Theatre
✽✽ The Strange Undoing of Prudencia Hart Wed 9 & Thu 10 Feb, 8.30pm. £12 (£10). New production created by David Greig with the National Theatre of Scotland, taking audiences on a journey through tales of the supernatural, music and theatre all inspired by the Border Ballads. Intriguingly, the NTS say that they ‘cannot be held responsible in the event of any member of the audience losing their head, their heart, their shoes or their very self during the course of the performance.’ So don’t say we didn’t warn you. See preview, page 84. The Giant Children’s Cabaret Sun 13 & Mon 14 Feb. See Kids listings.
✽✽ Smalltown Tue 15–Sat 19 Feb, 7.45pm. £15 (£11). A poisoned water supply for a small town slowly turns the residents crazy, with zombies running free and Russian roulette on Girvan beach – amid the madness, the audience gets to decide on the ending. Written by DC Jackson, Johnny McKnight and Douglas Maxwell, with Johnny McKnight directing for Random Accomplice. See preview, page 83. Like This Wed 16–Sat 19 Feb, 8pm. £9 (£7). Glasgow Actors present the first play by Julie Tsang, a dark tale of morality and desire.
EDINBURGH ■ BEDLAM THEATRE 11b Bristo Place, 225 9893. The Bacchai Thu 3 Feb, 7.30pm. £4 (£3.50). Student production of the Ancient Greek tragedy. A Clockwork Orange Tue 8–Sat 12 Feb, 7.30pm. £5 (£4.50). Student production of the stage adaptation of Anthony Burgess’ horrifyingly violent fable of law and disorder, in which the ultra-violence of intellectual thug Alex and his gang of ‘droogs’ is punished by a state at least as cruel as the youths themselves.
■ BRUNTON THEATRE Ladywell Way, Musselburgh, 665 2240. Double Take Thu 17 Feb, 7.30pm. £10.50 (£8.50; under 18s £6). A double bill exploring the impact of Bawren Tavaziva on the British contemporary dance scene. ■ CHURCH HILL THEATRE 33a Morningside Road, 529 4147. Fame: The Musical Thu 3–Sat 5 Feb, 7.30pm. £12.50 (£8.50; students £6.50). Edinburgh University Footlights presents its take on the globally-successful tale of a group of starstruck performing arts students. Gypsy Mon 14–Sat 19 Feb, 7.30pm (Sat mat 2.30pm). £10–£15. Classic Hollywood musical about the life of legendary entertainer Gyspy Rose Lee, presented by Tempo Music Productions.
■ KING’S THEATRE 2 Leven Street, 529 6000. Master Class Tue 8–Sat 12 Feb, 7.30pm (Wed & Sat mat 2.30pm). £14.50–£27.50 concessions available. Stephanie Beacham takes on the role of the tormented opera diva in this play about the life of Maria Callas. Fiddler on the Roof Tue 15–Sat 19 Feb, 7.30pm (Sat mat 2.30pm). £13–£18 (£10–£14). Southern Light Opera presents the popular musical that contains such tunes as ‘If I Were a Rich Man’ and ‘Sunrise, Sunset’
■ EL BAR 74 East Crosscauseway, 667 7033. Flamenco Noche Sat 5 Feb, 8.30pm. £12 (£10). Live flamenco music and vivacious dance performances. ■ EDINBURGH FESTIVAL THEATRE 13–29 Nicolson Street, 529 6000. Peter Pan on Ice Wed 9–Sun 13 Feb 7.30pm (Wed, Sat & Sun mat 2.30pm). £21.50–£26.50 (£10.75–£13.25). Lavish production of the enduring story of the
86 THE LIST 3–17 Feb 2011
Scotland rounds off its annual festival of animation and puppet theatre for consenting adults. Trust Me, I Am Telling You Stories Thu 3 Feb, 7.30pm. £6. A series of short animated films about relationships. Part of Manipulate Visual Theatre Festival. Jerk Thu 3 Feb, 9pm. £10 (£6). A 1970s serial killer is brought to life using glove puppets by puppeteer Jonathan Capdevielle and director Gisele Viènne. Part of Manipulate Visual Theatre Festival. Snapshots: Creation & Play Fri 4 Feb, 7.30pm. £10 (£6). Thought- provoking puppet-based cabaret from three Scottish artists who have been funded by Puppet Animation Scotland. Part of Manipulate Visual Theatre Festival. Braquage – Stick Up! Sat 5 Feb, 7.30pm. £10 (£6). French Compagnie Bakélite presents a classic crime caper, told through the medium of puppets and ingenious motorised inventions. Part of Manipulate Visual Theatre Festival. Malediction Sat 5 Feb, 7.30pm. £14 (£6–£10). Dance, mime and puppetry are combined to fantastical effect in this show from Dutch company Dudapaiva. Part of Manipulate Visual Theatre Company.
