Theatre Alba Reviews

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Press quotes about Theatre Alba's work -

...Theatre Alba is doing a braw job of promoting Scottish plays, amusing, entertaining and educating in equal measure. Long may it continue.
EDINBURGH EVENING NEWS

...stunning visual and musical imagery
THE GUARDIAN

It is the stuff of which theatrical legends are made
....a significant addition to Scotland's cultural heritage..... the visionary end as uplifting and emotional an experience as you're ever likely to encounter in a theatre.
THE STAGE

...it sends shivers up your spine, it opens your ears to the grace and elegance of the old Scots tongue, your eyes to the infinite mysteries of the world and it sends you out of the theatre as if you were walking on air....above all it's a triumph for Scottish theatre
THE SCOTSMAN

....Theatre Alba's all female cast excels in this vivid production characterised by rapid mood changes, as rumbustious comedy and lively movement give way suddenly to echoes of heroism or visions of tragedy in cinematic style.
THE STAGE

It’s not only that the place is physically close to so many of the settings for this story, ... it’s also the richness of the trees, the effect of the gathering darkness, the sight of the full moon rising over the loch, and sailing between the branches.
THE SCOTSMAN

2007
The Lass wi the Muckle Mou
Mary Rose

2006

The Tempest
The Death of Arthur

2004

The Magic Quest

2003

The Burning

2002

Macbeth

2001

Thenew

Fringe 2000

JOSEF
CHARLES EDWARD STUART

Fringe '99

Shakespeare at the Sheraton
The Thrie Sisters
Tamlane

Fringe '98

Wallace's Women

Mary Rose
www.one4review.com * * * * * J.M.Barrie’s play Mary Rose is remarkable – part comedy, part mystery and part romance. Theatre Alba’s production does the play full justice. Mary Rose first appears in the play as an 18 year old girl and subsequently as a young mother in her early 20’s. However, despite the sexual feelings for her husband James, she has never lost her childlike innocence. Going back to the age of 11, a mysterious event happened when she was on a holiday with her parents to the Hebrides. It is so potent that her parents have not told her of the event and she has no recollection of what took place. As the story unfolds going backwards and forwards in time between 1909 and 1946, it becomes more chilling. Barrie skilfully uses comedy to allow the tension to build up gradually, as in the picnic scene when Mary Rose and James are accompanied by a part-time gillie, Mr Cameron. Barrie’s dialogue sharply brings out the contrast between the upper class attitudes of James and the intellectually superior views of Cameron, a crofter’s son training to be a minister.	Theatre Alba, under the direction of Charles Nowosielski, has assembled a strong cast. Romana Abercromby’s portrayal of Mary Rose is most impressive. Every movement and gesture conveys her childlike character. Reviewing Mary Rose with its complexity can only scratch the surface of the play. Too much detail will give away how the drama builds to an intensely moving and emotional climax. This production is a very complete theatrical experience. ***** Fringe Programme Page No 206 Venue - Scottish Storytelling Centre (Venue 30) Until - 31 August 15.15 to 17.15

British Theatre Guide Mary Rose By JM Barrie Theatre Alba Scottish Storytelling Centre *** If Film Four could programme old black and white theatre for their matinees, this play would certainly be a firm favourite. Fitting perfectly into its 3pm slot, the traditionally staged production slowly unfolds its winding and intriguing plot of supernatural goings on with the gentle pace of a well-thumbed classic. JM Barrie's ghostly tale shifts between turn of the twentieth century and the 1940s, unveiling the fate of young Mary Rose as her spooky past on a deserted Scottish island makes an eerie resurfacing once she is happily married.	The plot is carefully teased out, and much of the supernatural elements are left unresolved and unexplained, adding to the mystery. The capable cast convincingly deliver the story, and Romana Abercromby in the title role bubbles with the effervescence of an Enid Blyton heroine. Theatre Alba will not win any prizes for originality with this production but it makes for a lovely and gently thrilling afternoon. Lucy Ribchester


The Lass wi the Muckle Mou Edinburgh Evening News
Muckle helping of Scots hilarity TOM MAXWELL The Lass wi the Muckie Moo * * * * Theatre Alba Duddingston Kirk Garden CHARLES NOWOSIELSKI, the artistic director of Fringe First-winning Theatre Alba, describes Alexander Reid's The Lass wi the Muckle Moo as the greatest Scottish play ever written. And it's easy to see why - here is a production chock full of Scots humour at its finest. The play, the title of which translates as "the girl with the big mouth", is performed in the garden of Duddingston Kirk Manse, where this talented group of Scottish professionals transport their audience back to a 13th century Borders farm. The opening of the play, featuring the legendary Thomas the Rhymer (Keith Hutcheon) and The Queen of Elfland (Anne Lannan), is rather slow but, once the laughs start, they don't stop. The actors speak in broad Scots but even those who can't follow every word will enjoy the show, especially the performance of Alex McSherry. The brilliant, larger-than-life actor plays Sir Gideon Murray, a laird whose cattle are targeted by his enemies - the Scott family. He and friend Wattie Duncan (Robin Thompson) manage to capture one of the young reivers, Willie (David Elliot-George), and resolve to hang him the following day. Unfortunately for Sir Gideon, his daughter Meg (Romana Abercromby) takes an immediate shine to the handsome raider. The consequences are hilarious, with Willie unable to decide whether he would sooner be hanged than be forced to marry "the Girl wi the Muckle Moo" - a cruel rhyme of Thomas's which has kept Meg single until the grand old age of 22.\| continued>	Broad-accented, boisterous and extremely funny, McSherry steals the show as Sir Gideon becomes more and more flustered at the improbable situation in which he finds himself - the prospect of being known as the father of a girl who makes men welcome the gallows with open arms. Abercromby took over as Meg at the 11th hour after Anna Guthrie fell ill and plays the role with aplomb. Hutcheon, who, like McSherry, is another Alba veteran, is in great form as Thomas the Rhymer, delivering lines like "an elephant is a creature that pishes water through its front tail" as if it were the most natural thing in the world. Elliot-George, making his Alba debut, impresses not only as Willie, but in comic turns as Drunken Rabb and, appearing briefly in drag, as Lizzie. Lisa Nicoll completes the line-up as Sir Gideon's long-suffering wife Grizel. Original music is arranged by Richard Cherns, with the singing, bodhran and whistle playing of Andy May accentuating the quintessentially Scottish nature of the play. The Lass wi the Muckle Moo is not a production you'll have the chance to see often, so catch it while you can. Theatre Alba is doing a braw job of promoting Scottish plays, amusing, entertaining and educating in equal measure. Long may it continue. • Until August 26 Scotsman link to review with photo
2007 The Lass wi the Muckle Mou THREE WEEKS The Lass Wi The Muckle Mou (tw rating: 4/5) Theatre Alba This hilarious Scots play is great fun, and staged in a breathtakingly beautiful venue. Arthur's Seat lies behind the audience, while the performance is backed by a gently wooded slope leading down to the shore of Duddingston Loch. Performed outdoors in this spectacular locale, at sunset, the performance is lent an appropriately magical air, as the legendary Thomas the Rhymer returns from Elf Land to write his last great ballad.	Every member of the cast is fantastic, with Anna Guthrie's endearing Meg, and Alex McSherry's comic turn as Sir Gideon the standouts. Wrap up warm, bring an umbrella, and don't let the midges put you off; this hugely entertaining play will definitely reward the effort required to get to the venue. Duddingston Kirk Manse Garden, dates vary, 7:45pm (10:00pm), £10.00 (£8.00), fpp 202. tw rating: 4/5 published: Aug-2007 [Andrew Leask]

