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A Happy Medium.
- Tour.
Playwrights - Dorothy Paul and John Bett.
Director - Ken Alexander.
Designer - Charles Cusick-Smith.
Lighting Designer - Simon Wilkinson.
Cast - here .
Company- The Byre Theatre Company in assoc with BHJ Ltd.
Venue - The Byre Theatre, St Andrews.
2003 Tour Dates and Times - here .
Seen to review at The Byre Theatre St Andrews.
Running Time - 2 Hrs including 15 minute interval.
Reviewer - Thelma Good.
Some tricks up its drawers.
A Happy Medium - Byre Theatre in assoc with BHJ Ltd.
Kay Gallie as Mrs. Cameron and Dorothy Paul as Ellen.
© photographer 2003
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Dorothy Paul has an affectionate and large following in Scotland and she's
no mean comedian. Now after successful runs at the Pavilion, Glasgow in
2001 & 2002, a revised A Happy Medium is setting off on a tour round
Scotland after opening at the Byre.
Ellen, Dorothy Paul, is a widow, living in Maryhill Glasgow. Her sister,
her wealthy sister has died. With the lively and colourful tongue of a
Glaswegian Ellen tells how her sister married three men, each one adding
to her sister's material comfort. But come the will it all went to Ellen's
niece. Ellen's a bit miffed so she's booked a session with Mr Proudfoot
a medium.
But it's Ellen who's really got the gift, and the set like the play has
some tricks up its drawers. Paul's like the outrageous auntie, determined
to have a great time at any family gathering. You may smile and laugh
with pleasure or feel slightly embarrassed - it's up to you.
A Happy Medium is not a great play, and it has an old-fashioned air with
comic lines you could have heard back then. Its datedness is underlined
by Ellen's daughter Gemma's and friend Audrey's outfits which recall the
worst of mid-70s fashion. But it also has some jokes, mainly about recently
dead royals which with the set's cordless phones remind you it's the 21st
Century. Paul has a whale of a time delivering her character's lines.
Even though the comedienne's training to adlib nearly unseats the story
at several points the audience forgive her, as they roll around in their
seats in fits of laughter.
Stewart McLean as Mr Proudfoot and Kay Gallie as the simple wee soul
Mrs Cameron give us two good foils for Ellen. Mrs Cameron comes to get
in contact with her departed hubbie in the second half when Ellen's using
her powers and her flat's had a truly bad taste makeover. Doing what they
can with their thinly written characters are Claire Knight as Gemma and
Maureen Carr as Audrey.
Non fans and particularly non-Scots may find A Happy Medium a bit hard
to follow. But if you miss those entertainments and turns of the last
century this one could hit the right spots.
©Thelma Good 6 August 2003 - Published on EdinburghGuide.com
Cast - Ellen - Dorothy Paul, Audrey - Maureen
Carr, Gemma - Claire Knight, Mr Proudfoot - Stewart Mclean and Mrs Cameron
- Kay Gallie.
2003 Tour Details - A Happy Medium
Tour
Till 20 Sept at St Andrews Byre Theatre 01334 475000.
24 - 27 Sep at Motherwell Concert Hall 01698 302388.
30 Sept - 4 Oct at Kings Theatre 0131 622 8096.
6 - 11 Oct at Glasgow Pavilion Theatre 0141 332 7579.
15 - 17 Oct at Kirkcaldy Adam Smith Theatre 01592 412567.
21 Oct - 1 Nov at Perth Theatre 01738 472 700.
4 - 8 Nov Ayr at Gaiety Theatre 01292 880044.
11 - 15 at Nov Stirling Macrobert 01786 467155.
Tour Ends.
Theatre Editor, Thelma
Good's e-mail is thelma@edinburghguide.com
Although every effort has been taken to ensure the accuracy of the
information presented in these pages, no responsibility can be accepted
for any errors or omissions.
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