Theatre
‘THE QUESTION AT THE HEART OF THIS PLAY IS ABOUT JUST ICE'
Cap ive adience
Steve Cramer talks to Ed Robson, artistic director of Cumbernauld Theatre about imprisonment, torture, justice and Greek classic The Oristeia
\en |lolt_\\\ood has turned. ol reeent times. to
the siihieel ot e\lraordiiiar} rendition. But it
the somexxhat glamourised approaeh to the suhieet piomised h} the lilni li’t'Iii/i'liun. looks like eieating .i moral \llllptlelt} lo the stihjeel \\hieh tliiealens to i‘lll'_\ it under |a)ets ol' gaud} eolour. the daikei tiullis ol the sithieel might well he horne otit hi ('uniheinauld \e\e|1_\itl\i ()i'i \li'lu lrilog_\ looks like prmiding a \ei'_\ intimate e\aniination ol the suhieel. ('uinheinauld's ai‘listie direetor. lid Rohson sits heloi'e me at the li‘;i\ei'se. his long. dark. he|o\\ the sliouldei hair training a pale. slim laee aho\e a hlaek shut in a manner lliat suggests something het\\een a ioiiiantie poet and one ol Sit/i ()ualro's haeking guitarists. But the (ieordie aeeenl dispels man} t'it'sl impressions. as does a glanee at his impressn e reeord ill the lust |.\‘ months ol' his tenure at a theatre. \xhieh lias. despite its geograph}. started to heeome a signil'ieanl \enue l'or eutting edge work in Seoltish thealie. llis ne\\ initi;ili\e. .\iii'/i'n\. eneotirages }otittg eoiiipanies to eome to ('umhernaitld and hring e\perimental \\ot'k to a more eomplete le\el than the a\erage sei'ateh night or reading. the first produetion to eottie out ot this initiali\ e looks like something ol a
eotli in produeing a one-man show h} one ot
Seolland‘s most eelehrated _\ot:ng aetors. Rohson is hound to atlraet theatre-sa\ \} audienees from all o\ er the eounlr}.
Sand} (irierson “on this Muir‘s ('XI‘S hest aelor ;i\\at‘d for his perlormanee in ('ommunieado‘s It runs Iii/nun]. and follow ed this up with a splendid turn in Vanishing l’oinl's Sir/mat at the I'dinhurgli l-ringe. lt's testament to Rohson's otit there artistie polie} that (irierson’s ne\l sho\\
76 THE LIST '
theatre. where a re\i\a| ol
should take plaee at (‘umhernauld. \\ here a lrunealed. one—man \ersion ot a trilog_\ ol' \\al‘. murder and \engeanee seems to hegin at its end. with the eenlral eharaeter. ()resles. e\plaining the slzi}iiig ol' his mother and her loxer in relrihution l‘or her murder ol' his lather enduring torture in a eountr} he ean‘t idenlil‘).
"the sleep hanking ol' the seats at (’umhernauld. the \\a_\ that the} lo\\ er in er stage all helps. the audienee aels as the iur}. and this one small man gi\es his aeeount Hi- the e\ent.' stt}s Rohstltt. ‘He does the whole thing ill \tl'ess [liisilliltr lie and the dll'eetiit'. l)a\id .lohnslone assumed this litisllltlll in rehearsals. When the} first started the} eould on!) hold it lot" a minute. No“ it goes on for an hour. though. illL‘\tt;lt\|}. heeatlse it‘s so painttll. he hills in er no“ and then. The shoek on his hod} is reall_\ quite an e\traordinar_\ thing. the ehallenge to his audienee is thtlt the} get to see the \tlt't'et‘lllg Hi the ehoiees the} '\ e made ahout iiistiee.'
Rohson l'eels that this is the right time to he staging (it‘eek ettt‘ssltN. "I'here‘s eertainl} tl kllld Ht /eilgeisl ill the air. \Vhen else this there heen three Setlttlsh l‘l'liduelions of' the (ireeks in sueh a short time'.’ .-\l'ter il'llt' Burr/luv til the t‘iestluli. there‘s .t/Illg'll/lt‘ til the iron and this at the same time. One ol the questions ill the heart til it” these Pitt} s is tthiltlt 'itlsttee Lttld him it \xorks. 'lto\\ on earth ean \\ hole nations he held responsihle l'or justiee'.’ \Vhat indi\idua| ean possihl} he responsible tor \xar'.’ in the [is eonte\t alone. \xe‘re ha\ing to ask how justiee is ser\ed h} this. Is this about justiee. or is iustiee inst a eomenient lzihel or proeess tor some kind of politieal meehanism ol'
sileltli eillltl‘iiiir
Cumbernauld Theatre, Thu 18—Sat 20 Oct.
to a jur}. alter
Hit
THE BEST THEATRE & DANCE
>t<
til A Midsummer Night's Dream Tim Supple's highly- acclaimed, life-affirming production of the bard's most popular romantic comedy brings together actors. creative staff and languages from India, Sri Lanka and the UK. A must- see, even for the most hard- bitten critic. See preview. page 77. King '8 Theatre, Edinburgh, Tue 23-Sat 27 Oct.
It! The Onstola See preview. left. Cumbernauld Theatre, Thu 18—Sat 20 Oct.
3|! Only the Men Reeling and Writhing‘s new work tells the story of a middle-aged photographer's dilemma upon returning to the croft he has inherited following his father's death. The supporting characters and environment are represented through a specially commissioned score and live, onstage flute performance. See preview. page 77. Byre Theatre, St Andrews, Thu 25 Oct; Platform, Glasgow. Tue 30 Oct; Brunton Theatre, Edinburgh, Wed 31 Oct; CCA, Glasgow, Thu 1-Sat 3 Nov.
* Living Quarters John Dove's powerful production of Brian Friel’s 1977 classic explores the disorientating effect of celebrity on a Donegal garrison. when an Irish army officer saves the lives of a number of his men and ends up being beseiged by journalists and politicians. See preview, page 78. Royal Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh, Fri 26 Oct—Sat 17 Nov.
* The Pearlflshor In his final production for the Traverse, artistic director Philip Howard helms this epic new work by his frequent collaborator lain F Macleod, set among the post- WW2 traveller communities in the West Highlands. See preview, page 78. Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh, Tue 30