Theatre
Up ‘n’ Under 0000 111111111 [1111111111. 1‘ 1171111: 111111/ 3/) .1112. ‘//1111. 11s 1111111 111 imaginc thc likcsol //11' /’11//.'ll1111/\ 1111111111‘111111 lloskins \chiclc 3~1/,"1'\1st111g w ithout thc c\an1plc ol' pcoplc's play w right .lohn (iodbct'. [/1 '11'1'111/11 is his .11111111‘111 rugby 1caguc play. 11cl11ss1c. tunny 111111.11'ccss1111c p1ccc about ,-\rt|1111. thc pcipctually optnnisttc undcrdog. who in“ 1 his housc that 11cc1111 11.11111111'11111111 loscrs into :1 s111c tlial w 111 bcat thc local champions. .\totn1c lltcatrc 1111 I111" script proud. w 1111 1111 .11111111.1b|y solid production w 111ch lcaturcs w cll charactcrtscd pcrlortnanccs liom c1 cry 1111-111111‘11111111‘ cast 11s.>\rlhur's1111cctious11ctc11111111111ot1glycs 1111-1111111 somcthing tosltiyc 1111. Sonic tricky actton s1‘1|tl1‘11ccsatc1111111111‘11witltcast'altd. Pl't‘tllclal‘lt‘ lltottg‘lt ll 11. 1111s 1s11111‘13111'1‘y lt‘t'lg‘ood 1'111111‘11} [11:11 111111} works. 1;\l11st1111\111111111t11
Upside Down 0000 I)“ [111111112 K1111111/111 51'51'1/1/11/11. 1111/11'.‘ ".1112. .1/1111. Scc pancl
Velcro Sync I/o Project Alma/111 .1”: Sir/1111111. 1111111.)".1112. /_‘.,1’l/11m. 1.11111kv l’otsdain .11111 g'ttcsts 111 .1 111111111111'11111 show. Verbatim» .111/’11t1/111!11111\. (1'11 \11'1111'1 Anvil/111111. 1111:! _‘ i 1112. 1’11115/1111. .v\s a tccnagct l s11c.1kc11.1 look .11 .1 11111-11111 rcal 1111‘ c\ccttlions. 1111s 11111111111111111111'11111111 psychopath 1111111111 show 111.11 11111111111s .11c 111nalc1y 111.1wntow111dsthcdaikct sidc 111 1111' psycl1c.\\111tc1111y \\1111.1111111.111.11.1111sonc w111111111pl.1y 1s l1.1scd upon thc actual words 111 111111111'11'1s111111thosc whowcicaltcctcdby tlicit'critnc..-\ct111S.1111h \ltuphy plays s1\ charactcts.crc.1tcd 11111.1 111-c11111‘111111'111111'y 11111tc1'1al. w 1111 c\pl111c 11 11.11 [runs a pcison 11111111 klllt‘l'. '\\c111111.111‘11stcicolypical. 1111pc1son11l111111;:1'111 thc 111111111'11‘1f s11y s 111tcctor Katc Schottcld ‘\\c think 1111‘1'1"sonc 11111111111111 typc 111 111'!\1‘ll,.'\1‘ltl.111) thcrc's not Anybody c1111k111.\\1."11-1111 physically ablc to. It 11cpc111lson lhcc11oiccs w .‘ 11111kc.' 1K1kls’c1111
The Very Nearly Love Life Of My Friend Paul [’1'1111111111. :1111/1 3‘1112. [11111'1 1111'1.(‘oi111cpl11y about .1 scy c11 luncs cngagcd 1111111 w 1th conumlincnt pioblcins, The Virtuous Burglar1'1-1m1/1111 [111111111 ('11.. l1’111111 111' .1! .l111'111 '1 Ila/1’. 111111/ 35' .1112. 425/111}. “111111 111‘s 1.11'1'11'1‘ 11! 111‘1‘1‘11
Viva La Diva 000 1111.11/ 3," .1112. [AW/1111. .\l11 1111swc|1 1s altyc 111111 wcll and now .1 lcgcndary opcras111gcr..v\1n1ost. 11111[.11/)1'111s1‘1's.lc1111 1111111 as 11 lady ol son1c social standutg who. dcspitc 11 protound loycolop1‘1‘a.can'l sun: 11 notc 111111 wlto.
/’/1’11'\11II1‘1.
