Writer: Helen Fox
Director: Ellie J Stevens
Because We Said We Would follows the friendship between Tam and Jeanie, bonded over their unassailable love for music as just seven-year-olds. To signify their bond, the pair makes a pact to reunite every five years. This must be honoured, as explained by their straightforward, unadulterated logic of youth: “because we said we would”.
Tracing their recurring meetings, the production takes the audience on a musical masterclass throughout the 1970s, 80s and 90s, gifting the audience a nostalgic soundtrack to accompany the captivating performances of actor Codge Crawford and writer/actor Helen Fox.
Tam and Jeanie’s friendship grows along with their infatuation for the late 20th-century music greats, from the likes of Queen, Frankie Goes to Hollywood and Oasis. Together, they conjure their own youthful dreams of musical success and join forces to resist the bullies at school and at home who disapprove of their singing.
Crawford and Fox both demonstrate an impressive acting range that is unfaltering as they seamlessly transition between decades. They construct two highly believable and developed characters from child to adult, whilst simultaneously executing proficient multi-roling. This multi-roling is enhanced by the innovative direction of Ellie J Stevens, using different props, costumes, and levels to create the effect of dialogue between three characters on stage despite just being two actors.
To help facilitate such creative theatremaking, a whiteboard is used to backdrop the stage. As the timeline unfolds, the actors create a tapestry of doodles on the whiteboard to fabricate the characters and settings of Tam and Jeanie’s evolving lives in real time in front of the audience. This is a genius staging decision and an exquisite exemplar of visual storytelling.
Showcasing Fox’s hilarious script, the actors are playful, delivering precise comedic timing. This bolsters the light-hearted moments in Tam and Jeanie’s friendship, in which there are many, making Because We Said We Would a largely entertaining watch. The audience is consequently caught off guard when the plot takes a tragic turn.
Ultimately, life gets in the way of the friends’ dreams and despite their commitment to one another, Tam and Jeanie’s tracks have different ends. Tackling challenging themes such as toxic masculinity in the Scottish working classes and mental health issues, Because We Said We Would delivers a heartrending story that leaves audiences in tears.
Reviewed on 27 September 2025 and continues to tour
The Reviews Hub Star Rating
90%
Life through friendship