THEATRE LIST
WHO’S LEFT?
Tron Theatre, Glasgow, transferring to The Traverse, Edinburgh
Take three women, and even in the easiest circumstances you have a potentially explosive situation. Add the problems olhusbands, lovers, intrigue and counter-plot and, in a small Glasgow llat, things are likely to get out at hand. In a bid at mutual sell-support, Alice, Trish and Chrissie move in together alter leaving their husbands, and try to resurrect the good old student llat days. But it's not that simple. Nobody- hersell included—had bargained lor the catalyst and catastrophic qualities oi Alice, lemme latale in every sense of the word. Like Carroll's Alice, she had naively hoped to watch reality lrom behind glass, and start alresh; but the complications of escalating sexual entanglements can't be kept at bay, and very soon all three women are sucked into Alice's whirlpool.
Suggesting that violence lies within all men and only needs a trigger, Who's Left? is a tense and disturbing dissection of sexual duplicity and viciousness. An unusual and bravely treated subject tor Barry McCarthy’s llrst lully-produced play, it provides a strong debut tor Swaive Kinooziers. A talented trio, sensitively directed by Hamish Glen, they sustain a dlllicult atmosphere that, in less skilled hands could degenerate into the melodramatic. Convincingly embittered and blinkered, Ann-Louise Ross and Maureen Beattie's line pertormances are dramatically lused by Judy Sweeney's powerful portrayal ol the amoral Alice, whose llnal, enigmatic smile leaves a haunting question mark over a tragic yet commonplace scenario.
(Rosemary Goring)
holders, YTS scheme and young people under 18).
Can't Pay? Won't Pay! Until Sat 26 Sept. 7.45pm. £2.70—£6. 7.45pm. Sat mat 26 Sept. 3.15pm. Dario Fo‘s
Who's Lem: Swaive Kinoozers
SCHOOL FOR SCANDAL
Citizens Theatre, Glasgow
Sheridan‘s comic masterpiece is becomming something at a problem play— at least lortheatre companies in Central Scotland.
At the end at its last season The Lyceum, Edinburgh, lound it an uphill task to bring it to tile and now the Citz have mounted a production where the humour is strangely stiiled. The play is one oi great comic set pieces, which are little more than broad larce, wrapped up in a convenient attack on hypocritical sentiment in 18th century English society. However, Giles Havergal’s production attempts to go deeper into the play, examining not so much its mechanics as its morals.
Instead oi extracting uncomplicated laughs trom scenes such as Lady Teazle's concealmentorthe young devil-may-care Surtace‘s auction oi lamily portraits to his disguised uncle, the scenes seem almost deliberately played down. The result, emphasised by the addition oi a final scene portraying Lord and Lady Teazle in a pastoral retirement lrom society, is to point up the decadance oi this world. The unlruittul round oi tatty (and not even iunny) deceptions which only really come alive through gossip, lorms a vicious circle that only its complete rejection can break.
There is a lotto admire in this production, including a well thought out richly detailed set and a line periormance from Robert David Macdonald as Sir PeterTeazle. Butjust as the play doesn't really allow tor the development oi Sir Peter's character that would conlirm the production's overall interpretation, there doesn’t seem quite enough leit atterthe larce has been tamed. (Nigel Billen)
hilarious political farce in which two housewives rebel against rising supermarket prices in their own inimitable way. A new Scottish version by Alex Norton. See review.
CAN’T PAY, WON’T PAY
Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh Contronted with a Scots translation (by Alex Norton) oi Dario Fo's satirical comedy, Hugh Hodgart and his cast iind it ditticult to establish whetherthey are performing pantomime or contemporary iarce. Aspects at both are in evidence and at ditterent moments successlul. The addition oi a reluctant commercial sponsor (not the production real sponsors- I am unable to say how reluctant they were) to bring an 80s air to the drama is lunny in itseli. The actual working oi the
A Doll's House Fri 2 — Sat 24 Oct. 7.45pm. Tickets as for Can ’I Pay? Won ’r Pay! FREE PREVIEW on Thurs 1 Oct. 7.45pm. Sat mat 17 Oct. 3.15pm. Jules Wright, who
sponsor in to the action, however, isn't. Some ol the slapstick, picking up and ad Iibbing on mistakes was cheerlully inventive, but when pantomime drill was applied to the high iarce it obliterated the exaggerated logic that it depends on to belunny.
Much oi the timing will improve as the run continues, and the production may even become very iunny. Butthis interpretation oi Dario Fo‘s work which gets as tar as it is going to go atterthe first scene, will I suspect remain unconvincing. (Nigel Billen)
.Vu
guest-direCIed Macbeth at the Lyceum last year wrll direct Ibsen‘s classrc drama about a repressed wrte.
0 SPRINGWELL HOUSE Ardmillan Terrace, Gorgie, Edinburgh. 337
Can't Pay? Won't Paylz Edinburgh Lyceum
School tor Scan‘dali Glasgow Citizens'
'l‘he List 18 Sept— 1 Oct 23