BREAD AND BUTTER
Traverse Theatre. Edinburgh, until Sat 21 Jun 0....
There‘s something about male friendships that endures. Where women draw intimately. almost painfully close in one-to-one friendships, to the point that a fall out often ensues after a couple of years. men tend to create just enough distance to allow friendship to be maintained through decades. Such a relationship is at the centre of CP Taylor's 1966 play. The unashamed maleness of its central focus may have rendered it unfashionable for a period, yet the quiet beauty of Taylor's text seems to shine with compassion and humour at its reappearance.
In it, Morris (John Stahl), a zealous. tub-thumping Marxist and son of a wealthy clothing manufacturer. is best pals with Alec (Michael Wilson), a quiet. almost timid man who initially works at Morris' father‘s factory. We follow these two through 35 years of British history in the Gorbals' Jewish community. where Alec marries the increasingly stingy Miriam (Pauline Turner) and Morris the endlessly patient Sharon (Emma D’lnverno). Their financial fortunes fluctuate, and life moves on.
As Morris witnesses the nightmare of Stalinism, then the turning of his socialist dream of Israel into the militarist colonialist outpost it is today. he shows both disillusionment and, in the same moment. a new radical dream at each crisis. Meanwhile the two men weather marital crisis. affairs and bereavement with a delicately defined. sometimes troubled fraternity.
Mark Rosenblatt’s production for Dumbfounded and Oxford Stage brings out endless subtle nuances in his performers, and shows a lively sense of the humour of this ultimately very moving text. John Bauser’s very effective set. depicting a park bench and the downmarket bedsit of Alec and Miriam, shows a gorgeous sense of detail within its simple outline. and the performances are splendid. John Stahl‘s bumptious, but ultimately eminently forgivable, cracker barrel philosopher is a treat to behold. but all four performances are strong. Although it might take a while to creep up on you. the undemonstrative beauty of this evening of theatre will ultimately beguile you. (Steve Cramer)
Juke box jewry
BARD IN THE BOTANICS Botanical Gardens. Glasgow. Wed 25 Jun—Sun 27 Jul
Theatre
ELBOW ROOM DANCE COMPANY
Seen at Lemon Tree. Aberdeen: Tron Theatre. Glasgow Thu 19 & Fri 20 Jun: Traverse. Edinburgh. Sat 21 Jun O...
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HOW THE LOVES King's Theatre. Glasgow. Mon 30 Jun—Sat 5 Jul
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