Theatre
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‘WHAT’S HAPPENING RIGHT NOW IS WAY MORE SCARY’ Hitlist THE BEST THEATRE & DANCE*
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✽✽ 1 and 2 Peter Brook returns to the venue he helped create with this play about a conflict in French-occupied West Africa. Tramway, Glasgow, until Sat 3 Apr. ✽✽ Every One Jo Clifford’s powerful meditation on death and grief. See review, page 84. Royal Lyceum, Edinburgh, until Sat 10 Apr. ✽✽ Raspberry Musical inspired by the life and music of Ian Dury. See preview, page 84. Tron Theatre, Glasgow, until Sat 3 Apr; Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh, Thu 8–Sat 10 Apr; Dundee Rep, Tue 13 & Wed 14 Apr. ✽✽ Sick One-woman clown show from Theatre Modo that addresses the secret life of the patient. See preview, page 83. Tron Theatre, Glasgow, until Sat 3 Apr then touring. ✽✽ The Garden New lunchtime drama from award- winning Scottish playwright Zinnie Harris. Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh, until Sat 3 Apr. ✽✽ 6 Small Piano Pieces Ian Spink’s choreographic project is inspired by the life and work of Arnold Schoenberg. See preview, page 83. CCA, Glasgow, Sat 10 Apr. ✽✽ Huxley’s Lab Grid Iron and Lung Ha’s frightening vision of the future is inspired by Huxley’s Brave New World. See preview, left. Edinburgh University Informatics Forum, Thu 1–Thu 8 Apr. ✽✽ Tonight David Ireland Will Lecture, Box and Dance Sandy Grierson’s picaresque play features a versatile performance from actor Ireland. See preview, page 83. Oran Mor, Glasgow, Mon 5–Sat 10 Apr. ✽✽ I Was a Beautiful Day Three-hander exploring the ways in which we record and contain life. See preview, page 84. Tron Theatre, Glasgow, Wed 14–Sat 17 Apr.
S E N O J S A L G U O D
Future shock Two of Scotland’s groundbreaking theatre companies have teamed up to create a frightening vision of the future, as Kelly Apter discovers
Designer babies, excessive recreational drug use and rampant promiscuity may seem like very modern concerns, but in 1932 Aldous Huxley had them all covered. His chilling science fiction novel Brave New World depicted a time when all humans are made to order, everyone is kept ‘happy’ by drugs and casual sex is de rigueur.
Inspired by Huxley’s satirical fiction, two of Scotland’s most groundbreaking theatre companies have joined forces to create a world where we’re quite literally spoiled for choice. Set in the University of Edinburgh’s shiny new Informatics Forum, Huxley’s Lab features four actors from site-specific specialists Grid Iron, four core members of inclusive theatre company Lung Ha’s, and a supporting cast of 22, also drawn from the Lung Ha’s team.
‘It’s not an adaptation of Huxley’s book,’ explains Grid Iron’s artistic director Ben Harrison. ‘It was just the starting point. We wanted to do something that was relevant to the Lung Ha’s members. And if you follow the Huxley Way, as we call it in the show, then in 20 years time, none of the members of Lung Ha’s would exist. So it’s pretty heartfelt.’
A promenade performance taking place in five locations on three levels of the Informatics Forum (including the roof) the show explores the possibilities of covert eugenics. Scientists beaver away in their quest to create the perfect human being, experimenting on everyone from themselves to the ‘naturals’ who reside on the top of the building. ‘Even though Huxley’s world is science fiction, and it hasn’t happened in exactly the way the book
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describes, what’s happening right now is in a way more scary,’ says Maria Oller, artistic director of Lung Ha’s, ‘because it’s happening under the banner of research, to help people and eliminate diseases before you are born. Which sounds okay, but that could lead to two different types of people – the ones who are born with defects in a natural way, and the ones who are perfectly made. And if you are designed, and your parents expect you to be perfect, can you still be given unconditional love?’
Opened in 2008, the award-winning Informatics Forum is home to some of the University’s most pioneering research. As the audience travels around the building, academics working on artificial intelligence, neuroscience and other subjects headlining 21st century science will be visible.
‘We should probably make clear that nothing in the show is actually happening in the Informatics Building in reality,’ laughs Harrison. ‘But we wanted to do it in a cutting edge, scientific building and the idea of a new build was very attractive to us – something clean, uncluttered, modern and perfect.’ While this latest site-specific piece is all in a day’s work for Grid Iron, for Lung Ha’s it’s a whole new adventure. ‘Disability theatre can so easily be about staying in your little group and having a disability audience come to watch you,’ says Oller. ‘So for Lung Ha’s to have the opportunity to do a site- specific show is absolutely wonderful.’
Huxley’s Lab, Informatics Forum, University of Edinburgh, Thu 1–Thu 8 Apr.