Theatre
N O T S N H O J N H O J N O T S N H O J N H O J
REVIEW NEW WORK SMALLTOWN Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh, Thu 24–Sat 26 Mar. Seen at Brunton Theatre, Musselburgh, Fri 25 Feb. For touring schedule see www.randomaccomplice.com ●●●●●
Random Accomplice’s trio of Ayrshire-set plays seems intended as an affectionate parody of the portmanteau horror films popularised by Amicus in the 1960s. The individual segments do, however, offer a snapshot of the playwrights’ individual strengths and preoccupations. Douglas Maxwell’s typically densely written piece opens the show in Girvan with a tale of rival tourism officials and boxing kangaroos that introduces the framing device of contaminated water or ‘Rabbie Juice’. DC Jackson’s Stewarton-set piece brings to bear the playwright’s strong sense of the domestic on an outrageously crude story about a pair of rutting teenagers whose night of cherry popping pleasure quite literally transforms them. The final segment, by director Johnny McKnight, is a disarming blend of couthy dialogue and visual absurdity in which zombies converge on a pair of Ardrossan canteen workers. If the show feels inconsequential, the off-the-wall humour and bawdy set pieces mean it’s never less than great fun. (Allan Radcliffe) 112 THE LIST 3–31 March 2011
REVIEW NEW PLAY MARILYN Citizens Theatre, Glasgow, until Fri 11 Mar; Royal Lyceum, Edinburgh, Tue 15 Mar–Sat 2 Apr ●●●●●
Certain actresses have an image that resonates throughout popular culture long after their departure from the silver screen. Almost none have remained as morbidly fascinating as Marilyn Monroe, and her appeal is explored compellingly in Sue Glover’s new play.
Set in the spring and summer of 1960, Marilyn tracks the
turbulent relationship that developed between Monroe (played by Frances Thorburn) with Oscar-winning French actress, Simone Signoret (Dominique Hollier) when America’s favourite blonde bombshell returned from New York to Hollywood to film Let’s Make Love with Signoret’s husband, Yves Montand. The French couple live in the Beverly Hills Hotel, in an apartment adjacent to that of Monroe and her husband du jour, playwright Arthur Miller. The two women strike up an uneasy friendship, filled with differing opinions and insecurity on both sides, refereed by acerbic New York hair stylist and wisecracking one-woman support network, Patti (Pauline Knowles). Thorburn’s voice is perfect for the role, mixing sweet, honey-tinged croons with erratic outbursts and all three women offer strong, nuanced performances that highlight the characters’ individual qualities and failings.
While Monroe’s look, persona and fragile state of mind in
the years before her death are largely pinpointed by Thorburn, it is clear that Glover’s re-telling is about more than a cheap caricature of a movie icon. Glover, best known for Bondagers as well as her writing for radio and television, poignantly highlights how two fiercely independent women still end up defining themselves through men.
What strikes most close to home is the depiction of how two interesting, strong-willed women and polar opposites wrestling to be taken seriously by a male dominated society abandon sisterhood when men come between them. Overall it’s a witty take on celebrity and feminism in the 1960s that still resonates in the present day. (Lauren Mayberry)
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REVIEW REVIVAL STAIRCASE Tron Theatre, Glasgow, until Sat 5 Mar ●●●●●
There are a number of very good reasons for resurrecting Charles Dyer’s 1966 play (which was adapted into a film starring Rex Harrison and Richard Burton), foremost of which is his control of language. Under Dyer’s pen, the plain tics and disappointments of everyday speech become poetic and lovely.
To an extent this is very much a period piece from a time when homosexuality was still illegal: the subject is the mutual and self-loathing between two ageing lovers, Charlie and Harry, who have been forced to live their whole lives together illicitly. Director Andy Arnold turns actor here, playing Charlie as a Pinteresque tragic antihero. As Harry, Benny Young manages a rather beautiful study in the melancholy always hinted at and suppressed in those great English camp turns of the period – he manages to reference both Frankie Howard and Mrs Slocombe without losing dignity.
As a two-hander, the play doesn’t offer much variation, and this production could certainly stand to ramp the tension up a bit more. However, a twist at the end is played brilliantly, refracting everything we thought we knew. (Kirstin Innes)
REVIEW ADAPTATION AGE OF AROUSAL Royal Lyceum, Edinburgh, until Sat 12 Mar; Tron Theatre, Glasgow, Tue 15–Sat 26 Mar, then touring ●●●●●
Linda Griffiths’ play, ‘wildly inspired’ by George Gissing’s The Odd Women proves highly entertaining in its exploration of the early days of women’s emancipation. The plot focuses on ex- suffragette Mary Barfoot (Ann Louise Ross) and her lover Rhoda Nunn’s (Clare Lawrence Moody) attempts to emancipate the Madden sisters – flighty Monica, alcoholic Virginia and disapproving Alice – through touch-typing and shorthand. As the women’s self-awareness develops they wrestle with the inequities bequeathed to them by their biology as well as the pitfalls of falling in love. While Griffiths’ wordy script attempts to show the complexity of sexual politics in the late 19th century, there are times when the dialogue feels didactic, with the result that it is difficult to engage with the characters on a human level. The conceit of having the characters speak their thoughts also proves confusing at times. But Stellar Quines’ production is kept afloat by the nimble performances, some very funny set pieces, including a mass fainting fit, and the stripped-back, stylish staging. (Allan Radcliffe)