LISTINGS THEATRE
l0am—8pm. Bar. [Access: ST. Facilities: WS. G. Help: AA]
Ben Elton Until Fri 26 Mar. 7.30pm. £7.50—£l l.50. See Cabaret and preview. I ROYAL SCOTTISH ACADEMY OF MUSIC AHD DRAMA 100 Renfrew Street. 332 5057. [Access: PPA. ST. L. Facilities: WC. W5. H. G. C. Help: A. AA]
The lower oepths Until Fri 26 Mar. 7.l5pm. £2 (£l ). Sign language interpretation Fri 26 Mar. Maxim Gorky‘s slum drama is performed by Second Year students and directed by Joyce Deans. flew Moves Sat 27 Mar. See Dance.
I STRATHCLYDE ARTS CENTRE 12 Washington Street. 221 4526. [Access: P. PPA. R. ST. Facilities: WC. G. C. Help: A. AA]
llo More long Faces Until Fri 26 Mar. 7.30pm. Five young friends come to terms with suicide in Toonspeak Theatre Company's devised play designed to encourage open discussion and confidence.
llo Mean Fighter Mon 5 Apr. 7.30pm. See Touring.
I THEATRE ROYAL Hope Street. 332 9000. Box Office Mon—Sat l()am-6pm. (7.30pm on perf evgs). Bar. Buffet. [Access: PPA. ST. R. Facilities: WC. W8. H. G. C. Help:
AA]
The Scottish Ballet Umil Sat 27 Mar. See Dance and review.
On the Ledge Tue 30 Mar—Sat 3 Apr. Thurs and Sat mats 2.30pm. Audio- described production on Sat mat. £4—£l5.5(). High-rise hilarity in Alan Bleasdalc’s new play produced by the Royal National Theatre and Nottingham Playhouse. Bleasdale himself insisted on touring to Glasgow (along with his other favourite cities. Newcastle. Belfast and Liverpool). recognising that his abrasive sense of humour and political perspective will be in good company here. See feature.
I TRAMWAY 25 Albert Drive. 227 55l 1. [Access: P. PPA. R. Facilities: WC. W5. H. G. C]
No theatre this issue.
I TRON THEATRE 63 Trongate. 552 4267. Box Office Mon 10am—5pm; Tue—Sat lOam until performance commences; Sun 6pm until performance commences. No
HEE- 'l'liE SCAPECoAT
Seen at Tron Theatre, Glasgow. At lletherbow Theatre, Edinburgh, until Sat 21 March.
Imagine lorca with machine guns and you’re in the territory of Clive Paton’s political drama, given its professional British premiere by Fifth Estate. Set in a flctlonallsed Spain, the play purports to be about the rise to power of a Fascistlc young general, but spends most of its time on the sub-plot about a look-alike girl and servant who swap clothes and deceive the girl’s bull- fighter father, politician mother and senile grandmother.
If the play is to work as a political allegory, and this is the claim of the programme note, it’s difficult to see where the parallels lie. That dictators succeed through bullying, mesmeric charisma and betrayal of trust is undoubtedly true, but so yrs after Arturo Ill and 400 after lllchard Ill, this is not a particularly sophisticated observation to make. There does seem to be a whole layer of argument waiting to be drawn together by Paton’s script - the oppressiveness of poverty, the sexual appeal of the bull fighter, the control of the establishment and the vulnerability of democracy - but it remains beneath
1’
the surface, never fully articulated.
Allan Sharpe’s production is brisk and stylish, even if its thtrical high point does come right at the start when a round of gunfire slashes a scar of red spray-paint across the white- washed back wall. Paul Ambrose Wright’s appealineg simple design is elegantly lit by Gerry Corcoran and the acting is controlled and confident. But for all we may be absorbed from moment to moment, the play leaves little room for emotional or political engagement and it’s difficult to feel horrified or moved by the time the closing scene of carnage comes around. (Mark Fisher)
performances on Monday. [Access: PPA. ST. R. L. Facilities: WC. W8. H. G. C. Help: AA]
Mrs Ceausescu‘s Organisation of love Until Sun 28 Mar. 7.30pm. £6.50/£5 (£3.50/£3). Plain Clothes Productions returns to the Tron after the success of Blue Night in the Heart of the West a couple of years ago. This new play is by
Phil Smith who creates a love story in the heart of a Europe riddled with crime and corruption. The highly praised production features choreography by Liz Ranken (recently in residence at the CCA) and lighting by Ace McCarron (who did such a fine job on The Europeans at Tramway recently).
llo Mean Fighter Tue 30 Mar—Sun 4 Apr.
