Malan Stars in Edinburgh Fringe Hit About R.D. Laing

Multiple award-winning Scottish actor Mike Maran will make his American stage debut in his one-man show Did You Used To Be R.D. Laing, about sixties icon and radical psychiatrist R.D. Laing whose controversial theories had an explosive effect on the myths of mental illness. The play, which won the Edinburgh Fringe Award in 2002, was written by Maran and is set to a jazz score by pianist David Milligan.

The American production, produced by KirschBamm Productions (USA) in association with Mike Maran Productions (UK), will be presented for nine performances only at The American Theatre of Actors, 314 West 54th Street, between Eighth and Ninth Avenues, starting Thursday, March 30, at 8:00 PM. The play runs every night through April 7, except Sunday, April 1, when it starts at 2:00 PM, as part of the Tartan Week in New York City activities.  Maran directs the production as well as stars in it.

"When he suddenly burst on the world stage 40 years ago, R.D. Laing, a radical and controversial Scottish psychiatrist, shared the limelight with other sixties' gurus, Timothy Leary ('Turn on, tune in and drop out!') and Ken Kesey (One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest), and was harder to get hold of than Mick Jagger. Over 7-million copies of his books flew off the shelves, telling readers they were not mad – it was the world that was insane!," state press notes.

"Laing preached, argued, struggled, drank, and suffered more than was good for him. He fought with great compassion for the civil liberties and human rights of the distressed, and confronted institutions which locked them up and treated them with electric shock therapy, and instead opened safe houses where his patients could heal themselves. It brought him fame – some would say infamy. Love him or hate him, there was not much room to be neutral about him – either then or even now. Many colleagues openly disagreed with Laing and his theories and some feel today that their profession is still trying to recover from the so-called 'damage' he caused. With Did You Used To Be R.D Laing?, 'Ronnie' now comes to New York in a theatrical production as controversial as he was.

In his play, Maran does not portray R.D. Laing but, instead, acts as an increasingly drunken narrator of the life of the controversial psychiatrist, after returning from the funeral of 'Ronnie'...The play allows audiences to "hear Laing's story" and to join in the argument, which still rages today over the validity of his views and treatments."     

With this in mind, the American producers Jimm Meloy and Christina Kirshbaum (both of Scottish heritage) have scheduled a post-performance debate, featuring experts who are R.D. Laing supporters or enemies, immediately following the 2 PM matinee performance of the play on Sunday, April 1.

The jazz score, based on the music of jazz legends Bill Evans, Chick Corea and Keith Jarrett as well as music by Chopin, is performed by composer and arranger David Milligan.     

A veteran of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Mike Maran's multiple awards include the prestigious Herald Angels for his "outstanding contributions to the Edinburgh Festival" made by his productions about R.D. Laing and Gustav Mahler. His other acclaimed works include stage adaptations of Captain Corelli's Mandolin, The Little World of Don Camillo and Surely Your Joking, Mr. Feynman.

All tickets are $20 and may be purchased by visiting www.smarttix.com or calling 212/868-4444.