"New Works" - September 2009

This was certainly an 'interesting' evening at the theatre, and some of the entertainment started before setting foot in The Traverse. Coming through from Glasgow to Edinburgh on a week night for an 8p.m. start can be tight, depending on the traffic, and unfortunately RSAMD's collaberation with the Playwrights' Studio was at 7.30. So after haring along the M9 to get there, I then joined the rest of the audience standing outside The Traverse for 30 minutes waiting for the fire brigade to give the all clear to turn off the fire alarm and let us into the building. At least it wasn't raining. Credit is due to the professionalism of both The Traverse staff and the performers that despite the delayed start there was no other noticeable impact.

Playwrights' Studio have delivered 3 new plays - works in progress; 2 of which are performed on any given night. Douglas Maxwell's 'The Fever Dream: Southside' was the first act of what will be a three act play, which did leave you feeling a little cheated from the start as you knew that it was likely to leave you hanging. Perhaps because of this I found it difficult to suspend disbelief, especially when things started to get a little surreal. It was at its strongest and most believable with the interaction between the young couple Demi (Amy Conway) and Peter (Matthew McVarish).

As a one act play 'Reminded of Beauty' by Linda Mclean is a more complete work as we're told interweaving tales of loss and its aftermath. Well directed by Marc Silberschatz, there's a suprisingly successful blend of playfulness, grief, loss and despair. Lucy Goldie's performance as the young girl in the middle section was particularly striking, in which a horrible tale is told with almost dance like grace.

An interesting concept from RSAMD, which will be worth keeping an eye out for if it returns.

'New Works' has now completed its run.
Image used with permission.