111'spitc this lack of musical ability. rcgularly pcrl‘orins in ptiblic. Sct during \\'111111\\'arll and bascd on a 1111c story. 1111111 is grcat 11s 1111' dcludcd 1-‘1111‘1‘111‘1‘Jcnkins. dcclaiming 11nd warbling throughout. [an \Vilkic co-stars as l1c11cluctant pianist w hosc sarky muttcrings 111111 1111scral1lcdcmcanonr balancc 111cc|y w 1111 111-1 lunacy. ’1'111'11‘ arc somc grcat 1111cs 111 this 111111 thc pcrlormanccs arc solid. But althouglt 1111‘1‘111111‘11y works w 1'11. thc momcnts ol' pathos do 11111 sit cntircly comlortably with 1111' 1cst ol thc production. 1\'i\ Fran/1111111111 A Volcano Classic 1111111111 11111-11/111/111111/ l’l1'11111111'1'. /'/11'11Ir1' 111111111171. 3.1’ 35 .1112.
H. l511/n. ll's unusual to lind 1111 artistic dircctor w 1111 won‘t talk about 111s show But Volcano lhcatrc‘s l’aul 1)11\ ics is sworn to \1‘1'1'1‘1‘}.41.111‘1‘\11111‘1tl;t \cry lantous 311111 ccntury playwright has grantcd thc company 1111' rights tor this production 1111 condition 111111 thcy 1111 not incittion thc writc1”s11amc. thc titlc 111 1111111" any n1cmbc1s 111' thc prcss. \cry 111ystcri1111s. But 1)a\ ics docs assurc 11s that
w hatcy c1 1s 1111 ollct' w 111 111' both 111} lunny 111111 c\trc1nc1y \ 11111‘111. '\\'c‘1‘1‘11\ct'_\ physical company.~ 11c says. ‘1cnow 111-11 1111' doing things w 1111 our bodics 111111 pcoplc don't rcally want to do. ()11. and thc 111cn gcl thcu' kit 1111 11nd 1111\1' 11 light w ith chairs to thc sound ol 1.1'11 /.1‘|‘|11‘1111.s ‘\\ 111111‘ 1,1111111.11\1".(111111'111'. 1 wondcr what \ocl (‘oward would makc 111 11 1111'.’ 11)11\1c :\rchibal111
The Vortex Sill/1 (111/1111 I1’/111‘\. (.1111), 1111/1/ 30.11112. Unis/1m. 1111' play that 11111111‘ \ocl (‘oward's 11111111‘. not lcast 1111 its 1cl'c1'c11ccs to drugs. adultcry 111111 11otnosc\tialtt_\.
The Wake l’l1'11111/11‘1'. 111111/ 371112. //.31111111. litipt‘omptu Productions in 11 comcdy 111111111111'1111111y hc1| bcnt on succcss. Walking Amongst Sleepers 00 llllt‘rlll't’ 111/1‘111/111/111I11//)/1'11\11I11‘1'. lillt'U/I't’ 1111/11/111/1. 111111/ 35 .1112. 1111111 11111. ‘\\‘1111 knows wltcrc [111' Black Sca is." asks ('111'1111111‘ l’arkcr tosslng a globc into thc 11t1111cncc. :\nd oncc sonic bright spark has locatcd 1t. shc’s 1111' 1111 adycnturc 111 111cct 11cr brothcr (’lydc taking w 1111 hc1 a hugc bag 111111 an ironing 111111111171. \Vhat scls this production apart 111111111t11crs is 111111 11 is pcrl'ormcd both \crbally 111111111sign languagc. which works
w 1'11. l’arkcr 1s a capablc [11‘1'1111'1111‘1' with 11 llarc 1111 words 111111 11 quirky scnsc ol' 111111111111“. but this play is 11111 1111' 111‘st \chtclc 1111 1111' talcnts. 1111' plot incandcrs aunlcssly 11nd tlt‘spilc 111‘1'1‘\cl’_\ cllot‘t Hill/11112 .1111111121l .1/1'1/11'1‘1 rcutains a bit ol 1111 cmpty talc.
1\‘i\ l't';ll]/ltt;tltltl
Upside Down 0000 D11 'I'lu'um'. Krnrit'zliu S! 51171111711, 1111111 37.11112. 3/1111. Do 'l‘catr. originally from St. l’ctcrsburg. bit! now rcs'iding in Potsdam. hayc thrcc tcchnically suprcmc pcrl‘ormcrs at thc ccntrc 111‘ (I/Is1'1/1’ [)1211‘11. 151111 of thcatricality. scnsuality. and comcdy'. this show oll'crs Russian acting at its \‘cry bcst. 'I'hc acting appcars cl‘l‘ortlcss. but isn‘t. Wc mary cl at how accomplishcd 111 moy'cnicnt. clowning and acrobatics thcy arc.
