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Bette Davis Makes Her East Renfrewshire Debut!!

8 09 2011

Tuesday 27 September | 8pm

www.eastwoodparktheatre.co.uk/boxoffice

Standard £12
Concession £10
Student £8

An inspired stage remake of a classic 70s television interview comes to the Eastwood Theatre.

Award winning Scottish actor and director Grant Smeaton brings his critically acclaimed, 5 star reviewed production of Bette/Cavett to Eastwood Theatre.

Smeaton, who is used to playing the likes of Archie MacPherson and Ronnie the Corrie on the popular Hogmanay TV show Only An Excuse 2, is to play the part of screen legend Bette Davis in an hour long stage version of the Hollywood star’s most outspoken TV interview.

“But this is no drag act.” says Smeaton. “I want to be true to the spirit of Bette Davis and convey something of the stature of the stars of Hollywood’s golden era. Unlike most of today’s celebrities, Davis had nothing to sell in this interview with American chat show host Dick Cavett. She’s there to talk about her philosophy on life.”

Smeaton has created a 1970s retro TV studio feel for his show Bette/Cavett, where theatregoers become the live TV studio audience – even cutting to some very un-PC 70s commercials advertising things like cigarettes, denture cleaner and a slimming plan called Ayds.

“Bette Davis was on dazzling form for this 1971 TV appearance,” says Smeaton, “there’s a real chemistry between Davis and Cavett and she talks very bluntly about co-stars like Joan Crawford and Errol Flynn.” There’s even the story of Davis being attacked by wasps in Scotland and how she lost her virginity.

The production is now on tour across Scotland having previously performed at The Tron Theatre, The 2010 Edinburgh Festival Fringe (winning a Bank of Scotland Herald Angels Award) and the 2011 International Dublin Gay Theatre Festival.