Theatre
at ‘."I\.i\t A MAN FOR ALL SEASONS Theatre Royal, Glasgow, Mon 21 —Sat 26 Nov
One of the characteristics of drama over the last century has been its lack of heroes. This was perhaps a reflection of our social history, for no sooner did we elevate people to power than they showed an unworthy side. Figures placed in the public mind seemed to become automatically abusive in this time. JFK died just as the golden boy began to escalate the war in Vietnam, having only just presided over the attempted invasion of another sovereign state, Cuba. Mrs Thatcher was hailed as an achievement for women’s rights just in time to trample on the rights of everyone who earned less than a few million a year. And Blair? We’d better not get started.
These were only post-war examples, so it’s no wonder that Arthur Miller sought out lowly, flawed and impoverished characters as tragic heroes. Another technique for finding truly admirable figures was to pillage history, when people seemed less venal. Perhaps the outstanding commercial success of this genre was Robert Bolt’s 1960 account of the struggle between Sir Thomas More and Henry VIII over the divorce of Catherine of Aragon. More’s stoical refusal to endorse Henry’s corrupt pragmatism is the stuff of lofty idealism, something our leaders have lacked in recent generations.
The piece was purpose-built for a big starry performance from an actor of status, and this production has cast Martin Shaw (he of Judge John Deed, The Professionals and so forth) to fill the role, which was originally played by Paul Schofield. It’s a crowd puller with a lot to say about the age- old struggle between idealism and pragmatism, and this tour looks set to fill houses once again. Go on, search for the hero outside yourself.
(Steve Cramer)
_ Davey Anderson
88 THE LIST l7 Novel Dec 200:")
WORK IN PROGRESS PLAIN SPEAKING Tramway, Glasgow, Fri 18—Sat 19 Nov
1A
at
Creative. Cutting edge theatre company. EK Performance. explore the power of language in this current work in progress. Borrowing from iconic speeches of recent history including those made by figures such as Madonna. Tony Blair and Osama Bin Laden. the piece is an examination of what it is to be heard and taken seriously. of where the beiindaries of speech-making exrst and the impact of speaking for others. The 'others' in this performative experience are the audience. who sit. uninvited to contribute. along with the performers at a vast table. There they will be exposed to persuasive rhetoric as the speakers compete for their attention and Support. vying for sympathy, belief and the moral high ground. Under the astute direction of the company's fOunder Pamela Carter. this promises to be a compelling. groundbreaking piece of contemporary theatre. (Michelle Macintyrel
REViVAl.
THE HOMECOMING Ramshorn Theatre, Glasgow, until Fri 2 Dec
As Harold Pinter basks in the glory of his Nobel Prize. it might be satisfying to reflect that we in Scotland seem more aware of his work than they are in his native England at the moment. Strathclyde Theatre Group's production marks the fourth in a month in Scotland after the three plays performed at the Arches. now at the end of their run.
This 1965 piece is regarded by some as Pinter's greatest. wrth its monstrous portrayal of filial impropriety and promiscuity within one London Jewrin family. Spawning some of the darkest
POLITICAL THEATRE WIRED
and most uncomfortable comedy of recent decades. this piece shows sexual. social and psychological violence within the ambit of a knock- on-any door WOrklng-CIETSS home. This is a poetic and strangely haunting piece of drama. always welcome in revrval. (Steve Crameri
PHYSICAL Tl lEATRF: THE FACTORY Arches, Glasgow, Fri 23-Sat 25 Nov
The Arches' new artist in resrdence AI Seed tackles brutality within familiar contemporary global issues. awakening numbed apathy in a dark. grim and at points hilarious physical exploration, focussing more on imagery than dialogue. 'I wanted to do an anti-war play and the more I got into it. a number of other things were raised. But when I tried to boil everything down to a principle it was about money.’ says Seed. 'Basically, there is nothing sacred in our culture past money any more.’
Seed. who devised and performs the piece. describes it as a “live horror snov-i'. It presents five archetypal characters through the eyes of a grotesque clown. Circus skills are of particular interest to Seed. who seeks to challenge the stereotypes of big tops and red noses. delvnig into the darker notions of playfulness and laughter within risk. control. power and terror. ‘Humour can be such a powerful weapon.‘ he says. itvlichelle Macrntyrel
Oran Mor, Glasgow, Mon 21-Sat 26 Nov
Wired wasn‘t always going to be served up as Davey Anderson's contribution to Oran Mor's lunchtime theatre season. Instead he started out wrth Summit. as a response to the political and media circus surrounding this year's (38 meeting.
But that story soon became dated.
Committed to keeping his work topical, Anderson changed direction. He is reacting to the London bombings. anti-terror measures and the complex relationship between police and public. so the issues underlying this latest piece are as fresh as the ink on today's papers. And yet politics only plays an indirect part in this story. Like Anderson's (Wt/31rd-\"'/lllll|lig Snuff before it. Wired lays its eniphaSIs on the personal. Bringing together a senior police officer investigating the suspected shooting of a suicide bomber and an unhinged hotel chambermaid who has wrtnessed an act of extreme Violence. the show promises
to be a suspenseful 4:") minutes.
Taking part in Oran Mor's 'A Play. a Pre and a Pint' season ties in well with Anderson's overall project of making theatre for different audiences ~ audiences that he hopes to challenge. 'I think there has been an appetite for theatre to address current events in a very digestible way.‘ argues Anderson. ‘Theatre that says. "This is what I think about this. Don't you agree?" and then we all agree and go home. It is easy to take an obvious stance. But it is more important to get the audience to interrogate their own values and not tell the easy story' And what exactly that story is. you will have to find out for yourself. lCorrie Mrllsl
17 Nov-1 Dec 2005 THE LIST 88