Festival film see page 65 0 Festival art see page 72
COMEDY . Mark Maier ****
A surprising/y Geordie thought- provoker
Not German, but a native of Tyneside with a wind-up (not stand-up) German grandmother. He holds more than a passing resemblance to Alan Titchmarsh. Big head, little body and he digs into the British firmament, psychologically not literally, for a living. He has a gentle, easy style that coaxes rather than provokes the audience. His is a grown-up wry observational humour. It tickled me stupid, and there was plenty of substance to it, since it’s still with you the next day. Maier gets bonus points for providing his own warm up man — the perplexingly hilarious Israeli, Ronnie Shumonie. (Ross Holloway)
I Mark Maier (Fringe) Assembly Rooms (Venue 3) 226 2428, until 28 Aug, 7. 75pm, £9/£70 (£8/£9).
THEATRE A Good One Is A Dead One **** One man, many faces and a whole lot of hysteria The potential boredom factor for one- man shows is usually quite high. However, the supremely talented Fergal McElerron proves to be more than just one man. In fact, he plays eight different characters, all seamlessly interacting with each other, and each as convincing as the last. The story is set in a small Irish town, where an attacker is on the loose. As hysteria takes hold, a somewhat inept vigilante group attempts to catch the criminal and, inevitably, tragedy occurs. A simple yet moving tale which
COMEDY Lee Hurst ****
Easy-to-take humour from English comic
Slick, well-presented and skilled in audience communication, Lee Hurst presents the smooth kind of comic act that we see a lot of from name comics at the fringe. This is no bad thing, though, since audience need old-fashioned crowd-pleasers, as well as newer forms of comedy.
His routine is conversational and interactive. There's a good deal of un-PC badinage between himself and a couple Close to the EICC’s capacious stage apron to set us on our way. He then goes on to
discourse freely on the quandaries of our various national identities, the joys of dog-ownership, and the rather Londonish subject of the Millennium Dome. Easy, breezy, but never cheesy, Hurst's routine sometimes puts one in mind of Alan Davies, though there's a slightly more laddish estate-boy edge to it. You could also say he gives value for money, since after an initial hour, he invites us to a second half in
McElerron performs with the skill, precision and confidence of one much older. Outstanding. (Kirsty Knaggs) I A Good One Is A Dead One (Fringe) Thought Gang, C (Venue 34) 225 5705, unti/27 Aug, 7. 75pm, £6.50 (£5.50).
COMEDY Girl S ectacular: The old Their Sou s For Stardom it The Price Girls
There's singing. There’s dancing. There’s a woman wearing a
stripped-down can-can
costume telling the
audience how she’s the best in the business when it comes
Geordie joy with Mark Maier
aim-8pm Ionivol
to deep throat. This is the story of how four girls Sold Their Soul For Stardom, but it’s difficult to supress the thought that they tried to price themselves out of the market; in an hour long show, they run through a dazzling array of impressions, songs and character sketches, but only occasionally do they hit the mark. There's only so much light entertainment that one crowd can take, but at least no-one could cry ’sell out!’. (Leon McDermott)
I Girl Spectacular: They Sold Their Sou/s To Stardom (Fringe) Gilded Balloon (Venue 36) 226 2 75 7, until 28 Aug, 7.30pm, £8 (£7).
which we are requested to submit special dates such as birthdays and anniversaries for comic treatment. This kind of work, by white, male thirty-something English comedians sometimes feels as if it's from a production line, but if you're going to buy, get a good model like this one. (Steve Cramer)
I Lee Hurst (Fringe) Queen’s Hall (Venue 72) 668 2079, 23—24 Aug, 7.30pm, £72.50.
THEATRE For What We Are About To Receive “nu . . . may we be truly thankful! Initially looking like a creative Casualty, Nicola McCartney’s new three-act play quickly develops into something much more special. Centring on the aptly named Grace, the narrative retrospectively traces her life from death to youthful dreams. Thus apparently insignificant details from her early life resonate with tragic meaning due to the unexpected nature of her death.
An excellent cast of seven are deftly directed around an enchanting set. And McCartney's imaginative
structure is matched by sharp and comic dialogue which often tumbles into a subtly violent and piercineg poetic piece. A crowd pleaser with guts (literally). (Davie Archibald) I For What We Are About To Receive (Fringe) Brunton Theatre Company (Venue 797) 665 2240, until 26 Aug, 7.30pm; 26 Aug, 2.30pm, £5. 50/£8 (£4).
ff Hurst of standard stand upg'g
THEATRE Flst Of The Dragon **** Martial arts under the big top
If, like me, you are fascinated by the potential of the human body, this is the show for you. This company of men and women from the Jilin province of China trained under the famed Shaolin monks of that locality.
To call this a dance show is a little misleading, but all the same there are graceful gymnastics a plenty. There are some Bruce Lee-style sequences that lean a little toward the Las Vegas market, but this is a hugely enjoyable and very accessible performance, suitable for the whole family. (Ross Holloway)
I Fist Of The Dragon (Fringe) Meadows Theatre Big Top (Venue 789) 667 0202, until 27 Aug, times vary, £70 (£8).
DANCE
Lulu In La La Land ** Wedekind made hard by confused dance.
You may emerge from this vague take on Wedekind’s Classic femme fatale Character appreciating the dancing but wondering, ’What on earth was all that about?’ For New York choreographer Rosa Mei, Lulu is the nominal springboard into a futurist fantasy that weaves together bits of martial arts with far too unvaried post- modern moves. She also raids 2007: A Space Odyssey and Laurie Anderson (amongst others) for her eclectic soundtrack. That and some quirky metallic costumes are not enough to create an engaging stage world, or to justify this piece's existence. It's absolutely admirably performed, but unfocused and ultimately baffling. (Donald Hutera)
I Lulu in La La Land (Fringe) Rose Mei Dance Company, Continental Shifts @ St Bride’s (Venue 62) 346 7405, until 79 Aug, 6pm, £7 (£5).
17—24 Aug 2000 THE LIST FE$TIVAL GUIDE 41