www.list.co.uk/theatre
Scenes de Ballet choreographed by Frederick Ashton, Fearful Symmetries by Ashley Page and new work by Val Caniparoli, the San Francisco Ballet choreographer comprise the national company’s autumn offering. See preview, page 86. Shakespeare – The Man from Stratford Tue 21–Sat 25 Sep. 7.30pm (Thu & Sat mat 2.30pm). £12–£26. Simon Callow’s spellbinding show exploring the life of the Bard through extracts from his own works. ■ TRAMWAY 25 Albert Drive, 0845 330 3501. Beautiful Burnout ●●●●● Until Sat 11 Sep (not Sun/Mon). 8pm (Thu & Sat mat 2.30pm). £15 (£8). A highly physical, immersive dip into the world of boxing and Cameron, a boy who’s relying on his fists to take him places, from the National Theatre of Scotland and writer Bryony Lavery. Stars Over Kabul Thu 23–Sat 25 Sep. 7.30pm (Thu mat 2.30pm). £6. A new piece from the National Youth Theatre of Great Britain following the lives of entrants in the Afghan Star singing competition.
■ TRON THEATRE 63 Trongate, 552 4267.
✽✽ The Chooky Brae Until Sat 11 Sep. 7.30pm (Sat mat 2.30pm). £10.50–£14.50 (£6.50–£10.50). See Glasgow, Eastwood Park Theatre. Jacobite Country Wed 15–Sat 18 Sep. 7.30pm. £10.50–£14.50 (£6.50–£10.50). A new comedy from Henry Adam follows Haggis McSporran on his return to the Highlands after leaving to become the king of comedy in London. Madcap capers from Highlands-based theatre company Dogstar. Opium Eater Wed 15–Sat 18 Sep. 7.45pm. £8.50 (£6.50). Richly comic and deeply moving play set in 1820s Edinburgh. See preview, page 86. The Not-So-Fatal Death of Grandpa Fredo ●●●●● Tue 21–Sat 25 Sep. 7.30pm. £10.50–£14.50 (£6.50–£10.50). See Glasgow, Eastwood Park Theatre. Walden Tue 21 & Wed 22 Sep. 7.45pm. £8.50 (£6.50). Walden, Henry David Thoreau’s account of his life in the woods, is one of the most extraordinary and unclassifiable books ever written. Magnetic North’s adaptation reflects the book’s many facets and contradictions in a piece of theatre created for non-theatre spaces that is part performance, part philosophy class. Ages 14+.
Edinburgh
■ BEDLAM THEATRE 11b Bristo Place, 225 9893. Bats Mon 13 & Wed 15 Sep. Mon 2pm; Wed 7pm. £3. A new play by Beth Friend, about a couple whose life is invaded by a stalker. No Exit Mon 13 & Fri 17 Sep. 7pm. £3. New student production of Sartre’s captivating existentialist drama about the inescapability of despair, which includes the famous line, beloved of drama queen misanthropes everywhere, ‘hell is other people’. Shakespeare’s Fools Tue 14 & Thu 16 Sep. Tue 2pm; Thu 8.30pm. £3. Edinburgh University Shakespeare Company takes a playful look at the Bard’s texts. Heads Wed 15 Sep. 2.30pm. £3. Student production of a dark comedy written by Howard Brenton.
■ BRUNTON THEATRE Ladywell Way, Musselburgh, 665 2240. Magic Spaghetti Sat 11 Sep. See Kids listings.
✽✽ The Chooky Brae Wed 15 Sep. 7.30pm. £11 (£9; under 18s £6). See
Glasgow, Eastwood Park Theatre. Peter Morrison Thu 16 Sep. 7.30pm. £15 (£13). West End and Broadway hits from Scotland’s ‘Ambassador of Song’ who returns in the company of his
Theatre
Interiors Another chance to see Vanishing Point’s almost completely wordless production, performed by British and Italian actors while the audience stares in through a window. A poignant, incisive, at
times uncomfortable, exploration of human isolation. ■ Platform, Edinburgh, Wed 22 Sep.
daughter Jackie and comedian Ron Dale for a night of light entertainment. Jacobite Country ●●●●● Tue 21 Sep. 7.30pm. £11 (£9; under 18s £6). See Glasgow, Tron Theatre. ■ KING’S THEATRE 2 Leven Street, 529 6000. Calendar Girls Mon 13–Sat 25 Sep (not Sun). 7.30pm (Wed & Sat mat 2.30pm). £14–£28.50. The show about the Women’s Institute fundraisers who stripped for a (tasteful) nude calendar returns with a cast led by Elaine C Smith and featuring Denise Black, Jean Boht, Jennifer Ellison, Julia Hills, Rachel Lumberg, Ruth Madoc and Joe McGann.