2006
The Tempest	Back to Top
Edinburgh Evening News 04/09/2006 MARTIN LENON The Tempest *** Brunton Theatre KENNETH Branagh made Shakespeare sexy again. So much so that more and more companies have dared to tackle his difficult and great works with confidence and even gusto. For the most part, Theatre Alba pulled it off with style and aplomb. True, there were a few weak performances: Emma Laidlaw's Miranda needed a little more subtlety to fully realise the duality of her character and Robert Williamson's grotesque Caliban teetered precariously on the cartoony, but the rest of the cast helped to keep them afloat with the buoyancy of their own performance.	Sam Laydon, in particular gave additional depth to a strong, yet understated Ariel, but it was Keith Hutcheon who cast the most persuasive spell as the overbearing, but compassionate Prospero. Thanks to Charles Nowosielski's solid, clear direction, the overarching motif of justice being done came through loudly. Prospero's concluding speech asked the audience to give him, his daughter and his countrymen freedom to leave the island by simply applauding. They were more than happy to do so.
The Death of Arthur	Back to Top
The Scotsman 22/08/2006 The Death of Arthur CLAIRE BLACK SCOTTISH STORYTELLING CENTRE (VENUE 30) WATCHING this production is like being transported back in time, not only to the days of King Arthur, but also to a time when theatre productions could succeed as simple, dramatic presentations of text. There's no frivolous, postmodern trickery here, just a plot, an ensemble cast and a guitarist onstage to provide some musical atmosphere. Whether it entertains you or not will depend on whether you like labyrinthine historical plots. As it stands the hour-and-a-half running time is fairly demanding of both cast and audience. Donald Smith's script is steeped in mysticism and magic, as well as the complex machinations of the Round Table.	With pagan rituals, court treachery and family feuding (not to mention the most complex genealogy you're likely to come across), there's plenty of plot for the dramatic action to hang around. But despite good performances from the cast, they have a hard time sustaining the pace. Alex McSherry puts in a fine turn as Merlin and Keith Hutcheon is a convincing Arthur, tired of leading and besieged on all fronts, but the unwieldy narrative runs out of steam. Theatre Alba, celebrating their 25th year, present an old-fashioned kind of storytelling and they do it well, but this production is just a little too pedestrian to fully succeed.
Fringe 2004	Back to Top
The Magic Quest (children's show)
EdinburghGuide.com The Magic Quest. Venue Duddingston Kirk Manse Garden. (Venue No 121) Address Old Church Lane, Duddingston Village. Reviewer Georgina Merry. This fun packed garden adventure is ideal for a sunny day. It will have the children singing and skipping and the adults laughing. The beauty of Duddingston Kirk Manse Garden seems magical in itself, but the nearby loch and the view of Arthur’s Seat make this a truly exquisite experience.	Corrieburn, the Scots speaking Elf, leads the way in a hunt for clues to preserve her homeland. She must find the Draigan* o’ Duddingston - the only one who can defeat the evil goblins who plan destroy the area. The children are asked to help in her quest, and soon they are meeting all kinds of magical folk. Weather permitting, this treat of a play should definitely be experienced. The cast are superb and they work well with the children. Catch it while you still can! *Draigan - (Scots) Dragon. ©Georgina Merry August 10 2004 - Published on EdinburghGuide.com
The Scotsman 07/08/2004 The Magic Quest Jane Ellis DUDDINGSTON KIRK MANSE (Venue 121) ONCE again Theatre Alba have created a small slice of fairyland on the edge of Duddingston Loch. Where Arthur’s Seat slopes into the water behind Duddingston Kirk there is an enchanting garden, the real star of this production. An environmental theme dominates the story: heartless goblins want to dig up the garden and drain the loch in search of gold. The resident elves feel threatened. They need help and commandeer the children in the audience to join a quest to find the dragon. Leading us on a cheery rampage round the trees and flowerbeds, they reveal clues and weird characters, including a talking trout, a wicked witch and an ogre.	Small children soon abandon their parents and run off hand-in-hand with elves and fairyfolk. So utterly entranced are they, and so desperate to find the next clue, the children are practically standing on the actors’ feet. But the cast are not fazed, dealing charmingly with youthful interruptions. Using simple Scots throughout, the cast soon have us singing about bricht flooers and auld mither naiture as if born to it. Fresh air and fairy tales make a winning combination.
Fringe 2003	Back to Top
The Burning
EdinburghGuide.com The Burning Venue Duddingston Kirk Manse Garden Address Old Church Lane, Duddingston Village Reviewer Lorraine McCann. Once again, Theatre Alba takes drama right back to its roots, transforming the beautiful surroundings of Duddingston Kirk Manse Garden into a verdant amphitheatre - and what better setting for Stewart Conn's provocative exploration of witchcraft and materialism?Sixteenth-century Scotland, a nation riven with religious differences, is ruled by the Protestant King James VI. A weak, paranoid monarch, he sees dark Satanic forces at work in the most mundane of occurrences. Conversely, the more popular James Bothwell, 'The Black Earl', is a self-assured materialist, scornful of James's authority and adept at manipulating his suggestible mind. It is a conflict of outlook that resonates to disastrous effect in the lives of more lowly people, as well.	Indeed, the most powerful scenes in the play are the hideously unjust 'trials' of two women accused of witchcraft, their every utterance twisted into evidence of guilt. Kirstin Smith, Suzanne Dance and Sean Kane are particularly good here. The play, however, clearly gravitates towards Bothwell and the King. And although James Sutherland brings an authentic swagger to the 'Black Earl' that perfectly offsets Keith Hutcheon's effete rendition of James VI, neither of them inspires much sympathy. Still, as a spectacle - moths, midges, bats and all - it doesn't get much better than this. © Lorraine McCann, 9 August 2003 - Published on www.EdinburghGuide.com
The Scotsman 20/08/2003 The Burning Joyce McMillan DUDDINGSTON KIRK MANSE GARDEN (VENUE 121) IT’S many years now since Charles Nowosielski’s Theatre Alba began to present Festival shows in the Manse Garden on the shores of Duddingston Loch; but I’ve never seen that beautiful, slightly eerie setting put up a finer performance than it does as the backdrop for this revival of Stewart Conn’s The Burning, first seen in Edinburgh in 1971. It’s not only that the place is physically close to so many of the settings for this story, set in the late 1580s, about the young King James VI’s cruel vendetta against what he saw as a growing cult of witchcraft in the land; it’s also the richness of the trees, the effect of the gathering darkness, the sight of the full moon rising over the loch, and sailing between the branches.	The production itself, though, is more of a mixed bag, with Nowosielski’s 20-strong professional and community cast producing the usual range of performances, from the excellent (James Sutherland’s teasing, sexy Bothwell) to the slightly embarrassing. As for the play - well, it has a terrific narrative fluency, and a powerful insight into the politics of the time. But in this production at least, its attitude to the central image of witchcraft seems oddly ambivalent, as if Conn the writer, like Nowosielski the director, was torn between a rationalist urge to condemn James’s shameless superstition and cruelty, and a fascination with the old world of pagan belief contained in witch’s lore. And in this case, the ambivalence finally seems more confusing than revealing.
Fringe 2002	Back to Top
Macbeth
EdinburghGuide.com Venue Duddingston Kirk Manse Garden Address Old Church Lane, Duddingston. Reviewer Max Blinkhorn. If it hadn't rained…... But it did, so the audience suffered for their art last night (Friday 9th) at Duddingston Kirkyard but not as much as the players of Theatre Alba. They gamely threw themselves down on wet grass as required. Some had the shelter of an army great coat; the witches - great witches – did not but they still played their parts with effect and stamina. Sinister and tangibly potent, they blended well with Richard Chern’s strong, performance enhancing soundscape which created a wonderful atmosphere. This adaptation is spoken in the Scots dialect and the players are dressed as Balkan-style irregulars with machine guns as well as the required "dirk" with which to "dae tha deed" on Duncan. There are also some very young people in the cast who had a great time - clearly thought themselves totally cool!	Traffic was this Macbeth’s most deadly enemy. In Scots, Macbeth requires close attention but passing vehicles behind the high churchyard wall broke the audience’s concentration. To their credit, most of them stuck it out, enjoying refreshments in the tent during the welcome intermission. Weather and noise pollution aside, this is an excellent production and cleverly executed in the Kirkyard under the direction of Charles Nowosielski. It seemed to me that the power of Macbeth in Scots has come of age. It’s no longer a gimmick. It sounds right. "Renderer", David Purves should be pleased. Open air theatre can work well in Scotland but there are no half measures. When it's bad, there's nothing for it but to put on a brave face and have some grit. This performance is worth the ticket but make sure you are prepared with waterproofs and a comfy cushion. ... © Max Blinkhorn 9th August 2002 Back to Top
2001
"Thenew"
The Herald 21/11/01 Thenew/Netherbow Theatre, Edinburgh Neil Cooper BEYOND the Celtic twilight are a sea of stories you'll never find in libraries, and are generally told these days only by bearded men with grand delusions of faraway glaikitness sitting round artificial campfires. All the more reason, then, for Margaret McSeveney's play to come blinking into the light with this first in a proposed trilogy that reworks Arthurian legends in Scotland's own image. Here we find goddesses of the old religion casting spells beyond their ken, as head honcho of the pagans digs his heels in while all about him are converting. Queen Anna has already bowed down, but it is their exiled teenage daughter Tennoch who is the chosen one. In care and captivity of her uncle Arthur, Tennoch is a kind of Buffy The Vampire Slayer figure, but with a more whimsical, airy-fairy, altogether less wisecracking bent.	Watched over by her future spirit, her getting of wisdom comes via immaculate conception, as she moves out, changes her image, and hitches up on the long road in search of herself. Despite minimal resources, Charles Nowosielski's production for Theatre Alba invests in a sweep of imagination that cries out for a big stage to transcend a story that is as big as a Greek tragedy or biblical epic, if only it could rip out the po-faced romance that attempts to leaven things for the unenlightened. Neither is it helped by a score that sounds like it's soundtracking an ad for Scotch Mist PLC. With Kirstin Smith a pale and wan Tennoch, this is still a rich and vivid tale of reinvention and renewal that rumbles with true sensuality, and which, tidied up, might make for something magnificent.

