Theatre
20th Century Legends: The Lives, Loves & Music of the Brothers GerShWin .‘itll’llt tty. .‘It'lt.'tr'\ lit’l/Iil'tl lltllt‘l. until 3‘xlue. mm s iii/t (ieorge and Ira
(iet'shw tn come under the spotlight. “twenty Performer Light: The Little People lluri'tili l’rotlut lift/Is. (ion Ill' l’lttm llott'l. until ll .lue. Ill/int. l'myci'sal social issues explored through cabaret. dance atid physical theatre. TWO I)!“ in .ltti‘tu trons. l." lollue. /. l.‘-/mt l’opulai' Jitii ('at'twttght comedy of working—class cameos perlot'ttied by 'l‘i'cadwatet‘. No Men Are Waiting .Snutliyt'nyt‘. (' lt'llllt. until // .lue. iii/int. Black comedy centriiig on the world on work. The TWO Sides of a Star lattt Him/rt: ()ltl .St l’ttul'y ("him It A'- l/till. tutttl lo'.rltig. [3. Hum. Inspired by film noir. a look at the cut-throat world of I‘Mtts Hollywood's studio system. Two-Times Mann - Satana tumult-o ly’iu kt‘l l’l'oilttt trons. ly'tu'kt‘t (” Royal ('tillt'fc't' o/ Surgeons. /.i’ lv\'.'lue. 7pm. Band of Rogues present this award w inning re-telling ol the l‘allsllall myth. Ugly Baby: The Third Pram [mitt/um l’i.“.'ti. (il'l'\ll'ltll'\ ly'trl llt’llH’. until // .slut'. lla'tI/im. l)ark physical comedy with a cotitctiiporary soundtrack. lookitig at our first two years ol life. Unclaimed Assets l‘t'ylit‘ttl Theatre (181‘ l'Sfl-l. Hrununotul ('ontntunity 'Ilu'utrt'. until 35 .lue. l..i‘tt/mi. New work from American writer Jennie \Vebb coupled w itli 37 Hugo/is l'u/l of ('otton atid llti\ Property i.\ ('oiulenint'tl by 'l'etniessce Williams. Up ‘n’ Ul‘ldel’.rltontit~ 'I'lu'tttrt'. (' l't'llltl’. until 3/) due. ‘l/ini. l)ti|l John (iodber rugby cotttcdy Upside Down ly'onu'iliti St Step/tens. l5 37mg. tlntt’y wiry; Originally from St l’etersburg btit now based iii (iermany. l)o 'l'eatr scored a big success on l‘ringe 0‘) \ ia the award-w itniitig co-production tw itli l‘abrtk ’l'healcr. l’otsdami of Hope/tau (iumex. This new three-hander finds them mining similar territory. a darkly cottitc bletid of weird clowning and pantoiiiittie. acrobatic dance atid itiacabre. poetic imagery. The piece was suggested by Retiibrandt's painting 'I'ltt .-\iuttont\ of Ur lllll/t. and carries echoes of Mary Shelley's l‘t'tlltkt‘ll.\lt'llt. The setting is a l‘attsllttll laboratory. 'l'here certain psy cho-phy sical esperitiieiits are conducted in a demonic cartiiyal atmosphere said to base parallels with So\ iet insane asy ltttiis. 'l-llL‘ production Is one of the lilseliest bets of .-\tirora Noya. ati aiiibitiotis festiy‘al of international physical theatre atid dance within the l‘ringe. tl)onald llutera) Various Voices of Pinter Britt's/i Rusxuin 'Ilu'titrt' I’I‘oit't't. Rocket ((1 Royttl ('ollt'ge of Surgeons. tuttil l/ slug. noon. New play exploring the play w right's work. The Very Nearly Love Life Of My Friend Paul l’leustint'e. until 27xlug. tinu's t'tll'\. ('otiiic play about a se\el1stlllles engaged tiiati with commitmetit problems. The Visionary Rtu‘kt'l ta Kirk ()il‘lt’ltl. l5 l‘Llug. 6pm. l'ntisnal loy e story about a girl sharing her thoughts with a tiiati only she Viva La Diva l’letiytint‘t'. tuttil 3.".lue. [Hill/mt. \';it'iottsly' hailed as the dth of diti and the mistress of miss-notes. the legetid in song that is l-‘lorence l-'ostei‘ Jenkins cotild well be this l‘estiyal's most teri‘tf} in:J prospect. Jean Boht (best know ii for her role as Nellie Bosw ell iii ('arla Lane's Brnul) w ill be assuming the role of the real-life American songbird with gusto in the comedy drama w rttten by l-ringe First w inner. ('hris Ballance. Voices l'iunm l'isli l’rotlut‘tions. Augustine's. l-l l‘lxiug. «\‘Qti/mi. American writer Stisati ('iriflin's play about women. The Vortex .