THEATRE
One Wild and Precious Life Fri 10 May, 8.30pm. £3. A glimpse at six plays through the performance of one scene from each. Part of Mayfesto. The Poetry of Fences Sat 11 May, 7.45pm. £8. Multimedia journey that explores migration, race and gender across the world. Part of Mayfesto. #sleeptightbobbycairns Tue 14–Sat 18 May, 6.30pm & 8.30pm. £7 (£5). Play about a campaign to rid Glasgow of knife crime. Part of Mayfesto. As It Is Tue 14–Thu 16 May, 7.45pm. £10. A man forced to serve in the Bosnian War attaches himself to a lie- detector machine to find out whether his memories are real. Part of Mayfesto. Bandwagon Thu 16–Sat, 8pm (Sat 2.30pm also). £7. Tron Studio presents this production about following the crowd and giving into the compulsion to join in.
EDINBURGH
■ ARTSPACE 11 Harewood Road, 659 4759. No Man Is an Island and My True North Tue 7–Wed 8 May. See Kids listings. Alles (All) Thu 9 May & Sat 11 May. See Kids listings.
■ BRUNTSFIELD LINKS FREE The Mummers Walk Sat 4 May, noon. Scottish and Irish Mummers link up in full costume at the ancient Boroughmuir Assembly point, and proceed through the Meadows green wood to an outdoor display in Bristo Square. Part of TradFest. ■ CHURCH HILL THEATRE 33a Morningside Road, 447 7597. Mise – Story of a Girl Tue 7–Thu 9 May. See Kids listings. The Intergalactic Nemesis: Live Action Graphic Novel Tue 7– Sat 11 May. See Kids listings. Wanted: Rabbit Fri 10–Sun 12 May, 11.30am, 1.30 & 3.30pm. Mon 13 May, 9.30, 11.30am & 1.30pm. £10 (family £16–£48). See Kids listings.
■ DANCE BASE 14–16 Grassmarket, 225 5525. Alles (All) Tue 7, Wed 8 & Sun 12 May. See Kids listings. No Man Is an Island and My True North Thu 9, Sat 11 & Sun 12 May. See Kids listings.
■ THE EDINBURGH PLAYHOUSE 18-22 Greenside Place, 0844 871 3014. The Sleeping Beauty on Ice Thu 18–Sat 20 Apr, 2.30pm & 7.30pm, (Fri 7.30pm only). £10–£34. Director Tony Mercer and Imperial Ice Stars return to UK theatres with this ice-skating adaptation of the classic fairytale. ■ EDINBURGH FESTIVAL THEATRE 13–29 Nicolson Street, 529 6000. Carlos Acosta: On Before Fri 26 & Sat 27 Apr, 7.30pm. £16.50–£39.50. Ballet featuring choreography by Russell Maliphant, Kim Brandstrup and Miguel Altunaga.
■ THE JEKYLL & HYDE 112 Hanover Street, 225 2022. Borderlands Sat 4 May, 7.30pm. £6. Banished to Virginia after the Union of Crowns, a veteran Border reiver reminisces about ‘the good old days’ of rapine and slaughter. Part of TradFest.
■ KING’S THEATRE 2 Leven Street, 529 6000.
✽ Translations Thu 18 & Fri 19 Apr, 7.30pm. Sat 20 Apr, 2.30pm.
£14–£29.50. Brian Friel’s best-loved play is part scathing critique of colonisation, part tender love story. The Woman in Black Mon 22–Sat 27 Apr, 7.30pm (Wed & Sat 2.30pm also) £14–£29.50. A young lawyer attempts to exorcise his metaphorical demons on a job in a mysterious house.
104 THE LIST 18 Apr–16 May 2013
Be Silent or Be Killed Wed 15 May, 8pm. £14 (£10). The true story of Scottish businessman Roger Hunt, who survived the 2008 Mumbai terrorist attack. See preview, page 98. ■ TEVIOT Bristo Square, 650 4673. The Armagh Rhymers Sat 4 May, 4pm. £8 (£5). Celebrated folk theatre ensemble. Part of TradFest.
■ TRAVERSE THEATRE Cambridge Street, 228 1404.
✽ Quiz Show Thu 18–Sat 20 Apr, 7.30pm (Sat 2.30pm also). £15.50–
£17.50 (£11.50–£13.50; unemployed £6 Thu only). Rob Drummond returns with a play about a quiz show that’s not all it seems. See review, this page. Something Very Far Away Mon 6– Thu 9 May. See Kids listings. Fleeto Tue 7 May, 1.45pm & 7pm. Wed 8 May, 10.15am. Thu 9 May, 7pm. £10 (family £16–£48). See Platform, Glasgow. The Curious Scrapbook of Josephine Bean Thu 9–Mon 13 May. See Kids listings. The Mark of Zorro Fri 10–Mon 13 May. See Kids listings. Îlo Sat 11–Mon 13 May. See Kids listings.
OUTSIDE THE CITIES
■ BRUNTON THEATRE Ladywell Way, Musselburgh, 665 2240. 1984 Sat 20 Apr, 7.30pm. £11.50 (£9.50; under 18s £6.50). Sell a Door Theatre Company takes on George Orwell’s story of an all-seeing, all- knowing babysitter government. The Thing about Psychopaths Wed 24 Apr, 7.30pm. £11.50 (£9.50; under 18s £6.50). Ben Tagoe’s new play takes a look at the post-recession Britain of 2013. See preview, page 89. Tales of the Arabian Nights Sat 4 May, 7pm. £6.75 (family £25). Brunton Players with magical tales from the east. Be Silent or Be Killed Wed 8 May, 7.30pm. £11.50 (£9.50; under 18s £6.50). See Summerhall, Edinburgh. Unusual Places to Dance (Part 2) Thu 9 May, 7.30pm. £11 (£9). A group of older people share their stories of relationships, isolation and connections through various media. Calamity Jane Wed 15–Sat 18 May, 7.30pm. £9.50–£10 (£8–£8.50). Action- packed comedy adventure about the formidable frontierswoman.
