Perfect Days: Pitlochry Festival Theatre

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Perfect Days by Liz Lochead and directed by Liz Carruthers is a play of its time: the biological clock as a topic of conversation was once very hot. In the Director’s cut for Perfect Days in the programme, Liz Carruthers confesses she was aware of it throughout her own thirties and had her first child aged forty-one. So one is not surprised by the wonderfully sympathetic tone of the production.

Perfect Days is also about obsession. What is it like to be obsessed by something to the extent that all pride and dignity are set aside by the compulsion to satisfy that obsession? And it’s about a lot of the other small things of life that make a complete personality. Mothers and daughters have their ups and downs, but there’s always time to resolve matters, isn’t there? When we are THE ONE helping with something, we deeply resent anyone else muscling in, don’t we?

And Perfect Days is about language. Sharp Glasgow patter updated to encompass the passage of time since the play made its first appearance.

Everyone adores Barbs, the celebrity hairdresser, and wants a share of her – their share. Her perfect cleaner (Mum), her perfect ex, Davie, her perfect friend, Alice, employee, Brendan and lover, Grant. Barbs wants a baby. She doesn’t want to go on living her perfect life as it’s seen by these others, without that tiny person.

One of the most powerful scenes in the play is Barbs’ attempt to make her mother understand the depth of her longing for the unknown baby. Why won’t her mother agree that single mums can do a good job – didn’t she?

It’s a gleeful celebration of modern urban life and the new family realities. A strong cast, wonderful set and sympathetic direction made the whole production an entertaining and thought-provoking afternoon. Truly worth catching, if you can.

Run, in rep, at  Pitlochry Festival Theatre till Thursday 16th October 2014 at 8pm.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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DICK BARTON: SPECIAL AGENT

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Dick Barton: Special Agent by Phil Willmott is enjoying a short season at Edinburgh’s Church Hill theatre, Morningside road. I caught it on Wednesday’s opening night.

Edinburgh People’s Theatre are enjoying their 71st year of productions and fielded a large cast for this production. Although the name, Dick Barton, evokes the great age of radio drama and nonsensical comedy, I’m not quite old enough to remember listening to it. There are plenty who are.

Graham Bell reproduced that evocative BBC broadcasting voice impeccably in his anchoring moments in front of the blacks. His necessarily quick changes from mandatory dinner suit to Colonel Gardener’s more relaxed style occasionally left him breathless, but it all adds to the fun for a loyal audience.

Doubling was the order of the night and the cast handled the complications of that well. Ronnie Millar’s pseudo cockney was better than his RP. The ladies of the cast ventured into some wonderfully daring costumes for their cabaret type scenes.

Some nice singing enlivened the spotlight moments, but I had reservations about one or two and felt the dancing could be sharper. Perhaps that’ll come as the run progresses. Mairi Beaver gave a great rendition of femme fatale (don’t know the German equivalent phrase, sorry) Marta Heartburn.

Great touches from director Iain Fraser and musical director, Anne Mackenzie.

Excellent props.

Run continues Friday at 7.30 and Saturday at 2.30. EPT are to be congratulated for offering a matinée.

Edinburgh People’s Theatre

E-novels by Anne stenhouse

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Royal Lyceum Edinburgh 2014-15

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Today’s press release, Monday 19th May,from the Royal Lyceum Theatre tells of a strong dramatic programme for the next season.

The 2014/15 season in full:

Kill Johnny Glendenning
By DC Jackson
Directed by Lyceum Artistic Director Mark Thomson
World premiere Lyceum commission co-produced with The Citizen’s Theatre Glasgow
Dates: 17 September– 11 October 2014

Bondagers
By Sue Glover
Directed by Lu Kemp
Dates: 22 October – 15 November 2014

The BFG
By Roald Dahl, adapted by David Wood
Directed by Andrew Panton
Dates: 28 November 2014 – 3 January 2015

Faith Healer
By Brian Friel
Directed by Lyceum Associate Artist John Dove
Dates: 14 January – 7 February 2015

The Caucasian Chalk Circle
By Bertholt Brecht
Directed by Lyceum Artistic Director Mark Thomson
Dates: 18 February – 14 March 2015

Hedda Gabler
By Henrik Ibsen in a version by Richard Eyre
Directed by Lyceum Associate Artist Amanda Gaughan
Dates: 20 March – 11 April 2015

The Venetian Twins
By Carlo Goldoni, in a new version by Tony Cownie
Directed by Lyceum Associate Artist Tony Cownie
Dates: 24 April – 16 May 2015

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Pressure by David Haig

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Pressure by David Haig and directed by John Dove, is the final play of the Royal Lyceum’s 2013-14 season, and what a truly memorable finale it is.

For those who don’t know, Pressure is the story of Dr. James Stagg, a plumber’s son from Dalkeith who is selected to predict the weather needed for safe and successful D-Day landings on the Normandy beaches in 1944. He is counterpointed by the effervescent and ‘lucky’ American expert, Colonel Krick.

