Theatre
5)? ‘AVE (3?)? A” [4": [A A81)”, TWELFTH NIGHT Dundee Rep, until Sat 13 Sep
The big change over in control of Scotland’s theatres has been a long time coming, but at last we can see the first results of this year’s directorial musical chairs. Nipping in a fortnight before David Mark Thomson makes his Royal Lyceum debut, Dominic Hill is leading the Dundee ensemble into a new era with Shakespeare’s cross-dressing comedy of love-struck confusion.
So why Twelfth Night? ‘I was keen to do a classic play because that's where my heart is,’ says Hill, whose successful production of A Winter’s Tale for the company toured to Iran earlier this year. ‘It was important for the theatre to say we do this kind of work on this kind of scale. We also wanted to open the season with something that would give the audience a good time — a comedy classic. It’s also a fantastic play for a company. It’s got 12 excellent parts. On many levels it seemed a perfect play to open the season with.’
Hill has been elevated to co- artistic director, giving him specific control of the acting company, while former TAG boss James Brining has been made co-artistic director with responsibility for the 100-odd staff in the building, including the community and dance departments. The two have
l, unoPmN THE FOUR TWINS
Citizens’ Theatre, Glasgow, Wed 17 Sep-Sat 11 Oct
One of the great things about the CW is the quirky
plays such as Fva Peron. a tWisted take on Argentina's most glamorous first lady and a study in despotism and decadence. Seen in 1997. that play was by Copi. an obscure playwright (real name Raul Damontel who was brought up in Argentina and eXiIed in Paris where he created his flamboyant surrealist
curiosities it digs up for its two studios
fantasies.
Now the same director, Kenny Miller. has turned to The four fair/is. an obscene piece of madness about two sets
retained a small core of actors from the permanent ensemble established by Hamish Glen, but will be bringing in new actors on a play by play basis. It’s a way of allowing new blood into the company without breaking the sense of continuity and it suggests a more flexible style of working for the future.
With that rare thing in British theatre, a six-week rehearsal, the production of Twelfth Night should have that extra level of detail that
of female twrns: one set wealthy and debauched. the other poor and deranged. "they say one thing, mean something
The Bard
has made Hill’s work so rewarding in the past. He’s giving it a timeless setting - although modern more than doublet and hose - and drawing out what he sees as the comedy’s surreal Alice in Wonderland aspect. ‘lt’s a strange play,’ he says, thinking of the obsessions, crushes and ardour that drives the characters. ‘It inhabits a very peculiar world. People behave in the most extraordinary way, but in a way that we can understand.’ (Mark Fisher)
A museum piece
else and go and do exactly opposrte.’ says Miller. 'f€very five
scor‘iisii enr Will it THE IRISH GIANT
minutes they kill each other. He's preoccupied by death, This is the only play that he never performed in hirriself. because he thought it was interesting to see what worrien's
idea of death was.‘
As well as death. the play explores the love-hate relationship of tWins. always tied to someone else, Miller Will be tackling it all wrth his characteristic Visual panache. ‘It's seen through a heroin ha/ef he says. ‘I want it to look as though you're doing it through a heroin dream lhe whole thing is a dream comedy.‘ llvlark Fisherl
Kenny Miller, Copi cat
64 THE LIST -:—'s 5w M1;
The Arches, Glasgow, Wed 10-Fri 12 Sep, then touring
Here are two essential nuggets you didrr't know. 20le is
the European Year of Disabled People. as well as the tenth
anniversary of Birds of Paradise. Glasgow's celebrated and innovative disabled people's theatre company. And what better way to honour this dual milestone than wrth a Scottish tour of director Garry Hobsor‘s awar'rl-wrnnirig dark comic fantasy. lfie Irish Giant,
Those expecting a carrieo appearance frorr: fin.“ McCooi
de.ermir7at.cr: to
of Giants Causeway fame shou'd look away now. l'lobson's~
play features a far more resplendent quartet of protagonists — l or‘gshanks. Runt. Wheeler and Deafgurf - the hatch a plot to break irrto the llunterlar: rhuseu'r‘. and reclairr: the skeletori of Charlie Byrrre. that star of the 18th century t'eakshow circuit. whose celebrity rnade the Elephar‘t Man JOOK decidedly Ztrst. TlTC-I.’ riobie protest is disturbed by the ghost of anato'n:st James Hunter. who leads our heroef‘ on a ghostly j()tif".(§\ frorr‘ lfffréi'lfl to the dissecting rooms o‘ London. as he outfzr‘es ."rs vsrort ‘or a museum big enough to house the bc".eE Wth a tourng schedule that 'eaches fror': Pasey to Portree. th:s productcr: o‘ Robson's erte'get c r.;l‘.al‘errgrrg play .2; a f.tt..",g way to cerebrate Birds 0‘ Paradrse's eate yisuaiiy stunning. provocat'ye trieatr > that's accessbre to a. Ara", Padc'lf‘e.
of the erxryrrous Celtic big guy
new :.i::..\\'.\ TWO SISTERS AND A PIANO
Tron Theatre. Glasgow. Thu 4 — Sat 6 Sep
We do sometimes have a habit of seeing anything from r‘oo western cultures as ‘.‘.'Il(li\ exotic. ailil therefore iiihereritly other" lhisis l‘itl’ilt‘lllillh, true when we litter the experierir e of people outWIth this culture through our own artists" work. hoWeyer well rrreariirig It's maybe llllit, (:orribined With the reputation of (liit of the Box for presenting good quality l lispaiiii‘ theatre. that makes this
Havana ball at The Tnon
production look so appealing. Cuban writer Niko ()ru/s play presents the story of two sisters under house arrest at a time of political crisis. lheir railer offers one of the sisters access to her husband's letters. if she Will agree to recite her poetry. the slightly fairytale feel of all this looks set to be offset With a rich array of music. song and Visual imagery.
Beneath all this. there's also a sense of the political and social changes that have taken place in Cuba over recent years. expressing a more arribivalent notion of the current social structures than you irright think.
This production has already toured With distinction throughout the United States. as well as a number of continental destinations. so there's every reason to look forward to it.
(Steve Crarrier)