LISTINGS THEATRE
[ETHE— DUMBSTRUCK!
Seen at King’s Theatre, Edinburgh. On tour.
umtruck! ‘a kitsch night out’
. first hit the Tron stage in Glasgow in 3 impressive clutch of prizes including
; regional play.
with a few songs thrown in for good measure. Set in 1965 in a Glasgow
‘ ' dreams of West End stardom, only to
David Kane’s comedy Dumbstruck! April 1994 and has since picked up an the Writers’ Guild award for best new
Currently on tour across Scotland, Dumbstruck! is a pacy farce of the ‘in- one-door-and-out-the-other’ variety,
theatrical boarding house, the show introduces us to a bewildering and colourful array of has-been and hopeful performers, presided over by Elaine C. Smith as the randy, pill- popping landlady.
Singer Johnny Ramone, played with charismatic zeal by Jimmy Chisholm,
have his hopes dashed by his smarmy agent Paddy, who reminds him of a sordid past he’d rather forget. Enter
; even the most demanding farce lover.
Herman Katz (Forbes Masson), a Scots- German illusionist who also does a nifty sideline in euthanasia, and Johnny thinks all his problems are over. This is, oi course, where the fun begins.
Any plot analysis would be futile but there are enough misunderstandings, double identities and corpses that refuse to lie down and die to delight
The script is punchy and occasionally surreal (witness Johnny and Paddy’s Beckett-style debate whilst suffering temporary amnesia) and the cast
throw themselves into their roles with . energetic relish. ’
llumbstruckt, which follows closely
; in the footsteps of Joe Orton, is British I farce at its best and if you’re looking
for a kitsch night out full of i knockabout humour, look no further. I i
(Cathryn O’Neill)
directed by Mhair‘i (iilbert.
I PEARCE INSTITUTE l.ithgow Theatre. 840 Govan Road (opposite (iovan Underground). 445 194]. [Access: l’. ST. Facilities: WC. WS. H. (3. Help: AA] Extremities Wed zo—rin 28 Apr. 7.30pm. £3 (£1). lattice Draper directs William Mastrosirrrone's tale of a worrran's thirst for revenge against her rapist for fledgling Glasgow theatre company. Cascade.
I TRON THEATRE (i3 Trongate. 552 4267. (Access: PPA. ST. R. l.. l‘acilities: WC. WS. H. G. C. Help: AA]
Diary of a New York llueen Until Sat 22 Apr. 8pm. £7.5()/£6.5() (Li/£2.50). Adapted by ex-Trarnway main man Neil Wallace. directed by Lucille ()‘l‘lanagan and starring Harold liinley as Nicky. the young queen and fashion slave who embarks on a sex. shopping and scandal ridden voyage of self-discovery.
I‘VUI' all ll'lttvft'xt ('l't’lll.\' at this l‘t’tlllt’ we separate listings.
1 available from Queen's Hall and Usher
I CHURCH HILL THEATRE LITTLE THEATRE
Morningside Road. 228 1155. Tickets
Hall Box Offices and J. and A. Cruicksharrk or Harvest (iarden (opposite theatre).
I Chan Fhada Gu Maduinn/Not Long Till Morning liri 2S Apr. 7.30pm. £3.50 (£3.50). The l‘fdinburgh liling offering from Edinburgh's (’iaelrc Drama (iroup, who present a one-act pla} about the last night of a World War I soldier condemned for desertion. Music comes courtesy ol a capella choir performing (iaelrc. Scots. African and medieval selections.
I Young At Heart Wed .‘x .\l.t_\'. 7pm. L25!) (USU). The l€dinburglr Young 'l'heatre take aiaunt through musical history llt‘lt! the 20s to the present day v. ith a special performance for the lidinlrurgh l'llllL',
I EDINBURGH FESTIVAL THEATRE a
Nicolson Street. 52‘) (Mill). [At‘c‘cssi l.. Facilities: \\"(‘. \VS. AS. II. (I T. Help; ."\) Three Steps to Heaven Mon 3-1»-l-’ri 2s
Apr. Spin. Sat 2‘) .-\pr‘ (rpm & 0pm. : £3.75 U350. (iel out those blue stlt‘tle ;
shoes for [tax id (‘osgrove's musical comedy romp through rock 'n' roll lusto: x with the ll‘itl\lc' l‘l Ruddy lloll}. ‘l he lire
Hopper and Ritchie \alens.
