Theatre HITLIST
THE BEST THEATRE & DANCE
Hamlet Bard in the Botanics’ 10th anniversary season continues with Jennifer Dick’s production of perhaps the most discussed play in theatre history. Botanical Gardens, Glasgow, until Sat 30 Jul.
Casablanca – The Gin Joint Cut Highly recommended revival of Morag Fullerton’s inventive take on the Bogart/Bacall-starring classic. See review, left. Tron Theatre, Glasgow, until Sat 23 Jul.
Whatever Happened to Benny Hill? Grant Smeaton’s new play explores the rise and fall of one of the UK’s most popular light entertainers. Tron Theatre, Glasgow, until Sat 23 Jul.
The Strange Undoing of Prudencia Hart Another chance to see David Grieg’s inspired theatre show/ceilidh, which tells the tale of a young woman who has an encounter with the devil. Oran Mor, Glasgow, until Sat 30 Jul.
Merchant City Festival The Merchant City area of Glasgow plays host to a number of indoor and outdoor theatre, dance, music and literary events, including Scotland’s first Cuban Dance Festival, the Surge physical performance festival and much more. Various venues, Merchant City, Glasgow, Thu 21–Sun 24 Jul.
Project Y Four new works created during YDance’s summer residency at the RSAMD. See preview, page 86. RSAMD, Glasgow, Wed 27 Jul. Untitled Love Story Scotland’s most revered theatrical maverick previews his new show in which the audience takes a starring role. Tramway, Glasgow, Thu 28–Sat 30 Jul.
Futureproof The first co- production between Edinburgh’s Traverse and
Dundee Rep is Lynda Radley’s new play about a freak show performer who has to take drastic action to save his family. Dundee Rep, Wed 3 Aug. 84 THE LIST 21 Jul–4 Aug 2011
Events are listed by city, then alphabetically by venue. Submit listings at least 16 days before publication to theatre@list.co.uk. Listings are compiled by Laura Ennor. ✽✽ Indicates Hitlist entry
GLASGOW
■ THE ARCHES 253 Argyle Street, 565 1000. FREE Clown Cabaret Fri 22 & Sat 23 Jul, 8pm. An evening of diversely uplifting and hilarious shenanigans from some very talented fools. Booking essential. Part of Surge. Tom Pritchard: As Yet Untitled Mon 25 Jul, 7pm. £3 (£2). The Arches’ Associate Artist presents the latest improvised piece emerging from his ongoing research into cross-artform improvisation. Immaculate Thu 28–Sat 30 Jul, 7pm. £7 (£5). TabbyCat Productions and Rekindle Theatre present this comedy of immaculate conceptions, featuring Satan himself, no less.
■ BRITANNIA PANOPTICON MUSIC HALL 113–117 Trongate, 553 0840. Music Hall Memories Sat 30 & Sun 31 Jul, 1pm & 3pm. By donation. Re-live the Music Hall days with this variety show. ■ CORINTHIAN 191 Ingram Street, 552 1101. Midweek Magic Wed 27 Jul & 3 Aug, 7.30pm. £10 or £25 with dinner and wine. Wonder at the magical powers of Douglas Cameron. Over 18s only.
■ GEORGE SQUARE dunedindancers.org.uk FREE Dunedin International Folk Dance Festival Thu 28 Jul, noon–2pm. The annual touring programme of dance, music and song welcomes traditional groups from Austrian Styria, Galicia and Stockholm, as well as hosts the Dunedin Dancers and Edinburgh University’s New Scotland dance society.
N O T S N H O J N H O J : O T O H P
■ GLASGOW BOTANIC GARDENS 730 Great Western Road, 334 2422.
✽✽ Hamlet Until Sat 30 Jul (not Sun/Mon), 7.45pm. £15 (£10). Jennifer Dick directs as Bard in the Botanics takes on the Prince of Denmark’s tragedy for the first time, with Paul Cunningham in the title role. Part of Bard in the Botanics. Pericles, Prince of Tyre Until Sat 30 Jul (not Sun/Mon), 8pm. £15 (£10). In the Kibble Palace glasshouse, Gordon Barr directs one of Shakespeare’s most rarely seen plays. Part of Bard in the Botanics.
■ KING’S THEATRE 297 Bath Street, 0844 871 7648. Midnight Tango Tue 26–Fri 29 Jul, 7.30pm (Wed mat 2.30pm); Sat 30 Jul, 4pm & 8pm. £30–£33. Strictly Come Dancing regulars Vincent Simone and Flavia Cacace bring the heady passions of Buenos Aires to town. ■ THE LIGHTHOUSE 11 Mitchell Lane, 221 6362. FREE Ghost Office Thu 21 Jul, 7pm; Fri 22 & Sat 23 Jul, 7.30pm. The National Youth Theatre presents a piece by Scottish playwright Rachel Clive, performed by a cast of 50 and comprising local stories of Glasgow workforces past and present.
