Paines Plough was founded in 1974 over a pint of Paines bitter and is now the national theatre of new plays, so on both counts its involvement with the Traverse Theatre, Scotland’s theatre of new writing, and withÒran Mór’s A Play, A Pie and A Pint,is highly appropriate.
This is the second play in the new 5-week Autumn season of A Play, A Pie and A Pint, the now 7 year old institution that showcases world premiere plays, touring the first 3 plays to four cities– Glasgow, Edinburgh, Coventry and, for the first time, Manchester.
Some years ago, I saw a young couple walking together along a city street, each talking on their mobile. I recall thinking that I sincerely hoped they weren’t on a call to each other! Who knows? These days, anything is possible both technologically and socially.
The title of David Watson’s new play You Cannot Go Forward From Where You Are Right Now is apparently a message given on an electronic device. The play shows in its form, dialogue and message the cacophony that is modern living.
Opening with the loud, in your face adverts that is commercial radio, we find ourselves in a Garry and Gaz’s studio for their phone in about lunchtime drinking, convincingly performed all round.
The three black clad actors, shift easily from being these radio presenters to being sat-nav voices, hands-on hospital workers and a father and daughter trying to reach each other across generations.
This is life as radio play. There is a mesh of talk, the constant cackle of airwave noise from one technological instrument or another but no real communication. Nobody is really saying anything – with the odd exception, of course, but you’ll have to see this funny, intelligent and observant play to find out who it is.
Event: Tues 18- Sat 22 October (1pm)
The remaining plays in this season will be either Eternal Source of Light or Juicy Fruits (Tues 25- Sat 29 Oct), God Bless Liz Lochhead (Tues 1 – Sat 5 Nov), Watching the Detective (Tues 8 – Sat 12Nov), all at 1pm.
All Tickets are £12 and include a play, a pie and a drink from the Traverse Theatre bar café.