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HITLIST THE BEST THEATRE & DANCE
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✽ The Veil Mocking and well-crafted, the veil falls back to reveal the conflicting
identities of the true artist. See review, page 76. Pleasance Dome, 556 6550, until 26 Aug (not 12,19), 4.20pm, £8–£11 (£7.50–£10).
✽ Nirbhaya Heavy duty analysis of a crime that
shocked the world. See review, page 77. Assembly Hall, 623 3030, until 26 Aug (not 12, 19), 4pm, £14–£16 (£13–£15).
✽ Banksy: The Room in the Elephant Explosive story about how Banksy inadvertantly caused a man to become homeless. Starring Gary Beadle. See review, page 84. Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550 until 26 Aug (not 13, 19), 1pm, £9–£12 (£8–£11).
✽ Roughs Beckett receives a modern,
political updating. See review, list.co.uk Zoo Southside, 662 6892, until 26 Aug, 4.35pm, £9 (£7).
✽ Bin Laden: The One Man Show As likely to cause offence as laughter, this solo show is an example of how to explore ideas from a different angle. See review online. C nova, 0845 260 1234, until 26 Aug (not 13), 7.35pm, £9.50– £11.50 (£7.50–£9.50).
✽ Grounded A mother and pilot looks at the path that led her to her current situation, in
a twist on the normal tales of male warriors. See review, list.co.uk Traverse, 228 1404, until 25 Aug (not 12,19), times vary, £17–£19 (£6–£14).
FIGHT NIGHT Ontroerend Goed returns with another bold political production
F ight Night follows Belgian company Ontroerend Goed’s previous look at the complicity of the bystander, Audience, by again making the spectator get involved. The set-up is simple: there are a series of voting rounds with each stage allowing the candidates to explain a little about themselves. Although it is possible that the entire process has been rigged, the appearance of a free vote is maintained throughout.
By focusing on the mechanics of the voting process, and stripping away any political platforms, Goed exposes the limitations of elections. Here it is shown that the democratic process is inevitably doomed to destroy choice. The final result of their electoral process is disturbing: one candidate is rejected by the audience because he is clearly most like them, reflecting their uncertainty
and self-loathing. Another candidate tries to buck the system, and effectively removes the participation of those questioning the process. Fight Night is bold, and obnoxious. It mocks liberal assumptions about goodwill and democracy. The final revelation – a silent screen projecting the identity of the most powerful being in the room – is nihilistic while the disruption of true democracy is littered with uneasy alliances and ironic results. The final revelation becomes the naming of the beast, the individual who holds the power in democracy and effectively destroys it through their ubiquity. True to form, Ontroerend Goed offer no escape. Traverse, until 25 Aug (not 5, 12, 19), times vary, £17–£19 (£12–£14). ●●●●●
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8–15 Aug 2013 THE LIST FESTIVAL 75