‘Utlt ('entury' Blues. (' too. until 2/) due. [IVS/mi. The play that made Noel (’oward's natiie. not least for its references to drugs. adultery atid hotiiosexuality. The Vow ('onipuny ot'li'n. Augustine until I.‘ dug. 3pm. l.oy e story about a 5 year marriage. The Wake l’letistint‘e. H 37,-lug. ll..‘tltim. Impromptu Productions in a comedy about a family hell-bent oti success.
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Wiping My Mother’s Arse mo Traverse Tlu'utrt'. until 25 Aug. times vary. Few playw rights since Joe ()non have put the conventions of the well-made play to such scurrilous tise as lain Heggie. lmagine ll'iping My Mother's Arse with the sound tumed off and you'll see a conventional. naturalistic comedy-cum-farce. It's all done on one set ta bedroom in a nursing home) and takes place iii real time. It could be an Alan Ayekbonni.
But turn the sound back up and you're in a world of involuntary bowel movements. anal sex and the kind of emotional damage that only sons can inflict on mothers and only lovers can iiiflict on each other. Which means. of course. it's very funny. not least in director Philip Howard's gutsiest production for a long time. powered along by shrewdly observed perfonnances from Edith .Vlacanhur. -.\'ei| McKinyen. Jill Riddiford and Eric Barlow. all of them a confusion of self-righteous contradictions.
But it‘s not just am exercise in seatology. It's also a rather sad examination of the conflict between otir self-interest and our coiiipassioti. a bleak reminder that some day someone is likely to have to wipe your mother's arse. And w ill it be you'.’
As with ()rton. the pace falters when the jokes are thinner. btit as with ()non. ey'en if the ending doesn't have the killer punch you expect. when it is funny it is very funny indeed. (Mark Fisher)
Walking Amongst Sleepers 'I'lit'uin- lltH'k‘Alui/i tk‘ l’lt‘itMiItt‘t'. lltt'tttt‘r' liiii‘kylut/i. ‘/ 35 Aug. tinu's l'tll‘\'. liollowing its extraordinary absence from last year's l‘ringe. 'l'heatre Workshop is back with a sparkling programme for Mill. ()tie eagerly anticipated highlight of the ‘l)egenerate' tttitti—festiy'al is Hit/king Amongst Sleepers. performed by popular deaf actress ('at'oline Parker. The play combines a thriller plot with signed songs and sees l’arker collaborating with writer Jamie Beddard. An actor by day. this is Beddard's first turn wielding the pen. ‘l'y‘e worked with ('aroline as an actor. she's a friend and I wrote the play with her iii mind. so it's been a great experieiicc.' Another showbi/ friend is l’atrick .Nlarber. tliotigli Beddard's keen to play down the protege tag. ‘We both low drinking.' he laughs. 'Sti he's done most of his mentoring from the ptib.' (Allan Radcliffe t
The Wallace 'I'lu'utre .‘ill’tl iii/n: Utulrlingxton Kirk .llunse (iiinlt'n. (I 36 Aug. Spin. (ireat ottt-of-tow ti location for Sydney (ioodsir Stiiith's poetic historical drama. staged by ('hat'les Nowosielski's .\ltisselburgh-based company.
