‘MOST OF THE POLITICIANS
WHO'VE GONE TO SEE IT HAVE SAID IT'S PRETTY ACCURATE'
Politically incorrect
Richard Wilson believes things might be looking up for British politics. Not it Steve Thompson’s play Whipping It Up is anything to go by, says Steve Cramer
‘ ne ol the penaltiex ol~ rel‘uxing to participate in politicx ix )ou end up being gmerned b} _\our inl'eriorx.‘ (iix en that l’lato'x comment
\\ ax made t\\o—and-a-hall' thouxand )L‘ill‘\ ago. it‘x axtonixhing hon l'rexh it xotmdx toda}. Yet. l‘or all the great philoxophenx lair \xarniug. there'x little \xonder that xo lieu _\oung people \ote toda). .-\x the rabble \xho reprexent ux recomene at \Vextminxter. alter much xpeculation about an theatre arri\ ex in Scotland \xhich appearx to conlirm our \\Ul‘\l learx about our politicianx.
Stew 'I‘hompxon'x pla). xet in a cotlxct'\ali\c uhip'x ollice. l'olloxxx an alarming but comical lora} into the politicx ol' the media. 'l‘hompxon’x laxt \\ot‘k./)ulili1L'i'\. a grim appreciation ol~ a tabloid neu xpaper night dexk, \xaxn't xhort ot' bile. but ll'lri/i/iine Ir 1]) lookx xet to go IilII'IIIL‘I' \llII HIT the xubiect UT [tttiiliclllllx
In the lead role oi the conxerxati\ e chiel‘ \\ hip Richard \Vilxon xurpaxxex hix grim-laced Victor .\Ieldre\\. adding malice to mixery "l‘he pla} doex axk a cluextion about \\ hether thix ix a democratic x_\ xtem. and politicianx don't emerge ax glorioux. lar l'rom it.‘ he xa}x. ‘Still. moxt ol' the politicianx \\ ho'\ e gone to \\ e‘\ e had quite a lot in ha\ e talked about it being prett} accurate.‘
The piece createx a xtor_\line that appearx more plauxible non than it did \\ hen the p|a_\ opened. nearl} a )ear ago. in London. "The 'I‘oriex hax e been elected b} a \er} narrou margin. three xeatx. and there'x a leadership challenge. \xith the old guard
\L‘L‘ ll
L‘Icclittlt. ll piece HI
mming agaiuxt (‘ameron \xho'x xer\ed hix purpoxef continuex \Vilxon. ’.-\t the time I took the role. I didn't think it \\ax poxxible the 'I‘oriex could min. I xtill don‘t. but the Iaxt l'eu \xeekx make it more likel}.~ .'\x \xith /)(iHl(lg'('\. the uriter uxex lamiliar lormx to come) unl'amiliar mexxagex. "I‘here'x a backbench t'exolt and a _\oung l'emale journalixt tr) ing to uncmer the littlot‘itttlxl} xecret \\oi‘|d ol~ lhc \\hipx oilich b} imeigling her \\a_\ into the \xhipx' underpantx. So there’x a kind ol thriller element. but it'x \er} realf llLItI\ \Vilxon.
In the piece the \xhipx tixe blackmail m er the \arioux financial and xe\ua| degeneraciex ol' their chargex to get their \xa}. and neither ol' the main partiex emerge \xith an} credit. Yet \Vilxon. a Labour acth and hiin prolile xupporter. remainx attached to hix part}. The comet'xalion dril'tx. at hix \olition.
into contemporar} politicx. ‘\\'e make lun oi
conxtituenciex. ()ne .\II’ xa}x the bext \‘ieu ol hix conxtituenc} ix through the rear \ieu mirror ax he‘x drixing a\\a_\. But a lot ol \Tl’x do commit to their conxtituenciex it ixn't about the greax} pole.‘
IIe addx hix our] political predictionx: "There \kllx plent} ol e\ idence ol‘ Blair‘x rather prexidential x1} le. I'm hoping that Mr Brimn uill bring in a xuing back to parliament. \\ here the cabinet and. indeed .\II’x are Iixtened to. I get a xenxe. l‘rom \\ hat people are xa_\ ing. that e\er_\thing ix on the table again.‘
Theatre Royal, Glasgow, Mon 5-Sat 10 Nov.
Theatre >l<
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THE BEST THEATRE & DANCE
=2< Tamburlaine Must Die
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* Whipping It Up See preview. left. Theatre Royal. Glasgow, Mon 5—Sat 10 Nov.
* Molly Sweeney Brian Friel’s play tells the story of a woman. blind since birth, who finds her sight restored in middle age. But the surgical miracle brings tragic consequences. Cara Kelly reprises her CATS award- winning role in the lead. See review. page 83. Dervaig Hall, Isle of Mull, Fri 9 Nov, then touring.
* Faustus Rupert Gootd and Ben Powers' version of Dr Faustus has a second strand to it, paralleling the demise of the man who sells his soul with the contemporary and iconoclastic art and lives of the Chapman brothers. See preview, page 80. Dundee Rep, Tue 73—Sat 17 Nov.
* The Pearlflsher Iain F Macleod's play incorporates the oral tradition of travelling people in his mythic stOry of the journey through many hands of a string of pearls, originally stolen from a traveller. Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh, until Sat 10 Nov.
5|: Rambert Dance Company Choreographer Garry Stewart '3 first show in charge is a dynamic frenzy in four parts. See preview, page 82. Festival Theatre, Edinburgh, Wed 7-Fri 9 Nov.
.7” 'TI'IE LIST 79