THEATRE LIST
Discussion after show Mon 16. The
Lyceum company open their summer season with two shows in repertoire . Midsummer Night's Dream (see below). and this. one of
Shaw's best known. best loved
comedies in which the pompous. misogynous elocution professor. Henry Higgins. elects to transform Eliza Doolittle from a flower girl to a lady — and this before the days of Saatchi and Saatchi.
A Midsummer Night’s Dream Thurs 26 June—Sat 9 August. 7.45pm. (26—30 June;l.4.5.9.10.l4.l5.18.19.23. 24. 28. 29July: 1—9 August; plus Sat mats on 1‘) July and 2 August at 3.15pm). £2—£5. 'l'heatreSaver holders £ 1 off. Further cones available - £ 1 off each ticket if you book for both shows. Free preview
Thurs 26 June. Discussion after show
Mon 30June. Also opening for the Lyceum‘s summer season. a new production ofShakespeare's midsummer. magical comedy where dream and reality merge and everybody falls in love with the wrong person — with a little help from Puck. Features a Bottom on stage long before Hair.
0 60 THE PLEASANCE 667 2926. Womanzone Benefit Cabaret/Disco Sat 21 June. 7.30pm—1am. £3 waged. £1.50unwaged and students. Women Only. Cabaret from Liz Lochhead. Elaine C. Smith and Rona Munro. late bar and music.
0 TRAVERSE l 12 West Bow. 226 2633. Box office Tues—Sun 10am—8pm. Bar. Rest. Tickets also available The Ticket Centre. 22 Market Street.
The Drphans’ Comedy Until Sat 28 June. 7.3()pm. Temp members £4.50: Econ members £4; Full members £3.50; Student. ()AI’. UB40£2.50 (members £2). Students now bookable in advance. Reductions for more than one play of season booked. Thurs 5 — reduced price preview: £2. A new play from Chris Hannan. one of Scotland‘s most original young playwrights: profoundly subversive. inventive
and witty comedy. See Review.
0 WESTER HAILES COMMUNITY EDUCATION CENTRE Wester l lailes. 442 42 I7.
. Heather Up Your Kill Tue 24 June.
7.30pm. Wildcat‘s latest show. See Touring and Review.
Please check all venues if possible - they may be subject to change after press date.
3398777. ;
0 Robert Burns Scottish Theatre Company tour David Hayman‘s immensely vibrant. imaginative production that weaves song. dance
and Burns’ poetry into Joe Corrie‘s
play. Corrie shows Burns as a
spokesman for his people. taking on g the repressive hypocrisy ofthe Kirk.
and though it lacks detail and substance. it‘s a welcome addition to Kilt ‘n' kitsch cliches about Burns— a fact that Hayman's production celebrates. with warm exuberant performances from the cast. For further details please tel STC on 041
8 The List 13 — 26June
l l l l l
King '3 Theatre. Edinburgh Mon 9—Sat 14 June. 7.3()pm. (Sat also at 2.30pm) 031 229 1201.
0 Heather Up Your Kilt Wildcat Stage Productions‘ latest show. when American tourist ‘Rob Roy' MacGregor returns to Scotland to ‘discover his roots‘. something nasty emerges in the Highlands. Drumehapel Community Centre. Glasgow'l'hurs 12 June. 7.30pm. 041 944 9400: Denny Civic Centre.
Dumbarton Sat 14 June 7.3()pm. 37 62015 (Langlands Stationers): Thurso High School Tue 17 June 7.3()pm. 0847 62364 (Macbeth the
J ewellers): ()rkney Arts Theatre (St M agnus Festival) Thurs 19 June 8pm. 0856 2856: Palace Theatre. Kilmarnoek Sat 21 June 7.30pm. 0563 23590; Mary/till Central Community Halls. Glasgow Mon 23 June 7.30pm.041332 9115:
— THE DRPHANS’ COMEDY
Traverse, Edinburgh
In its style, Chris Hannah’s play, The Orphans’ Comedy, takes a little getting used to. At first it is a bit like one of those classic Bonnie Barker, Ronnie Corbett and John Cleese sketches - ‘I’m upperclass so I look down on him’ — and you wonder how such a self-explanatory dialogue can sustain a
whole play.
However as it develops you realise
? that there is much more than a sketch
here. Although the characters seem to
‘ know everything about each other (one
, about sell-discovery where part truths
of the comic devices is the characters’ unselfconscious arrogance), the play is
add up to unexpected wholes.
