Theatre
CHARLES DICKENS: A HAUNTED MAN
King's Theatre. Edinburgh. Wed 29 Oct-Sat 1 Nov. then touring.
Ann Louise Ross and Richard Conlon on the rigours of Communisim ° ' ' ~~ : .: : 2' :« ' -v z " -' : FLORA THE RED MENACE .. ' ,_ ., . . , ,, Dundee Rep, until Sat 25 Oct 0.. f ‘ ‘ " ‘ ‘ " ' ' ‘
There’s an air of whimsical nostalgia that hangs over James Brining's first z in ".1 z., " ' :'_: y : - :'- '- production as joint artistic director at Dundee Rep. The art deco-decorated 1- saw ' .:: ..', z ' . ' . stage and the announcement of an FDR-style federal arts support scheme as 3.13"“. 2 a; .,:.f w T. w w 1'. ' " E-‘ : '.' ' sponsorsofthe1935-setshowallhelpto setthetonefora‘BrotherCan You :. :-- :5 if” .2". '2 .: " :T.:-"“_ ' . ' ' ~ :' ' SpareaDime‘-type musical. One halfexpected Clifford Odetstoaddressthe a‘... :. t'.'x;f ;.-'. .t' '. ' ‘." ' . :zw : audiencefrom the stageat intermission. t.;;.,-'_'w 1'1: 3-3.3. ','-':' '
The eponymous commie (Emily Winter) is a bubbly young high school graduate in need of a job in a cash-strapped economy. She finds one in a fashion design house, but not before meeting the hunky, yet under-confident, Harry (Richard Conlon), a communist agitator with a stutter. He meets her flatmates, an arty little colony in an impoverished studio apartment, while she encounters the dreadful comrade Charlotte (Ann Louise Ross), the local party It 1:; hdml‘g. a ,tagu f3ill(;(:8(;<1llflll<lMill rt“. hint :r.m.atv..ztl m wt Al. -- .w :r commissar who has eyes for Harry. Things get complicated when Flora Pushkm't; nun-Ha. [m ()(;‘()t.‘" m" Smut .Juhr; (Allilfll'l r .llwl thw 1.? n becomes a reluctant agitator, and goes head-to-head with her sleazy boss Mr Imguthtst 1.2/th lll(: lute ()l luhmkdgi. .-.'ht. .-.rr .tt: gill win-v.1 haw t n "w t 1|. -. Stanley (Mark Kane). l()! {i l‘.’()l(2{tll. sumptuous ()l()(llliill(,l‘ .‘it l’=tizx,“v, lA-&;‘.l'..i' litmzlh-
Winter is as winsome as a kitten in the lead, while a tremendous set piece by in that ‘.(3if;l()it lliutlllltxfi. dt ill(:(i()'ll[1’.)‘;(r' 1m A—s. mm thw .ittw: it. i. , ; Ross, whose character introduces herself with a song about agitation and (ihmvhgihn 1:; 'lléikt} lllii furttlm: tlxmddi an )Id 53‘. l)‘fl‘,‘."llililig #1' .-.'