DISSOCIA PROVED THAT WRITERS CAN BE TRUSTED
TO DIRECT THEIR OWN WORK
The Wonderful World of Dissocia
Award of hes
Looking at this year’s nominations for the CRITICS AWARDS FOR THEATRE in
Scotland, Steve Cramer detects an inter
eing locked in a room all day and into the
evening with ten people ol ycty strong
opinions. all focused on the same \lll‘lc't t. is a pretty mixed experience. On one lest-l. you’re exposed to a l‘ractiotrsness tlrat yon worrltlh t lrliL‘.: expect outside of a dis‘or'ce court. ()n another. you get to admire the dedication of these lolk to their strhie. t. regardless of whether you agree with them. Ruth an experience is the annual critics’ lunch ha (‘.'\I S lltrt one thing on which we were all unanimous: this year‘s theatre has been strong indeed. hoastihg' an awesome list of talent in its nomination list
And themes that encompassed madness or simple emotional dysl'unctionality seem to liaye playeo strongly this year. I)otttinating the norrritrations list i~ Anthony Neilson's’ 'I'lrr' ll’rmr/r'rj/rr/ llor/r/ o/ /)I\sr r in which was nominated itr the ol the ten categories .\r. outstanding performance from (’hristina l ntwhisl; in the lead role as a woman strl‘l‘ering horn tlisstrcitttiyc identity disorder brought Anthony \‘eilsorrs stttttltlltt' text to life. while the latter“s tliteetiotr ptoyctl wttrrtg' the old theatre adage that writers Lair 1 h.- trssteo r direct their own work.
But this was not the only sttrdy ol psy. hologrir a? disintegration to score heayily this year two r'llic'i performers. Molly Inttes. playing a polit t'wotttztt‘. w in falls apart alter the disappearance oi her [my triend in the 'l‘rayerse‘s One Day All Hm llr// ('rrmr lo r‘y’oI/rr'ng. and Tony ('ownie. as the lrotrhled I\etttry who holds a cafe to ransom at gunpoint in .t .l/(ir/Irltr/I Sings In I/I(’ Moo/I. also prodtrt ed hray ttra performances. The same could he said oi l iarrr Brennan's Iago in ()I/lr‘llu. though whether rhi. character is mad or just real had is tip lor delratr-
The category of best new play is always. it our sury'eys are to he heliey‘ed. ol' interest to - '
siillI\-l\ \‘t rili‘
st in rr‘radness and dysfunctionality.
organ. and with Him r in. Douglas Maxwell‘s If I): yrrrtrti //.rt. I)aytd tireig s /'\I(ll(‘(’\ arid Nicola .\I\( :rrtzrt'y’s \Io/lr/r/r; lit/tr ilt cttttlelllltlll. there‘s llrat each. itr dit'tetcnt way s. amounted to studies oi alienation and neurosis rrriglrt ..lso tcll {is w Itliorit using the dreaded wortl ’/cilgeist'.
plenty to -.limrse itotrt
«hit it \s..y 'tlre trtlislic \y irrtl has liltrwtt this year.
.\t the lycettirr. we witnessed psychological collapse pmdttted lry social cattsality itt .rllllltl Arr/r irrmr wlrcte patriarchal piesstlles cattse tlrc _‘.‘iittltl.rl tno'.ctrreht ol lrotli the title character and others into deep .retlltisis. lwo nominations tor tlesig'h and technical l‘.t‘\k‘itlitlltlll seem hardly enough lot this production lire same might he said tor our; Hort/y. whose two trotttiltatittlts iot‘ Itest rrrtrsit and lu‘si oyerail prodth tioh. howeyer pleasing.
/.(tH/( .'
.rright set-m to hayc rhissed otrt. giyert an astonishing pertororarrce trorrr Stcscn .\ic.\§icoll as (“her Ilatdy. tremendous directing Itl'ltl lohy ("owttie arid a stiletttlitl crrsettrltle leel
More pleasing are the yottnj' companies which score highly in .ro...irratiorr toting. rough and cheap are not qualities we took tor in society. unless you‘re itr the .narieri to; ;. one night stand. hut in the theatre they otter. [notintc inure .‘lcsatcd experiences. Iltis is pmtitoimiy true oi the superh ensemlrle tor the t iii/cits low/r [in or Hone/r season which managed. with sotrrc panache. to pertorrrr trye plays itr report a shoestring lltitlflt‘l with alrhost nil rehearsal time. So. a prey iottsly unknown company ol‘ yrttl:r"slets. whose sile spec'lilc piece [Jill/11.)”: l/lr' Nit/r \ Hi ( him yr' ll/rrs/rr rs scored three well desetyetl llte lttlttte looks like it belongs to the young .-\nd the triad
ltrti I)\ltlllltrl..
ritrrtitttalttttts
The CATS winners are announced on Sun 5 Jun
Theatre
Hit
THE BEST THEATRE & DANCE
* Mancub Douglas Maxwell's delightfully written, dark but cleverly whimsical piece continues its tour. A young man with anthropomorphic delusions goes through the traumas of adolescence with the added burden of conversations with the neighbour’s dog as well as pesky parents and adolescent pals Funny and at times thought provoking entertainment. lowing.
* The Judas Cradle Strong meat this. from performance artist Ron Athey with music from soprano Juliana Snapper. Tracing a history of torture from the Spanish lnquisition to Guantanamo Bay. this piece looks at mar r's inhumanity to man with a clinical but efiective eye. CCA, Glasgow, 7th? 1 & Wed 2 Jun, see preview.
>I= Close Encounters A series of short. briefly rehearsed readings from some of Scotland's leading writers, this might be an opponunity to see some interesting work well in advance of a full scale production. Expect challenging work and variety from a bill which features the likes of David Greig, Davy Anderson and lorry Roper. Citr'zens' Theatre. Glasgow. Sat 28 May & Sat 4 Jun.
* The Graduate Worth seeing for the periorrrrances alone. this end of season fare from Dundee Rep features the terrific irene MacDougall as Mrs Robinson in Terry Johnson's adaptation of a novel which is best known for its film version. Funny and more human than you’d expect, this is a good night out. Dundee Rep, until Sat 4 Jun.
.' '.".:. suit. THE LIST 91