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Michael Cox reviews How to Act, A Hundred Different Words for Love, Doglife and Siri.
How to review How to Act (****)? A quick description of plot and character followed by a verdict? I suppose that would work.
But I find that to do so would result in a kind of betrayal, because the production works best knowing as little as possible. Even a glance at the programme, or indeed the images from the show, give away too much.
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To take the play at surface value is fine: we are in attendance of an acting master class. We are promised that there will be no audience participation, and for the most part this is true. We get to watch a highly regarded director work with an actor, finding ways of making the ‘real’ become more ‘truthful’ in performance. But not all is as it seems, and as the hour-long production passes we see that what is ‘real’ and ‘truthful’ is not clear-cut.
Writer and director Graham Eatough’s production is a treat. It tells an interesting story that ends up being much richer than it first appears, and it serves as a rather potent juxtaposition between the power of art and reality. With deep, complicated performances and a potent ending, this is certainly a master class worth catching.
Also a master class worth catching is James Rowland’s A Hundred Different Words for Love (****), though this master class in particular would be in uses of schmaltz. Rowland starts his tale by confessing a love for Richard Curtis, so if that fact sets off alarm bells, best steer clear.
Rowland also tells us that everything he’s about to say is a lie, and here comes the big question: is there ‘truth’ in these lies, even if it isn’t ‘real’? His story, mostly about a relationship but also looking at the upcoming wedding of his best friend, is about as sugary sweet as this can get.
But it is also told with such earnest heart that it is hard not to be utterly charmed by the whole thing. Rowland is a very good storyteller: he’s cheeky but also sentimental. Whether any of it is really real or not is immaterial: this is about as ‘truthful’ of a romantic story I’ve come across in some time.
‘Real’ and ‘truth’ is also front and centre in Grassmarket Projects’ Doglife (***), the second part in a trilogy looking at the life of Thomas McCrudden. McCrudden, as the programme tells us, is a former gangland enforcer, and the play looks at his relationships with a number of women while trying to change his ways.
The programme also tells us that we are in the presence of a company made up of untrained actors, and this is quite apparent. As with many devised pieces, most of the scenes run too long and contain dialogue that rings false—even if it comes from a ‘real’ place.
However, there are also elements of pure theatrical beauty that feel utterly truthful, and even if this cast is comprised of non-professionals, each performer has at least one moment of pure truthfulness, most of which take your breath away.
Doglife is a difficult play to watch for many reasons, but it is one that is very easy to admire.
Also admirable in its ambition is Siri (***). The concept is simple: performer Laurence Dauphinais stands on stage with an iPhone and speaks to the famed titular programme, asking it questions. These questions lead to the unmasking of personal truths and set out to question humanity’s dependence on technology while looking for where the line should be drawn when it comes to that relationship.
There are many great ideas on show, and Dauphinais is an engaging performer who is easy to watch and empathise with, but the production itself comes across as gimmicky and, at times, rather trite. It isn’t bad, but it isn’t nearly as clever as it seems to think it is either, and it doesn’t come across as either ‘real’ or truthful’.
How to Act, A Hundred Different Words For Love and Doglife perform at Summerhall. Check website and programme for dates and times. Siri performs at King’s Hall at 1730 until August 27 (not Mondays).
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