■ OLD HAIRDRESSERS Opposite Stereo, Renfield Lane. FREE The Visitors: Britannia Rules Wed 27 Jul, 7.30pm. Nicola McCartney leads a rehearsed reading by The Visitors, a loose co-operative of playwrights and actors, of Liz Lochhead’s play. ■ ÒRAN MÓR 731-735 Great Western Road, 357 6200. A Play, a Pie and a Pint: Goldilocks
Casablanca
REVIEW ADAPTATION CASABLANCA: THE GIN JOINT CUT Tron Theatre, Glasgow, until Sat 23 Jul ●●●●● It’s almost impossible to tell that the team behind Casablanca: The Gin Joint Cut have not staged their much lauded production in the Tron before tonight. Originating as part of Òran Mór’s Cult Classics series during its
pint/pie-filled daytime hours, writer Morag Fullerton took a film rather than a play as her inspiration – and with cracking results.
Part homage, part all-out spoof, Emmy-nominated Fullerton has
stayed true to the original narrative. We are in the deserts of Casablanca in 1941; the Nazi takeover of Europe is well underway. American Rick (Gavin Mitchell in the Humphrey Bogart role) runs a café bar welcoming any and every lost soul, from petty criminals to refugees looking for safe passage – the latter, in this case, Rick’s ex- love Ilsa (Clare Waugh as Ingrid Bergman) and her husband, resistance leader Victor Laszlo (played here by Jimmy Chisholm). The three-person cast play several characters each, the chaotic costume changes only serving to heighten the fun. Making great use of the multi-purpose set, the actors add physical or verbal comic flourishes to make the piece just different enough from its muse, while keeping the moral heart of the story intact. All the classic lines are delivered with aplomb, Mitchell’s Bogey impersonation being especially disarmingly accurate.
At only one hour, this is a bite-sized look at how wonderful
individual theatre shows can be done on a shoestring. Casablanca is now on its way to the Fringe and not to be missed. (Lauren Mayberry)
and the Glasgow Fair Until Sat 23 Jul, 1pm. £8–£12.50. Last chance to catch Dave Anderson and David MacLennan’s lunchtime summer panto, which is a madcap theatrical trip doon the watter aboard the Paddle Steamer Waverley. Ticket price includes a pie and drink.
✽✽ The Strange Undoing of Prudencia Hart ●●●●● Until Sat 30 Jul (not Mon), Tue–Sat 8pm; Sun 4pm. £14 (£10). Another chance to see this lively, pub-set, recent 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.
■ PAVILION THEATRE 121 Renfield Street, 332 1846. Jukebox Memories 2 Thu 21–Sat 30 Jul (not Sun–Wed), 7.30pm (Sat mat 2pm). £13.50–£16.50 (£14.50). The comedy musical continues, featuring Christian, Dean Park and The Swingcats and full of hits from the 60s, 70s and 80s.
■ RSAMD 100 Renfrew Street, 332 5057.
✽✽ Project Y Wed 27 Jul, 7.30pm. £6 (£4). Four new pieces rehearsed
during the YDance summer residency at the RSAMD: Impossible Dreams, choreographed by Anna Kenrick, Almost Nothing by Marc Brew, Ruth Mills’ Gravity and Yvonne Young’s Through the Window. See preview, page 86. ■ SCOTTISH YOUTH THEATRE Brian Cox Studio, The Old Sheriff Court, 105 Brunswick Street. Booking via Tron Theatre box office: 552 4267. Born Bad? Mon 1–Sat 6 Aug, 7.30pm (Sat mat 2pm). £10 (£6). As part of SYT’s ‘Summer of Horror’ the ensemble presents a gruesome take on the nature versus nurture debate. Ages 12+.
■ SECC Finnieston Quay, 0844 395 4000. Batman Live Wed 3–Sun 7 Aug; Wed–Fri, 7pm; Sat 11am, 3pm & 7pm; Sun 11am & 3pm. £20–£45 (family ticket £79–£99). DC’s iconic comic character comes alive in Glasgow with this stage show featuring stunts, super villains and ‘The Story of Dick Grayson (Robin)’. ■ SLOANS 62 Argyll Arcade, City Centre, 229 5270. The Sloans Project Until Sun 24 Jul; Thu & Sun, 2pm & 7pm; Fri 2pm, Sat