We’ll Always Have the Pleasance
Casablanca: the Gin Joint Cut pauses before Paris
Gavin Mitchell and Clare Waugh. Photo © John Johnston
By Thom Dibdin
Classic fringe hit and product of the Oran Mor play factory, Casablanca: the Gin Joint Cut, returns to Edinburgh for one performance only this Sunday.
The play is off to Paris for a ten-night stint at the Théâtre Déjazet, on the request of Jim Haynes, co-founder of the Traverse and its former Artistic Director.
The production is a stunning and loving homage to the classic black and white movie from writer and director Morag Fullarton – presented in full and glorious colour by Gavin Mitchell, Clare Waugh and Barnaby Power.
Using a play-within-a-play structure, the show first establishes the rules of engagement – smoking on screen and all – before whisking back to the deserts of Casablanca, 1941, where the Nazi take-over of Europe is well underway.
Gavin Mitchell plays Bogart playing American Rick Blaine, and several suave introductory characters too. Clare Waugh is a sensual Bergman playing Ilsa and a dastardly Major Strasser. Barnaby Power takes over the role created by Paul Henreid (and played by Jimmy Chisholm at the 2011 Fringe) of just about everyone else.
Writing of the 2011 production, Æ said: “Quick-fire changes of costume, of pace and of idea are all there. The tear-jerk moments work and even the smoking on stage is finessed with panache. A must-see show which should be on everyone’s list.”
Listings Information
Casablanca: the Gin Joint Cut
Running Time: 60 minutes
Sunday 13th April 2014, 4.45pm
The Pleasance Theatre, Edinburgh, 60 Pleasance, EH8 9TJ
Tickets: £7.50 from 0131 650 2656
Online: http://bit.ly/1hbBcdN
Thursday 17th April – Saturday 26th April
Théâtre Déjazet, 41 Boulevard du Temple, 75003 Paris, France
Tickets: €27.50 to €33.00 from +33 1 48 87 52 55
Online: http://bit.ly/1lFI9IM
ENDS
