theatre
reviews
BALLET PREVIEW
Swan Lake Glasgow: SECC, Tue 29 & Wed 30 Jun.
‘I think ballet is the new rock 'n’ roll,’ declares Derek Deane, Artistic Director of the English National Ballet. While the Vi5ion of young girls screaming and throwmg their pants at the stage during the pas de deux doesn't quite hold, he does have a mint. His new production of Tchaikovsky classic, Swan Lake, has recently returned from a sell- out tour of Australia and Hong Kong, playing to audiences of epic proportions.
'Our largest audience in Australia was ll,000,' says Deane With more than a hint of amazement. 'I'm totally bemused by it, I didn't think it would take off as big as it has.’ This unprecedented attendance looks set to continue when the production arrives in Glasgow, with an estimated 10,000 people seeing the show over its two performances
The size of the audiences is a reflection of the production itself, choreographed in-the-round, it employs the talents of over 120 artists, including 70 swans, and a troop of acrobats and iugglers. With such a tremendous amount of visual and aural stimulation, one W0uld imagine that there is a risk of the audience being overwhelmed,
'The sheer scale of it moves yOu in different ways,’ explains Deane. 'if a
Swanning about: Derek Deane
little bit of intimacy is lost on one hand, then I think an enormous amount of feeling is created on the other. It’s more accessible, and I think people feel more comfortable with it. Ballet has always been seen as an elitist institution and we're trying to get away from that. The response has been enormous. I thought we were dying, but we're not.’
Looks as if the ballet won’t be Singing its swan song for some time yet. (Kirsty Knaggs)
As they knew it: The Gate At the World‘s End
DRAMA REVIEW The Gate At The World's End
Edinburgh: Netherbow Arts Centre, until 26 Jun w e e
It's not Qtiite the EaStEndch of the 16th century, but it seems we haven't really changed that much since 1560. Set around Netherbow Port, this clever story, written by first-time playwright Debbie Murray, incorporates the human elements of greed, vanity and lust With two honest damsels thrown in for good measure
The production successfully brings the Old Town of Edinburgh to life, While the two bawdy narrators unfold this light-hearted and entertaining glimpse into the ungraceful past of Edinburgh’s Old Town like a picture book of the Brothers Grimm. The story follows the confu5ion that breaks loose when, upon the instruction of John Knox, Peter Bailey attempts to find honest in-
house help for the wealthy McPhersons in a small society dominated by boozing and whoring. For some, the phrase 'community theatre' conjures up images of sets collapsmg and actors bumbling their lines whilst the audience cringes. However the fifth production for First Base Community Theatre is an example of how it should be. The cast of 45 makes it a large production that really deserves to go on longer than its current ten-day run The experience of director and producer Gordon Niesh shows through because the movement onstage, even if somewhat stilted on occaSion, is well choreographed, With first-time musical director Cameron Penman's interludes working in well. (Tracy Griffen)
STAR RATINGS «k «k ‘0’ it 7% Unmissable at e we at Very good it t it Worth a shot it 9: Below average at You've been warned
reviews THEATRE
'Sheer heavenly, unadulterated fun!’
SUNDAY I. XI’RE SS
I nearly died!’
BERNARD LEVIN - THE TIMES
'These~guys pack more laughter in 97 minutes than I would have believed possible'
WHAT'S ON
‘Uproariously funny'
EVENING STANDARD
'A TRIUMPH'
THE TIMES
Tuesday 22 - Saturday 26 June . 8pm 7 ‘ 3 Matinees: Wednesday 8i Saturday 2.30pm _ WW“ EDINBURGH
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is believing - Go Now!!'
SUNDAY TIMES
'Seeing
24 Jun—8 Jul 1999 THE LIST 71