REVIEWS

reviews
mainly written by Walter Paul, occasionally written by guest critics invited by WP to share their views on the website. For the past 15 years I have dabbled in writing theatre reviews for my own pleasure - a sort of self-indulgent pastime - and for the past few years I have shared my thoughts online and occasionally in print. And like any review, that exactly is what they are - my thoughts, with which some people may agree, or of course disagree. Many, many years ago, Glasgow papers, and there were a lot of them in the '50s and '60s, gave Glaswegians and others the courtesy of reviewing shows whether amateur or professional, and although not everyone agreed with those reviews, which could be quite lengthy and detailed, at least people who had the courage and ambition to appear onstage in public and charge the general public to, hopefully, enjoy their performances, could read what others and in particular, professional pundits, thought of their efforts. I still attend many shows, (not as a professional critic but as a paying member of the public), and have been encouraged, particularly over the past 18 months, to occasionally share my thoughts online. I continue to do this, having been praised and criticised in print and on the airwaves over many, many years, for my performances and my productions, and learning so, so much about this profession; when in 2010 I was informed that comments about one of my productions at the King's Theatre was being tweeted, texted, emailed so much that it became the talk of the steamie for 24 hours (!), I decided to continue with more passion than ever before to write down my thoughts about productions which I have had the privilege of attending. If it happens that I am the only one reading those reviews, then so be it; if, however, some people enjoy reading them, or hate reading them, but at least read them, then I will be very flattered and thankful that I am perhaps contributing to a healthy debate about theatrical performances in the city of Glasgow.

RIGOLETTO   ****
Scottish Opera at The Theatre Royal Glasgow, then touring Edinburgh, Aberdeen, Inverness, Belfast, Dublin; May and June 2011
Visually stunning, sparsely designed, and intellectually challenging, Scottish Opera's new production of Verdi's RIGOLETTO must be seen by as many people as possible; for not only is Matthew Richardson's detailed interpretation of this masterpiece so captivating, but also musically Scottish Opera has assembled one of its strongest casts for many years.
Firstly the orchestra under the baton of Tobias Ringborg - the speed, the attack, and the thrilling brass and woodwind sounds all combine to propel Verdi's great score forward, as the composer insisted and as he structured the piece; the musical interpretation is taut and intelligent, and never once does Maestro Ringborg allow the pace to slacken, culminating in stupendously played chords at the heart-breaking finale to the opera. The Scottish Opera Orchestra under this conductor sounds in top form.
And as director Matthew Richardson has based a large part of his interpretation of this Verdi war-horse on the life of American sculptor and writer Lester Gaba, whose life-like mannequin Cynthia became so famous around New York City, that "she" even had a box-seat subscription to the Metropolitan Opera House, so in this production, mannequins abound - as ladies of the court swirling in dances in their garishly designed evening dresses with the tail coated gentlemen of the court and chorus, (who sounded magnificent in their contributions to the production); and in a stunning coup de theatre we discover the Duke at the beginning of Act Two surrounded by what seemed like hundreds of bits and pieces of mannequins instantly conveying the lecherous lothario's broken conquests of his dissolute life. Richardson has worked closely with his talented Lighting Designer, Tony Rabbit, to provide image after image of pure drama, again forcing the story forward to its  tragic conclusion. The designer, too, (Jon Morrell),  has worked convincingly to provide basic sets to this fast-paced production, with a solid painted draped wall with doors continually appearing and disappearing and allowing the sense of intrigue and courtly machinations to be so brilliantly conveyed - watch out for the white gloved fingers of the chorus hiding behind the doors as they listen, or their silhouetted figures  facing upstage lit so starkly as they peer through the doors to watch the action of their leader. The long red ladder used in the abduction scene (simply and clearly detailed, by the way), re-appears in the tilted house of Sparafucile, allowing the Duke, and indeed Maddalena to climb it to the attic of the house - very dangerous, very scary, and completely right in this edge-of-the-seat production.
The performance of the evening must be Nadine Livingston's Gilda; completely secure in all of her notes and music, but totally involved in her characterisation of the young daughter of Rigoletto - never before have I seen such a convincing interpretation of this innocent girl, and her rendering of Caro Nome is musically faultless, given that the director has asked her to perform many moves and actions, which show in no uncertain terms that this is still a young girl on the verge of growing up. Ms Livingston is a talent to watch - and nurture. Louise Collett's Maddalena started nervously but soon settled into a well-sung, very sexy performance, and Rebecca Afonwy-Jones' Countess Ceprano sang her minuscule role superbly well, while maintaining the mannequin pose of her character with elegant poise - she looked stunning. Karen Murray's Giovanna was a nice study in self-serving subservience, with the director again enforcing the point of the story by letting us see her cowering in the corner of the room waiting her punishment from Rigoletto.  The gentlemen of the cast performed nobly too - Alan Fairs an outstanding Monterone both vocally and dramatically; Gregory Frank a sonorous Sparafucile with all the bass notes, but perhaps slightly disengaged with what was happening on stage, especially in the final scene; Michel de Souza very noteworthy in the character role of Marullo, looking and sounding so incisive, with fine support from Christopher Turner and David Morrison.
