THEATRE
Events are listed by city, then alphabetically by venue. Submit listings at least 14 days before publication to theatre@list.co.uk. Listings are compiled by Charlotte Runcie. ✽ Indicates Hitlist entry GLASGOW
■ ADELAIDES 209 Bath Street, 248 4970. Thoroughly Modern Rudolph Fri 14 & Sat 15 Dec 7–9pm. £8–£10. Socially- responsible new family Christmas musical dealing with anti-bullying and inclusion, as well as reindeer.
■ THE ARCHES 253 Argyle Street, 565 1000. ✽The Ugly Duckling Until Sun 30 Dec (not 25 & 26 Dec), times vary.
The Arches and Catherine Wheels present a discotastic take on Hans Christian Andersen’s tale of the unhappy duckling who grows into a beautiful swan. See review, page 132.
■ CITIZENS THEATRE 119 Gorbals Street, 429 0022. ✽Sleeping Beauty Until Sun 6 Jan, times vary. See review at list.co.uk.
The Maids Thu 17 Jan–Sat 2 Feb (not Sun & Mon) 7.30pm (Sat 26 Jan, 2.30pm & 7.30pm). £8–£19. Stewart Laing, award winning director and designer, presents an avant-garde reinterpretation of Jean Genet’s infamous play about two maids, their mistress and their lethal power play, casting three young male actors in the traditionally female roles.
■ COTTIERS THEATRE 93–95 Hyndland Street, 357 4000. Weans in the Wood Until Mon 31 Dec, times vary. £10–£13. A Glasgow take on the classic Babes in the Wood. Toulouse-Lautrec: The Musical Fri 4 & Sun 6 Jan, 8pm. Sat 5 Jan, 5pm & 8pm. £10–£12. Alex Nasmyth stars in this musical based on the life of the iconic artist, famous for his paintings of the Moulin Rouge. A Right Guid Gab Wed 23 Jan–Fri 8 Feb (not Sun, Mon & Tue) 7.30pm (Sat, 2.30pm & 7.30pm). £10–£14. Scottish comedy described as ‘A Fife version of The Steamie’.
■ EASTWOOD PARK THEATRE Eastwood Park, Rouken Glen Road, Giffnock, 577 4970. Sleeping Beauty Thu 13 Dec 1pm & 7.30pm. Fri 14 Dec 7.30pm. Sat 15 Dec 11am, 3pm & 7.30pm. £7–£14. The classic tale of the cursed princess, evil witch and virtuous knight is brought to life by Runway Theatre Company and Purves Puppets. ■ FORT THEATRE Kenmure Avenue Bishopbriggs, 772 7054. Beauty and the Beast Thu 13 &
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134 THE LIST 13 Dec 2012–24 Jan 2013
Fri 14 Dec 7.30pm. Sat 15 Dec 2.30pm. £7.50–£8.50. Laughs and surprises at this rendition of Beauty and the Beast.
■ KING’S THEATRE 297 Bath Street, 0844 871 7648. ✽Cinderella Until Sun 6 Jan, times vary. £9–£29.50. Join Cinders, her
dashing Prince, some glass slippers and an over-sized pumpkin in this perfect rags to riches story for panto season. See review, page 131. Soul Sister Mon 14, Tue 15, Thu 17 & Fri 18 Dec 7.30pm. Wed 16 & Sat 19 Jan 2.30pm & 7.30pm. £10–£35. Musical telling the life stories of Ike and Tina Turner, with all the classic hits, from ‘River Deep Mountain High’ to ‘Simply the Best’.
■ ÒRAN MÓR 731-735 Great Western Road, 357 6200.
✽A Play, a Pie & a Pint: Aladdin and Wee Jeanie Until
Sat 22 Dec, 1pm. £8–£12.50. Can’t wait until the evening for some panto action? Try Oran Mor’s legendary lunchtime panto, written as ever by Dave Anderson and David MacLennan. Ticket price includes a pie and drink. See review, page 132.
■ PAVILION THEATRE 121 Renfield Street, 332 1846. The Wizard of Never Woz Until Sat 19 Jan, times vary. £18–£21.50 (£17–£18.50). Family panto starring Stephen Purdon, Dean Park, Michelle McManus, Joyce Falconer and more. ■ PEARCE INSTITUTE 840 Govan Road, 445 6007. The Govan Cat Until Sat 22 Dec. Tue, Wed & Sat 7.30pm; Thu & Fri 1pm & 7.30pm. A brave cat saves Govan’s Christmas celebrations from the Rat Queen’s evil schemes. Presented by Cran Theatre Company.
■ PLATFORM The Bridge, 1000 Westerhouse Road, Easterhouse, 276 9696. Goldilocks Until Sat 22 Dec, times vary. Charming panto for youngsters set on Christmas Eve at the three bears’ house – the porridge is steaming hot, beds are made, chairs unused. Who knows what could happen next . . .