Set in a bureaucratic fertility/family planning clinic in an imaginary society which advocates for the nations good health. an unlimited number of offspring, everyone from Salmon, the physically gross managing director, to Cross theman who falls in love with the first thing he sees at the bus stop, are in some waytransformed.
For some the transformation is easy to understand. The doctor who is so dry, matter of fact and wrapped up in her job that ’her nickname is Doctor’ finds love. But this is not just a romantic caving in— she remained adamant that she doesn’t want children, and it is part of her eventual
DAVID l.ll)Dl.F.
l i
ii i.
husband Gross‘s transformation that he accepts this. Not so easy to explain are the changes that happen to the other characters. Salmon played in flamboyant style by Iain Drmsby-Knox is the most complicated of the characters. A hopeless gambler he challenges the world to be interesting enough to fit his ego. By the end, after developing a futures market in the condom — a luxury item in this society and a market that working in the clinic he is seemingly able to control — he is forced to concede (but not before the play’s best moment, a tirade against an unjust uncaring universe) his own humanity.
Basically the story of three couples, Hannah isn’t always able to sustain the story's momentum-especially near the start where there is too much scene setting. However, an excellent cast who understand the quality of Hannah’s lines ensures that the production never flags for long.
Hannan is clearly a very clever writer with a control of words which rivals Stoppard's, but more that that his work is capable of displays of wisdom — not always epigramatic. Almost as an aside he makes the most perceptive analysis of why people gamble. Not an unqualified success but a play which well deserves to remain in the repertoire. (Nigel Billen)
Westerhailes Community Education Centre. Edinburgh Tue 24 June
7.30pm. 031 442 4217: i'lrlagnum Leisure Centre, Irvine Wed 25 and Thurs 26 June 7.3()pm. 0294 78381 ; Cumbernauld Theatre Fri 27 and Sat 28 June 7.45pm. 67 32877.
117 Days Charter Theatre Company in a one~woman play by Nikki Foulds. adapted from Ruth First‘s writings about her experiences in a detention centre. Tamar Brown plays Ruth First. who was an associate of Nelson Mandela. The company spoke spoke to members of Ruth First's family when researching the production.
Palace Theatre, K ilmarnock Mon 16 June. 7.30pm. Tel Kilmarnock 23590; Mandela Theatre, Edinburgh
Tue 17 and Wed 18 June. 7.3()pm. 031 661 0982; St Mary '5 Primary School, Bathgate Thurs 19 June. 7.30pm. 0506 634 337: Hill/read High School. Glasgoit' Fri 20June. 8pm. ()41 339 2177: Aberdeen Arts Centre Aberdeen Sun 22 June. 7.30pm 0224 642 121 1 The Steps Theatre. Wellgate Library, Dundee Tue 24 June. 7.30pm. 0382 23141 ; Town Hall. Kirkintilloch Wed 25 June. Tickets tel: Mrs Brodie at Strathkelvin District Council. 041 772 3210: Cowane Centre. Stirling Thurs 26 June. 7.30pm. 0786 78537.
DANCE
EDINBURGH
Performance
0 MANDELA THEATRE Gateway Exchange. 2—4 Abbeymount. 661 0982.
Axis Dance Company in Trigon Until Sat 15June. 8pm. £2(£1.50)atthe door. Axis are having a busy season. Mayfest. Spring Fling and now they bring back their Trigon performance seen first at the Chaplaincy Centre in April. Ethereal. floating dance by three female performers with choreography by Lyn Denton. Grace Mangen and Tom Yang.
0 R083 OPEN AIR BANDSTAND Princes Street Gardens. For information. 225 2424 ext 6623. Rapiers, Styng Rites plus the Jiving Lindy Hoppers 2pm. Sat l4June. Free. Sandwiched between the sounds. Edinburgh will catch a glimpse ofthe Lindy Hop. a form of dance created in Thirties‘ Harlem at the Savoy Ballroom and the Cotton Club. The partner-throwing. exuberant. superfast steps will be jived by Britain's only company to promote this energetic technique. Definitely fun for all!
Glasgow
0 GLASGOW ARTS CENTRE 12 Washington Street. 221 4526.
The Thandeka Dancers As part of Local Authorities Against Apartheid. an event taking place a‘cross the country. Glasgow Arts Centre is hosting the work of these five African dancers and drummers. (Two members are formerly of [hi Tombi).