And what of the two leading characters? Edgaras Montvidas played and sang the role of the Duke of Mantua superbly well; his is a well-rounded voice and has both a top and a bottom to it, which sadly is not always the case nowadays with tenors! He looks ideal in the role, and certainly brings an edge of real nastiness and self-aggrandisement to the character.  Eddie Wade sings the title role, which is huge and one of Verdi's notoriously high and demanding characters; if he tends to display a slight cautiousness  in Act One, then Acts Two and Three show Mr Wade  much more relaxed and settled into his complex portrayal of the jester. And yet, something still niggles; I am convinced that he has done everything asked him by the director, but he does not look like a Rigoletto! Is this something to do with his height? He doesn't even attempt to stoop and so the hunchback element of the character is lost time and time again - and this is such an an important point in the whole opera. The Max Wall black leggings do not help either. And what of his all-important relationship with his daughter? I never really felt the father/daughter sympatico, and while his strictness and paternal rule of law were well-conveyed, one never ached as one should and must, as clearly indicated in Verdi's music - especially at the end of Act Two. This interpretation of Rigoletto's character makes him a controlling psychopath without any redeeming features.
Some silly over-choreographed excesses aside, especially with regard to the excellent male chorus, I still maintain that this Scottish Opera production of RIGOLETTO must be seen; it has been thoroughly prepared and executed, and the interpretation is so detailed that it requires one, two, or three visits to get the most out of it as one can. The ending with Rigoletto and his dying daughter is director genius, and brings the curtain down with an awesome catch of breath, which sums up the entire production.
Walter Paul

THE DROWSY CHAPERONE   *****
Runway Theatre Company at Eastwood Park Theatre; 11 - 14 May 2011
Robert Fyfe's superb production of THE DROWSY CHAPERONE for Runway Theatre Company is the Scottish Premiere of this Tony Award winning musical, and from this showing one can tell why the quirky show received so many accolades. Last year Runway presented its first musical with Camelot, but this is a completely different ballgame. Mr Fyfe's direction, pace, and interpretation of the comic show brings to the fore all the nuances, both musically and dramatically, which can only be incorporated into a production by someone who has such a wealth of stage experience at his fingertips. I can heap nothing but praise on this whole enterprise; a first rate cast, some superb voices, great and enthusiastic choreography, and musical direction from a new (to me) Musical Director, David R Dunlop, who cleverly controls the large and experienced band of 10 players. I loved the story, I loved the costumes and scenery - I loved everything about the show - as did the vociferous audience - almost full to capacity. Highlights? Difficult to choose when everything and everyone is worth a mention; Brendan Lynch's tap-dancing, roller-skating (blindfolded - don't ask!) Robert Martin is quite outstanding, and Aileen Johnston in the title role brings all of her experience and talent to deliver a show-stopping performance. But one name must be singled out and that is Will L Pollock, who is never off the stage in the pivotal role of the Man in Chair; from the start he worked, cajoled and instantly won over the audience with his subtle, clever, and totally believable portrayal of the narrator-type character whose 21st century enthusiasm for a 1920s musical, The Drowsy Chaperone, is the central and indeed only point of the plot; Mr Pollock's timing alone is worth the price of the ticket. Surely he must get the chance again  to play  this role , which could well become his calling-card in stage dramatics and musicals!
This is what theatre is all about - total and sheer enjoyment both onstage and front of house. Congratulations to everyone.
Walter Paul

MORE LIGHT / THE HOLYLAND   ***
NQ Acting & Performance at Langside College Theatre Arts Building 2nd & 3rd June 2011
Bryony Lavery's one act play, MORE LIGHT, is not for the faint-hearted; it tells the story of a Chinese Emperor whose concubines are buried alive in his specially designed and constructed tomb, and although specifically written to be performed by youth groups and young people, it deals graphically with courtesans and their world, castration, sex, and above all cannibalism. The author based her play on a real event when a tomb was discovered and opened, but she is an expressive and deep writer, and explores many layers of society and the human mind by opening up a basic premise of what happens when choice is offered to those not at all used to such an action, and the consequences which follow. The title role was strongly played by Elaine, (the programme's cast sheet chose, rather stupidly in my opinion, to only refer to actors by their first names), and she looked stunning, spoke clearly and intelligently, and managed the transformation to her experience of real love very sensitively; the cast of females, (there was only one speaking male role), were well characterised, and the anonymous director marshalled his or her cast well, cleverly delineating the different characters, and providing strong groupings, clever use of lighting, and well spoken deliveries of the thoughtful and intelligent script. It was unfortunate that the final underscoring music seemed entirely inappropriate after the initial mood-setting music used at the beginning of the play, and tardy preparation  for a curtain call prevented the audience from expressing their approval of the play.
