The National Theatre of Scotland's U. S. tour of one of its most lauded and popular shows has landed at Santa Monica's Broad Performing Arts Complex until February 8. It's playing in The Edye, the black box space in the complex, and every performance deserves to be packed to the gills.
David Greig has written a play that overflows with ideas, satire, music and magic. Prudencia Hart (Melody Grove) is a young literature professor who specializes in Scottish border ballads. She's attending a small conference on the subject in a remote town on the night of the winter solstice in 2010. A huge snowstorm hits, and Prudencia gets lost in the snow while trying to find a B&B where she planned to stay the night.
Of course, that description doesn't do the play justice. "Academe is a bitch," it seems to be saying, and perhaps that statement could be fruitfully amended to read, "Academe is the Devil's bitch." Papers presented at the conference are hilariously titled (I had to laugh out loud at the one that had not only open and closed brackets but also had a question mark within the brackets). Those presenting are also quaint at least or ridiculous at most. But, the saving grace is that everyone adjourns to the bar afterward, even if only for bad karaoke. At least the bar has a band that shows some promise. And, who knows - some sort of orgy might get going if everyone gets pissed enough? Mr. Greig also gets to argue with Jean Paul Sartre: instead of hell being "other people," as Sartre famously wrote, for an academic it can be imagined as a library containing every book ever written on that person's topic - and eternity to digest them all but no way to react in print.
The National Theatre of Scotland loves to take its productions to the people, so this play was created (credit also director Wils Wilson) to be staged in a bar. The Edye doesn't quite qualify, but what's missing in atmosphere (and smell) doesn't really matter. The company members (in addition to Ms. Grove, they are Annie Grace, Alasdair Macrae, Paul McCole, and David McKay) play in the band, take on any number of other characters as needed, and merrily rove throughout the space involving the audience (and, woe to you if you appear to be the youngest adult male in the crowd - though last night's "victim" did seem to enjoy what the cast did to him).
In fact, most everyone seemed to enjoy being part of the show (there were, perhaps, one or two spoilsports, but never mind them). And care is taken to make you feel comfortable. Samples of Benromach single malt Scotch are available, as are other libations, and small cheese and ham sandwiches, along with olives and tomatoes, come out during the interval. You'll need them - the performance ran almost three hours last night.
Seating is around the space, and everyone can see most everything that happens from any seat. There are two classes of seat, however, and it is not clear early on why those in the VIP seats paid $20 extra to be a few feet closer to center. After the interval, that distinction does show itself, but you'll still be fine if you didn't spring for the better seating. And, if you'd prefer not to participate, perhaps sitting along the outer edges will help. Do go with the idea that you'll go along, though, because doing so is at least half the fun.
The other half is enjoying a monstrously creative company enthrall you with a helluva good tale.
The Broad is presenting An Iliad on its main stage, so if you want to make a weekend of it you've got two stellar productions to see in one place.
Bill, in San Diego
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