THEATRE LIST
THEATRE
I Theatre is listed by city first. then by venue. running in alphabetical order. Cabaret and touring shows are listed separately underthe relevantheading. KEY: [D] lacilitieslorthe disabled: [E] facilitiesforthe hard of hearing. usually an induction loop system.
GLASGOW
I CITIZENS' THEATRE ( iorbals Street. 42‘) 0022. Box Office Mon-Sat lllam-Spm. Bar. [1)]. The Vortex Hi 22 .Ian Sat l‘) l-'eb. 7.30pm. £3. (‘ones £1 in ads ance. students. ( )Al’s and uncmploy cd free on the door. l~'Rlili l’Rli\'lliW'l‘hurs 21 .Ian. The first oll\\0 productions directed and designed by Philip l’row sc promises to be an interestingcyeningindeed .\'oel (‘oward'scontroyersial play with Maria Aitkcn and Rupert liy erett in the central roles. See (itlc‘slllsl. I CUMBERNAULD THEATRE ( ~umber'nauld. “236 732887. Bth ( )lllcc Mon-l-ri lilam-(ipm; Sat “lam-3pm; (i-Spm perl. eygs. Bar (are. The Glass Menagerie Thurs 31 Sat 23 .Ian. 7.45pm. £2.51) ( £1.25l. (’umbcrnauld‘s community theatre group. .\'o Mean ('ompany . in Tennessee Williams fine febrile drama about a young crippled girl and her sy mbolic collection of glass animals. Williams' classic is popular this “ionth sec Drama ( 'entrc below.
lr Boom Sat23.lan.1.15pm.£1.51)adults. .1 children. The popular one-man band ‘elurns with his show for kids.
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Bu! mo THEATRE COMPANY J
SPRING SEASON
27 January - 6 February 1988
THE TAMING OF THE SHREW
- New version of Shakespeare’s popular comedy
10-20 February 1988
STAGE STRUCK
A comedy thriller by Simon Gray Directed by Sandy Neilson
24 February - 5 March 1988
THE CAULDRON
A new play by Edwin Stiven (Author of “Tamlane”)
All performances at 7.45pm Tickets: Full price £3.75 Concessions £2.25
BOX OFFICE 031-665 2240
Romeo and Juliet Fri 3‘) & Sat31l.7.45pm. £3 (H.775). By popular demand ('ompass Theatre return with their minimal version of Shakespeare‘s classic love story. which sold out when they first brought it to (‘umbcrnauld Theatre.
Nervous Circus Sat .‘sllJan. 1.15pm. l." l .51) adults. £1 children. A showofjuggling. unicy'cling and comedy for kids.
I DRAMA CENTRE 126 Ingram Street . (MI 552 5827.
The Glass Menagerie Wed 2ll—Sal 231an. 7.30pm. John Street Theatre are also presenting Tennessee Williams' American classic - Scc (‘umbernauld Theatre. Forbidden Pleasures Wed 27. S2i13(lJ;ttt.
REVIEWS
ADULT CHILD/DEAD CHILD
Traverse, Edinburgh ‘You don’t have to sit there looking all nervous,‘ said Claire Dowie to an apprehensive Traverse first-night audience. Sidling on with a grin, Dowie takes her audience into her confidence, like many a stand-up comic, building rapport and an immediate sense of cheery intimacy. But the intimacy is too eagerly sought, the tidgeting with her props too extended — suddenly you realise that this is a persona, and Dowie pulls you into the character’s position as she ingeniously plays on convention to illustrate her story: that of a lost person trapped behind a wall of misunderstanding.
Gradually she leads you through her past. conlessing with nervous twitchiness and punctuating her conlession with brief snatches of commentary-like verse. We see a clumsy, lonely child, whose parents failed to reach her, develop into a schizophrenic adult—a woman lighting her own demon, crippled emotionally by her deprecating self—image." is a raw, brave performance, conveying the desperate feeling of being unable to communicate. Patchy attimes, occasionally spelling out what has already been said, it comes to an uncertain tull-stop-butthis is an eloquent plea on behalf of people who need to be listened to. (S. Hemming)
CHARLEY’S AUNT
Royal Lyceum, Edinburgh
There was more than a hint of hysteria in the air already on the first night ofthe Lyceum’s production of Brandon Thomas’ amazing Victorian comedy. On stage though the hysteria is beautifully controlled by guest director Ian Brown. As the farce, which centres on the need to have undergraduate Lord Babberly impersonate a fellow student’s, Chaley’s, aunt, escalates to ludicrous proportions, Brown superimposes comic acrobatics. Marvelloust executed, these pieces of business don‘t come out of the action naturally— but the effect is nevertheless to reinforce the laughter.
