Arkle opened 2002 with a stunning production of Liz Lochead's Medea, directed by Carole Owen, with Carol Davidson in the lead role. The play deals with the revenge wreaked by an older wife when her husband and king spurns her for a younger woman on political grounds. This Greek tragedy was performed to highly appreciative audiences in Edinburgh and Melrose.
For the Fringe we produced 3 shows.
Conversations
with my Agent, by former Cheers writer Rob Long, dealt with the surreal
world of getting a TV show written, produced and on-air in Hollywood.
John Lally took the lead, with interjections by Caroline Bel-Emi as The
Agent. Dick Godden gave a tour de force as all of the other characters,
some 27 of them!
Phil Barnes then reprised Stephen Dinsdale's monologue 'Anorak of Fire', first performed by him for Arkle in 2001.
This one act play is the life of trainspotter extraordinaire Gus Gascoigne. The ultimate anorak, Gus lives for trainspotting with hilarious results. This witty, observant play produces in turn moments of manic humour and touching sadness. It
was directed by Kate Grimes.
Following this we performed "Dancing at Lughnasa" by Brian Friel, direction by Alan Jeffries. This lyrical play deals with 4 sisters coming to terms with the decline of their traditional Irish village and way of life in the 1920s.