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Misery.
- Scottish Premiere and Tour.
Adapted from the novel by Stephen King.
Director – Michael Emans.
Designer – Lyn McAndrew.
Lighting Design – Lyn McAndrew and Michael Emans.
Video Installations – JAE Editing.
Production Manager – Lyn McAndrew.
Cast – Here.
Company - Rapture Theatre EdinburghGuide's page for the company
Here.
Tour Dates - Here.
Seen to review at - North Edinburgh Arts Centre on 15 October 2004.
Run Time - 2 hours 15 mins including 15 minute interval.
Reviewer - Emma Slawinski.
Edge of seat + wit and grotesque comedy.
Following the success of a string of romantic novels starring the heroine
Misery, writer Paul Sheldon has decided its time kill her off and pursue
more serious artistic goals. But before he can get his definitive new
manuscript to the publisher, he has a road accident that lands him in
the clutches of his self-appointed number-one fan, Annie Wilkes, an all-round
nutcase with a scary aptitude for painful medical procedures.
The action all unfolds in Paul’s room, which is to become a ‘writer’s
den’ as he is coerced into resurrecting Misery for the delectation of
his unhinged captor. The set and lighting design are an ingenious piece
of work, complemented by thoughtful direction that has the actors make
excellent use of the stage. The sound-effects and soundtrack are also
to be commended, and do much to heighten or contrast with the various
moods of the play, as well as giving a sense of what lies outside the
set.
The real strength of this piece lies in its intensity as the claustrophobic
psychological relationship between the two unfolds. Pauline Knowles’
performance as Annie is a crescendo of psychotic outbursts - she is terrifically
poised and is smothering and monomaniacal as befits the part. Stewart
Ennis’s accent occasionally wavers, but he interprets Paul with great
conviction, veering between egotism, desperation and insanity.
Misery is every bit the edge-of-your seat experience you’d expect
from a Stephen King story, but it’s also bursting with wit and
grotesque comedy, from the horrendous plastic pig-mask Annie forces Paul
to wear as part of their Christmas celebration, to the strains of Dusty
Springfield singing "The Look of Love" over the PA between nail-biting
scenes. Rapture have produced stylish and entertaining thriller
- pleasantly masochistic theatre for a Friday night.
©Emma Slawinski 16 October 2004 - Published on EdinburghGuide.com
Cast - Stewart Ennis as Paul Sheldon, Pauline
Knowles as Annie Wilkes.
2003 Tour Details of Rapture Theatre's production
of Misery .
Tour begins
1 & 3 Oct at 7:30pm Paisley Arts Centre 0141 887 1010.
5 Oct at 7:30pm Whithorn Swallow Theatre 01988 850368.
7 Oct at 7:30pm Rutherglen Eastfield Community Centre 0141
6418319.
9 Oct at 7:30pm Peebles Eastgate Theatre and Arts Centre 01721
725777.
10 Oct at 7:30pm Stirling Albert Halls 01786 473544.
13 Oct at 7:30pm Ayr Gaiety Theatre 01292 611222.
14 Oct at 8pm Livingston Howden Park 01506 433634.
15 Oct at 7pm Edinburgh North Edinburgh Arts Centre 0131 3152151.
16 & 17 Oct at 8pm East Kilbride Arts Centre 013552 61000.
18 & 19 Oct at 7:30pm Glasgow Gilmorehill G12 0141 330 5522.
20 Oct at 7:30pm Lanark Memorial Hall 01555 665383.
21 Oct at 7:30pm Motherwell Theatre 01698 302999.
22 Oct at 7:45pm Cumbernauld Theatre 01236 732887.
23 Oct at 7:45pm Irvine Harbour Arts Centre 01294 274059.
26 Oct at 8pm Oban Corran Halls 01631 567333.
29 Oct at 7:30pm Greenock Arts Guild 01475 723038.
30 Oct at 8pm Dunkeld Birnam Institute 01350 727674.
2 Nov at 7:30pm Biggar Crawford John Village Hall 01864 504265.
3 Nov at 7:30pm Kirkcaldy Adam Smith Theatre 01592 412 929.
4 Nov at 7:30pm Aberdeen The Lemon Tree 01224 642230.
6 Nov at 7:30pm Musselburgh Brunton Theatre 0131 6652240.
Tour Ends.
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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