Theatre
REVIVAL. SHINING SOULS Tron Theatre, Glasgow, Thu 13
Feb—Sat 1 Mar
When Chris Hannan’s Shining Souls makes its Glasgow premiere, it will bring with it glowing reports from Edinburgh, London and Chicago. The irony is that it’s set in the Tron’s own backyard. With its scenes haggling over men’s suits in the Barras, this modern day ‘city comedy’ is East End Glasgow to the core.
But Hannan is glad his award- winning comedy, which is being revived in a co-production between the Tron and V.amp, has taken such a circuitous route. ‘l’ve enjoyed the fact that you can write a play set in Glasgow and it can go on in Edinburgh, London and Chicago,’ he says. ‘And I think Glasgow people like that idea: if something comes with a New York Times review, it makes them perk up a bit.’
Last time round, at the Traverse in 1996, Shining Souls starred Alison Peebles as the befuddled Ann, a woman saddled with two lovers - both called Billy. She’s about to get married to one of them, but is haunted by her tragic past. Like the other characters, she is driven by her search for some kind of spiritual light.
This time the lead role goes to Kath Howden, back on stage after her award-nominated performance in the Royal Lyceum’s Victory, while the talented Peebles has moved into the director’s chair. As if that wasn’t impressive enough, the ten-strong
iHRiLLtn DIAL ‘M’ FOR MURDER
Citizens’ Theatre Glasgow, Thu 6 Feb-Sat 1 Mar
cast includes Dave Anderson, Una McLean and Matt Costello.
‘It is a better play now,’ says Hannan who has rewritten it for this production, in between working on film scripts and a novel. ‘I don’t think anyone would think it was a different play, but rewriting makes sense. Theatre is such a moment-to- moment activity, the chances of you
our. MAN Sl l()\.'\.’ THE FEVER
Citizens’ Theatre,
Glasgow, Wed 5 Feb-Sat
On the face of it. Frederick Knott's melodramatic 50s thriller. 1 Mar adapted famously to film in Alfred Hitchcock's production. is
an implausihle piece of programming for the Citx. hut That's the tlting ahout the director and designer Kenny lvliller stands; hy the dark
stylishness of the thriller.
So how is it different from the original. a tale of conspiracy. murder. hlackmail and a slightly slea/y menage a trois;’? 'l'ye purposely cast it younger than it's normally cast. which makes; it feel a lot 3dgier.' he says. ‘lt tends; to attract you to the relationships in the play more.‘ And what a cast it is. ‘.‘.’llll Liam Brennan. Andrea Hart and Stephen Scott as the tangled trio. and Ann Marie Timoney cast as a female (l(}l(3(lll‘.’(} rather than the usual s;mart. fatherly
Inspector Huhhard.
Miller's design choices. al'~.'./ays; a highlight in his
Dinner ‘.‘.r'l.‘h Arturo.
The Fever.
USA: 't's so far to the Scotland. Well. Its il‘eatre is. anyx'ray, 'l‘hose fan: ia" ‘.'.’!l.’t American actor dran‘at st Wallace Shay/it's art droll. metropolitan cnic. r‘lei.’
:e o‘
performed at the l'rayerse a few years; hack inlgl‘t he surpr'sed hy hrs egualiy acclaimed one man sho‘.'.'.
Chris Hannan: wedding day blues
getting it right the first time are zero. When you sit through ten shows, the memories of how people respond are burnt into your mind. You get a sense of what moments are working and what aren’t. It’s especially true with humour. If you know that certain gags work, you can build on them.’ Light seekers, step this way. (Mark Fisher)
ADAl > lAl ION CHERI Citizens' Theatre, Glasgow, Thu 6 Feb—Sat 1 Mar
It is; prohahly fair to suggest that nohody does sex quite like the French. Not that I'm speaking from personal experience. merely that when it comes; to hedroom husiness; and all that palayer. we Brits are renowned for our sul)inis;si\.'eiress. ‘.'/llll(} the l-‘rench are certainly the more dominant of the species.
Adapted by Robert Davrd MacDonald from the controyersial 1920 French novel by Sidonie Barielle Colette. Cheri kicks off another season of strong and dryerse productions from the CW. directed and designed hy Philip Prowse. Focusing on the intense relationship between an older woman and a younger man. the tale strips hare the emotional bones of a partnership frowned upon hy society. Based on Colette's own life. the hook has heen paralleled ‘.'.’llll DH Lax-Jr'ence's Lady Chatter/ms; I over ll‘. terms of its (2()llll‘()\.’(}l'Sl£t| content. And it isn't tl‘e first time Colette's; literature has been adapted for the stage another of her noyels. Gigi. was famously turned into a musical hy Alan Jay Lerner and l rederick Loewe.
Liying a dual life of striptease artist by day and mime artist by night. or ‘.'l(I(I' \ersa. Coiette also found ttrne to per‘: pornographx: literature. Surely an lllf3l)l"£lll()ll to us all? Bai'hara Cartand doesn‘t exen come close. i(»‘iareth Dél‘JfZ'EEI
productions. look like adding atmosphere. He's forcing us to watch much of the production through two massive ‘.'.’lll(l()‘.'/S and screens of game to emphasise the voyeurism of the thriller. ‘lt's; exactly like looking out of your flat. and seeing something happen in the fat across the road.‘ Miller says. (Steve Crameri
Kenny Miller with a meaningful stair
62 THE LIST it" '2 i -'.-2
Steu'xart Porter. a nude-l1. respected. and. to this crrtic. much ;.n<lei'used performer .n the SCOIIIS". theatre has taken on the 'nighty role o" the Traxe ler ‘or ti‘e occasci‘. ar‘d takes up ll‘O iiietapho" o‘ the story; ‘l'he character is a gin, r" a hotel roon: in a forerg" coantry. '.'.’(}1l()l"l «hon-s unhere
Porter cabin fever
exactly, but :t's a poo". llt'!‘(l ‘.'.'o"ld country rte s; y s. ‘l le comes doz'rn ‘.'.’ll’t a fewer. and goes to t"e bathroom to he sick. \Jl/ltat he yomr‘s .ll) is a'. l‘ s gu .t ahout l‘S pnyilegeu. ‘.'./e|l~to-do Neu'.’ York background. and its; :ndr“<:~r-:>r‘.ce to We rest of the-1'xor‘d. where otl‘e" people are exploit-ad fo' " s henefrt.’
'lhe narratye go 3s o ‘ to see the (:naracter ;:::"t"ont a"u resolye his guilt. \‘x’hat's fascinatng at out the {are :s; t'tat it nearly remained tll‘f3(}(}".. 'l le or g'rtal'y ‘.'.'ro'.e r'. as a yen. personal piece. £1l‘(l‘.'.’£tf$l.lf;l gong fotriehossesof small groups of friei‘ds and perform ng l', it: t'ieiit.' he says. ‘lt ‘u'rasn't Lint: a couple of years ‘atei that he '.'.’(:l‘l agar"st " :1. original intention of keeping it prixate. ‘.‘.’l‘-I}'l “e it‘d/gt". t Seamus Whitty ii‘igl‘.t Help a small tl‘eati‘e.' Steye :‘zt’lti/E" pops his Chéri