THE HOLYLAND, by Daragh Carville, completed the double bill, and was lesser than the first piece in all aspects; its subject matter, New Year's Eve as experienced in the student area of Belfast, is crude, badly written, and struggling hard to find a thread of structure to flow throughout the play. The clumsy references to the Middle East just don't gel, and the direction, again anonymous, was very basic and finally not successful. As a rule of thumb the male actors, who dominated this play, were not nearly as strong or articulate as the female actors onstage in both plays, and one never got the chance to bond or sympathise with any of the characters, but this was due it has to be said to the writing rather than the performance, which was performed in a very lively manner, and again in strong Scottish, or rather Glasgow, accents. Why? Is an Irish accent too difficult to tackle?  In a prestigious college such as this I would have hoped not!
Walter Paul

DIE FRAU OHNE SCHATTEN   ****
Mariinsky Opera at The Edinburgh International Festival, 1st to 3rd September 2011
At last I have managed to see a production of this Richard Strauss opera, which has eluded me for forty years! And was it worth the wait?; a resounding "yes". Die Frau Ohne Schatten, (The Woman without a Shadow), is the seventh of Strauss's 15 operas, and is a massive piece of work - an obvious statement, perhaps, to use when discussing his works, but here the symphonic sections of the score seem at times to threaten to undermine the structure of the piece, especially during the last 10/15 minutes of the opera, when a superb quartet for the 4 principal protagonists should really end the evening, but Strauss's score hammers into us and prolongs the ending for minutes, which frankly are superfluous. And here, too, Jonathan Kent's production, which is strong, challenging, and visually stunning, (most of it taking place behind a gauze!), descends into a schmaltzy kitschiness with golden shafts of light left, right, and everywhere, falling golden leaves, and the 1970s obligatory modern-dressed chorus advancing slowly towards the audience. That said, the difficult story is cleverly told with the juxtapositioning of fairy-tale traditional sets and costumes, and a basic, depressing modern-day work space - room would be too generous a description - of washing machines, television set, dirty work van, and overhead fluorescents. Thank goodness, too, for the 21st century blessings of detailed programme notes and synopsis, and supertitles, which for me at least, proved invaluable in following the intricate storyline.
But what made this the undoubted success it was, and truly worthy of being an international festival production, was the conducting of Valery Gergiev and the playing in the pit of the Mariinsky Orchestra - 110 players in total. This orchestra under Gergiev's sublime and inspiring leadership produced the most ravishing sounds, and the various sections continued to shine throughout the long evening, none more so than the sublime sounds of the high woodwind, whose tones and obvious love of the score must have melted the most stern souls, if any were present. Gergiev's commitment is well-known, and here his understanding of his orchestra and  Strauss's massive score produced one of those rare evenings in an opera house, where we were privileged to hear quite extraordinary playing and interpretation of what must be one of the most difficult operatic scores to tackle. Testimony to the audience's involvement, if any is needed, was the total silence at the curtain drop of all three acts, when for 2 or 3 seconds not only was there total silence, but the audience seemed to hold its breath as one, not wishing to break the spell.
The three acts gave three separate chances for the three principal ladies to make their marks; Act One was dominated by the huge, over-the-top peformance of Olga Savova as The Nurse, whose bottom register boomed over the huge orchestral forces, while Act Two saw Olga Sergeyeva as the Dyer's Wife dominate the proceedings with a massive performance both vocally and physically - a typical Strauss character, where any niceties are cast aside, even if just to be heard over Strauss's accompaniment from the pit. And in Act Three, just when I was about to write off Mlada Khudolei's Empress as being one of the weakest voices in the company, often underpowered in the first two acts, she rose to her big challenge and proved herself to be perhaps the most lyrical and intensely beautiful female voice on the stage, dominating the long final act, and even managing to control her most unwieldy costume and train. It came as no surprise to read that one of her other roles is Chrysothemis in Strauss's Elektra. The men, too, were well-served, particularly by Edem Umerov as Barak, whose warm, sympathetic voice is so well-suited to this complex, genuine character, and Viktor Lutsiuk as The Emperor, although his open, gauche tenor vocals would not be to everyone's taste, and certainly weren't to mine.
