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Singles Night
- lookOut Theatre Company's final production tours four short plays.
From Graceland to the Garden Shed
Playwright: Kate Dickie
Director: John Deeney
Becoming
Playwright: Kathy McKean
Director: Nicola McCartney
Lovers Unlimited
Playwright: Matthew Lenton
Director: Nicola McCartney
Spambam
Playwright: Ronan O'Donnell
Director: John Deeney
Music: Kenny Christie
Designer: Karen Tennent
Lighting Designer: Paul Sorley
Assistant Director: Gordon Barr
Company : lookOUT Theatre
Venues and Dates for tour
Reviewer - Brett Sheffield
Showcase of Scotland's newest
Singles Night is a showcase of some of Scotland's newest playwrights.
Four different actors present four very different solo performances, attempting
to reflect something of the third of Scotland's population that live alone.
This is the final production from lookOut Theatre Company: another victim
of this year's funding decisions. (Editors Note One of the reasons for
its fix-term funding being removed was the SAC's misgivings about the
company's focusing on encouraging new and emerging writers, Singles Night
shows why exactly why lookOUT's approach is needed.)
One woman. One shed. One croissant. Amidst a jumble of props, Anne
Lacey plays a lonely woman who has retreated to her back shed under
bizarre circumstances in Kate Dickie's From Graceland to the Garden
Shed. Not hugely funny, but quite fun.
Lucy McLellan puts on a memorable performance as Roman gladiatrix
in Kathy McKean's Becoming. Taking control of a challenging and
poetic script, McLellan, wields each stanza with fierce intensity and
delicate subtlety of expression. Alone with her thoughts in the arena,
the stage just melts away.
The third monologue is Lovers Unlimited by Matthew Lenton. In a
dark, smoke-filled room amongst people young enough to be his daughter,
David Gallacher is a man looking for something. Gallacher's
captivating voice presents the scene vividly and draws us in to this sad
and humorous piece.
Picking up the pace again and finishing off the night is Ronan O'Donnell's
Spambam. Paul Cunningham engages the audience well from
the start in what is a lively, funny discourse on twenty-something Net-culture,
clubbing and Scottish life.
If you're into theatre, this is worth a look. Provided they continue to
get funding and exposure, Scotland has a lot to look forward to from its
up and coming writers.
©Brett Sheffield 16 April 2002
ED - It's a shame lookOUT Theatre Company won't be here to develop another
promising crop of writers like these. Nicola has shown her commitment
not only to her own writing and direction and supported via lookOut other
writers, enabling them to develop their craft with those hard to achieve
full productions.
Previous LookOUT production reviewed by EdinburghGuide
Little Ones - Skunk Hour by
Robert Fraser and Tongues by Isabel Wright
Previous Linda McCartney plays reviewed by EdinburghGuide
Cave Dwellers - 7:84
Heritage - Traverse Theatre Company
Underworld - Frantic Assembly
Tour dates
Singles Night Tour begins
12 &13 April
at Paisley Arts Centre 0141 887 1010
16 - 20 April at Edinburgh Traverse Theatre 0131 228
1404
23 April - 4 May not Sun or Mon at Glasgow Citiizens Theatre
0141 429 0022
7 May at Kilmarnock Palace Theatre 01563 523590
9 & 10 May at St Andrews Byre Theatre 01334 475000
11 May at East Kilbride Arts Centre 01355 261000
Tour Ends
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