The Assembly’s Bosco space is a strange one - one part church, one part yurt - it hints at tent revivalism with a Romany aesthetic. The wooden benches and ethereal removal from the buzz of George Square made for an interesting hour of theatre which never quite capitalised on the potential for real imagination offered by the unique theatre space.The Penny Dreadful’s Etherdome is built upon an interesting premise: the professional rivalry between Charles T. Jackson, William T.G. Morton and Horace Wells in the race for the mid-19th century patent of anesthetic. Following a narrative form somewhere between Hammer Horror and Horrible Histories, time is frequently stopped, reversed or sped up to play with our modern conceptions of how a story should be told. The cast of three infuse the production with a lively energy which is maintained throughout - accents are particularly strong, adding an identifiably professional edge to the production. The set is excellent, with the surgeon’s table being well-used, including some wonderfully disarming audience interaction. The frequent reflective moments slowed the pace of the whole piece, however, and, sadly, as the production dragged on to its rather limp conclusion there were some walkouts. This, coupled with the cast’s frequent bellowing laughter at their own jokes often stifling any genuine audience reaction, precludes this production from a higher rating. It’s worth seeing for those of you who enjoy watching the BBC’s excellent Horrible Histories series - but don’t go expecting too much. Though the concept is well-executed with a coherent aesthetic, it relies too much on a story which doesn’t have the legs to go the distance.