The Mariinsky Chorus sang superbly, especially the men at the close of Act One when they produced some stunning, intense, pianissimo sounds which awed and amazed the huge audience; praise, too, for the Mariinsky Children's Chorus, whose contribution both vocally and acting wise, was so worthy of this festival production. The Russian method of singing - big, in your face, and sometimes with very little subtlety - is not to everybody's taste, but at this very special performance, it suited the production admirably, and made me a very happy man - having waited so, so long to have the opportunity to enjoy this Strauss opera live and in a production which is, on the whole, worthy of Richard Strauss's great work.
Walter Paul

ORPHEUS IN THE UNDERWORLD   **
Scottish Opera at The Citizens' Theatre 10th September 2011, then touring Scotland, Northern Ireland, and London September to December 2011
Oliver Mears' new production of Offenbach's ORPHEUS IN THE UNDERWORLD has remained faithful to the core of the French composer's original 19th century work, with its satirical swipes at everything which pervades today's must-know society - no-one is safe, and his clever use of back drops of a gossip magazine ("Hi"), hits home where his production is coming from and what he intends to parody. He is aided with a new translation by the impressionist Rory Bremner, whose barbs leave no stone unturned - bankers, politicians from all countries, footballers, WAGS, wages, rich and poor, and the unhealthy over-the-top preoccupation with sex; in this last instance Mr Bremner reveals a cruel, perverted, and frankly offensive take on the art of translation - I am glad that I was not one of the adults accompanying the children and young people at last night's performance when John Styx sang his song to Eurydice with a frankly crude emphasis on the first syllable of the word "country", (not once, but many, many times), and likewise the words, and in this case actions, of the disguised Jupiter while wooing Eurydice, were quite unnecessary, and frankly not funny.
My main worry about this production, however, is the appalling lack of experience on stage from a cast of, what can only be described as, inexperienced principals. I know that Scottish Opera is going through difficult times, but after the exciting Rigoletto (see Review above), can this really be the same opera company?; an opera company where the Orpheus, Diana, John Styx, Venus, Mercury, and Juno may very well have gained many diplomas from many colleges and music schools, but have obviously never been taught to act and deliver dialogue, let alone walk on a stage. For Scotland's national opera company to let loose these people on a stage is simply unforgivable. Gavan Ring's Pluto has a nice voice, but he is not nearly as good as he obviously thinks he is, and Brendan Collins displays a pleasant, droll, controlled delivery as Jupiter, with a decent, focussed bass-baritone voice. However, three ladies dominate the evening - Jane Harrington is a tireless, OTT, beautifully delivered - both vocally and dramatically - Eurydice, and knows exactly how to command a stage and deliver a role - she was the only one to receive long and sustained applause for her solo throughout the evening, and it is no surprise to read in her programme note that she graduated from the Opera Course at the Royal Academy of Music with a distinction in performance. Maire Flavin had the difficult task of opening the opera, and mingling with the audience, but her diction, characterisation of Public Opinion, and total stagecraft were quite excellent, and made one long to see her in a larger role; and the third lady to hold the evening together, in more ways than one, was the Music Director, and excellent accompanist Ruth Wilkinson - she almost made one forget that there was no orchestral accompaniment so expertly and confidently did she play Offenbach's music with its fast and tricky rhythms. I notice that some of the future performances will be chamber orchestra-accompanied performances; I do hope that the singers will not be drowned out, as this happened regularly last night with just the piano accompaniment; Mr Bremner's translation, especially in the ensemble pieces, was totally unintelligible, and just another reason to make one wonder why Scottish Opera allows this sort of casting and performance to be presented to the paying public.
Much as it pains me to report, the capacity audience cheered the performance to the rafters at the close of the show; that really surprised and depressed me - in my humble opinion there is no way that this production deserved/deserves such misplaced adulation!