Edinburgh Evening News Story of a saint could be stuff of legends Thenew Netherbow **** The story is that of Tennoch, a Celtic princess who was niece of King Arthur and daughter of the less powerful King Lot, of the Gododdin tribe at Traprain Law in East Lothian. As a princess, Tennoch was subject to the prevailing politics of the fifth century. She was sent off as a hostage to Arthur's court, where she caught Christianity with all the fervour of a young teenager - and swore to enter a convent. Not, it must be said, a very astute move - as her pagan father had a rather more earthly husband in mind for her. When she was 14 he paid the ransom and betrothed her to the son of another Scottish king, in a flagrant attempt at empire building. The play, by Margaret McSeveney, is the opening part of a longer programme of events at the Netherbow looking at the influence of Arthur on early Scottish history. It's a powerful story, simply told in broad Scots. Newcomer Kirstin Smith is particularly watchable as Tennoch.	As the play slowly unfolds, rather too slowly in the first half, Smith creates a convincing if not always likeable, character. Besides telling an important part of Scottish history - Tennoch was St Enoch, mother of St Mungo, the founder of Glasgow - the play brings in ideas of spirituality and the role of women in power politics. Some of it is a bit clunky in the way it is introduced, but there are enough strong actors in the cast to carry the plot forward. Ann Lannan and Eliza Langland are particularly good, but it is Kirstin Smith, who you look forward to seeing in further parts of this proposed trilogy. ... Thom Dibdin Monday, 26th November 2001 Evening News Back to Top

