Theatre
POI H'CAL DRAMA easy. segrtionf si'is :' .‘xl-rv-s. :' BORDERLAND tt‘e otit<:c'r‘:e. herpes; t"-:.- ‘x
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v 7:84 return this; autumn with '.'.Ihat H” I g "" )romrs;es to be a rou'rerful vet playf r: '1” ' “t 1 t t r - v ‘ ACCIDENTAL DEATH OF
debut by writer Andrew Doyle AN ANARCHIST ...
exploring the current political evolution Touring in Northern Ireland. Set bet-creen the 4.12;. ‘, key events of the murder of Robert /\17(""t7"1;_/\"
3 t2?» =H McCartney and the announcement o‘ ‘., z r 1 fl , 1.. s the lRA's; commitment to s;:;:.r"‘r:-:- '3 r.
' \I ' . ‘ decommissron weapons. two r .s'. " bickering brothers; 7 and now ai'nos3t '-’:"‘ ." -:':-';-"'. .." w- -'--". "r ": redundant IRA delivery men face t)" . [>93 :: l ' uncertain futures; as; the‘, set out on a : . 1"-:,- s; .=::‘ 0 " final nightmarish and somezzhat :;'. "-9- : ": mystical errand. wx: “:z 's .: H .r' : '
Tackling themes; of brotherhood. .'."';::-:: :z'..at..s; 3:: » 1:1. loyalty. terrorism. death and change. 0"": 3.4:: '<:'.a:;r-::': '3 Border/and is a humorous and mut: " l'€~:"f7' z N“ '- layered reflection on Northern Ireland's; :,",’:..ri:'.' " -.:"‘.--' political past and hopeful future. :: :;" x: r, w: wanted to chart the progress; o‘ movrng a\‘.'ay from violence as; a 1'- politrcal tool.‘ says; art:strc s :r'ectzrr Ar; '1 -: My: 2" :" lor‘en/o Meie. 'lhe relat'or‘rstrp a'rd " " r; -:,--.-r' -:-"'_ : conflict bet-:reen the brothers; a'itr inc-.3 "‘:‘-_,-':; different approaches; Is in a ‘.'.a\. a '.".t: ::"’: microcosm of r.-.rhat's; been gong :tvr 'r A; v». . Northern Ireland rrt general] Ar'rt-r‘g it: '.'v_>
MODERN CLASSIC A TASTE OF HONEY challenge not preach, l)<)‘,:-;;- sets; out ’ ..t' . Citizensr Theatre, G|asgow’ Tue 4_Sat 8 Oct to confront issues; of "'oirranfrcts;.-'ig' .; Z‘fl‘x' -- .
bloodshed for political ends; as; Mete .:-':"f .-.2 r "v The theatre is a middle—class institution nyvhrch carries; wrth rt many of the points out: ‘lt's; the classic triarrg 'r‘ '. prejudices of the class; it represents. So it is; that patronage is; sometrrnes what is a terrorist and what rs; a -'>.‘..:ivl ..g:'“:: .'; -; ; - I extended to working-class writers. but they are seldom made welcome for long. freedom fighter?" So does [)es, :e's; text 51:, s Andrea Dunbar. havrng produced The Arbor and Rita. Sue and Bob, Too in the offer answer's? 'lt doesn‘t pro. rtfe an 5 early 803. was pretty much forgotten by the time of her tragically early death. aged 28 in 1990. It's the fate of writers; of this; background since the era of John Clare. to be feted by the cognoscentr for their talent. but neglected becaus;e of their upbringing.
Shelagh Delaney. a working-class writer who had reached the peak of her celebrity by the age of 2 f . managed to escape such grand-scale TOJOCIIOH. Havrng produced A Taste of Honey in her teens. she was well shot of the theatre Within a few years. turning instead to screenwriting and television. media less weighed down with snobbery, for her liVing. It's difficult to consider that this teenage prodigy is now in her 60s. yet the youthfulness of her voice in this; great modern play seems eternally to speak to a young working-class experience.
Her story of a young girl who becomes pregnant to a black sailor. left to bring up her child with the help of a gay art student and little assistance from her old slapper of a mother, is straight from contemporary soap opera. yet has a richness in both language and technique that transcends this. You may know Tony Richardson's film of this play. but however strong this is. the theatre is; the medium in which this piece works. TAG's touring production looks set to bring an observant. sad and humorous modern classic on working-class; life into full flesh. If only we could keep working-class writers in the theatre. we might have seen this kind of piece written in our own era. (Steve Cramerl
POPULAR lllt I'Uls‘t STONES IN HIS POCKETS King's Theatre Sat 1—Sat 8 Oct, then touring.
Ireland is; perhaps; the sungle mes“. :;'-.~t‘!-_:f~--"'.-‘~.: _' '. from sentimeritalrs;e<i irr‘ages w! r: e,-;-r -.:-.~": ' superstitious; peasant tales; .rf 's-ti'u- "wrath. tr, :3» f»..l‘t : .2' realism of contemporae, tales: c? ‘.-_-".:'.:;'r‘-; kw: '.. about the country befcre trvnk frrz- l‘ distorted ret)res;e!ttatioits: an r' f.:"'. '._- f'x- . :- m'slttt be a ;we? ‘.'.f‘(‘-'t? f'tr". 'I-y-swr T"-:::.-y- .tifliGt'. Scotland need. but car". tear lute «Er: :a “4'5: ism..- '-
Marie .Joees' comedy. .i ‘.'.<-s;i l supra“ .: z». put all this; tc rights. Set 1“ tt‘e tr"; “aft-.- .2". *“ i :' setting for Me ()u'tf-f t." :; t‘r-e. -.-: ‘:;f'.‘l amongst the half cynua'. r‘ar' ~;ta' ::T.'.. w\ -;‘c.r:;. f~"'.'1 of the lll()\.'|(3 business. as; as :2; :"‘.~." o' .'.‘l" .:-u"f T. dispaiages; its; stereotyping. fi‘ttt also :;."e.'.:; "s-e- : .' '. " more to the piece thar‘. bread contrary. .rn: 't':: ' f'fltl yen, mound. but twist of all. it’s; a t" ;‘ rum" 1’ Alan Ste‘xxait playing a‘l the r'h;r'a.i‘.r-r::. fr‘t— two. 2- m. well as; em". for {best- I‘.'.:‘ lfrt"?t) ‘.r".:"t.t"fl tx'x y: i" '1 l .' playing a popular audience. l ritertyzw'w-r‘t :2 .2...‘:'.r"'.-a-.- :' f|k(?fll'f§_lf;t(?‘.t? ()ramrw
THE LIST 85