THEATRE LIST
Netherbow, Edinburgh
The Netherbow heads towards Christmas with a triple bill in none-too-serious a vein -two plays by Chekhov and one by Robert Kemp, each centring on the slightly bizarre events surrounding a proposal.
In Kemp's The Deep Freeze, the proposal has been on ice fora good many years while the two parties concerned solidified quietly into positions of frigid small town public rivalry in the Scottish non-Metropolis of Kildrum. It is only when the Lord Provost-cum-grocer learns of Mrs Gallanders’ intent to incorporate a deep freeze that will undercut his business that open conlrontation takes place and the possibility of rapprochement raises its head . . . Kemp's eye and ear for small town pettiness give this play its successful comic llavour- a flavour caught up and realised in Donald Alexander's production, from the dreary beige of Mrs Callanders’ suit and suite to the interminable something in cream that she is knitting —this is net curtain territory.
Corinne Harris as the tightlipped and tight-listed Mrs Gallanders —who gradually reveals herself to be more shrewd than shrewish — and fan Briggs playing the Provost as a pugnacious chancer, bring sparks to the confrontation, which Chris Craig’s twitchy, old-maidish vicar is hard put to extinguish. lt’a warmhearted and not too deep play, but there is a sting in the tale, that allows you to suspect that this is after all an alliance of convenience.
Chekhov’s The Beer is playing a not
Jack in space — to be met by the giant together with a pecking order of chickens. (See KIDS list).
Third Eye’s Festive Freeby Tue 17—Sat
: 21 Dec. 8.30pm onwardsin the bar.
Free. Rumours that Third Eye staff will be mud-wrestling in the bar as
part of the festive fun are sadly
unfounded. but there will be plenty of lively live entertainment for free every evening— from music to sand-dancers.
Muckle’s Toatie McWonders Thurs 9—Sat l 1 Jan. 7.30pm, Sat mat 2.30pm. £2 (£1). Fablevision in a ‘mini-panto‘ where villainous media-persons make life a misery for two castaways from the Island of Toatie (See also KIDS list).
0 TRON 38 Parnie Street. 552 4267/8. Box office Tues-Sat. Noon—10pm. Bar with food.
The Marble Madonna Until Sun 15 Dec. 8pm. Members £2.50. Guests £3.50. Concs£1. Sean McCarthy’s play about a love affair set in Dublin (See Review).
Christmas Show Thurs 19 Dec — Sun 5 Jan. (Not 23, 24. 25 Dec or 1 Jan). 8pm. Members £2.50, Guests £3.50. Cones £1 . A special for Christmas from Wildcat Stage Productions— a cabaret cocktail of all their favourite songs and sketches from recent and less recent shows.
Hogmanay Party Tue 31 Dec 9pm. You‘ve heard of bringing in the New year at the Tron, Edinburgh — now
dissimilar game, Chekhov using his uncanny ability to capture the frustrations and absurdities of his contemporary Russia in a more light-hearted vein than usual. Here we have Popova (Corinne Harris), a Chekhovian heroine in absurd extremis drifting about in black and undergoing long silences in view of her new found status as widow. Her melancholia is disrupted when a bombastic and blustering creditor of her husbands arrives to demand satisfaction.
try the Tron Glasgow! Contact theatre for details.
EDINBURGH
0 CASTLEBRAE STUDIO Castlebrae High School. Greendykes Road. Craigmillar.
Peter and Penny’s Panto Mon 9—Sat 1: Dec. 7.30pm. £1 (50p). Craigmillar Drama Group present a Christmas panto for Advent, written by Alex Norton.
0 CHURCH HILL THEATRE Morningside Road.
Thunderbirds F.A.B. Thurs 12 & Fri 13 Dec. 8pm. £2 (£1.50) stalls; £1 .50 (£1)balcony. (Tickets available Wilson Groat. photographer. 3 Church Hill Place and Dept of Recreation. 249 High Street). Mime Theatre Project in an extraordinary production combining 3 foot models ofThunderbirds I and 11. worn on the head. with mime. Thunderbirds was neverlike this. . .
Prince Caspian Mon 30 & Tue 31 Dec. 2.30 & 7.30pm. £3 (£2). Tickets available from Cruikshanks Newsagents (opp theatre) and at door. The Medway Children’s Theatre Co see the old year out with an adaptation of CS. Lewis's novel. directed by Peter Bridgemont.
