Theatre
AMAJUBA: LIKE DOVES WE RISE
Celebrating a decade of South African freedom
Fringe First Winner Yael Farber (A Woman in Waiting) was commissioned by a small town South African arts council to direct a production wrth resident performers. Instead of working from an existing text. Farber collaborated wrth the five black South African cast members. drawrng on their experiences to tell stories of growrng up in the country.
‘We have an impermeable protection against facts. no matter how horrific] says Farber. 'lracts immunise us against truth. It's in the details that we find the key to being moved by another person's reality. ‘Socalled small stories have an extraordinary pov-rer on audiences r if told with authenticity. As theatre makers. we search for ways to empatliise and identify with people who superficially seem so ‘different' to us. lhat is the extraordinary power of storytelling in theatref (Miles l—relderr I Assembly Rooms i226 2428/. 8—30 Aug inot 16. 23. 27/.
I 1.20am, 5‘13/5‘] Ii. See Offers Page (page 10/ for 2 for I tickets.
CARAVAN A Pulp Fiction puppet show. For adults only. If you thought puppet shows were only for kiddies. Australia's Black Hole lheati'e company is going to prove otherwrse. Caravan is a film noir- style thriller performed with puppets. On a hot summer's night in the 1950s a carnival rolls into town. We is fun and games are aplenty until lust. greed and treachery take over. A heart is broken. Shots are fired. An arm is severed. A trail of blood leads to the caravan. DOESCIIIXXI as suitable only for adults Caravan promises to be one of
Telephone Booking Book Festival 0131 62/1 5050 Fringe 0131 226 0000
the more unusua productions on the Fringe this year. Blurring the boundaries between real life and the world of the marionettes. this is puppetry as you've never seen it before ~- surreal, violent. erotic and very. very dark. Leave the kids at home. lGareth Davres) I St Stephen's, 53:38 38:33. (>7 30 Aug (not IO. I7, 24/, 4pm, 5‘8-5‘ 70 (5‘:3~5‘()‘).
FALESA
French physical theatre does Robert Louis Stevenson
Theatre Du Maguis is a French physical theatre group. bringing its version of a lesser; known Robert louis Stevenson tale back home to its native Edinburgh. where HIS author of cl; ssics such as Ireasi/ie /s/and and Kidnapped - grew up. When he wrote Hie Beach of / a/esa iii 1893. it was seen as immoral and scandalous. with its depictions of a Scots trader's life. loves and adventures on a small pacific island. Now lheati‘e Du Marguis has turned it into a stunning theatrical treat. combining vrsual effects with live music and humorous storytelling to give the audience. as the company says. the delicious illusion of an immobile journey. It's a delightful bilingual theatrical experrencef iOareth Davresr I St Stephen's. {>58 38:33. (i lb‘Ai/g {not IO), 1.30pm 8} 18—21 Aug. l().fr’()pin. 5’8—5‘70 (5‘53).
TANGO APOCALYPSO The end of the world as we show it
What would you do wrth the last night on earth? Dance. says Coventry based physical theatre troupe the Shysters. 'Oance in faith, hope and pleasure.‘ says artistic director Richard llayhrm. ‘And tell
International Festival 0131 4/3 2000 Film Festival 0131 623 8030 Jazz Festival 0131 11/3 2000
XXX
Jerk in progress
80 it’s here, for about its final European gig. Spanish company La Fura dels Baurs (it means the Fury of the Sewers, so presumably its base is near a curry house) is bringing its version of the Marquis De Sade’s Philosophy of the Boudoir, said to be the most sexually explicit piece of serious theatre ever staged, to the Fringe. But whether it’s more sad than De Sade is still very much up for debate. Telling the story of a young woman corrupted by three ‘sex tutors’ of various degrees of multifarious perversion (one a former porn star, who is eventually persuaded to arrange the gang rape of her mother), the piece is meant to expose the degree of sexual hypocrisy in our society. But whether the enormous emotional, and therefore political, power that sexuality holds is actually rendered cold and trivial is a moot point. All the same, it’ll no doubt fill houses throughout its run at the Pleasance. The pornographic element is supposedly emphasised by the multimedia effects, incorporating live footage on stage with images from movies you watch one handed and websites that cause squinting. It’s supposed to be scandalous, and having seen ticket prices at £20 a shot, as it were, I’ve suddenly realised why. (Steve Cramer) I XXX. Pleasance Courtyard. 5506:3150. ant/I H Aug. 8pm frnafinees 76‘; lfa‘Azig, 2prni. 5‘20 if‘léi’.:30i, See Offers Page 'page 10 for 2 for I
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stories about love.’
As a prelude to The find, however. the Shysters have dreamt up a brief encounter set aboard a train destined for the last terminal. Inspired by the music of Boris Koval and the Labaada Orchestra. l-layhow says of the show: 'lt's like an ex;)i'essionistic film noii'. It also has a silent movie feel about it. On the elemental plane on which the story is acted out. words are an irrelevancy. The whole piece literally becomes a moving pictui'e.' (Miles Fielder)
I Traverse. 228 1510-}, 55-71:") Aug, 5‘5) (511.50). 9.30 pm.
HEDWIG AND THE ANGRY INCH
Cult transgender musical
lhis award—Winning transgender rock musical of the millennium made waves Ill l, (liiiliuigli a few years back when the stage show played the fringe and the screen adaptation was shown at the film Festival. With Rose Tinted Productions bringing back the punk~glam show. it looks like giVing Hed is going to
become an annual event in Edinburgh. Rose l'inted. which aims to supply 100 minutes of pure ‘shock'n'i'oll’ inspired by BO‘NIO and Iggy. the Pistols and Nirvana. appears to be operating under the age-old sound advrce that if it ain't broke don't fix it. lhat's something bandleader Hedwig herself must have thought about after suffering a botched ‘penectoiny' that left the unwanted inch. (Miles Fielder) Greens/do Church 53:37 212-1, (5—1-1 Aug. midnight. f‘lO r5‘8i.
Tickets : £10 (£8.50) Venue : 0871 750 0077 Fringe Box Office : 0131 226 0000
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THE PULL OF NEGATIVE GRAVITY
War and community examined in new play
(‘iiven that lorry Blair continues to take flak over the war in Iraq. Hie /)(/// of Negatrve Gravity. an account of a young British soldier returning home with injuries and the impact they have on his famin promises topicality and. pr ssibly. controversy.
Hut director (-‘iiegon lhoiiipson says the play. written by Jonathan I iclitenstern for the MOHIIII‘,’ llieatie ()oiripany. isn't critical of Blair. 'lt's
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9th-26th Aug (03 2:20pm 27th-30th Aug @ 12:45pm
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about local iiiipactf says the soiiietinie HSC director. ll‘iis play deals with detail. Its focus is not at go\.'einiiient lexel.‘ lhonipsoii says
I iclitenstein \.‘~.'as inspired to write /\.’eg('1t/ve (Frawtt by living in a garrison l()‘.'~.’ll i()olr:hesteii for the past 1.5) years. AlltI what might Mr Blair make of the play? 'I think he'd be 'no‘..'e<l.' says lliompson. "It's about human beings living through tragic circtimstances.'
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5 5’ r -1 THE LIST FESTIVAL MAGAZINE 63