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Jules Horne's first full length play is worth seeing for the acting and the second act, but the first drags despite the strong cast and Philip Howard's direction. It may also confuse those who know nothing of the many worlds contained within computer games' virtual realities where people meet and represent themselves via their Avatars.

Amy is an agoraphobic, using her keyboard to make purchases and conduct her work, in her leisure hours she's virtually met and fallen for an American, Rafi. Outside is the Scottish glorious countryside, it an computer images rendered in glowing colours by John Alder on video screens placed so that one appears to be Amy window to the outside she never goes out to. Neighbour and local Rose is attempting to make a year long transformation video in a morning - the TV company are coming for it about 2pm with Dan's help. He's another neighbour, an Englishman who used to come here every summer as summer as a boy, now he's here trying to get away from a problem.

Horne has a fine ear for the rhythm of speech, the way people only half speak the sense of what they say. Una MacLean makes sure that Rose's intense remembrance of past romances is conveyed. While in the increasingly strong second act Pauline Knowles and John Kazek handle with consummate skill the tender, hesitant first in the flesh meeting of Amy and Rafi. He's quite unlike the stereotype versions of him Amy conjures up in the first act.

Like almost all first full length plays, Gorgeous Avatar has too few stories and levels of meaning, making it frequently more like situation comedy, than a full textured and coloured painting. The Traverse nurturing of new writers seems to result in comfortable, rather uncomplicated plays, ones that neither anger or excite. This Traverse season is called Still Crazy After All These Years - if only, if only.

Perhaps their recent increase in funding will enable them to find the wild, exhilarating energy the Traverse once had. In their fortieth decade the work they produce is looking and sounding more and more safe and bland. Though the the playwrights' new plays may hint at least they would welcome an invitation to address a wider agenda. With the National Theatre of Scotland, The Arches, The Playwright's Studio and A Play, A Pie and A Pint, to name but four, also supporting and developing new writing in Scotland, the Traverse really needs not only to vary its targets, too often domestic these days, but also to raise its sights.
©Thelma Good 9 May 2006 - Published on EdinburghGuide.com

Avatar - In computer games an icon or representation of a user in a shared virtual reality.

Cast -
Amy - Pauline Knowles, Dan - Patrick Hoffman, Rose - Una McLean - Ashley and Rafi John Kazek.

2006 Tour Details of Traverse Theatre's production of Gorgeous Avatar.
Tour begins
5 - 20 May at various times Edinburgh Traverse Theatre 0131 228 1404.
23 May at 7.30pm Yetholm Wauchope Hall Tkts in advance from 01573 420366.
24 May at 7.30pm Galashiels Volunteer Hall Tkts in advance from 01896 758249.
25 May at 8pm Carlops Village Hall Tkts in advance from 01968 660388/01968 660727.
29 May at 7.30pm Dumfries Theatre Royal 01387 260447.
31 May at 7.30pm Ballachulish Village Hall 01855 811979.
2 June at 8pm Stornoway, Isle of Lewis An Lanntair Tkts in advance from 01851 703307.
5 June at 7.30pm Achiltibuie Coigach Community Hall 01854 622373.
6 June at 8pm Ullapool Macphail Theatre 01854 613336.
8 June at 8pm Strathpeffer Pavilion Tkts in advance from 01463 234234.
10 June at 8pm Isle of Skye Sabhal Mor Ostaig 01471 844207.
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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