I FRENCH INSTITUTE l3 l-landolplr (‘I'CSCL‘IIL .735 5 Wm
Cyrano De Bergerac sat 2: \k't-tl 3n ,\;~ Sat \‘(etl 3.10pm: 7.30pm. Mon Went -l..iilpnt. (5.50 t L RFD/USU tor l,l<t' school students) See 'l‘ourirrg.
I GLASITE MEETING HOUSE 33 litllirll‘. Street. W sow. ' No Earthly Kingdom int-3 stir n .\l.t} Spin 9.31 (£950), lldinburgh lr‘ling (‘la‘v \ host to 'l he Silent l'otrznlation v. :tli .r perl'oirnance tha' dies deep into the
forgotten la: \to:\ ‘)l the ( il.l\\ll'\‘ rel: ’i’rti‘
lttti‘.;‘i:".";i n i ':t3.ltlil’.’li
||
Catch the best theatre this fortnight.
l Mayfest: Billy Connolly Double-Bill John Muitagh tone ot'Connolly's co- stars in television's Down Among the Big litrvi’) directs Borderline Theatre Company in two vintage plays penned by the Big Yin. Side-splitters assured. Pavilion Theatre. Glasgow.
I lucky Mime theatre frontiersman David (ilass performs his first solo show in years. a piece about autism which takes its name from Pozzo’s slave in ll'tn'tine For (Jar/at. 'l'lrt'atre lib/'ks'ltnp, lit/inlnujelr.
I The Castle Scottish premiere for Howard Barker’s powerful play. in a production by Kenny lreland. artistic director of both the Lyceum atrd Barker \pecialists the Wrestling School. Royal lyt‘ennr 'l'lrcatrt', lz’tlirrlnuylr.
I Mayfest: Born Guilty lain Reekie directs his most ambitious project since taking tip the reins at 7:84 Theatre (‘oinpany about relations between today‘s lens and the descendants of Nazis in modern l‘iurope. Citizens" ’l'lrt'att’t'. (ilasgnrr:
I Dumbstruck! The Two Theatre (‘oiupanvs production of David Kane's much-praised comedy. revived for a tour of niaior‘ venues, Not big. not clever. iust farce. liirrt'i/rg.
be found in the listings above.
_[hursday_2:_7ii_; Friday 28
Saturday 29 . Sunday 30
For 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.
Monday 1
This grid includes theatre and dance performances at Glasgow‘s and Edinburgh‘s main theatres, more information can
Tuesday 2 Waring-stat?) T‘h‘urfsdéii:
See Comedy ; See Corrredy
[ MAYFEST EVENTS ARE LISTED__S~E_Ef’ARATELY IN THE MAYFEST DIARY 0N PAGE 23 )
-— Arsenic & Lace
-— Sec LittlllL'tl)
Sec Corned}
. ' u... .- . _-_____-.l . ___. c Oh What a 1.0vely Warl. ()h What .1 Intel} War? See Jan. I See Comedy Sec Music _ __ i i ._ .— Three Steps to Heaven. Three Steps to lleaxerr 'l‘lrree Slcps lo lleaxen -- - see Chi-“Cf” g 51‘s ('luvical See Classical (la the l’iste ()n the l’isre ,' ()n the Piste On the Piste ___.__—___-___,_, Burning Issues Burning Issues _ i v ‘ !H_" "_"'_" """""—"-" "—"—‘_-_~—‘ -.._._._r?i£3_-._-. _. "-‘ 1‘” Mm taunt l':\'ltzt ; Exit: livita - _._..__. m _ ~ iL The Castle The Castle Dr Crippcn l)r (‘rippen l)r (‘rippen — ’ y _ " LINK." LUCK)" l ‘1. — Dream Machine l A is for Abba i A is for Abba
The Collection
The List 21 Apr-4 May I995 59