Theatre
Stage Whispers
I No high wire act is as perilous. no bomb disposal job as delicate. and the diplomacy required might give Kofi Annan pause for a bit of 'you what?'. but the admirable Vicky Featherstone. director of the National Theatre of Scotland. continues to produce as poised a plan for this institution as you could imagine. Whispers writes within minutes of the announcement for the development plan for the NTS. and if the right checks and balances are employed. it looks pretty promising. There are a couple of surprises. though. An interesting development is a stronger nod toward the Scottish classics than in any of Featherstone’s earlier statements about the National. There’s no doubt that there are certain plays that deserve restaging from Scotland’s past, but it should also be borne in mind that Scotland's greatest flowering of theatre talent has really only happened since the 703. Given the array of writing talent Scotland can boast today, it seems important to Whispers that we don‘t get caught up in a heritage industry of old plays by James Bridie and company purely for its own sake. There are. not to put too fine a point on it. good reasons why some old plays are not revived. For all that, if a balance is struck, we might find a variety of tradition and innovation a pleasing diet. Meanwhile, the announcement of an ensemble company to tour with three small-scale shows through the theatre season might create some tensions in the theatre community. Still, if the right selections are made. it could also mean entertainment that will sweep geographically far and wide to please audiences all over Scotland. The plans for large-scale international work look impressive. but commissions for only three Scottish companies per year might not be quite enough to display the talents we have in our local firms. It's still a wait and see. but, with rsservations. it looks promising.
Vicky Foaflflfflone
88 THE LIST 73 Jun-f .Jiil 200:3
HAP OPERA
WHERE’S THE POWER? The Roxy Art House, Edinburgh, Thu 23 & Sat 25 Jun
What exactly] is a rap opera? It's a good question. And it's one that writer director Lee Gershuny has been asking of her creation lit/here's the Potter? \‘vhich has eyolved from a 1:3 minute devised piece to full length dance drama. SfioWiiig as part of Refugee Week in Scotland 200:3. this international show from the Elements takes the archetypal conflict between rulers and outsiders and searches for new peaceful solutions through dance and music.
The influences of this fusion piece — which combines; Bollyy'xood. opera. hip hop and ran -- reads like someone has iumbled the sectron dry'rders in a Mumbai record store. And if was exactly that hybrid clash of cultures that Geishuny was looking for. ‘I wanted to ffllX the haughty y'.ith the naughty] she says. Since the yahole piece is about dealing mth the polarity» betz'y'een t‘ie maiorzty and the silenced minority, rt bizngs |-'l high art and mixes it with popular art to dense a new style. You'll recognise elements of ia/x. Bellyy'.'<)o(f. rap (1in hip hop. but it's a new baby.’
Refugee \'~.’eek aims to drag the public eye £i\.".’£t‘y from the political tunnel \ision of immigration to focus on the cultural benefits of racial d'yersity. And from the sounds of it. (‘ueishuny '5; genre defyiig shoy'.‘ has all the makings of a good (:elebrat'on. ifloriie Mills"
Ni V! WORK REHEARSAL ROOM 9
Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh. Thu 23—Sat 25 June. then touring
fieturnuig to the tray with He.’re.'irs.‘rf Noon? 5), Stella: ()iiines fuses yaell established artists \'."|ffl exciting fresh talent to bring us three contrasting plays at different stages of their development. Audience feedback is integral to the rehearsal !()()ll‘r process. "(Trice you get close to a piece it':‘. (flff‘t‘llff to stand bact. and be otiiecfiye.' explains director .Jeinirna l t?‘.liif\. ‘fiirt this me". first an audience (ff}\.t}f()tilllt‘rlli exercise; it's important that people hear \.'."iat prefects we ll{l\.() in the pipeline and also for us to sfio‘.'.(ta:;e female artists'
(ii/l Who lr;.;::;fed she 'i'.’.'r:;/r'f. by new \.'."|f(?l Ariadne (lass, is set iii f iii, where a pregnant girl shares stories \.'.'Ith an old woman in ‘a mythological piece that touches on politics and oil! sense of belonging, It sits slightly left of the field and feels most definitely unlisiial', l/It‘/)t'if{fi'f{I'V'()f/)'t'1('t’lililf("\.'.'()fl\|llt) froni Rehearsal fioorn .'_ 'i.'.fil(‘fl t (wick describes as 'a naturalistic exploration of the fl’lflt‘ll of i den and .i guest for paradise] fi’huharh combines the tit)flllt‘ tench of estabfished ‘.'.'flf(‘l (‘ieoigia Patchetl i8rr‘.'i.‘li the Pool ; Hale / (to: fy'eiu; for tool with direction from Roxana Siltziart. three plays. frye rights and one brilliant free
up. :(LIarre f’ielai
Review
POLIHCAL lilEAlfiE TIPPING POINT Port of Dundee, Sun 3 Jul 0..
You would, I suppose, have heard quite enough about the (58 summit at this stage, but there are many approaches to this event, demonstrating a wide variety of methodologies, theatrical visions and ideologies. Among these, the avowedly socialist 7:84 show the most brass tacks approach. This piece, another of this company‘s documentary theatre outings, has an educational edge to it, but never loses its capacity to entertain.
In it, we trace a variety of lives, all of which are affected, in ostensibly very subtle ways, by the economic policy making of the eight wealthiest nations on earth. From a woman who becomes a community activist with international links having initially complained about poor housing conditions at her Easterhouse estate, to a Labour MP, who, having lost his seat, finds a much greater political satisfaction in contact with his local community as his environmental awareness grows, all find a common foe in global economic policy. The most salient point that emerges from all this is the disconnection between our leaders and the issues ordinary people face on the ground, no matter where in the world.
There’s a kind of low-key approach in Lorenzo Mele's production of Davey Anderson‘s script, which throws in some laughs, but keeps us focused on the facts. The admirable Paul Cunningham creates some lively humour with his Tony Blair, followed by an equally comical turn from Tom Freeman as Gordon Brown; these two are the pick of a competent cast of four, as they run through various other characters on their way. The piece lacks a little dramatic impetus here and there, and doesn’t have a real climax, but perhaps this is in the nature of the beast when dealing with stories transcribed from real life accounts of people’s experience. On the whole, this is a worthwhile, rather more than worthy night out, which has to be a good thing. (Steve Ciainer)