' REVIEWS
Citizens' Theatre. Glasgow
With a delicate 360 degree spin. Steven Beard as the eccentric painter of mermaids in lbsen's The Lady from The Sea christened the Citizens' new. temporary. studio theatre. Meanwhile a wind up gramophone. unamplilied. filled the space with music.
it was a charming introduction to the Citz solution to the redevelopment that has closed the main theatre until Christmas, Steeply raked on ioursides. the seating is simple carpeted steps which frame a small box-like stage. The whole thing fits on to the stage of the ‘old' Citizens.
Tom Cairns. director and designer. makes admirable use ofthe new theatre in this production which successfully combines an intimate style with the cut and thrust of the debating arena. it is certainly a production that demonstrates the new venue's powerto engage audiences. At one point on the first night. a female member of the audience was so involved with the production that she preempted a retort by Michelle Fairley
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THEATRE LIST
l as Bolette to Lyngstrand's (Simon
f Robert's) chauvinistic accountof marriage with an ironic ‘terrific‘. Celia Gregory plays Ellida, the second wife oi an amiable if unexciting country doctor (Michael Medwin) beloved by his two daughters. Unfuliilled by her marriage and apparently literally haunted by the missed opportunities at the past. Ellida
‘ seems on the brink of losing her sanity or of conjuring up some supernatural iorce that will see them all unhinged. In the end events are resolved on an intriguing psychological level but the cleverness of this production is in drawing on the elements in the play that predate Freudian analysis (centre
, stage throughout much of the action is
. a vaginal-like fissure in the earth) and combining them with an air of unscientific mystery. Emma Lewis as Hilde incisiver creates the character oi the younger daughter. capturing in
herperformancethatmoment(often associated with poitergeists and tying
I in with sexual awakening) when a
teenager seems almost to become possessed by surrounding events in a way that has no logical explanation. The production is inconclusive as to
a whether lbsen‘s play is a great work oi humanity about personal freedom or a
play undermined by an ultimately
sexistattitudeto women. butone feels
3 the work could not have been more
clearly represented. (Nigel Billen)
HOBSON’S CHOICE
Royal Lyceum, Edinburgh
: Coming immediately aiter the end of
the world's most exciting theatre
festival, the start of The Royal Lyceum
j Theatre Company's new season is, and
' certainly ought to be, awaited in some
anticipation. But how likely was itthat a revival of Hobson's Choice would
; prove interesting?
i I This section lists shows that are touring
1 Scotland. We give detailed listings onlyior periods when they are in the Central Belt
» area. There is a phone number ioreach
company. however. should you require more j information. Unless otherwise specified. the
number atter each venue listed isthe telephonenumberiorticketenquiriesfor thatparticularevening(please note,thisis
ROYAL lYCEUM mew/m
Harold Brighouse
HOBSON’S CHOICE
9 September-1 October, Mon-Sat 7.45 pm. Tickets from £2.50.
NOW SHOWING
Matinee 24 September 3.15 pm BOOKING NOW
031-229 9697
While the economics behind the
I Saliord society oi Hobson‘s Choice
echoes that oi Thatcher's (Grantham)
: Britain. you‘d have to do something . pretty violent to this play to make it
work as a contemporary satire. Wisely perhaps. Ian Wooldridge
' doesn‘t attempt to ‘update‘ the play.
instead the emphasis is on a straight-forward interpretation oi the
kindthatisintendedto showior
anothergenerationthe enduring qualities oi a well made play. He has tor the task assembled an excellent cast. Gerda Stevenson is the production‘s main strength, giving another oi hertough. performances as Maggie, the ‘onthe shelf' daughterof
. the hypocritical Hobson. Hersisters
(Lisa Grindall and Bosaleen Pelan) stylishly complement Stevenson with
their ‘spoilt rotten“ performances. 0i
their husbands to be, Jamie Newail as
, William Mossop. the boot makerwho ‘. with Maggie‘s helppulls himselfup by his bootstraps to become ‘his own man‘
in business, is particularly engaging.
Butonly with a remarkably ingenious performance in the central role could this play's comic potential be realised. Unfortunately. Michael Mackenzie couldn‘t quite dispel the memory oi Charles Laughton as Hobson in the 1953 film version.