The central tensions of this spell-binding true story are many. There’s the ongoing World War. There’s the fact the top man is American so why would he, Eisenhower, listen to British reserve and cold science before the ‘luck’ and previous unblemished record of a fellow American. There’s the nearly unstoppable momentum of the arrangements already in place. There’s a woman in the background with a medical history who’s already in early labour.

The 11 strong cast didn’t put a foot wrong and the driving central performances from David Haig as Stagg, Laura Rogers as Kay Summersby and Malcolm Sinclair as General Eisenhower were five-star. No tricks, no flashing lights, nothing but the stripped back truth of how you get the job done when the job is monumental.

Haig’s script is full of delightful snippets and you wonder if he unearthed them in his research. I won’t spoil it by giving examples, but the audience shared several warm laughs when the foibles of their heroes came under scrutiny.

Pressure has a great set by Colin Richmond made in the Royal Lyceum’s workshops.

I really recommend.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MISS MARIAH FOX

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BLOGS

It’s One Year Today since MARIAH’S MARRIAGE was published by MuseItUp of Canada.

Mariahs Marriage 200x300

Happy Birthday. Miss Mariah Fox.

In the months since Mariah hit the e-publishing shelves.my writing life has changed in so many ways. Here are a few:

Social Media I’ve been blogging for a very long time. I had a blog on Writelink’s site for months before Mariah was published and wrote short updates of my writing experiences and how the various anecdotes I quoted fitted into what I wrote next. I was never able to crack the posting of photos on there and that is the first change. I can do photos.

Muse Banner Mariah's Marriage

This one shows the 2013 line-up for the Joan Hessayon award in London. Mariah’s Marriage didn’t win but I had a wonderful evening. So much so, I’m going again this year to support several friends who are listed for 2014.

Change Number Two get along and say hullo. Whether it’s electronically such as on another writer’s blog, or in person, if you’re in a market, you need to be seen. I’ve almost got my pathological need to lurk under control.

Change Number Three Write another one. Surely you’re always doing that? you ask in surprise. Surely I am, but this ‘another’ one is the picking up of a character’s story from Mariah’s Marriage. It’s one of the most difficult writing tasks I’ve ever undertaken, but I completed, edited, agonised and pressed send a few weeks ago. Waiting to hear.

Change Number Four Participate. Before Mariah’s Marriage was published, I didn’t enter things like the Elizabeth Goudge Trophy competition at the annual conference of the Romantic Novelists’ Association, but this year I will. I didn’t join in blog hops (didn’t know there were blog hops). I knew nothing of Twitter and my Facebook a/c was languishing. Goodreads ?? Well, Mariah’s Marriage necessitated changes in attitude all right. It’s the shop front and the shelves need dressing.

A copy of Mariah’s Marriage is on offer to one person, randomly selected, who leaves a comment before Midnight UK time, 10th May 2014. I’d love to hear from you. Did full length publication make changes in your writing life? Anne

 

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LONG DAY’S JOURNEY INTO NIGHT: EUGENE O’NEILL

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Long Day’s Journey Into Night by Eugene O’Neill and directed by Tony Cownie has started a three week run, 17th Jan – 8th Feb, at Edinburgh’s Royal Lyceum Theatre. I saw last night’s performance and it’s a cracker.

For those who don’t know the play it’s a day in the lives of the Tyrone family. Early on the writer allows us to glimpse the men’s expectation of disaster in the way they study the matriarch, Mary. It’s no time at all before we realise she’s addicted to something and has been on a cure. The family, and the audience with them, are on tenterhooks. Will she stay clean?

The American accents are muted. No brash New Yorkers here. Sometimes that makes the actors a little difficult to hear. Diana Kent has a specially difficult role to play in Mary as the script contains long self-reflective passages of not-quite-nonsense. Pay attention. The clues are buried there.

The three men, father and two sons, all have their faults, and O’Neill has them linked and inter-linked so that no-one escapes the claustrophobic day with its returning sea-fog. It’s difficult to fault anyone. Timothy N. Evers, I thought made an incredibly convincing youth in the grip of a serious illness. He played well to the vulnerability and capacity to forgive a glimpse of immortality sometimes grants.

The set by Janet Bird is faithful to the O’Neill family cottage in which he set the play. It’s dominated by a central wooden stair that takes Mary out of sight, but never out of mind. The sound effects toward the end are potent,

The audience seemed stunned at the final curtain. The quality of the script, the quality of the acting and the horror of man’s self-destructive capacities have a way of doing that. We did appreciate it, Mr. Cownie. Thank you.

We all make mistakes, but truly folks, the sound of a mobile is so unwelcome. In a play like this one, where the language is virtually another character and is delivered quietly, it’s entirely so. Check your phone’s settings – better still, leave it at home.

 

Hansel and Gretel Scottish Ballet

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Hansel and Gretel, the first full length production for Scottish Ballet by artistic director Christopher Hampson, is sheer delight.