Walter Paul

MEN SHOULD WEEP   *
National Theatre of Scotland at The Citizens' Theatre, 16th September 2011 then touringArbroath, Inverness, Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Perth
Ena Lamont Stewart's play is one of the best plays ever written about social history in Scotland, and Glasgow in particular, and it is rightly performed continuously by professional and amateur theatre companies alike, The real characters, the awful situations in which they find themselves, and the inbuilt gut-wrenching spirit of survival pervades Ms Stewart's work, which she herself rewrote and revised in the 1970s, to make it a truly great, accessible and workable theatre masterpiece. I myself have seen many productions of it, and this new one by our own National Theatre promises so much when we enter the theatre - a dull, grey metal container with boys idly and vacantly sitting there, and the doors of the container noisily pulled open to reveal the detailed cramped interior of the tenement (designer Colin Richmond); the ever-present metal box only reinforces the claustrophobia and entrapment of the family and characters; and then we start. I have never been so bitterly disappointed in the slow downward spiral of a production; after a confident and funny start with Lorraine M McIntosh in the central role of Maggie and Ann Scott-Jones as Granny, with strong support from Julie Wilson Nimmo as Lily, the story is set; even a clever scene change device with Arthur Johnstone singing traditional Scottish songs of the period, with the audience joining in, works between scenes 1 & 2, but the warning bells are there between scenes 2 & 3, when his central performance is alien to the dramatic scene which we have just witnessed. The rot and major fault with the production comes into focus with the appearance of Michael Nardone as the husband/father John; what on earth was going on here? Was he under rehearsed? Did he know his lines? Did he know the production? And if the answers to all of these questions happens to be "yes", what sort of direction was/is Graham McLaren providing? The pace was not slow and ill-judged - it was catastrophic, and any tension or ground setting work done by the ladies of the cast, simply disintegrated and I was witnessing a car-crash of monumental proportions. This is not good theatre, and it is certainly not what one expects from our national theatre company. The third scene bucked up a bit, but mainly because of the performances of the strong female characters, especially Janette Foggo as Lizzie. But by this time I was so so annoyed, disappointed, and angry - not just with the production in front of me, but with myself at not understanding what was happening on stage, that I slipped away at the interval - only the fourth time I have done this in over 50 years of theatre going.
Now, did the fault of all what I have mentioned above actually lie with me? I considered this for a couple of hours last night when I returned home; I am perfectly aware that we all see productions at a theatre, and that obviously we cannot possibly enjoy or agree with everything that we experience onstage. In my own humble way I, too, am a theatre director, and I have experienced people walking out of my productions, and indeed writing to me to chastise me for my "folly". But as I have already said, I was annoyed at myself last night that what I was witnessing onstage offended me so much, that I made the ultimate decision to leave midway through a performance. Regrettably, I have come to the conclusion that in my opinion I was right to do so as the basic stagecraft was so much at fault that it detracted and fatally wounded what must be hailed as one of the best dramas ever written. I wish to finish by stating that I am perfectly aware that last night's performance was an official preview, but what I witnessed was acting and direction that could not be redeemed by some director's notes to his cast.
Walter Paul

ME AND MY GIRL   ***
Glasgow Light Opera Club at The King's Theatre Glasgow, 7th October 2011
This is one of those shows which is virtually foolproof when it comes to entertaining audiences; the tunes are unforgettable and everyone knows at least a couple of them, and the story is simple, and has a happy ending - what more can one ask. Alasdair Hawthorn's production of ME AND MY GIRL for Glasgow Light Opera Club succeeds on almost all counts - the pace is swift, the stage is busy, (with a particularly funny and effective staging of the Act Two ancestors scene), and the cast, (save for two miscastings in major roles), is talented and bright. Look no further for energy and total commitment to his role than Brendan Lynch - this gentleman gives his all (which is considerable) as the cockney lovable chappie Bill Snibson; Mr Lynch's dialogue, singing, dancing, stage expertise, and timing are superb, and his performance alone makes the show worth seeing; he is well supported by Monique Alexander as Sally Smith, who makes the most of her big moments, and has a particularly fine singing voice, and holds up well against the antics of her co-star. Sandra Craig makes the Duchess of Dene a cross between Hyacinth Bucket and Dame Hilda Bracket, and dominates the stage whenever she appears; her voice comes to the fore in her big Act Two number, and her experience and timing are a joy to behold. Aaron Mooney shines, (appropriately!),  in The Sun Has Got His Hat On, when the large company support him in one of the big production numbers, and special mention to David S. Craig as Charles the Butler, John Warren as Lord Battersby, and David W. Craig as the Constable - all proving the old maxim that there are no small roles on stage. GLOC's Musical Director, David Dunlop, controls his super band with extreme confidence, and his overture is particularly well played. And not enough praise can be heaped on Catherine Dunn's choreography - it is bright, effective, and well executed and choreographed, especially by the actual dancers of the company, and rightly becomes an essential ingredient of this feelgood show. The vociferous audience loved it - and that's what it's all about.