8pm. Jock 'n' Doris. a theatre company stemming from the (ilasgow University in a new play by Bax Barclay. a young Scottish writer. about the Spanish poet Luis (‘errida. (‘crrida was exiled from Spain after the (’iin War and came to live in (ilasgow where he wrote poetry about the city. The play focuses on his life in (ilasgow and includes music by Al Boulez. I EAST KILBRIDE VILLAGE THEATRE Maxwell Driye. liast Kilbride. 035 52 4866‘).
Crown of Thorns Fri 22 Jan. 7.3opm & 9pm. All seats 1‘ l . Two showings of a brief play about the last few hours before the button is pressed. presented by liast Kilbridc (‘.\'l) in association w ith the Phoenix Theatre (‘lub. Tickets are ayailablc in advance from Impulse Record Store. liast Kilbride and Ann Kclman on 035 53 27911).
I GLASGOW ARTS CENTRE l2 Was“.iiigtori Street. 221 4526.
Romeo and Juliet Tue 2—1-‘ri5 l‘eb.7.3llpm. £3 (£1.50). ('ompassTheatre ('ompany. renowned for their sharp. minimal productions. in their touring production of
\M‘ 3L? ma:st
If everthe audience was to begin to find the characters too anachronistic to be funny, these moments unobtrusively demonstrate that the production has the measure of the play. Thomas’ classic is in the surest of hands here, proving —which is the nice thing —what a wonderful piece of writing it is.
The hysteria spilling into the audience had much to do with Rupert Farley's performance as Babberly. His timing, facial expression and sympathy with the material, combine with an undelinable quality of loveableness, to make him an actor whose career will be followed carefully by anyone who saw him at the Lyceum as Charley’s Aunt. (Nigel Billen)
THE DUMB WAITER
Edinburgh University Theare Company, Bedlam Theatre, Edinburgh.
Originally dubbed ’Comedies of Menace’ by Irving Wardle, Pinter's plays evoke an uneasy atmosphere of dark humour in the lace of heightening tension, as if the executioner’s lootsteps can be heard shuffling down the corridor, but might just be halted by a snatch of self-conscious laughter.
Sltakespcarc's classic love story.
I KING'S THEATRE Bath Street. Box Office. Mon-Sat noon-(rpm. 4 bars. [1)]. [El l’hone bookings. Ticket (‘cntre. ('andlcriggs. Mon-Sat lll.31lam-o.31lpm. (l-ll 22755ll.
Cinderella I hid Sat b Feb l‘lh‘h‘. 7.pm. Wed ck Sat mats. 2. lfipm. £2-£(i.75. (ones. for children and ( )Al’s cycry day except Saturday. liltial few weeks for the popular panto. The inimitable Rikki l-‘ulton and Walter ( ‘arr are the l ‘eg Sisters and hold the stage throughout. be it as ray ishmg twenties llappcrs or charming girl guides.
I MITCHELL THEATRE ( iranyille Street. 2213108. lioxUllicc\lon-Satnoon-(ipm. Bar. (are. [D]. 'l‘ickcts also ayailable from the Ticket ('cnll‘c. (Kiltillcl’iggs. 227 55l l Mon-Sat lll..‘~llam-o._‘~llpm.
West Side Story 'l‘uc 2b Sat31llan. 7.30pm. Sal mat 2.3”an £2.51ltfcl 51)). (ilasgow Schools Youth Theatre in the much-loy ed Romeo and Juliet type musical set in WSils New York.
Godspell Wed 3 Sat (1 l~eb. “Rilpm. Sat mat 2.39pm. £35” ( L25“). Mmersa
A one act play that focuses on the relationship between two professional killers awaiting furtherorders, and theirvictim, in a deserted Birmingham basement, The Dumb Waiter is as sinister a work its title suggests.
Caged in a spartan black set, with two doors, two beds and a somewhat dicky dumb waiter (or service hatch), actors Charles Barron and Jimmy Patterson— a terretish Ben and neanderthal Gus— capture Pinter‘s nightmarish sense of unreality as anonymous notes begin to appear in the hatch, and an unseen but manipulative presence mercilessly makes itself known.
Astudy ol bewildermentand simmering frustration among those left blindlyto follow orders, this is a contrived yet haunting piece of theatre, a subtle play on words and emotions, which the performers creditably portray. Though their Cockney accents are erratic, occasionally non-existent, and some lines are lost in the rush, Barron and Patterson sustain a frisson otuncertainty throughout and—helped by the unintentional atmospherics of frosted Bedlam air—successfully draw an ambitious attempt to its nerve-singing conclusion. (Rosemary Goring)
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16 The List 22 Jan — 4 Feb 1988