four women explore sexual and social relationships.
Nameless SIT('()M (South Island Theatre (at. (i/‘ey/rittrs Kirk House. tttttil 25 Aug. 3.55pm. l’hysical theatre centring on four women incarcerated in prisons.
Narcissi RI 'DS. Augustine's. until 26 Attg. l.55pm. Retelling of the (ireek tnyth. Nasty Boy Komeilia l’t'otlta‘tions. Komeilia Ronuttt [fag/e Lodge. until 26 Aug. .‘s’.4()/mi. Quantum physics. serial killers and a potato masher all feature in Jim .‘vladden's new comedy.
Terry Neason: Slaps ‘n’ Tickles Traverse Tlteatre. until 25 Aug. l/pm. With a taste in music as refitted as her voice is strong. Season is essential viewing for all those who thought they hated cabaret crooning.
Neutrino O... l’leasanee Dome. until 26 Attg. 2.25pm. Four people chugging along on a train; two together. two not. A commitment-shy comedian chews the fat with a bipolar librarian while a lesbian couple (one in. one out) discttss their relationship. And so. Between a series of bizarre scientific lectures on heart transplants for spiders and aeroplanes overdosing on ground (I). truths are told and lives change. This is a pacy show that crackles with one-liners deftly delivered by a more than competent east. The combination of the visuals. Dr Setiss science. real life stuff and dreamlike symbolism makes for a vibrant and original production. (Viv l’rantmann)
1966 and All That Diverse .ilttraetions'. until [8 Aug. 7.30pm. World ('up comedy. No Exit Stanford ( 'nivers'ity Mail Tho’t: (' lentie. l‘) 26 Aug. ll.l()am. Sartre's version of hell is updated in this gender-bending production.
Not So Ladylike Tlteatre ofTravesti. (are Royal Fringe Theatre. until 25 Attg. Ilpm. Musical drama set in the Berlin cabaret scene.
The Notebook De ()ntlerneming. .-\ntwerp, Royal Lyeeum Tlteatre. 2t) 25 Aug. times vary. See preview panel.
The Notebook of Trigorin l'es‘tival Theatre (’S(' ( 'SA. Drummontl ('ommunity Theatre. until 25 Aug. 7pm. Little-known Tennessee Williams adaptation of (‘hekhov‘s The .Seagttll.
Notes from a Small Island oooo Brighton Theatre Tivents. (iiltletl Balloon at 'Ieviot Row House. until 27Aug. 3pm. This 80-minute take on the popular travelogue takes in Dover. Weston Super-Mare and (ilasgow before ending with a cheesy. cheerful look at what's good about the lTK. Steve Stecn (of Whose Line is it Anyway) is an excellent mimic and a decent narrator. Novecento ooooo Theatre (lt‘ Quat'sous. Montreal. Roval l.yeeum Tlteatre. until ltS’ Aug. times vary. See rev icw panel.
Odd Ball Out lsost‘t'les. (it‘t'ylt'ittrs Kirk House. until [6 Aug. 5.20pm. A study of friendship and bigotry by Kevin l.affan.
Office see. Shan Khan Soho Theatre (in Royal Lyeeum Theatre. until [H Aug. [0.30pm. See review panel. Oleanna Festival Theatre (.'.S‘(‘ (.1814. Drummotul ('ommunity Theatre. until 24 Aug. 4pm. David Mamet‘s controversial and compelling play about a professor accused by a student of harassment.
Once A Catholic Halt/(Ike At Diverse Attrat‘tions. until ltS’Aug. 3.15pm. (‘onvent girls feel the corrupting influence of lilvis in Mary ()‘Malley's cotnic drama.
One Night In Laugharne T)()(l(t .lloilern l’oets. (irey/t'iars Kirk House. until [9 Aug. 3.50pm. ()riginal performance poetry featuring Aeron Thomas. daughter of Dylan Thomas.
