 Odd premise: good debate
AS the still rumbling debate about the National Theatre of Scotland repertoire has shown, people do not seem to regard their ignorance of Scottish theatre as an obstacle to commenting on it. The problem is not simply that people haven't seen the plays, it's that they're not even aware of what they've missed. The NTS repertoire is a worthwhile topic for discussion, but the agenda has been set by people who show little evidence of knowing much about it. You have to search hard to find anyone, such as Anne Bonnar in her blog here, who is willing to push the debate forward in a knowledgeable way. Good things can emerge from unpromising beginnings, however. Last night, Newsnight Scotland decided it was time to lament the passing of agitprop. This appeared to be inspired by a student revival of The Slab Boys at the Ramshorn and, even though that play is neither agitprop nor explicitly political, the BBC managed to relate it to The Cheviot, the Stag and the Black, Black Oil which was produced five years earlier in 1973. This in turn prompted a line of questioning that implied Scottish theatre was in crisis today. "In 30 years time will we still be moved by today's productions?" asked presenter Gordon Brewer whose most surreal observation was that Bob Geldof was today's answer to agitprop (he was thinking of Live Aid, but it could have been the Boomtown Rats for all the sense it made). Fortunately, he was asking critics Joyce McMillan and Mark Brown who wasted no time in explaining that "the whole class structure of Britain has changed since the 1970s" (McMillan) and that "some of the most conservative plays have been left-wing pays" (Brown). A play such as Anthony Neilson's The Wonderful World of Dissocia (pictured, pic: Richard Campbell) was as radical as anything in the 1970s, said Brown. "One thing you could not say about the NTS is that they are boring and non-radical," said McMillan, while Brown suggested we are living in a golden age of theatre today. In the end, they gave a pretty fair representation of the current theatre scene, but why did they have to begin from such a wonky premise? Join the debate here. Lost for wordsTALKING about the Ramshorn, Lost star and Citz actor Henry Ian Cusick has lent his support to the campaign to prevent the theatre's closure. Strathclyde University has plans to sell it. You can join nearly 1500 others on the Facebook support group here. Meanwhile, the government has announced that the home of Creative Scotland, the body set up to replace the Scottish Arts Council and Scottish Screen, will be in the former post office building in Edinburgh's Waterloo Place.  Big bucks for NTS in EIF
THE programme for the Edinburgh International Festival was launched this week with the tantalising prospect of shows from three New York experimental companies – the Wooster Group, Mabou Mines and Elevator Repair Service – as well as two theatre companies from Chile and music theatre from Meredith Monk. Contributing to Jonathan Mills' New World theme is the NTS which is receiving £200,000 from the Scottish government's Edinburgh festivals expo fund to stage Alistair Beaton's Caledonia. The play, directed by Anthony Neilson, makes modern-day connections to the Darien scheme, the failed 17th century attempt to establish a Scottish colony on the Isthmus of Panama. Pie eyedA PLAY, a Pie and a Pint likes its pies so much that it's running a pie-related quiz starting today and running daily until 27 March. The prizes are tickets for the lunchtime shows. At the same time, it is running a pie hunt in Glasgow for which the prize is a season ticket and £50 to spend at Oran Mor. But how to tackle the problem observed by seasoned PPP regulars that the pies at the Traverse are superior? Group therapySOME people who are subscribed to this newsletter have not signed up to the separate email discussion group. In the past week those people have missed a conversation about script development between director Nicholas Bone and playwrights Chris Hannan and Peter Arnott. To join the discussion follow this link and look for the option to "apply for membership". OPENING SOONEvery One, Royal Lyceum, Edinburgh, Mar 19–Apr 10 Maria of My Soul, Clyde Unity Theatre, on tour, Mar 19–26 Laurel and Hardy, Mull Theatre, on tour, Mar 20–May 1 One Night Stand, Nick Underwood, Tron, Glasgow, Mar 23–27 Shakespeare vs Shakespeare, Charioteer, on tour, Mar 25–27 Puppet Animation Festival, on tour, Mar 27–Apr 10 LAST CHANCE TO SEEPromises Promses, Random Accomplice, on tour, Feb 3–Mar 25 Clutter Keeps Company, Birds of Paradise, on tour, Feb 16–Mar 22 Pobby and Dingan, Catherine Wheels, on tour, Feb 25–Mar 20 Equus, Dundee Rep, Feb 27–Mar 20 National Review of Live Art, Glasgow, Mar 1–21 My Name is Rachel Corrie, Citizens, Glasgow Mar 2–20 If I Was a Mouse I Would Hide in Your Hood, Reeling and Writhing, on tour, Mar 4–20 Jane Eyre, Perth Theatre, Mar 5–20 |  | |
|  18 March 2010 The Guardian
Battery FarmBy Gregory Burke. A Traverse/A Play, a Pie and a Pint review 17 March 2010 The Guardian By Cathy Forde/Rob Drummond. A National Theatre of Scotland review. 15 March 2010 The Guardian By Douglas Maxwell. A National Theatre of Scotland review 9 March 2010 The Guardian My Name is Rachel CorrieBy Alan Rickman and Katherine Viner. A Citizens Theatre review. 8 March 2010 The Guardian EquusBy Peter Shaffer. A Dundee Rep review  3 March 2010 Northings
Pobby and DinganAdapted by Rob Evans. A Catherine Wheels review. 18 February 2010 Northings Clutter Keeps CompanyBy Davey Anderson. A Birds of Paradise review. 10 February 2010 The Guardian Promises PromisesBy Douglas Maxwell. A Random Accomplice review. |
