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‘I'M NOT THE KIND OF ACTOR WHO DOES
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Quantum leap
Steve Cramer talks to Scottish stage legend Tom Mannion about physics, ambiguity and precision as he takes on the lead role in Michael Frayn's Copenhagen
ne ol the ll;llllll.ll'l\\ ol success in almost an_\
[tl'lilt‘\\ltlll is precision. It is this allenlion lo
tlelail lhal lii'sl strikes me alioul loin Mannion. l‘iilg't'lllllg lhe liain inspiietl ehaos ol l’l'iuees Sll‘eel. I ai'ii\e lale al lztliiiluii'gliK Blue lila/ei' aiul nieel hun oulsule alter a sprint li'oin the hits slop. .\s he seals hiinsell opposite nie aiul arranges his piiil .il a eaielul angle lo his elhou. he geslui'es al lll_\ glislening hum, let‘s gel _\ou sonie kilehen lo\\el or something l‘oi‘ lhalf he sa_\s. a kiiitll} geslui‘e. ”Hill a likeahle antl peispieaeious man.
It comes as no surprise lhal he speaks ol his aeling leehniilue as ltt‘lllg all altoul a l’sllltl ol spare and laslitlious pi'eeision ‘l‘ni nol lhe lsllltl ol actor who does hack stories I e\isl oul} in lhe language I tlon'l tlo loo inueh haelxgiountl slullf sa}s the man \\ho inalle such a lu'illianl leatl in (’onununeiatlo‘s (‘il’tlllil (li' Ht I‘L’i'lili lil lllL‘ lllltl-Ulls Willi-\c‘ 3.10! [H ill) the pure logie l'ii'sl. lhen }Hll eololu' il in so the le\l is \ei'_\ iinpoi'lanl. l'in \ei'} loi'ensie that \\a_\ not lo inenlion anall’
'l‘on} ('oxxnie's pi‘otluelion ol \liehael l~i'a}ii's lale ‘ills hil ('o/n‘li/iuei n has seoi‘etl itsell quile a coup in signing .\lannion loi lhe role ol \ils liohi'. .\ natixe (ilasuegian. lhe aeloi‘ has illnetl} liuill hiuisell lhe .slalus ol‘ lheali‘e legend in er lhi‘ee tleeatles. During long slinls al the RSC he has taken pi'oininenl roles in Les .\Il\('l'(1/’/t'\. .lll/ltfl (i/(thl'. llir' Hue/um oi ,llil/li and man} others. \\liile his e\lensi\e lele\ ision \xork
makes him an inunetlialel} reeognisahle laee. Yet. hit
all lhis. he‘s not quue lhe inegaslai' lhal olher aetoi‘s carrying the same professional stains ha\ e become. a
82 THE LIST
lael he in no \\.r\ lainenls.
‘l'in not i'eeognisetl as so ainl so li’oln lhe lell}. so _\ou tlon‘l gel hnuletl lll lhe l\lll\l ol pai'ls _\ou gel.~ he sa_\s. 'li} lhe sanie llllsk‘ll _\ou tlllll.l gel lhe lug huelss. but I lhoughl the other tl.l_\. “Hang on. l'\e been married loi‘ 35 _\eai‘s. aiul l‘\e ne\ei heen lale on in_\ liilil‘lgage alltl l tltlll‘l ha\e an o\ei‘th‘all.” ll‘s l'eall} niee lo gel lols ol \xoik hut l'einain anon_\nious. l leel ioll} luelev‘
|~i‘a_\n‘s pla_\ \\.is a notable sueeess. tlespile heing ahoul nuclear ph_\sies. lheie Is lai' more to lhe sloi‘_\ lhan lhis. houexei. liohi. \\hose naseenl lle';l\ alililll L]ll.lllllllll ph}sic's and the ‘uneerlainl_\ principle
inspired a generalion ol his peers. ineliuling \\ei'ner
lleisenhei'g \xho lainousl} hosletl a meeting \xilh liohi' in \\.ll loin l)enin.ul\. In lhe pla} Bohr antl \\llL' \laigielhe are threatened h} lhe \a/is. \xhile lleiseuliei'g is pail ol (iei'inan_\ 's nuclear programme. l‘l‘;l_\ll-\ pla} lalses plaee l‘c‘ll’nspc‘c'li\c‘l}. with the lhi‘ee ehai'aeleis i‘elleeling. perhaps li‘oin he}ontl the gi‘a\e. upon a series ol lense ineelings lhal tesletl ll'lc‘lltlslllps .illtl [Ntlc‘llllllll_\ tlL‘c'ltlc‘tl lllL‘ llllc ()l lllL' \\oi‘ltl. ‘ll _\ou li‘_\ lo ilel'ine il loo inueh _\ou spoil il.‘ sa}\ \lannion. "l'here are moments \xhei‘e )Hu realise that there are ans\\ei's lhal liohi‘ tloesn'l want to come lo. heeaUse ll )ou gel the ansuei _\ou gel lhe houih. So al one poinl his \xil'e points oul thal he's hesl lell niisuntlei'slruul. hes ileliheralel} ambiguous. and so is [he pla}; il's a ileliltel‘ale pal'atlox' Royal Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh, Fri 17 Apr-Sat 9 May.
* Behaviour The
performance festival continues apace. with envelope-pushing performances from US choreographer and dancer Ann Liv Young (pictured). award- winning performance artist Nic Green and dance theatre company Junk Ensemble. See preview. page 83. The Arches. Glasgow, until Sat 25 Apr.
* Scottish Ballet: Carmen & Cheating, Lying and Stealing Double bill of a brand new version of Carmen choreographed by Richard Alston and Lying, Cheating and Stealing, a piece by Ashley Page from 1998. Theatre Royal, Glasgow, until Sat 18 Apr; Edinburgh Festival Theatre, Wed 22—Sat 25 Apr. * Interiors Poignant, incisive exploration of human isolation and interior lives by Scotland's Vanishing Point. See review, page 83. Macroben, Stirling, Wed 75 Apr, then touring.
* Cirque du Soleil: Ouidam The celebrated French-Canadian company celebrates its 25th anniversary by resurrecting its highly acclaimed spectacle. Quidam. See preview. page 83. SECC. Glasgow, Thu 16-Sun 19 Apr. * Copenhagen See preview. left. Royal Lyceum Theatre. Edinburgh, Fri 17 Apr—Sat 9 May.
* Wutherlng Heights British Asian theatre company Tamasha puts a Bollywood spin on the classic 19th century romance. See preview, page 83. Citizens' Theatre, Glasgow, Tue 21-Sat 25 Apr. # Look Mummy I’m Dancing Vanessa Van Durme performs this monologue. based on her literary memoir. See preview, page 61. Tramway, Glasgow, Fri 17 & Sat 18 Apr.