THEATRE | Previews
MUSICAL THEATRE JACKIE THE MUSICAL King’s Theatre, Edinburgh, Tue 12–Sat 16 Apr; King’s Theatre, Glasgow, Tue 26–Sat 30 Jul
From humble beginnings in the DC Thomson stable, Jackie became one of the longest running and most popular magazines for teenagers. It even became the brand for a series of albums revisiting 1970s pop. Nina Myskow, its one-time editor-in-chief, expresses delight at its latest incarnation as a musical for which she provides an advisory role. ‘I can’t think of another magazine they’d bother to make a musical about,’ she says, before enthusing about the energy of the production and the connection it makes with former readers. ‘The audience for the musical are the people who read Jackie in the 1970s: it’s a lovely circle.’
The success of Jackie, Myskow adds, was that it had absolutely everything: ‘it was by far the market leader and there was a lot of competition then. It had pop, fashion, beauty, picture love stories and beautiful illustrations: fun and froth and information, essentially.’
In this touring musical, which features a live band and choreography by Arlene Phillips, a former reader (played by Janet Dibley) rediscovers her youthful enthusiasm. ‘It’s a story about a woman called Jackie at a crossroads in life,’ says Myskow. ‘Her man has left her for a younger woman and she’s packing up the house when she comes across her old Jackie magazines. That’s when she’s transported back and her younger self is conjured up. It’s not just a jukebox musical – though the music is great – as you care about what happens to her. The show has real heart! You not only laugh: you’ll cry and end up having a party!’ (Gareth K Vile)
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CLASSIC ADAPTATION BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY'S Theatre Royal, Glasgow, Mon 23–Sat 28 May FESTIVAL MAYFESTO Tron Theatre, Glasgow, Mon 2–Sat 28 May
FEMINIST CABARET READ Assembly Roxy, Edinburgh, Tue 17 May
Immortalised in celluloid by Audrey Hepburn, New York socialite Holly Golightly stands as one of the most iconic characters of 20th-century literature. Now, Truman Capote’s favourite creation is gracing the Scottish stage for the very first time in the form of Emily Atack, star of Curve’s production of Breakfast at Tiffany’s. Alongside Atack, the cast features Bread star Victor McGuire as bartender Joe Bell and Downton Abbey’s Matt Barber as Paul Varjak, Holly’s lovestruck neighbour, affectionately dubbed ‘Fred’ for his resemblance to her brother. Directed by Nikolai Foster, the production
stages Olivier Award-winning playwright Richard Greenberg’s 2013 Broadway adaptation, remaining faithful to the original text by telling Holly’s story through the eyes of ‘Fred’. To bring Capote’s classic novel to life, Curve’s production also blends an authentic wartime soundtrack with an original score by acclaimed One Man, Two Guvnors composer Grant Olding. Currently winding its way through the UK after a run of sold-out performances at Leicester’s Curve Theatre, Foster is formidably tasked with staging a beloved classic. But, equipped with a celebrated story, a road-tested adaptation and plenty of time to hone the details, Curve’s Breakfast at Tiffany’s seems set with the tools for success. (Jordan Shaw)
96 THE LIST 7 Apr–2 Jun 2016
Now in its sixth year, it’s perhaps inevitable that Mayfesto should choose 2016 to celebrate Irish theatre. Given artistic director Andy Arnold’s enthusiasm for Irish writing and the recognition of the Easter Rising’s 100th anniversary, Mayfesto’s commitment to engaged contemporary work finds a natural theme in political and historical plays.
In addition to a premiere from Scotland’s Peter Arnott (a writer who combines a sensitivity to language with urgency and seriousness), Mayfesto features a variety of shows that reflect the diversity of theatrical responses to Ireland’s recent events. From My Name is Saoirse (which looks at abortion) to A Present State (the Tron Studio’s examination of power struggles) via panel discussions and readings of work by female authors, Arnold’s programme makes a strong case for theatre as a focus of public discussion. The mixture of established and new work is supported by the panels to take the debate beyond the performance.
‘This is a festival that has always endeavoured
to challenge and provoke by showcasing edgy new writing,’ says Arnold. ‘It’s the perfect stage for powerful new drama from the best Scottish and Irish writers, theatre companies and performers working in the sector today, about one of the most significant events in Irish history’. (Gareth K Vile)
A unique cabaret show, Tidy Carnage’s REaD features The Scarlet Church, the secret place where five redheads, banished from society, congregate to drink, sing and tell ‘herstory’. Saucy testimonies collide with chilling moments, and famous figures from Rita Hayworth to Boudicca appear in sharp vignettes to debunk stereotypes. Devised by director Allie Butler, poet Kevin P Gilday and performers Linda McLaughlin, Sarah McCardie and Belle Jones, the show tackles prejudice, feminism and the narrow representation of women. ‘It was clear to me that we consider redheads as
dangerous, mysterious, vampiric, erotic,’ explains Butler. ‘There is something odd and fascinating about our cultural response to the simple trait of having an unusual hair colour.' This certainly chimed with the performers' day-to-day experiences. 'The many stories my team told me, especially of growing up and being consistently mocked or bullied, or considered a sexual trophy, denoted both a celebration of difference, but also a darker prejudice that I wanted to explore,’ continues Butler. ‘Setting the show in an alternative version of reality has meant that we can pick and choose where we find inspiration, and are bound not by time and place, but by the hugely divergent myths and legends of red hair.’ (Lorna Irvine)