Theatre review: Illegal, Underbelly, Cowgate, Edinburgh
Illegal, Underbelly, Cowgate, Edinburgh ***
This is the central question of Jessica Phillippi’s two-hander, which interweaves the stories of Meg (Phillippi), an American trying to stay in Scotland to become a theatre-maker, and Padri (Elena Larios), a Guatamalan trying to cross into Trump’s USA.
We see two young women trying to negotiate the familiar territory of relationships, work and family against the backdrop of hostile borders and endless paperwork. However, it would be inadvisable to push the comparison too far: while Padri - whose story is based on that of a young woman shot in 2018 by US border guards - ultimately risks her life, Meg, though equally clear about where her opportunities lie, is not risking quite so much.
SUSAN MANSFIELD
Until 25 August