Following the monumental success of Douglas Maxwell's Decky Does a Bronco with Grid Iron Theatre in 2000 (Edinburgh Festival Fringe First Award, Barclaycard Stage Award for Ensemble Acting, nominated for Barclaycard Stage Award for Best Touring Production), we teamed up with Tron Theatre to co-produce a tour of our fellow Ayrshire lad's play, Our Bad Magnet, in 2001.
Originally produced as "a penniless student production" one year earlier at the Tron Theatre, we revived the production with the same cast and crew. We kicked things off at the Edinburgh Fringe in The Assembly Rooms before culminating in a five date run at The Tron. Barrie Hunter returned to perform for us after previously appearing several years before in Dario Fo's Trumpets & Raspberries.
A deliciously funny black comedy about a group of three friends from a small town in the West of Scotland. Eager to please Alan, cool and competitive Paul and discontented Fraser have been friends for years. Then Giggles come along. A troubled outsider with an amazing gift for inventing fairy stories, Giggles add a certain edge to their, so far, conventional seaside lives. Then he completely disappears, in mysterious circumstances. Twenty years later the three friends come together in an uneasy reunion. The story follows their progress as they try to unlock childhood secrets and face up to shared, and very different memories. Of course Giggles plays his part...
"A sharply constructed, well performed piece of dark comedyâ - Evening News
âWonderfully vivid... a big, bursting talent with plenty to say and energy to burn.â - The Scotsman
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. Douglas Maxwell has now proved himself an excellent writer about boyhood... an excellent play and production. It's just that, in terms both of themes and narrative... a fine piece of work" - Divento
"Our Bad Magnet is terrific... audiences are in for something exceptional." - Sunday Herald
"Our Bad Magnet's four male characters are skilfully drawn, with insight and affection for their failings and strengths... The world of the male human when they're just with their own sex is reflected clearly and entertainingly." - Edinburgh Guide
"It is one of the best new plays I have ever seen. Brilliantly written, thoughtfully directed and beautifully acted." - Ricky Ross
We toured this production:
13 Aug 01 to 27 Aug 01 - The Assembly Rooms, Edinburgh
22 Sep 01 - Beacon Arts Centre (formerly Arts Guild Theatre), Greenock
18 Sep 01 - Eden Court Theatre, Inverness
11 Sep 01 - Brunton Theatre, Musselburgh
7 Sep 01 - Motherwell Theatre, Motherwell
28 Aug 01 to 1 Sep 01 - Dundee Repertory Theatre, Dundee
25 Sep 01 to 29 Sep 01 - The Tron, Glasgow
Director - Jim Twaddal
Design - Alan Reid
Costume - Fleur WoolfordÂ
Performer - Stephen Duffy
Performer - Barrie Hunter
Performer - Alasdair Macrae
Performer - Gary McKinnis
Actor Stephen Duffy conducted an interview with The Scotsman about performing in the play which can be found here. Read Our Bad Magnet on Google Books. Discover more about Douglas Maxwell (and buy his plays) at Oberon Books, while also check out his NTS feature on how to be a playwright.
