Review: Òran by Wonder Fools | 2025 tour
- Lisa in the theatre
- 4 days ago
- 4 min read
Updated: 3 days ago
Scottish theatre company Wonder Fools take their 2024 Edinburgh Fringe award-winning show Òran on its first ever tour this autumn. Kicking off in Cumbernauld on 19 September, you can find the full dates and venues listings for Òran here. Read my review of the Òran 2025 production by Wonder Fools below.
Wonder Fools Òran ★★★★☆
Review: 19 September 2025 (preview) | Cumbernauld Theatre at Lanternhouse
A modern retelling of the Orpheus myth sees Òran descend into a technological underworld to rescue his best friend Euan from the hell of social media and toxic online harassment. Written by musician and hip-hop artist Owen Sutcliffe, with accompanying music by Scottish duo VanIves, Wonder Fools' Òran takes the bones of the well-known Greek myth and turns it into a vivid, contemporary parable for friendship and modern teenage life.
A one hour, one man play, Òran's story is told via expressive Scots language poetry backed by VanIves electrifying score. But so lyrical is Sutcliffe's storytelling, the spoken word performance almost breaks into rap and hip hop at times. It's delightfully rhythmic.
Wonder Fools co-founder Robbie Gordon takes on the role of Òran. Performing with a small mixing desk on the table in front of him he DJs, acts, raps - all at the same time. It's a remarkable multifaceted performance that really brings the beautiful, urgent nature of Sutcliffe's words alive.
Gordon's performance starts well before the advertised run time. The audience may be lulled into a false sense of security as the atmosphere in the studio theatre is initially warm and jovial as he chats with those taking their seats and invites them to draw pictures and to volunteer to take part in the play later on. It feels welcoming and inclusive; as if we're all going to create this piece of theatre together.
And to some extent we do: Wonder Fools are the experts at engaging young people and the communities that they take their work to. But as the lights dim, and as Òran plummets deeper into the underworld in search of his friend, Gordon's energetic performance grows into a commanding, thrilling, intense display, and likewise the stage becomes more ominous. Jack Nurse's exquisite direction and Benny Goodman's blazing, bold lighting ensures that the audience don't look away from Òran or his journey - no matter how dark and uncomfortable it becomes.
Òran is an important story for young people about facing your inner demons and the darkness that can lurk within modern technology. The audience interaction works better at some points than others, but this play is told with welcome creativity throughout. The visuals are stunning: in-your-face and innovative - but Òran captivates the audience from all angles, the pulsating videos and lights combining with the beautiful prose, powerful storytelling and Gordon's masterful performance to make one stylish, impactful theatre production. ★★★★☆
Òran 2025 venue and tour dates:
Cumbernauld Theatre, Fri 19th - Sat 20th Sep
The Gaiety, Tue 23rd Sep
Paisley Arts Centre, Wed 24th Sep
Birnam Arts, Thu 25th Sep
Eden Court, Fri 26th Sep
Byre Theatre, Thu 2nd Oct
Eastgate Theatre, Fri 3rd Oct
Aberdeen Lemon Tree, Wed 8th Oct
Pitlochry Festival Theatre, Fri 10th Oct
Live Theatre, Tue 14th Oct
Mull Theatre, Thu 16th Oct
Lyth Arts Centre, Sat 18th Oct
Dundee Rep, Wed 22nd Oct
Citizens Theatre, Wed 29th Oct, Thurs 30th Oct, Fri 1st Nov and Sat 2nd Nov
Eastwood Park Theatre, Tue 4th Nov
CatStrand, Thu 6th Nov
Stranraer Millennium Centre, Fri 7th Nov
Theatre Royal Dumfries, Sat 8th Nov
Traverse Theatre, Thu 13th - Fri 14th Nov
Curve Leicester, Fri 28th Nov
MORE TO BE ANNOUNCED
On taking Òran on tour Robbie Gordon and Jack Nurse, Directors and Co-Founders of Wonder Fools said:
“We're buzzing to be bringing Òran on its first-ever UK tour this autumn. The Fringe run was incredible, to have reviews that heralded it as an 'electric tour de force' and 'totally immersive’ was really a dream come true for us as a team. The show blends spoken word storytelling with a live electronic soundtrack—created by VanIves—to retell an ancient myth in a completely fresh, contemporary way. Think poetry meets music from a class night out, ancient myth meets modern tales of friendship. We're excited to share this story with new audiences across Scotland and England, especially in places we've never performed before. It's going to be an unforgettable trip to the Underworld—don't miss it.”
Writer Owen Sutcliffe says, “"It’s really exciting to see Òran heading out on the road this autumn. Last year’s award-winning Fringe run showed us how much the story resonates with audiences and I want to bring as many new people into that membership as possible. The staging, the live score, Robbie Gordon’s tour-de-force performance as Òran - none of it’s to be missed. Pack your bags and switch off your phones, troops, we’re heading back down."
VanIves say, “We wanted to create a soundtrack that feels like both a gig and a myth — something that pulses with the energy of today while echoing the timelessness of the story. As regular collaborators of Wonder Fools we really wanted to set Robbie a challenge and create a show that feels like it takes real effort to perform”
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