'Sanctuary' is a powerful and personal new play written by Black Dingo Productions' founder David McFarlane. It premièred at this year's Leith Festival, and is now featuring at Just Festival in Edinburgh this month.
The play deals with a young man's guilt over a relationship breakdown and the difficult circumstances surrounding it.
A subtle exploration of lives unformed, 'Sanctuary' introduces Michael and Janet as young sketches of themselves.
A shock wave then surges through their romantic bubble and neither is able to deal honestly with the enormity of what has happened to them – until it’s too late.
McFarlane explains how he came to write the play, with its strong themes of personal development, and agonising decision-making.
He says: "Probably the most over-quoted line by new writers is 'write what you know', and it is one I took to heart at college.
"I started writing 'Sanctuary' there in a scriptwriting class. I needed a story, so I looked to my own life and this was the only story that I wanted to tell.
"The play is a truly personal tale and one I found hard to revisit. I was in a relationship that was destined to fail - young love mixed with unachievable expectations. The relationship lasted longer than it should have because of one traumatic event. Abortion.
"The subject is chronically divisive, splitting countries, social groups and households alike.
"My first draft was a faithful retelling of events, which was raw and very emotionally-charged. After a number of readings, I refined it. It then got put in a drawer until I was ready for it to be shown to the world.
The first run of 'Sanctuary' earlier this year was successful, but I felt there was more to the story so went back with the intention of redrafting it. I worked with the actors to workshop the piece, helping to build some further layers into it.
"I wanted to really get across the male perspective on abortion and tell that side of the story, as well as asking some difficult questions."
The two-hander stars Cara Wicks as Janet and Rob David as Michael.
It runs on 12,13,14 & 16 August 2013 10pm (1hr) £8 / £6 at St John's Church, Princes Street, Edinburgh EH2 4BJ (Fringe venue 127)
Advance tickets are available here: http://tinyurl.com/l4jxf49
Black Dingo Productions (www.blackdingoproductions.co.uk) is a not-for-profit organisation with a DIY ethic, established to help the development of grassroots and off the beaten track theatre in Edinburgh. It aims to keep the city's stages thriving year-round.
* For more information on Just Festival, visit http://www.justjust.org and http://justfestivalnews.blogspot.com
* Ekklesia is a sponsor of Just Festival. Our news, reporting and comment is aggregated at: www.ekklesia.co.uk/justfestival
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© Anna Schwoub is a writer and academic from Northumbria specialising in the link between culture, religion and social change.
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