| |
Theatre listings >
Theatre Index >>
A Life In The Theatre.
This play was first performed 20 October 1977 in New York USA.
Director - Tony Cownie
Designer - Geoff Rose
Lighting Designer - Jenny Kagan
DSM on the book - Maggie Lindsay
Music - Iain Johnstone
Company - Royal Lyceum Theatre Company. Website.
Cast - here .
Venue - Royal Lyceum Theatre .www.lyceum.org.uk
for on line booking
0131 248 4848
Grindlay St off Lothian Rd to left of Usher Hall.
Dates - 10 - 31 January 2004. Tues - Sat at 7:45pm. Mats
at 2:30pm on 17, 21, 24, 28 & 31 January.
Run Time - 2 hours including one interval.
Reviewer - Thelma Good.
Two fine actors contrast.
A Life In The Theatre - Royal Lyceum Theatre Co. Production.
Robert - Jimmy Chisholm and John - Joe McFadden.
© Douglas Robertson 2004.
|
What happens when you go into The Theatre as an actor? Mamet's play written
early in his career gives a real feel of the draw of the stage and of
the danger of its seduction. When the velvet curtains rose in the Royal
Lyceum Theatre on the opening night the thrill of the start of the performance
gained a frission from the chill of the back stage air as it reached the
auditorium.
It's a chill director Tony Cownie and his actors make sure we feel unfurling
in Mamet's 26 scenes, some exceedingly brief. In them Robert and John
get ready for a variety of plays, perform in them, learn lines together,
share a dressing room and weather some dodgy productions and scripts.
Robert is the theatrical veteran, his acting style only a considered step
away from the actor-managers like Henry Irving. Jimmy Chisholm's
Robert delights the Lyceum audience as he ensures the charisma is visible
despite Robert's old-style, and ever present - even backstage - technique.
It's a particular attraction to see legitimately and well embodied that
approach to the stage which has largely ceased to exist.
The young rising star John with his naturalistic approach is delivered
in full by Joe McFadden. John's at first exhilarated to be on stage
with the older actor, becoming irritated and exasperated by Robert who's
most alive on the stage as another character. Where Robert never really
ceases to act, John is clearly either himself or in a production's role,
maybe he'll avoid that trap of any job, making it your only life. As well
as the contrasting acting styles, there are many fascinations and entertaining
moments in this two hander. It's stuffed full of theatrical business and
lots of fine support from the stage hands, all ensuring the episodic nature
of the script attracts rather than repels. Interestingly, from a playwright
whose scripts frequently demand strong US accents, this Mamet script's
rhythms continue to keep their beats in Chisholm's and MacFadden's this
side of the Atlantic voices.
Geoff Rose's design elements and props facilitate all the scenes, at the
back of the set the auditorium of the Royal Lyceum is cleverly suggested
so we see Robert's and John's lives with backstage eyes. Adding to that
frail, extraordinary reality, that is life on the stage, is Jenny Kagan's
lighting while Iain Johnstone's incidental music conveys all the feelings
of affection, deep rooted sadness and gentleness the play releases. Mamet's
play has something for thespian suckers, complete stage virgins and everyone
in between in this production. Whether or not your New Year resolution
was get out more, this two hours in the theatre promises laughter and
reminds that a job is a job and a life should be so much more.
© Thelma Good 10 January 2004. - Published on EdinburghGuide.com
Cast: Robert - Jimmy Chisholm and John - Joe
McFadden.
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.
Theatre listings >
Theatre Index >>
|
|