Walter Paul

A DAY IN THE DEATH OF JOE EGG   *****
The Citizens Theatre, 20th October 2011
Peter Nichols's controversial play, which received its world premiere at the Glasgow Citz way back in 1967, was quite shocking and disturbing, and its subject matter of a disabled child being raised by two loving parents coping in their own outspoken, unique, and hysterically funny private world, must have shaken the theatre world to its core at that time. However, the programme notes inform us that the play did not receive a single complaint or expression of shock, and 40+ years later there is again no way whatsoever that such a thing would happen now. This is not to say that the play has dated or that it has lost its ability to shock us out of our own complacency and throw us, the audience, so many questions not just about the play's individual story but also about our own lives and perception of society - which sadly, does not seem to have moved forward all that much since the 60s. The mother/wife explains that her husband's humour acts as an anaesthetic to blank out reality, and in Phillip Breen's superb production the humour is thrown at us full in the face - there is no hiding in this interpretation, and all the characters' monologues are spoken intensely to us in the intimate auditorium, with house lights up - even the dualogue with the wife and husband in Act One is a tour-de-force of staging, interpretation, and comedy timing of the highest order, when hesitant laughs and audience participation quickly give way to loud and sustained responses from the audience which becomes more than ready to answer questions posed to them. And yet this is not a comedy festival - it is a superb play written by Peter Nichols, and in Breen's exquisite reading of the piece, presents us with acting of the highest order from Miles Jupp, Sarah Tansey, Joseph Chance, Olivia Darnley, and Miriam Margolyes. Jupp and Tansey are hardly off the stage, and encompass their demanding roles with a fluid naturalness and in-your-face sincerity which stun the audience from start to finish; their apologies for each other, either to us or to the other characters, are painfully honest, and one is left breathless at the speed and energy with which they have endowed their characters. The "other" couple, too, provide more than supporting cameos, and they both excel in their own monologues, with Ms Darnley delivering her role/accent so impeccably, and so impeccably at odds with what she is horrifically saying! Ms Margolyes short and late appearance as Bri's mother could so easily descend into cheap and easy acting, but there is no way that she or her director would let this happen, and she brings all her wealth of experience to the fore in the centre of the fast-moving, and sad, final scene. Max Jones has designed the most effective sitting room on a huge truck which moves forward from the rear of the empty Citizens stage, into our laps almost, challenging us to become involved in this domestic - not tragedy - but life story; even his design of living plants, living fish, living budgie, living cat (which we hear), and even living fleas, emphasise the contrast with the "living" Joe, brought magnificently to life by two young actresses - Abigail Gillespie and Florence Gray. Go and see this unique production - it runs until the 12th November - and watch Glasgow's Citizens Company and Theatre as it should be watched - in all its brilliant glory. Joe Egg has returned in triumph to its roots.
Walter Paul

LOVERS   ***
Eastwood Park Theatre, 29th October 2011 
Giffnock Theatre Player’s recent production of ‘Lovers’ (by Brian Friel) is two plays, which, though unrelated in plot and character, together show contrasting aspects of love from the exciting first teenage love and the comfort of young people cherished by their parents of ‘Winners’ to a more mature but nevertheless passionate love and the religious fervour of “Losers”. The performance begins with a series of apparently random, still images but they are so small that some are difficult to identify and so numerous that the significance of many of them is lost.
The action of ‘Winners’ takes place on a hilltop, depicted on stage as a three-tier construction. The top tier makes a fairly small acting area but Jennifer Morris manages to instil a lot of movement into her portrayal of Maggie. She is very convincing as the empty-headed, excitable teenager, unrealistic in her optimism for the future of the pair plus baby, due in seven months’  time. Sam Toufique, who plays the stolid and sensible Joe, is less experienced and his movement on stage is less fluid but suits the character of Joe. The innocence of the pair is underlined by their school uniforms and much of the humour of the piece comes from Maggie’s clueless prattling about the forthcoming birth and by Sam’s horror when he, ever practical, reads the dictionary definition of Caesarean and realises what Maggie might have to go through. 
Director Mark Coleman has chosen to have the two narrators filmed in advance and projected onto the backcloth. Andy Williams and Patricia Bascom are excellent as ‘Man’ and ‘Woman’. The full names of the teenagers are used and the tone is unemotional, giving the effect of what - we realise as the play goes on -might be the TV report of a Fatal Accident Enquiry. The end has already been reported even as the young couple are laughing together and becomes very poignant as they go off in high excitement, to find a boat and “dance on every island”.  And they are the winners!  
In ‘Losers’, the set is divided horizontally into three sections: the yard, where Andy, played by Jack Hodes, fills in the narrative; the living room, where Andy and Hanna, played very well by Helen Lamarra, do their courting; and the upstairs bedroom, where Adrianne Boyd, as Mrs Wilson, rules the roost and worships St Philomena. They are joined for the rosary every evening by neighbour Cissy, played admirably by Liz Hamilton.  
Andy and Hanna are both 40+ and unlike the young people, who only want to talk (or in Joe’s case, study), the oldies cannot keep their hands off each other. Much of the humour of the play comes from their frantic fumbling on the couch, while Andy recites verses from Gray’s “Elegy in a Country churchyard’ because whenever there is no sound from downstairs, the bell rings upstairs and Maggie, flushed and furious, has to straighten her clothes and go off to tend to her invalid mother. Things take a wrong turning, however, the women close ranks and Andy ends up back in the yard, telling his sad tale. And now it becomes obvious why Joe and Maggie are the winners: their love did not have time to die, whereas Andy and Hanna are trapped in a bitter, loveless marriage, thanks to the impossibility of divorce in the Ireland of the time.
