Story of fanaticism, delusion and disillusion

Review

Outrage over an American presidency is nothing new for 2017 but 142 years ago it took a very different and even more dangerous form, as it does in Aberdeen’s Lemon Tree this week.

For the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, a violent act which rocked a nation, is the unlikely basis for the masterly one-act play, The Final Bow, the last in the venue’s A Play, A Pie and a Pint spring season.

It’s a two-hander with consummate performances from James MacKenzie as the president killer John Wilkes Booth and Alex F the nakis as his devoted admirer, Davie Herold.

The play is set in the wake of the assassination as the two wanted men shelter in a tobacco barn in Virginia and we see the story through their eyes.

Fanatically devoted to the Confederacy cause, the actor – famous in his own eyes at least – sees his murderous attack as a blow against Northern tyranny and the abolition of slavery. He shoots the president with the words “Sic semper tyrannis” (thus ever to tyrants) re-inforcing his message with “The South is avenged”.

However, it seems the assassination is but a failed kidnap attempt and the would-be hero breaks his leg in his escape. As he and Davie hole up in the barn, he is shattered to find that instead of being hailed as the saviour of the South, he is labelled a monstrous braggart and a murderer. Davie accuses the press of printing alternative facts – sound familiar?

Booth guarantees Lincoln sainthood status and even his own tour as his body is displayed around the country, much to the chagrin of the failed thespian, who imagined himself stepping out of the shadows and into the limelight on the national stage as a righter of wrongs and a champion of justice.

The self-righteous, self-absorbed zealot sees the press accounts of his actions as reviews and blames the critics (it was ever thus!).

But even poor Davie finally sees through the fantasy, before the noose is put around his own neck.

With powerful performances by both MacKenzie and F the nakis, this is a story of fanaticism, delusion and disillusion that resonates today, as Booth labels other human beings – in this case slaves – as less worthy and insignificant.

It’s a compelling tale, yet despite the subject matter, there are strongly comedic moments that make you laugh out loud, thanks to a superbly witty and passionate script by Scots playwright Peter Arnott.

With some 40 professionally produced theatre plays to his credit, he is no stranger to Aberdeen having adapted both The Silver Darlings and The Cone Gatherers for the stage at His Majesty’s Theatre in the past.

And the play is directed by Ken Alexander, who also directed the marvellous Miss Veitch’s Roses by Jane Livingstone in last year’s A Play, a Pie and a Pint season and before that, No Nothing by Alan Spence.

The Final Bow runs at the Lemon Tree each night this week at 6pm, with two performances on Thursday and Saturday.

The Final Bow is running at the Lemon Tree in Aberdeen