DARK EARTH mo Dark comedy from grim history.
Anearlyexcl‘iangebetweenathirtysanethingGlasgowcareer wornanandaneldedyfamierstrikesasurprisingresonancein DavidHarrower'snewplay.Forunderthecringing embarrassments and cultural misunderstandings between city andcountryfolkflhelatterdistantandonthefaceofit, implausible, relativesof BenTravers’ wityandwizenedyokels) there'sanoldtashionedcomedyofmamiers.Andaswiththis fonn,theostensibly complex motivationsofthecharacters boil downmainlytoeithermoneyorsex.
Valerieme Gray)andEwan (John Mackay)findthemselves stranded, sans mobiles, inthedeadcentneofScotland,aremote andforgotten chunkoffarmland inscribedwith Scotland's history. Theirbrokendowncarmustbeabandoned,andlheyfind themselves shelteringwitha local family.Thefather, Petey (Jimmy YuilOisaswittyasheispeaceable,Miilehisoppressively hospitablespouseldaMnneLaceyNeemspleasedwiththe company. DaughterChristine(Suzanne Donaldson) isgiven good reasonearlyontoresenttheintrusion.ThesefolkliveMththe distanthistoryottheplaceasifitweretoday'snews.
Philipl-loward's directionshowsgreatsensitivitytothenuances ofHanower’ssubtleandftmnyscripLallowingtimeforits darknesstoappear, while Fiona Watt's Roman wall inthe middle of nowhereconvertscleverlytoaneno'appingconservatoryattached toacountycottage.Howevermuchthesecharactersaretrapped
by a history which is neither cyclical nor linear, but simply, inemovably there. their final dilemmas are very contemporary. It's all helped by tremendous performances, especially by Yuill's ultimatelygloweringdad,butthescriptisalittlelongerthan it strictlyneedstobe,andsagsabitinthemiddle.Allthesame,the wait, and the final payoff are well worthwhile. (Steve Cramer)
I Traverse Theatre, 22 ‘ f .101, until 23 Aug (not I I, I 8), times vary, 5‘14
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Word is born
An intelligent ned and a northerner who's forsaken mining to be a wordsrnith. Good lord! Whatever next? Gob doesn't bother flicking the bird to stereotypes. It's far too eloquent for that. Storming the South Bank Centre wrth the “last weapon of the weaponless'. their gobs. the Liberator and Hard Man Les put the truth back in poetry. proving that sounding good IS not the same as having a point. With a live DJ set adding an extra dimension. this is a verbal attack. an accomplished comedy and a down-to-earth good time. And. any Show that features Laurel and Hardy clubbing in Leicester Square is a revolution worth fighting for. (Corrie Mills)
I Pleasance Dome. 556 6550. until 25 Aug (not 18), I 7. 70pm,
£9. 50—£‘ 70. 50 (LB—£9).
THE ILLUSIOH BROTHERS
0..
Be under no illusions
Audiences at the Illusion Brothers cabaret show wrll undoubtedly fall into one of two categories. Either you Will find this pair of pancaked. long- nosed clowns' slapstick antics and mimed magic tricks belly-straining in their hilarity. or you'll be gnawrng the person next to you in an effort to escape. Being something of a Jekyll- and-Hyde, l drifted between both camps throughout. finding the frenetic clowning rather like Vic'n'Bob's Surreal Donald and Davrd Stott stretched out to a wearisome hour. Far less frequent. though much more effective. are the quieter sequences. such as the bubble shower and the slow-mo walking through dry ice. (Allan Radcliffe)
I Gilded Balloon Teviot, 226 2751, until 25 Aug (not If), 6.30pm, f7.50/£8.50
(f 6. 50/£‘7.50).
72 THE LIST FESTIVAL GUIDE 7—1-1 Aug 2003
KINGS OF THE ROAD .0 Needs to change gear
To call it hilarious is misleading. With the odd gag, bittersweet (OlllllllSCOHCO and 8 rapid ride through Northern Irish bus history, Kings of the Road makes the mistake of trying to do. and be. too many things at the same time. Son. father and grandfather: three generations of bus drivers with plenty to say for themselves. There is a genuine warmth between the actors and they do b0unce off each other well, but one can't help feeling like a gatecrasher at a family reunion: great craic if you're a relative. but pretty dull if you've never met young Jimmy from around the corner. (Corrie Mills)
I Pleasance Dome, 556 6550, until 25 Aug (not 7 2), 7. 20pm.
{3950—21 750 (28-510).
SHAMER 000
Lots of shame, little gain
Too many plot strands threaten to rum the rich broth of this original play by Jim Burke. it's almost as though the playwright thought up the title and then wrote about
everything he'd ever thought of. On one level a Mancunian Noir pastiche, starring irent. a gruff, Marlowe esque 'Sharner' la gun for hire who 'sharnes' the depraved for a livrngl, the play stretches to
Kings 01 The Road
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take in pornography, terrorism, reality IV and stalking among its many themes. lhe pastiche it; stylish and frequently funny and the performances strong. But the plays length and the sheer
intlustriousness of the plot make the whole thing seem a bit confused.
(Allan Radcliffe)
I Pleasantre Dome, 556 (35:30, until 25 Aug (not 18), loop/n, ll‘a‘.:’>()xl‘/'.5() (i‘f/l‘o‘l.