PLAY REVIEW: Òran ★★★★

Òran is a powerful triumph: a visceral, poetic show that lingers in your mind long after the final lights fade. Wonder Fools have created something special with this modern reimagining of the Orpheus myth — steeped in spoken word, raw emotion, and a live electronic score that pulses like a heartbeat.

From the moment Robbie Gordon steps onto the stage, you know you’re in for something extraordinary. His performance is both ferocious and deeply vulnerable, inhabiting Òran with an intensity that feels absolutely lived‑in. He navigates a demanding monologue in verse, shifting between moments of painful confession, lyrical storytelling, and charged atmosphere with ease. 

The design, meanwhile, amplifies the emotional pull: lighting and video create a portal to an Underworld both ancient and urgent; sound design by VanIves lends the show a sharp edge, at times overwhelming but always arresting. 

What makes Òran so compelling is that it doesn’t just retell a myth — it unpacks ideas of friendship, shame, loss, and the way our online lives can become underworlds of their own. It’s relevant, it’s brave, and it’s unflinching. Yes, it’s intense in places, even challenging — but that’s part of its power. For anyone open to theatre that dazzles with both heart and edge, Òran is not to be missed.