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Theatre
REVIEW REVIVAL
THE RISE AND FALL OF LITTLE VOICE Dundee Rep, until Sat 26 Apr, the—nutouring COO
This popular modern fable focuses on introverted songbird Little Voice (Debbie Saloman), who retreats to her bedroom to escape the attentions of her boisterous mother, Mari Hoff (Elaine C Smith). Mari's new boyfriend Ray Say (Andy Gray) soon discovers LV's talent for impersonating famous singers and eagerly pushes
her into the unwanted limelight.
A flourish of pantomime glitter helps director Michael Harrison combine his mixture of terrifically disturbed characters with the pink stairs and green walls of Annette Gillies' vibrantly expressive multi-level set. From Elaine C Smith's obstreperous entrance to Ray Say's questionable Y—fronts. the unceasingly obvious comedy (occasional malapropism aside) is performed with such gusto that it remains entertaining, with Smith's piercing Mari Hoff enforcing a dose of tinnitus for all during the brief moments of quiet introspection. Debbie Saloman's turn showcases a vocal talent of power and grace, and provides a welcome break from the overbearing humour that ultimately detracts from the tragedy so important to Cartwright's work, while Smith and Gray's timing and telekinetic rapport is expectedly impeccable, negotiating the seemingly awkward lack of direction that might leave a less experienced cast floundering. With a Scottish twang, this enjoyable star-driven work certainly has its audience, but like LV‘s - mother it's just a little more sparkle than substance. (David Laing)
PREVIEW CONTEMPORARY DANCE MAG-PIE Dundee Rep, Wed 7 May
Aptly named after a cocky wee beastie with an eye for cherry-picking gems, Magpie is an expertly-curated rummage through some of the most exciting contemporary choreography of the last 20 years — a modern, dance take on the fading art of the variety show, if you like.
It's the second production by slick, sexy young UK company Probe, aka 20-something dancers Antonia Grove and Theo Clinkard, who between them have danced for Ballet Rambert. Matthew Bourne. Siobhan Davis and. ah, Kylie. Composed of seven different pieces by radically different choreographers. Magpie showcases not only Grove and Clinkard's versatility, but that of contemporary dance. snapping between an Astaire/Rogers pastiche by Broadway darling Steven Mear, and Scag, a dark, evocative solo about addiction and the first ever piece by late choreographer Jeremy James. They've encompassed the very recent (a part-dance, part stand-up comedy piece by New Art Club, themselves lately seen at Edinburgh's Traverse and the Arches in Glasgow) — and the modern classic (Trisha Brown‘s seminal 1971 dance short Accumulation, credited with changing the face of modern choreography). and like every good variety show, it involves lots of jokes, even more costume changes, and is all framed by a set of red velvet curtains. The Dundee date is your only chance to catch what ought to be an excellent retrospective. (Kirstin Innes)
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REVIEW FARCE
TRUMPETS AND RASPBERRIES
Royal Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh, until Sat 10 May .0.
Farce is a form that seems to thrive on dangerous times. From the great war disillusionment and depression that saw Travers and Coward at their peaks, on to the social revolution of the 608 that saw Orton’s tragically brief supremacy, and up to the economic catastrophes of the 705 and 803 that backgrounded the height of Dario Fo’s popularity, when the world seems to have fallen out of equilibrium, farce becomes rampant. It seems appropriate, then, that Fo’s reflection on the mad, terrorist dominated, recessional world of the latter 70s and 805 should be revived today.
In it, humble socialist auto worker Tony (Jimmy Chisholm) finds that his errant ways have led to his own body being mistaken for that of the grievoust injured fat cat who runs his car plant. Full body reconstruction by a sinister plastic surgeon (Steven McNicoll) leads to a doppelganger in the shape of Sir John Lamb, and none among his wife (Kathryn Howden) his mistress (Shonagh Price) or a suspicious local detective (Keith Fleming) can tell the difference.
Tony Cownie’s production, set in 2011, sees some plausible but bleak auguries on the horizon, with tough economic times, terrorism and 3 Cameron Prime Ministership all in play. It’s all very believable, as farce ought to be, before its described world goes mad. There are, though, a couple of jarring moments in the necessary logic; McNicoll’s performance as a kind of Dr Strangelove manque is brilliant, but why would Edinburgh be hosting a Werner Von Braun figure three years hence?
There are also a couple of moments in which such things as British intelligence bugged furniture disrupts the vacuum packed logic needed. All that said, this production provides the greatest laugh-out-loud moments of the theatre year.
The scene in which bewildered husband Chisholm is force fed up his nose by his solicitous wife is gut- crunchingly, head achingly funny, and the second act generally seldom fails to amuse. Chisholm is in his element, with impeccable physical comedy and timing, while Fleming’s macho cop, occasionally given to flights of homoerotic Nancy is also a treat. Combine this with a disturbing sting in the tail about corporate greed and political corruption, and you’ve got a strong night out. (Steve Cramer)
24 Apr—8 May 2008 THE LIST 95