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Tone Clusters
- Scottish Premiere.
A 2003 Arches Award For Stage Directors Winner.
Commissioned and produced by the Arches.
Playwright - Joyce Carol Oates.
Director - Neil Docherty (his theatre company is SeenunSeen Productions).
Designer - Kirsty Mackay .
Digital Imaging & Visuals - Once
were Farmers & Pointless
Creations.
Location Photos/Scources (USA) -Terese Wadden..
Cast - here .
Venue & Dates - Wed 3 - Sat 6 Arches at 8:30pm , The
Arches Glasgow. EdinburghGuide.com page on the Arches
including past reviews & festivals.
Run Time - 1 hours 30 mins.
Reviewer - Thelma Good .
Tone perfect.
Being a parent is hard. And Joyce Carol Oates' Tone Clusters explores
this in a play which is as challenging to stage and perform as it is to
watch. A challenge every one rises to in Neil Docherty's production where
video, film (some animated), and voice-over all add to the two stunning
performances.
Frank and Emily Gulick have agreed to be interviewed on TV about one of
their sons. At 22 their Carl has been accused and found guilty of a murder
they still believe he didn't commit. Andrew Dallmeyer's Frank has
a slow wiry smile, and a way of deflecting questions which makes you sympathise.
You know he can't think his son could have done this even though the circumstantial
evidence we see, including mutilated magazines, a collection of sharp
blades, a loner young man who's never stuck at a decent job all also make
you think he could have.
Emily his wife is so believable in Deirdre Murray's playing. As
her voice and fingers tremble it's hard to stay in your seat and not reach
out a comforting hand. Still living in a neighbourhood that has turned
against them as well as their son, they are two bewildered decent people
caught in a nightmare they can't wake from. At least that is what you
want to believe.
Oates's play, with the unseen interviewer confusing their surname with
that of the teenage girl victim who lived next door, gives powerful and
troubling messages about how we treat those who didn't cause a tragedy
but are flung into the revenging mixer nevertheless. Even more disquieting
is the thought that hovers in the air - how well do you know your nearest
and dearest? Could you find yourself in Frank and Emily's place? The shock
is you know you could.
As the interviewer speaks about community and rising crime, behind Frank
and Emily animated stick people and statistics illustrate his, rather
too often, sound distorted words. Those animations, the pictures of Carl's
childhood, film of the Anywhere in Middle Income America "nice"
neighbourhood all bring home how destructive an act taking of a life is.
Destructive whether it was Carl, who lived beside the deceased, or a stranger
who killed and dragged the body behind the boiler in the cellar.
Served by an excellent production and direction it is Andrew Dallmeyer's
and Deirdre Murray's tone perfect performances which make me
hope it will be revived and given a longer run. Its quality thrills and
chills.
© Thelma Good 3 April 2003. - Published on EdinburghGuide.com
Tone Clusters - Arches Director's Award 2003 Production
Frank - Andrew Dallmeyer and Emily - Deirdre Murray.
© Niall Walker 2003
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Info - 2003
Arches Award For Stage Directors Winner Neil Docherty has
worked extensively in theatre in Scotland and in Dublin. He has a masters
Degree in Theatre Studies from Glasgow University. His own play Phil and
Bo was well received in 1994 Dublin Theatre Festival. His own company
SeenunSeen Productions did a joint production with Sneak Theatre, Last
Child.
Cast: Frank - Andrew Dallmeyer and Emily
- Deirdre Murray.
Review of other 2003 Arches Award For Stage Directors Winner Fiona
Cole's commissioned production, Beautiful
Anger.
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