TUNES OF GLORY. To 13 May.
Tour.
TUNES OF GLORY
by James Kennaway adapted by Michael Lunney.
Tour to 13 May 2006.
Runs 2hr 30min One interval.
Review: Hazel Brown 25 January at Lighthouse Poole.
Swirling kilts and keening pipes provide military setting for what is essentially a tragedy of class warfare.
A great deal of effort has been taken to give this production an authentic military, and Scottish, look and sound– the kilt worn by Patrick Ryecart is the one Alec Guinness wore in the award–winning film – but in essence this is a tragedy of class warfare.
Its story revolves around the appointing of a colonel over the major who has held the post temporarily and the dichotomy between their respective backgrounds, the former from Eton, Cambridge, a prisoner during WWII, followed by a desk job, the latter risen through the ranks and promoted in the field. One seeks to refine the atmosphere in the Officers’ Mess, whilst the boorish, hard-drinking, disappointed major undermines him. Neither elicits complete audience sympathy, as each has glaring faults, making the ‘war’ between them totally realistic. And the major’s daughter has secretly fallen in love with a corporal, which precipitates the tragedy.
There is a good contrast between the two leading actors, Ryecart and Stuart McGugan, and a smoothly cynical performance by Michael Lunney as the womanizing cynic who ‘stabs’ the major in the back. The female characters are the plot’s engines: EJ Boyle is sweetly defiant as the daughter and Angela McGowan makes an attractive and heart-warming tart with a heart. The other officers and soldiers are nicely drawn characters, who slowly shift into two ‘camps’.
The set is ingenious, with wings that revolve to create different rooms in the austere Officers’ Mess, the Sinclair’s home, the actress’s dressing-room and a pub. The outside scenes are acted out behind a backlit gauze screen. Parade scenes and the band practising are projected onto the back screen, widening the military perspective. The pipes and drums add greatly to the atmosphere and menace of the plot, emphasizing the military traditions that are so close to the hearts of the officers and the men.
This is a brave effort to stage such a powerful story and, as Sinclair describes the funeral plans, you are left with the strong impression that this is how he would like his own end to be marked by his beloved regiment.
Major DSO MM Jock Sinclair: Stuart McGugan/
2nd Lt MacKinnon: James Joyce/
Major Charles Scott, MC: Michael Lunney/
Major Dusty Millar: James Lauren/
Captain Jimmy Cairns, MC: Gregor Hunt/
Captain Eric Simpson: Alex Hardy/
Corporal Piper Ian Fraser: John Milroy/
Corporal Hamilton: Laurence Aldridge/
Morag Sinclair: EJ Boyle/
Pipe Major Duncan MacLean: John Langford/
Lt Colonel Basil Barrow: Patrick Ryecart/
RSM Mr Riddick: Richard Walsh/
Mary Titterington: Angela McGowan/
Mr Scobie: James Sutherland/
Ensemble: Fiona McKinnon/
Director/Designer: Michael Lunney/
Lighting: Sebastian Petit/
Sound/Music: Mathew Larkin/
Traditional music performed by The London Scottish Regiment’s Pipes and Drums/
Film cameraman/editor: Mathew Larken/
Film Cameraman: Rob Gibby at Fifth Frame Media/
Scenic Artist/Gauze Artwork: Jon Goodwin/
Costumiers: Angels the Costumiers, Bristol Costume Hire, Birmingham Costume Hire/
Military Costumes prepared by Tom Stiles at Angels The Costumiers/
Costume Alterations: Jennifer Salter/
Film Projection: ML Video/
Dance Instructors: Ron Younger, Drum Major Nobby Foulis/
Military Advisors: Drum Major Nobby Foulis, Major Charles Wilson, Captain Alex Bailey-Hamilton/
Tunes of Glory ‘Theme’ pipes by Ed Brown/
2006-01-29 17:32:21