SWEET BIRD OF YOUTH. To 11 November.

Dundee

SWEET BIRD OF YOUTH
by Tennessee Williams

Dundee Rep Theatre To 11 November 2006
Tue-Sat 7.45pm Mat 4 Nov 2.30pm
Audio-described 4 Nov 2.30pm (+ touch tour)
BSL Signed 9 Nov
Runs 2hr 50min One interval

TICKETS: 01382 223530
www.dundeerep.co.uk
Review: Timothy Ramsden 28 October

Sour events as the Sweet Bird flies away in vivid revival.
The third, and easily the best, of British theatre’s October Tennessee Williams openings, Sweet Bird of Youth forms yet another bold staging of American drama by Dundee’s James Brining, following Sam Shepard’s A Lie of the Mind and the Styne/ Sondheim musical Gypsy.

Despite its scale, the long opening act features just 2 characters. Chance Wayne returns to his home town and complicated past in the US Deep South, bringing a once-famous film-star, incognito as a princess. He’s set on becoming a major player himself and will blackmail for it. Also driving him is love for the local political boss’s daughter, the intended co-star for his future.

Past, present and future all eat away at Chance. Alan Turkington doesn’t quite match this, twitches and nervous movement too often substituting for depth of character as he reluctantly realises his youth is disappearing. Kim Gerard’s Heavenly Finlay, loving him but under the iron thumbs of her father and hated-filled brother, remains slightly indeterminate, despite a fine moment when she dashes towards him, to be stopped by her family.

But there’s strength in Keith Fleming’s tribal enforcer, fearful in his blinkered, set-faced hate. And in John Buick as his cunning Father, who manipulates racism and violence in the name of morality. Buick’s slight figure might not seem obvious for Boss Finlay, but this actor again shows his wide expressive range.

Best of all is Irene McDougall’s aging film-star, secure in her self-absorption, fending off the hardest-nosed local. She picked-up Chance as much as he did her, and his clumsy blackmail attempt doesn’t faze her for a moment. MacDougall shows the ‘Princess’ as a creature of momentary sensual gratification following her own mental path in the name of an oblivion which will endure to the morning after. Every spasm of abrasive self-disgust, alternating resort to dope or oxygen-mask, makes its mark, then the sudden smile-wreathed absorption when she learns she’s back in town, cine-wise.

Designer Philip Witcomb’s 2-tier set recreates brash Southern comfort. Brining doesn’t completely disguise the length of the opening duologue, which has effortful sections, but this is another major Dundee achievement.

Chance Wayne: Alan Turkington
Princess Kosmonopolis: Irene McDougall
Fly: Nathan Stewart-Jarrett

George Scudder/Dan Hatcher: Ian Grieve
Boss Finlay: John Buick
Tom Finlay Jr: Keith Fleming
Aunt Nonnie: Anne Kidd
Heavenly Finlay: Kim Gerard
Charles/Heckler: Robert Patterson
Stuff: Cameron Mowat
Miss Lucy: Emily Winter
Scotty: Kevin Lennon
Bud: Ewan Donald
With: Stewart Cassidy, Gary Curran, Darren Domm, Paul Dundee, Gordon Morris, Alan Peacock, Ged Ryan

Director: James Brining
Designer: Philip Witcomb
Lighting: Jeanine Davies
Sound/Composer: Anthea Haddow
Accent coach: Ros Steen

2006-11-01 10:51:19