THEATRE _
The Government Inspector (Edinburgh: King's Theatre. 3—7 Feb) London‘s excellent Almeida theatre presents this new version of the classic Russian satire on petty bureaucracy and social climbing. Scripted from (iogol's 1836 play by Paisley-born writer John Byrne. it features a high-profile. mostly Scottish cast. including lan McDiarmid. Tom Watson and Murray Hunter.
Romeo And Juliet (Glasgow: Bai'rllead Sports Centre. 3 -7 Mar) An early highlight in a bumper Bard year is this touring RSC production. But how much does the play need to be reinvented after Bax. Lubrmann's terrific film'.’
More Stately Mansions (lidinburgh International Festival. lb Aug-5 Sep) Manhattan's esteemed New York Theatre Workshop visits the Festival with this unfinished liugene ()‘Neill play adapted by Karl Ragnar Gierow. Flemish director lvo van Hove —- an ()‘Neill specialist who is artistic director of the Holland Festival -— joins the company for this production. Krapp's Last Tape (Glasgow: Citizens' Theatre. I I Feb—7 Mar) Artistic director Giles Havergal takes the solo role in Samuel Beckett's magnificent evocation of memory and decay. Master of the grotesque. Jon Pope designs Krapp's humble dwelling.
Yerma (Touring sometime this year) Communicado's associate artist. actress Alison l’eebles. returns to the company to direct l.orca's powerful Spanish drama. in which a woman's struggle to conceive a child becomes a metaphor for spiritual and social needs.
Mother Courage And
Her Children (Edinburgh: Royal Lyceum Theatre. lite—28 Mar)
Follovv ing the Lyceum‘s boisterous [995 production of The
big talent
Johnny Vegas: big man,
('uiii'iisi'iiii Chill/t Cm li'. Brecht is back. Maggie Steed stars as the woman surviving against the odds in a war-zone in the German playwriglit's complex moral fable.
Carnivali (Edinburgh: Fringe. Aug. then touring) Edinburgh's imaginative and daring Benchtours renew their collaboration with director l’ete Ht‘ooks for a new show scripted by Michael Duke about 'sex. murder and laughter'. Tobe designed by Laura Hopkins. who created the astonishing set for the company's excellent P’t'ps'ltrtlt'.
Mate In Three (Glasgow: Tron Theatre. 5-28 Mar) Artistic director Irina Brown directs the Tron company in the UK premiere of this surreal play by Vittorio Franceschi about 'a game that's gone crazy'. with original music by Chris Thomson of The Bathers.
The Chic Nerds (lidinburgh: 'l‘raverse Theatre. l3 Feb--7 Mar) lirstvvhile scribe for The List. Ronan ()' Donnell makes a high profile debut as playwright in a dark comedy about the pitfalls of rock 'n‘ roll. set in a baronial mansion.
Macbeth (Edinburgh: llrunton Theatre.
Musselburgh. 2‘) Jan« 14 Feb; (‘rlasgowz
Citizens' Theatre. l3 Feb~7 Mar) David
Mark Thomson gets to grips with the
murderous Scottish king for his next
outing at the Brnnton; while Cit/. director
Robert David MacDonald evidently
couldn't resist Shakespeaies unluckiest
play for an opening on Friday l3.
Leaves Among The Thorns (Stirling:
MacRobert Arts Centre. 2| Mar~ l4 Jun)
Halifax‘s l.().l'. Theatre transforms the
MacRobert studio into a forest of
revolving trees. each of which tells a
story in a different way. Using material
drawn from Grimm fairytales. the trees will entertain children and adults during the day. before shows and during intervals.
Othello (Touring. autumn) James
Brining directs Shakespeare's intense
tragedy of marital jealousy and racial
mistrust for TAG Theatre Company.
The last time the company presented
()i/ie/lu. Robert Carlyle was in it. He
won‘t be this time. mind.
The Angel's Share (lidinbiirgh: International Festival or Fringe. Aug. then touring) Award- winning Scots writer Chris l)olan
focuses on the myths surrounding
whisky in this new play for Ayr's
Borderline Theatre. described by
director Leslie Finlay as ‘a dark.
mysterious love story. very rich in
.lllt’l' II.
COMEDY;
Steve Coogan (Glasgow: Royal Concert Hall. Tue 10 Mar) Man of many faces Steve Coogan returns to the stage for
the first time since I993. with a stack of successful TV shows under his Pauline Calf-style sequinned belt. Joining him
at the mike will be the lovely Pauline. her equally classy brother Paul. slimy chat show host and 1)] Alan Partridge. and sleazy Portuguese crooner Tony Ferrino. who'll be happy to meet any interested ladeez after the show.
, N .1
PREVIEW OF 1998
Gogol-eyed: the Almeida company in The Government Inspector
language'. The company also revives l'inlay 's production of l)olan's play Sit/nun (touring. Feb Apr).
Passing Places (lidinburgh: 'l‘ravei‘se. ll) 25 Apr. tlien touting lllllti late May) Stephen (ireenlioi‘n‘s terrific comedy of Scots identity. presented at the 'l‘raversc early this year. receives a welcome revival.
A Midsummer Night's Dream (Stirling: Mac Robert At ls Centie. probably
Johnny Vegas (Gilded Balloon Comedy Circuit. spring) The big man of the comedy circuit returns with the- frighteningly original set that wowed last year‘s Fringe with its mix of confessionals. live pottery demos and .sin- galongs. More of an experience than a comedy show. Don‘t miss the Vegas sensation this time round.
Hello - we're The Nualas (Gilded Balloon Comedy Circuit. spring) The all~girl cult comedy Irish singing trio returns With more in the way of harmonious hilarity on the subject of all from fast food to prosthetic lovers. No one in giant Deirdre Barlow speCs was ever this funny.
Owen O'Neill (Gilded Balloon Comedy Circuit. spring) Comedy that reaches the parts cheap gags just can't, from the Irish stand-up whose recent shows have centred on the experiences of a novice navvy and an alco- holic. Not exactly gags-a-plenty. but more depth than your average comedy show.
lee And Herring (Touring. spring) The daytime telly spoof specialists return with a new touring show. Also in the offing is a telly version of the off-the-cuff pair‘s stage show This Morning With Richard N0!
Jenny Eclair (Touring. spring) More smutty asides than the average bloke can handle. from the original girl behavmg badly. Recently seen languishing in her boudoir in a Channel 5 magazine-style show of her very own. Jenny lz'cliii'r Squats. the peroxide comedy vixen returns to the touring circuit. (Ellie Carr)
autumn) .lolm Retallack directs the popular Shakespeare comedy for the reliable ()sfoid Stage Company.
Les Miserables (lidinburgh' Playhouse. lt’i Sep» I: l)ec) Following the successful tour of Red Shift Theatre Company's stripped down adaptation of the Victor lingo novel. Cameron Mackintosh strikes back with Alain Honblil and Michel Schillthth original musical in all its overblown glory. (Andrew Hurnet)
9—22 Jan 1998 THE UST 25