Before the End is a quirky show, telling the story of Michel Graindorge, a Belgian human rights lawyer.
The story is not just about him but his relationship with his daughter, the performer of the show, Catherine Graindorge. She links her life with him using a mixture of video, violin playing and narrative.
The show is a homage to her father and a testament to her love for him. It is sensitive and her recall of him comes from a combination of his bold fights as a lawyer and seemingly unimportant events that resonate with her memory of him.
However, the show is made more poignant as at various stages his voice is heard from recordings on a Dictaphone. These recordings deal with every subject that weighs on all our minds at some stage: longevity of life, purpose of life, death too.
These recordings are not mawkish but insightful and a reflection of a very intelligent mind.
I knew nothing of Michel Grainborge but having seen the show he is a man I admire, my admiration is nothing in comparison to the love his daughter had for him.
Towards the end of his life in the palliative care ward for assisted death one of his last requests to his daughter was, ‘Will you do something for me?’ Before The End is that something, and that something is done very well.
Before the End, Summerhall, Cairns Lecture Theatre, Pleasance, 1.15pm
[review rating=”3″ align = “left”]
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