■ DUNDEE REP Tay Square, Dundee, 01382 223530. The Government Inspector Thu 18 & Fri 19 Apr, 7.30pm. £12–£16. Adaptation of Gogol’s tale of municipal greed and corruption. Recommended. Fleeto and Wee Andy Tue 23 Apr, 7.30pm. £12–£16. See Eastwood Park Theatre, Glasgow. The Thing about Psychopaths Thu 25 & Fri 26 Apr, 7.30pm. £12–£17. See Brunton Theatre, Musselburgh. National Dance Company of Wales: Dream Fri 3 May, 8pm. £16 (£13; children £6; students and under 25s £9). The excellence of the London Olympics translated into dance. Love Letters Tue 7–Fri 10 May, 7.30pm (Thu 2.30pm also). £14–£19 (£13–£17; students and under 25s £10–£14). AR Gurney’s enthralling play explores the ups and downs of a turbulent relationship over 50 years. ■ MACROBERT University of Stirling, Stirling, 01786 466666. Fleeto and Wee Andy Fri 19 Apr, 7.30pm. £7 (friends £5.50; family £13–£25). See Eastwood Park Theatre, Glasgow. The Sash Fri 10 May, 7.30pm. £13.50 (£4–£10.50). See King’s Theatre, Edinburgh.
Y E R A C N O E
I
REVIEW NEW PLAY QUIZ SHOW Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh, until Sat 20 Apr ●●●●●
That Rob Drummond is a master of illusion will be known to anyone who has heard of his Fringe hit Bullet Catch, let alone seen it. In Quiz Show he flaunts that mastery with grace and articulacy. Here is a simple event. A quiz show called False! The stage is the
False! set, with a deliciously kitsch retro feel to it as if Mel and Sue’s Light Lunch had been set in a working men’s club. The audience, while not active participants, are definitely part of the show: there to clap and applaud the live recording.
Steve McNicoll leads the way as floor manager Gerry, breaking the
fourth wall and providing an in to the game itself. Its contestants bring their own versions of the clichéd hopefuls who yearn for fame. Paul Thomas Hickey as the geeky Ben, Eileen Walsh as nervous fan Sandra and Gail Watson as groomed reigning champion Molly – on a roll and going for her fifteenth win. They are here to say the truth. False! is a show where there are no
questions, just statements. And every statement is a lie, posed by the cheesily grinning Jonathan Watson as the show’s smarmy host: the living legend, Mr Daniel Caplin. And Watson, for all that he needs a signpost for his television impersonations of famous football figures, is perfect in the role.
This glides along under Hamish Pirie’s direction. He smoothly
moves it from the opening quiz sho w scenes into an altogether more unforgiving territory. And as the play turns to look back from that territory you realise, as an audience member, that your complicity in the process has been there from the beginning, woven into every word of the script. Thunderingly powerful stuff, which reverberates long after seeing it, and in which every single word counts. This is the sort of dangerous, questioning and beautifully-delivered theatre that the Traverse was made to stage. (Thom Dibdin)
The Sash Tue 30 Apr–Sat 4 May, 7.30pm (Wed & Sat 2.30pm also). £14– £29.50. Hector MacMillan’s nailbiting story about families pitted against each other. See preview, page 98. Edinburgh Grand Opera: La Traviata Wed 8–Sat 11 May, 7.30pm. £10–£31. Verdi’s love story about tragic Violetta who falls in love with Alfredo, against his father’s wishes.
✽ Pitmen Painters Mon 13–Sat 18 May, 7.30pm (Wed & Sat 2.30pm
also). £14–£29.50. Award-winning play about a group of Ashington miners in 1934, who hire a professor to teach an art appreciation evening class.
(not Sun & Mon), 7.45pm (Sat & Wed 2.30pm also). £14.50–£29 (side view £10–£15). Ibsen’s tale from 19th century Norway moves to Edwardian London. See preview, page 96. ■ SCOTTISH STORYTELLING CENTRE 43–45 High Street, 556 9579. Grit Sun 28 Apr, 7.30pm. £8 (£6). A girl looks back over the life of her late father, a war photographer. Part of TradFest. The Selkie Wife Mon 29 Apr, 7pm. £6 (£4). A collaborative telling of the Selkie Wife tale from Fiona Herbert and Calum Lykan. Part of TradFest.
■ NATIONAL MUSEUM OF SCOTLAND Chambers Street, 0300 123 6789. The Day I Swapped My Dad for Two Goldfish Wed 8–Sat 11 May. See Kids listings. ■ THE PLEASANCE 60 Pleasance, 650 4673. Deathtrap Sat 11 May, 7.30pm. £12 (£10; students £5; disabled people £1; carer goes free). See Cottiers Theatre, Glasgow.
■ ROYAL LYCEUM THEATRE Grindlay Street, 248 4848. A Doll’s House Thu 18 Apr–Sat 4 May
■ SUMMERHALL 1 Summerhall, 0845 874 3001. DEADinburgh Fri 19–Sun 21 Apr, 7.30pm. £15 (£12). This interactive theatre experience puts you at the heart of a zombie infestation. One Giant Leap Sat 4 May, 7.30pm. Sun 5 May, 4pm. £7 (children £5). Theatrical event investigating the Big Bang, the moon and conflicts of science and superstition. Hickory and Dickory Dock Sun 5 May. See Kids listings.
✽ Amusements Wed 8 & Thu 9 May, 8pm. £8 (£6). A seductive one-woman show, acclaimed on the Edinburgh Fringe.