Maureen Brown

 SOUTH PACIFIC *****
Theatre Royal Glasgow, 18th November 2011
Thank goodness that the Lincoln Center Theater Production of SOUTH PACIFIC made it to Glasgow; this superb, intelligent interpretation of the Rodgers and Hammerstein's classic musical ranks as a landmark moment in world theatre - and I choose my words carefully. The total overhaul of this controversial show - for it was and indeed is controversial with its strong moral undertones about racism - places Bartlett Sher in that elite band of theatre directors who know exactly what they want to do and go ahead and do it. The care and detail taken in the dialogue and interpretation of the well-known characters, especially the Bloody Mary played at once funnily and achingly tragically by Loretta Ables Sayre, and the pace of his entire production - a man not afraid to use the difficult pause to such stunning effect, (as in the opening scene when the slightly stilted and awkward silence speaks volumes in establishing the two main characters) - makes this SOUTH PACIFIC an evening to treasure. The large cast and orchestra (under Assistant Conductor Peter McCarthy), work with an energy rarely seen onstage these days - they perform as if their lives depend on it, and one can only sit back and allow this stunning show to envelop your senses for three hours. Jason Howard is at home here as he is/was on opera stages, including this very one in the Theatre Royal, and gives us a warm, human, slightly stilted (deliberately so) Emile De Becque, with a voice that is just right for this most famous of roles; if his Some Enchanted Evening brought the house down, then his second solo, This Nearly Was Mine, did that and more! Absolutely divine! Local boy Alex Fearns makes an energetic, genuinely funny Luther Billis, dominating every scene in which he appears, and Daniel Koek is a handsome and angry Cable, acting and singing well, if producing some peculiar vowel sounds as he does so. The undoubted star of the show is Samantha Womack, who creates a unique Nellie Forbush with her beautiful and subtle singing voice, and her total commitment and portrayal of the central character, obliterating memories of Mary Martin and Mitzi Gaynor in the role. Only in the big Act Two production number of "Honey Bun", did  I yearn for a bigger "belter" of a voice, and momentarily wondered if Ms Womack's creation of Nellie was perhaps a bit one-level. The doubt quickly dispersed, however,  when she returned to the dialogue and quieter moments, culminating in a most subtle and underplayed finale. The capacity house said it all - were you unlucky enough not to see this unique production of one of the landmark shows of world music theatre, then catch it when it returns to Scotland later on, in Edinburgh's Playhouse Theatre.
Walter Paul 

THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE ****
The Orpheus Club at Adelaide's, 25-26 November 2011
Over the past few years amateur theatre groups have competed to be perceived as more ‘professional’ by striving to produce newly released shows with expensive sets; superior costumes; the best available lighting and sound design and special stage effects.  So a theatre group which dispenses with all these elements must surely be doomed to disaster?  Wrong.  In its latest offering (the 119^th consecutive production) The Orpheus Club returns to its roots, and has stripped Gilbert and Sullivan’s comic opera The Pirates of Penzance back to basics with remarkable skill and to tremendous effect.  It is a testament to the genius of Gilbert and Sullivan that their work can be interpreted in so many ways. Like Shakespeare, there are no limitations on the approach which can be taken by an enlightened Director (it has just been announced that the National Theatre of Scotland will present Alan Cumming in a one manMacbeth at Glasgow’s Tramway and New York’s Lincoln Centre next year).  
In this novel production, Director Walter Paul displays his complete mastery of and passion for G&S in general, and this piece in particular.  His innovative approach began by announcing to his cast, as they assembled casually on stage in rehearsal clothes, that they were about to have their final run-through before their first actual performance.  They would have to rely on a few basic props contained in a trunk (the only item on stage) and, if they used their imagination and performed with conviction, the audience would, in turn, believe in them.  And so, on a wet and blustery November night we were transported from a bare church hall in Glasgow to a rocky seashore on the Cornish coast, with only the singing and acting of the performers to assist us on our journey.  And what an enjoyable journey it was.  Free from the distractions of costume and scenery, our total focus was on the performances.   
Mr Paul is to be commended for taking the risk in presenting this well-loved work in such a minimalist fashion.  His attention to detail in extracting every ounce of comedy from the piece was evident, and there were some lovely touches such as Mabel’s entrance when, rather than rush into Frederic’s outstretched arms, she merely hung her parasol over them; and Edith’s attempted upstaging of Mabel in the finale. I had initial misgivings about the house lights remaining on throughout the performance, but was so quickly drawn into the action of the piece that I soon forgot all about this.    
