After the long reign of Giles Havergal, Philip Prowse and the late Robert David MacDonald, there was always the danger that the Citizen Theatre’s artistic director JEREMY RAISON would be seen as the Dannii Minogue of Scottish theatre. But his first season showed him uncowed by the hard act he had to follow. STEVE CRAMER asks him about following the biggest names in Scottish theatre.
It’s notable that the studio shows for this season, which Kenny Miller is overseeing and designing, look a little smaller in scale, a little rougher. Is that a deliberate decision?
last year we were yery lueky in that
Raion'ggdebt
we got an extra t'l7l). (Hill to
eelehrate the triumyirate and their aehieyements. 'l‘hat tnoney isn’t there this season so we're not ahle to run the sttidios lor the whole time. So my short-term plan is to eoneentrate on the main house. get the tnain hottse really huning again. What was happening was that although the studio work was yery good. it was definitely pulling audienees away from the main house. This was something that the triumyirate tltemselyes saw as a problem. These were great little spaees. and they produeed shows like 'l'mins/ntiling. hut they were pulling people away lrom the main house. 'l‘he studio season almost didn't eome about at all this year. hut we got some money for a young talent season. so this is speeilieally geared to new direetors. 'l'wo of these direetors are under 30.
But don’t the smaller spaces tend to attract younger audiences generally?
I think Kenny's season possihly' does. (‘ertainlyg the adyaneed hookings seem to suggest that the studios are getting a younger audienee. But at the same time. I think that the Version of 'l'herese Raquin we're doing would appeal eyery hit as mueh to this audienee. I don't really feel that they’re separate plaees.
How much of your idea of the Citizens’ theatre differ from the vision of Havergal, Prowse and MacDonald? (‘ontinuity is Very important. The (‘it/ had a world elass reputation. elearly based on those three. but also they did bring in people like Stewart Laing and Kenny. l was Very keen to keep Kenny. heeause he‘s \‘ery muelt in toueh with that whole world. and l'\ e learned a lot from him already. So it's about eontinuity‘. but also about making ourselyes essential again. .-\n awful lot of" students Used to go to the (‘it/. .\luriel Gray said to me. that's just what you did. you
‘IT'S SAYING WE'RE HERE, WE'RE OUT THERE, THINGS HAVE CHANGED, COME AND HAVE A LOOK'
went to the (‘it/ eyery l-‘riday night. It may take a while lor the word to get out. hut when people hear about 'I‘ln'rt'st' Rtu/Hlll. l want them to say. ‘(iod. I must see the nest one..
In calling the new season ‘orgasmic’, you seem to be aiming for a sexier kind of image . . .
()rgasmie is a little hit tip lront. hut it‘s about appetite. about trying new things. so w e're running a series ol' posteards ahout l‘ood. lt's about saying w e‘re ltL‘l‘L‘. \\ L‘il'L‘ (llll lllL‘l'L‘. lltlllgs lt;t\ e e‘lltlligt‘tl. e'ttlttt‘ ttlltl haye a look. 'l‘herese Ratlttin is part of that. It‘s a wry sexy noyel‘. people tend to lorget that this is the story ol‘ two people who ean‘t keep their hands ol'l' eaeh other. They ‘d do anything l'or eaeh other. whieh does say something ahout young loye. So it we ean get younger people in. they‘ll detinitely go lor it.
()lwiously with the name ol'
the season. and the ehanges we'ye made to the l'oyer. we're trying to get younger people in to not just the studios. but the main house.
Is the new National Theatre
part of your plans?
It‘s about how to make it work. taking risks. I keep saying to Kenny. let‘s he radieal. let's start looking at things from another perspeetiye. \Ve ean‘t yiust wait lor the National to eomntission its. we ean't just wait for the International l'iestiyal to say. yes. eome and do a show for its in lidinhurgh. We want it to happen here. ll I want to do a show with a east ol' Ill. it‘s a ease of making it happen at the ('it/.
I 7:".1‘553 ,‘17 " l’” " --
STAGEWHISPERS
WHISPERS FEELS PLEASED TO report on a strong and successful International Festival for 2004, which. in retrospect. leaves one quite inspired about the health of the theatre. Scottish theatre. in particular, through the Tron‘s splendid production of Anthony Neilson‘s The Wonderful World of Dissocia, can take a collective bow. Long seen as a kind of poor relation to the rest of the Festival. this year, Scotland‘s contribution could be seen as the winner in a very strong field. Neilson‘s ingenious. funny and ultimately very moving examination of the psychological ailment known as Dissociative Identity Disorder, through first the fantasy world, then the grim reality of a young victim of the condition, was flawless in execution, saying much for Neilson’s processes as a director. A stunning lead performance by Christine Entwhisle was one of many
highlights.
Eitfl Fit,“ T." ’ _; ;;: f1 t
(,3 I
80 T00 WAS THE BRILLIANT Berliner Ensemble which, under the experienced direction of Peter Zadek, produced a splendid piece of epic theatre. What was so stunning about it was the way in which a vast cast seemed universally strong, showing enough individual talent to indicate that any of the 30-odd actors involved could lead with confidence in any other production. More confidence, anyway, than Whispers could muster in pronouncing Eraritjaritjaka, Heiner Goebbels’ wild and ultimately very human piece on alienation, personal history and language. All in all, a treat of a FesfivaL
Peer Gynt
'- THE LIST 1