Theatre

A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM

Dundee Rep, until Sat 16 Sep .0.

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.‘ ' ‘1’ 1 i. l' ‘1' ., :r N in ,v v H . ' M ' n : ' company. and love blooms. Meanwhile cause and ' W I). ' I n It . : effect are examined through Valerie's boss.a Tut-viz»; l ' u i .

.r: ' x _ . , . desperately unhappin married executive and a naked : l‘hzl‘d'u' l . w :w ' erotic entertainer who's been the victim of a ghastly

W“ 'm’ ' h ' “' ' ) " Royal Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh, run ended .00. 3553""- l v « " .' l' l ' ,m" : Around Alfons Flores' splendid revolve set, a tacky ll f N: " u 2' \ '~ There is a long precedent for plays that parallel the bar separated from a grim faceless lounge by the ever- M" ..:tr..- ll ~ z" 7' :T H a: , ' . r -v alienated processes of an atomised modern society present porn film booths, Bieito forces us to examine t: . ii: if w l’ A! : : with sexual dysfunction, with such notables as Trevor the consequences of the mindless individualist ethic ‘nfi in .i . I m". lo u: -- :2 " w Griffiths and Howard Brenton contributing to the created by contemporary neo-liberal economics. The t'w a“ .w in : .1 T' . . '.:"'..: .2 conversation since the 705. Of recent years, though, forces of capitalism, the play insistently urges us, have at .ilw HA. Ii» l"’ l'. ' " : w a: this Calixto Bieito and Marc Rosich adaptation of a direct link to the aching loneliness of these men and .2: WM .m'll, :.: mi l H 'r fur" r Michel Houelebecq’s novel makes the most profound women, and our constant denial of the very direct links Tm w 4: " Mi m‘ " i . progress on the discourse. between economic exploitation and the loveless i it an v: .iiw: 1-: 2"‘.: (2’ ; r‘ v In it, we meet Michel, a totally alienated employee of existential void in which the modern West finds itself ll.:"“.r",:, ,z'a': f».« l.l»:-: ‘i.:l‘. .:ET~ the French Ministry of Culture, whose initial warrants the punishment we receive. A final act of .m- \uvu. rm, n 1 ' m appearance, pouring one coin after another into a slot violence is not an inexplicable and monstrous act, but {xiii n :w in "mi «. all s- l r‘ k l ', machine supplying pornographic films in a porn movie rather the logical ends of our own actions. Perhaps the .1}; .‘..>li", :m-x: l 2 ' if» xi iv f a .- house tells us much about his attenuated state. It’s opening sequence, intended no doubt to illustrate the l ilt'l 4 (Hal. in 2001 and Michel is determined to spend the inheritance arduous repetitiveness of pornography, is still a little of his recently deceased father, who he despised, on too long, and if it seems improbable that love can the fleshpot entertainments that maintain an isolation happen in the atmosphere of isolation created, the from society that he’s learned to enjoy. Off he goes to production is still terrific art. This is a genuinely radical the Far East, where he teams up with three equally piece, which, for all the complaints about the explicit lonely figures: 3 desperately misanthropic comedian, a sexual content it might provoke, has a deeply moral neo fascist Maths Professor and a German gas fitter message at its core. There are also fine performances who‘s been disfigured in an industrial accident. They from the cast all round, with Juan Echanove and Marta indulge in precisely what you’d expect white middle Domingo outstanding in the leads. A compelling and aged men who‘ve overdosed on individualism to, until important piece of theatre, one hopes for an Michel meets Valerie, an employee of their tour opportunity to see it again. (Steve Cramer)

Hl \N'K’. THREE "zii.:i;t--i\.'.' wmxxzi ‘1'. »-riw~~ ' z' : King‘s Theatre, Edinburgh, run ended 00 4'": "mil =T" Cl 3 r' 1" NT

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