(1'/1.v1'1l1' [)1111'11 lirst bcgan lil‘c as 11 two- handcr in l‘)‘)(1 for dircctor/cl111rcogr11phcr [iygcny Kosloy' and Alcxandr Bondarcy. cxploring thc myth surrounding Frankcnstcin and his crcator. Sincc thcn Upside Down has bccn dcy'clopcd tuithcr to includc thc considcrablc talcnts 111' Irina Kosloy'a. Thc show l'ccls as 11' it has got too many ingrcdicnts. 'l'hcrc's Frankenstcin. insanc asy lums. mcn as ballcrinas. 1111ppclgangcrs. cycn a rcd Hag way ing! It would 11c bcttcr to cut away sonic of thc piccc's cxccss and conccntratc. ()thcrw isc it l'ccls y'cry 1970s and random.
But it is lull ol' glorioUs thcatrical momcnts. including a tcndcr inalc-to-malc pas 11c dcux. sparks lighting 11p a blackout as guns arc lircd. and an amazing cnding whcrc Bondat'cy‘ hangs suspcndcd upsidc down from a ropc and thrashcs around in a dcmcntcd l'rcn/y until his dcath. 1 wish its parts addcd tip to 111orc. llow'cy‘cr it is saycd 11) a grcat soundtrack. 11 tttisL‘ltiL‘Vtitls scnsc of humour and cspccially thc incrcdiblc powcr of thc acting. 'l‘hcy arc thrcc artists at 1111' licight ol thcir pow crs. Inspiring.
(John Binnic)
48 THE LIST FESTIVAL GUIDE
The Wallace I'l11'1111'1’ xii/)1! 111/n: Dru/111112111111 Ix'r'rl. 111111.117 (hm/1'11. 1111111 2/1 .1112. 8/1111. (ircat out-ol-tow 11 location lor Sydncy (ioodsit' Smith‘s poctic historical drama. stagcd by (‘harlcs .\'ow11sic1ski's .\lt1ss1-1burg11-bascd company.
Wanted Man .1111'111/1/1' Ron/111. 3.1’ 36.1112. [1111111. 'l‘oby .loncs gocs into thc potting shcd 1111a much-praiscd lantasy thrillcr. awardcd 111111 stars by '/'/11' [.111 last ycar. Scc also 7711' .1111 \1I12 l1’1’1'l. Weekend in Rio .. /’/1’1l\11/11’1' I)UI)I('. 111111/ 27.1112. Jill/mi. Sct on an acroplanc. Stcy cn 1-1111‘lich‘s ncw conicdy is sonicthing 111' a bumpy ridc. lollowing mothcr 1111111 licll. Sugar 1111 thc 1111111 tor 11cr
way ward w oodcn 1111111111‘1111111 son 1111111'1 aski who's stolcn 111-r moncy and l1uggcrc11oll 111111 lliglit toRio. Weird Romance and Le Boeuf sur le Tait/911111111! [11111111 (181‘ (11.1. [)1'1111111111111/(‘11;1111111111/1 “null/'1'. 111111134 .1112. 9.45pm. .\ltis1cal doublc bill 111 1111‘ .\111h11u11/(‘octcau lantasy and thc .\lcnkcn/Spcnccr/Brcnncrt sci-11. Welcome to Paradise I'm; 11111111 [1’111/21'1' [Um/1111111111 1111:. (11111111111 KIT/1 [/111111'. 1111/1/ 37.1112. 5.15pm. '1'1111's11l1111 linglish traycllcr 111 outback .-\ustralia. What Comes Up, Must Come Down ll1'111/111m 111111/1 l'li1'1111'1'. Ill/51). 111111/ 35 .1112. 2pm. Drug and dancc culturc c\an1incd 11y 11111s1‘ 1‘111s1‘sl 11111.
What You Really Want 00.
/\’1'11/ 711/1711. /’/1'11111111'1'. 1111/1/ 37.11112. .1’..1'1)/mi. ('o-w ritcr 111111 stand-up 'l‘rcyor l.ock stars w 1111 l‘cllow comics 1’1111 Nichol and Sarah Kcndall 111 a play about a haplcss 111111'kcting c\cc w 1111sc llcsh-and-blood altcr cgo starts making lilc dillicult tor 111111. Thc sccds ol somc 111tcrcsti11g lhcmcs strttgglc to takc root in 11 mirc 111' 1111111" 111111 prcdictablc cotnic mishaps Show -stoppmg turns 1111111 Nichol and \Vcndy \\'11son won most 111' thc laughs.
