Theatre

Following on from his ‘Ravenhill for Breakfast’ morning residency of two years ago, Mr 'Shopping and Fucking’ returns to the Traverse, this time with gay theatre stalwart Bette Bourne in glittery tow. More of a rehearsed conversation than a performance,  'A Life in Three Acts’ provides a fascinating personal and social history of a man at the forefront of the gay rights movement in Britain. Sitting on adjacent chairs armed with scripts and projected photographs, Bloolips founder Bourne – resplendent in a fabulous sequined shirt and an updo which makes him look like someone's foxy grandmother – reminiscences over his 69 years: from his tough east end childhood to drama school to a life changing encounter with the Gay Liberation Front.

Ravenhill is an able inquisitor of Bourne’s story, pushing and prodding him to go off the beaten track into wild diversions which, if you are lucky, may include a high kick and a rousing song or two. And Bette himself is a great fun. But the fixed format drains some of the life out of the story. Watching it over three afternoons I was disappointed to discovered that a joke about prostitutes that I laughed so heartily over in the first act was in fact scripted and laboured without mercy in the remaining two shows. Bourne’s life certainly didn’t follow a script. The telling of his story deserves just a bit more freewheeling spontaneity to do it justice.

'A Life in Three Acts: Bette Bourne and Mark Ravenhill' played at the Traverse Theatre, Cambridge Street, Edinburgh.