Edinburghguide.com http://www.edinburghguide.com/ Reviewer - Thelma Good Interesting but problematic play Kristin Smith radiates as Tennoch, later called Thenew, giving a real sense of the power of this character's innocence and certainty in this interesting but problematic play. Written in *Scots the play's scope is hampered, as are all plays in Scots at the moment, by the paucity of known Scots vocabulary which can be understood today. In trying to convey an unknown story, subtletie of conflicting religious beliefs and the emotional life of an eventual saint, the play is ambitious. But the play is ultimately hamstrung - not because the Scots is hard to understand but because the vocabulary which can be used is too limited, Edwin Morgan's Phaedra has the same problem. The Scots language teaching in Schools, just beginning to be initiated, will hopefully expand this native tongue back to its long lost breadth. Thenew lived in the Scotland of the Dark Ages, 500 years after the birth of Christ. Margaret McSeveney's first play of a proposed trilogy covers only one summer in her life. It's the summer the 14 year old returns to her pagan father King Lot after being brought up at her uncle King Arthur's court. She has returned with wishes for her future which conflict with both her father's and mother's desires. With New Age style music, atmospheric lighting and encounters with Graine, the Goddess of Creation this play often suggests or tells of metaphysical and religious dimensions rather than enabling us to feel or sense their impact in the play.	Better realised are Tennoch's scenes with Old Thenew, played with wisdom by Eliza Langland. The more natural scenes where we see Tennoch with the two young men, Deni and Ewan are very engaging. James A Tennant is moving as Deni the mute Swineherd communicating so much depth with Tennoch using only his grunts and gestures. Ewan is the suitor her parents want her to take and Sean Kane gives him an attractive playful air which works well in their first encounter as children. Less successful are the scenes where disputes arise, between Tennoch and her parents as well as Ewan. Like toddlers with few words to their command, these scenes too often end histrionically. The play raises a tantalising glimpse to a time and a language we have neglected and near forgot. Directed with skillful use of the Netherbow's interesting spaces by Charles Nowosielski, it ends with a memorable scene where the waters of the Forth take Tennoch off to become Thenew, whose name survives as St Enoch. *The playwright herself says in a programme note that at the time inhabitants of the area we now call the Lothians would have been speaking Old Welsh. © Thelma Good 15 November 2001

Fringe 2000

JOSEF:

The Stage (24 Aug)
Josef

If you make the well trodden journey from the Assembly Rooms to the Pleasance, the chances are you will walk post this modest theatre without noticing it. You would be missing out on this excellent play if you did - it is easily as good as much of the drama in those larger well established venues
The action is set mainly in Scotland during the early eighties, where the elderly character of the title is being cross-examined by two policemen for a seemingly innocuous case of shoplifting. Ross, though unravels a haunting and tightly constructed story that flashes back to Auschwitz and the Second World War 40 years previously.

As Charles Nowosielski's production progresses these two narrative threads reveal related concerns about power, memory and the preservation of historical truths, constantly shifting out of the wider and close-up picture.
It is superbly realised, with solid performances from Jeffrey Daunton, Douglas Russell and David Murray Combining taut interrogation scenes, dream sequences and multimedia visuals this is theatre that maximises the possibilities of its craft.
Andrew Aldridge

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Edinburghguide.com
http://www.edinburghguide.com/
Reviewer Colin Donati
Josef
New Scottish writing on this year's Fringe includes the premiere of 'Josef', an intense and moving new play by Raymond Ross. The time is Scotland in the 1980's and Josef is a Polish émigré resident here since World War 2. We meet him as he is being held for questioning on suspicion of shoplifting, an old man at the local Police Station adamant to maintain his dignity.
The local bobbies are more than ready to write off the incident as a lapse of memory, but for Josef a point of honour seems to be at stake and his obstinacy makes their job difficult. Though he says nothing outwardly, the questioning stirs up more than ordinarily uncomfortable memories and invokes a history completely outside the experience of his Scottish interrogators.
A series of flashback memories and dream sequences take us back through incidents in Josef's life over forty years. We are launched back to the Nazi occupation of Poland and the story of his narrow escape from prison camp. We meet deceased members of his family, including his wife Bridget who, he says, still watches over him.

And we slowly piece together the significance of the story of the attack in his shop in the 1970s that almost left him dead. Why does he refuse all offers to re-open the case? Theatre Alba' s studio production employs archive footage and music which make the full context of issues clear.
The parallelism between present and past stories is subtle and entirely eschews cheap polemics. The impact is not immediate. Allow time for the full resonance of this play to sink in. Its overriding strength is that it hinges first and foremost upon the psychology and dignity of an old man who, against a history of infinite misunderstandings, has preserved to the last a genuine affection and love for life and humanity. As a warm and closely observed portrait of this time of life alone, the play is a great success. But the way in which it eventually shows us how the old 'codger' uses a relatively minor incident towards the end of his life to achieve a deep-seated and appropriate retribution for an enormous weight of injustice, makes it an immensely powerful one.