~. indoctrination, is worth the admission alone. The nine-strong cast sing and he l)(?ll(}‘.’(3f3 t<> l)(? fated ‘10 m.“ :13 llté: mud léllAlt: lht- l’mtlmluw fj'~A:.itw 1.x." hoof with energy and dexterity, and some strong support acting by John Buick lll(: an;mnatumlum :1? thr- ()I(:ti(: a light. l ltill’).'.‘:":.'l ulm wt, .2 -. ,rt ,‘ as an old Jewish jeweller in hard times, and Irene MacDougall as Flora's ()'ll()ll(>llill smut, HUI ()i()l(:(£lllit} hr; imri li‘; l auntw: lllwzikrv-w. .t' dressmaker pal, help to punch the evening along. All the same, I wonder if this expect li() such vht)ll;,<:<>ddllhd at tlu; (Lita/wry. fl‘..l<;". Pup-3.1." A. l" l‘."l' -v '. is a perfect play to revive in a more politically aware age. There’s a disturbing i£1l(:illl()‘.'.’li(il lit: mils; 'gt chgmlm win-m h, «gm! iluliqht‘ lru; vv '1? right-wing subtext to the ultimately individualist ethic that the piece promotes. (ihm'hzlhh’s ()runttl <:h(>l<:<2 l>(:l‘.'.’(}(3l‘ lllfi llll'flélllll', girwl lm. .1..m<«: l‘., 3.1.2 it it: Not long before the play’s setting, Hoover's G-men were machine-gunning (lll(3(ll()l. ‘zi ‘.‘.'(>Ii<l l)llll()f$()()lll(;£ll 2.1x; illlhlll .1 man who fllllll“. hm", [in ';.A:.".~'t pickets outside the factories of Henry Ford, and bearing this in mind, it’s hard to lllt$<l<35§llllyllllOtltjlléif;(?(1l(:i, and that MIA:dmrhnw; hm" (Lariat-I it .w +11 I'm accept the parodic reduction that the play's communists receive. And much as [)HNHISUS a ".or, Spam. zmr‘, durk' fli;l"i;llit‘.;ll.(,n ()i Awym l (Ari/lid they are beautifully delivered, not all the songs quite work. making a couple of translation. and an ‘(:‘.’(}l‘.l.'t(_l packed um: gym: and t..v~.' moments drag a little. What saves the evening are the performances, and these (Mark Him-m. are certainly worth the watch. (Steve Cramer)
‘H\ ASSl/KN (Al $.58 ( , THE QUEEN OF SPADES Citizens‘ Theatre, Glasgow, Thu 23 Oct—Sat 15 Nov
tsusmm. TONIGHT THEY’RE GOING TO BE . . .
.2. 23.58 L‘ PRIVATE LIVES . Touring 00
Citizens‘ Theatre. Glasgow, Thu 23 Oct-Sat 15 Nov
it. Judi. laminar .2. .<:. ttltf,.l.‘.:.' (gm;