The Lyceum haven‘t discovered
f anything new in Harold Brighouse‘s
work (rather it's confirmed as a deeply
; conservative piece with ultimately a i patronising attitude to women). While
it is a well put together (there is a convincing set by designerGregory Smith), not unenjoyable production, the Edinburgh Festival Fringe with its experimental, issue-tackling theatre (and to befairnumerous othermore adventurous productions by the Lyceum company in recent years)
5 could have been a million miles away.
(Nigel Billen)
notaiways the venue number).
I A Day in Hollywood/A Night in the Ukraine Borderline Theatre ('ompan} tour their double bill ot'eometi} that opened at the Iidtnhtttgh t’estn al Fringe to eonsttlerahle success t'nmissahle tor Mlehael Rohet‘ts' tmeann) lllx'L‘ilL‘SS10(il'title‘lltt\l;ti‘\. l-or further details please eall Borderline on 0292 2Sllllll.
Kings 'I‘ltt'tm'e. (ilusemt t'ntil Sat l~Sept.
.3llpm; til/tree 'l'lieutre. Izusl Ail/mile
Wed 21 «k Illtll'S 22 Sept. ~Slipm. I’ll/m e
‘I'lteurre. KI/Nllll'lttn‘k Hi 23 Sept. ".Sllpm; l'tt’tm‘iu Hull. Selkirk Tue 2" Sept. 7.3llpm; Hit/lute Hull xit‘tu/t'nn. 'l‘ltrrr‘Il/lI/l \VL‘Ll 23 Sept. «Spin; littt't'lt'ltt'll HUN. Lune/tulm The 2‘) Sept. Spm ; ( ‘tixt/e Doug/us Hie/i St 1100/. I’m .t‘ll Sept. 8pm ’l'ourt mill/tum.
I Blood Wedding ( HilliNLllile‘Jth‘ '1 heat l e ('ompan} tottr their ittootltne. littlliantlx ehoteogt'aphetl ptotlttettttn of t meats DUSSItHltltL‘ (raged) about the l‘l Me and her former lmet'. \\ ho e\e.tpe the eltltL'llL‘Sttl eomenttttnaltt} at the ele\etttlt hottt' I)iteeletl ti} (iett_\ Sittletexx . .ttttl malxme line the of tinaeetimpattteti \lilfJL‘lS on stage. the ptotlttetton min .i it lll;_'L‘ l‘ll'St at the I'.Lllill‘lli'}_'ll tum at. for further information please eall(‘ottttnttttteatloon ll_‘\[ 33) “to:
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L‘UntlnllL‘S. returning to Seotlantl in mid-()etoher.
I The Auld Misalliance Mull little theatre. the smallest theatre ttt Britain. l‘JSL‘Ll on the isle of Mail. are elll'TL‘iltl} on tour mth a triple hill oi p|.t_\\ltom Se‘tttldliel .llltl I'l'JlTL‘L‘. IHU l"\ I/M'Nl'Uh’ lam ( 'ttehton Smith. l)tll/\ lfr'etul'tl e l’trm t/e \Ietztreet l‘x I‘lth-eentttr} \\tttet .ltllL‘S Retttttl. .tntl xi l’erit’t I Inn/me I l.t' l’i’tiixtr t/e Rum/net .tht in Renattl. all look Ill LlltlL'tL‘lIl “an at lox e. titatttaee .tntl mtttleittt
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I Fancy Bappin' \Viltleat open their tenth attnn L'i'Sitl‘) \ltt\\\. \\'t'tttett by HM e
\lel .ennan anti I)a\e Anderson. it eelel‘talew lll tears HI \\ tltleat. meorporatme many songs lrom thett earlier \l]()\\S. and m a slot} loosel} um en round that of (NH er In N. updated to the lttghttes. L‘\.tllllltL‘S \\ fiat hasheen happening: itt Britain met the last ten tears. See ( itle'StllSI. It" further Lle‘tdllS l‘lease eall \thtleat on (Lil ‘)5-l(lllllll
(fun fun! l/It’tl/I't'. .lrn't/tm/ttll. (i/mumt t'nttl 'l'htit's 15 Sept. “Hillpm. H41 954 Will“: I'll/tree lltettm'. Izmi Ail/Hide In to .k Sat l" Sept. T .Illpm HSSSZJNTM; Dime/m Izmir! Hie/1.8} r’uml. .\(‘l\/(III .S‘reu ur/ tile 2” Sept. “Slipm. “(Fl 3""3; .Stlllt/it/ltll'3It tlt/t‘nll' \VL‘LlS :l Sept.