The Scotsman
Josef
Back to Top

PLAYWRIGHT Raymond Ross is one of many children of Polish-Scottish marriages living in Scotland today. Refugees from Nazi-occupied Poland fled to Scotland in exile and fell in love.
Set in both Poland and Scotland over an epic sweep of time, Ross's two-and-a-half-hour celebration of his father's life is massive and momentous in the way we expect Slavic art to be.
The script moves the Glasgow police force symbolically into the role of Gestapo when Josef is arrested late in life, in widowerhood, for shoplifting.

Jeffrey Daunton's Josef is inspired; he is believable, proud and touching. Director Charles Nowosielski, also of Polish-Scottish heritage, makes the most of the script's potential for the dramatic, using the whole venue space to stage flashbacks of the war and appearances of Josef's dead wife in waking dreams............
Bonnie Lee
Tuesday, 15th August 2000

Lothian Times
Josef

BASED loosely on - or perhaps inspired by - the real-life experiences of author Raymond Ross's. late Polish father, the eponymous Josef takes us through his war-time interrogations and beatings at the hands of the Nazis, his assisted escape to the UK and his later years here as a naturalised British citizen.
It's strong stuff. Josef has been detained by the police and, in his fractured English, is strenuously denying a shoplifting charge. He's subjected to a nice cop/nasty cop interview but the session soon deteriorates into a battle of wills.
But somewhere along the line of questioning we suspect there's a deep secret lurking, a something that goes far beyond the accusation of petty theft. But nobody's telling. Not yet, anyway.
Sadly, Josef's brush with the law serves only to rekindle traumatic, personal memories. Grainy images of concentration camp victims flit across a back projection screen in a never-ending black and white nightmare.

The narrative goes into flashback: families, including his, wiped out. Josef weeps for a once proud nation systematically being ground into dust.
Josef, now hospitalised and back to reality, confides his secret to his young lady doctor. The police - nasty cop in particular- are anxious to close the case, but will the old man blow it wide open again? Forgiveness was never his forte.
Josef, presented by Theatre Alba/MPR and directed by Charles Nowosielski, sees excellent performances from it's cast of six, with Jeffrey Daunton impressive in the title role; likewise Anne Lannan as Mrs. J. ........
by Kerr McKinlay

CHARLES EDWARD STUART: A Prince Without a Realm

The Herald
Charles Edward Stuart

LOCATION, they say, is everything - though still not enough for Theatre Alba it would seem. Not content with the picture-postcard backdrop of Duddingston Loch for their reworking of the Bonnie Prince Charlie story, they throw in some fine performances and an intelligent script taken from the writings of the late Donald Mackenzie.
For those familiar with Scotland's history, it is arguably the most radical of versions under the direction of Charles Nowosielski. Flora Macdonald merits only a passing reference, there are no Highland pursuits, the prince's Bonnie Boat has sped.
There are plenty of bearded men in plaid but this is no battle reconstruction society event either.
Rather, it is a thoughtful study about politics and personalities and the danger in volatile instances of both coming together The first act deals with events up to Culloden, the second, the long years of exile in France:. too many years perhaps - there is a degree of cramming, but John Sampson's gorgeous film-score music makes it both sturdy and stirring.
Robert Thomson

The Scotsman
Charles Edward Stewart:
A Prince Without a Realm
Rating * * * *

SET in Duddingston Kirk's beautifully unmanicured gardens, A Prince Without a Realm is a reworking of the unfinished play by the late Donald Mackenzie.
The first half tells the story of Charles Edward Stewart from his arrival in Scotland to raise the Jacobite standard at Glenfinnan in 1745 to the disastrous Battle of Culloden. The second half tells of his exile in France from 1748 to 1752.
The focus is the Prince's character, seen initially during the march of the Jacobite campaign and, later, against his deteriorating relationship with Clementina Walkinshaw. A thoughtful balance is maintained between the personal and the public, the intimate and the historico-political, so the play does not descend, as many do, into arid, pompous epic.

Charles - portrayed with style and sensitivity by Keith Hutcheon - emerges initially as a man with many virtues, then later as a man in decline.

As always with Theatre Alba, music, in this case specially composed by John Sampson, plays a significant role. There were lumps in many throats at the end, as a little girl planted in the ground a standard bearing the Saltire, and the moon, just on the wane, appeared above the musicians' tent.
Joy Hendry

Tuesday, 22nd August 2000

Edinburghguide.com
Reviewer Colin Donati Back to Top

This open air production takes a broad sweep across the events of the Jacobite rising of the 1740s. The first part carries us from the landing of the Prince and his wooing of Scotland through to Culloden. The script does not make the mistake of shadowing the atmosphere of the moment with the hindsight of the savage post-Culloden oppression. The picture painted is one of optimism and cheer, even almost festival on the eve of the famed march south. There is an intriguing insight into what might have contributed to the decision to abort this march at Derby. Not until we reach Culloden are the protagonists struck by the final recognition of how seriously the tables have been turned.
Similarly the second part does not dwell overly on the well-known horrors, but focusses on the subsequent history of the Prince back in Europe and his entourage of followers.

They continue to live in hope for some eventual realisation of their ideal. This episode traces their gradual disillusionment as the man upon whom all these hopes have been pinned eventually disintegrates in character.
It is an often told and painful story, but this production- by focussing on some of the less familiar aspects without lingering on any one - by virtue of its breezy approach, goes some way towards making it seem fresh. The outdoor setting adds to the spirit. Make sure you dress warm. Hot tea and biscuits are available at the interval. All in all, an atmospheric and entertaining couple of hours.