Many months and many miles went into updating the ballet, Engel Humperdinck’s score and the Grimm’s fairytale for modern audiences and they were truly productive. Out goes the wicked step mother – many children now have step mums and they were considered to be nice. In comes the witch from the beginning. Hansel and Gretel go off willingly. There are exuberant and energetic Ravens. There are gymnastically excellent rag dolls. There are very romantic and beautiful ballerinas.

The audience was thrilled by the dancing and the clever ‘tricks’ in the gingerbread house.

All in all, a wonderful treat to round off the Christmas season. Catch it if you can. The production is touring to Aberdeen in Jan, Wed 15- Sat 18; Inverness, Wed 22 – Sat 25, and to Newcastle, Wed 29 – Sat 1st Feb, Belfast Wed 5 – Sat 8

HAPPY NEW YEAR

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May I raise a virtual glass to all you lovely visitors who drop by and comment from time to time on my ramblings. We saw the New Year arrive from the Braid Farm Road which snakes along one of the hill tops in this hilly city. Edinburgh lay below us and we could see two of the synchronised fireworks displays and many, many smaller ones across the town and over the Forth away up into Fife. A calm and not terribly cold night enticed lots of people out to do the same. Wetter today and now very dark

Happy New Year to you all. Anne

Neglectful Blogger

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Regular visitors will be forgiven for thinking Write, Watch and Critique has abandoned the delightful job of Writing, Watching and Critiquing plays. Forgiven, but I hope, cheered to learn this is not the case.

A lot of attention has had to be lavished on my partner blog, Novels Now, http://goo.gl/ep3ZIx where news of Mariah’s Marriage and Bella’s Betrothal can be found.

Plays. Last Saturday I visited the Georgian House in Edinburgh’s Charlotte Square for an unusual dramatic offering. The Georgian House Players together with dancers under their Dance Master, Alex Howard, presented scenes from Georgian life.

Dressed in contemporary costume, they took on the concerns of the various members of the household on Christmas Eve 1811. The house at that time was owned and occupied by Mr. Lamont. We were invited to be a party of guests and one of our number was issued with an embroidered waistcoat marking him out as the principle visitor.

I was delighted to be taught a few measures from the Pollonaise and to learn that Mr. Lamont had to have cheese, Ayrshire cheese. A man after my own culinary heart.

New Work

More new drama was on offer at the adjudication of the Edinburgh Writers’ Club’s Drama competition last night. John Binnie conducted a workshop for the club in October and last night he commented on the members’ offerings written thereafter.

John mentioned how several of the plays had a character with Alzeimher’s Disease and that this was evidence of a trend in people’s thoughts and concerns. He also pointed out as he moved through the entries how some were the more dramatic because of their scene setting. One play, called Stuck, had a character stuck to a table by super glue while the metaphorical meaning was in the head of another. The winning play offered good opportunities for the actress to move around the stage and show character in action.

Winner, San Casimally, went for a one woman play called Mother’s Day. John expressed surprise to discover San was a male as he thought the piece captured the female experience so well.

Up next should be my trip to the Royal Lyceum’s Christmas Carol. Looking forward to it already.

International Stages

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Water Puppeteers – Vietnam

I’ve been on holiday.

 

 

 

 

 

This blog has been shamefully neglected for several months and I’m really sorry about that. However, there is a reason. If you occasionally wander over to Novels Now where I write about my prose work, you will know there have been two historical romances published by MuseItUp this year under my name.

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They are dialogue rich (would you expect anything else?) books with a lot of between the sexes humour and a frisson of the dark and dangerous underworld of nineteenth century London and Edinburgh.

The drama you ask. What about the drama?

From the picture at the top of this post you can see I was in Vietnam and while there visited Water Puppet shows. The first in Han Noi was in a dedicated tourist theatre. There was a host of lovely folk tales and excellent work with the dragons, fishermen, snakes et al. It was, however, spoiled for me by the constant photography of other audience members. Doesn’t it occur to these selfish peple that if they hold their dinky little camera above their heads for a minute, nobody sitting behind them can see the stage?

Do they care?

The second puppet show was out in the country and a much warmer experience. That’s the one photographed above. More dragons and excellent workmanship and nobody getting between the audience and the performers.

Home again and I’ve seen Crime and Punishment, adapted from the Fyodor Dostoyevsky novel by Chris Hannan, at the Royal Lyceum theatre.

Sadly the run is now finished, and the Edinburgh performances came after the Citizens and Liverpool. It was so good and brought the huge canvas of Russia and its slum people to an audience who might not know much about them. I didn’t and left feeling entertained and enriched.

An ensemble cast gave excellent support to Adam Best playing Raskolnikov. The stage was cluttered with their props and odd chairs, but everything came into its own and the movement from back to front to back was like a mirror of what it’s like to live in such massing, seething crowds.

I was abroad during Dark Road’s run.

I also enjoyed two Matinée + evening days at Pitlochry this summer. Enjoyed it all and made a first tour of the Plant Hunters’ Garden which I really recommend. Talk about hidden gems. It’s really worth getting there a little early for.