Theatre ‘
Crimes of Passion 0000 l’leasant‘e Dome. until 27Aug. 3.40pm. ln twelve songs and a monologue. ('rt'mes Of Passion explores the mind of a murderer. often too closely for comfort. It's a dark bttt fascinating work. acted and sung by Jerome Pradon. a performer of extraordinary magnetism.
Cupboard Man lenue /.\’. until 25 Aug. 5pm. lan Mcliwan's short story abottt a dysfunctional family that treats its son as a two year old.
Dahling You Were Marvellous
.. ll'tse/tttt't I’I'tnlut‘tlons. (' Bel/e Ange/e. until 26 Aug. (him. It‘s all very clever and oh so witty. btit Steven Berkoff‘x satire abotil luvv ies ixjust plain irritating. Yes. we know how fickle. false and bitchy they are; that‘s why people hate them. and why they get the piss taken otit of them all the time. so why on earth would you want to sit through an hottr of their hraying and screeching exaggerated to the nth degree'.’ There are a few chuckles to he had. bttt for the most part. I wax sitting there with teeth grilled and lists elenclted. llow ev er grating the esperience ix though. the performers cannot he faulted. for they all had their characters down to a tee. htit whether or not that is a good thing is debatable.
(Kirxty Knaggxt
Dancing On Tables (‘astatt‘av l’lavers. Quaker Meeting House. until 25 Aug. 12.40pm. New play ahottt the highs and
low x of xtardom.
Dark Is The Night 000 (alt/ml Balloon at let'iot lt’ou‘ House. until 27Aug. 11.30pm. Pattl Sellar has adapted two xhort ghost xtoriex for the stage. lt‘x entertaining htit fails to scare thix journalist.
A Dark River 0. Theatre llorksho/i. l’leasant‘e. until 27Aug. llant. This adaptation of l.orca'x Blood lledding ix w ell realixed in movement. occasionally catching the elemental poetic intensity of the original. bttt there'x a hanal feel to the soap- like naturalistic dialogue that tellx mttch of the xtory. l.orca\ Spanish peasantry becotne three successful Asian yuppies in contemporary London here. and the act of whisking away the bride of a young lawyer by his cousin on their wedding night ends in an act of more urban violence. even if it seems to occur in a public park of some kind. There'x some nice multi-media effects
along the way. and the performances are generally good. bill the This Life eletuent of the script drags the general effect down. (Steve (‘ramerl
David Benson — To Be Frank
.0. David Benson. l’leasanee Dome. until 27 Aug. 4pm. Stand-up cum theatre show. which explores the lives of both lirankie llowerd and Benson himself through imiwrxonation and discussions. The Day the Daggers Broke Loose .lIo/ana Theatre (iron/i. The (iarage. until 26 Aug. Ilam. Religious drama.
The Dead Move Fast 00. (if/(It'd Balloon Theatre. until 27 Aug. times varv. Sylvester .‘vlc('oy ix a doctor in charge of a home for the criminally insane in l‘)53 lingland. A murdering madman ix on the looxe. Is the wacky doctor a lunatic who has taken over the asylum‘.’ liveryone givex itnpeccably restrained performances. btit Paul Sellar'x ttnoriginal script isjust not funny enough.
Death and the Maiden Stun/mil ('niversitv .llad 'I‘hSt: (' lenue. until 26 Aug. l2.5()tttn. Ariel l)orfman‘x powerful three- hander about a woman who believes she has come face to face with the man who tortured her during the little of the country 's totalitarian regime.
Decky Does A Bronco 000.. (mu Iron. Seotlatul lard Playground. until 27 Aug. 4pm. This ix a heartrending xtory of the losx of childhood innocence. It recreates the moment when children are prematurely forced to take responxihility for their actionx and words. and how this aflectx them for the rest of their lives. Douglas Maxwell's script captures this tragedy with perfection and humour. and it's hard to believe that the eight grown men performing are not the nine-year-old boys that they are mostly playing at.
Set in any Scottish swing park. live friends play otit their everyday by ex challenging. lighting and bttllying. llow cottld they ever have known the conxeqttences of their childltood games'.’
Immaculater produced in the seemingly perfect amphitheatre of Scotland Yard Playground not even the rain cottld dampen my enthusiasm for this play. (()livia Wright)
A Desire To Kill On The Tip Of The Tongue 0.. llTSl'ptlt'l l’rodtu‘titnts. ('
Gay Theatre Round-up
(‘tay theatre that is both specific to our community. but also reaches out and touches others. ntakes for the best theatre. William l’inn‘s wonderful musical I'alsettolantl performed by super-talented students frotn Liverpool's lnstitute ()f Performing Arts qualifies as the best example of this. The scope of its humanity. ambition and heart is enormous. and succeeds in moving all the audience regardless of their sexuality. Of all the shows on the Fringe this year. I-alsettolantt is the one. which ifl missed. my life would be emptier.
