Theatre
Events are listed by city, then alphabetically by venue. Submit listings at least 14 days before publication to theatre@list.co.uk. Listings are compiled by Suzanne Black. ✽✽ Indicates Hitlist entry
Glasgow
■ THE ARCHES 253 Argyle Street, 565 1000.
✽✽ Natura Morte Tue 10–Sat 14 Nov. 7.30pm. £16 (£12).
Russian/German dance company Derevo unite with St Petersburg theatre mavericks Akhe. See feature, page 22. FREE Fragments of Love Tue 17 Nov. 7.30pm. The filming of a new solo work, followed by work-in-progress Home Sweet Home. Scratch Night Thu 19 Nov. 7.30pm. £2 or pay what you can. Join well- known and up-and-coming performers as they get ten minutes each to try out new ideas in front of an audience and seek feedback.
■ CCA 350 Sauchiehall Street, 352 4900. Hair I Am Until Thu 5 Nov. 7.30pm. £7 (£5). Helen Cuinn looks at life through the prism of her ginger locks. Glasgay!
■ CITIZENS THEATRE 119 Gorbals Street, 429 0022.
✽✽ Topdog / Underdog ●●●●● Until Sat 7 Nov (not Sun/Mon).
7.30pm. £12. See review, page 85.
✽✽ Othello ●●●●● Until Sat 14 Nov (not Sun/Mon). 7.30pm (Sat 7 Nov mat 2pm). £9.50–£17 (Tuesdays £7). See review, page 85. Off the Page Tue 10, 17 & 24 Nov. 3pm. £15 for three sessions. Informal, participatory play readings, this time from Brian Friel’s Dancing at Lughnasa. Aimed at those who are young at heart and mature in years. Chronicles of Irania Thu 12–Sat 14 Nov. 7.30pm. £12. One-woman show from A Moment’s Peace Theatre Company set in a transfigured Iran.
■ EASTWOOD PARK THEATRE Eastwood Park, Rouken Glen Road, Giffnock, 577 4970. Potato Needs a Bath Mon 9–Sat 14 Nov. See Kids listings. Othello Mon 16 & Tue 17 Nov. 7.30pm; 10am. £12 (£8). Icarus Theatre Collective brings to life the Bard’s tragedy with the help of a string quartet. ■ GILMOREHILL G12 9 University Avenue, 330 5522. Canterbury Tales Thu 5–Sat 7 Nov. 7.45pm. £8 (£6). A bawdy adaptation of Chaucer’s pilgrimage tales by Langside College Acting & Performance.
■ GLASGOW WOMEN’S LIBRARY 2nd Floor, 81 Parnie Street, 552 8345. Three Women Wed 18 Nov. 7pm. £3 minimum donation. Three Voices (Susan Hansen, Felicity Thomson and Arlene Wood) perform Sylvia Plath’s play about pregnancy. ■ KILMARDINNY ARTS CENTRE 50 Kilmardinny Avenue, Bearsden, 931 5083. A Murder is Announced Thu 12–Sat 14 Nov. £8 (£6). An Agatha Christie mystery with all the requisite elements: a determined inspector, mixed motives, concealed identities, shocking revelations and, of course, Miss Marple herself.
■ KING’S THEATRE 297 Bath Street, 0870 060 6648. Chitty Chitty Bang Bang Until Sat 14 Nov (not Sun). 7.30pm (Wed & Sat mat 2.30pm). £20.50–£39.50. The much- heralded stage version of the popular family film.
86 THE LIST 5–19 Nov 2009
Copacabana Tue 17–Sat 21 Nov. 7.30pm (Wed mat 2.30pm); Sat 5pm & 8pm. £8–£21. Barry Manilow’s musical romp where music and passion are always the fashion, as performed by The Pantheon Club. ■ MACKINTOSH CHURCH Queen’s Cross, 870 Garscube Road, 946 6600. Romeo and Juliet Fri 6 Nov. 6.30pm. £7 (£6). The greatest love story ever told is performed by Black Cat Theatre Company.
