THEATRE LIST
TOIL AND TROUBLE
Recipe tor tackling a Shakespearean tragedy: 500 litres peat. 250 litres sand, two dozen intense passions and one cairn. Add three witches and stir them together into ‘Macbeth’ by Edinburgh University Theatre Company, opening 1 December at the Bedlam Theatre.
Since its Iounding 67 years ago, E.U.T.C. has been noted as an innovator, taking on experimental work as well as the classics and presenting them ellectively in a studio theatre. But how to do ‘Macbeth‘ in such a small space? ‘We're going to do it in the round.’ says director David Campton, ‘We want to increase the intimacy as much as possible and draw our audience in by relying on the intense relationships.‘
ActorJames Wallace, playing Macbeth, is determined to fit into Campton's scheme: ‘Wheneveryou‘re doing Shakespeare, you‘re dealing with a holy relic— so many people have played it belore. You’ve just got to say
the hell with it and get on with doing it and making it real.‘ Higth praised for his performance in ‘Strange Growths in Vietnam‘ during the last Festival, Wallace has no illusions, however, about the morality at his character‘s intentions: ‘In his drive to the top, Macbeth destroys his conscience and his soul and is left with nothing but the will to live.’
But what of Lady M‘s conscience? ‘Her own humanity destroys her,'says actress Lucy Morgan, who successfully navigated Hecuba in “The Trojan Women‘ at E.U.T.C. last March: ‘Lady Macbeth is so otten played as a liendish queen, but she’s not. She‘s a woman desperately in love with her husband, driven by love, who finally sell-destructs.’
Other powerlul intentions lorthis ‘Macbeth’ include a chorus of disembodied voices, live percussionists and a massive sound system installed ‘right underneath the audience,’ - all to be used to heighten mood and tension. 'We’re also trying to emphasize the supernatural meddling in this play,‘ says Campton. But as it's to be performed in the round, there‘ll be no flying in at apparitions amid dry ice vapours. Campton intends to put his witches on stage with the rest at the characters: ‘They'll be subtly orchestrating the turn at events throughout because I don’t want Macbeth played as an out and out baddie. It’s more about people’s weaknesses in the lace at late.’ (Gregg Ward)
The 1988 Gang Show Slim :1 Sat 3o .\'o\.
I "’.l5piii. Sat mat 3. IFpiii Ll L4.5lllprices \ary according to night please check with Bo\ ( )tlicel deiiibureli Scouts and ( iangs iii the annual reel-knot show.
Mother Goose 'I lie h l)ec s.ii Is I'eb. “pm. 3.15pmalsooii “. Ill. 14. l". 31 24,2!» 31 Dee. 7. ll. l4. IS._‘l.25._‘.\.Iari.1.3.4. (i.i\’.ll.15.l.\l:eb L4 "5 Uri;
(£275 - £375 l. \\ alter ('arr . ( iregoi I'isher and l’ctei Morrison on the namesin thisycar's glut/y panto. w ith actressluliel (‘ad/ow play my: I)I.I3_‘I)II;II;I.
I MUSIC BOX Victoria Street. lju i"ii.s'_ Open Mike Night '1 tie o I )cc. Spin. II. An cycniiigotcabaret poeti'y.inusie. comedy . \\ liatcyei you like aimed at encouraging unrecognised talent to get tip and base ago.
I NETHEHBOW AHTS CENTRE 43 I liin Street. 55“ 95—“). BU\ ( )lllcc‘. lllam—4.30pm. "- 9pm perf. Cy gs. ("ate [1)]. [lil
Is There Lite Alter High School Mon 2 I Sat 26 .\'o\ . 7.30pm. Sat n.3ll ck S3Ilpm. The Company. \\ ho specialise in turning up unusual musicals. in an American musical that is haying success on the other sideof the Atlantic. but hasn't yet been seen oy er here.
In With The Doctor and Others weds 23- Sat leoy. l.lllpm. {l FllILl I. .-\n adaptation of a short story by (ilasgow writer James Kelmaii. I'c\ oly mg around a trip to the doctors. is the liiial production in this short season of lunchtime plays. GI‘IOSIS \Veds ,‘sll ,\'oy- Sat .3 Dec. 7,3llpm. £3.5ll'l‘he \lakars in lbseii'sgloomy classic.contro\ ersial in its day Iorifs treatment of inherited \ enereal disease. Tickets also ay ailable in adyance from Mrs Mackenzie. 557 453” and Mrs l’inlay. 332 I643. \N'ecls.3llNii\ isalready soldotit.