Watching Bore tutti Rugged 'l'lu'utrt'. Rot‘k‘t't ((1 Soul/t Brit/gr Rt'.\'()lll'('(' (it’llll't'.
I} [oh-tug. 8pm. l)e\'ised drama about a world where dreams and reality merge. Weekend in Rio oo ttt'ekt'ntl in Rio. I’lt'tisunct’ l)onu'. until 27 Aug. {AW/int. Set on art aeroplane. ll't'ekeiul's plot follow s mother from hell. Sugar. on the htitit for her wayward wooden mannequin son tdon't ask) who's stolen her money and buggered off on a flight to Rio with his two loud/foul— mouthed girlfriends. We're then forced to endure Sugar's enraged rants as she
sy stetiiatically terrorises the passengers/andience with endless chit-chat. Meanwhile. at the other end of the aeroplane set sit Tina and Jen. who say 'ctint' a lot atid sexually harass a male passenger.
The conclusion is that writer. Stey en l-‘roelich must really low those women. Because he's blatantly fascinated by eyerything they base to say. even when it amounts to repeating inane atid directionless driy'el oy'er and over. (ireat for l"roelich. l)ull for its passengers. t()lly Lassmant.
Weird Romance and Le Boeuf sur le Toit Festival Theatre ('.S'(' ~ (2821. Druntmoml Community Theatre. iuttil 24 slug. 9.45pm. Musical double bill of the Milliaud/(‘octeau fantasy and the .\leiiken/Spencer/Breiinert sci-ti. Welcome to Paradise 'I‘u-u 'Ioniu' Btu/etc l’rotltu‘tunts Inc.. (ireyjti‘iurs Kirk House. lJ—Z7.-iug. 5.35pm. Tales of ati linglish tray eller iii outback Australia.
72 THE LIST FESTIVAL GUIDE 9-15 Aug 2001
The Well Being oooo 'I'mi-i-m' Illt'tlll't'. until I: dug. tunes wiry. Sec reyiew panel.
West .Stl‘ttl/til'tl .Utnit' ('entrt'. (' l't'llllt'. /.i' ltS'Aug. liltini. You can't go far wrong with the classic Bernstein and Sondheitii musical tragedy. What the Hell Was That! I: lllt'llt'\. llolti'ootl lill't’l'll. I: ltSslug. (LAW/int. 'l'hree lads in search of dance. drtiik atid
What You Really Want Rt'ttl litlt’ltl. l’leosunt'e. until JT/lllt’. .i'..i'()/ini. New comedy about a man marketing solt drinks who is plagued by strange eyents. Stars stand-ups 'l'i'eyor l.ock. l’liil Nichol atid Sarah Kendall.
Whispers from the Trembling Earth .‘illlt'l'lt'tlll Hie/i School Theatre l't'\ll\‘tll. ('liurt'lt Ilill 'l'lu'tttrt'. tutttl // .'\llL’. Iinu's run: Youth theatre music. datice atid storytelling.
Whispers in the Wood .\'t "/18". ('Iu'l/t’ tinge/e. until .‘(i xlue. 5. [Spin l)ark thriller about a journalist looking into the case of a girl accused of tiiut'dct'.
White Van Man iiiw'lttll'l I’rotlut'tiom. ('uiulergmiuul. until 2/) .lue. 0pm. New play about a Sim-reading urban philosopher.
The Whole Shebang om. .'l\\t'ltll’l\' Roomy. tutltl Billie. 3.5ll/int. Jack Klal'f is back w ttli another gift of a one-man show. Klaff is a South African actor. play wright. story teller atid digresser and this little he digt'esses towards the big one. The H'lio/t She/tune. What are we.
w ho are we. what is DNA and at what poitit dues art meet science and is there a shared space'.’
