A ‘tone cluster’ is musical terminology for a truly simultaneous chord of consecutive tones separated chromatically. Tone clusters tend to be heard as dissonant: unstable and unharmonised. A fitting title then for Joyce Carol Oates’ play, in revival after its 2003 debut at the Arches in Glasgow, with its structure in tune with this musical convention.

Based on the true story of 21-year-old Robert Golub, convicted in 1990 for murdering a thirteen-year-old girl, Tone Clusters is the interrogation of Frank and Emily Gulick, whose son has been arrested for a similar crime. The disembodied voice which questions them on not only their son, but their beliefs and state of the world, mirrors their discord within as they try to remember what happened, remember their son, and understand why the normality of their suburban American dream has been shattered.

The tale of Frank and Emily Gulick should strike a note with most due to its combination of familiar ‘it-will-never-happen-to-us’ innocence and ‘it’s-always-the-quiet-ones’ newsreel favourite slogan. The pacing of Neil Doherty’s direction complements the unravelling of the story as the troubled parents confuse their memories, cast their son in bad light, and yet refuse to believe in his guilt. Their conversation fuelled by ‘the voice’, which at times bares a creepy resemblance to Hal 9000, portrays the scale of human emotions under stress and the core desire to make sense of everything. An outstanding and consistently believable performance from both Benny Young and Deirdre Murray drive this production and engage the audience for the duration. Definitely one to watch this festival there is no disharmony within Tone Clusters.

Arches Theatre Company
Traverse Theatre, Cambridge Street (0131 228 1404)

Preview Aug 2: 21:00 (45mins) £8 (£4.50)
Aug 3, 8, 12, 17: 13:30 (45mins) £12.50 (£9) (£4.50 U)
Aug 4, 9, 13, 18: 16:00 (45mins) £12.50 (£9) (£4.50 U)
Aug 5, 10, 15, 19: 18:30 (45mins) £12.50 (£9) (£4.50 U)
Aug 6: 20:45 (45mins) £12.50 (£9) (£4.50 U)
Aug 11, 16, 20: 21:00 (45mins) £12.50 (£9) (£4.50 U)
Aug 22, 26: 12:30 (45mins) £12.50 (£9) (£4.50 U)
Aug 23, 27: 15:00 (45mins) £12.50 (£9) (£4.50 U)
Aug 24: 17:30 (45mins) £12.50 (£9) (£4.50 U)
Aug 25: 20:00 (45mins) £12.50 (£9) (£4.50 U)