THEATRE LIST
PREVIEW ' NUCLEAR FAMILY
.y ~.
‘I'm not advocating untunded theatre' says Michael Duke, author of Roughcast's Theatre Company’s latest play ‘Consent’, ‘but there’s something about a company at people coming together, just existing on expenses.’ Duke, whose tough animal rights drama, ‘More Happy Chickens’ started at the Traverse and went on to be adapted by BBC Scotland (‘l think it worked better on radio which is why I have concentrated so hard on making this play very much a stage play’), emphasises the ‘collaborative' process involved in creating ‘Consent'.
The story at a woman attempting to understand why her husband has died, ‘Consent’ has its origins in a shared idea with the director, Ashley Forbes. Both wanted to make a drama on the theme oi ‘Emotional Dishonesty’ and it is this, particularly, as it exists within tamilies that Dukes hopes the linished play will address. Most of the action is seen in llash back as the lamilly attempts to put together the strands ol the dead man’s tile and reach a conclusion about his death. Although Duke doesn’t want it to be seen as ‘some sort oi emotional who dunnit’
discovery, which touches both on issues of individual and lamin wellvbeing and issues ol international concern.
Duke decided that the husband was to have been made redundant from an unspecified job in a traditional heavy industry, and in his enforced retirement, tall prey to real or imaginary illnesses. Duke came across an actual case history while researching the play. ‘The events were very close to what we had created’, and the account ol physical degeneration together with the notion that illness can in part be a sell-luliilling prophesy, remains central to the play. The ideas at ‘seli-iullilling prophesy’ and ‘emotional dishonesty‘ extend too to the wider implications of the drama which Duke hopes will hint at the intrinsic dangers oi a society which can even contemplate nuclear war.
I suggested that it sounded like it might be a rather gloomy evening. ‘Dne Glasgow paper billed it as Michael Duke's look into the grave,’ he recalls with horror. ‘lt’s true that it will be emotionally demanding, but moving ratherthan bleak. It’s no bleakerthan
and it isn't a strictly naturalistic Waiting For Godot anyway.‘
portrayal, the play will deliver a real ‘Consent’ is at the Tron, Glasgow. See explanation ol the death. Equally as Listings.
important, however, is the process of (Nigel Dillen)
in which a recently bereaved woman tries to come to terms with her past. See Panel. Tennessee Williams v The Critics: Platiorm Performance Thurs 3 8; Fri 4 Mar. lpm. £2.50 non-members; £1 .50 members: £1 concs. The National Theatre. complementing their performances of ('ar an a Hot Tin Roofat the Theatre Royal. Glasgow and the Kings Theatre. Edinburgh present a selection of Tennessee Williams‘ work. taken from his essays and dramatic writings. See also Netherbow Theatre. Edinburgh.
Tron Dance Week Tue 15 — Sun 20 Mar. See Dance Listings for details ofshows.
AWee Home from Home Wed 16 Mar. 8pm.
German Department. £2.50 (ii .50); All four evenings for £6 (£4 )1 three evenings for £5 (£3.50); two evenings for £4 (£2.50). Mon 7: Iain Her: um! lime See/e by Wolfgang Menge. performed by Edinburgh University German Department.
Tue 8: Lichclci and three scenes from Anamlby Arthur Schnitzler. performed by Keele University.
Wed 92 Bicdermmm um! die Brandslificr by Max Frisch. performed by Queen Mary‘s College. University of London.
Thurs 102 l-‘rri/tlings‘ linear/ten by Hans Wedekind. performed by Manchester
. _ University. Prices as for Consent. Part of Tron Dance I ASSEMBLY ROOMS 54 Gun 0 Street Week. this particular piece fusesdance fig 16” i g ‘ '
and theatre. using the music of Michael Marta, who appears also at the Blue Note (see Cabaret). See Review
EDINBURGH
I ADAM HOUSE THEATRE Chambers Street.
German Drama Week: March 88 Mon 7— Thurs 10 Mar. 7.30pm. Groups from universities round the country compete in a festival of German plays (performed in German) hosted by Edinburgh University
Betty and eoaby's Macbeth Mon 7 — Sat 12 Mar. 7.30pm. £4 (£2). Dundee Repand Bristol Express Theatre Company in their joint production of an irreverent version of Shakespeare‘s classic, performed in Betty and Boaby‘s living room. See also Touring.
Killing Me Softly Tue 8 Mar. 7.30pm. £2 (£1). Clyde Unity Theatre in John Binnie‘s moving play about a young man who discovers he is HIV positive and the
[0 OT
Joe Orton 'l'l March-2 April, Mon-Sat 7.45 p.m.
Saturday matinee 26 March, 3.15 p.m. Tickets from £2.70 (031) 229 9697
Grindlay Street, Edinburgh EH3 9AX FREE PREVIEW Thursday 10 March, 7.45 p.m.
THEATRE WORKSHOP COMPANY
present
STATE OF CONFUSION by David Kane
"in a private nursing home, the Prime Minister is recuperating after seeing strange visions... "
Fast, frantic and explosively funny! Tue: 8 - Sat 12 March, 8.00pm
TICKETS: £3.50 (£2.00) BOX OFFICE: (031) 226 5425 Theatre Workshop, 34 Hamilton Place, EH3 SAX.
The Show will tour Scotland till 16 April.
BRISTOL EXPRESS THEATRE COMPANY in association with DUNDEE REPERTORY THEATRE
e ' ‘3& am‘
Mon 7—Sat 12
Elam
i 9 Ste . March ’88 at 7.30pm sligfonnekedvmeo at Assembly Rooms, . 54 George Street,
Edinburgh
Tickets £4 (£2 concession)
All tickets half price for Monday performance
Available in advance
from Usher Hall, Lothian Road Mon — Sat 10am—5pm
Tel: 031 2281155
What the Dundee papers say: ‘What a wonderful comedy . . . basically lt‘a
manna-uneach
very, very (VERY) funny . . . not to be mlssedl’ may... amen - (auxin. to»
The List 4— 17 March 198819