THEATRE LIST
popularity of Eastern theatre when tickets for shows like Ninagawa‘s massive Shakesperian productions have been amongst the hottest in town. Japanese directors are as interested as their counterparts in Europe and America in the sheer spectacle and physicality of Kabuki and the lyricism of No — both styles of performance with traditions that go back centuries. So Scottish
City. Tucked away in the middle ofthe run. the group had no reason to expect this show to do better or worse than anything else. but somehow it caught the collective imagination of New York theatre-goers. ‘We were quite surprised.‘ says Gregg Ward who was dealing with the publicity at the time. ‘but we sold out every night.‘
For its Scottish debut. Gregg Ward has moved into the director‘s seat and put together a cast which includes his wife. Donna Orlando. and veterans of companies like Communicado. Oxygen House and Mandela ' Theatre. Ever the perfectionist. John Reaves has re-written parts of the play. while lower costs and better contacts have allowed the use of live video monitors as he had originally intended. lt isan ambitious work which blends a touching love story. with modern technology while taking time to sweep forward some five centuries into a galaxy populated by human beings.
Chic Wilson who was recently seen in John McKenzie's Busted. plays Stick. the narrator. a character who refuses to communicate with the outside world until that world is threatened by nuclear holocaust. ‘The play touches on many
splendid opportunity on 26June when Nakamura Matazo leads a five day masterclass on the techniques and traditions of Kabuki at the RSAMD. Nakamura began his career as an actor apprenticed to one ofthe legendary Kabuki performers and has since been involved with the Japan National Theatre training programme and has taught all over the world. Booking details and information about fees and bursaries are available from Jean
An occasional round-up of plays recently in print by Scottish writers or currently being performed here.
I Woman In Mind Faber and Faber. £3.95. Once you‘ve accepted Alan Ayckborn‘sever-so English settings — tea on the lawn. vicarages and tennis courts ~ you can start to appreciate not only his sense of humour and his masterly control of stage craft. but also his genuine sensitivity. Very un-Brechtian. but a pleasant read nonetheless. See Royal Lyceum. Edinburgh for performances.
I Best Radio Plays ol1988 Methuen/BBC. £14.99 (H/B). The long-running series of best plays reaches last year with
Y these five Giles Cooper Award Winners. For the I firsttimeintheAward‘s ] history all ofthe plays
themes.‘ explains Ward. 'but the idea of choice is central. For Stick the choice is whether he's going to talk or not.'To this end the play has two endings; one in which he keeps quiet and the other in which he puts his vast. silently accumulated knowledge to global use. (Mark Fisher).
Solo Flight performed by American Connexion is at Theatre Workshop. Edinburgh. 22—24Jane.
KABUKI MASTERCLASS Recent Edinburgh
International Festivals have proved the
were first broadcast on
Radio 4. Of particular
interest is Rona Munro‘s The Dirt Under The
Nakamura Matazo
actors and directors have a . « himselfawell-known
Nicholson on ()1 837 5862. r
? PLAYS IN PRINT ‘
Best Radio Plays of1988
Carpet which was produced by Radio Scotland‘s Stewart Conn.
Edinburgh playwright. Munro demonstrates a sophisticated command of radio technique and a sharp ear for Aberdonian speech in her very amusing tale of two office cleaners who piece together the lives ofthe workers for whom they tidy up. but never see. There is a darker edge to the play which makes it well worth reading. The other plays are Excess Baggage by Ken
Blakeson . J as! Remember Two Things: It's Not Fair and Don 't Be Late by Terence F risby. Cigarettes and Chocolate by Anthony Mingella and Apple Blossom Afternoon by Dave Sheasby.
‘ w
I Old Town Season Marketing people are starting to learn that it is easier to push a number of
diverse events under one
umbrella title than it isto sell them individually. One of the latest cover-all ‘festivals‘ is taking place around the High Street. Canongate and Cowgate area of Edinburgh from 20 June until the end ofJuly. It‘s happy to embrace anything that would have taken place anyway in The Netherbow. The Traverse and the various galleries in the area. but it isalso makinga special effort by organising a procession and a traditional fairon Sat 24 June. Theatre highlights include Theatre Co-op's Last ofthe Lairds and a new season of lunchtime plays from Oxygen House.
