Mince?
- Musical
Writer/Composer/Director - Forbes Masson
Musical Director: Gordon Dougall
Designer: Tom Piper
Choreography: Suzannah West
Company - Dundee Rep Theatre Company Edinburghguide
Venue - Dundee Rep www.dundeerep.co.uk
01382 223530
Dates - 3 - 19 May 2001 and as part of 2001 Summer Rep Season
In 2002 going to Kings Edinburgh 27 May - 1
June 2002 and part of 2002 Summer Season in Dundee
Reviewer - Rachel Natanson
Weird and wonderful musical trip
Forbes Masson's Mince? is a weird and wonderful musical trip
into the mind of a distressed, despairing 36 year old, Donald Sutherland
who lets his psychotherapist view the musical extravaganza in his psyche,
and the madness that ensues. This is a success for Dundee Rep's resident
company: Masson's slightly twisted form of humour suits the actors well
and the audience loves it. While the sense of humour won't suit everyone,
on the press night the show ran over and I'm quite sure it was because
the audience was laughing so much. It certainly appealed to me.
It's over the top and loud and great, great fun. The crossover between
comedy and the harsher, more serious scenes are commendable. The Rep
actors stand out in this piece, Rodney Matthews is brilliant
as the slowly but surely going mad Donald Sutherland, and Meg Fraser
plays a hilarious Rhona Boak. John Ramage has another great character
to play in Kenneth MacKinnon, the slightly crazy purveyor of MacKinnon's
Tinned Mince.
The set is, as usual, stunning to look at - impressively it manages
to be a nightclub, therapist's surgery, living room, office and abattoir
without a single intrusive scene change. Bits of the set seem a little
distractingly unsteady but generally, it doesn't cause too many problems.
On the first night the microphones were a little overpowering, so the
backing singers were hard to hear - a problem that will no doubt be
ironed out as the run continues.
Mince? is a fun piece to watch - it is very stylish in a self-mocking
kind of way, and the characters are just on the outside edge of being
believable. I have no idea where this kind of bizarre comedy comes from,
but I like it. It's the kind of show that the resident company at Dundee
Rep seem to pull off with grace and ease. I recommend this to anyone
who likes something a little bit extraordinary, and is prepared to leave
his or her sensible side at home for an evening to enjoy the crazy comedy
presented here.
© Rachel Natanson 3 May 2001