■ THE OLD FRUITMARKET Candleriggs, 353 8000. The Weatherman Fri 13 Nov. See Kids listings.
■ ORAN MOR 731–735 Great Western Road, 357 6200. A Play, a Pie & a Pint: 10,000 Metres Deep Until Sat 7 Nov. 12.30pm. £7–£12.50. Laura Lomas’ play about a couple who drive from Sheffield to Fife to lose themselves. Ticket price includes a pie and drink. A Play, a Pie & a Pint: Life of Wylie Mon 9–Sat 14 Nov. 12.30pm. £7–£12.50. Sean Hardie, who has a choice political comedy pedigree (Not the Nine O’Clock News, Spitting Image and Bremner, Bird and Fortune) brings a fourth play to Oran Mor. A Play, a Pie & a Pint: Gabriel Mon 16–Sat 21 Nov. 12.30pm. £7–£12.50. Catherine Grosvenor’s tale about an unusual baby and a maternity ward nurse. ■ PAISLEY ARTS CENTRE New Street, 887 1010. A Christmas Carol Wed 11–Sat 14 Nov. 7.30pm. £8 (£7). It’s a little early for Christmas, but that’s no reason not to see this light-hearted take on the Dickens classic from the Farndale Ladies.
■ PAVILION THEATRE 121 Renfield Street, 332 1846. The Magic of Scotland Thu 19–Sat 21 Nov. Thu 7.30pm; Fri 2pm; Sat 2pm & 7.30pm. £10.50–£12.50. This traditional Scottish variety show has some of Scotland’s top performers, including The Alexander Brothers.
■ PLATFORM The Bridge, 1000 Westerhouse Road, Easterhouse, 276 9696. FREE Transform Glasgow: Smiler Wed 11–Fri 13 Nov. 6pm & 8pm. Smiler combines Gaelic singing, urban poetry and physical theatre. Booking required. ■ RAMSHORN THEATRE 98 Ingram Street, 548 2558. Antigone Until Sat 7 Nov. 7.30pm. £6–£9 (£4–£6). Sophocles’ classic tragedy about a young woman’s defiance in a war-torn state. Mercury Fur Mon 16–Sat 21 Nov. 7.30pm. £6–£9 (£4–£6). Challenging drama about a bleak future of moral depravity. Performed by Strathclyde Theatre Group.
■ RSAMD 100 Renfrew Street, 332 5057. The Seagull Until Sat 7 Nov. 7.30pm. £10 (£8). The RSAMD’s Russian season continues with a brand new version by Stuart Paterson of Chekhov’s play. Directed by Hugh Hodgart.
■ SCOTTISH YOUTH THEATRE The Old Sheriff Court, 105 Brunswick Street. Il Panico di Pantalone and Il Panico di Capitano Thu 5 & Fri 6 Nov. Noon & 7.30pm. £7 (£5) from 552 4267. A double bill of Italian stories from Lung Ha’s Theatre Company, which gives opportunities to people with learning disabilities to become involved in the performing arts. The Lickety Tale of Molly Whuppie Sat 7 & Sun 8 Nov. See Kids listings.
■ SECC: CLYDE AUDITORIUM Finnieston Quay, 0870 040 4000. Bob the Builder Live! – Spud’s Big Mess Fri 13 Nov. See Kids listings. ■ THEATRE ROYAL 282 Hope Street, 0870 060 6647. The Steamie Until Sat 7 Nov. 7.30pm (Wed, Thu & Sat mat 2.30pm). £10–£25. Tony Roper’s washhouse comedy about the relationships between a group of working women as they rush to finish their work before the New Year bells. Grassic Gibbon Sun 8 Nov. 7.30pm. £11.50–£19.50. A new work by Jack Webster celebrating the life of J Leslie Mitchell, aka Lewis Grassic Gibbon, author of classic trilogy A Scots Quair. The Pirates of Penzance Tue 10–Sat 14 Nov. 7.30pm (Thu & Sat mat 2.30pm). £12–£27. Gilbert & Sullivan’s swash-buckling musical is performed by Carl Rosa Opera, starring Karen Dunbar. Rain Man Mon 16–Sat 21 Nov. 7.30pm (Thu mat 2.30pm, also Sat 4pm). £13–£27. Neil Morrissey and Oliver Chris play a dysfunctional pair of brothers in this funny and moving play. We’re Going on a Bear Hunt Thu 19–Sat 21 Nov. See Kids listings.
