YES, you’re feeling that energy drop and mild depression that’s common at this time of year. But push aside the weight of diet planning, the shock increase of heating and the deep regret you never encouraged your oldest to take up darts.
Think about going to the theatre and put that smile right back on your chocolate and cake-stuffed face.
And take the kids along. OK, you may have spent more on them at Christmas time than the state of their room, or the national budget deficit, suggests, but how can you resist the chance to reintroduce them to fun, live theatre – all in the (vain) hope perhaps that just might reveal an alternative to a life staring at the screen of the Xbox?
There are a couple of great opportunities at the King’s Theatre in Glasgow. That great green ogre Shrek is back in the swamp (January 15-20) and sets off in pursuit of Princess Fiona, who is just a little more attractive than he is, proving my granny’s theory – that every jar has a lid – to be absolutely true.
The same theatre is also staging a new production of the West End and Broadway smash hit, Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory – The Musical (January 23-February 4).
Yes, the storyline involves sweets, and chocolate in particular, but what better way to get over the cocoa dependency than to gorge on a story about indulgence?
READ MORE: What's on in 2024: From Nicola Benedetti, Emma Stone to Swan Lake
When Charlie and his friends win a golden ticket to the weird and wonderful Wonka Chocolate Factory, it’s a chance of a lifetime to feast on the sweets they’ve always dreamed of. But beyond the gates, astonishment awaits, as down the sugary corridors and amongst the incredible and edible delights, the five lucky winners discover not everything is as sweet as it seems. What a lovely metaphor to kick off the new year. Yet, there are lots of laughs along the way.
There aren’t so many opportunities for a giggle at Perth Theatre when the drama season opens up with the Royal Lyceum Edinburgh and Reading Rep’s “spine-shivering” adaptation of Jekyll & Hyde (January 31- February 3).
However, this treatment of the J&H story does allow for a few smiles, given the production is described as a “captivating yet comic dive into one man’s psyche and secrets”.
The play stars Scots major acting talent Forbes Masson, once half of the High Life partnership with Alan Cumming.
That mix of laughs and abject terror is certainly featured in the Pavilion Theatre’s production of Cyprus Avenue (February 27-March 2) starring the quite phenomenal David Hayman as Eric, the Ulsterman who can’t come to terms with the political earthquake threatening his life and seeks to try and come to terms with the new order in a way he could never have imagined.
New owners Trafalgar Entertain will watch closely to see if the traditional Pavilion audiences will support this incredibly dark, but funny play by playwright David Ireland, which deserves a packed house.
What is also hard to resist is Jesus Christ Superstar, this year running at Edinburgh Playhouse (February 6-10) and starring Ian McIntosh as Jesus. Originally staged by London’s Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre, this reimagined production won the 2017 Oliver Award for Best Musical Revival.
Also promising to offer fascinating theatre is Pitlochry Festival Theatre’s new play, Nan Shepherd: Naked and Unashamed (May 24-July 6) by Richard Baron and Ellie Zeegen. Following the success of their podcast series A Journey with Nan Shepherd, award-winning Firebrand’s richly entertaining, funny, and moving new play uncovers the extraordinary, unconventional woman behind the glamorous portrait on the Scottish five-pound note.
The play also reveals the untold story of how Nan Shepherd’s experiences as author, teacher, hillwalker – and lover – helped shape Scotland’s recent literary history and the mystery of why her ground-breaking masterpiece, The Living Mountain, lay forgotten in a drawer for over 30 years.
However, sometimes you can’t beat a classic tale when it comes to source material for producing clever new theatre.
Perth Theatre is staging Original Theatre’s The Time Machine – A Comedy (February 20-24) in which a skilled group of actors attempt to defeat the space time paradox – or at least make it through the second half – in a comedic caper that is (very) loosely based on the HG Wells classic.
And later in the season there’s a chance to see London Classic Theatre’s production of Joe Orton’s fearless farce, What the Butler Saw (April 30-May 4).
Set within the pristine walls of his private psychiatric clinic, Doctor Prentice is interviewing a new secretary, Geraldine, but seems under-qualified and uncertain about her parentage.
Meanwhile, Mrs Prentice appears, flushed and in need of a drink following an illicit encounter with Nick Beckett, blackmailer and bell boy at the Station Hotel.
Delightful madness.
The National Theatre of Scotland’s Maggie and Me, by Damian Barr and James Ley. It’s October 12, 1984 – the Brighton bombing. Maggie Thatcher emerges from the rubble, dusty but defiant and somehow in the living room of 8-year-old Damian Barr in Newarthill. Damian tells his story which features Ravenscraig, coming of age tales and Saint Dolly Parton. The Tron Theatre Glasgow. (May 8-11).
Why are you making commenting on The Herald only available to subscribers?
It should have been a safe space for informed debate, somewhere for readers to discuss issues around the biggest stories of the day, but all too often the below the line comments on most websites have become bogged down by off-topic discussions and abuse.
heraldscotland.com is tackling this problem by allowing only subscribers to comment.
We are doing this to improve the experience for our loyal readers and we believe it will reduce the ability of trolls and troublemakers, who occasionally find their way onto our site, to abuse our journalists and readers. We also hope it will help the comments section fulfil its promise as a part of Scotland's conversation with itself.
We are lucky at The Herald. We are read by an informed, educated readership who can add their knowledge and insights to our stories.
That is invaluable.
We are making the subscriber-only change to support our valued readers, who tell us they don't want the site cluttered up with irrelevant comments, untruths and abuse.
In the past, the journalist’s job was to collect and distribute information to the audience. Technology means that readers can shape a discussion. We look forward to hearing from you on heraldscotland.com
Comments & Moderation
Readers’ comments: You are personally liable for the content of any comments you upload to this website, so please act responsibly. We do not pre-moderate or monitor readers’ comments appearing on our websites, but we do post-moderate in response to complaints we receive or otherwise when a potential problem comes to our attention. You can make a complaint by using the ‘report this post’ link . We may then apply our discretion under the user terms to amend or delete comments.
Post moderation is undertaken full-time 9am-6pm on weekdays, and on a part-time basis outwith those hours.
Read the rules here