,’ , A, ‘ , , I ‘ o , I A \‘mr\-zvl~9 '5 y' 1‘ v‘/ ‘7” / I I" \ .A . m . ,,,, ., .l'l(.t.A......::l(:. our .1: .}.1)...' \ f 'r\ _ 0, , ‘M‘, ,. .,. \0 A . ,,, . ,.A A \ " ,.o ,. T5. .0, \l\ I \A t A A‘. :\l H .A ll (1 '\)\Jf)‘x: (H .l (I )l.A"lfA (Rt. t,‘ ' mm; 2' " z r. 9.; Ar" 1 \ "z *: Ml ’3 (l'w'V‘AA M” H V ‘i"'l \ x . .A x \ A \l\/ . ’\ I [A(A(,'\(,\ (A\J\ ., .- \A.AlA ) LA \A ' ‘\ A I Q ' t A ., .H r. ,..A ", , A, , (ll \l l\u.' \/ llx: \l i ’ ’ ' i ll‘ .,l(t{:f) (t. (f.(.'.', (II/ll A ..A."... .)l (In. A }I \ n. . A’ , n o ., “A .. o ").,.,,\, (W ...o ‘1 A ( ,. , i , t ’\ \ .‘ '\ ‘ ll ' K ltA'dl. l.'\, 4}.) (1.‘...>. .) (H. .> '0‘; t It \ i: ;' r v 0‘ 0A ' I 0 I ,.,.,j. .. he E‘ .01 (-t A‘,.,.'A .0 t A \ A ' A.\ I \ Ll | u (ti \ .'lA|. (t l'.. ,3Ll. ‘.l.). A l . y” r \v 'H A ' v c t I ' w, x J \ J H v~ ‘ (x \ t ' t )Ku' ) \A \l .t/’ ., ll. l' if.” '{/. (tiflllli (A ‘ r 1 t, I " I 1 ‘ r ~ A I r \, 4 v» .v~r r w '7‘ (‘J‘ V .r‘( )3 \,l Il\l.\ A v ’ \ A ‘xl t, Al“ \I l ANNA .> (At, .) . (AlAlA. '\". n ' ) ‘ y A 'I\ )0 it ‘. A ., w}, 0,1,.p ' A ,.,( g , ,.,‘. in At. A A \A .A. (tz/itl. '.- t,‘ ..<t . <1 «I ‘2 .111 \, . 3. A... A , . , , A" , SA, ., -." . (., w, J- _ SP, .'..,.,( ‘i A'\. ’\ .'. A ' . ‘ ;(I' . ult, .)(i{/|I(A . t.(1.‘f. \ \, “(A A r u ' r v I ;v\ 1 A on AM A, ‘. 0". ,VA ,\ ',)»- A A A. y \u u '\. ’ I A.' HA Riki: t. t,‘ \/ i\l</ l :t‘<1_l'lA AA. \9 I ~, 9 \ \‘l~-. ~~y~'0 C x, -, [y‘/~_ 'rx IV‘I‘I‘ A J -, \ ’\y\/ ‘y\ ‘Ap ~r‘ 7“ ‘rw r l (.0. .t t . .‘A . .‘i'. t . .A A .A 5K” ' (1 ul MAI, i)":.1 (1 'V V," .1 I i I O I r ,1 ' , D—d r /\ .7 \ v r . r‘/ r f i ,“J y ‘ 1.°(< r 1';r~ { < I l A \/ | t'. A L. (...,.> (t A (A X A) ' ) r ‘ v‘ ' ‘ r A ~ I t r 0 0: ‘ 1 v 1 r A Ir '7\ A! l {(1 ' A ' A \A '\ ' )t A A A A .,.,.A A l‘) 1i”; ’ V ' f": .K‘ '1 A ' ' A U \ C l ’ 0" ,‘\ ‘ 0’ ‘ O ' O O 1-. O l I \ A l ’ x ' A A A . A .. A \/\l i A A (il'. ( ‘ r\ \ 1 I 1 t t v 0" ‘ ° ‘ r 't v I (‘7 r ' r ‘ O \‘I A\A\i A ' A A .A'. .t. A tLAJ “.411 A’ ‘1‘ 1‘ A) {A ' '\( (fly i ’ r E) ) 3 A \ o o. \ ‘ .,\ . o o . 0" A . . . , ,. ‘0 , . ., o H, .A,. ‘ . n,. ,. ‘,.,, ,. A a A T'lt ‘ \A.1Ar. .A. . 5 . gt, L . ..1t,'\ l U” .A t t. .1 . ..i..’1.’...A .. . {Ahab '.,.:.: {AA .,.‘.A<1.'_..A A. . ..: lA. . (,1 »l\/S) ‘h k: t 0 y t' o "‘ . . . A A 85 'n .. . L3 \ V I‘ y y ' ' V ‘ I ‘ I I ' 7 ( ( I. r ) l‘ ' (I u I I ) ‘ ‘ p ’ A..,’.. A A A ' 1 b ‘ )J‘ A A, A (A AA (‘ RN)” 3 \ ,.-.._,. H. QM“. ). ,m; .,\,., ,. .,. 