Michael Cox reviews Tam O'Shanter, Miss Julie, The Stranger and As of 1:52pm GMT on Friday April 27th 2012, This Show Has No Title.
A day of triumph and tragedy, in more ways than one.
Tam O'Shanter (****) is not just a staging of the famous poem but a lively celebration of Robert Burns’ work and traditional Scottish culture. A lively ceilidh, staged enactments of Burns’ poetry and a cheeky look at Scottish stereotypes, Tam O'Shanter is pure joy.
The company, including a number of actors and two musicians, play multiple roles, move scenery and even banter with the audience and themselves. Some voices are better than others, but the energetic spirit is infectious and the staging is consistently clever and fun. Perhaps its 90-minute running time is a little long, but as this is a touring production it probably takes an interval at other venues, which is the one thing this production could have used.
With all the international work currently out there, it's great seeing the home team represented front and centre at the Assembly Halls. It's a blast from start to finish, and with all the drama that's currently out there (onstage and off), Tam O'Shanter acts as a nice joyous tonic.
Anyone familiar with Strindberg's Miss Julie (*****) knows how difficult it is to make it work. Originally written in the nineteenth century, it is a textbook example of naturalistic theatre. The two main characters, servant Jean and aristocrat’s daughter Julie, are not necessarily sympathetic or recognisable to a modern audience, and what might have been shocking at its premiere (played in real time with its realistic set and tackling taboo issues) is old hat now.
Director Yael Farber’s decision to set the production in modern South Africa is an inspired idea, as is the decision of turning the third character of Christine (from a chambermaid with affections for Jean) into a mother figure for both leads. She is John’s (as he is named here) actual birth mother as well as the woman who brought up Julie. It is a brilliant choice that not only raises the stakes for what happens but changes the character dynamics, particularly in the nail-biting final 15 minutes.
It is a production that is not only modern and immediate but is thrilling and unforgettable. The company made such an impact that I don't think I'll ever be able to shake this production from my memory. It is as close to perfection I've come across in the theatre, and it will no doubt haunt me for the rest of my life. It might be hard going, but Miss Julie is utterly unmissable.
The promotional material for The Stranger (**) likes to point out that it is based on an incredibly popular book. I've never heard of it before, and after watching this production I have absolutely no desire whatsoever in encountering it ever again.
I'm not quite sure what my problem with the production is. Actor Guilherme Leme is very good: focused and committed. However, his character, who's put on trial for murder, quickly grew uninteresting and, frankly, at times annoying. The character's journey didn't affect me in the slightest, and while the ending is supposed to have an emotional impact, I couldn't have cared less. Still, it is well-staged and Leme is great. Perhaps this is for fans of the book only.
I think Daniel Kitson is one of the best talents working in the UK. He is responsible for some of the most intelligent, beautiful and downright hilarious shows I've ever had the pleasure of seeing, and I have happily recommended him to people, even for shows I hadn't been to.
So it doesn't annoy or anger me but genuinely breaks my heart to report that his latest show at the Traverse, As of 1.52pm GMT on Friday April 27th 2012, This Show Has No Title (**), is one of the most egotistical, self-congratulatory bits of nonsense I have ever seen. It might have seemed like a clever idea for Kitson to read a script he tells us was supposed to be performed by six people with a character that is based on himself, but the result is a shallow waste of time.
And yet, there are hints of the multi-talented performer I love. There are interesting insights, and all of his asides are really funny, but for the most part this is just one loud, obnoxious dud.
Tam O'Shanter and Miss Julie are at the Assembly Hall, The Stranger is at Summerhall and As of 1.52pm GMT on Friday April 27th 2012, This Show Has No Title is at the Traverse. Check programme or website for dates and times.
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