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The Good Woman of Setzuan
- tour
Playwright - Bertholt Brecht
English Adaptation - John Willett (TAG have used the less often performed
Santa Monica Version which Brecht created for the American stage)
Director - James Brining
Designer - Karen Tennent
Lighting Designer - Fleur Woolford
Musical Director - David Young
Company - TAG
Venues & Dates - see end of review
Seen to review at Citizen's Theatre on 14 September 2002
Reviewer - Thelma Good
Entertaining, prompting thought
Brecht puzzled over whether you could make theatre both instructive and
entertaining. He was concerned to make sure the audience questioned what
happened and did not merely empathise with the characters before them.
TAG's production of The Good Woman Of Setzuan mainly gets that balance
so you applaud the production which takes us into a theatrical land, and
come out wanting to discuss whether you can survive life and be a good
person.
Molly Innes is the heart of the production as Shen Te, the prostitute.
Three strange white umbrella bearing travellers appear, and Wang the Water
Seller, Callum Cuthertson, tries to find them lodgings. Only Shen
will take them in - next morning she discovers she's entertained Gods
unawares and is rewarded for being the only good person they can find.
She buys a tobacco shop in the slums, and suddenly all her family and
all passing people want to know her, stay with her and use her money.
An out of work airman, Paul Blair turns up and she finds herself
helping him too. She does resist her alternative suitor, the bow tied
Barber, charming and accommodating (he offers to house the homeless) -
Steven Beard gives the Barber a Gyles Brandreth-like nearly irresistible
charm, and doubles as a fine Deity. Shen Te's cousin is quite different,
Shui Ta, a slight man with strong grip on business, acted with a finely
fashioned, vital male physicality. Mrs Shin, who sold Shen the shop, later
works for the cousin and Jill Riddiford's direct playing Shin hits
just the right tone in the second half, as does Helen MacAlpine's
nearly wordless waif and other role as 3rd God.
Some scenes mesh less well, but only Katherine Connolly fails
to find the playing style the play demands. When the production really
works it almost makes one shout out to try and alter the decisions of
Shen, showing the links between Brechtian, and Boal's Forum and Legislative
theatre.
With echoes of religious stories, beggars riffling through bins, living
without an safety net and suffering frequent rain and reversals the play
has a mix of timeless and timely themes. TAG's production with Innes's
excellent central performances well supported by Blair and Cuthbertson,
Karen Tennant's flexible set with its iridescent heaven gives entertainment
while prompting thought about life, wealth and how doing good or this
style of theatre isn't so easy.
© Thelma Good 14 September 2002. - Published on EdinburghGuide.com
TAG Tour details September
- November 2002
12 to 21 Sep at Glasgow Citizens Theatre, 0141 429 0666
23 Sep at 7:30pm Oban Corran Hall, 01631 567333
25 Sep at 8pm Isle of Skye Arainn Chaluim, nr Armdale, 01471
844207
27 Sep at 8pm Aultbea Village Hall 01445 731311
28 Sep at 7:30pm Ullapool MacPhail Centre, 01854 613336
1 Oct at 8pm Thurso Mill Theatre, 01847 892019
3 Oct at 7:30pm Findhorn Universal Hall Arts Centre, 01309
691170
4 Oct at 8pm Ardross Ardross Hall, 01349 880591
7 Oct at 7:30pm Aberdeen Lemon Tree, 01224 642230
11 Oct at 7:30pm Livingston Howden Park Centre, 01506 433634
16 to 19 Oct at 7:30pm also 17 at 1:45pm Musselburgh
Brunton Theatre, 0131 665 2240
23 Oct at 7:30pm Falkirk at Town Hall, 01324 506850
25 Oct at 2pm and 7:30pm Kilmarnock Palace Theatre, 01563
554900
26 Oct at 7:30pm Melrose Corn Exchange, 01750 724901
28 Oct at 7:30pm Glenrothes Rothes Halls, 01592 611101
30 Oct at 8pm St Andrews Byre Theatre, 01334 475000
1 to 2 Nov at 7:30pm Dumfries Theatre Royal 01387 247780
Tour ends
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