Review: THE COSMONAUT'S LAST MESSAGE... , Chandler Studio Theatre

David Greig's 1999 play The Cosmonaut's Last Message to the Woman he Once Loved in the Former Soviet Union is inspired by the real-life story of Sergei Krikalev, a cosmonaut stuck on the Mir space station as the Soviet Union disintegrated. Sounds fascinating in principle. The actors and designers do an impressive job with what they are given - unfortunately, the writing is even more longwinded than its title.

The play isn’t really about cosmonauts at all - stranded space-goers Oleg (Dmitry Everdeen) and Casimir (Alun Qiu) serve more as symbolic entities framing the rest of the narrative. The bulk of the storyline unfolds on Earth, centering on a convoluted web of fractured relationships.

Scotsman Keith (Blair Ritchie) cheats on his wife Vivienne (Holly Howden Gilchrist) with Russian dancer Natasja (Sofia Kyrychenko), who is the daughter of missing cosmonaut Casimir. Natasja later forms a relationship with Norwegian peace negotiator Eric (Isaac Vincent), who dislikes her friend Sylvia (Liberty Black). Keith goes missing at the beach, and Vivienne meets eccentric scientist Bernard (Patrick Ashe). 

I enjoyed the unique mesh of accents, strongly showcasing the expansive performing repertoire of RCS pupils. Kyrychenko is simultaneously boisterous and vulnerable as Natasja, Patrick Ashe is a charming Bernard and Lee Hughes is delightful as the play's many proprieters.

However, the piece is a series of very long continuous conversations where not a lot happens. I struggled to really care about the characters - it felt like a strange choice of text for such a talented array of performers. 

It seems like an intelligent play, and I wonder if it reads better on the page than the stage. Not for me this time unfortunately!

The Cosmonaut's Last Message to the Woman he Once Loved in the Former Soviet Union was at the Chandler Studio Theatre until 8 November.

Photo Credit: Royal Conservatoire of Scotland/Hope Holmes