We love to cheer for the cinematic vigilante who sweeps into town to clean up the corruption. We love it right until we are forced to look at the starving family who has to steal a loaf of bread to see tomorrow. The Birds of Grave River does not give us easy heroes. Instead, it drags us straight into the moral mud, and it is a thrilling ride.
Staged at the wonderfully cozy Kings Arms in Salford, this play was a fantastic part of the Greater Manchester Fringe. Walking into the room felt like stepping right into a dusty Western town. You could almost smell the dry wood and gunpowder. It is the perfect local spot for this kind of intense, up-close storytelling.
The story drops us into Thomasville, a town dealing with a scary vigilante known as The Vulture. This mysterious figure on a pale horse executes bad men who somehow escape the law. Harrison, played brilliantly by Asa Ali, is a young cowboy desperately trying to escape his criminal past to marry his love, Daisy. Miah Black shines as Daisy, who is secretly working undercover for her uncle, the town Marshal. She finds herself stuck in a tough spot between her duty to the law and her genuine feelings for Harrison.
To survive, Harrison and his older brother Wyatt, played by a very calm Scott Cameron, secretly rob stagecoaches. Wyatt raised Harrison alongside his fierce wife, Annie, brought to life by the talented Rebekah Williams. Wyatt views people as mosaics made up of everyone they have met. Annie is a stark contrast to his cautious nature. She is completely ready to take direct action to protect her home.
Overall, I really enjoyed this fantastic show. My main build for the production would be to make the play a little longer. Adding some extra time would allow these great characters to breathe and grow even more. I absolutely loved the deep bond between Annie and Wyatt. It truly shows the amazing level someone will go to protect the person they love. I just wanted to see even more of their relationship on stage! I also really liked the strong bond between Wyatt and Harrison. Wyatt acts as a wonderful father figure. This is deeply touching, even with the complicated history between Annie and Harrison’s birth mum.
The crowd was totally gripped the entire time. You could hear a pin drop during the most tense scenes!
While the Fringe has now ended, you can follow The Halcyon Room’s future shows by visiting their website at thehalcyonroom.co.uk/our-shows. Remember to flash your Canal Street VIP Card at the Kings Arms bar for 15 percent off drinks!
By James
For Canal Street Media