Whispers In The Wood 000
.1175". ('I1’1'll1'.-11121’l1‘. 111111/ 3!) .1112. 5/5/1111. .v\ndrcw Shcphcrd's lilth play. li'lii'x/u'rx I11 NM 11111111. is 11 Donna 'l‘artt-csquc lhrillcr with a twist that turns 1111 ()K plot ittto a play worth waiting for. A young law studcnt is murdcrcd and his girlli'ic11d is lranicd in what appcars to bc an opcn 111111 slitit casc. 'l'hc 11111111‘1‘1111‘111 111' hcr bcst lricnds and thc c11igmatic tthouglt catatonic lor hall ol thc play 1 l’t'ol1‘ss111‘J111‘k Richards rcycal much 111orc. ()llic Bcttcrs. rookic journalist. takcs on thc casc. 111111 11ccomcs ‘11 tragic bystandcr iii 1111cyi1111s plan'. .\ slick script 111111 crcditablc pcrl'ormanccs cnsurc that w c'll 11c sccing tnuch tttot'c 111‘ thc .\'cw castlc l'niy‘crsity ’l‘hcatrc Socicty. 111111 :\11dt'cw Shcpltcrd 111 particular. 10111111 \Vrightl
White Van Man 11111711111 Pita/1111111111. (' ('111/1'1‘21'11111111. 111111/ 3/) .1112. 0/11”. \cw play about 11 Sun—rcading urban philosophcr. ’l‘hrcc stars in ‘I'/11*5111111111111.
The Whole Shebang cocoa-1.11111111111- Roomy. 111111/:*.-1111». 3.50/1111. Jack Klall is back with anothcr gilt 111' a onc-man show. 'l‘hc South :\l'11can actor. storytcllcr and digrcsscr poscs qticstions about w 11111 arc wc. w ho arc w c 111111 111 w hat point docs 1111 111ch
orhuge
\Nhat
Trouble
\ClL‘liL‘L...)
Win, Win, Win! .0 [11111111111/ .11111/111'11. Runny/1'11 .1'1111//111'1/1'. 111111/ 3/) .1112. 415/1111. Hit 111111 miss tragi comcdy consisting ol 11 111111111gc111cnt training -s1y 1c lccturc. 'l'hcrc's 11111us1ng wordplay. but host .>\|an \ancr is not grolcsquc cnough.
Wiping My Mother’s Arse coco /1'111'1'r\1' l’li1'1111‘1’. 311/11! .35 .1112. [Hum 11111. 1111 playwrights s111choc()rton 11111 c ptit thc com cntions ol' thc w 1'11 ntadc play to such scttrrilous 11sc 11s lain llcggic. 1"1'ingc 1"it'st
w inncr.
Witness Me /111//1111\~111111 l11'r1’. /'/11' ('111/1’1‘l11’lly'. 111111/ 3/1 .1112. //..1‘U/mt. \Varick 1'1111 crsity sttidcttts 11111 physically 11cmanding \ ision 111 1111' cll'ccts ol 11111111111. \Vinncr ol 11 Sum/111 'l11111'1physical 111catrc award. 1511111 slats 111 /'/11’ 5111111111111.
No silly faces
laughs, just an accountof
happened
Woman in Mind 1511111/11111141 Prop/1' '1 771111111. SI l’1'11'r '1’ (711111111 Hull. until 35 .4112. 11111111 111/y. ()nc of .-\11111 Ayckbourn‘s darkcr comcdics about a woman's 111c11ta| brcakdown.
Working girls 71111111111111111-11111111111111. :111211.\11111".1'. 111111] 3(1 «1112. 2.30pm.
The World is Just About Enuff!
O. 'I‘l11' (7111112111112. (1111:. 111111126 .1112. (1pm. Jamcs Bond spools comc and Jamcs Bond spools go. this dclinitcly nccds to he going. You must know thc plot by now. [)1 11.1.. [Bub is planning 111 takc 111-c1 thc world 111111 only Sccrct Agcnt ()scar Tango can stop him. Wclcomc to thc arcna 111~ high camp whcrc thc pcoplc 1111 stagc arc haying a bcttcr timc than you arc. with song and dancc routincs that inakc you want to boil your own ticad in thc cantccn kitchcns ol cycry drama school 111 thc country. 'I'hc chorus danccrs arc grcat though and Rob 1511111111111 as thc baddic docs a plcasingly passablc imprcssion111'l’ctcr Scllcrs in Dr.
