Theatre
Nasty, Brutish and Short
REVIEW Nl x'xniiiixic l)()lll3ll iiii l THE DOGSTONE/NASTY, BRUTISH AND
SHORT Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh, until Sat 15 Nov .00
The ongoing Debuts season presented by the Traverse both confounds and confirms the expectation invited by the listless opening effort Cockroach and the possibly gloomy subject matter (the darker side of the Scottish family), in a duo of new works examining the complexities of the family unit, under Dominic Hill’s subtle and understated direction.
Capturing the stoic sense of humour that escorts many Scottish families through harsh times, Kenny Lindsay’s The Dogstone follows the fortunes of young Lorn (Scott Fletcher) as he narrates in flashback the tale of his father’s (Andy Gray) demise.
This engaging mix of monologues and tall tales expertly weaves formative youthful experiences with the stark realisation of a life unfulfilled. Substituting fantastic stories for parenting skills, Gray displays his usual verve with a well-timed comic turn as the father, falling from the lofty seat of his son’s idolatry. Naomi
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Wilkinson’s humdrum seaside tenement set of brown lino, bin bags and sparse furniture allows the poetic, lyrical language explored by the thoroughly engaging Fletcher to firmly fix the attention on a journey that is just a touch too uneventful for its length.
Shorter, but lacking the nuance and shape of its companion, Andy Duffy’s Nasty, Brutish and Short takes the notion of a dysfunctional family to its extreme in a bludgeoning and direct tale of two brothers. Trying to improve his dire situation, Luke (James Young), aids Jim (Martin Docherty) in a robbery, leading to an explosive confrontation.
Lacking the political edge that can make this style of provocative theatre more meaningful, the menacing aggression displayed here feels unfounded. Embracing the jarring, stilted language, the cast valiantly battles to inspire the interest vicariously provided by the deliciously innovative set. But, despite the dark pool, filled with the flotsam and jetsam of books and broken furniture, interest is only piqued by floundering splashes of feet, while the floundering story, with too little to say, gasps for air. (David Laing)
PREVIEW BLACK COMFDY
mindless consumerism.
PREVIEW ADAPTATION
FOUR MEN AND A POKER GAME
Tron Theatre, Glasgow, Wed 19-Sat 22 Nov
Today. news on the financial crisis is ever-present: it's on our TV screens. our radios. and now it's even on our stages. Later this month. the Tron will host a new adaptation of Bertolt Brecht's little-known short story. ‘Four Men and 8 Poker Game'. which dissects the perils of success in a capitalist world. The timing couldn't be better and neither could its location. the theatres Victorian Bar.
David McKay. aka McTaggart in the BBC's Shoebox Zoo. plays the stOry's enigmatic narrator. who relates the tale of a poker game between four champion athletes on a voyage from Havana to New York. For McKay. the story‘s obvious relevance to today's economy was a key attraction to the role: ‘lt's really about political events happening at that time between Germany and the West and America. It was written three years before the Wall Street Crash [of 1929] and there are definite parallels to today.“
Accompanying him on the piano will be celebrated Scottish composer. David Paul Jones. playing a score McKay breathlessly describes as ‘beautiful‘. This, coupled with an innate passion for Brecht. completes the actor‘s unhidden zeal for the project. His clear enthusiasm. and anxiety to do the story justice. suggests Four Men and a Poker Game could be the surprise hit of this season. 'Playing Brecht is a very hard job. but if you get it right. it‘s bloody good.‘ (Yasmin Sulaiman)
NOBODY WILL EVER FORGIVE US Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh, Tue 20—Sat 29 Nov
There's been a verdant field ploughed by dramatists over the last century about the loss of religious faith. We've spent quarter centuries at a time replacing it with other things. from Violent nationalistic jingoism to the more contemporary ill of
This latter phenomena is exposed in Paul Higgins' new play for the Traverse and NTS. in which a young man returns from study at a seminary to find his family knee deep in the empty pursuits of fast food. drugs and alcohol. 'The play is paitly about religious faith and what it's for.‘ explains writer Paul Higgins. 'I think it's about if you don't believe in God anymore. what replaces that? Does alcohol replace it. do aiitidei.)ressants replace it? ls there a positive way of thinking of something else. a belief in yourself. a belief in positive humanity? Can you find comfort in other things. or is comfort not the point?‘
Higgins. whose splendid i,)erformances in B/ack Watch and Damascus Will have imprinted his acting talents on Scottish audiences. is making his debut as a Writer. at least on a serious level. with this piece. but he stresses that for all the content. it amounts to a comedy. ‘lt's meant to be a realistic portrayal of their lives. but they are funny people. They're (llSl used to cracking mostly disparaging jokes about each other — language is a weapon in this family. I think of it as a kind of tragedy. created by very funny people.‘ (Steve Cramer)