OUTSIDE THE CITIES ■ BYRE THEATRE Abbey Street, St Andrews, 01334 475000. Women Behaving Madly Thu 3 Feb, 7.30pm. £14 (£8–£12). The MsFits (writer Rona Munro and actress Fiona Knowles) tour their latest madcap comedy: three women, one very short temper and something extremely sinister in the shrubbery. Faust Wed 9 Feb, 2.30pm & 7.30pm. £8 (£6). Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s translation of Goethe’s dark tale about the man who sells his soul to the Devil. Vanessa & Virginia Fri 11 Feb, 7.30pm. £15 (£8–£13). An adaptation of Susan Seller’s fascinating novel about the relationship between sisters Vanessa Bell and Virginia Woolf, mixing multimedia with original music and performance. Translations Wed 16 & Thu 17 Feb, 7.30pm. £tbc. Driaochta Theatre presents its take on Brian Friel’s best- loved play: part scathing critique of colonisation, part tender love story.
■ DUNDEE REP Tay Square, Dundee, 01382 223530. Spirit of the Dance Thu 3 & Sat 5 Feb, 2.30pm & 7.30pm; Fri 4 Feb, 7.30pm; Sun 6 Feb, 3.30pm. £14–£22 (children £12–£15; family ticket £50- £60). A mix of Irish dance, flamenco and salsa in this phenomenally successful show.
■ PERTH CONCERT HALL Mill Street, Perth, 01738 621031. Sally Morgan Thu 3 Feb, 7.30pm. £19.50. Enormously popular medium demonstrates her powers. Vampires Rock Fri 4 Feb, 7.30pm. £20. Expect to find yourself air- guitaring along to this unique vampirific musical as Steve Steinman’s band The Lost Boys blast their way through some of the world’s best known rock anthems, featuring tunes by Led Zeppelin, Meatloaf, AC/DC, Bon Jovi and the like. Fangtastic. ■ PERTH THEATRE 185 High Street, Perth, 01738 621031. Death of a Salesman Thu 10–Sat 26 Feb 7.45pm (Sat mat 2.30pm). £14.50–£18 (£10.50–£12.50). The classic play by Arthur Miller tells the story of travelling salesman Willy Loman, who returns home to his family after an unsuccessful trip full of doubts that he may have taken the wrong turn in life.
PREVIEW NEW WORK ROB DRUMMOND: WRESTLING Arches, Glasgow, Wed 9–Sun 13 Feb
Those unfamiliar with choke slams and half nelsons may only associate wrestling with spandex, muscly men and the career salvation of Mickey Rourke. Yet playwright, actor and director Rob Drummond hopes to change that with his latest, and most ambitious, project, Rob Drummond: Wrestling. The Glaswegian, known for his performances in Sixteen and Bullet
Catch at the Arches and Mr Write at the Tron in previous years, has fused pro wrestling with short film and theatre into a semi- autobiographical ‘play’ about a pacifist who decides to ‘man up’.
‘I’ve been into wrestling since I was eight years old and never grew out of it,’ Drummond says. ‘Ever since I got into theatre professionally, I’ve wanted to do something like this, as wrestling lends itself well to the theatrical. It’s almost like aggressive dance.’
The show – funded by Creative Scotland’s Vital Spark Award – was almost sidelined when 28-year-old Drummond dislocated his elbow during training with Scottish Wrestling Alliance trainers in December but will debut at The Arches in mid-February. The final cast includes trainer ‘Damo’ Damien O’Conor, training
partner ‘The Antagonist’ James Tyler and wrestler ‘The Mercenary’ Joe Coffey, besides Drummond himself (who as yet has no stage/ring pseudonym). (Lauren Mayberry)
boy who never grew up, brought to the ice rink by the Russian Ice Stars and Wild Rose Ice Theatre.
✽✽ Rambert Dance Company: Awakenings Tour Wed 16–Fri 18
Feb, 7.30pm. £11.50–£22.50. Britain’s flagship contemporary dance company returns with a new touring show, promising the eponymous new work (inspired by Dr Oliver Sacks’ book of the same name), as well as ‘Monolith’ by Tim Rushton and the Scottish premiere of Henrietta Horn’s ‘Cardoon Club’. See preview, page 84.
■ PLAYHOUSE 18-22 Greenside Place, 0844 847 1660. Annie Tue 8– Sat 12 Feb, 7.30pm (Wed & Sat mat 2.30pm). £17–£29.25. Everyone’s favourite red-headed orphan sings her way into your heart with songs of her hard knock life in the well-loved family musical.
■ THE PLEASANCE THEATRE 60 Pleasance, 07855 105553. A Midsummer Night’s Dream Tue 15–Sat 19 Feb, 7.30pm. £8 (£6). Edinburgh University Shakespeare
Company premieres an innovative new take on this classic love comedy, featuring energetic physical theatre and intricate soundscaping.
■ ROYAL LYCEUM THEATRE Grindlay Street, 248 4848.
✽✽ A View From the Bridge ●●●●● Until Sat 12 Feb (not
Sun/Mon), 7.45pm (Sat 5 Feb mat 2.30pm, captioned performance). £11–£28 (£5–£26). A new production of Arthur Miller’s heartbreaking work set in post-war New York, directed by Lyceum Associate John Dove.
■ ST BRIDE’S CENTRE 10 Orwell Terrace, 346 1405. Dracula Thu 3–Sat 5 Feb, 7.30pm. £7.50 (£6). Holyrood Amateur Theatrical Society performs new Scottish Makar Liz Lochhead’s adaptation of Bram Stoker’s horror novel, a moving paean to isolation and difference.
■ TRAVERSE THEATRE Cambridge Street, 228 1404. Manipulate Until Sat 5 Feb, times vary. Prices vary. Puppet Animation