McGrotty and Ludmilla

‘McGrotty and Ludmilla’

by Alasdair Gray

Directed by Gregor Shanks

The Roxy Art House, Edinburgh   22 – 24 July 2010

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ABOUT THE PLAY

Loosely based on the Aladdin story, ‘McGrotty and Ludmilla’ follows the adventures of the uncouth and unpolished young Scot Mungo McGrotty amongst the Machiavellian civil service mandarins of Thatcher’s Whitehall. His career is slowly going nowhere until McGrotty is seduced into a scheme to steal the mysterious and deadly Harbinger report. Will he beat the villainous Sir Arthur Shots at his own game? And can he win the heart of the ruthlessly posh Ludmilla along the way?

CAST

Mungo McGrotty – MARCO BIAGI

Ludmilla – CLAIRE BENNETT

Sir Arthur Shots – SIMON EILBECK

The Minister – FRANCES TIGAR

Club Servant / Servant / Waitress – AUDREY GRAY

Mrs Bee / Miss Kay – GILLIAN MASSIE

Miss Panther – CLAIRE HALL

Charlie Gold – TONI GIUGLIANO

Aubrey Rose / Harbinger / American Artist / Welsh MP – GREG HOLSTEAD

Nice Old Lady – MARY BLACKFORD

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PRODUCTION STAFF

Producer / Costumes and Props – MARY BLACKFORD

Production Coordination / Sales, Press and Publicity – SIMONE THORN

Stage Manager / Lighting Operator – NIGEL JARVIS

Backdrop Painting, Design and Construction – JO MARSHALL

Set Design, Painting and Construction – GREGOR SHANKS, HEIDI RILEY &

NIGEL JARVIS

Additional Carpentry – MURRAY SHANKS

Assistant Director / SFX – JONATHAN HUME

Assistant Director – JENNIFER ADAM

Lighting / Set Construction Consultant – HEIDI RILEY

Stage Crew – HAZEL DEMPSTER

Stage Crew – DAVE MCFARLANE

Production Assistance – GRIT WESSER

Treasurer – CLAIRE BENNETT

Poster and Original Artwork – ALASDAIR GRAY

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PRESS

“The whole performance was entertaining and absorbing… Biagi was completely in character from the start… Giugliano and Tigar were both comic, convincing and well captured… [In Eilbeck] we could have another John Cleese… ‘daft and enjoyable’…” (Edinburgh Guide) * * * *

“…this is strong, funny political satire… Eilbeck is generally excellent as Shots… eludes an air of malevolence… Claire Hall [delivers the] knock-out performance of the evening… note perfect. …Claire Bennett brings all the sneering arrogance of the upper classes to Ludmilla… dynamic.” (Evening News) * * *

“Biagi in his first role for the company was particularly impressive… he got the balance of arrogance and insecurity just right… Simon Eilbeck… had great fun in his Terry Thomas like role and Claire Bennett was the perfect, ambitious Sloane as Ludmilla… an enjoyable piece of theatre.” (TV Bomb) * * *

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GALLERY

© 2010 A Gray