but help to fuel his addictions.

This show is a gritty, often quite confronting, look at the life underground when addiction takes control.

The entire ensemble, all here for the Fringe from Scotland, give stellar performances. This show goes beyond audience participation by becoming an interactive theatrical experience. From the moment you enter the smoke filled room, the audience is immediately transformed to a dance club. The music thumping, the laser lights on and the cast already partying. It is impossible not to get swept up completely in the atmosphere being crafted.

This is the type of talent that makes the Adelaide Fringe such a diverse festival. This show may not be one for those easily offended or faint-hearted. But if you want a truly captivating piece of theatre, see “Trainspotting”.

Rating: 5 stars (out of 5)