Chasing
Angels -
tour
Playwright - Rhiannon Tise
Director - Gill Robertson
Company - Complete
Venue - Tron theatre and then touring
Reviewer - Thelma Good
The sweetie chewing youngster beside me got his fun throwing his wrappers
at the stage. Perhaps for Complete's production it's just as well we no
longer bring oranges or hazelnuts to eat in the theatre. In Chasing Angels
writer Rhiannon Tise, with Complete's creative team and workshops including
test audiences, has created this play. It attempts to connect with young
people - dealing with leaving home, who we are and what being a famous
person can do to you. Subjects which can result in meaty, thought provoking
plays. Not here though. Only my respect for the actors in the misdeveloped
Chasing Angels persuaded me not to throw something myself.
First we meet Justin Angel, a teenage idol playing to his fans in a big
city. Then we see Dougie and Sarah still in their quiet home town, this
17 and a 16 year old are much less savvy than any I meet, written more
like naive 12 year olds than the near adults they're supposed to be. They
decide to visit their old schoolmate Joanne who has gone off to the city
to work. Joanne meanwhile innocently goes into Justin's hotel bedroom
and eventually they all end up meeting. The play contains no discernible
subtext and nearly all the dialogue ignores the fact that we seldom immediately
reveal our true thoughts to even our closest friends. The actors tried
to breath real life into these underwritten characters but the direction
was against them.
Chasing Angels is designed by Complete for a target audience of young
people. I fear they lost the possible interesting play in the theatrical
equivalent of focus groups. The resulting text might just pass an SQA
Module, but in the real world of theatre it falls worrying short of being
anything of substance. The biggest frisson of delight from the young audience
I saw it with was Justin's angry outburst after a TV interview, where
the f word had at least 11 outings, getting the biggest round of applause
of the performance. In fact this is the most honest part of Tise's disappointing
play and the discerning young audience recognised it.
© Thelma Good 13 September 2001
Tour dates
13 & 14 Sept at 2pm and 8pm Tron Theatre Glasgow 0141 552 4267
18 Sep at 7:30pm Paisley Arts centre 0141 887 1010
19 & 20 Sep at 7:30pm Traverse Theatre Edinburgh 0131 228 1404
2 Oct at 1:30pm Invergordon Arts Centre 01349 868486
3 Oct at 7:30pm Adam Smith Theatre Kirkcaldy 01592 412929
4 Oct at 7:30pm Wynd Theatre Melrose 01896 823854
Tour ends
