list.co.uk/theatre Previews | THEATRE
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K C R D L O G C M N N O M A E
SOCIAL DRAMA SOME OTHER MOTHER Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh, Fri 7 & Sat 8 Jun; Tron Theatre, Glasgow, Fri 14 & Sat 15 Jun CONTEMPORARY CLASSICS FAR AWAY/SEAGULLS Citizens Theatre, Glasgow, Thu 23 May–Sat 8 Jun
POLITICAL PLAY DALGETY Òran Mór, Glasgow, Mon 3–Sat 8 Jun
AJ Taudevin’s Some Other Mother, about the young daughter of an asylum seeker in a Glasgow high rise, comes from a close and personal place. An activist and worker within the city’s asylum seeker community, Taudevin draws from the same material as Cora Bissett’s Glasgow Girls. But eschewing musical documentary for the wild and surreal, Taudevin turns to the language she has observed, particularly amongst children, for her inspiration. ‘I consciously chose to go through the eyes of a child,’ she says. ‘We see the whole experience through her fantastical view of the world. She is trying to understand all of these totally nonsensical things that are happening to her. Children in these high-stress situations are able to flip from extreme distress to finding the joy straight away.’
An angry yet hopeful play, it trades in humour at the point where communication becomes confusing. ‘These kids have the most hilarious language that they have created,’ Taudevin adds. ‘A mix of Glaswegian, their mother’s tongue, with some London in there too: you get these little melting pots in these tiny little bodies which is often just utterly hilarious.’ (Thom Dibdin)
In directing a double bill of Caryl Churchill plays, which bridged a gap between 1970s political work and the personal tone of contemporary theatre, Citizens Theatre artistic director Dominic Hill makes a claim for Seagulls and Far Away as modern classics. ‘She’s a brilliant writer. It's amazing when you
think she’s in her seventies now. She has recreated herself and doesn’t stop. What’s quite nice about doing two plays is to see the similarities and the differences. Not only is the writing so careful and specific, she has that wonderful ability of taking naturalism and making it metaphorical, which I think all great playwrights do.’
This evolution of her style is what makes the
double bill so potent. While Seagulls is ‘completely naturalistic (it just happens to be about a woman with telekinetic powers), Far Away is almost a fantasy,’ notes Hill. ‘It kind of erupts into an absurd vision of a world at war. There’s an almost satirical quality to it.’ Concluding the Citizens season, the pairing of Seagulls and Far Away is another example of how Hill’s programming encourages a theatre that is both connected to the past and determinedly relevant. (Gareth K Vile)
Both Theatre Uncut and David MacLennan, curator of A Play, a Pie and a Pint, have their foundations in populist, political theatre. MacLennan’s history with 7:84 reflects his leftist leanings and, as Theatre Uncut’s co-artistic director Emma Callander says, ‘we were founded in 2010 in response to the cuts: the theatre community was very angry and I wanted to respond through theatre.’ David Greig’s Dalgety is a natural choice for Theatre Uncut’s first staged work. Although it began as a project to disseminate new scripts that protested austerity by using the internet, its success has encouraged Theatre Uncut to expand their goals. Originally written and rehearsed in a week as a direct reaction to current events, Dalgety took on some bigger themes. ‘We thought about extending it,’ says Callander, ‘so it takes us back to the core of humanity. For me, it’s a reminder to connect with our own bodies and the earth that we stand on.’
Thanks to Greig’s ability to present complex
themes through compassionate stories, Dalgety promises to be challenging and playful. ‘It’s about these huge subjects but irreverent and unexpected,’ Callander says. ‘And it is also wonderfully funny.’ (Gareth K Vile)
ABSURDIST PLAY THE POOR MOUTH Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh, Thu 30 May–Sat 1 Jun; Tron Theatre, Glasgow, Wed 5–Sat 8 Jun
In their annual visits to Scotland, Blue Raincoat demonstrate a rare gift for combining spectacular visual theatre and the rigorous demands of a script. The Poor Mouth, the finale of their adaptation of Flann O’Brien’s trilogy of novels, sees the company apply their eclectic style to the Irishman’s absurdist language.
For director Niall Henry, the trick is to respect the text. ‘You have to be careful with Flann O’Brien to make sure you tell the story,’ he says. ‘And as soon as you have that clear, then you become freer artistically to find your own way to tell it.’ The O’Brien trilogy, adapted by writer Jocelyn Clarke, allowed Blue Raincoat to develop their distinctive identity. Ambitious, surreal but never afraid of a good yarn, they uphold the vibrant legacy – and humour – of absurdist playwrights like Ionesco and Beckett.
Indeed, last year they presented The Chairs, countering its
dark message through hilarious slapstick. ‘Our background is in movement theatre,’ Henry says. Yet they bridge the gap between European theatre, which is often ensemble-led, with an Irish love of the spoken word. Although Henry observes that the trilogy offers a gentle introduction to its strange world, the project emerged from a deep respect for the writer. ‘If he had half the talent, he probably would have been twice as famous!’ Henry laughs.
The Poor Mouth, on one level, is a straightforward tale of one man, Bónapárt Ó Cúnasa and the adventures that lead him to prison. This simplicity hides a complex intention. ‘There is a very fantastic satire on Irish culture and the Irish view of their own culture, which is a very particular thing,’ Henry explains. The Poor Mouth mixes storytelling with a precise critique, much like Blue Raincoat’s own ability to fuse physical and scripted theatre to startling effect. (Gareth K Vile)
16 May–13 Jun 2013 THE LIST 107