I
N O T L M A H K R A M
■ COTTIERS THEATRE 93–95 Hyndland Street, 357 4000. Scrooge Until Sat 31 Dec, times vary. £12.50 (children £10.50). A modern panto adaptation of Dickens’ Christmas classic, starring Mark Cox (Still Game), Claire Knight (River City) and Callum Cuthbertson (Gary Tank Commander). ■ EASTWOOD PARK THEATRE Eastwood Park, Rouken Glen Road, Giffnock, 577 4970. Aladdin Until Sat 17 Dec, 7.30pm (Thu mat 1pm; Sat mats 11am & 3pm). £6–£13. Runway Theatre Company presents its annual panto. Twinkle Bell Sat 17–Wed 21 Dec. See Kids listings.
■ FILM CITY GLASGOW 401 Govan Road, 445 7244.
✽✽ A Christmas Carol Until Sat 31 Dec, times vary. £5–£11. A spooky retelling of the classic Dickens tale from the National Theatre of Scotland. Recommended for everyone aged 8+. See review, right.
■ KING’S THEATRE 297 Bath Street, 0844 871 7648.
✽✽ Sleeping Beauty Until Sat 7 Jan, times vary. £7.20–£24.75. See
review, page 114.
■ MUGDOCK COUNTRY PARK Craigallion Road, Milngavie, 956 6100. Hansel And Gretel Until Sat 24 Dec, times vary. £9 (children £6). Fizzgig and Grubb presents a tale of woodcutters, witches and weans. ■ ÒRAN MÓR 731-735 Great Western Road, 357 6200. A Play, a Pie & a Pint: Snow White and the Seventh Dwarf Until Sat 24 Dec (not Sun), 1pm; special extra performances on Fri 16, Sat 17 and Wed
Theatre
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.
✽✽ Rudolf ●●●●● Until Tue 3 Jan, times vary. £9 (£4.50; family ticket
£22). See review, page 113.
■ CASTLEMILK COMMUNITY CENTRE 121 Castlemilk Drive, 634 2233. Mother Goose Sat 17 Dec, 2pm. £3 (£2). Mother Goose is not immune to the ravages of the recession, and worse, she’s got an expensive anti-wrinkle cream habit that’s eating into the rent money. Community panto from Glasgow Arts and Hopscotch Theatre Company. ■ CITIZENS THEATRE 119 Gorbals Street, 429 0022. Hansel and Gretel Until Sat 7 Jan, times vary. £10.50–£18.50 (£9.50–£15.50; children £6.50–£11). See review, page 113. Wicked Christmas Thu 15–Sat 17 Dec, 7.30pm & 9.30pm. £10.50 (£7.50). Tuck into the Citizens Community Company’s selection box of festivity, satire and fun. It’s guaranteed to cheer you up and restore your faith in angels. Little Ulla Until Sat 7 Jan, times vary. £6.50–£7.50. A show for little ones aged 3–5, with puppetry, storytelling and music weaving the tale of a mountain goat who, despite sharing her love of apple strudel with the other goats, is a bit different from the rest. Created by Clare McGarry (Wonderland).
116 THE LIST 15 Dec 2011–5 Jan 2012
REVIEW CLASSIC REINVENTED A CHRISTMAS CAROL Film City, Glasgow, until Sat 31 Dec ●●●●●
Scrooge and Marley’s gloomy office. Dangerous cables loop across the ceiling, piles of dusty papers fill the walls. As we enter in twos and threes to a whooping, fussing welcome, Scrooge himself – a grizzled figure in shrunken tailcoat and slippers – shows us to our seats. With two walls of the specially built room for the audience, the rest of the intimate space is the stage. Every inch is put to good use in the National Theatre of Scotland’s first
ever festive show. Benny Young is a wonderfully gruff Scottish- accented Scrooge, tartly dispensing the carol singers and charity tin rattlers before supping his gruel and curling up on his bleak counting house floor. The spirits that invade his sleep are puppets, masterfully rendered by Gavin Glover, emerging from the wall, descending from the lampshade, staggering out of the cupboard. The extreme creepiness of these life-sized mannequins, manipulated
by the other four actors, is the main reason why this show is not suitable for small children. Marley’s ghost is a bundle of bandages in a suit, the ghost of Christmas Present a scrawny John Byrne figure in a long fur coat.
Director Graham McLaren whirls Scrooge through the mistakes of his past and the lessons of his future without over-sugaring the ending. Jon Beales’ eerie soundtrack, played live from a cubby hole in the corner, adds the final delightful shiver to an impressive piece of work. (Anna Burnside)
21–Sat 24 Dec, 3pm. £8–£12.50. Dave Anderson and David MacLennan present a play about the secret relationship of a panto princess and a certain small person. Told with drama, absurdity and plenty of hearty laughs. Ticket price includes a pie and a drink. ■ PAVILION THEATRE 121 Renfield Street, 332 1846. The Magical Adventures of Peter Pan Until Sat 21 Jan, times vary. £16.50–£21 (family £66–£82.50). Family panto packed with adventure, music and gags starring Jim Davidson, Cat Havey, Nieve Jennings and Dean Park.
■ PLATFORM The Bridge, 1000 Westerhouse Road, Easterhouse, 276 9696. Hansel and Gretel Until Sat 24 Dec. See Kids listings. ■ GLASGOW ROYAL CONCERT HALL 2 Sauchiehall Street, 353 8000. Raymond Gubbay presents: The Pirates of Penzance Tue 27 Dec, 7.30pm. £17.50–£31.50. Alistair McGowan leads a cast of Savoyards in Gilbert & Sullivan’s subversive and hilarious masterpiece.
■ ROYAL CONSERVATOIRE OF SCOTLAND 100 Renfrew Street, 332 5057. Aladdin Until Sat 17 Dec, 2pm & 7pm (Fri also 10am). £14 (£10; restricted view £8.50). Take a ride on the magic carpet from China to the pyramids, via Sauchiehall Street courtesy of students from the Conservatoire and their annual panto, written by Alan McHugh.
■ SCOTTISH MASK AND PUPPET CENTRE 8–10 Balcarres Avenue, Kelvindale, 339 6185. Jango’s Jolly Christmas Sat 17 Dec. See Kids listings.
■ SCOTTISH YOUTH THEATRE The Old Sheriff Court, 105 Brunswick Street, 552 3988. That’s Not My Name Thu 15–Sat 24 Dec. See Kids listings. ■ SECC Finnieston Quay, 0844 395 4000. Robinson Crusoe & The Caribbean Pirates Until Sat 7 Jan, times vary. £12–£27. Big panto fun with John Barrowman, the Krankies and ‘amazing 3D special effects’.
■ SHETTLESTON COMMUNITY CENTRE 54 Amulree Street, 764 1165. Mother Goose Thu 15 Dec, 6pm. £3 (£2). See Castlemilk Community Centre, Glasgow. ■ ST FRANCIS CENTRE 405 Cumberland Street, 429 0275. Mother Goose Fri 16 Dec, 6pm. £3 (£2). See Castlemilk Community Centre, Glasgow.
Subscribe And get a £10 Wagamama voucher. See page 17