Search

Saved articles

You have not yet added any article to your bookmarks!

Browse articles

GDPR Compliance

We use cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. By continuing to use our site, you accept our use of cookies, Privacy Policy, and Terms of Service.

Down to Chance

 
Gillian Bain Review by Gillian Bain 3 Published: 31 Jul 2025 Pleasance Courtyard Show Dates: 30 Jul 2025-25 Aug 2025

“People need to know what is going on and what they need to do.” A mission statement of morality laid out by Genie Chance when she finds herself at the centre of coordinating a public safety effort following the historic, devastating Great Alaskan Earthquake of 1964. This sets a division between her and a military general who believes in a more controlled approach to sharing information. When the stakes get higher and saving lives becomes a question of ethics that ultimately comes down to Chance, what is the right path to choose?

This is a play with so much warmth and heart that it is impossible not to be charmed.

An incredibly exciting aspect of this piece is the opportunity it affords an audience to explore a niche bit of history. It reveals the human side of the logistics behind disaster response, and offers a fascinating character study of Chance – the local radio broadcaster determined to do the right thing. On Good Friday 1964, Alaska experienced a 9.2-magnitude earthquake; to this day it remains the most powerful earthquake ever recorded in North America and the second-largest globally. Most people, however, will not know of the remarkable story of the people affected that day in Anchorage – a story of resilience and human connection.

Maybe You Like It, Pleasance associate artists, bring this remarkable story to life at this year’s festival. Ellie Cooper and Robert Merriam cycle through a range of characters to present the Anchorage residents, deftly delineating between the various citizens through costume, voice and physicality. This makes for fun and engaging storytelling, though at times it perhaps lacks the range demonstrated by the most accomplished performers in this style of multi-rolling.

The use of sound is also distinct in this production, incorporating a range of on-stage microphones as well as complex soundscapes and prerecorded effects. This is a play with so much warmth and heart that it is impossible not to be charmed.

This is a show that is thoughtful in its themes, gentle with its characters, and provides just the right amount of humour to balance the truly terrifying stakes – a glimpse into the lives of ordinary people who can so easily be forgotten by history.

Related to this article:

Location:

Performances

The Blurb:

Anchorage, Alaska, 1964. The largest earthquake in US history. A part-time radio reporter, her teenage intern, a general on leave and a local hobbyist find themselves at the centre of a remarkable relief effort. Live on air, Genie Chance must take unimaginable risks to save her community from chaos. Based on the incredible true story of the Great Alaskan Earthquake, expect a heartwarming portrait of a community in crisis, with the whole world listening. A madcap new show from the 'terrifically exciting' (Stage), Maybe You Like It, promising frenetic action, frantic multi-roling and immersive live sound.