Edinburgh International Festival Fringe '99

The Scotsman:
The Thrie Sisters* * * * *
by Anton Chekhov
(translated into Scots by David Purves)
Three Sisters doing it for themselves
Life is breaking down fast for the three sisters and in this
gorgeous Theatre Alba production the actors make you feel the pain. Moving up and down a long and beautifully realised country house in pre-Revolutionary Russia, the women embody the frustration of the soon-to-be powerless. Anne Lannan's
Olga sways and bends, pleading for stability while Corinne Harris's Masha rages and grabs for love and Lucinda Baillie's Irena creates an intense stillness in the centre.
Their dream of a life in Moscow is fading just, as their country life is becoming a nightmare.
Their weak willed, brother has brought in a strong-minded wife and, like a vengeful efficiency expert she is cleaning house.

This is vintage Chekhov; it even sounds Russian.It isn't, b ut David Purves's lyrical translation into old Scottish sounds foreign even to a Scot. And moving the action down the length of the cavernous old hall doesn't help. But pouring new wine into old bottles is Theatre Alba's mission and the acoustic problems keep audiences focused, like a silent film , on what the actors do rather than what they say.
Fortunately the cast is so physically expressive that it wouldn't matter too much if were all in Sanskrit And they make it impossible not to become involved in lives where everything is about to change and nothing will ever be as it was.
Lee Brady

Shakespeare at the Sheraton* * * *
It seems impossible to think of Shakespeare extracts contextualising themselves in an American hotel lounge, and it is as yet doubtful if anyone except a Polish Scot could make it work, but Charles Nowosielski of Theatre Alba most emphatically provides premier service. The rapid-fire changes of part amid the chandeliers and coffee tables may occasionally leave the audience in dizzy fear that Lady Macbeth will spike the next. drink or Katharine the Shrew present the bill, all the more since both of them are devastatingly believable.
A highly professional Shylock discusses business with an offensive Antonio and lounge lizard Bassanio, whose provocations lead him

thrillingly to raise his voice only to be shushed from an indignant next table. The three witches clink glasses with a bloodcurdling gentility which leads one to hope that Theatre Alba will some day produce a Morningside Macbeth. Rosalind adds a slight hotel-page touch to authoritative reprimands of Phoebe's scamperings from Sylvius. Paulina denouncing Leontes for his cruelty to his wife seems to defy him to fire her as manageress. ......it is surely the best hotel fare anyone can hope to find at this Festival

Owen Dudley Edwards

Tamlane * * * *
by Edwin Stiven

Duddingston Kirk Garden

There are sprites in the twisted branches of Duddingston Manse garden's magnificent old conifer and they're coming for Tamlane,
the young man who has killed the white stag. Seven years TAMLANE will suffer in thrall to the queen of the fairy folk, and only true love can save him ... The lochside garden may be the coldest theatre in Edinburgh, but it is also becoming one of the more certain guarantees of Fringe quality in the hands of Charles Nowosielski's Theatre Alba. Anyone who enjoyed last year's magical The Shepherd Beguiled will find much that is familiar here: the conflict between the Church and a fairy world complete with child spirits in elfin rags,

the battle for a captured soul, humour, physical energy and spoken Scots, and a musical accompaniment which punctuates and explains, to traditional Scottish melodies.

Tamlane was the play which launched Theatre Alba on the Fringe 18 years ago, and Eddie Stiven's text is deftly structured, full of spiky touches and a wholehearted emotional fire which builds to a stirring climax. it is delightfully served by a cast which rises to its challenges without reservation, and Irene Allan and Sean Kane are particularly impressive as the young lovers. Recommended to anyone with an extra jumper.

Ninian Dunnett

Read Edwin Stiven's nostalgic account of the first production of Tamlane in 1981. Click Here

Edinburgh International Festival Fringe '98 -ReviewsWallace's Women

The List -13th August 1998

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The Scotsman -18th August 1998

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Thirteenth Century hero, Protector of Scotland, William Wallace was a real ladies man. The first night of Theatre Alba's latest new production brings a deservedly full house. The play - which proves that behind every good man there's at least one great woman - is a dynamic masterpiece of Scottish Theatre, simultaneously tragic, comic and downright dirty.
The cast is undeniably strong, with Sarah Gudgeon's portrayal of Marion Bradefute particularly of note. Renowned maverick Charles Nowosielski directs, bringing cleverly constructed pagan ritual and romance to the contemporary stage.

Wallace's Women: even those uninspired by Braveheart will be examining their ancestry in search of Scottish roots

Nicky Agate

East Lothian News

Wallace's Women- and a broad and bawdy lot they are- spirit us back to a 13th century Scotland where Sir William is the country's uncrowned king and national hero.
Written in Lanarkshire Scots by Margaret McSeveney and Elizabeth Roberts, a group of women recall their personal memories of Wallace as they prepare his bride~to~be Marion Braidfute for her coming nuptials.
Pre~wedding superstitions hopes and fears run high (albeit lightened by some X-certificate horseplay with an enormously crude rag doll) and the earthy accents take a bit of getting used to at first
But this is a haunting highly dramatic and meaty piece of Scots theatre. Director Charlie Nowosielski elicits strong performances all round. Alan Little's lighting adds a splendidly creepy feel to the proceedings and Sarah Gudgeon (High Roads Kitty McIvor) excels as Wallace's
intended.....

Three Weeks

This production is reminiscent of The Bondagers, in that it deals with women's concerns in a mystical, surrealistic way. Scottish tradition and history are both brought beautifully to life in this piece. It presents clearly the meaningful and touching range of the emotions of women who loved and respected the guardian angel of Scotland.

The cast is uniformly good, and the script is both sensitive and poetic as it displays the lives of women from a far-off time. The mood and setting of this piece are well handled to produce a saga of Celtic ritual, romance and tragedy that is not to be missed.

