|
|
|
|
|
| Edinburgh : A&E : Theatre : Reviews |
|
Theatre listings > Night Hawks - A Jazz Diversion Text.- World Premiere. Part of A Play, A Pie and A Pint 2006 Spring season at lunchtime at Òran Mòr. Playwright & Director - John Bett. Composer & Musician - Robert Pettigrew. Designer - Annette Gillies. Design Assistant - Lauren Brown. Producer - David Maclennan. Company - A Play, A Pie & A Pint - Sponsored By Orange and Media Sponsor Evening Times. Cast - here . Venue - Òran Mòr, 731 - 735 Great Western Road nr Glasgow's Botanics at junction with Byres Rd. Tickets at door or bookable beforehand at 08700 132 652 or www.secc.co.uk Dates - 27 March - 1 April 2006. Run Time - Doors open at 12.30pm, show runs from 1:10pm. Performance lasts around 40 minutes. Reviewer - Thelma Good. Hits so many right notes. A Jazz musical with a touch of opera in a lunchtime? Yes that's what A Play, A Pie & A Pint are delivering for their 50th play for this popular lunchtime entertainment in Glasgow's West End venue Oran Mor. Annette Gillies' set is a 1943 New York bar just like the one depicted in Edward Hopper's memorable painting Nighthawks. This is a outstanding production to celebrate the half century, it hits so many right notes. There are two men in suits and grey homburg hats, an oh so red haired woman in a sassy dress and the lantern jawed bartender. Though, courtsey of Scotland's new legislation there's a sign "Absolutely no smoking at this bar." Well that does get round the pecularity of no wreaths of cigarette smoke which would have been authenitic for a bar of that period - the aim of this far reach law is to delay wreaths for both our actors and our audience. When the show begins we discover playwright and director John Bett and his cast are going to delight us with intelligent and sometimes fun lyrics. They respond not only to the story but to Robert Pettigrew's music in several solos and sung conversations, all well performed. Joey, John Jack, is just had an audition at the Met and after Chloe, Lucy Paterson, asks him he launches into Figaro's teasing song about the glories of going to war. Jack's got the greatest vocal experience and, like the other four, he's great on stage. His love song to the man who makes the sun shine for him is gloriously romantically rendered. But the other singing parts have their moments too as Philly the bartender, George Drennan, sings a moving song of exile, he's Irish while Paterson's Chloe chills everyone when she sings, "Why Do They Hate Us?", clasping in her hand the letter that tells her one cousin has escaped to Lisbon. The actions of Unknown Man, Rony Bridges, slightly unsettle the peice but finishing with "The Star Spangled Banner" makes the point how important a stirring national athem to fire the blood and to stiffen resolve is. This is tip-top. Great production, performance and direction with songs to give us the complexities of the characters and their desires and fears. Unlike many musicals twice this one's length there's a lot of depth in the stories and interactions. You leave very nourished hoping someone will encourage these two to create together some more. P.S. The pies and pints are great too. © Thelma Good 27 March 2006 - Published on EdinburghGuide.com Smoking on Stage and in Scotland. - On Sunday the 26 of March a new law came into force which makes smoking on stage, at work or in enclosed public places illegal with very, very few exceptions. Cast - Pilly - George Drennan, Joey - John Jack, Chole - Lucy Paterson and Unknown Man Rony Bridges. 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. |
|
|
|
|||
|
|
|||