Theatre

A CHRISTMAS CAROL

Royal Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh, until Sat 31 Dec 000

The pitch Stingy old Ebene/er Scrooge (John Betti is so tight his arse squeaks when he walks. Nor could he qualify for Victorian l ondon's employer of the year if his attitude to Bob Cratchit (Simon Couryl is anything to Judge by. But the old money lender is in for a shock; he'll no doubt find his way to the bar (humbug) for a round after visits by the ghosts of Christmas Past (Coury), Present (Davrd Delve) and Yet to Come (Richard Conlon). The verdict There's some topical relevance in this treatment. wrth an emphasis on inequalities of rich and poor which does Dickens' more admirable srde proud. With old fashioned carols to set the tone. all well sung. and plenty of wrnter warming Visual splendours. there's also no shortage of nostalgic atmosphere here. In her first big stage project. director \JODWDH l evrck was faced With a set and show of great technical complexin and she carries it off nicely. Bett shows some cagey performance skills and plenty of gusto in his rendering of Scrooge in front of Francis O'Connor's beautiful Victorian locale. and he's well supported. particularly by Coury. Conlon and the sweet singing I ucy Paterson. I'm not sure if Karen Louise Hebden's text is entirely free of blunt and clunky moments. but it's still a good night out. (Steve Crameri

MOTHER GOOSE King's Theatre. Edinburgh, until 15 Jan 0000

The pitch Journey along to the magical, mystical and exotic Village of. er . . . Portabello. and you'll meet Mother Goose (Allan Stewart). Now maybe she's a bit of a lardarse at the receiving end of a helluva beating from

102 THE LIST lt'i Der, 700:3 b ,Jan 700i)

A Christmas Carol, Royal Lyceum Edinburgh

the ugly stick. but she's much loved by McFly (Andy Crayi and her lonely daughter (Jill (Claire Dargoi. She's short of readies for the rent. though. and only gilt-egged goose Priscilla can save her. Tempted by an evil Demon (Grant Stotti into worldly vanity. her trade of babe looks for Priscilla brings her into the underworld. and only a ned fairy (\Jo F-reerl can save her,

The verdict You're always in good hands ‘Nliil Stewart and (tray. and here the pair are on top form. mugging and catch crying away to the delight of an audience who have come to love them. Grant Stott. too. gets better and better as a Villain. ‘.‘/illi(} l reer cuts a real dash With her fleet of foot and full of veice fairy. This year's topical references include a splendid take on

1 Wk) Brita/n. while Stott's final punishment. being sent to the hell that is Tynecastle. seems to ring pretty relevant. too. As a panto. Mother Goose lacks some of the narrative tension of comparable stories. and it's very much to the cast's credit that they make it Jump so high, (3o see.

(Steve Crarner)

CINDERELLA Dundee Rep, until Sat 31 Dec 0...

The pitch Kitchen lackey Isabella. AKA Cinderella, shall go to the ball. despite the ardent manipulations of her varnpish stepmother Claudia and incessant shivelling of the grotesgue stepsisters Claundine and Claudette. Once she is adorned in cloth of gold and slippers of glass. the stage is set for mysterious Princess l araway to capture the castle. But is foppish Prince Rufus really (linderella's teller? Or is honest. earnest kitchen scrubber Callurn actually the lad that she loves" l-lrnrnrnn

The verdict If it's boys who are girls and D list celebs a go go you're after.

you'd better give Dundee Hep a hodv s\.'./er‘./e. lnstead. look forward to a stylish and entertaining rendition of Stuart Paterson's (Zhristrnas play. energetically performed b‘, a lll‘liftlllll‘,’ excellent cast the baddies are vile, the lovers are suveet and feist, .vhile ,John Buick adds a healthy dollop of comic relief as the rniserahilist Seargent Puff. though all are upstaged by David Ireland's highly expressive fleabag dog. Black Douglas. a cross breed of Peter ,Jackson and (Jerri, Garcia. Heart ‘.'.'arrning and hilario' is. this has everything you'd want from a i(3.‘;tl‘.’(?(1i£f§tsl(,. iAllan Radcliffe:

SLEEPING BEAUTY Perth Theatre, until Sat 7 Jar: O...