Bette Bonnie. the classically trained Shakespearian actor. who gave it all tip to lead the radical clown drag troupe. Bloolips. gives the performance of his life as Quentin (‘risp in Resident Alien. Thank god Titn Fountain‘s play isn't another potted. unfocused. biography. sprawling through the years. This is late New York Crisp. and a richly complicated portrayal. ftill of pain. w'itticisms and elderly vulnerability.
Jackie (‘lune is a great theatre professional. Hilarious. truthful. foul-mouthed. tender. her medley of tunes by lesbian artists is beautiful ~— especially her rendition ofJanis Ian‘s exquisite. ‘At Seventeen'. The David Bowie- tisated. anorexic hero of From [him to tlte .Votj/‘olk Broads might be gay. he might not. It doesn‘t really matter. His plight affects us and Alex (‘larke gives one of the best perfonnances on the Fringe. Louis Kavaras s in salmon pink suit or boxer shorts. with his tattoos and piercings. dances intimately and with great beauty in the sensual. Joe In ll’t'ntet:
If you want positive role models. avoid ll’iping My Mother's Arse. the sad (iay Samurai Review and the lesbian amateur dratnatics in Play. (John Binnie)
40 THE LIST FESTIVAL GUIDE 21% Aug (5 Sop 2()()l
lPride/ground. until 26 Aug. 9.30pm. Mark Ravenhill‘s adaptation of Xavier Durringer's social drama has some nice moments. btit rises to no great heights.
Diamonds and Price Present Under Laboratory Conditions Diverse Attraetions. until 25 Aug. 6pm. (‘omedy dotible act.
Diary of a Nobody Assent/)lv Rooms. until 27Aug. 4.55pm. Rodney Bewes plays the harmlexxly pompous Mr Pooter. Three stars last year front The List.
Diatribe of Love .0. Assent/)lv Rooms. until 27 Aug. l/.55am. Linda Marlowe is good btit not jaw-droppingly good. perhaps because of the awkward poeticism of ( iarcia Marque/x prose.
Did You Used To Be R.D. Laing? lit/vona A'- (‘t'o/la. until 25 Aug. times vary. Acclaimed story of the radical Scottish psychiatrist.
Dignity SIT('().\I (Soutlt Island Theatre ('o. I. Quaker .lteeting House. until 25 Aug. 2.50pm. Physical theatre performance about abuse. torture and discrimination.
Dinner In Suburbia ()nlv Young ()nee.’ l’roduelions. Hill Street Theatre. until 27 Aug. //..1’()am. .\'ew play about suburban life and values in lixsex. Two xtarx in The Evening News.
Directing Showcase 2001 .8' am I’rodlu'tionv. The Seotsman Hotel. until 26 Aug. 1.45pm. Yottng directors try their hand at short scenes. Money back if you leave before the first five are over.
The Dispute .ltv llooord.’ l’rtultu‘titnts'. George Square (iardens. until 23 Aug. 6..t’()/nn. The .\larivatt.\ comedy about adolexcent excess in a version by Neil Bartlett.
Doctor Prospero Assembly“ Rooms. until 27 Aug. 4.05pm. (iat'etlt Armstrong does the historical treatment on the man at the centre of Shakespeare's The Tempest. Two stars in The Seotsman.
Dogs of War .00 l-‘t‘re/tv I’t'odut'tions. Komeditt Roman [fag/e Lodge. until 25 Aug. [0. IUpm. healing in an often humorous tnanner with issues of humanity. this dark comedy by Keefe llealy is performed with style attd panache by two young actors. l)espite holes in the plot. it bustles with originality.
Doing Something (or Educating Linda) I't'es/t Blood Theatre. (‘ Ht'llt' Ange/e. until 26 Aug. 2.45pm. ('omedy about the adjustment of a young woman to education. with TS. liliol one of the targets. Three stars in The Seotsman.
Dracula ... .S' (ll-{l I’rodtu‘tions‘. (‘ I'm/erground. until 26 Aug. midnight. I don't scare easily. But both the book and the (‘ol‘ltola film of Bram Stoker‘s Draeula always had the ability to send needles of fear through me. This production. adapted and directed by James (iilhraith. begins in a spooky ntanner. ('andlelight dimly glows on the stage as effeminate llarker arrives at the (‘ottnt's house. This Dracula is stereotypical. with gelled hair and a thick accent. This adaptation is not completely hammed tip. btit is certainly playing for laughs. There are some excellent quirky directorial moments here. However. the acting is average with dialogue occasiottally lost. An underground vault ix the perfect venue to scare the skin off the audience. l'nfortunately this xhow doesn't go for the fear factor (Kik Reid) The Dumb Waiter Stan/mt] ( 'ttt‘t-et-st’tv .llad 'I'htS’t: (' I 'ndergroutul. until 26 Aug.