■ FESTIVAL THEATRE 13/29 Nicolson Street, 529 6000. Scottish Ballet: Autumn Season – Geometry + Grace Thu 23–Sat 25 Sep. 7.30pm. £11.50–£21.50. See Glasgow, Theatre Royal. ■ THE GRV 37 Guthrie Street, 220 2987. The Dress Affair Until Sat 11 Sep. 7.30pm. £9 (£7). A new play involving an adulterous husband, his lonely wife and a revolutionary therapist. Based on a poem by Brazilian poet Carlos Drummond do Andrade, thought-provoking questions are posed on the themes of gender, misogyny and sexism. Email bookings@tightlacedtheatre.org to book.
■ PLAYHOUSE 18–22 Greenside Place, 0844 847 1660. John Edward Thu 9 Sep. 7pm. £51–£61. The superstar psychic medium reaches out from the land of the living. Peppa Pig’s Party Sat 11 & Sun 12 Sep. See Kids listings. Chess: The Musical Tue 21–Sat 25 Sep. 7.30pm (Wed & Sat mat 2.30pm). £17.75–£39. See picture caption, page 88.
■ ROYAL LYCEUM THEATRE Grindlay Street, 248 4848.
✽✽ Romeo and Juliet Fri 17 Sep–Sat 16 Oct (not Sun/Mon).
7.45pm (Wed & Sat mat 2.30pm). £11–£28 (£5–£26). A new production of Shakespeare’s classic exploration of conflict, division and the passion of youth. See preview, page 85.
■ USHER HALL Lothian Road, 228 1155. Lisa Williams: Message from Beyond Thu 23 Sep. 7.30pm. £27.50–£35. The medium and clairvoyant, who counts Sharon Osborne and Matt Goss among her celebrity clients, returns to the UK for a second tour.
Outside the Cities
■ DUNDEE REP Tay Square, Dundee, 01382 223530. Sunshine on Leith Until Sat 18 Sep (not Sun). Mon, Tue, Wed & Fri 7.30pm; Thu & Sat 2.30pm & 7.30pm. £15–£24 (£8–£21). A musical from Dundee Rep Ensemble, packed with songs from The Proclaimers, that follows the highs and lows of two soldiers returning home from the army. Glaswegian actor Billy Boyd, famous for his turn as Pippin the mischievous hobbit in the Lord of the Rings trilogy, stars. British Sign Language interpreted performances Mon 13 Sep 7.30pm and Sat 18 Sep 2.30pm. Audio described performances Thu 9 Sep 7.30pm and Sat 11 Sep 2.30pm. Captioned performance Sat 11 Sep 2.30pm.
✽✽ Talking Heads: A Chip in The Sugar, Bed Among the Lentils
and her Big Chance Wed 22–Sat 25 Sep. 7.30pm (Sat mat 2.30pm). £9–£15 (£5–£10). Three classic monologues
from the master of witty Weltschmerz, Alan Bennett, brought to life by Irene MacDougall, Emily Winter and Robert Paterson, who are each directing and each performing one monologue. See preview, page 86. ■ BYRE THEATRE Abbey Street, St Andrews, 01334 475000. Sherlock Holmes: The Death and Life Fri 10 Sep. 7.30pm. £15 (£13). A wryly humorous metafictional look at Conan Doyle as he tires of his arrogant hero and invents a villain to dispose of him, in a play promising murder, mystery and the occult. Sweet Charity Tue 14–Sat 18 Sep. 7.30pm (Sat mat 2.30pm). £13 (£10). Anstruther & District Amateur Operatic Society performs this comic musical about a girl who has a lotta love but not a lick’a sense. Featuring classic numbers such as ‘Hey Big Spender’ and ‘If My Friends Could See Me Now’. The Bookie Thu 23 Sep. 7.30pm. £15 (£10–£13). New Scottish musical comedy by Douglas Maxwell. Hapless local bookie Stevie McQueen’s luck looks set to change when a local boy made good rolls back into town with plans for a brand new casino. . . but what are the odds on things all going as planned? Suitable for ages 15+.
■ MACROBERT University of Stirling, Stirling, 01786 466666. The Not-So-Fatal Death of Grandpa Fredo ●●●●● Sat 18 Sep. 8pm. £12. See Glasgow, Eastwood Park Theatre. The Chooky Brae Tue 21 Sep. 8pm. £12 (£6–£9). See Glasgow, Eastwood Park Theatre. A Promised Land Wed 22 Sep. 8pm. £12 (£6–£9). See Glasgow, Paisley Arts Centre.
9–23 Sep 2010 THE LIST 89