Content warning: this review contains references to drug abuse and addiction.
★★★★★
Following a critically acclaimed run as part of A Play, A Pie and A Pint, Dancing Shoes returns to Edinburgh’s Traverse Theatre. Set in an addiction support group meeting, pensioner Donny (Stephen Docherty) strikes up an unlikely friendship with Jay (Craig McLean) and Craig (Lee Harris) and shares his secret passion for dancing. When a video of him dancing goes viral online, Donny’s new fame threatens to break both the group’s friendship and sobriety.
The beginning of the play starts at a slower pace; the trio are performing a play based on their experiences, so there are many interruptions as they figure out the logistics. Donny wants to talk about his childhood trauma, which Craig vehemently objects to. Their antics are hilarious, and we instantly connect with the characters. Jay is the clown of the group, while Craig is dryly pessimistic. Donny is a little bit older than them, and is unknowledgeable about social media. Despite his initial hesitancy to come to the support group, he is the most open, and it’s his vulnerability that helps the other men to come to terms with their own emotions.
While both Jay and Craig’s opinions differ on what’s best for Donny—Craig pushes for routine and stability, while Jay encourages him to keep following his dreams as motivation to stay sober—it’s clear that they both care for him by their attempts to stop him from relapsing. Although at first they balk when Donny calls them friends (as Craig puts it, friends are those people you’ve known since school), they come to realise how important they are to each other. It is Craig who feels this the most, and misses the little chats they had before the meetings when Jay and Donny are busy making content. It’s nice to see the realities of making friends as an adult and the importance of male friendships portrayed on stage.
The struggles behind recovery aren’t shied away from. Craig feels constantly judged by society, and this is best illustrated by the bouncer turning him away due to his demeanour. Despite the hilarity of Donny’s frenzied panic when Craig is in withdrawal, it demonstrates how scary these symptoms can be for both the sufferer and those around them. On the other hand, Jay realises he has replaced his drug addiction with social media. His comparison of the buzz from notifications and excitement of watching the analytics climb higher to the feeling he gets from cocaine is a powerful one, providing clarity as to why he continues to exploit someone that’s supposed to be his friend.
We never find out the characters’ backstories, meaning we are forced to take them as they are. It is a very effective choice; implicitly reinforcing that anyone can become an addict, regardless of their background. Refreshingly, Dancing Shoes steers away from the stereotypical portrayals of addicts often seen in the media, and depicts the men as ordinary people, who are just doing their best.
There’s so much heart, charm and vulnerability in Dancing Shoes, it’s impossible not to recommend it. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, and you’ll leave the theatre with a fresh perspective on addiction and male friendships.
Dancing Shoes will be performed at the Traverse Theatre until 20 December.
Words by Ellen Leslie
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