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Don’t g ut WliDOUl your test on
If you thought there was nowhere to see young companies
experimenting, you haven’t heard about the Arches. Words: Steve Cramer
ho says men can't inulti-task'.’ Andy Arnold.
artistic director of the Arches. is keeping a
wary eye on his daughter. who's propelling herself around a houncy castle at speed. while answering hard questions on his mobile. At the other end of the line. I ask him ahout the function of the second annual l‘estiyal of New Theatre.
is there a theme'.’ ‘Well. the idea is to giye people space to explore new work.’ he says. ‘This year. there's a lot ol‘ quite yisual work. hut that's not the only kind. We like the idea of proyiding spaces for people to explore their work. without it haying to he ahout something in particular. \Ve'ye learned a hit from last year. where the programme was almost too big. There was almost too much going on. All the same. there'll he a lot of stuff to see eyet'y day. I think it's important that eyeryone is doing work in the same huilding. so the artists can .see each other's work. and feed off that.’
Most tempting for this critic is Bru:il. Here writer Ronan O'Donnell — whose Spurn/mm was certainly the highlight ol l.ook()ut's last hill of short plays. Singles Night — presents a wild. surreal political story. an exploration of a future war hetween litirope and the l'SA. through the character of an alienated hut insightful man liying in an urhan wasteland. This new company. Theatre of the Imagination. could haye a genuinely exciting alternatiye yision for Scottish theatre. which has sanitised political comment for too long. Director (iraeme Maley' is one of the most exciting prospects on the current Scottish scene and. with producer Kate .\lc(}rath and associate artist Liam Brennan. presents l‘orinidahle potential.
New Yorker thut Scottish natiye) Diana Torr is in Glasgow to present her Drug Kings and Sub/(wry. the story of a negiected liousewit’e who decides. in the absence of sexual attention from her hushand. to
A neglected housewife decides to embark upon a succession of sexual adventures with her friends
Beardy bird Diana Torre
emhark upon a succession ol‘ sexual adyentures with her friends. shitting her identity through male disguise. lt's strictly l'or oyer los. this one.
A company called \\'ay ward hrings together l‘oriner l’et'th Theatre artistic director Andrew McKinnon with the Dutch actor llertnan Van Baar. Their play is an exploration ol' process. in which the relationship hetween an actor and director. personal and prol‘essional. is explored. Along with an interesting work-in-progress from popular lringe company. Ridiculusmus. they present the potential tor some sllt't'c‘ul comic l'CilL‘l'.
This year's winners of the Arches new directors award are l-‘iona ('olc and Neil Doherty. (‘ole's contrilnition is Beautiful Anger. which explores the t'rtIstrations of personal relationships. particularly through the emotion ot‘ anger. Three perl'ormers explore the idea ot' slow huild-ups of rage in our relationships. and the yiolent and disruptixe consequences ol these emotions. each character showing dit'l'ercnt ttldltllbslillltttts ot the same l‘eeling.
Doherty. meanwhile. presents Joyce ('arol ()ates‘ 'Iiinc ('luslt'rs. a lragmented narratiye. The story of the discoyery ot' the hody ol‘ a l3- year-old girl in a suhurhan home. it sets out to disrupt our expectations ot’ this coml‘ortahle lil'estylc. Has the son ot the couple w ho reside at the house committed the grisly crime'.’ l-ind out. For all the narratiye driy'c. how cx'er. the \isual aspects are important. These are created hy a group of \isual artists. and include the Use of 3D el‘l'ects. animation and \ ideo.
Random Accomplice. a new company formed by two RSAMD graduates will present a thriller with social aspects called Nor/ting In I'i'ur .-lnymort'. In it. two llattttttlc‘s discuss setting the world to rights oy‘ct' dinner. hut things get finally out ol‘ hand as the eyening wears on.
And it that lot isn't enough to he getting on with. there's plenty more on the programme.
The Arches Festival of Theatre, Wed 2-Sat 12 April. See listings for details.
Stage Whispers
Re: Tread/mg the boards
raft“ f' um
'1! l.4;w.'
Character Flaws
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