Theatre
‘THE CHARACTERS ARE CHINESE BUT THIS STORY COULD BE ANYWHERE'
Bag iminq
The acclaimed Chinese dramatist WANG XAIOLI tells Steve Cramer about the English language premiere of In the Bag, a play of interest to thirtysomethings.
wonder how many of you who are single and in or
past your 30s. know the experience'.’ I suspect a lot
of you. btit it‘s a phenomenon that seems still to be analysed. So many people I know haye had the Big Relationship. that usually takes place between your mid-20s and early-30s. where. having settled with the person and gone on a l'ew years. you reach a turning point and wonder whether you're ready to go for broke. or cttt and run. Those who leay'e such situations often experience a long period of unsettled relationships. and those who don‘t might be left wondering whether they made the right decision. It's a quite contemporary phenomenon. since we seem to he the first generation not to commonly marry or settle permanently into relationships in our les.
Wang Xaioli seems to know all about it. Her play. a major success in (‘hina a few years back. will receiy'e its Iinglish language premiere in a version by Ronan ()‘Donnell (.S'pumlmm. 'I’lit' ('liit' Nan/xi at the 'I‘ray‘erse shortly. The story is very much one of thirtysomething crisis. l‘ocussing on a young man aspiring to be an artist. but with little to show materially for his life. whose significant other has started seeing a new. better-heeled man. Meanwhile. his brother is scaling the corporate heights. but has no time to see his partner. Whichewr way you cut it. then. the material demands made by being a thirtysomething are not conducive to good relationships. or the big decisions we have to make about them.
Xaioli. a slim. al’l'able woman in perhaps her mid-
92 THE LIST .‘8 Act—7': Ma.
30s. is a chirpy. likeable sort ol' character. with a thoughtl'ttl turn. .-\s she sits before me in the 'l'rayerse
bar. she‘s keen to stress the cultural commonality of
this dilemma. There's nothing especially ('hinese about this Beijing-set drama with ('hinese actors. ‘Beijing and Shanghai are two big cities. internatiinial cities like London and New York there's not much dil‘l'ercnce. This is a local story. It‘s ('hinesc cliai‘ut‘lt‘t‘s. but it could be any wheref she tells me. "l‘here‘s a point in your life. sometime in your late 20s or early .Tlls when. for the first time. you really hayc to look at y'oursell'. You haye to make a direction a which way should I go'.’ This central character. he wants to be a writer. not just a writer. btit a great writer. like. say (‘harles Dickens. But he‘s found his target might be too high for him. He's Very low at this point: he's realised he‘s not going to make it. so he wonders if he should go back to his company job.‘
This crisis can hit both genders. but it operates differently for each. For women. Xaioli contends. it's less about ego than stability. ‘(‘ompared to men. they seek long term relationships. they want more stability. I think. In the West or liast. males are still a dominating position in society. so it‘s a natural choice for women to seek money. becatise men are the bosses. But at the same time. they can lose something else for this.‘ A complex problem for all in that age l‘ramc. then. .-\nd one you can explore at the Tray erse.
Traverse Theatre, Fri 29 Apr-Sat 21 May
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THE BEST THEATRE 8 DANCE
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33 Hedda Gabler Theatre Babel’s new take on Ibsen's classic sees the excellent Lorna McDevitt leading as a troubled woman who creates havoc as a
result of lost potential. A strong cast presents a powerful night of theatre. Touring. see review. 3|: Cul De sac Canadian company Da da Kamera presents a gentle. topical satire on the American consumption ethic. set in suburbia. Performer Daniel Mclvor plays a whole street full of people in what looks set to be a lively night of theatre. Tron Theatre, Glasgow. Thu 5—Sat 7 May. See preview. * In The Bag Ronan O’Donnells version of Wang Xaioli's award-winning play from China. Modern thirtysomething relationship dilemmas are at the heart of this drama. which promises to easily cross cultural divides. Traverse Theatre, Fri 29 Apr-Sat 27 May. See preview. * Mancub Douglas Maxwell's version of an obscure novel for teenagers focuses on a boy who hits adolescence, and begins to believe that both he and the community around him are turning into animals. A new Holden Caultield for the Scottish theatre? Wait and See. Traverse Theatre, 77w 5-Sat 7 May, then touring. See preview. 3|! The Comedy of Errors 8. Sweet Wllllam Northern Broadsides presents a favourite Shakespearean comedy for most of the week, and, for one night only, a snapshot of the life of the Bard himself. Entertainment is the top priority for this popular company. Citizens’ 777eatre, Glasgow, Tue 10-Sat 14 May. See preview.