Thursday, February 19

Tag: David Hayman

Animated Scottish Shorts – Edinburgh Filmhouse
Scotland

Animated Scottish Shorts – Edinburgh Filmhouse

The richness and creativity of Scottish animation is showcased in this selection of ten short films, shown as part of the Manipulate Festival. Here are some of my favourites: The stop-motion world of Distance to the Moon, by Sacha Kyle and Victoria Watson, is full of texture and graceful movement, as its determined protagonist embarks on an epic journey. There’s peril, beauty and friendship, and plenty of surprises. Fairground Fever, by Linda Hughes, is colourful and nostalgic. A young woman visits a fairground with her friends. She enters a visually thrilling, swirling world of wonder and excitement. Painted in acrylics, the animation delights with movement and joy. Creche and Burn, by Frank O’Neil, is told from the perspective of a child. Zombies are on the rampage, and hero...
Death of a Salesman – The Lowry
North West

Death of a Salesman – The Lowry

Despite Arthur Miller’s classic play Death of a Salesman first debuting on stage over 75 years ago, this Trafalgar Theatre and Raw Material production at The Lowry helps to demonstrate how the themes of the piece still resonate with a modern audience. This slick interpretation boasts a stellar cast, combined with effective staging, light production and set design resulted in audiences being transported to 1940s Brooklyn.   Our story focussed on the Loman family, led by patriarch Willie who is expertly portrayed by David Hayman as the titular salesman. David Hayman expertly traverses this complex role and when combined with Andy Arnold’s meticulous direction and staging, creates a seamless demonstration of a deteriorating man. The piece presents Willie as a character of duality, wit...
Cyprus Avenue – Glasgow Pavilion
Scotland

Cyprus Avenue – Glasgow Pavilion

Eric’s greatest fear is losing his identity as an Ulster Unionist. The world has changed since his youth during the Troubles, but he can’t move on. When Eric (David Hayman) suffers a mental health crisis, this fear affects his whole family. Eric is convinced that his newborn granddaughter is, in fact, the former Sinn Fein leader, Gerry Adams. No, she doesn’t have a beard, but apart from that, she looks just like him. However, nobody else can see the resemblance. Eric holds some unpalatable views. His sectarian statements and language are shocking, bringing gasps of horror from the audience. Glaswegians are familiar with sectarianism. The play is also very funny. Every performance in this play was superb, and Hayman is extraordinary. This character says and does awful things, b...