Showing @ venues across Scotland – see Vanishing Point for details
As they continue to enjoy international success with Interiors, Glasgow-based Vanishing Point have teamed up in a huge collaboration between Tramway and three Portuguese theatre companies to create their latest production, Saturday Night. In the quiet of a dark evening, an old woman’s mind wonders as she sits, drifting in and out of sleep in front of the TV. Meanwhile, a young couple are moving into their new home and meandering through the life-changing rites of passage so common for newlyweds. Through all the realistic and often comedic action, increasingly surreal occurrences develop the plot into a disturbingly familiar nightmare sequence.
Built on two storeys and divided into self-contained rooms complete with PVC double-glazed windows and running taps, Kai Fischer’s set is as if a house has been sliced down the middle. Along with the precise level of detail and sheer volume of props, this is a house that is being exposed in all its fourth wall glory to the delight of the nosey-neighbour audience. But rather than completely stripping away that fourth wall, Vanishing Point have instead transformed it into transparent glass – meaning that we can see the action, but we cannot hear a word.
Such a concept would be impossible were it not for a strong cast with the ability to make their actions and behaviour so easily recognisable. But, whilst clear, its naturalistic nature means that it is by no means explicit enough to stand alone. Combined with the absence of audible language, the entire meaning of the production comes down to what the individual observer interprets it to be – which will no doubt be completely different to that of the person sitting next to them. The result is an eruption of post-show discussion as the audience return to their own Saturday nights, animatedly trying to piece together what they have just seen – which, beyond pure entertainment, is surely the primary role of theatre.