www.list.co.uk/theatret - ' _ I l
PREVIEW NEW PU—‘xY MOONWALKING Oran Mor, Glasgow, Mon 20—Sat 25 Oct
Her play clocks in at less than an hour and will be performed in front of an audience eating their lunch, but you can't fault Nicola Wilson for ambition. Moonwalk/n9. part of Oran Mor’s A Play. a Pie and a Pint season. considers nothing less than the war in Afghanistan, the politics of international aid and the demands of dealing with a mother with Alzheimer‘s disease. ‘It was probably wildly over- ambitious, but I‘ve had a go,’ says Wilson (pictured. below).
Written as interlinking monologues. the play presents three characters suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. ‘They’re strangers who have been brought together by something that happened a year ago.‘ she says. ‘lt's about what it does to us as people when we're exposed to the brutality of war or the guilt of being married to someone who does remarkable things.’
It‘s meaty material, but Wilson has good reason not to be daunted. Before she turned to writing. she was the literary manager of London's Bush Theatre. 'I like to think it’s an advantage because I've worked with so many writers on so many plays,’ she says. ‘You’re alerted to so many pitfalls and you learn a lot about the craft. so I hope I've put some of that : PREV'EW CLASS'C references in the play, including allusions to midday
. . . . ROMEO AND JULIET . . . . . into practice. (Mark Fisher) '1 Kings Theatre, Glasgow, Tue 28 Oct_sat 1 Nov heat and fiery tempers. While the staging Itself Will be
minimal, the costume design has been inspired by the
Shakespeare’s enduring tale of star-crossed lovers and early films of Visconti, Pasolini and Fellini, as well as warring families has benefited from numerous Coppola’s Italy in the Godfather movies. treatments down the centuries, from faithful period ‘It’s great being in one of the most famous stories settings to the gland-snapping musical adaptation of ever written,’ says Dawson. ‘I suppose because West Side Story and the exhilarating post-punk thrills everybody knows the tragic tale, our challenge is to of Baz Luhrmann’s 1996 film version. Now, the Royal make it all the more terrifying and moving, because you Shakespeare Company has risen to the challenge of know what’s going to happen as the world and Fate how to keep the familiar tale fresh and exciting for turn against the lovers. Neil Bartlett is also incredibly audiences, with a stylish new production that draws on instinctive and challenges you right out of your comfort the threads, sounds and ambience of 19405 and 505 zone, encouraging you to be brave.’ Italy. As Dawson makes clear, however, it’s the love story
‘There is a real feeling of danger and style to this aspect of the play that keeps bringing audiences back production,’ says David Dawson, who plays Romeo. ‘All for more. ‘What I find so special about this play is that the gangs of sharply suited Verona boys carry flick it’s about that one love in your life that you’ve either knives at all times, and with the live band playing experienced or wished you had when nothing else threatening and sexy Italian music throughout it gives matters but each other,’ he says. ‘I think what people the play a real dark edge.’ love about the story is that Romeo and Juliet do very
To create his new production for the RSC, director quickly, what people often wish they could do.’ Neil Bartlett has focused particularly on the Italian (Allan Radcliffe)
PREVIEW NEW WORK MIDSUMMER
Traverse, Edinburgh, Fri 24 Oct-Wed 12 Nov
Edinburgh might not be Manhattan, but surely it merits a love story of its own. It is. after all. a romantic city. Step forward David Greig and Gordon McIntyre to fill this void. The dramatist and rock musician are collaborating on a thought-provoking romcom with music. and a hint of irony here and there.
This is the stay of two people who meet up in an Edinburgh cafe and drift into a romantic weekend. But we get to hear about it from their conversation afterwards. at a chance meeting. ‘It reverses the regular courtship thing because they‘ve already slept together.' says McIntyre. ‘so the question becomes will they or will they not get together.‘
Greig speaks of a contrast between realism and romance; this piece. he tells me. has both. ‘lt's in a dialogue with romantic comedy.‘ he says. ‘I mean it is a play about a romance. but it constantly steps out of that and says real life isn't like that, its ugly and messy and boring and difficult, but if it was a romantic comedy, it might be a bit like this, so you get both — it‘s a sneaky way of having your cake and eating it.’
He adds: ‘The usual musicals are often about big subjects, people discovering the atom and so on, but ours is about two people in the middle of life facing pretty standard questions. But out of that I hope comes something pretty funny and tender and sweet. I hope there‘s depth to it, but that comes from a pretty gentle place.“ (Steve Cramer)
‘2; sir) ()«i . z ; THE LIST 87