One Night Stand O... krentettt X. Hill Street Theatre. until 27Aug. [0.25pm. Possibly the kookiest thing on the l-‘ringe this year. this pair of sexy Norwegians
deftly
Neutrino
This is a pacy show that crackles with one-liners
delivered
certainly deserve more than nil points. Kretncnt X's ()ne .Vight Stand starts with stilted heavy breathed vocals and just gets tnore fragmented frotn there. A couple. a club. a seduction. a domestic tantrum and odd breathy bouts of contemporary dance go round and round in front of its. lt's saucy as hell and refreshingly doesn’t even try to amount to a hill of beans. bttt it's great fun in that cod surreal kind of way. This strangely manages to twin almost ethereal sensuality with the smuttiness of soft porn. Try imagining Michael ('lark remaking Brief lineounter in a Scandinavian blow up doll factory and you are halfway there. (Paul [)ale)
Only A8 Multiple Detttareo Rot'ket PI‘(I(lll('lf()Il.\'. Roeket (0‘ St John 's' Hall. until [8 Aug. 4.30pm. Trident Theatre’s new play set in l‘)2()s Lisbon.
Opera Galactlca oooo ()pera (ialaetiea. (iateivay Theatre. until 27 Aug. 7pm. Richard Lewis’ operatic take on the Star ll’ars trilogy is a lot of fun. tnixing in- jokes for the opera fans with sci-ft slapstick. Opposites Attract .Vorth Loni/on I’m/arming Arts ('entre. (' Belle Angele. until I8 Aug. 11.30am. A return showing of the 7()s-set musical.
Orgasmo Adulto British Russian Theatre I’I'ojet‘t. Rot‘k‘et (0 Royal ('ollege of Surgeons. until I 8 Aug. times vary. For reasons far too elaborate to go into here ()rgastno Atlttlto is now called Dolly. It's about a woman who has been locked up in a Victorian asylum all her life so she is alienated froin the rest of the world.
OUO - Mean 0.. Theatre Horks'hop antl I’leas‘anee. Theatre Barks/top. until [8 Aug. 9.30pm. When Jackie's drama company is asked to participate in a festival for disabled performers in the ['8 of A. she is cockahoop with excitement. She packs tip. flies off and hits the ground rutming. Then she meets Lou-Ann. the group‘s ‘chaperone' and it all goes pear-shaped.
Written and performed by Deborah Williams. ‘()uo'.llaan is about otherness: the need for society to box and label tninority groups in order to make sense of them or to oppress them. As a black disabled woman. Jackie sticks two fingers up to pigeon-holing and we are right behind her. This is a thought—provoking production thanks to the combination of Jackie's rage and vulnerability. her sardonic wit and Williams' ability truly to move the audience. (Viv l‘rantmann)
Our Bad Magnet Assembly Rooms. until 27Aug. 1.30pm. The Tron teams tip with Borderline to present a slightly trimmed version of their hit show. Set in writer Douglas Maxwell's home town of (iirvan. the magical dark comedy revolves around four young boys moving frotn childhood innocence to the world of adult life. Pandora’s Box 0... .Uonaslt l’ostgnul/[enit/t Theatre (in. (tile Royal l-ringe Theatre. until IS Aug. .l/tm. Sally l-‘araday's 17th century pastiche boils down to finding as many elaborate euphemisms for getting one's end away as cart be squeezed into two hours. The excellent script features familiar archetypes. from rakish rogues and lords ‘n‘ ladies to the brilliantly limp l.ord l’artingden. with the cast uniformly enjoying themselves in lttstrous wigs and voluminoUs costumes. The Part of Bob Kingdom will be Played by an Actor 00
Assembly Rooms. until 27Aug. Il.45am. The actor playing Bob Kingdom is. of course. Bob Kingdom. and he certainly looks the part. llis one-man show explores his life frotn an ‘Anglicised Welsh'
For hour by hour daily listings see
Listings Supplement.
Office 0...
