THEATRE
Showing @ Pleasance Courtyard until 29th August @ 16:30 (not 15th & 22nd)
Very few stories are successful on both stage and film; some argue that live theatre is more ‘real’, and others that film is more spectacular. Perhaps both, and neither, are true. To adapt a classic, such as Casablanca, from film to stage requires a great deal of guts, openness to criticism from scathing fans, and a twist – something to make it their own – and that’s exactly what Morag Fullerton’s new production does.
Using multi-role play, three actors (Jimmy Chisholm, Claire Waugh and Gavin Mitchell) play characters starring in an amateur company’s performance of Casablanca. The action takes place in Rick’s Bar, with Sam – a toy – still providing piano music. Wit and slap-stick provide a tongue-in-cheek homage to the classic film as some of the most iconic scenes in cinema history. The show relies on the performances of the actors, and they don’t disappoint. Fullerton’s production has been clever – it hasn’t tread on Humphrey Bogart’s toes; it’s side-stepped around them and created a new piece of theatre. It uses the film’s global and generational success, but still manages to remain independent. It would seem that it’s not what medium you use; rather, how you use it.
Comments