7.30pm. £6.50/£5 (£3.50/£3): See Touring.
EDINBURGH
I CHORCH HILL THEATRE Momingside Road. 228 l 155. Tickets available from Queen‘s Hall and Usher Hall Box Offices and .l. and A. Cruikshank (opposite theatre).
Calamity Jane Mon 29 Mar—Sat 3 Apr. 7.30pm. Sat mat 2.30pm. £5 (£4). Wild West musical fun perfomled by SMYCMS.
I KIHC’S THEATRE 2 Leven Street. 229 l20l. Box Office Mon—Sat 10am-8pm. Bar. [Access: R. L. Facilities: WC. W3. H. G. Help: AA]
The Sound of Music Until Sat 3 Apr. 7.30pm. Wed and Sat mats 2.30pm. Extra mat Fri 26 Mar. 2.30pm. £7.50—£l8.50. Return visit for this touring production starring Liz Robertson and Christopher Cazenovc.
I LORETTO THEATRE Loretto School. Musselburgh.
Playboy of the Western World Tue 30 Mar—Fri 2 Apr. 7.30pm. £4 (£2). The Pageant Players in J. M. Synge's Irish tragi-comedy.
I HETHERDOW ARTS CENTRE 43 High Street. 556 9579. Box Office. l0am-4.30pm. 7-9pm perf. evgs. Cafe. [Access: ST. R. L. Facilities: WC. W8. H. G. C. Help: A. AA]
The Scapegoat Until 27 Mar. 7.30pm. £5.50 (£3.50). The most popular new play in Russia gets its British professional premiere by the enterprising Fifth Estate. Clive Paton‘s play is set in a post-Franco Spain in which a nation tries to get used to the idea of democracy. See review. Puppet and Animation Festival Tue 30 Mar—l0 Apr. See Film and Kids listings. I PLAYHDOSE THEATRE Greenside Place. 557 2590. [Access: R. L. Facilities: WC. W8. G. C]
Ben Elton Sun 28 Mar. 7.30pm.
£7.50—£l 1.50. See Cabaret.
I ROYAL LYCEOM THEATRE Grindlay Street. 229 9697. Box Office Mon—Sat 10am—6pm. l0am—8pm on perf. evgs. Bar. Rest/Cafe [Access: P. L. Facilities: WC. W5. H. G. C. T. Help: A. AA]
This grid includes theatre and dance performances at Glasgow and Edinburgh’s main theatres, more information can be found in the listings above. For details of events at Community Centres and other venues, see detailed listings elsewhere in this section. For details of cabaret and music events see appropriate listings. Performances shown in brackets are previews. Friday 2 mm a Sunday 4 _ ‘ ‘ Monday 5 ‘ _ Tuesday 5 Wednesday 7 Thursday 8 Double Fantasy 1 Double Fantasy Double Fantasy Double Fantasy « Love & Pocket Money Love & Pocket M Love & Pocket Money What The Butler What The Butler Saw What The Butler Saw What The Butler Saw - i What The Butler Saw What The Butler Saw What The Butler Saw Preparadise . . . Preparadise . . . Preparadise . . Preparadise . . . t - ‘ Preparadise . . . Preparadise . . . Preparadise . . . Pitchfork Disney Pitchfork Disney Pitchfork Disney Pitchfork Disney - Pitchfork Disney Pitchfork Disney Pitchfork Disney Shirley Valentine Shirley Valentine Shirley Valentine » j g M - — .— ‘ ' i — wonky Jane Calamity Jane — — t- _ _. - ' - - - Mystery . . . Mystery of the Rose . . . ofthe Rose . . . Mystery of the Rose . . . RATS. : — - — .. _ - , _ - _ .. _ _ _ _ _ On The Ledge On The Ledge On The Lodge — - — - — No Mean Fighter No Mean Fighter No Mean Fighter - L— — — — Calamity Jane Calamity Jane Calamity Jane — .. _ .. _ Sound of Music Sound of Music ' Sound ofMusic — - . - g I — — see Kids and Film see Kids and Film see Kids and - see Kids and Film ‘ 0 Film see Kids and Film (Merlin) Merlin . Merlin ' r - " fl Merlin . I Merlin Let America Come Let America Come — _ L ' __Politics/Hostess_ Politics/Hostess The Swan The Swan . The Swan The Swan A - The Swan The Swan The Swan
The List 26 March—8 April I993 49