Theatre
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‘I'M RESERVING THE RIGHT TO PUT THE BEST THEATRE I CAN IN FRONT OF AUDIENCES'
Steve Cramer talks to Gregory Thompson, the new artistic director of the Tron about politics, the theatre, and his debut with Grae Cleuch’s The Patriot
olitics has become the an of the horrible. We
might feel. more now than ever, the truth of
Paul Valery‘s comment that ‘Politics is the art of preventing people from taking part in affairs that properly concern them.‘ Perhaps because of a growing sense of disillusionment. there seems a greater urgency today to engage politically. far more than there was a generation ago.
This is especially true in the theatre over the last few years. So is the new artistic director at the Tron a left wing lirebrand‘.’ Actually no, not really. Asked about his first new season at the Tron. artistic director Gregory Thompson is almost self-conscious about just how political it is.
‘I know it looks quite a political season. but most of all. I’m concerned with getting the best work out there. It happens that a lot of that has been political lately. l‘m reserving the right to put the best theatre I can in front of audiences. whether it‘s a play about Iraq or The 'Ik'mpest.‘
Thompson makes his directorial debut at his new theatre with The Patriot. a new play by ()livier Award winner Grae (‘leugh The play follows a young man whose brother has been killed in Iraq and who involves his girlfriend in a plot to bomb the Scottish Parliament. He falls in love with the girl, the adopted daughter of an MSP. and calls off the plot in favour of a visit to her parental home. armed with a gun. A night of debate. exacerbated by claustrophobia and potential violence ensues.
(‘leugh. also an actor of some distinction, made his full length play debut with the much heralded Fucking Games at the Royal Court. a piece about a
80 THE LIST 26 Apr-10 May 2007
dysfunctional gay couple intruded upon by a younger man, which netted him the Most Promising ,
Playwright ()livier award in 2002. Since then, two shorter works. including one for radio. have also been praised, but this appears to be his first major work since his award winner.
Cleugh himself will perform the role of the young ' man, alongside Hilton Mcrae. fresh from many a -
fruitful spell at the RSC. and Juliet Cadzow. a
veteran. along with McRae. of political theatre from i
their shared early days at 7:84. Asked about the obvious anger that underpins the
play. and its dealings with terrorism. Thompson v points to the lack of political plurality in Britain.
more in tones of regret than zealous idealism. ‘I think there’s a lot of anger around. and the feeling
that we‘re given a lack of choice about what we can do naturally leads to this kind of activity. There‘s this . idea that the only way to strike back is through the
kind ofextreme measures described in the play.‘ Thompson finds that the base line of this anger is with the current government. and it’s no surprise that the fictional MSP of the play is a Labour member. ‘When John Major was Prime Minister. it didn’t
matter so much. but for people in the arts there was a
sense that Blair‘s was our government.
‘There was this level of belief that I997 changed
things. so as the contradictions emerged I think
people were more disappointed than they were with : the previous government. That’s part of the problem
in the arts and across the country.“
Tron Theatre, Glasgow, until Sat 12 May.
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THE BEST THEATRE & DANCE
* Sunshine on Lelth At last, i The Proclaimers musical! The ' story of two returned army
veterans finding a different city
to the one they left is
accompanied by the likes of
‘l'm Gonna be (500 Miles)’, , ‘Letter from America' and the title song, all performed by the ensemble from Dundee Rep. Dundee Rep, until Sat 12 May. * The Patriot Gregory Thompson makes his debut as a director at the Tron with this new piece by Grae Cleugh (see left). An intense, realist political f drama, this piece tells the story 7 of a disaffected young man with assassination in mind who visits ; the home of a Labour MSP. 5 What unfolds is a story of both ; personal and political trauma. Tron Theatre, Glasgow, until Sat 10 May.
* Tutti Fruttl John Byrne’s epic TV drama is here turned i into theatre to good effect by : director Tony Cownie. With the
likes of Dawn Steele, John
Ramage and Tam Dean Burn 3 turning in strong performances,
this musical journey through the
last days of a pop band who ; are setting off on their last tour : is well worth the admission. ‘ King '3 Theatre, Edinburgh, until Sat 28 Apr
3|: Angola In America, Parts 1 ‘ 2 Tony Kushner’s story of the way AIDS effects the lives of a disparate group of characters is regarded by many as the great play of the 903. Here it is revived for the first time in a decade under the direction of Daniel Kramer, it promises two evenings of compelling theatre. Citizens’ Theatre, Glasgow, Tue 1-Sat 12 May.
3|: Carthage Must Be Destroyed Alan Wilkins' new play looks at the third Punic War, and finds some resonances with such contemporary conflicts as Iraq. There’s a tragic motion to the play, which concentrates on the stories of five men involved in the conflict. Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh, Fri 27 Apr-Sat 19 May.