1 n I. ,. n .. .._,;..,. ,....,', ,, Sn.” Kw"... ?,.,' . , , (XV... “,2 , {VA \\’ w - x -v V. \"\A»\/ AA “U '\ . 1,. t..'., . {,g. . 1.. (AL, .A, . .,.:;. A. ".4 ..A., .,<..A.) (A.'.,’ 5‘. r O\ 1‘ ~r\ v \ H \p \’ ~h o"... ,r q. .‘. X .A . 0‘. . , o ‘ .,. , \HAN. ,. A o ,, ,.,‘ , , ,'(. .. .,A A...,.,. A H, l\’\l k/:4\\ .1 \A .1._A\ t .t‘ . .1. V (,3. ’ \..\A(: .. .9 (1|,. '\'., .2 ..A 31.0.: .. .A,.A. (AM “A ..A .3...) :1l .A 141., '((1’(t.,'<(,‘ -' Irx..Ay A“ \\~\\ .. n..,..,..' . .' . ,.'. . . ... ,. . ,. . . A ,. . . .,. - -« . ‘A A A .\,,‘\ H, A.‘ ,\ n n ,y". A_ I‘ 'u \ ( ‘7‘ n u ( g rv , r r 7 Arr ( r " r, ‘ t ( '1 It I ’1 . .0l1KA-ALU A I! Lnbuil . . t, A t, t, {t \11. \/ . 0.3: .A g1. ‘;2’\'.,f‘ . '., 3.. :10... :1. u ., (2.75., .3 (A u. MU.” l\‘»)(1§1{/(1‘\‘E)‘\/.Hrl/Al )... KA() . .Ar, ‘ 1 Fr \' } w" \ H‘ ‘ r‘ An'nwn‘ \‘( . ~ n" , . A .' .. ' A A F‘, .,_ A' . . .‘ .' t . .‘ ’ ’ A A ll)" MT.“ \ ‘-‘ \w— . t. -. l t, 5., t) ;1:) \, c1;t...’..'c. .> if .‘Li..7. A .A . 1, H1, (in?) . .. if, ,(I.A.){, \j» {, (A . I, {,.A (1tA«A‘A 1‘, -l {A [l‘/ ) .A A{, A A . '1‘, '- 34 v \/\ 7‘ ‘ n ;~ '5 1“.) “A: a \, z. .- MU. \ K. h ,‘.,\ ,, J... \,., ‘ .,. , n .A ,.,.. , .,. \. ,.{_’,,. kw“. , “pk. , “,1, (.0 A; K../ o ,‘ , lA’A',‘ A, L ( ,., 0 Aprlv‘y o o', , ,, ‘. '1', , ,,, A - «A \4- NM uwx LA I§‘\A'\ u bi, Va. .1 .,.A dud. '..'.A . , ’C,’ ./ :2 t,.1 .‘ ;1 UV .A.:!,.A A,'., .7 .A ', (A. :A [1. .AL .A .4. 5', . .2 .) A. x. A , A )4
17‘ 3 n \ x \" \‘I\ 'n ; u. 3 n \ H. A ‘ . . .. A _,. ,. , o ,. .. , 0 ,~ « , x (2/. ,~A, - H; A I A y, A A‘ 1 ."Q 7" I . 'V I 'D r, urrA r xv I rr - H ' . “(IL 1\,\\ HO . 1.3. .\. \ LA\I \1 'r :‘i V'\ ’3 I L. A A A A " .."A " A '.'. '.' \J. .4 4' .) " , A A A/'{,(' )' .A,.A. ', ll 1 l I A A {A J) ‘1 'qn‘ f‘ L \H t \f‘ ‘H 3 0A ‘ szr‘ [\A‘ . AV. .. ‘,. AA , ‘ A , A A, A A rv‘/\ r Orv r/ / r r v 0r n v I It r r z < tr'. r i ' ' ' ‘ ' ‘7‘ r.’ {U51K1L A \A \A .5 1 . .1 :.\A, .1 \A AA \/ .\,.A ’1' .g}"\ A l ,l,. AK A '. A.A A ’ t‘ ’ A .AIA A A ’ A A ( A. '1 / A H .. . 0",} H» ;A\OK I\V\.' ~_ .,., .,.A,. . o,\ ,. f‘ .. ‘.,. A. ,.'.,.,A‘ ",A. \1 A. o A 0' , A /-f. rm I". '\’_' (n «u \/ rr . l/
NOW.» 1.: nut .. z. a. ., t3';‘..,.tf'.\. Sun: V’.:' 5' t: ., 5., ,... . u :z ,:,: . 2 AA A ,4. ‘A A
66 THE LIST "1 .4, O ". .‘