■ TRAMWAY 25 Albert Drive, 0845 330 3501. FREE Creative Development Lab – Humanimalia Fri 6 Nov. 6pm. Ticketed. Work in progress by Janis Claxton Dance. Whistler / Portfolio Collection Fri 6 & Sat 7 Nov. 7.30pm. £8 (£5). An innovative double bill from Indepen- dance, a company that uses dancers with diverse abilities. ■ TRON THEATRE 63 Trongate, 552 4267. Jesus Queen of Heaven Until Sat 7 Nov. 7.45pm. £8.50 (£6.50). Jesus is reinvented as a transsexual woman in this new work written and performed by Jo Clifford. Glasgay!
The Maw Broon Monologues Until Sun 8 Nov. 7.30pm. £10.50–£14.50 (£6.50–£10.50). Maw Broon’s search for happiness takes in therapy, environmentalism, Tolstoy and Britain’s Got Talent in these new monologues by Jackie Kay, with a cast of Suzanne Bonnar, Terry Neason and Tom Urie. Glasgay!
✽✽ Autobahn Tue 10–Sat 14 Nov. 7.30pm. £10.50–£14.50
(£6.50–£10.50). See preview, page 84. Gong Show Sun 15 Nov. 8pm. £5. Heat one of the talent competition where contestants try to entertain the crowd and beat the dreaded gong. A Wee Home From Home Tue 17 & Wed 18 Nov. 7.30pm. £10.50 (£6.50). See preview, page 84. The Waltz of the Cold Wind Thu 19–Sat 21 Nov. 7.30pm. £10.50–£14.50 (£6.50–£10.50). A play about a woman obsessed with recording sounds, by director Paddy Cunneen.
Edinburgh
■ THE ARK 3–7 Waterloo Place, 623 7147. Curiosity Cabaret Sat 14 Nov. 8pm. £5 (£4). An eclectic evening of cabaret delights, burlesque, magic, mystery, raffle, home-baking (from Cupcake Cuties) plus live music from The Chromium Gods (featuring members of The Rezillos). ■ BEDLAM THEATRE 11b Bristo Place, 225 9893. The Pillowman Until Thu 5 Nov. Wed 2.30pm; Thu 7.30pm. £4 (members £3.50). Martin McDonagh’s critically acclaimed black comedy about Katurian K Katurian – a short story writer living in a totalitarian state. Rosmersholm Tue 10–Sat 14 Nov. 7.30pm. £5 (£4–£4.50). Student performance of Ibsen’s masterwork. Christie in Love Wed 18 Nov. 2.30pm. £4 (£3.50). Howard Brenton’s disturbing and fascinating look at the love life of serial killer John Reginald Christie.
Is That Baby What / It’s Not Real, Love Edinburgh audiences
are accustomed to theatre shows being presented in non-traditional spaces, not least during the Festival Fringe. But it’s particularly unusual to find a coffee bar that has its own in-house theatre company. Leith’s new coffee hangout, Kitsch, is playing host to a double bill of new short plays by young Edinburgh writers Natalie Mackinnon and Steven McMahon, presented by ineffect theatre company. Mackinnon’s Is That Baby What follows two school friends who meet by chance in a coffee shop and explore past memories, humiliations and triumphs, while McMahon’s It’s Not Real, Love takes an old fashioned look at modern love. ■ Kitsch Coffee Bar, Edinburgh, Fri 13 & Sat 14 Nov.