The events of Saturday 15th of April 1989 will be forever etched in the memory of both Merseyside and around the world, as viewers of BBC Grandstand watched the Hillsborough football disaster unfold, a disaster which cost 96 people their lives.
The events of that day were dramatised by the great Jimmy McGovern in 1996 and he has been involved with Zipped up theatre company's production of Beyond Hillsborough appearing at the Quaker Meeting House this Fringe season.
This production based on interviews with surviving family members and written and directed by Jo Halliday and Layla Dowie is a true powerhouse of a production looking at the fallout the disaster has had on the family members as they continue to seek the truth from a government who doesn't care and a police service that sought to cover up their mistakes.
This hour long play is a timely reminder of the events that happened and the extraordinary journey those affected families went on which was hampered by myths and lies especially the infamous stories in the Sun which saw it sales slump across merseyside and the UK in the late ‘80s.
The acting is first class from the tight knit ensemble but Joe Davies playing the role of Stephen Kelly truly shines as he allows emotion to flow from him across the audience to beautiful effect. This show was almost at a 5 star level but the closing moments were fluffed by a fault in the projection thus spoiling the last moment of power but im sure this will be ironed out by the next run.
Plays like Beyond Hillsborough are an essential element of the Fringe and allows the journey to find truth of events 23 years ago to continue. It truly draws you into the story and emotion and you can't help but feel moved by the experience.
This is a short run production but essential and gripping viewing.