I Edinburgh DistrictArts Council Edinburgh District Arts Council is the first local Arts Council to be set up in a Scottish city and especially in its early days it is keeping itselfopen to comments and suggestions from people who might benefit from the £30.000 it has acquired from the District Council. ltsfirst newsletter is available and for £2 you can become an affiliated member. To enquire about grants. contribute to the newsletter or simply to join contact Roger Jones. Edinburgh District Arts Council. 17 Waterloo Place. Edinburgh E111 3BG.
LISTINGS
THEATRE ACCESS DIRECTORY
In conjunction with the Scottish Council For Disability. The List will be expanding on venue information of relevance to disabled people over the coming months. The project begins with the Theatre section and it's hoped that over the next few issues all the venues listed in this section will joinlhose encoded this time. During the change-over period. the existing disability codes ([0] lor facilitieslorthe disabled. and [E] for facilities for the hard at hearing) will be run alongside the new system. We‘re keen to hear your views and suggestions on what information is most uselul and how itshould be presented. Write to The Editor. 14 High Street, Edinburgh EH1 1TE.
KEY
Access: 1’ = Parking Facilities. PPA = Parking to be Pre-Arranged. L = Level Access. R = Ramped Access. ST = Steps to negotiate.
Facilities: WC = Adapted ’I'oilet(s). WS = Wheelchair Spaces. AS = AdjacentSeats. E = Induction Loop System. G = Guide Dogs Allowed. R = Restaurant Accessible. B = Bar Accessiblefl‘ = Adapted Telephone.
Help: A = Assistance Available. AA = Advise Venue in Advance.
LISTINGS
Theatre is listed by city first. then byvenue. running in alphabetical order. Touring shows are listed separately under the relevant heading. KEY: [0] facilities lorthe disabled. [E] facilities lorthe hard of hearing. usually an induction loop system. For prices. price in brackets eg (£1 .50) is the concessionary price. Long running shows. unless specified otherwise. do not run on Sundays.
GLASGOW
I CITIZENS’ THEATRE Gorbals Street. 429 0022. Box Office Mon—Sat 10am—8pm. Bar. [Access: P. 1.. Facilities: WC. WS. E. G. R. Help: AA]
Road Until Sat 1 July. 7.30pm. The Citizens‘ second summer season kicks off with 7:84's Glaswegian interpretation of Jim Cartwright‘s play thanks to the sponsorship of Strathclyde Region. It is a powerful and bitterly funny study of inner-city life though some would say too bleak.
I CRAWFURD THEATRE Jordanhill College. 76 Southbrae Drive. Glasgow. 041 950 3437/3438. [Access: P. R. Facilities: WC. W5. E. G. R. B. Help: A. AA].
See Dance Listings.
I CUMBERNAULD THEATRE Cumbernauld. 0236 732887. Box Office Mon—Fri 10am—6pm; Sat 10am—3pm; 6—8pm perf. evgs Bar/Cafe. [Access: PPA. ST. Facilities: WC. WS. G. B. Help: A. AA]. Just Kidding Until Sat 24 June. The fortnight of international entertainment for children continues. See Kids Listings. I DRAMA CENTRE l261ngram Street. 552 5827. [Access: P. ST. Facilities WS. G. Help: A. AA].
Water of Llle Until Sat 17 June. 7. 30pm. Strathclyde Theatre Group in a cheerful new thriller by Chris Ballance about the final year in the lives of Burke And Hare. The Glasgow-based playwright is one of the contributors to Radio Scotland's satirical series The Daily Sketch. Marat/Sade Tue 17 June—Sat 1 July. 7.30pm. Strathclyde Theatre Group stage the Peter Weiss play made famous by its first production in 1964 by Peter Brook. Philosophies ofviolent sexuality are expounded by Marat. the revolutionary leader. and the Marquis de Sade who directs the inmates ofan asylum through
*7
an extreme theatrical performance. One ofthe more bizarre ways to celebrate the French Revolution.
