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SWIFT MOVES IN THEATBE1
Who's Airald of Edward Albee? The Royal Lyceum, Edinburgh, perhaps, but then so would most theatres be. faced with a long list ofconditions for performing a playwright’s play. Albee’s conditions for the Lyceum‘s planned production of Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? were too much for the theatre to take on board without extreme risk and the spring American drama will now be Tennessee Williams‘ Glass Menagerie. Here’s hoping nobody throws any stones . . .
John Stahl will be taking to the high road between Scottish Television‘s Glasgow studios and the Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh at some speed. Following a mix-up about times, he’ll have only barest hour between quitting his role in the popular soap and donning top hat and tails as the sinister Sauerkraut in Chris Hannan’s translation of Gogol‘s Gamblers, recently transferred from Glasgow’s Tron Theatre. Luckily refreshment — if needed — is on hand: Moet and Chandon have donated 200 bottles of Champers for use in the production. But before you start thinking it might be worth the Nigel Mansell dash, a word of caution. Moet and Chandon‘s stage champagne is vintage ginger ale.
PS The Traverse‘s recent foray into cabaret proved so lively that they have decided to repeat the experience. From April—July the theatre will have a late-evening cabaret slot (9.30pm for about an hour) on Fri and Sat nights, and they are looking for bright young talent to fill the bill. Budding Ben Eltons should make themselves known .
Lex Braes powerlul portrait oi the black nationalist leader Nelson Mandela, is currently on view at the City Art Centre, Edinburgh. Part at The City’s Pictures exhibition, showing the extensive collection ol the City Art Centre, it is on show to the public tor the lirst time.
Braes paints Mandela not behind bars, but as a tree man, powerful and at ease. The picture (which has attracted some controversy) was bought with tlnancial assistance lrom the Scottish Arts Council.
SSDF
This year‘s Scottish Student Drama Festival runs from 22—28 Feb at the MacRobert Arts Centre, Stirling
(0786 61081). As well as a wide range of workshops and discussions, the student companies perform the following plays: Arm in Ann Co (RSAMD): Rites by Maureen Duffy (Fri 27th 9.30pm; Sat 28th 4pm). Edinburgh University: The Beautiful and the Damned by Angus Macfadyen adapted from F. Scott Fitgerald‘s novel (Wed 25th 6.30pm; Thurs 26th 9.30pm), The Woodcutter by Peter Craig and Talking Point by Lyndsey A Taylor (Fri 27th 4pm; Sat 28th 9.30pm). Jordanhill Drama Club: Plat by Pam Gems (Fri 27th 9.30pm; Sat 28th 9.30pm). John Street Theatre (Strathclyde): Tis Pity She’s a Whore by John Ford (Wed 25th 9.30pm; Thurs 26th 9.30pm). Kirkcaldy College: Monkeyhouse Blue by Andy Mackie (Mon 23rd 6.30pm; Tues 24th 6.30pm). Duncan ofJordanstone: The Lite ol Einstein by Norman Leach (Fri 27th 6pm; Sat 28th 6pm). St Andrews Mermaids: Eve set the balls at corruption rolling by Marcella Evaristi (Mon 23rd 6.30pm; Tues 24th 9.30pm). Stirling University: A Day in the Death 01 Joe Egg by Peter Nichols. (Mon 23rd 9.30pm; Tues 24th 6.30pm).
Tickets £2 (£1.40), box office Mon—Sat 11am—6pm. The Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh will run a Pick ofthe Festival from 17—22 March.
FILMHDUSE AUCTION
There are no limits to the desires of the diehard film buff; a fact amply proved by last Sunday‘s Filmhouse auction at which one rabid fan parted with £3 for the pleasure of owning Bill Forsyth’s laundry bag (well it was from the Beverly Wiltshire Hotel in Los Angeles).
The event was a fundraiser for the much-needed refurbishment of Filmhouse 2 and over 300 people crowded into Filmhouse 1 , jostling for the privilege, unique in Scotland, of purchasing movie memorabilia that ranged from the desirable (a signed photo of Marlene Dietrich) to the utterly, utterly ridiculous (A piece of the set from Outland that appeared to be constructed from egg boxes and a dismantled rubic cube).
The star attraction was Terence Stamp (not himself however for sale)
who introduced a suit he once wore in Far From The Madding Crowd. The garment fetched £100 and even Stamp could not resist collector‘s fever as he gamely purchased a pair of roller skates that once adorned the pedal extremities ofone Raquel Welch. The event raised in excess of £3000 and, in the best movie tradition, a sequel is already planned.
FULLBRIGHT PHOTOGRAPHER
Jean Baird has a studio which is small and has live roses dying on the mantelpiece. There are pears wrapped in bandages on the wall, in photographs. Poetically inclined perhaps, but Jean Baird’s work has a classical clarity which rules out sentimentalism.
Baird herselt is a no-nonsense artist of photography. Artist rather than photographer because her work functions in the same way as a painting or sculpture as opposed to being used as a documentary medium. In September she leaves lorthe States, on a travel and maintenance Fullbright Award. She’s the lirst student at photography to win the prize which more commonly takes medical or science students across the water. flow, a final decision has to be made. Chicago or Albequerque? A serious student, dedicated, she is attracted to the latter. ‘lt’s a very rigorous, intellectual course - lots at research, huge dissertations.’
That desire for an ‘education’ as well as a practical training had been in part instilled by her experiences in Glasgow. In third year at Glasgow School of Art, she iound her specialist
The Fringe as represented by the Fringe Society, custodians oi the ad hoc tradition at the events that surround the Edinburgh Festival, launched its appeal lor lunding for new premises last week.
It the £120,000 is successlully raised the society won’t be moving tar. The new premises at 108 High Street are next door to the present cramped headquarters and when converted will provide, as well as increase box oliice space, a new iniormation shop. Outside the Festival weeks the Fringe will be able to exhibit much oi the Festival memorabilia hitherto kept in the basement providing a tangible out ol season commentary on the world's largest testlval ol the arts.
£45,000 has already been raised and a lurther 45,000 it is hoped will be available through grants, leaving £30,000 still to lind. However to complete the project the Fringe are
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sublect- stained glass- limiting and she moved down the road to take her final and postgraduate years at 250 Benlrew Street, home ol the Fine Art Photography Department. She was lucky. The course headed by American Thomas Joshua Cooper had only just been set up. Unique in Britain, it was ideally suited to Baird’s own incunauons.
Fortunately, one of the stipulations ol the scholarship which can last tor up to live years, is that students return to work in this country for at least two years. Judging by the photographs on Baird's studio wall at the moment, there will be reason to welcome her back. (Alice Bain)
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hoping to raise another £45,000 enabling them to buy lrom the building’s developers the flat above which will be turned to the noble use at press facilities (and that’s a euphemism ior ‘bar’).
The structural work has already begun with Fringe administrator Mhairl Mackenzie-Robinson (pictured with Fringe assistant Trisha Emblem) symbolically marking the change ol use lrom ilxed penalty tee oliice to super box oliice by knocking a hole in a to-be-demolished wall with a sledgehammer. And this as sledgehammers punished her head lollowlng a dinner the night belore where Fringe Chairman Jonathan Miller was host to twenty-two oi Scotland’s top businessmen. The potential sponsors were entertained by Rowan Atkinson playing court to the Festival that helped him on his way to tame.
2 The List 20 Feb — 5 March