_ “VII.
theatre comedy dance music books
lam-6pm
n a \ l
Stars wave goodbye to the small screen and say hello to the cornfield for the love of Sam Shepard
Fool For Love mi
The power of the drama delayed like the show
Fool For Love has not had the best start at the Fringe. Plagued by technical difficulties which resulted in the first two scheduled performances being cancelled, expectant theatre-goers were clearly not impressed when the first performance to go ahead was delayed due to the previous show running over time. Interesting facts about polar bears and cheetahs projected on big screens on the upper deck of the Dynamic Earth complex do however 90 some way to appeasing the crowd, and if anything the prolonged delay increased the anticipation surrounding David Soul's directorial debut and a credible acting performance from former soap star turned one-hit wonder, Stefan Dennis.
When at last the show begins it's with a dramatic storm projected onto a large screen above the stage. In the same way that Shakespeare's Twelfth Night uses a tumultuous tempest to shipwreck the protagonists into a sexually-charged environment (the irony of this is not lost on the playwright), this ably sets the scene for the ensuing drama, situated in a small motel room in the Mojave desert. First onto the stage is David Soul himself, a lone traveller apparently seeking shelter from the storm, but as we later discover, brought here by conscience to observe the pain he has caused. Setting himself up with whisky and cigarettes he observes Eddie, a broken-down stuntman, played
"-._ drier tor‘
founder" of Srottish ()pei'a
l‘ulantle was told by the great man that if he \.‘.'anted to he a fl 7 <ondu< toi' he should form an or‘rhestr‘a upon ‘\.'.'lII(lI to jtr'attise
Mantle rnay anthition and
/ (ondurt
ahler Resurrection
Symphony
Neil Mantle conducts Scottish Sinfoni'a
It was 30 years ago that the (ondu(tor Neil Mantle was first able to art on some important (ar‘eei advr<e he had i'er eived as a youth from the great (A)ll)3()ll, the first Srottish
of
have a(hieved his has done on to ‘.'.’Illi or<hestras surh as the RSNC) and
convincingly by Stefan Dennis despite occasional slips into his native Australian dialect, and May, his disillusioned woman-in-waiting. Played to perfection by Alexa Hamilton, she, like the classic woman scorned, rages at his infidelity. The first and second acts of the play focus on their heated arguments, with much slamming of doors and pummelling of walls heightened in dramatic sound effects. Further projections on the big screen, with additional views from the bathroom and outside the motel — deepen our impression of the scene.
Those not familiar with Sam Shepard's tempestuous love story will by this point be wondering where this is all leading, and it's only with the introduction of May's current suitor, a hapless dope arriving very much at the wrong place at the wrong time, that the real meat of the story comes to the fore. Indeed, this marvellously understated performance by the director's son, Kristofer Soul, introduces the central revelation of the piece, and from this point the drama really gathers power. Without ruining it for strangers to the play, the final act is an emotionally-fraught showdown between May, Eddie and the mysterious old man that ably ties the piece together, revealing just why the relationship between the couple is impossible to fulfil. Tense and brooding, this slow-burner develops into a blazing fire of emotions and an ironically delayed tour-de-force. (Catherine Bromley)
r'ool lor I one Ill/IX)!" Sr otrisr‘ /,'I.’i‘."."(3?/(}’7(}‘I a: l)", nae‘rr lar‘fri './(‘llll(‘ .78: 530 5’>‘>/, up!“ 28 find ,5 30m", [70
the BBC Srottish Symphony ()i'(liestr‘a but it is mrh the Stottish Sinfonia, his original ‘pr‘attrte orthestra', that hers still rnost readily assotiated
It is entirely appropriate for hoth Mantle and the Sinlonia to mark the aniii‘~:ei'sai§,r ‘.‘.|lli a performance of Mahler's hest knoxzn symphonic creation, the ‘Resurr'et tion Symphony at (ir‘evfriais Kirk Not only have they hotl‘ developed
Sir Alexander the RSNO and soinethinrj of a reputation for their pei‘loiinantes of the Austrian (oinposei's oitliestral works, but the amateur ()I( hestia's liinrje j)(‘Il()IIII(iI‘.((“s have l)(‘(()l‘l(’ one ol the rnost prorninent events amongst the array of iniisit or‘ oller‘ from professional ()rr liestras a'. the festival iliin Apiahains'
for details see Hill/st, lion!
international
Hitlifl *
Shows worth skiving off work for
Splendour
range of nex‘. \.'.i' into by fe'nale plat/"3i nets at the Tr'a‘.er‘se, Al)‘ I.lo"<iai‘.’s pay exar'w'ies the relationsth petuneen tour ‘.'.()IY‘(‘I‘., against a hat «drop o"
ri‘pend r‘o (inf ‘t.‘.ar' S'_,')/endour «fr/ride Par/res Plot/qr), [I'd/{V80 Venue l.‘3' 2/8 7404, anti/26 Aug, tunes/(i1); [9 r6;
Juan Goytisolo
lite man. regarded as Spa'e's (j'eatest lI‘.I":(l ‘.'."‘i‘.ei‘ "eads tron: l‘,s ",e‘x. l)()()l-<, The Garden of Setr‘ets jiian Goj'tisolo iBook fire Studio lr'ieatre, 625.7 5050, Sat 26 Aug, 9 a’Oprrr, f6 :30 lid 50/
Scottish Sinfonia
Ne- l.lar‘tie ((i".(ltI( is the
on leestia ‘or one o‘ l.la‘"er's iv‘os’. popular on l‘estr‘a: unorks lair/er Rest/Her tior‘ S, nip/ion; i’rniqe' Smash Sirit’on/a, (no/rtrars Krk .i/enixe '3 ." 225 7900, X/fiu'r join, 28 Add,
‘2, 8 ()Oer, {8 or
Buster Keaton's Our Hospitality
Keato'“s ISL/,3 s‘le'i'. cassrc (jets a soundtrark to de ‘o" by
i) aed'ass '.'.|/(i'(l8 the Blue CirasSY K"o‘ Buster Keaton's Our lr'osortairt, furioe Blue Grass]; r'xeo’r‘, (/uh l’z’easarit e@Potter'o-.'.’ (V‘iiz’ .2 9i 5‘30 6").‘30, (ml/x" 28 Am; Spin {ti/£9 {flit}!
Stiff — Undertaking Undertaking
Ono-"a! knockahout ‘avte
de: sed and perimeter: hi, tale"‘.ed 'ie‘.'.<oi"-e's Soyuz “met. .8! " bride/Tamer; (lriri’err.i.\i.'r(; tie/roe Si),l”()/‘M‘:,, (kip l’leasanr e (0‘ l’otter,'o'.'.' -‘. eerie .29 5'56 6350, mm: 28 Apr},
‘5 Jinn), [/n’z’t‘} {8/16
Antonio Forcione
P'epa'e to he moat" a‘.‘.a\ as the rixaste' d..i‘.aiist pe'to'rr‘s r'iasir llt).".t sexera (lt‘I‘I'L‘S ar‘d
<o"t "e'tfs See ex‘. Antonio lo'z one l-rxnrie’ (1w 'ded Hal/oo'i '. erme {8‘ (’36 ._’ "'7 .‘H‘ti' 38
fluid, ‘5 a‘Opr‘i, f8 .i/'
\A
.‘ s-ap .‘ ‘ THE lIST FESTIVAL GUIDE 29