Proof opens at Perth Theatre

Jan 29 2010 by Alison Anderson, Perthshire Advertiser Friday

THE award-winning drama, Proof, opens at Perth Theatre tonight – the first Horsecross production of 2010.

Following Broadway and West End success, this American play written in 2001 by David Auburn, inspired a film starring Gwyneth Paltrow and Sir Anthony Hopkins.

And director Ian Grieve has lined up an impressive cast for the Perth Theatre run of what he describes “one of the best plays I have done for years.”

“It’s the last great American play I know of, in the same class as Glass Menagerie and Of Mice and Men. It won a Pulitzer, and deservedly so,” enthused Ian.

And he knows he has a cast which will do justice to the work.

Gareth Thomas – Blake in Blake’s 7 – last seen in Perth in the superb production of Of Mice and Men, and Neve McIntosh are pictured in the opening scene of the play which centres on the story of Catherine and her father – genius yet unstable mathematician Robert.

Perthshire’s Helen Logan and Ewan Donald complete the cast, who have all appeared in Perth Theatre before but never worked with each other.

Ian explained why he felt Proof would engage with Perth audiences: “I didn’t know anything about Proof until I read the script and thought it was brilliant and wonderfully observed. It’s a really good mystery and a love story, which is also funny, witty and very moving.

“It’s also intriguing and so keeps the audience guessing, and because it’s a very intimate play it will sit well on the Perth Theatre stage.”

There is a mathematical thread running through playwright David Auburn’s Proof, explained Ian: “People are looking for proofs and facts, and what the writer is saying is if you look at that from life’s point of view there is no proof for the perfect marriage or being a parent.”

Then Ian assured: “You will not be blinded by maths.”

“Rather than confuse the audience, the writer just wants to make simple statements and get them to think about the human need to discover.”

Ian continued: “Casting ‘Proof’ was going to be an issue because we are talking about characters which are deliberately written in such a way that they are full of contradictions, so I wanted to bring in actors with certain qualities.”

Neve worked at Perth Theatre circa 1995 not long after leaving college. Ian was convinced her combination of elegance and tomboyishness was right for the character of Catherine.

Ian described Gareth Thomas as “a Titan of an actor, who can be nice and cuddly and frightening, much like a maths professor.”

“Both Neve and Gareth have done lots of television but that was not the reason for casting them – it was because they are perfect for their roles.

“Having seen Helen Logan as Jean Brodie (Pitlochry Festival Theatre 2009) I knew she and Neve would complement each other nicely.

“The part played by Ewan is difficult because the audience must not get a definite impression of him throughout the play, but I know Ewan is up for the challenge. I think he is one of the best Scottish actors we have.”

Proof runs until Saturday, February 13. For tickets and information contact Horsecross box office on 01738 621 031 or go online: www.horsecross.co.uk