I PLAYHOUSE lS—ZZ ( ireeiiside Place. 557 2590. Box Office Moii~Sat lllam-(rpm
(Spin on show nights). Bar.
Billy Connolly Sat 26 & Weds 3U Noy. Spin. S( )I .1) ( )I 'T. You‘ll lime to hang about outside the theatre Ior returns. and hope you strike lucky . if you want a chanceto sec Scotland's famous hairy comedian gigglingon stage.
I ROYAL LYCEUM ( irindlay Street. 32‘) INN—7. Box Office Mon Sat lllam (ipm. lllam Spin on perf. cygs. Bar. Rest ('afc. |l)]. l'l'licatreSayer (‘oncession (‘ai‘ds cost I; l . last all year. give 94] oil the full price each time you come for you and a friend ayailal‘iletoUAl’s.L'B4lls. Students. Disabled and YTS scheme) Tickets for Lyceum productions are also a\ ailable at the Ticket Centre. Waverley Bridge; branches of AT May‘s Travel and the Queens l lall. (‘lerk Street.
Blithe Spirit Fri 35 Nov—Sal Ill Dec. 7.45pm. {ISO-I7. 'I'heatreSayer holders £1 off. Sat mat IUDec. 3.15pm. FRI-LE l’reyiew Thurs 24 .\'oy . 7.45pm. The
I.) ceurn haye had considerable success
w ith their (‘oward productions in the last two years ~ Hay Fever two years ago and I’m-arc I.II‘(’.\ last year. This yearthey choose ('oward's strange late comedy about a man whose first wife comes back to haunt his current marriage after his ill-ady ised rm olyement in a seance.
The Snow Queen Tue 6- Sat 31 Dec. Schools Performances: lllam (H). 12—« 16 Dec. 2pm (r S. 12-45. 19-21 Dec; Public Performances: I‘ri lb—Sat 31 Dec 7pm (not Sat 24 Dec). 2pm 17.22—31 Dee. {250—17. There are special discounts for groups. Schools performances are open to the general public at school performance prices — [2.108; £2.40. ()ne ofthe earliest arid best of the ‘alternatiye‘ Christmas shows. Stuart Paterson's magical adaptation of the story by Hans (‘hristian Andersen. first shown at the (‘itizens' Theatre several years ago. Don‘t miss it.
ROYAL LYCEUM Mammy
Noel Coward
BLITHE SPIRIT
25 November-10 December, Mon-Sat 7.45 pm. Tickets from £2.50.
' NOW SHOWING
Sat Matinee 10 December 3.15 pm.
BOOKING NOW 031-229 9697
My; A Magical Christmas Adventure! .' ' '.
. ~--———-.’--.~-’-~ ," 3: ’ 0
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, ' Stuart Paterson I Hans Christian Andersen ' ‘ '0 o : 0
I
6-31 DECEMBER '. i, . , o, c,
'As much a delight for grown ups as it is for children . . . even it you can't beg or borrow a child,do see it" (Glasgow Herald).
Tickets from £2.50. V, price for children.
’0 or OU.O”"
Group Discounts. V7 price concessions. r o
BOOKING NOW
(031) 229 9697 (No peris- Sunday»
DON'T MISS THIS LAVISH SPECTACULAR HILARIOUS PANTOMIME
stirs
Walter Grego
Peter
Morrison Carr Fisheer as dashing Colin as as Gussie case, the Hero Mother , v (Sggcgagefiylfim IIGOI the family To " I '- Gene'ous canoes/om the very best this ' W009 ’O’C”"’d’9”
' parties, CA 95, disco/ea & benefit corrects
Christmas — take them to see Scotland’s No.l Pantomime!
Tuesday a December -
Saturday l8 February
Evenings 7pm. Matinees 2.I5pm Tickets: £475 to £0.75
Sponsmgsggn' 8W8
Box Office Open Mon-Sat IOam-8pm
EDINBURGH n ma
2 IIIVI'IN STREET «IXIIIZ‘I‘J WI
The List 25 Nov — 8 Dec 1988 25