1936 – Victoria, a minister’s daughter, stands under a tree, lights a cigarette and dreams of emigration.
1974 – a helicopter crashes on the hill and Victoria, a young American geologist, emerges from the wreckage. Alive. Read more …
1996 – Victoria, daughter of local tycoon, makes a bonfire of money and watches it burn.
Are they three women or are they one woman?
Victoria tells the extraordinary story of three generations of a Highland community and a landed estate – and all the major themes of Scotland in the twentieth century. It was commissioned and produced by the Royal Shakespeare Company in 2000 but has never before been seen in Scotland.
Any play which runs to more than three-and-a-half hours (including two intervals) has to earn its stay on the stage. Sadly, in this production by Philip Howard at least, Victoria does not.
Philip Howard's debut production as the Rep's artistic director is marred by an inelegant design and lopsided staging, but it feels like a bold statement of intent: large in cast, epic in scope and challenging in intellect.
Despite all the resource, affection and respect poured into this production, the effect remains slightly baffling.
Dundee Rep Theatre, Dundee from Wednesday September 4, 2013, until Saturday September 21, 2013. More info: www.dundeereptheatre.co.uk