The pitch Once upon a true I" a castle the colour of sickl, birthday cake there il‘.("(i a daft duke and his dafter wife. who spawned a bea. lilitli baby (llli. Because the, foolishl., neglected to invite devilish sister Deinentia along to the christenzng. the fledgling princess '.'.'as forced to endure a tragit, curse. Sounds like a got: for virtuous. nioustarhioed l a:rj, Nuff and dashing Pl‘llltif‘: Rupert the Rascal

The verdict lan (inexe arid .liinin, ()hisholih's adaptation of this tirneless classic is a thoroughly anarchic affair. f)l'ltl(l zss Beauty is a .‘S‘.’.’itt3tli)lifikilltt; torhboy, the Prince a pn/ > n'nng, the good fair“, lust; and street se Although it's devoid o‘ s'.'.'<‘:etie showers ipresurhalzly due to the risk of being sued for iuvenile i)iit(:'\ eyes- there are pient‘. of opportunities for the audience to sing along with the pithy ditties and a splendid. full of hearts cast from (inishoirn's good hearted fair“; to Greg i’ovsiie's nu ilti,(,odd5<:<l prince. And Amanda Heveridge as black hearted xvitr h Deinentia is truly terrifying, (Allan Radcliffei

THE SNOW QUEEN Cumbernauld Theatre. Until Sat 24 Dec 0000

The pitch Associate dire:.tor (learningi for the National theatre of Srotland. Sirhon Sharkey, returns to (lurnbernacld theatre to (fll(?t.i th s

fresh adaptation of l lans ()hnstian

Andersen's (lass: ‘, fairytale of hope agair‘st adversity When young friends (Seida (l )anielie Stewart; and Kay iltehert Jacki are ripped apart by the icy curse of a (,old b'ooded ()ueeh "Af‘.li£1\/f:iif?f3f$(?,

reunite the t‘.'.'o and destroy the frosty

a ioiirney begins to

rnadain. \“Jith a little help trorh magical creatures and a \.'.'ishihg scarf, Gerda tra\.'els the ‘.'.'<)r|d to save the boy she loves

The verdict A t.'.'ihkie in the eye of the \"x’est. ()iiinlvgrnauld lheatre once again series up a cracker ‘.'.’|iil this hang on nantciniine. Set on i inlay Mrl a‘, 's enchanting ‘.'_’llli(?l gasonrieriarvl. the cast rnove effortlessly troii‘ one iitystara! character to another as (Eerda's tale unfolds With an inexplicab‘ :carneo from an attention seeking penguin and a memorable (:hrireograpl‘ed take on SA" Sunday. Sharke‘,”s new panto is awash ‘.'.’liit h;irhour and has its pint si/ed audience shouting froin the first boo to the last '()?i no arn ainie'.

sitliléi l\r’iorgani

THE WIZARD OF OZ Macrobert Theatre, Stirling. Until Sat 31 Dec 000

The pitch Don't be surprised if the road to St'rling has turned a lively shade of yellov.’ this year wrth the l\4a<;roheit's ()hr'istnias offering of (he t",//_/',1r(.' of (1/. l ollo‘.‘.'ing Dorothy on he! ‘.'.'i":!': i\'7()‘.'.'l‘. 1')';rn-f‘:j,“.‘."t'i comrades loto. l '( n. lin Man and S<1ar'e<"r_>\.'.g this is an all singing. all danc'ng effort with every one of the best loved songs and fit bits from the original,

The verdict (Iornbining professionals and a Rf‘: strong cast of local children. this productmn has the rnish mashed feel of the '.'.’l(‘,i\(}(f ‘.'.it<;h's melting pot and none of the energy of that infamous tornado. But it Is pretty cute. and is the sort of magical stor‘. that's <:apab|e of capturing any child's imagination guicke" than three clicks of your heels.

[)t‘fll‘llti‘. (‘ft(" for enchanting the kids, hut parents may xvii-ll he left f‘.'."(i(f|llt(] their tl‘urnbs :n the darkness. thinking there‘s no place like home and ‘.‘.'ishing they '.'.i(~r(: S<)rn<‘:‘.'.'ht‘:rt‘: ()‘.er the Rainbow. (Jo (Zaruanai