FAN ATTIC
Camp cabaret
Fancy watching blokes in make—up. wigs and dresses slugging it out for glory and glittering prizes? Then Scotland's first-ever ‘Drag Idol is the place to be. This sassy competition will be central to Fan Attic. a late-night cabaret at Dance Base that promises to be both intimate and outrageous. Playing for four nights only, Fan Attic features ‘pop up' segments from choreographer Michael Popper (pictured). capoeira from Group Senzala. dynamic duets from Iona Kewney and Katie Duck. and top tapping fun from the Claquettes. Plus. of course. those lovely people in drag.
Tom Sapsford. former Royal Ballet dancer turned independent performer- choreographer, is one of the ‘Drag ldol‘ judges. ‘Each night there will be special guest appearances by professional artistes. including a quick Judy Garland from myself.‘ he says. His turn as the great gay icon is uncanny. As a judge. what will Sapsford be looking for? ‘Lip-synching to Kylie isn't enough these days. Assault my senses!‘ (Donald Hutera) I Dance Base. 225 5525, 77—20 Aug, 70.30pm, £6 (£4).
TAMBUKA DANCE COMPANY
Contemporary African dance
.00.
Life in Zimbabwe certainly isn‘t easy at the moment. but Tumbuka show that creativity is still happening. They imbue the contemporary style they dance in with the energy and spirit of more traditional forms of African dance. coupled with an eclectic choice of music. from Bobby McFerrin to Deadcandance. along with the expected Zimbabwean songs and rhythms on the way. The choreography contains many fresh ideas. complemented by the very effective lighting design. Exploring themes of village life. politics and Zimbabwean night life. some of the characters and situations ponrayed will seem familiar no matter where you come from. Humour and pathos are coupled with great ability and dance
talent to keep us entertained yet thoughtful. It won't be as much of a struggle to get to this show as it was for Tumbuka to get to Edinburgh to perform. But it WI” be worthwl'iile. (Fiona Campbell)
I St George '3 West. 226 2428. until
29 Aug. 2pm. [I l—EIQ (870—57 1).
VENEZUELA VIVA
Flamenco, the South American way
I... If only all histOry lessons were this
interesting. This is the danced story of
Venezuela. from its ‘discovery' by Christopher Columbus through to
more modern times. At times it almost
feels like the Venezuelan verSion of
Rive/dance. It's also a great advert for Venezuela itself. through the use of prejected images of the COuntry. even if this proved a little distracting at times. Despite the show's subtitle. A Flamenco Ft'intasv. don't expect 'Spanish' flamenco. This is Venezuelan flamenco. influenced by the country's Andalusian. African and indigenous cultures. The music is a similar blend. With the addition of Baroque classical. and the muSiCians are a jOy to listen to — particularly the singers and harpist. Ceiipled With the large number of wonderful costume changes. this is truly a spectacle. even though at times the stage wasn‘t large enough to give the dancers justice. Well wodh leavmg work early to get to. (Fiona Campbell) I Pleasance Courtyard. 556 6550. until 28 Aug (76. 23). 5. 10pm. 89—570
medical attire. a Visualist interacts With a Dancer in an effort to unlock the mysteries of his humanity.
The positioning of screens at the front and back of the stage explode the space. the various video images creating intimacy and distance. While the video effects are frequently mesmerising. the most powerful
(f 7. :30——F8.50}.
GRACE
TROPEA: COUCH POTATOES’ PARADISE
Austrian dance company capture 21 st century zeitgeist O...
The square-eyed couple in Tropea: Couch Potatoes’ Paradise are Austrian. But they could be from anywhere. Being glued to the telly is pretty much a global malaise these days, as this short, sharp piece of dance theatre from Helene Weinzierl vividly illustrates.
The 55-minute work opens with a film projection of a middle-aged couple slumped on the couch in their living room. She sports a peroxide-blonde ‘do’, sweat- pants and fluffy slippers. He wears boxers, a vest and obligatory beer gut. As the TV-heads snack on milkshakes (for her) and beer (for him) and surf channels, the four performers of Cie Laroque Dance Company spring into action.
Armed with a wardrobe of business suits, sportswear and assorted props, and an impressive vocabulary of slick, muscular dance, telling gestures and sabre-sharp wit, the dancers embody all from big stadium football
42 THE LIST FESTIVAL MAGAZINE 1 1—18 Aug 200:3
Divine inspiration from Canadian dance company 0000
Grace is the brainchild of choreographer Joe Laughlin. from Canadian company Joe Ink. In this late night multi-‘sensory trip of a Fringe show. Laughlin fuses movement. light and seiind to explore notions of power and humanity. Dressed in what looks like a cross between fetish wear and
moments come when the performer interacts directly with the light. The narrative may draw some rather trite conclusions. but the visual impact of the show is breathtaking.
(Allan Radcliffe)
I Souths/Cie. 667 2272. until 28 Aug (not 76. 23) 70pm, 5310 (E8).
NEXT ISSUE OUT WEDNESDAY 17 AUGUST
to a spoofed-up Jaws movie and cheesy commercials. Each time the couch potatoes change channel, the dancers respond: rushing to the onstage clothes rail to don the next guise.
As in most homes, the male is King of the Remote. So the dancer charged with playing Man Utd’s Ronaldo spends much time on the pitch. This is fortunate, since he has those footy mannerisms (including much ball- scratching) off pat - blending them seamlessly into satisfyingly fast-paced choreography. Equally slick are the sequences of politicians on intermittent news shows trading all from blows to bribes under cover of smiles and air-kisses.
As the ‘onscreen’ issues grow more serious (the Iraq War, Guantanamo Bay), the couch potatoes descend into a private war over the remote, blissfully unaware of world events unfolding. An entertaining and timely satire on our dysfunctional relationship with TV.
(Ellie Carr) I Aurora Nova. 5:38 3853. until 29 Aug (not l4. 2/, 28) 3. 75pm. l.‘ l2.5() (£79).