Without exception, the singing was of a very high standard, and the wonderful acoustic in Adelaide’s meant that every word was heard naturally without the frequently experienced distortion of radio microphone amplification. As the Pirate King, Jonathan Sedgewick’s fine bass-baritone filled the auditorium.  In an often overlooked role, Antony Carter as Samuel had great presence, and looked and sounded every inch a pirate.  Chriss Mills’s Ruth was an absolute delight.  More glamorous perhaps than some Ruths, she performed the role with relish, and her wealth of stage experience shone through in a well sung and well acted portrayal of the piratical maid-of-all-work.  You would be hard pushed to find two better leads to play the roles of Frederic and Mabel than Ross Nicol and Honor Shelley. Nicol was completely at home in the role, and his beautiful singing voice was matched by his skill as an actor both in the dramatic and the comic scenes.  Shelley was a perfect match, and was captivating as Mabel, her soprano voice clear as a bell.  A highlight of the evening for me was the Act 2 duet between Mabel and Frederic: ‘Stay, Frederic, stay... Ah, leave me not to pine alone and desolate’ which was beautifully and poignantly sung.  In supporting roles, Edith (Lynsey McLaughlin), Kate (Kit Sagar) and Isabel (Jennifer Watt) made their mark with their own individual characterisations.  
It was a delight to see Walter Paul back on stage in G&S as Major-General Stanley. His rapid-fire Major-General song was executed with precision, and garnered great applause.  It takes an accomplished performer to carry off this central comic role well and, with his wealth of experience, Mr Paul more than fits the bill.  David Blackwood similarly brought his vast stage expertise to the role of Sergeant of Police.  With his resonant voice, expressive face and comic timing he was ideally suited to the part. 
The Orpheus Club chorus was in great voice, and it was a thrill to hear the set pieces such as the Act 1 Finale (particularly ‘Hail Poetry’) sung so well.  The music was expertly directed by Andrew S Nicol who led a three piece band, which perfectly complemented the singers and at no time drowned them out.  
Like many, I miss the days when two Glasgow companies presented full-scale annual G&S productions at the King’s Theatre just further down Bath Street.  Audience tastes may have changed as, although busy, the house was not quite full on the Saturday evening I attended (an effect of the double threat of X Factor and Strictly Come Dancing, perhaps?).  However, the enthusiastic audience’s response at the end of this show was undeniable, with applause continuing until the end of the play-out.  I look forward to the Orpheus Club’s next production - La Cage Aux Folles - but would make a plea that consideration is also given to repeating events such as this, and keeping the works of G&S alive in the Glasgow area.  
Robert Fyfe

THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLIE   ****
PMOS at King's Theatre Glasgow, 8th February 2012
A first rate and exceptionally talented cast and ensemble under the expert direction of Alasdair Hawthorn work their hearts off to try to bring this long, musically disappointing show to life (the composer's fault, by the way - not Paisley's!), and the fact that they succeed owes everything to them and nothing to the  tedious and clumsily constructed musical. Even the one well-known and memorable song, the title one, is sung within five minutes of the curtain going up, and that's it; such a clumsy and overlong book with humdrum songs. So hats off to this company for going for it, and fielding such a magnificent cast, led by the superbly talented Caroline Telfer as Millie Dillmount; Ms Telfer sang, acted, took total command of her role and the stage, that it was very difficult to believe that we were watching an "amateur" performance; she has such a charming personality and leaps out over the footlights to win over the audience, and was helped in this by her leading man, Martyn Agnew, who, as Jimmy Smith, gave an equally solid and engaging performance, using his well-known singing, dancing, and acting talents to excellent effect. And to support these two leads, PMOS gave us even more brilliant characters - Gillian McGhie giggling her way through the show like an upper class Olive Oyl on speed, Bob McDevitt utilising his large stage presence and bass voice as the boss Trevor Graydon, Aileen Johnston using all her talents and large voice and obviously enjoying herself as Muzzy Van Hossmere, and Nicola Stewardson creating a very funny cameo character as the secretary, looking like the show's Ugly Betty character, but in a nice way!!! The Speed Test scene with all the stenographers dressed superbly as one in garish orange, - (the most superb costumes provided by Triple C) - showed off the very best in Linda Jackson's inventive and brilliantly executed choreography and Andrew Salmond's assured command of the band and musical interpretation. Gripes? Niggles? Not really - although I felt that Patricia Welch went occasionally over the top as Mrs Meers, and her Chinese accent was difficult to understand at times; on the whole, though, Mr Hawthorn knew exactly what he wanted to do with this show and extracted every ounce of humour from what must have been extremely difficult material to work with. So although I have only given 4 stars for this production, PMOS deserve 5, but one was deducted for the actual show! Congratulations all round.
Walter Paul