combine movement and music with uniquely strange costumes. See also Assembly Rooms.
0 ROYAL LYCEUM Grindlay Street. 229 9697. Box office Mon—Sat 10am—6pm. IOam—8pm on perf evgs. Bar. Rest. [D][E] (TheatreSaver cards cost £1 , last all year and are available to OAPs. UB40s. Students, disabled, under 24 railcard holders, YTS scheme and children under 18. They enable you to bring a friend for £1 off also).
Accidental Death at an Anarchist Until Sat 4 Oct. 7.45pm; Sat mat 27 Sept. 3.15pm. £2.50—£5.50. TheatreSaver card holders £1 off. Cones also for Season Ticket Holders inc 10% discount off meal.
The Lyceum’s new season opens with one ofthe most popular. most durable comedies from the Italian master ofanarchic farce, Dario Fo. See Review.
0 SIGNET LIBRARY Parliament Square. Admission by donation ticket (min£10) limited to 250. Available Theatre Royal Box
' Office. Glasgow 041 331 1234; Royal Lyceum Box office. Edinburgh 03] 229 9697 or Scottish Theatre Company 041 339 8777.
The Glory ot the Garden Fri 19 Sept. 8pm. See New Studio of Scottish Ballet. Glasgow.
0 THEATRE WORKSHOP 34 Hamilton Place. 226 5425. Box office Mon—Sat 9.30am—5.30pm. Bar. Cafe. [D] Blood and Ice Until Sat 20 Sept. 8pm. £3 (£2.50). Winged Horse in a new production of one of the earliest plays to spring from the sparklingly inventive pen of Liz Lochhead: the tale of Mary Shelley and how her
Royal Lyceum, Edinburgh
Dario Fo’s popularity continues to grow
apace in this country—the Edinburgh Festival housed the Italian writer’s plays in every corner, and while work
new to Britain has recently been shown
in London and Bristol, up here two productions are reviewed on these pages alone. You don’t have to speculate tor long on the present nature ol Britain to come up with reasons torthe increasing appetite tor Fo's brilliantly cynical, subversive political comedy, with its shrewd and potent mix at lantastical humour and clear anti-right wing statement.
Accidental Death of an Anarchist (1970) succeeds partly by being both highly specilic and alarmingly general. Based on an actual case in Italy, Fo's play ‘investigates’ the death at an anarchist in police custody, pointing out not only police corruption, but the degree to which police themselves are pawns, and drawing the whole thing to a point where a decision is demanded ot the audience that brooks no compromise.
This clarity of purpose though, is
? TOURING .
own creation, Frankenstein. came to
take over her life.
0 SOUTH BRIDGE RESOURCE CENTRE Infirmary Street, 556 2944.
The Cry oi Spain Fri 26 and Sat 27 Sept. 8pm. £1.50 (£1). Tickets from venue 9.30am—12.30pm. Winged Horse Touring Company in their new tour of Robin Munro’s documentary drama about the Spanish Civil War. See Touring.
O SPRINGWELL HOUSE Ardmillan Terrace, Gorgie, Dalry. 031 337 1971.
As You Like It Sat 20 Sept. 7.30pm. TAG Theatre Company in Shakespeare‘s classic comedy. Sec Touring and Review.
0 As You Like ItTAG Theatre Company in their bouncy and imaginative production of Shakespeare‘s comedy about love. set in the Forest ofArden. For further details please contact TAG on 041 429 2877. See Review. Harbour Arts Centre, Irvine Fri 19 Sept. 7.45pm. 2094 74059; Springwell House, Gorgie, Edinburgh Sat 20 Sept. 7.30pm. 031 337 1971. Tour continues around the ‘Highlands. Glasgow Arts Centre, Glasgow 'Ihurs 2—Sat 4 Oct. 7.30pm. 041 221 4526. Tour continues to N Ireland until 10 Oct. 0 The Albannach 7:84 Scotland begin a new tour of a new production of John McGrath's adaptation ofthe book by Fionn MacColla celebrating the repressed spirit of music and poetry in Scotland and castigating the repressive power of the Church. A great success last year. this new production includes Vincent Friell as Murdo. the young ‘Albannach‘. For further information
John Bell
THEATRE LIST
ACCIDENTAL DEATH
coupled with tremendous entertainment. Fo draws on traditional theatre—commedia dell‘arte, the ‘Fool’ and the lunacy oi larce -to make his points. A ‘Maniac’l Fool inliltrates the police station to deconstruct then reconstruct, theatrically, the police
please contact 7:84 Scotland on 031 557 2442.
Assembly Rooms. George Street, Edinburgh Thurs 2—Sat 4 Oct. 7.45pm. 031 557 2442. Tour continues around the Highlands returning to Glasgow in early Nov.
0 Blood and Ice Winged Horse in a new production ofone of the earliest plays to spring from the sparklineg inventive pen of Liz Lochhead: the tale of Mary Shelley and how her own creation. Frankenstein, came to take over her life. For further details contact Winged Horse via Shona Munro on 031 226 2427.
Theatre Workshop. Edinburgh Until Sat 20 Sept. 8pm. 031 2265425; Tron Theatre, Glasgow Tue 23 and Wed 24 Sept. 8pm. 041 552 4267/8; Dornie Village Hall, Ross-shire Wed 1 Oct. 8pm. Tour continues until 29 Oct.
0 The Cry of Spain Winged Horse Touring Company in the second of the productions they are touring at present — a revival. to mark the fiftieth anniversary of the Spanish Civil War. of Robin Munro's documentary drama first shown last
otticers' skimpy accounts at events. Fo uses theatricality sell-consciously, so that the absurdity ot the larce increases with the all too credible incredibllity ol the ‘tacts’. it’s a very potent brand of l humour, ditticult to pitch, and Ian
Wooldridge’s production doesn't quite pull it oil. It does pick up as the larce whips up, with John Bett‘s ‘Maniac' taking charge of events, holding the stage with the tool's traditional double-edge ot shrewdness and madness. He is less secure though in the lirst act, as is the whole production, labouring the comedy.
Fo’s humour and political stance perhaps account for the ready transfer at his plays to a Scottish setting, accommodating incongruities and mixed accents happily as one more layer at comedy. Surprisingly, though, there's an uneasy feel to the combination in this production and to the introduction of topical issues in Gavin Bichards’s adaptation and the production lrequently sutlers trom a trenzied heavy-handednessthat hopetully will gradually relax.(Sarah Hemming)
y _
year about life for ordinary people caught up in the war and for Scots who fought in the International Brigade. For further information please contact Winged Horse via Shona Munro on 031 226 2427. Tron Theatre, Glasgow Thurs 25 Sept. 8pm.041552 4267/8; South Bridge Resource Centre, Infirmary Street, Edinburgh Fri 26 and Sat 27 Sept. 031 556 2944: Glenelg Village Hall. Ross-shire Tue 30 Sept. 7.30pm. Glenelg 313: Aberdeen Arts f Centre, Aberdeen Thurs 2 Oct. 7.30pm. 0224 641 122. Tour continues until 1 Nov.
0 Desire Communicado Theatre Company in Stephen Jeffreys‘ adaptation of R.L. Stevenson‘s fable The Bottle Imp. an allegory on the nautre ofgreed. An energetic. imaginative production that yet somehow disappointingly fails to capture the spirit ofthe original. For further details contact Communicado on 031 225 3398. Portobello Town Hall, Portobello. Edinburgh Thurs 18 Sept. 7.30pm.
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The List 19 Sept — 2 Oct 9