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Suicide, and Other Acts of Selfishness

 
Richard Beck Review by Richard Beck 4 Published: 19 Jul 2025 118 Osborne Street Show Dates: 17 Jul 2025-19 Jul 2025

Edge-of-nowhere, Glasgow, Central Belt. An abandoned, derelict bridge. A young man and an old man decide to take their own lives in the same spot at the same time. They've never met before. Neither expected anyone else to be there. This surprising coincidence means they now have to confront a changed situation. Conversation and questions cannot be avoided and neither can the often difficult answers.

In this darkest of hours there are some hilarious moments – but that is the nature of black comedy that Lee-Hamilton has mastered

Kieran Lee-Hamilton’s bold and captivating debut play, Suicide, and Other Acts of Selfishness, is part of the inaugural season at the new Theatre 118 in Glasgow, which is committed to producing cutting-edge dramas rooted in Scotland. Written in punchy Scots, this play perfectly fits the bill, delving into the minds of two very different people who exemplify the human face of a quiet yet deadly epidemic that besets the country.

The National Records of Scotland show that in 2023 there were 792 probable suicide deaths. Of those, 590 were males, making the male rate consistently nearly three times higher than that for females over the last 30 years. The highest levels are found in the most deprived and remotest areas, 2.4 times higher than in the cities, and Scotland tops the UK list. The average age of death is 46.6.

Lee-Hamilton’s characters fall either side of that average. Dylan (Eli McFarland) is only 18, while Archie (Lindsay Anderson) is not yet a pensioner, a topic of recurring humour, but he is close. The casting is superb. The unlikely pairing is captivating in itself, and from the outset their delivery is gripping. The setting creates a sombre mood. Dylan stands on the edge of stage right, staring into the distance above and occasionally looking down; behind him, a large mesh barricade. Archie emerges from the darkness, deep stage left, and makes his way to the sturdy park bench. The awkwardness of the situation is immediately apparent. They both know what they're there to do. There is a sustained pause before Archie breaks the silence, and from the outset we are introduced to the performance devices written into the script and heightened through Frodo Allan’s stark, well-paced and sensitive direction.

In two powerful performances, they both master the art of the pause, the reflective moment, often stretched to the maximum before the next thought or observation emerges. Then comes the ice-breaking comic, deadpan line, and we are suddenly laughing out loud. Yes, in this darkest of hours there are some hilarious moments. But that is the nature of black comedy that Lee-Hamilton has mastered, ingeniously alternating the dark with the light. It’s a device that forms a pattern, and both actors know how to play it.

This is a triumphant premiere that will be tweaked into an even more stunning production that makes an important contribution to the discussion of male mental health.

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The Blurb:

black-comedy drama that shines a light on one of Scotland's quietest, deadliest epidemi Edge-of-nowhere, Glasgow, Central Belt. An abandoned, derelict bridge. A young man and an old man decide to take their own lives. In the same spot. At the same time. They've never met and they didn't know the other was going to be there. They both know what they're there to do. It's just not so easy with someone else watching. No problem. They just have to convince the other to let them go instead. Easy.