ED2011 2/5 Reviews ED2011 Theatre Reviews

Still Life Dreaming (A Spare Tyre / Wellcome Trust Co-production)

By | Published on Wednesday 31 August 2011

More a dramatic history lesson than a play, ‘Still Life Dreaming’s material is stronger than its production, as it tells the story of the Lothian Cohort (the children born in 1936 who took Scotland’s national intelligence test) and how the test came to be. We’re taught of Carnegie, Thompson, and Wellcome, all of whom were involved in the test’s conception – this was either directly, as in Thompson’s case or, in the case of Carnegie and Wellcome, through their philanthropic institutions. Dealt with in a school play-like manner to show the disparity between mental and physical age, the show is weakened by the generally poor performances – lines are forgotten or delivered in mumbles and shouts, resulting in an interesting – but not entertaining – hour.

Pleasance Courtyard, 15 – 19 Aug, 1.00pm (2.10pm), £5.00, fpp300.
tw rating 2/5
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