Theatre
CATCH A FALLING STAR Traverse Theatre. Edinburgh. Wed 15-Sat 18 Dec.
Revrews -A = ' RIDDANCE 000 Touring I ’ SpartaKi's production of Linda McLean‘s drama of loss and redemption . . .. _ _ _ y _ '1 focusses on three estranged friends. Kenny (Mark Kane), a vacuum cleaner ' ' .v 2 ' ' 2' 2' 2 2 To salesman with a ‘you are what you discard‘ ethos, and Clare (Carolyn = . z‘ 2 ' a . -. '- : . CATALONIA Calder) are old friends with a shared secret, discomfited by the arrival back " - :' Tramway Glasgow. Um” Sat 4 Dec. into their lives of Frank (Paul Cunningham), a thug with a damascene , " : ' " 2' ' ' " 2 conversion hovering on his horizon. '2 '2 i ' ' ' - 2! . t 2 ~ Acclaimed Scots actor Neil McKinven turns first time director with the ' -' 2 2 ' -- 2' ' - . ' 2 z. ' ‘ 2' 4" : company, but the instinctive skill which marks him out as a performer '2 ~~ ' :2 2-. v '~ 2" " 2 -' z ' :-- 2' 2 .v ' 2 2 seems lacking in his guidance of other actors. Kane's is the strongest ‘ T.‘ ." :' w w 2 ' '2 -' v "' w 2 E‘ .' performance, and the only one to handle the shifting tones of McLean’s 2. 2' 2 " :1 : . ' z' ' z . : 2 w '2 -4 i 2' 2. witty and powerful script with assurance. Cunningham is grossly : var. r 2 W . 2 2 ' .2 ° i z ,' ' " 2 . 2' 2 2 ' ' unconvincing as Frank, lacking the ability to convey the character’s ' 2 ' A" 2 T' ' 2 . . :' .' 2 2' . 2' 2 °' » menacing and sinister undertones, or the necessary emotional pull his '2 2 ~ 2 ~ -- 2' .: " i 2' ' ' 2' , 2 character exerts. Calder plays her character‘s emotional core with sincerity . I _, . ‘ 2 2 2 ' '2 w ' ° and pulls it off well, bringing heart to a production which otherwise lacks SWANSONG '- 2' 2 “ ' °' » '- : : convincing humanity. These are tricky characters to portray, each with Tron. Glasgow, run ended ..... 2 2 2- 2 ' : " 1 their own hidden depths and twisted psyche. But none of the ' -' 2 ' : -- »- , ' ' 2' 2 performances falls back on extremes of character— Kenny's obsessive 7*' ' ' z , '- . : . : " w z ' 2 ' " w 2: ' decluttering or Frank‘s easy violence —to make for an easy ride. ~2 2'. ' t : . .. " '2 ,' 2-. 2' 2' " »- ' 2: ' ' 2 ' But they each turn a little too easily from vulnerability to determined fa '.’ ~' :" 2 2 .- . . ~ ' resolve, weakening the sense of reality that makes them, as characters, ' 2 . '2 -- '1 °_’ ' w 2 z w 2 2 -: 2' : r ' ~ ' ' " ' interesting to watch. If the set is consciously Spartan then the choice is a : 2 2: : '_. " v " 2 2 2- 2' ' : :I ' 2 2' J :" poor one, offering the actors little in the way of interesting space to : " 2' ' : .2 '. 2- ‘ 2* : -- 2: . w w 2 occupy. The two new chairs and glass table seem slightly at odds with the :.' , 2 . ,' '9' ' ' . 2 2' -' :2 .: ‘ " " .' '. "z :' . r 2, " ~- rusting appearance of the carpet and walls, and are hardly used by the f" 2 2'" 2 2 - . . : w ' " «z w w 2- 2' ' ‘ ' ' ' actors, who more often than not seem distractingly stranded. Whereas ‘ r : " w . .2 2 2 : 2 2' 2 . McKinven the actor would deal with being left to fend for himself mid- " ‘ r: ' ' ' ' ' ' " ' ' " - ' " ' ' 7 stage with assurance, his actors resort to impotent arm flailing and .:2 .' f 2' ' r " .- -- : 2- ‘ : v " '9' ° " ' . ' 2 2 overwrought gestures. Mclean‘s story is an interesting and ultimately 2 : 2* 2 ' 2' E 2' : .2 2' : w» ,2 . 2 .z ' 2 ' ' ' ' ' satisfying one. and at a later stage in the run this production may feel more '2 : :’ ' :1 : ' : -- " -- 2' . 2w ‘> comfortableinitsownskin.(GarethDavies) f2»: z" :' ' '2; . w: 1' ': 2' ' '. EVITA AND VICTORIA Ramshorn Theatre. Glasgow. Wed 1—Sat 4 Dec. ‘ ' C ,‘ ::/:2 ' ‘ ~ '
108 THE LIST .‘