(If/l“) Royal Lyeeum. until 18 Aug. [0.30pm. The Festival is to be
congratulated for bringing new British theatre to Edinburgh. and is. to a good degree. vindicated in its decision by Shan Khan‘s entertaining first play. In it. two young drug dealers pass the day on a street comer. guarding. sometimes ineptly. the public call box through which they do business. As their comically banal London gangsta patois continues. they encounter various street folk; a couple of young hookers. a hard-up junkie client. a skateboarding spliff head. and a brutal bent copper among them.
Early on a sitcom-like cuddly familiarity surrounds Sharkey (Avin Khan) and Showtime (Mark Tonderai) as their Ali G-like patter propels them through a long day‘s dealing. but as the afternoon wears on. a literal and metaphorical darkness surrounds them and the play begins to recall Pinter‘s The Dumb Waiter as the two become increasingly mutually suspicious in a scam they‘re committing against their underworld boss. to whom Showtime is
related.
Abigail Morris‘s production is consistently engaging. and several set pieces. especially a monologue by the skateboarder (Danny Nus‘sbaum) about a dope-fuelled holiday in Portugal. are hilarious. and if the piece finally says little that‘s new. it speaks with a distinctive and
witty voice. (Steve (.‘ramer)
childhood in ('ardiff to being at] avid consumer of classic films. He tells of his deaf mother. hypochondriac father and his own plans for this show through a mix of straight talk. theatrical asides and chaotic. schizophrenic dialogue with his other halves. ll all gets pretty self-reflexive. which allow s for some entertaining quips as he says. ‘you can be as rude as you like in someone else's trousers'. You can also. however. end up going round in circles. and while Kingdom's excursions into the politics of identity may be very worthy from a post-modern perspective. they never really go anywhere interesting. (James Smart)
Party to the Divorce Lanterne Theatre ('o. Roeket (‘1 St John 's Ila/l. until IS Aug. times vary. Bad manners and dirty tricks among party guests in this new comedy. The Passers-By Project X Theatre ('o, The (iarage. until I7Aug. 1.45pm. l)evised theatre about everyone from artists to joggers to loo keepers. Three stars in The Seotsman.
Passion Play Roeket Venues. Rot‘k‘i‘l (‘1 Royal ('ollege ot'Sttrgeons, until 15’ Aug. 3.40pm. Adultery and passion are the themes in Peter Nichols' play.
Peace at Last . . . Diverse Attraetions. until liS'Aug. 3.30pm. Workshops and talks focusing on meditation. Raja yoga and splt‘lllltll skills.
A Peasant of El Salvador Dolphin Theatre. (‘o2. until 26 Aug. 4.15pm.
Political theatre set in lil Salvador. where a family is destroyed.
Perpetuum Mobile Demareo Rot‘ket I’rotluetions. Roeket (0 Royal ('ollege of Surgeons. until liS’Aug, 8pm. _i.l.s. avant- garde theatre's production asks tis to enter a theatre without script. mise-en-scene. costumes or lights. Bold and iconoclastic. this Bosnian theatre co attempts to break down walls of perception and explore the complexities of tnodern life.
Petrified Skin Komeilia St Stephens. until 27 Attg. times vary. .‘vlade shortly after the fall of the Berlin wall. Petrified Skin is the tale of man's struggle to regain a sense of dignity and free will in the shadow of apartheid. 'l'hrough dance and music (Shostakovich) the piece depicts two men lighting through the political. ideological and psychological walls. which constrain them.
The Philanthmpist ('ontett, ('roivne I’la:a Hotel. until 26 Aug, 3.30pm. (‘omic drama from (‘hristopher llampton. screenplay writer of Dangerous Liaisons. The Picture of Dorian Gray Hare and [tagged Theatre. Roeket (W Kirk U'T'ieltl. until lSAug. 2.15pm. Regular l-‘ringe [wrformers return with Oscar Wilde‘s classic tale of corruption.
A Piece About War .-lmeriean High Se/tool Theatre T'es'tival. ('hureh Hill Theatre. IS 22 Aug. times vary. linsemble production using poems. songs and improvisations to depict the aspects of war.
to 1)? Aug) 19001 THE LIST FESTIVAL GUIDE 65