The Write Night @ Lass O'Gowrie, 03.12.13

A night of mixed feelings at the Lass O’Gowrie: excitement, as Ransack Theatre production The Write Night made its debut. Sadness, as it is likely to be the last production this reviewer sees at the Lass before it closes. But let’s stick with the fun stuff first and talk about The Write Night, which showcased three short plays covering a wide range of material.

Although titled ‘Write Night’ the first play Boot Sale by Alastair Michael was actually more about the actors and directing than the writing per-se. An exercise in nervous uncertainty, Mike (played by James Warburton) proved just how much can be said without words. In fact, the biggest laughs came from mistakes – props falling over, tea being spilt – which were reacted to with a mixture of cheerful grimaces, flinches and frowns. An easy opener, not too serious but not too silly either.

The happiness was short lived though as the arrival of Box, written by Piers Black-Hawkins, took the night into a darker dimension. The unopened box on stage provided tension throughout as a sort of Chekhovian gun, while actors Luci Fish and Hal Geller were charming and chilling respectively. As to the writing, although the story worked well it felt like there were too many deeply descriptive passages which subtracted from the realism. The poetic parts were well done, but perhaps could have been used a touch more sparingly.

Final piece Enveloped In Velvet (also by Black-Hawkins) was something different altogether, documenting a funeral in fragmentary fashion through the accounts of those involved: the best friend, the former girlfriend, the deceased and (oddly enough) the dentist. Hard to pin down, it seemed to veer from taking itself too seriously to making fun of that very fact. An enjoyable piece, the structure worked well and the directing brought the best out of it.

So, a warm welcome to The Write Night, which will hopefully return with further interesting plays in the near future. Alas, it will most likely not be back at the Lass. Since moving to Manchester a year and a half ago I have seen perhaps a dozen productions there, from football games to romantic romps, all of which have benefited from its cramped charm. Goodbye to the Lass...your pints of bitter, interesting plays and snug space will be greatly missed.

Words: Andrew Anderson

The Best @ Lass O’ Gowrie, 12.03.13

George Best was one of the most brilliant sportsmen of his era, a man possessed of natural talents coupled to good looks and charm. He was the first celebrity athlete, in the sense that his fame eventually had nothing to do with the game that he played, and everything to do with his personality and lifestyle. He was a storybook hero, a boy from the streets of Belfast made good, beating the rest of the world and getting the girl(s). But, like so many heroes, he had an Achilles heel. Best's was drink.



'The Best' is a lost script by writer Jack Rosenthal that was recently discovered in the archives, and has now been adapted for the stage by Ian Winterton. The play follows George Best through the twilight years of his career, once the glory was over and he was merely a journeyman footballer. It deals with many complicated issues, but all of them have a common source: self destruction through drinking. The question that the play grapples with is why; why would a man who has it all need to drink?

The subject is tackled through group interrogation while Best is trying to dry out in an American clinic. His fellow patients shout, swear and berate him, always asking him why: why would you hurt your wife? Why are you throwing your talents away? Why can't you be happy? Of course, there are no simple answers, and if there is one thing I took away from 'The Best' it is that addiction has many parents. No one thing causes someone to drink, and no one thing can cure them.



Benjamin Patterson as George Best was presented with a difficult task; to be charming, troubled and somewhat of a bastard all in just over an hour. He succeeded admirably, managing to portray red-eyed bleariness, raging self hatred and impish charm. Charlotte Dalton, as the long-suffering Mrs Best, was certainly believable, if not quite as engaging as Patterson. The cast as a whole was strong, with a notable comic performance coming from Sinead Parker as Best's mother. Even the difficult issue of the cast performing much of the play in American accents did not prove a problem; never jarring, if not quite hitting every note.

The set was simple, with white walls invoking a changing room and a clinic. You could almost smell the disinfectant, mixed with the sweat of a used football shirt. The compact nature of the Lass O' Gowrie was perfect for representing the claustrophobia of a rehab clinic, the pressure of being hunted by the paparazzi and the shuttered world of an addict. The direction never got in the way of the story, allowing the dialogue – and there is a lot of dialogue in 'The Best' – to be heard. A few flourishes, such as repeated crowd chanting of “Georgie”, by the entire cast, strobe-lighting that imitated flash-bulbs and a projection of the real George Best scoring a goal, added to the immersive quality of the play.



For a script written almost thirty years ago, the issues dealt with in 'The Best' are surprisingly modern. Sportspeople, particularly footballers, are now personalities first and athletes second, and George Best was the first of their breed. Private lives have become public, with dozens of magazines and TV channels devoted to tracking the every move of ‘celebs’. 'The Best' asks the question: why did George Best drink?, but it ends up revealing something more disturbing. With that much adulation, that much pressure and that much temptation, drinking yourself to death suddenly seems like a reasonable response. Don't be surprised to see 'The Best' touring soon as it is very strong play, well performed, with effective staging and direction.

Words: Andrew Anderson.
Posters: Anthony Dry.
Photo: Simon Lee.

Preview: Mid Winter Lass Fest 2012

The Lass O'Gowrie on Charles Street (just off Oxford Road) is one of the finest pubs in the city (if not the finest). It serves fine food, excellent beer and there is comic book artwork on the walls. It mixes retro nostalgia and traditional boozer vibes to create something unique that offers something for everyone.

This ethos runs through their often varied and exciting entertainments. Currently ongoing is their Mid Winter Lass Fest that runs until the end of January. There is theatre, comedy, retro gaming, live music and beer tasting with Men Behaving Badly star and home brewer Neil Morrissey.

Theatre-wise things kick off with a sci-fi theme with an adaptation of Alan Moore's feminist space opera Halo Jones and for Doctor Who fans (or indeed fans of intensely scripted and stunningly performed live action terror) Russell T Davies' Midnight using the original script and approved by the author.

Mid January sees the start of a mini Jack Rosenthal season featuring some of his classic Coronation Street scripts (some performed in the bar) and his long lost Play For Today Hot Fat, a fable that still resonates today and has an excellent cast*.

*Okay, full disclosure, I'm in that one.

Towards the end of the month there is a smorgasbord of theatrical premieres: Conor McPherson's The Weir, Rebekkah Harrison's We Took That and Partied and Thinking Out Loud as well as Carly Tarret's one woman show Sinful. Also, for two nights only the return of Brian Gorman's one man bio-play of Patrick Magoohan's life, Everyman, told as if an episode of cult TV classic The Prisoner.

Other highlights include Let's See What Happens, improvised comedy from ComedySportz, Manchester's premier improv troupe, character comedy from the ever charming Danny Pensive and Chap Hop from that most excellent of fellows Mr B The Gentleman Rhymer.

Also, did I mention the beer tasting? The retro gaming? The live stand up and sketch shows from some of Manchester's finest comedians? Not to mention all of the other events too numerous to, err, mention?

Tickets are available on the door or via WeGotTickes by searching for the Lass O' Gowrie or following the links over at their website. NB: capacity is limited and so are the tickets. Don't miss out.

Something evident in the Lass O' Gowrie is the love and dedication put into these events by its managers Gareth Kavanagh and Lisa Connor. They work tirelessly to pull everything together and provide a space for performers of all varieties of entertainment.

There is a growing fringe theatre scene and the Lass O' Gowrie is one of its most important venues, providing a stage for new writing as well as in house productions and revivals of classic scripts. 2012 is going to be a big year for them and they've started it in style.

Words: Sean Mason