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★★★★
Last year at the Edinburgh Fringe I came across a piece of theatre called ‘IMPACT’, which is written by Amy Engelhardt and combines real life stories and original music. With only so much time in the city, I wasn’t able to find time in my schedule, but when I heard that Amy would be bringing the work to Barons Court as part of Voila! Festival this Autumn, I jumped at the chance to finally see it. The playwright/performer/comedy writer has created a reflective show about her own personal connection to the Lockerbie tragedy, as somebody who was classmates with five of the victims.
Background and themes
The writing focuses on ‘thin moments’ and how in life there are ‘connections not consequences’. It sees Amy reflect on the devastating 1988 terrorist attack, drawing on her own experiences as a Syracuse University student and the grief she continues to feel to this day. It touches on themes of remembrance, paying respect and the importance of showing up for others, even if it is many years into the future.
As somebody who wasn’t born in 1988 and has largely only heard of the dreadful Lockerbie attacks by name, I found the details on the victims and their families particularly emotional. Amy is a thoughtful and engaging storyteller who takes the time to make every sentence hold weight. It is refreshing how much she introduces pauses within the spoken sections, allowing the audience to really get to know each of the students, whose lives were cut far too short.
Real life anecdotes and experiences
The narrative sees the performer look back to her twenties and what she was doing in the month of December in 1988. The audience learns that she was living in Boston at the time and found out about the event via newspaper headlines. Utilising multimedia, anecdotal storytelling and music (with the accompaniment of Emma Shield and Julianna Antczak), Amy talks about the students she knew and what happened to them, placing a specific focus on Nicole Boulanger. Fast forward 30 years and Amy finally reaches the Scottish town, travelling there after a job with the Amazon series ‘Good Omens’ (which is rather fitting, considering the thoughtful acts of the Lockerbie residents in the aftermath of the horrific event). She meets up with both Nicole’s sister and her friend, and alongside former Police Officer Colin Dorrance, they visit the impact sites.
On the whole the writing is incredibly moving, specifically the view of the past and the present. My only comment would be that the narrative is heavily weighted towards the recent Lockerbie trip, which means there is limited time to hear about Amy’s Syracuse University connections. Some more anecdotes from the eighties would add even more context and insight.
A deeply personal piece of theatre
I had a tear in my eye at the end of the performance, as I realised how much of an impact Lockerbie has had on Amy’s life. She describes the show as an “American love letter to the people of Lockerbie”, and I think this is the perfect summary. The trip to Scotland was clearly a long time coming for the performer.
What a week of theatre it has been with ‘Come From Away’ at the Marlowe and now ‘IMPACT’ at Barons Court. Two beautiful examples of theatre, which showcase the importance of human kindness in the wake of tragedy. You can catch ‘IMPACT’ at the venue for one final performance this Sunday, with last minute tickets available via the theatre or festival’s website.
Thanks for reading my blog today.
Love Kat xxx
*My ticket for ‘IMPACT’ was gifted in exchange for an unbiased review.
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