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Dumbstruck.
Playwright - David Kane.
Director - James Brining.
Designer - Neil Warmington.
Lighting Designer - Chahine Yavroyan.
Director and Arranger - Gordon Dougall.
Staging - Rita Henderson.
Magic Consultant - Magic Bob.
Accent Coaching - Ros Steen.
Company - Dundee Rep Ensemble Company.
Cast - here .
Venue - Dundee Rep Tay Square.
Dates - P
not Sun or Mons
Matinees at pm
Dundee Rep.-
Running Time - 2 hrs 25 minutes including 15 minute interval.
Review - Thelma Good.
Some high comedy moments.
Dumbstruck - Dundee Rep Ensemble Production.
© Douglas McBride
2004.
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There are some high comedy moments in this production, most center round
the half Scot half German Herman Katz. But the play stubbornly refuses
to let the audience or the cast to let rip for long enough. It demands
big quirky performances only completely delivered by Mark Kane's
Herman and John Buick's tartan trewed singer's agent.
Herman's a magician with more up his sleeves than a bunch of flowers.
He runs a neat side line, responding to requests for dispatch from those
wanting to leave life early. When he arrives at Mrs. Husk's, Ann Louise
Ross, theatrical boarding house his side line comes to the fore with
chaotic results. Before long near stiffs litter the scruffy main room
and kitchen and Ross's Husk is knocking back her happy pills with
abandon. The thespian landlady and residents have even more to contend
with when their long term scams with the National Assistance board - claiming
dole for themselves and some fictitious or departed relations - get the
investigator Hamilton McGubbin calling round. Callum Cuthbertson as
the repressed sensualist McGubbin makes the flesh creep with a voice that
puts the teeth on edge.
Agent Henderson's singer, Johnny Ramone wears the ruffled shirt
of ballad crooners, although Ramone, Keith Fleming sings some fairly
decent numbers we never care about him and his dreams enough. The duo
of Agnes and Wilma, Emily Pollet and Irene Macdougal, resplendent
in hooped earring and garishly pattered mini dress, are the doll birds
those of of use long in the tooth recall - the air heads of the 60s. Emily
Winter's Emma, is an irritating dancer - too nice to like. Oddest
of all the residents is Robert Paterson's satanic worshipper and
commedian Billy Bone.
The Dundee Rep production of Dumbstruck is staged on a racked set resting
on visible shoogily piers of bricks. The setting, the dishevelled living
room/kitchen has the three doors off, one leading to the also visible
front door. Unfortunately there is not enough physical space for the comedy
moments to be worked towards or to be inhabited. The result is the script's
too lightly written moments are exposed.
It all adds up to a evening where audience will undoubtedly laugh but
not enough to make them completely laughter-struck.
©Thelma Good 24 March 2004 - Published on EdinburghGuide.com
Cast: - Mrs Husk - Ann Louise Ross, Johnny Ramone
- Keith Fleming, Herman Katz - Mark Kane, Wilma Smedley - Emily Pollet,
Emma - Emily Winter, Paddy Henderson - John Buick, Agnes McHooly - Irene
Macdougall, Billy Bone - Robert Paterson and Hamilton McGubbin - Callum
Cutherbertson.
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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