Theatre HITLIST THE BEST THEATRE & DANCE
list.co.uk/theatre
Glasgay! Scotland’s biggest celebration of LGBT culture continues with the world premiere of Liz Lochhead’s Edwin Morgan’s Dreams and Other Nightmares and new works by Amy Lamé (pictured – see feature, page 79), Martin O’Connor and Johnny McKnight. See interview with Grant Smeaton, right. Various venues, Glasgow, until Sat 12 Nov.
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Mary, Queen of Scots Got Her Head Chopped Off Enjoyable and thought-provoking revival of Liz Lochhead’s dramatic reimagining of a key moment in Scotland’s history. Dundee Rep, until Sat 5 Nov.
Miranda Company Chordelia presents a disturbing new show about a girl who gets lost in the snow. See preview, page 112. Cottier Theatre, Glasgow, Sun 23 Oct; Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh, Sun 20 Nov. Mindwalking Play that combines narrative with aerial theatre. See preview, page 110. Paisley Arts Centre, Mon 24 Oct; Platform, Glasgow, Tue 25 Oct; Macrobert, Stirling, Fri 28 Oct; Cumbernauld Theatre, Sat 29 Oct.
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Rambert Dance Company Rambert artistic director Mark Baldwin choreographs Seven for a secret, never to be told, set to Ravel’s opera L’enfant et les sortilèges. See preview, page 112. Theatre Royal, Glasgow, Thu 3–Sat 5 Nov. Pass the Spoon Artist David Shrigley teams up with Magnetic North and Red Note Ensemble to create an opera whose main characters include a banana, a spoon and a dung beetle. See feature, page 24. Tramway, Glasgow, Thu 17–Sat 19 Nov.
A Day in the Death of Joe Egg New production of Peter Nichols’ oft-revived play about a couple struggling to hold their marriage together, first performed at the Citz in 1967. Citizens Theatre, Glasgow, until Sat 12 Nov.
27 Abi Morgan’s new play for the NTS depicts a crisis of faith in a convent when a scientist infiltrates the nuns’ hallowed community. See preview, page 110. Royal Lyceum, Edinburgh, Fri 21 Oct–Sat 11 Nov.
Kin Donna Rutherford’s uncompromising latest piece examines the change in family dynamics that occur as children grow older. See preview, page 110. Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh, Thu 10–Sat 12 Nov.
Blackbird Revival of David Harrower’s play about the meeting of a man and a young woman 15 years after they had a sexual relationship – when she was 12. See preview, page 110. Tron Theatre, Glasgow, Tue 15–Sat 19 Nov.
Stage WHISPERS GRANT SMEATON
What drew you to Martin O’Connor’s Ch Ch Changes?
I’ve been thinking about doing a one-man show for a long time. I’d seen Martin’s show Playing Houses at Glasgay! a couple of years ago and loved the way his characters communicated directly with the audience. We had a meeting and up popped the idea for Ch Ch Changes. You play five characters of different sexes and genders. Did you find this a challenge?
It’s the way the script is delivered that creates the challenge. For example, one of the characters is a cross-dressing man who speaks directly to the audience about his life told through the outfits that his female persona wears. It’s strong storytelling and at the moment feels very fluid and comfortable. Another character is a man who is leaving his wife and son. It’s brilliantly written as a moment-by- moment account from the time he enters the house until he leaves. It’s more of an internal dialogue with himself, which is more of a challenge to perform. The show spans several decades – did you have to do much period research?
Martin interviewed lots of people who had a story to tell and has woven those stories into the characters in the play. So all the detail comes straight from real life. Were you surprised by the success of Bette/Cavett?
Haha! Kind of. The idea to take an old television interview and slap it pretty much verbatim onto a stage with me playing Bette Davis was a gamble! But I just had a feeling that it could work. There was something I really loved about the chemistry between Dick Cavett and Davis – and I wanted to see if an audience could watch it as a piece of theatre but also experience the original interview at the same time. It is also incredibly enjoyable to perform – and in my experience, when that happens, you’re usually on to a winner. ■ Ch Ch Changes, Citizens Theatre, Glasgow, Tue 25 Oct–Sat 12 Nov.
20 Oct–17 Nov 2011 THE LIST 109