Strangcloy c. 11‘ you likc your panto 11cconstructcd with all thc punch lincs 11clibcratc|y kickcd into thc dust thcn this is 1111 you. (Paul Dalc)
The World’s Wife .00 1111/111- I’ro1l111'11'1ms. I1’1‘1/l11m 771111111: until 25.11112. ll..1‘l)11m. Mrs Faust. 111111 1111-1111 and thc
l)c\ il‘s w ilc 111g thc dirt on thcir bcttcr-k‘nown othcr halycs 111 this imaginatiy'c. l'rcsh and 11111111111 adaptation 111‘ (‘111111 .-\1111 Duffy's acclaimcd pocms.
Wrecked 0. [51112111011111 l’rorluclionx :11111/‘11/1'11. Korma/1'11 Roma/1 [2112/1' [111/21'. 1111111 26.11112. 9.05pm. 1.1kc thc Rcduccd Shakcspcarc (‘11mpany taking 1111 thc work of Qttcntin 'l‘arantino. thc lirst short play in this doublc bill carccrs through tltc clichcs 111' rcccnt moy‘ic crimc with morc cncrgy than cohcrcncc. A cotiplc ol‘ bank robbcrs scck rcl'ugc with 1111 innoccnt in a whcclchair but all attcmpts to build tcnsion in thcir prcdicamcnt 11111 111111 1111111 cdgy ncryotisncss which is 1111- 111 thc production. and 11111 thc drama. 'l’hc 111arginally lcss oycr-tlscd sccnario 111.11 luncral proy cs morc 1‘c1‘tilc in thc sccond play. which at lcast has s11n1c tcasing 11111 w hilc postponing its wholly prcdictablc punch linc. l)rc.\| Fabian docs 11 linc whimsical turn as a R111111arris-likc pricst. 111111 l-‘rogmouth rcally should play this strongcr card first. 1.\'inian Dunnctt)
The Year of the Monkey one. ('ltlin' [)1111'11'. K111110111}! Roman [1'112/1’ 1,111/‘21‘. 1111111 2/1 .11112. 7.1)5/1111. (‘Iairc I)ow ic giycs an cngrossing pcrl‘ormancc in this onc-wonian show; thc thrcc monologucs that makc tip hcr piccc ol ‘stand-up thcatrc' conccrn thcmsclycs with pcoplc who. for 1111c rcason 111 anothcr. chosc 11111 to follow thc hcrd. Yerma.-1.1.11'm/1ly- Rooms. 111111] 36 .11112. Ilium. 1.11rca‘s play. adaptcd by award winning Nigcrian play wright Biyi Bandclc. and focusing 1111 thc stigma attachcd to childlcss womcn in modcrn day Northcrn Nigcria.
You’ve Been Wonderful coo [fr-1:111 [Hum] T/Ir'rlll‘t‘. (. HUI/1' xlllg’t'lt’. (Mill :5 :1112. 3.45pm. ('harlic may bc six lcct tindcr. but his mcmory 1111's on in thc bow-ticd 111111 straw - hattcd l'orms 111~ his barbcrshop chorus. thc ('andy Sticks. But. 11s with 1111‘ B1‘11tlcs.'l'11c liaglcs. ‘11 1 and c1 cry othcr supcr-group. thc Sticks arc dcstincd to 1111plo11cas.onc by 1111c. cach mcmbcr of thc ()uintct y'iclds to thc pt’cssttt'L‘s 111111 delusions ol‘ lamc . . .
'l‘hcrc arc somc iiiiaginatiyc niomcnts in [his 111‘\ isctl piccc 1.111111 l‘it'cslt 11111011 ’l‘hcatrc. with thc last-paccd. noisy cnscmblc lcnt stylc by somc simplc yct cllcctiy'c sct 111'sign and props. 'l'hc prcmisc is slight. btit thc liy'c \crsatilc pcrl'ormcrs bring 1111 inl'cctioUs. youthlul cncrgy to w 11111 is cl'l‘cctiycly 11 scrics 111‘ w cll-worn thcatrc gamcs paddcd 11111 by songs. 1:\11an Radclill'ci The 200 Story 711/1011 [Ii/11’1III‘1' (.11.. (i 1):. 111111! I!) .1112. [/1111 lidward Albcc's 11cbut play lrom 105‘). whcn 111' was at 1111' lorclront ol‘ thc .-\111crican 111catrc 11l't11c absurd. about a sinistcr cucountcr in (‘cntral l’ark.