Since the start of lockdown, Glasgow based theatre company Rapture has been broadcasting a variety of short pieces entitled Rapture Mini Bites from actors who have been involved with the Company. Fridays during the month of June continued to give the pleasant surprise of these brief wee gems introduced by artistic director Michael Emans.
On Friday 5th June, Janet Coulson who appeared in Rapture’s production of Pinter’s A Kind of Alaska, did a terrific rendition of a Victoria Wood comic piece Giving Notes. Her take on the director of amateur Piecrust Theatre Company giving these notes before a production of Shakespeare is a treat and a half.
The following week saw Rapture regular, actor Paul Albertson who recently performed in the Company’s production of Rattigan’s The Browning Version, give a very special rendition of Ben Okri’s poem To an English Friend in Africa. This is not only a moving and beautiful poem with a quiet calming philosophical quality but is delivered with a particular tone that brings out the serious sense of it. Albertson removes himself and lets his pleasing voice and Okri’s wonderful words speak for themselves.
Next up was Colin McCredie of Taggart fame, who played in Rapture’s Democracy alongside the late Sean Scanlan, and read his favourite Edwin Morgan Poem From a City Balcony. With the season shown as a backdrop of blue sky and trees in full bloom, reflecting the atmosphere of the poem when the bloom of love was being recalled, McCredie gives a beautiful andsensitive reading.
The month of June was signed off on the 26th by a guitar playing June Bryony Afferson, who appeared in Arthur Miller’s All My Sons,as she gavea lovely rendition of a self -penned gentle folk song called Arthur.
Recently Rapture Theatre Company sent out an online survey to gauge how people see the future of theatre to help their future decision-making. While theatre goers miss the buzz of live theatre, they are naturally keen for reassurance about safety measures. With this in mind, they have decided to re-schedule their 2020 Autumn tour to the same time in 2021.
To celebrate the Company’s 21st birthday, they plan to return their touring lunchtime theatre: Rapture Bites which will feature a season of shows visiting 21 venues across Scotland with further details to be announced after the summer. Autumn 2021 will also see Rapture embarking on a major tour of a landmark play by one of the most influential writers of the last 21 years.
In the meantime, you can continue to enjoy the weekly Mini Bites on YouTube from Rapture every Friday.
Irene Brown
Radio Summerhall Arts 