Review
REVIVAL TRAINSPOTTING Dundee Rep, 20 Feb, then touring. 0.0
With children collapsing from heroin withdrawal at primary schools, there’s no doubt a certain relevance, more than a decade on and enduring its umpteenth revival, can accrue to Harry Gibson’s adaptation of Irvine Welsh’s novel. There’s also interest in seeing the first adaptation for performance of what became better known (even more perhaps than the novel) as a motion picture. But are there elements of this e-generation epic that have lost a little edge?
The piece itself is not so much a story as a succession of episodes from the book, creating several characters, but mainly a succession of vignettes. In it, Renton (Peter Milne) wanders through his life, unable to see a way forward and finding heroin a contestable kind of master narrative. He brushes up against the familiar Tommy, Begbie, Alison and company, and we meander through a succession of interweaving and rather sordid stories of lumpenproletarian Edinburgh in the 805. A waitress’ clarty revenge on some obnoxious English restaurant customers, Renton casually shagging his brother’s pregnant girlfriend at the former’s funeral and a final encounter with Begbie’s down and out dad at an abandoned railway station are among the episodes from the novel you didn’t see in the film. But don’t worry, you also get the bookie’s toilet . . . get the picture?
Yes, to some extent, this one is for the cult following that Trainspotting attracted as a movie, something apparent in the rather different than usual audience at the King’s Edinburgh where it was seen. It’s surely a healthy thing that these folk can be attracted to the contemporary theatre, but what they saw, although quite engaging in its way, was a kind of neither fish-nor-fowl affair. With the passing of years, one wonders whether the episodic structure quite carries a story, something perhaps now exposed by the slightly dated staging techniques in front of Suzanne Field’s sordid bedsit, multi-functional design. On the big King’s stage as well, the up close, studio theatre feel of the piece was somewhat lost. And if Milne’s Renton looks a bit in the pink for a plukey, wasted junkie, it’s nevertheless a good performance, aided by some very able support acting, particularly from Brian Alexander. All up, still a good night out, the piece nevertheless carries less weight in the 21st century. (Steve Cramer)
CLASSIC
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NORTHERN BALLET THEATRE
Edinburgh Festival Theatre. Wed 22-Sat 25 Feb
Despite- ’l.!."i{1ai thwtender agintfiz“. George Ge'snwin iett liehintl a inasicai :egayi, rriost jointiosers only dream of T. igether mt" his l).'(}ill(l" Ira, he treated a hack catalogue of show tunes and pig sc’een classics; still going strong almost 71) nears after his death He Got PM {Wm the latest venture from Northern Ballet Theatre [NBT]. pays homage to the hrothers' great work. ‘For me. the muSic of Gershwin l‘} guite timeless so it was difficult selecting pieces as there is so much to choose from," says NBT's artistic director, D£l\.'l(l Nixon, ‘But We Got Rhythm is a great mix of old Gershwin and more contemporary pieces. which covers the range of their music guite well.“
Performing songs such as 'Summertime'. ‘An Ariierican in Paris'. ‘The Man I Love' and the eponymous 1 Got Rhythm‘. the normally classical Northern Ballet Theatre Orchestra Wlll turn 'hig hand' for the evening. They'll he accompanied by a guest baritone and soprano. and acclaimed concert pianist Jonathan Scott will perform Gershwui's legendary ‘Rhapsody in Blue'. With such emotive lyrics to play with. Nixon has given his dancers another chance to show off their acting skills.
'The choreography responds to the feel of the music rather than being a literal or narrative interpretation.’ explains Nixon. '80 "Emhraceable You" is a spectacular pas de deux which captures the romance and SWGGIHGSS of the lyrics. while “My Man's Gone Now" from Porgy and Bess is all about loss and waiting for a loved one to return.' (Kelly Apterl
A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM Festival Theatre, Edinburgh, Fri 17 & Sat 18 Feb
Love triangles. infidelity and class diyides. Throw in some meddlesome fairies and a hearty dose of love potion and is it any wonder that the course of true love runs rougher than the hair on Bottoms newly-sprouted ears? One of Shakespeare's earliest comedies. A Midsummer Night's Dream has all the Crossed-Wires. crossed-loves and general buffoonery of a Bardir: farce with the added magic of imps. fairies and a bewitching forest setting.
After a sell-out tour in 2003. the Royal Shakespeare Company and the City of London Sinfonia are iorning forces once more, Composer Felix Mendelssohn's inCidentaI music iperhaps best known for the Wedding March that is now Synonymous v.ith marriage ceremoniesl Will play alongside the cast. drawrng out motifs and ‘.‘.’llTCllng through the plot like a flight, actor.
This play has undergOne many a stage. filmic and TV transformation — more recently in the 8808 Shakespeare Retold. which saw the unsuspecting targets of Cupid’s bow packed off for a weekend at CenterParcs. This production. however. promises to eschew modern twrsts and transport us back to Mendelssohn's earlier Romantic reading of the play. This offers a night of amOrous misiudgement. but the knowledge that all's well that ends well. (Corrie
Theatre
Stage Whispers
I Whispers was recently delighted to hear pleasant rumours of the appointment of Ed Robson to the post of artistic director at Cumbemauld Theatre. Former soldier Robson, an engaging and enthusiastic Geordie. is surely the first ex-member of the British Army to be appointed to a Scottish artistic directorship for a very long time. But there’s been a lot of water under the bridge since his military days, and his work has taken on shapes and themes as far removed from the parade ground as you could imagine. if you want to see a preview of his work before he takes up the post, you might want to catch his touring How to Kill/Kiss (Your Lover), reviewed on p85, an endearing but smartly observant piece about love and relationships, influenced by Carlos Neruda. The board at Cumbemauld are to be congratulated on the adventurousness and creativity of their choice, for Robson, who replaces Simon Sharkey (now at the NTS) in the post is unafraid to experiment. His work is both theoretically informed and smartly physical, with an emphasis on devising, something of a departure for the rather more literary work at the theatre until now. Whispers wishes the clever thirtysomething the best in his new post.
I And speaking of devised work and the influence of theorists and thinkers on the current theatre. one of the more interesting chats Whispers has had. albeit down the phone. in the last year or two was with Dan Rebellato. This accomplished teacher and practitioner knows what so few do in the theatre these days. that all practical theatre is theoretically informed. and all the more so by those people who claim not to ascribe to theory. His new piece Here '3 What / Did With My Body One Day lays its cards on the table by actually being about three of the most influential thinkers of recent years. including Whispers' old influence from the 803. Roland Barthes. But there’s no shonage of action, since it also examines the idea of the traffic accident. which seems to have ended the lives of droves of influential thinkers. Barthes himself was run over by a milk float - no way for a philosopher to go out . . . You can see it at the Tron. Wed 8—Sat 11 Feb.
Here’s What I did with My Body One Day
1‘1 Ff:er Mar 2'20"; 7H2 LIST 81