FURL ioN DRAMA UBUNG [PRACTICE]
Tramway, Glasgow, Fri 8-Sun 10 Nov
The Belgian performance UBUNG, or Practice, springs from an unusual and provocative premise. Six children, aged approximately ten to fourteen, watch a black and white film of a country house-party gone sour even before it starts. A childless couple, stifled by the bourgeois trappings of success, entertain their guests. A meal is consumed in an atmosphere of boozy, hypocritical cheer. But soon deep-rooted unhappiness, sexual frustration and mid-life spiritual malaise spread like a bad smell.
Devised by Flemish writer/actor/director Josse De Pauw and the multi-disciplinary production company Victoria, Practice is no kids’ show. What role do the onstage children play in it? Early on the soundtrack is switched off. Seamlessly the young actors begin lip-syncing the words and behaviour of their screen counterparts by heart. The implication is that the sorry, ridiculous grown-ups are what these youngsters, stand-ins for children everywhere, could become. Practice makes imperfect.
Tour manager Hilde Teuchies says: ‘They are what they are, different from us. They enjoyed the gimmick of being exact with voices and intonations without thinking about emotions, or trying to be the persons they were portraying. Hard work, but fun. They didn’t think much of the
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l BALLET GRIGOROVICH
Edinburgh Festival Theatre, Mon 4—Sat 9 Nov
film. No action, no car crashes, just this boring adult stuff. But they knew very soon exactly what was going on. Of course, understanding a director’s concept is a different story.’
Teuchies insists the impressionable young cast Isn’t being exploited or forced to do anything against its will. ‘If they didn’t love being onstage we wouldn’t continue. We can’t put robots out there. They have to be able to invest in it every night.’
But isn‘t it hard for them to observe and mimic grown-up cruelty? ‘Sometimes children are more cruel
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BRITANNICUS Citizens’ Theatre, Glasgow, until Sat 16 Oct 0000
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to each other.’
She compares the group’s early difficulties to the situation of siblings who don’t necessarily choose to be together. After some 80 performances over 18 months the company has mellowed. And maybe lost its collective performing innocence? ‘The effect was stronger in the beginning,’ Teuchies herself concedes. ‘We continue with this gang till the end of March. Then, no more.‘
Who said children are cruel? (Donald Hutera)
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Theatre
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Pavilion Theatre, Glasgow, Thu 7-Sat 9 Nov
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