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Tron Theatre, Glasgow

Four Stars


Pity poor Pauline, the wannabe nightclub singer with a complicated love life in this increasingly dark comedy written and directed by Catriona MacLeod. Here is a woman who feels all washed up, with only her state of art washing machine for company, but who over the next hour will hangout her dirty laundry for all to see. As for her SUPERMAX3000 – or just Max, if you will - mechanical patter soon turns to soft soap soothing before Pauline ends up in even more hot water than she bargained for. 

French fancies and fabric softener coloured shots act as sweeteners on entry to the latest in Vanishing Point Theatre Company’s series of ‘Unplugged’ small-scale shows designed for easy touring. Co-produced with Mull based arts centre An Tobar and Mull Theatre, MacLeod’s play initially looks like a stand-up inspired extended sketch ideal for the show’s cabaret table set up. 

 

In fact, Vanishing Point’s current associate director uses a classic speculative fiction style scenario to imagine what might happen when increasingly sophisticated hi-tech accessories develop more human attributes and go rogue. MacLeod’s exploration of one woman’s twilight zone loneliness amidst her automaton like existence is offset by the increasingly troubling emotional stance of Max. At the centre of all this, a monumental looking shiny beast with a psychedelic spin cycle is brought to life by designer Kenneth MacLeod.

As Pauline, Louise Haggerty flits between light and shade with a deceptive brio that soon gets behind the layers she wears like a vintage dress. Max is personified by Andrew Keay with an effete stiffness that at times recalls The Big Bang Theory’s Sheldon Cooper before things take a space invader turn. Whatever happens next in this sparky sitcom in waiting, it will all come out in the wash.


The Herald, March 24th 2023

 

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