/. l5/nn. Pinter's disturbing early work is given an intriguing twist when actor and actrexx rev erxe their roles for a xecond telling.
Dystopia ll'artviek ('niversitv Dranut Soeietv, The ('nder/u'llv. until 26 Aug.
2. Ill/mt. Physical theatre and masks. looking at loneliness and identity. Successful student production. Three stars in The Seotsman.
8 Roeket ((1 South Bridge. until 25 Aug. H/tm. liight friendx gather for an evening of reminiscence.
first Company
It is sharp, cynical and captures the me-generation who put self
Elegles for Angels Punks and Raging Queens (‘()ttIIN(;s-tmtt. Ifgo and Out. until 26 Aug. 6.30pm. A poignant look at the lives of those affected by HIV/AIDS. The Elektra Cabaret I’ 'nn Theatre Ensemble. Diverse Attrat‘tions. until 25 Aug. 11.30am. (‘lassical (ireek drama meets Berlin-style cabaret.
Embers A rtistu' Stage I’rtuluetions. Komedia Roman [fag/e lodge. until 26 Aug. [0.45am An artist comes to terms with a love-hate relationship with her son. Embryonic Dreams 00.. I’vromania. I’leasanee. until 27 Aug. [1.45pm. Dance duo Pyromania have taken street theatre and tarted it up. Tooled tip with a really big TV screen. sortie amazing luminous string. a massive lighting rig and the bangingest techno this side of Detroit. '/.ohar .‘vlarkman and Michal l.ehrer know how to make a big beautiful impression.
Entangled Lives .0. I’leas'ttttt‘e Dome. until 27Aug. 12.50pm. The actors of Theatre de l.‘ Ange l'till are enchanting experts in mime. btit there is something a little pretentious abotit them.
Equus .\'ottingham New Theatre. (' Venue. until 26 Aug. 11.20pm. Peter Shaffer’s favourite about a titan who blinds six horses. Eugene O’Neill Triple Bill .S‘ ofA l’roduetions. The Seotsnutn Hotel. until 26 Aug. 4.30pm. Three early short plays - The not. The Movie .Wltllillltl The Long Voyage Honte by Eugene O‘Neill.
Eve’s Tail Daneing Ifggs Prodtu'tions. Roeket (0 Kirk 0' Field. until 2.? Aug. 8pm; Rocket (0’ Royal ( 'ollege o/‘Sutgeons‘. 24-26 Aug. 9pm. A few new characters have been added since last year’s show which picked tip three stars in The List.
The Executive Lear The New Route Theatre ('o.. Hill Street Theatre. until 27 Aug. 4.05pm. King Leattransfeired to the modern-day boardroom.
Fairies Dance [)(‘Itlltl‘t‘n Rot‘k'et I’rodtu‘tions. Roe/(e! (0‘ South Bridge. until 26 Aug. 9.30pm. The supernatural. fairy dancing and erotic passions from the Balkans.
Fairytaleheart ()tt() Theatre (‘0. with West Sussex ( ‘ountv Youth Theatre. Komedia Roman [fag/e Lodge. until 25 Aug. 2.15pm. Philip Ridley play about the power of storytelling. Four stars in The Seotsntan. Falling Off All Aboard. ( 'afe Royal Fringe Theatre. until 27Aug. 3.10pm. A 50 year old looks back in anger in (‘hris Parker's new play. Three stars in The Seotsntan. Falsettoland DD... National Student Theatre ('1). (AS/if). I’Ieasanee Dome. until 27 Aug. 2.20pm. Fringe productions don‘t come more wonderful than William Finn‘s humane musical. which charts the emotional disintegration of a New York family. tareWel O... Traverse Theatre. until 25 Aug. times vary. Performed by Aboriginal Canadians.fat-elielfollows the trials of the inhabitants of a fictional reserve in Manitoba. The style is raw and genuine. offering a theatrical experience of rare and memorable sincerity.
Faustuslite The Rose Theatre ( 'o.. The ('o/umeil/e ('entre. until 25 Aug. 8.30pm. .‘vlultimedia reworking of (‘hristopher .‘vlarlowe's great tragedy.
The Female Samurai Shoko Ito. (‘tt/e Royal Fringe Theatre. until 26 Aug. 5.40pm. Samurai drama set amid the modern world of computer games and global commerce. Fern Hill 0... Assembly Rooms. until 27Aug. 3.55pm. This montage of stories attd poems shows there‘s more to Dylan Thomas’ work than ('nder Milk ll'ood. (itiy .‘vlasterson enthusiastically introduces tis to recognisable characters enjoying a batik holiday at the seaside.
O Filth I’leasant'e. until 26 Aug. 4.50pm. Actor Tam l)ean Burn is in top form bringing to life one of Irvine Welsh‘s tnost degenerate characters. police officer Bruce Robertson.