■ ROYAL CONSERVATOIRE OF SCOTLAND 100 Renfrew Street, 332 5057. Beauty and the Beast Thu 13 & Fri 14 Dec, 2pm & 7pm. £16 (£10; restricted view £8.50; family £40). The RCS presents a panto written by Alan McHugh and set in Granderriere, deepest darkest France. ■ SCOTTISH MASK AND PUPPET CENTRE 8–10 Balcarres Avenue, Kelvindale, 339 6185. FREE Galoshins Tue 1 Jan 1.30pm & 3.15pm. Sokobauno Theatre, aka Alasdair Roberts and Shane Connolly, performs Galoshins, a traditional Scots mumming play from Fife, with sword fighting and miracles aplenty. Ages 5+.
■ SECC Finnieston Quay, 0844 395 4000. Jack & The Beanstalk Sat 15 Dec–Sun 6 Jan (not 16, 21, 25 Dec or 1 Jan), times vary. £12–£24. Big scale pantomime featuring John Barrowman and The Krankies. ■ THEATRE ROYAL 282 Hope Street, 0844 871 7647. Scottish Ballet: The Nutcracker Until Sat 29 Dec (not 25 & 26 Dec), times vary. £14.50–£37.50. Scottish Ballet presents the story of a beautiful nutcracker doll whose magical adventures are played out to Tchaikovsky’s classic score, featuring designs by Antony McDonald and choreography by Ashley Page.
PREVIEW CLASSIC A TASTE OF HONEY Royal Lyceum, Edinburgh, Fri 18 Jan–Sat 9 Feb
‘We have a lot to be grateful for in Shelagh Delaney,’ muses Tony Cownie, whose new production of the Salford playwright’s kitchen sink drama A Taste of Honey comes to the Lyceum in January. He’s not wrong. Although Delaney was only 18 years old when she wrote the piece, its comments on race, gender, sexual orientation and class brought such issues into the theatrical landscape and inspired a new generation of writers, in particular young, female, working class dramatists.
‘It gave people from the margins of society a chance to see themselves portrayed on stage and to feel that what they were going through was important,’ Cownie continues. ‘It was absolute dynamite at the time.’
Though the story appears bittersweet on the outside – a young girl abandoned by her promiscuous mother becomes pregnant by her black sailor boyfriend before shacking up with a sexually ambiguous male friend – a bold Northern humour is evident throughout.
‘Authenticity is very important in the play. It was very important for
me to find actors that can get the rhythm of the language so that when you hear it spoken it trips off the tongue.’ Far from seeming dated, Cownie believes the issues explored in
the play will always raise hackles, no matter who is watching, or when.
‘If you don’t learn from the past you repeat it. It’s all very well to talk about these issues, but they don’t just go away. I’m sure we’ll still be speaking about this in another 50 years.’ (Kirstyn Smith)
■ TRON THEATRE 63 Trongate, 552 4267. ✽Aganeza Scrooge Until Sat 5 Jan (not 25 Dec), times vary. £17 (£10; family £50). Once again written and directed by expert panto-master Johnny McKnight, the Tron’s original festive effort features a familiar skinflint, re-born as a lady, but even nastier. See review, page 131. Christmas Time Until Mon 24 Dec, times vary. A festive rhyming show for wee ones, counting down the minutes til Christmas. Ages 3–6.
EDINBURGH
■ 13 BUCCLEUCH PLACE edinburghshogmanay.org, 0844 573 8455 FREE Big Bang Tue 1 Jan, times tbc. The UK première of Plasticiens Valants’ street theatre interpretation of the creation of the universe. Part of Edinburgh’s Hogmanay. ■ THE BONGO CLUB Moray House, 37 Holyrood Road, 558 7604. Generation Fucked Wed 19 & Thu 20 Dec, 8pm. £7.50 (students £5). Creative Electric present an interactive
theatre experience taking on the idea of ‘Generation Fucked’ and the future for anyone born between 1986 and 2010.
■ BRUNTON THEATRE Ladywell Way, Musselburgh, 665 2240. Puss in Boots Until Sat 5 Jan, times vary. The Brunton’s panto for this year tells the tale of the smartest cat in Musselburgh, with the usual mix of silly characters, local colour and popular songs. See review, page 131. ■ CHURCH HILL THEATRE 33a Morningside Road, 447 7597. Aladdin Fri 21–Sun 30 Dec, times vary. £10. Community production of the much-loved panto. Presented by SCDA Edinburgh People’s Theatre.
■ CITY CAFÉ 19 Blair Street, 220 0125. It’s A Wonderful Life Mon 17 Dec, 7–8pm. £7.50. Attune brings the classic Christmas tale bang up to date in their adaptation set in modern-day Glasgow.
■ THE EDINBURGH PLAYHOUSE 18-22 Greenside Place, 0844 871 3014. Dirty Dancing Until Sat 12 Jan, times vary. £28.50–£79.75. See Baby not put in the corner in the musical based on the