"As a woman I have no country" Virginia Woolf once said, ruminating on nationalism. While Woolf would have been terrified by this production - women speak in earthy Scots banter, swear, drink strange potions and indulge in pagan rituals - her words could easily serve as a prologue to the show.
It's a case of Braveheart meets Girl Power. Symbolic female figures (mother, lover, healer, stranger, nun) surround the women in William Wallace's life: Lady Wallace, his bride Marion and his baby daughter. But this is no dry history lesson.
Facing adversity with courage, sauciness and resourcefulness, these women bring history to life in ways the official versions never do.
Best of all are the excellent performances. The small cast work brilliantly together to produce real emotion and great humour throughout. It's a mix of "Spice World" and "The Steamie" against unimaginable hardship, brought home as Marion cries "where are all the men?" at the play's climax. There's some fabulous writing too. The Beltaine festivities are near farce, as the women fail to find a virgin in the entire village ("well, there's a war on") and Marion dances with her priapic, hessian-sack May King.
"Wallace's Women" is a delight both for individual lines ("Magic mushrooms, Mother Superior?") and for it's glorious feisty spirit.

Elisabeth Mahoney

The Stage

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William Wallace, the 13th century defender of Scottish liberty famed in Braveheart, is given fresh perspectives in this strongly patriotic play by Margaret McSeveney and Elizabeth Roberts.

The action focuses on the life and prophetic visions of Marion Bradefute of Lamington, reputedly his wife. In an atmosphere heavy with Celtic mysticism four female spirits of ancient Scotland visit her, revealing her calling lies not within convent walls but as the wife of one destined to be a national hero.
Crowned May Queen in a bawdy pagan ceremony and ritually wed to the Rag Man. In premonition she sees his lifeless figure as the corpse of Wallace, gruesomely executed by King Edward of England. The figure of Wallace never appears, yet is a brooding presence.

Theatre Alba's all female cast excels in this vivid production characterised by rapid mood changes, as rumbustious comedy and lively movement give way suddenly to echoes of heroism or visions of tragedy in cinematic style. Sarah Gudgeon strikes just the right note as a happy yet apprehensive Marion

Brian G. Cooper

Press Quotes about Theatre Alba's work:

It is the stuff of which theatrical legends are made ....a significant addition to Scotland's cultural heritage..... the visionary end as uplifting and emotional an experience as you're ever likely to encounter in a theatre. THE STAGE	rich in lyrical beauty, thought and emotion....there are moments of extraordinary and overwhelming sublimity THE EVENING NEWS
the power, grace and moving spirituality....building into a final scene of such uplifting eloquence and fierce free feeling that one leaves the theatre rallied to the cause of truth, beauty and pure theatre. GLASGOW HERALD	it sends shivers up your spine, it opens your ears to the grace and elegance of the old Scots tongue, your eyes to the infinite mysteries of the world and it sends you out of the theatre as if you were walking on air....above all it's a triumph for Scottish theatre THE SCOTSMAN
stunning visual and musical imagery THE GUARDIAN	the effect is to make me want to see it again and again because I admire and enjoy its vitality, its inventiveness and its easy natural treatment of the colourful but accessible Scots GLASGOW HERALD

Press Quotes from Theatre Alba's Edinburgh Festival Fringe 1998 reviews.........

"Wallace's Women - even those uninspired by Braveheart will be examining their ancestry in search of Scottish roots.........The first night of Theatre Alba's latest new production brings a deservedly full house. The play - which proves that behind every good man there's at least one great woman - is a dynamic masterpiece of Scottish Theatre.." The List	".......this is no dry history lesson. Facing adversity with courage, sauciness and resourcefulness, these women bring history to life in ways the official versions never do. Best of all are the excellent performances. The small cast work brilliantly together to produce real emotion and great humour throughout.......There's some fabulous writing too." *The Scotsman*
"Theatre Alba's all female cast excels in this vivid production characterised by rapid mood changes, as rumbustious comedy and lively movement give way suddenly to echoes of heroism or visions of tragedy in cinematic style. "TheStage	"Scottish tradition and history are both brought beautifully to life in this piece................ The mood and setting .......are well handled to produce a saga of Celtic ritual, romance and tragedy that is not to be missed." *Three Weeks*

".Pre-wedding superstitions hopes and fears run high (albeit lightened by some X-certificate horseplay with an enormously crude rag doll ) and the earthy accents take a bit of getting used to at first.
But this is a haunting highly dramatic and meaty piece of Scots theatre. Director Charlie Nowosielski elicits strong performances all round."
East Lothian News

