Ellen Leslie
DUST is a one-man show commemorating the life of an ordinary working-class man (Craig McArdle) who survived one of the biggest mining accidents in Northern England. It is based on testimonies from survivors of the 1973 Lofthouse Colliery disaster, where seven men were trapped underground after a new coalface was excavated too close to an abandoned, flooded mineshaft.
Charlaina Thompson’s script tells the man’s story, starting from his dad teaching him to fight from a young age, then taking us through his journey into the army and eventually working in the mines. This is juxtapositioned with snippets of an elderly man who is dying. It takes a few scenes to fully grasp that the actor is playing the same man at different stages of his life, but the visceral storytelling is capturing, really bringing the character alive.
If you’re sensitive to swearing then DUST maybe isn’t the show for you: McArdle doesn’t shy away from profanities, fully capturing the grit and toughness necessary to play a working-class Yorkshire man. His character is full of complexities; in some respects, laidback and carefree, but also fiercely angry at the world. While he is more than a little scary, especially considering his frequent shouting in the first half of the show, you can’t help but like him. Hilarious scenes where he’s trying to woo a woman at the dancing, angrily warning other men to back off, or hanging his drunken brother on a meat hook outside a butcher shop to stop him from fighting, humanises him, showcasing the cheeky and fun side of his personality.
Pleasance’s Bunker One is the perfect venue for this show, the cave-like walls helping to set the scene of the mine. McArdle commands the small room, meeting the audience’s eyes in a way that’s intimidating, and almost menacing. He is a natural in the role, which is perhaps not surprising considering his grandfather survived the accident. His portrayal of the elderly man is extremely convincing: he conveys the man’s desperation and confusion, and it really feels as though he can’t breathe during his coughing fits.
Only a few props are used, with Thompson’s script and McArdle’s acting bringing the tale to life. These props are used effectively: a walking stick is slickly transformed into a gun, then a beer tap before it’s used as a cane. A helmet, a flat cap and a headscarf are also used at various points to show different characters.
Raw and tender, DUST is not a show that you’ll forget easily. It’s full of heart, and is a touching tribute to not only the seven men who tragically died in the accident, but all of those who worked in the mines.
Recommended Drink: a Pint…or two…or three of beer.
You can catch DUST at Bunker One at Pleasance Courtyard until 31st August from 14:10 (55 mins). Tickets are available through the EdFringe Online Box Office.
Image Credit: Marie Pier Labelle
Tom Clayton
Roe McDonnell
Freddie Haberfellner
