{THEATRE} Reviews
S A M O H T A T T E A L I
I É O L H C
BEOWULF — A THOUSAND YEARS OF BAGGAGE Postmodern interaction with a classic ●●●●●
As Beowulf was pitted against the manbeast Grendel in the Old English epic, NY theatre company Banana Bag & Bodice pits Beowulf the man against Beowulf the text in this clever, stylish interaction with a classic. Seemingly set in a jazz club, three buttoned-down
academics attempt a psychoanalytical reading of the text, casting Grendel as a beer-swilling, violence-loving ogre (brought to the stage by the David Cross-ish Rod Hipskind). Dealing with the difficulties of interpretation and translation the story manifests as the academics and their backing band step into the roles. What ensues is closest in form to a musical. The extremely capable band, led by Dave Malloy representing King Hrothgar, provides a soundtrack of swinging show tunes and polkas as Beowulf is depicted as a big dumb hero (think Ben Stiller in Tropic Thunder played by Jason Craig), a model of masculinity in contrast to the snide villainy of Grendel.
Deftly balancing the aspects of narrative, commentary,
music and action (with a large injection of humour), the cast inventively plays out the psychodrama of the text as well as the struggle of the academics to wrestle the characters into conforming to their interpretations. A slow building first half leads to the middle section of the
epic (with Grendel’s mother) feeling rushed and the final section (with the dragon) almost absent until Beowulf objects and the finale merges him with his ultimate foe: misrepresentation. This kind of meta extravaganza – commenting on the commentary surrounding Beowulf – is likely to divide audiences into those who relish spotting references and those who find it irksomely clever-clever. The company provides enough vitality, inventiveness and humour that proceedings never feel dry. This is pure entertainment with an added literary twist. (Suzanne Black) ■ Assembly George Square, 623 3030, until 29 Aug, 4pm, £14 (£12).
W O R R A F Y B O T
L A V I T S E F
CRUNCH Cunning manipulation of attitudes to money ●●●●●
A theatrical performance parodying motivational lectures, or an actual motivational lecture? Gary McNair is playing with his audience, and they’re probably not the type who thought they were susceptible to such things. They probably think they’re too cynical to be taken in by the self-help patter he peddles out at the beginning, and they’re probably right. But even in a venue operated entirely by volunteers there’s one system we all subscribe to.
Setting pulses racing with a live auction for an envelope containing a mystery sum, he then neatly punctures both the senselessness of our naive subscription to a system of faith in notional quantities of precious metals, and that of any attempt to extract oneself from such a system. Having coaxed several audience members to enact a very real gesture of their liberation from currency’s shackles, McNair leaves a strange brew of exhilaration and unease. While he finishes with a reversion to the self-worth jargon of the start, maybe the real conclusion lies in the fact that the venue is just days away from a buyout. (Laura Ennor) ■ Forest Café, forestfringe.co.uk, until 27 Aug, 8pm, free (ticketed).
50 THE LIST 25 Aug–22 Sep 2011
THE DARK PHILOSOPHERS Welsh classic given a postmodern twist ●●●●● DUST Mining a rich seam of anger ●●●●●
Death is no impairment to being on stage (as being a goat is no impairment to being a stagehand) in this darkly comic delight from National Theatre Wales and Told by an Idiot. Weaving together two novellas from Welsh English-language writer Gwyn Thomas and episodes from his biography, this is a sprawling Frankenstein production encompassing music, physical comedy, puppetry and Michael Parkinson.
Thomas narrates from beyond the grave, animated by Glyn Pritchard in a half mask, in the irreverent spirit Thomas was known for. ‘Simeon’ and ‘Oscar’ are the two stories recreated, both about monstrous men, the latter conjured with effective puppetry. The labyrinthine set is put to full use, evoking all aspects of the Welsh Valleys that were Thomas’ home and inspiration and there’s so much going on that the constant onslaught begins to fatigue at times. An interlude for a recreation of Thomas’ 1970s interview with Parky brings us closer to the present and Thomas’ deceased state, marrying the source material with NTW’s playful additions to mine a seam of captivating, absurdly comic grotesque, which shines a light on a Welsh diamond. (Suzanne Black) ■ Traverse Theatre, 228 1404, until 28 Aug, times vary, £17–£19 (£12–£13).
It’s 2011 and (you might need party hats and a few crates of beer at the ready) Margaret Thatcher has died. Such is the lovely dream (er, I mean ‘fictional scenario’, of course) at the heart of Ade Morris’s Dust, a play set largely in Arthur Scargill’s flat in London’s Barbican. The politics and history of the British coal mining industry (including the suggested parallels between Scargill and AJ Cook, the miners’ leader during the General Strike of 1926) are intercut with a heart-rending story of a Doncaster family torn apart by the dangers of mining and the harsh realities of the current recession. The play is the brainchild of producer Ralph Bernard CBE, chairman of Classic FM and, on paper, a fully paid-up member of the British Establishment. Yet this is very much a working-class drama. Although passionately performed by a strong cast, the piece’s combination of political speculation (militant miners in league with the Provisional IRA, anyone?), polemic and sentiment is an uneasy one. However, its rueful political bitterness explains its appeal in these days of Tory-driven austerity and disenchanted riot. (Mark Brown) ■ New Town Theatre, 226 0000, until 28 Aug, 3.30pm, £11–£13 (£9–£11).