Two From Glasgay! Edwin Morgan and a Strange Hunger
Fish and Game – perhaps the flower of Scotland’s response to international experimental theatre – appear to be in a state of flux. Alma Mater, a serious cinematic study of education on cutting edge technology is followed by a double act, in Strange Hungers, that recalls the golden age of the vaudeville. Claude and Maude may have a serious intent – Claude’s PowerPoint presentation is a worthy archaeology of hidden histories – but, like Claude’s lecture, it is interrupted by sensuality, humour and a hot tittie show.
Strange Hungers, perhaps due to Fish and Game co-founder Eilidh MacAskill’s time as The Daily Ukulele Lady, connects easily to the neo-cabaret revival. It alludes to the Weimar era in its accents, without delving into the darkness, aiming at both wry wit – Claude’s musical meditations on group identity – and slapstick – Maude’s insatiable erotic energy. Yet the narrative, held together by Claude’s absurd scholasticism, lends the show a focus that only The Creative Martyrs can rival. By the time Claude is seduced, ironically by acting out a sentimental Hollywood tragedy, the duo have made a comic and educational trip through history and around the world, suggesting that there are more shows in this peculiar mash-up of experimental theatre and seaside postcard laughs.
Edwin Morgan’s Dreams and Other Nightmares is a highly personal reading of the great Glaswegian poet’s final years: author Liz Lochhead was a friend of the makar, and the cast of three intersperse episodes from his last decade – and flashbacks – with performed recitations of his more introspective poems. As one of the characters, Morgan’s biographer, points out, there will be many lives of Morgan. His identity was fluid, he remained a man of many parts even as a pensioner: whether rejuvenated by love in middle age or still writing on his death-bed, Morgan tirelessly reinvented himself.
Without trying to hide any part of Morgan, Lochhead is respectful, picturing Morgan as a man unwilling to compromise, even with cancer, but equally gentle and private. His late coming out – coinciding with Glasgow’s famous year as City of Culture in 1990 – was a typical gesture: again, his biographer notes that its political impact was crucial in a country still bothered by homophobic legislation but timed to ensure that his family, already dead, would not be involved or harmed.
This contradiction, of a man aware of his public role while cautious about revealing his personal, echoes the tension in his last year, when his physical deterioration belied his active intellect: as Morgan’s importance becomes part of Scotland’s cultural history, Lochhead’s play captures a moment when he is still close, although gradually moving into the past. Ending on a note of triumph over death, Dreams is an early attempt to assess how the man created the poetry, reconnecting the two and preserving them from academic disconnection.
Comments (3)
Add a comment »The language used in this article is so ridiculously pretentious, a good writer knows the art of using simple words cleverly and never relies on "fluff" like this.
Posted by | Saturday March 2012 @ 12:39
Report to moderatorDon't worry 'J', In future Gareth will be submitting 2 versions of his reviews.
One will be the 'fluffy' pretentious kind that you hate and the other will be a tailor made piece just for you and your busy schedule.
Why waste your time reading an expressive review that highlights an individual's feelings on a particular film or show, when you could equally enjoy: 'GOOD. ENJOYABLY GAY; ESPECIALLY THE WIGS'.
Just imagine, next time you read the Skinny, not only will you have a comprehensive 6 word feel for a show and but you will still have enough time to email Nick Hewer from Countdown to tell him that you don't like his tie. (A little too colourful. Distracts from the Conundrum.)
The Skinny has been exploring the idea of updating its reviews for a the busy, straight-to-the-point reader and will be instigating a new system that involves smiley faces (Good) sad faces (bad).
As a bonus, I asked Gareth to review a few extra things for you. He is skipping all the unnecessary foreplay and going right for some simple (yet clever) karate jabs to your whiny cervix.
DIE HARD: Bruce Willis explodes building. Very exciting.
MARLEY & ME: Dog dies in end. Sad face.
KORN's New Album: Sucks dick so hard; gets balls.
Posted by | Saturday March 2012 @ 15:12
Report to moderatorJ, before criticising other people's writing you should really learn how to use a comma.
Posted by | Saturday March 2012 @ 17:19
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