I EAST KILDRIDE VILLAGE THEATRE Maxwell Drive. 03552 48669.
The Amorous Prawn Until Sat l7June. 7.30pm. £2.50 (£1 .50) except Wed 14 £1.50. The East Kilbride Rep Theatre Club have a shot at this popular play.
I GLASGOW ARTS CENTRE 12 Washington Street. 221 4526. [Access: PPA. R. Facilities: WC. R. G. Help: A. AA]. New Writers '89 Wed 21—Fri 30June. 7.30pm. £2 donation. New plays in the first week (Wed 21—Sat 24) are From Glory Road to the Terminus. AboutA Fortnight A go and H eight of the Season . The second week‘s selection (Tue 27—Sat 30) features Desolation and TheAngel. Soggy Socks and Waiting for Change. See Preview.
I KINGS THEATRE Bath Street. Box Office. Mon—Sat noon—6pm. 4 bars. Phone bookings. Ticket Centre. Candleriggs. Mon—Sat l0.30am—6.30pm. ()41227 551 1. [Access: P. L. Facilities: WC. R. G. Help: A. AA].
The King‘s is taking a summer breakand will re-open on 7 August.
I MITCHELL THEATRE Granville Street. 221 3198. Box Office Mon—Sat noon—6pm. Bar. Cafe. Tickets also available from the Ticket Centre. Candleriggs. 227 5511 Mon—Sat 10.30am—6.30pm. [Access: PPA. ST. Facilities: WC. WS. G. R. B. Help: A. AA].
Next production starts 3 July.
I PAISLEY ARTS CENTRE New Street. Paisley. 887 1010. Box Office open Tue—Sun noon—8.30pm. Bar (open noon—l 1pm Tue—Sat; 12.30—230pm & 6.30—1 1pm Sun. Meals served). Cafe
(open noon—l 1pm). [Access: PPA. ST. Facilities: WC. WS. E. G. R. B. Help: A. AA].
The Sorcerer's Tale Wed 14-Fri 16June. 7.30pm. £2.50. The Old Grammarians‘ Amateur Dramatic Society first performed James Scotland‘s monastery farce in 1969 when they played the First Dundalk International Festival. They have revived the show to celebrate the Festival‘s 21st year.
Brandon: The Experience of a Lifetime Fri 23 June. 8pm. £2 (£1 ). Brandon was an East Anglian labour camp for unemployed workers in the 1930s whose inmates. influenced by the Welsh mining strike. demonstrated a strong spirit ofresistance. Sheffield Popular Productions‘ play is based on this hidden chapter ofworking class history and set in the l990s.
I PALACE THEATRE 9 Green Street. Kilmarnock. ()563 23590. [Access: P. L. Facilities: WC. WS. E. G. R. B. Help: A. AA].
Calamity Jane Wed 2 l—Fri 23 June. 7.30pm. £2.50. Grange Academy in the popular musical.
I PAVILION THEATRE 121 Renfield Street. 332 1846. Box Office Mon—Sat 10am—8pm. Bar. [Access: ST. Facilities: WS. G. Help: AA].
Peter Powers live ry Wed—Sat. 7.30pm. Wed £3. Thurs & Fri £3.50. Sat £4. Fun and games with hypnotism for the next four weeks. See Rock Listings for other events.
I ROYAL SCOTTISH ACADEMY OF MUSIC AND DRAMA 100 Renfrew Street. 041 332 5057. [Access: PPA. L. Facilities: WC. WS. AS. R. B.T. G. Help: A.AA].
A Midsummer Night's Dream Tue 20—Fri 23 June. 7.15pm. £2(£1). Always a popular play at this time of year. this production is by Final Year DDA students and directed by Peter McAlIister.
Kabuki Workshop Mon 26—Fri 30June. 10.30am—4pm. £65 (Up to 16 SAC bursaries worth £35 are available). Contact Jean Nicholson on ()1 837 5862 for detailsofjoining this workshop with Nakamura Matazo aimed at professional performers. See dance listings.
Annual Diploma Performance Wed 28June. 2pm. Free by ticket. Final DDA students