Actors' Biographies

*The Stage* (24 Aug) Josef
If you make the well trodden journey from the Assembly Rooms to the Pleasance, the chances are you will walk post this modest theatre without noticing it. You would be missing out on this excellent play if you did - it is easily as good as much of the drama in those larger well established venues The action is set mainly in Scotland during the early eighties, where the elderly character of the title is being cross-examined by two policemen for a seemingly innocuous case of shoplifting. Ross, though unravels a haunting and tightly constructed story that flashes back to Auschwitz and the Second World War 40 years previously.	As Charles Nowosielski's production progresses these two narrative threads reveal related concerns about power, memory and the preservation of historical truths, constantly shifting out of the wider and close-up picture. It is superbly realised, with solid performances from Jeffrey Daunton, Douglas Russell and David Murray Combining taut interrogation scenes, dream sequences and multimedia visuals this is theatre that maximises the possibilities of its craft. Andrew Aldridge
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*Edinburghguide.com* http://www.edinburghguide.com/ Reviewer Colin Donati Josef New Scottish writing on this year's Fringe includes the premiere of 'Josef', an intense and moving new play by Raymond Ross. The time is Scotland in the 1980's and Josef is a Polish émigré resident here since World War 2. We meet him as he is being held for questioning on suspicion of shoplifting, an old man at the local Police Station adamant to maintain his dignity. The local bobbies are more than ready to write off the incident as a lapse of memory, but for Josef a point of honour seems to be at stake and his obstinacy makes their job difficult. Though he says nothing outwardly, the questioning stirs up more than ordinarily uncomfortable memories and invokes a history completely outside the experience of his Scottish interrogators. A series of flashback memories and dream sequences take us back through incidents in Josef's life over forty years. We are launched back to the Nazi occupation of Poland and the story of his narrow escape from prison camp. We meet deceased members of his family, including his wife Bridget who, he says, still watches over him.	And we slowly piece together the significance of the story of the attack in his shop in the 1970s that almost left him dead. Why does he refuse all offers to re-open the case? Theatre Alba' s studio production employs archive footage and music which make the full context of issues clear. The parallelism between present and past stories is subtle and entirely eschews cheap polemics. The impact is not immediate. Allow time for the full resonance of this play to sink in. Its overriding strength is that it hinges first and foremost upon the psychology and dignity of an old man who, against a history of infinite misunderstandings, has preserved to the last a genuine affection and love for life and humanity. As a warm and closely observed portrait of this time of life alone, the play is a great success. But the way in which it eventually shows us how the old 'codger' uses a relatively minor incident towards the end of his life to achieve a deep-seated and appropriate retribution for an enormous weight of injustice, makes it an immensely powerful one.
*The Scotsman* Josef	Back to Top
PLAYWRIGHT Raymond Ross is one of many children of Polish-Scottish marriages living in Scotland today. Refugees from Nazi-occupied Poland fled to Scotland in exile and fell in love. Set in both Poland and Scotland over an epic sweep of time, Ross's two-and-a-half-hour celebration of his father's life is massive and momentous in the way we expect Slavic art to be. The script moves the Glasgow police force symbolically into the role of Gestapo when Josef is arrested late in life, in widowerhood, for shoplifting.	Jeffrey Daunton's Josef is inspired; he is believable, proud and touching. Director Charles Nowosielski, also of Polish-Scottish heritage, makes the most of the script's potential for the dramatic, using the whole venue space to stage flashbacks of the war and appearances of Josef's dead wife in waking dreams............ Bonnie Lee Tuesday, 15th August 2000
*Lothian Times* Josef
BASED loosely on - or perhaps inspired by - the real-life experiences of author Raymond Ross's. late Polish father, the eponymous Josef takes us through his war-time interrogations and beatings at the hands of the Nazis, his assisted escape to the UK and his later years here as a naturalised British citizen. It's strong stuff. Josef has been detained by the police and, in his fractured English, is strenuously denying a shoplifting charge. He's subjected to a nice cop/nasty cop interview but the session soon deteriorates into a battle of wills. But somewhere along the line of questioning we suspect there's a deep secret lurking, a something that goes far beyond the accusation of petty theft. But nobody's telling. Not yet, anyway. Sadly, Josef's brush with the law serves only to rekindle traumatic, personal memories. Grainy images of concentration camp victims flit across a back projection screen in a never-ending black and white nightmare.	The narrative goes into flashback: families, including his, wiped out. Josef weeps for a once proud nation systematically being ground into dust. Josef, now hospitalised and back to reality, confides his secret to his young lady doctor. The police - nasty cop in particular- are anxious to close the case, but will the old man blow it wide open again? Forgiveness was never his forte. Josef, presented by Theatre Alba/MPR and directed by Charles Nowosielski, sees excellent performances from it's cast of six, with Jeffrey Daunton impressive in the title role; likewise Anne Lannan as Mrs. J. ........ by Kerr McKinlay

*The Herald* Charles Edward Stuart
LOCATION, they say, is everything - though still not enough for Theatre Alba it would seem. Not content with the picture-postcard backdrop of Duddingston Loch for their reworking of the Bonnie Prince Charlie story, they throw in some fine performances and an intelligent script taken from the writings of the late Donald Mackenzie. For those familiar with Scotland's history, it is arguably the most radical of versions under the direction of Charles Nowosielski. Flora Macdonald merits only a passing reference, there are no Highland pursuits, the prince's Bonnie Boat has sped.	There are plenty of bearded men in plaid but this is no battle reconstruction society event either. Rather, it is a thoughtful study about politics and personalities and the danger in volatile instances of both coming together The first act deals with events up to Culloden, the second, the long years of exile in France:. too many years perhaps - there is a degree of cramming, but John Sampson's gorgeous film-score music makes it both sturdy and stirring. Robert Thomson
*The Scotsman* Charles Edward Stewart: A Prince Without a Realm Rating *** * * ***
SET in Duddingston Kirk's beautifully unmanicured gardens, A Prince Without a Realm is a reworking of the unfinished play by the late Donald Mackenzie. The first half tells the story of Charles Edward Stewart from his arrival in Scotland to raise the Jacobite standard at Glenfinnan in 1745 to the disastrous Battle of Culloden. The second half tells of his exile in France from 1748 to 1752. The focus is the Prince's character, seen initially during the march of the Jacobite campaign and, later, against his deteriorating relationship with Clementina Walkinshaw. A thoughtful balance is maintained between the personal and the public, the intimate and the historico-political, so the play does not descend, as many do, into arid, pompous epic.	Charles - portrayed with style and sensitivity by Keith Hutcheon - emerges initially as a man with many virtues, then later as a man in decline. As always with Theatre Alba, music, in this case specially composed by John Sampson, plays a significant role. There were lumps in many throats at the end, as a little girl planted in the ground a standard bearing the Saltire, and the moon, just on the wane, appeared above the musicians' tent. Joy Hendry Tuesday, 22nd August 2000
*Edinburghguide.com* Reviewer Colin Donati	Back to Top
This open air production takes a broad sweep across the events of the Jacobite rising of the 1740s. The first part carries us from the landing of the Prince and his wooing of Scotland through to Culloden. The script does not make the mistake of shadowing the atmosphere of the moment with the hindsight of the savage post-Culloden oppression. The picture painted is one of optimism and cheer, even almost festival on the eve of the famed march south. There is an intriguing insight into what might have contributed to the decision to abort this march at Derby. Not until we reach Culloden are the protagonists struck by the final recognition of how seriously the tables have been turned. Similarly the second part does not dwell overly on the well-known horrors, but focusses on the subsequent history of the Prince back in Europe and his entourage of followers.	They continue to live in hope for some eventual realisation of their ideal. This episode traces their gradual disillusionment as the man upon whom all these hopes have been pinned eventually disintegrates in character. It is an often told and painful story, but this production- by focussing on some of the less familiar aspects without lingering on any one - by virtue of its breezy approach, goes some way towards making it seem fresh. The outdoor setting adds to the spirit. Make sure you dress warm. Hot tea and biscuits are available at the interval. All in all, an atmospheric and entertaining couple of hours.