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l 155. l’em/t't' ( '(tmmumn ('e/tm'.
(i/memt 1 tie 2" Sept. ".Filpm l|~ll SS2 53”"). llt'IttIt‘r'wrt I'llt’ulrt'. Vme “to 2\ Sept. "fillpm. liSlll 21S2(t; .\'e1/tertmt (hut/nurth ( ’t'rt/re. (i/usgun 'l‘httt's 2‘} Sept. " Filpm llJl ()5‘).‘~2(1S. '1 our L‘ttlltllltle‘S.
I A Midsummer Night's Dream 'l .-\(i 'l'heatt‘e (’ompant open their final ptotlttetton tinder tan Bron n'sartistie directorship ( Bt‘tm H mm es lo the
'l't'axet'se next month and Alan l._\tleltartl heeontes ill'tlStlL' tlit'eetor oi 't'.-\( i). Shakespeatexmtteh-lmetleometh for further details please eall I .-\( i on ilJl 42‘)
'l'r'mt ’l'lietrlrt'. (i/usgriit Wed 2 l~~Sat 25 Sept. Spin. (Ml 552 42W; .‘Itlt'RU/N’I‘I.‘II'M ( t'rilr'e. Stirling Tue 2" 7 limits 2‘) Sept. ".3llpm. ll".\lt tilllSl.'t'ottteontinttes.
I The Puddok an‘ the Princess theatre .-\l't\a tour then rex ix aI ol the \\ ontlet'lull} ltmn_\ tale oi the tlpplt} ptttitiok anti lTlS relationship \\ ith the young; pt‘meess. For It” the T Lle’t‘dllS please eall theatre Alha on (B) 3315903.
Row/ten Hit/1'. Sour/t Qtu'enxferrt 'l'httt‘s 15 Sept “Fl 22.5 242-1 ext Nil“. Hill'lmur .‘II'IS (’eritre. [n me Hi to Sept. ll2V-l "Jilfiti; [UH II tit/I. Strut/tut err Sat 1" Sept. “ 2‘l-lll 'I out L‘OlltlllthS i'UllllLl \Vest
(‘oaxt ot Seotlanti anti Skte. tetttt'ningto
Kirkealti} on .‘tllSepl. 't'ottt eontinttes I Scotiree .lohtt (Hittite) 's ne“ lTlllSlL’ttl about Robert Burns takes to the road 1 (it l(' Niel/Ire. .lluI/ti'rm'l/l lltll'S 15 Sat 17 Sept. " Fllpm. (illhq5 l 5;( run rim! l'ltettm'. .lrm/tm/tt/l. (i/tisetm 'l‘ue2ll Sat 24 Sept. 73llpm. “41 954 llilllll; .llu‘entmt 'l/teu/re. II) we '1 tie 2“ Sept Sat l()et. ".3ilpm. ll2‘l4 TSSSl tintl of tour. IWaiting on One Wildcat tn:\nne : Dimme'x \xat'm. mm in}; play about hmgo and those \\ ho pla} it too theot‘etteal tn plaees. humane and ltlltll} tn others. Some tme performanees from \\'iltieat\e.tst. I‘Ul lttt'ther tlL‘tRlllS please eall \thtleat on “4] 95—1llllllll.
King’s l’ltt'utre. Int/tn/mrelt Mon 1‘‘ Sat 24 Sept. "Slipm. (Bl 22‘) lzltl ; :1 ht'rtlt't’n .rlr'ix' ('erttre. .-t/tertleen t'nttl Sat 17 Sept. Spm (2.3llpm also on Sat l"l.ll224
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24 'l he l.lSt lo 2‘) September 1988