Klaff was recently ll]\ ited tojoiii a scientific tliitiktaiik iii Brussels following the publication of The [flutters '(iuule lit The l'nii‘eru'. He was still. how ey er try ing to hold down ati occasional professorship post iti Storytelling at Princeton. Analogtes are drawn. dismissed. thrown tip atid left to bask in his warm glow. No sooner had he joined the tliitiktaiik than thitigs began to go wrong. research money dried up. management bods were called iii. philanthropic progression became corporate regression. .-\ sad all-too-common tale that seems to be about eyet'ything atid nothing. Klaff fills eyet'y corner of the stage with his twisting tale atid holds your attention eyery step of the way. This is touching. \ ital humanistic drama that in its scope atid intelligence strips all else bare before it. Remarkable. tl’attl Dale)
Win, Win, .. Rtttiumtl Mitt/nus. ly'onu'tliu Soul/Mule. until 3/) Aug. 4. [Sp/n. ‘Not eyeryonc can be a w innerf
admits .-\lati \Vitinet'. w hose management training-sty le lecture lot'tiis this tragi- cotnedy about competition. lint the yital ingredients hit the success iii this instance nattiely comedy and tragedy are botli largely absent. there is some amusing wordplay at times. and the show certainly has potetitial. btit in contrast with alter egos like :\l;tlt l’aitrtdge. Winner is simply not grotesque enough; be neither earns the audience's sympathy. HHI' arouses Iliett anger. .'\tttl the linguistic sty le ol Iiis monologue is too aktti to actual management speak lobe a \llL'L‘e's/sllll parody. You might tliitik my judgement harsh. bttt .'\ltlll \Vmiiet himself iiiststs that sympathy isoiily lot wtmps. t( iaretli l)a\ test. Wiping My Mother‘s Arse oooo 'Ii‘tti't'ru' lllt'tlll't'. 38 until 35 due. llHtt'y ltll'\. See t‘eyiew patiel. Witness Me lltllllttl\"Ilttlt/lt'lt’. I'lu' l'ntlt'rlu'lly'. until 3/; .iue. //._i’tI/mt. \Vat'ick l'tiiycrsity students iii a pliy sically demanding \ istoti ol the effects ol trauma. Winner of a Sunt/tiy ltlttt'\ physical theatre award. The World is Just About Enufi! llu' ('luinet'ltne. ('too. l3 3/) glue. (i/mt. James Bond spool. The World’s Wife .lltt/us l’nulut IIHIH. ll’eil/iun lllt'tlll't'. /.i' 35 Aug. ll..\'tlitnt. ('arol :\llli l)nlly 's poetry brought to the stage. Woyzeck Strut/e '\ Illt'tlll't’ ( 'o/n/uiny. (' \‘t'lillt‘. until // .lug. 7..i’t)/nn_ .‘slnltittiedta treattiient ol the liatititttig Huchner drama. Wrecked l'i'ogniout/t I’rot/tu'ttony .-\usti'olto. Krtlttt’tllit Ronutn latte/e Lot/gt: /.i' Ilixtiie. 9.05pm. Attstt'alian black comedy double-bill. The Yarn .rlrts/u'ke l'outlt 'llu'tttri'. (' hut. until // slug. 0pm. l’olk’talcs from a l‘)th century setting. The Year of the Monkey (‘law How u'. ly'onu'tlui Ronuut litre/e Lot/etc until 2/) due. 7.05pm. ('lalt'e l)tiw te describes her one-wotiian show as “stand tip thealre'. llet' three tales concerning a bereay ed woman. a group of anarchists atid a mother w atching her daughter's marriage could tlttts be seen as serious drama (it as a series of humorous sketches. You decide. You’ve Been Wonderful I-m/i Itlmut llu'otrt'. ('lu'lle tinge/e. until 25 slug. 3.45pm. .-\ barbershop chorus w restles with destiny. ambition atid harmony. The Zoo Story Iii/mil lltt‘tlll't‘ ('oni/uim. (of. I.” 3/) clue. l/mt. lidward .-\lbee's debut play from 195‘). when he was at the lorelront of the Attierican theatre of the absurd. about a sinister encounter iii ('entral l’ark.