O GATEWAY EXCHANGE 2—4 Abbeymount, 661 0982. ScabaretThurs 19, Fri 20. Sat 21. 7.30pm at time of going to press, but check times and prices. Directed by
TRIPLE BILL
. Needless to say, the satisfaction he requires changes emphasis once he has met Popova. Chris Craig is a wonderfully overblown ‘bear', who lulminates around the stage, making his asides to the audience to inform them that he is ‘in a rage’ all the funnier.
Far less successful is The Proposal, the third play, when Chekhov again puts on display the petty rivalry of 1 country dwelling gentry. When Lomov i arrives to propose to his neighbour’s
Sarah Braekey. a revue for l Christmas with comedy and cabaret.
O KINGS 2 Leven Street. 229 1201. : Box office Mon—Sat 10am-8pm. | Bar. Rest. [D] Aladdin Until Sat 22 Feb. 2.15 & 7pm. (2.15 on 14. 18.20.21.23. 24. 26.27. 28. 30. 31 Dec and 2. 3. 4. 8. 11. then every Wed & Sat until 22 Feb). 7pm every day exclusing Suns. £5.50—£2.50. Halfprice cones available on some days. Pat Michael is Aladdin and Alan Curtis the wicked Abanazer in this musical version ofa tale with a lot of bottle. Starring Stanley Baxter as Widow Twankey. (See review and features). 0 NETHERBOW 43 High Street. 556 9579. Box office Mon—Sat 10am—4pm. 7—9pm perf. evgs. (‘afe [E] The Deep Freeze, The Bear and The Proposal Until Sat 21 Dec. 8pm. £3 (£2). A comedy triple bill for Christmas; Robert Kemp‘s'l'he Deep Freeze and Chekhov‘s The Bear and The Proposal. all taking a light hearted view of romance. (See review). The Netherbow will be closed from 21 Dec until March for extensive restoration. 0 PLAYHOUSE 18/22 Greenside Place, 557 2590. Box office. Mon—Sat 10am—6pm. Bar. Russ Abbott Show Wed 1 J an—Sat 1 1 Jan. 7.30pm. Fri at 5pm & 8pm. £6. £5. £4. From the Madhouse to the Playhouse — an evening of comedv
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daughter, Natasha, no matter how hard he endeavours to propose the neighbourly feuds and rivalries will out and take over the conversation. It's a
' simple and funnyidea, but itgrows
tired quickly, and invites overacting,
which is what it gets here, making the whole production feel slightly uncomfortable and tedious.
But all in all, this is a warm evening, an effect all the more enhanced by the mulled wine in the interval! (Sarah Hemming)
with TV comedian Russ Abbot. (See -PaneU. o PORTOBELLO TOWN HALL l’ortobello. Nessie The Loch Ness Monster Sat 14 Dec 1 lam. 50p (25p). Tickets available from Porto (irill. 10a Bath Street. AJ. Murray Newsagents. 821 Bath Street and Kennedy’s. 201 Bath Street — all Portobello. also Dept of Recreation. 249 High Street. i Edinburgh. The highly popular puppet company l’urves Puppets present a new angle on the famous fishy tale about Loch Ness (see KIDS). 0 ROYAL LYCEUM (irindlay Street. 229 9697. Box office Mon—Sat 10am——6pm. 10am—8pm on perf evgs. Bar. Rest. [DHIZ] Merlin Until Sat 1 1 Jan. Various times: 7pm 13. 14. 20. 23. 27. 30. 31. Decand 2. 3. (Fl 1 Jan; 2pm 14. 21. 26. 28 Dec and 4 6’4 llJan; 3pm 23. 24. 27. 30. 31 Dec and 2 a: 3Jan15pm I 21 . 26. 28. Dec and 41ar118pm 21.26. 28 Dec and 4 Jan. Also schools performances at 10am on 16—19 Dec ; and 2pm on 9—13. 16—19 Dec and 7—lllJan. £2—£5. (‘oncs for 'l’heatresaver holders. Special prices for schools performances. When Arthur. heir to the throne. is kidnapped by the wicked Morgana le Fay. Merlin and friends have to set I about rescuing him. For children of any age from five upwards. (See 1 Review).
The List 13 Dec— 912111-17—
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