THEATRE list.co.uk/theatre
FOOD FOR THOUGHT A new season from A Play, a Pie and a Pint
T he autumn season of Oran Mor’s A Play, a Pie and a Pint is typically eclectic: a meditation on psychiatrist RD Laing, a new play by rising star Stef Smith and another by DC Jackson, who shocked the Edinburgh Fringe with the audacious Threeway.
A Play, a Pie and a Pint’s simple format (a new short play every week in a lunchtime slot) has made it the most dynamic production house in Scotland. Established playwrights (David Ireland, Paddy Cunneen) feature alongside new names, this season including a piece by former critic Robert Dawson Scott (pictured). His play The Great Train Race looks at the heyday of steam, with Joyce Falconer in the cast and another rising artist, Rob Jones, directing. Jones, who previously worked with the National Theatre of Scotland, is excited about
82 THE LIST 22 Aug–19 Sep 2013
The audience’s the project. ‘It’s the ultimate in grassroots theatre, with a real connection to its audience,’ he says. ‘That makes for a very unpretentious environment. As a newcomer, I hope I can live up to the high standards of that audience.’ loyalty allows artistic director David MacLennan to take risks, and in recent years the Oran Mor has played host to many challenging young artists. There’s an echo of MacLennan’s past work with political theatre in his determination to present plays in a popular yet serious format. And while Dawson Scott’s play is about trains, the PPP season is more like a bus service: if you miss one show, another one will be along soon. (Lorna Irvine)
Oran Mor, Glasgow, Mon 2 Sep–Sat 2 Nov.
HITLIST THE BEST THEATRE & DANCE
✽ Dunsinane The National Theatre of Scotland’s collaboration with the Royal
Shakespeare Company casts light on questions of national identity while finding out what happened after Macbeth was defeated. Theatre Royal, Glasgow, Tue 10–Sat 14 Sep.
✽ The Collection Rapture Theatre delves into the world of debt collection: Jimmy Chisholm and Tam Dean Burn lead the cast in a mixture of bleak comedy, thriller and social commentary. Tron Theatre, Glasgow, Tue 10–Sat 14 Sep.
✽ Crime and Punishment When a man kills, he finds that redemption isn’t as easy
as he might have hoped. From the Russian classic comes a new show directed by Dominic Hill. See preview, page 83. Citizens Theatre, Glasgow, Thu 5–Sat 28 Sep.
✽ Hairspray Proving that musicals can be light and frothy but still boast some big themes. With Mark Benton in the lead this time. Edinburgh Playhouse, Tue 3–Sat 14 Sep.
✽ Betrayal The London Classic Company get to grips with the nature of sexual jealousy in Pinter’s most personal and brutal tale of marital failure. Adam Smith Theatre, Kirkcaldy,
Tue 10 Dec, then touring.
✽ The Great Train Race Part of A Play, a Pie and a Pint season, starring Joyce Falconer in a story of the great days of the steam engine. See preview, left. Oran Mor, Glasgow Mon 16–Sat 21 Sep.
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