Traverse Theatre Company's 'Gagarin Way' by Gregory Burke won a Fringe First at Edinburgh and now brings its mixture of anarchy, communism and black comedy to the Arts Theatre. Burke says that he wanted to write a play about: "economics - the real source of power in our globalised society - and about men and our infinite capacity for self-delusion." Modern and relevant stuff; and by flicking through the programme the audience is prepared for an hour and a half of bare-knuckled realism by images of short-haired hard-nuts looking mean, and a suited man looking scared.
    The opening doesn't disappoint as Eddie cuts Sartre and Genet back to the bone. It's an in-your-face, posturing tirade, littered with expletives (as is the whole play), but incredibly funny and well observed. The night then unfolds to reveal a kidnap situation that goes horribly wrong and how each man is the product of a faction of our society. Eddie is the mindless thug, Gary the idealistic worker, Tom the liberal student and Frank the capitalist enemy. 
    The actors inhabit their roles with gusto Ð Bill McElhaney as Gary is angry and high on adrenaline for the duration, and Michael Moreland as Tom tries to be effective as the happy medium. John Stahl as Frank is resigned to his fate from the outset, and refuses to apologise for capitalism. It is Michael Nardone as Eddie, though, who explores the subtleties and nuances of the man rather than being a mere representative of a group. Granted, he has the best and funniest lines and it is a sad indictment of our times that the most charismatic character is the bloodthirsty hooligan.
    Nevertheless, we recognise these men because we inhabit the same world. We can relate to their struggle against a faceless corporation for something better; peer pressure; trying to forge a career in a chaotic job market and the need to belong. However, 'Gagarin Way' starts to falter when these issues bleed into countless others. Everything from euthanasia to designer labels is covered and the rage against the machine of global economics becomes a sarcastic comment on the whole world. Yes, that comment is true and invariably given a funny spin, but in the end we cannot relate emotionally to the characters because they are too issue-obsessed and self Ð absorbed.
    Perhaps that is the point, and Burke mirrors our often superficial, violence-weary yet passive society perfectly. Gone are the days of workers marching together towards the hammer and sickle. Today, the men from the mills, the steel works and the mines have metamorphosed into burger makers who are 'here to help' and students that go travelling. That really is black comedy.
Loma-Ann Bonner