UK Theatre Network

SHOW: CRY FROM UNDERGROUND (TELL ME YOUR NAME)
New Town Theatre
11 Aug 09, £10.00 

Thorston Manderlay adapted Dostoevsky’s novella “Notes from the Underground” and successfully transferred it to the 21^st century. The themes of the novella – isolation, alienation and disgust with a self-obsessed society are as relevant today as in 1864.

The protagonist, an educated and intelligent man, finds himself in a culture of mediocrity where “brainless action men” suppress “clever mice”. The very people he despised at school and university have become high/flying lawyers and successful businessmen while he - who is far superior in intelligence - is rotting away in a hole, tormented by his landlord. Retired at the age of 40 because he had enough of working in a stupid, mindless job to pay the rent he has no prospects and little hope. After a particularly unpleasant evening the protagonist finds himself in a brothel where he meets the Russian prostitute Lisa. Having escaped from a miserable life in a nondescript rural town Lisa now finds herself trapped as an illegal sex worker. Will they be able to find a way out?

Thorston Manderlay gives a brilliant performance as the tormented protagonist who hides his sensitivity and capability for love behind the veneer of a sociopath. Anne Burns Walker is impressive as the young woman. 

Review by Carolin Kopplin

Visit the official Edinburgh Fringe website for more details and tickets:-
http://www.edfringe.com