Theatre
Sansofime
‘A PLAY ABOUT LIFE, LOVE, AGEING, RELATIONSHIPS, SELF-IMAGE'
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Steve Cramer talks to director and actor Alison Peebles about having multiple sclerosis and preparing for her role in Beckett’s Happy Days
ere's something yott may not know: Samuel Beckett is the only Nobel Prize winner to play
first class cricket. This might only be of
significance to a qui/ master. but for the following story. possibly apocryphal. yet terribly plausible. that‘s circulated among Beckett scholars over the years: One line morning. as the sttn shone bright over the university ground in Dublin. the wicket keeper for his club turned to Beckett. who lielded adjacently at first slip and said. lovely day‘. (letting a non committal gestttre from the great man. he added. ‘Kind ol’ day that makes you glad to be alive.‘ “I wouldn't go that far.. Beckett replied.
It is an anecdote that epitomises Beckett‘s reputation as a miseryguts. which has. for many years. been riposted by his admirers with many claims about the rich humour of his work. To hear his apologists go on about it. you‘d think that Beckett's capacity for comedy exceeded that ol' Aristophanes. and mightily eclipsed the (‘owards and ()rtons of the last century. Anyone who has sat through a well produced Beckett knows that this is not the case. Though there‘s a certain music hall humour in his ‘existential comedies‘ it's hardly this that makes him
valttable. Those who paint him as the greatest of
comic writers are simply protesting too mttch. Reruns oi Dm/‘s Army have probably made you laugh more. This is why Alison Peebles. who is preparing the role ol‘ Winnie in Dominic Hill‘s production of Happy Days at Dundee Rep. seems so grounded. She calls the play ‘quite l‘unny at times'. but leaves it at that. The piece is important. but l’or reasons beyond humour. In it. we lind Winnie. who is buried in sand. at lirst up to her waist. then to her neck. She keeps
76 THE LIST IA? Mir, f .Jim PUD."
chatting to her barely seen. barely listening husband. and distracts herself with the various accoutrements of her handbag. a music box. and perhaps more alarmingly. a revolver. How many folk l‘eel the Tome of the metaphor"? The sense of life and relationships as both an urgent need and an entrapment. ol age encroaching. things not moving on. and oi the distractions olTered by consumer objects and one way conversations'.’
l’eebles points to the play"s accessibility. ol'ten as underrated in Beckett as its humour is overrated. ‘What I l’ind interesting is how many people who have nothing to do with the theatre know the play.’ she says. 'l've met all kinds of people who know it. l've taken to saying. “no. it’s not Happy Days with the lion/7'. but they know Beckett‘s play. it might be seen by sortie people as very deep and intellectual. but it‘s actually a great play about lil’e. love. ageing. relationships. sell-image. all sorts of things that work on any level. You can see what it says about relationships — the slightest little word or gesture from her man helps Winnie go on for another day -r there’s so much about human relationships there."
Peebles recently revealed that she is suffering from multiple sclerosis. In light ol' this has the role taken on particular signilicance l‘or her'.’ “()l‘ course. there‘s a certain extra meaning for me. since I can't move for a good deal ol‘ the play. especially the way her mobility is affected progressively. since MS is a progressive disease. But telling people about it has been a good thing. I was al‘raid it would stop inc getting work. but that hasth happened at all.”
Dundee Rep, Sat 26 May-Sat 9 Jun.
Hit
THE BEST THEATRE & DANCE
* Mahabharata Epic narrative, vivid colour, dancing and puppetry are promised in this new production of the sprawling lndian tale. first brought to Western audiences by Peter Brook. Written by Stephen Clark and with music by Nitin Sawhney, this looks like a ravishing entertainment. Festival Theatre, Edinburgh, Tue 5—Sat 9 Jun.
* Happy Days Alison Peebles leads in this modern classic from Dundee Rep. Dominic Hill directs Beckett's classic drama featuring a woman buried up to her naval in sand, reflecting upon a possibly distorted past as she converses with a husband who, for the most part seems to ignore her. Dundee Rep, Sat 26 May—Sat 9 Jun.
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* The Wonderful World of Dissocia Anthony Neilson’s brilliant modern day fable comes to the Traverse, telling the story of a young woman with a psychiatric disorder with charm and great humour, despite some very disturbing moments. Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh, Wed 6-Sat 9 Jun.