Showing @ various venues across Glasgow

Sparse though your theatre options are in Glasgow this month, as special events dominate proceedings, at least it’s a chance to avoid the Easter mayhem, with kids screaming out for ovoid choccy treats – like Lord of the Flies with Cadbury’s Buttons. So there might not be much out there but take a chance and seek out something interesting, quirky, and challenging – and hide yourself away inside one of Glasgow’s dark, cool and thankfully egg free theatre spaces.

The Arches this month is comparatively busy theatre-wise with two productions. First up is Stef Smith’s The Silence Of Bees, a tale of three women and the memories that bind and haunt, which is followed by Iranian writer Nassim Soleimanpour’s meta-drama White Rabbit, Red Rabbit. Featuring a different performer each night which received rave reviews at last year’s Fringe, hopefully it’ll have the same effect on Glasgow audiences.

The Tron begins April with Tron Skillshops’ production, Gifted, a dark little tale of those burdened with abilities beyond the norm. And talking of special things, there’s Doris Day Can F*** Off written and performed by Greg McLaren – a quirky and occasionally profound look at the relationship between the singer and the song.

Mull Theatre bring two one-acters to the Tron with fishing and friendship on display in Waterproof and a fantasy based upon Paisley troubadour Paolo Nutini in From Paisley to Paolo. Finally there’s some twisted family dynamics on display with both Donna Rutherford’s powerful look at parent child bonds, KIN, and Theatre Jezebel’s examination of Lord and Lady Macbeth, Lady M: His Fiend-Like Queen?

The Citz has only one production this month amidst a host of workshops but with the chance to see one of Scotland’s finest actors take on one of Shakespeare’s greatest tragedies (with David Hayman as King Lear) there’s certainly no lack of quality on offer. And with the show on 14th April offering tickets for 50p the Citz is definitely meeting its goal of giving the best theatre to the widest possible audience.

Eastwood Park Theatre, much like the other venues in town, is significantly quieter than usual but still manages to put on The Giffnock Theatre Players’ version of Eugene O’Neill’s rarely performed coming of age comedy Ah, Wilderness!

It seems that every theatre in Glasgow has had their chance at hosting a production of Singin’ I’m No A Billy He’s A Tim and now it’s the Pavilion’s turn to stage Des Dillon’s darkly funny tale of football, religion and identity issues.

It’s high culture all the way at the Theatre Royal with both Scottish Ballet’s dance translation of Tennessee WilliamsA Streetcar Named Desire and Puccini’s masterpiece Tosca from Scottish Opera with a revival of Anthony Besch’s renowned 1980 staging.

Finally at the King’s a couple of musical treats starting with Monkee Business, a madcap story featuring a beat combo, some nuns, some spies and almost certainly a tambourine based around the music of, well, The Monkees. With more traditional musical fare, the Lyric Players give their interpretation of Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. Look out for plenty of thigh slapping, whooping, hootin and a-hollerin on display.

So it’s a quaint month of theatre this April in Glasgow. But look at it this way: for once you might just be able to catch everything in the city – if you’re feeling adventurous. It might not be as much of a challenge as an Easter Egg Hunt, but then again, you won’t have that sickly feeling at the end either.

FULL LISTINGS:

The Silence of Bees: Thu 12th – Sat 14th @ 19:00 & 20:00

White Rabbit, Red Rabbit: Wed 18th – Sat 21st April @ 19:15 (no show on 19th)

Gifted: Thu 5th – Sat 7th April @ 19:30

Doris Day Can F*** Off: Fri 13th – Sat 14th April @ 19:45

Waterproof/ From Paisley To Paolo: Wed 18th – Sat 21st April @ 19:45

Kin: Thu 19th – Sat 21 April @ 20:00

Lady M: His Fiend Like Queen?: Wed 25th – Sat 28th April @ 19:45 + 25th @ 14:30

King Lear: Fri 20th & Sat 21st April @ 19:30 + Tue 24th – Sat 28th @ 19:30

Ah, Wilderness!: Wed 18th – Sat 21st April @ 19:30 + Sat 21st @ 14:30

Singin’ I’m No A Billy He’s A Tim: Wed 25th – Sat 28th April @ 19:30 + Sat 28th @ 14:30

A Streetcar Named Desire: Wed 11th – Sat 14th April @ 19:30 + Sat 14th @ 14:00

Tosca: Tue 17th – Sat 21st April @ 19:30 + Wed 18th & Sat 21st @ 14:30

Monkee Business: Tue 17th – Sat 21st @ 19:30 + Wed 18th & Sat 21st @ 14:30

Seven Brides For Seven Brothers: Tue 3rd – Sat 7th April @ 19:30 + Wed 4th & Sat 7th @ 14:30