Festival film see page 71 0 Festival art see page 79
notion of the ’victim’ which, for the most part, actually works.
However, where Hicks would take a moment to let his message wash over his embattled audience, Burns doesn’t let up for one single second. Like an unhinged kidnapper, he attempts to break his captive audience into submission. And for God’s sake, ladies; don’t sit in the front row. (Brian Donaldson)
I Brendon Burns (Fringe) P/easance (Venue 33) 556 6550, until 28 Aug, 70.25pm, £8/£9 (£7/£8).
The Verity Quede blues explosion
his work cut out for his Festival debut.
The Irishman sensibly plays to the crowd and jettisons smarter material to placate the baying numpties. In doing so he strays close to a few laddish schoolboyisms, but his skewed take on it all and rasping delivery keep him from being naff.
Given an audience of fully evolved sane humans, Maxwell would be guaranteed to shine. (Mark Robertson) I Andrew Maxwell (Fringe) Real Talent, Gilded Balloon (Venue 38) 226 2757, until 28 Aug, 70.75pm, £7 (£5).
COMEDY
Andrew Maxwell tit
Irish debutante excels under pressure
We should never undervalue a stand- up's ability to work under pressure. Faced with a crowd led by two Neanderthals whose idea of a heckle is to spend five minutes arguing the toss over tonic water contents, Maxwell has
PEBBIEB AWARD NIIMINH 1993
THE lEAfllIE AGAINST TEIIIIIM
“Too unique and original
to describe" independent On Sunday
THE MEAIIIIWS THEATRE BIB TIIP BOX OFFICE plus—[fl 0131 667 0202 01515566550,!
AUGUST 50! - 27th at 9.30pm
THEATRE Tales Of The Predictable
*** Darkly funny media satire
This satire on the paranoid and cannibalistic world of the media is hardly earth-shaking stuff, but the young production team have put together a highly professional show, and show some real promise. With
VETERAN FRINGE COMPANY RETURN TO EDINBURGH WITH AWARD-WINNING DIRECTOR
The Red Chair Players
'titt' THE LIST
As w Like let
Classic scenes hilariously reinvented by acclaimed new playwrights 'PERFEULY FORMED' THE LIST yfnue 34 2-12 August (“3:333:15 a‘ _. . 225 5105 IN?"
.opM-Late femvll
every kind of news story, having been done before, a young newspaper hack searches for a truly original story and the plot twists and turns with her quest. Ingenious use of space and lighting and a tight script mean the story races along at a fair pace, but the real highlights are the sarcastic interludes from a newsreader and his sidekick - a comedy double act of the future, methinks. (Doug Johnstone)
I Tales Of The Predictable (Fringe) Cambridge University ADC, C (Venue 34) 225 5705, until 79 Aug 70.45pm, £6.50 (£5.50).
MUSIC PREVIEW
Blues In The Night
From West End to East Coast for the blues
’We haven't done your bog standard musical,’ says Verity Quade, producer and performer in Blues In The Night. ’It's almost what you could call a compilation musical, full of jazz and blues standards which have been put together in a way that tells the story of four characters.’ A student of jazz singer Tina May, Quade decided to put her training to good use, and bring the show to Edinburgh.
A West End and Broadway hit in the 805, Blues /n The Night features classic tunes from the likes of Bessie Smith and Duke Ellington and is performed by a four-strong cast and five musicians. And the blues live up to their name, explains Quade: 'It’s set
in 305 America, the depression era, so we played on the darker sides of the characters rather than just having a selection of songs with singers wailing their heads off.’
(Louisa Pearson)
I Blues In The Night (Fringe) Trinity Music Theatre Group, Augustine’s (Venue 752) 225 6575, 75—28 Aug (not27) 70.40pm, £7 (£5).
MUSIC
Eva Meier ** Marlene Deitrich she ain’t
An hour of Berlin cabaret sounded promising, especially after last year’s five-star Scotsman review. But this mature diva’s disappointing performance was lacklustre, and sometimes downright boring.
Patently used to an adoring public, Meier’s a bit old to be playing the femme fatale, and the sight of her swaying provocatively was faintly ridiculous.
Featuring a few bum notes, her voice seemed harsh and strident in the up beat numbers and soporific in the slow ones.
With dedicated accompaniment from her Irish pianist, one or two numbers showed a glimpse of her potential glory, but otherwise this proved to be the Longest Hour. (Gabe Stewart)
I Eva Meier (Fringe) Assembly Rooms (Venue 3) 226 2428, until 75 Aug, £9/£70 (£8/£9).
EDINBURGH COMEDY ATTHE ARK 3 SEMPLE STREET, EDINBURGH
TUESDAY ISTH,WEDNESDAY |6TH & \ THURSDAY I7TH AUGUST @ 23.00
C U .C a) £— 3 .O
C
(WEDNESDAY @ MIDNIGHT)
THE CREAM OF EDINBURGH FESTIVAL COMEDY UNDER ONE ROOF !
FREE TICKETS AVAILABLE FROM MONDAY 7TH AUGUST ON THE BBC SCOTLAND TICKETLINE 0 I 3| 2484040
'D EB Scotland V
10—17 Aug 2000 THE LIST FESTIVAL GUIDE 87