REVIEW – Studio Theatre’s complex play about isolation, discovery and fragility

By Christine Stock
Print Content Manager

Salisbury Studio Theatre’s latest production of Outlying Islands, by David Greig, is a haunting and heartfelt triumph – beautifully acted, sensitively directed, and full of atmosphere.

Set in the summer of 1939, just as Europe edges toward war, the story follows two young Cambridge ornithologists dispatched to a remote Scottish island to study its bird life. What begins as an innocent scientific expedition soon twists into something far more unsettling.

Under Joanna Daniel’s thoughtful direction, this complex play about isolation, discovery and human fragility unfolds with quiet intensity.

As Kirk, the landlord and caretaker, John Jenner gives a fine performance, balancing gruff pragmatism with moments of humour and unexpected tenderness. Sophie Cuerden’s quietly defiant performance as Ellen, Kirk’s sheltered niece, anchors the play’s emotional heart. She moves from innocence and subservience to fierce independence and sexual freedom with a natural grace that makes her transformation deeply affecting.

Jemma and Octavia Clark’s simple yet evocative set captures the spirit of the place – the weathered interior of an old stone chapel blending seamlessly into the suggestion of a shoreline and clifftop. Chris Angell’s lighting and sound design deserve a mention: subtle shifts in light, the distant wash of the sea, and the evocative cries of seabirds conjure a dark and melancholy atmosphere.

This is a play that lingers long after the final scene – intimate and intelligent, without pretension. Salisbury Studio Theatre once again reminds us how moving and ambitious amateur theatre can be when handled with such care and creativity.

Outlying Islands continues at the theatre in Ashley Road until Saturday (February 21). Tickets online at ticketsource.co.uk/studiotheatresalisbury or from Salisbury Information Centre, tel: 01722 342860.