FESTIVAL THEATRE | Reviews
UNFAITHFUL New drama about the oldest drama ●●●●●
A plumber having a pint after work in a boutique hotel is approached by a bold young woman with red lips and a swishing ponytail. She is the same age as his daughter. Does he, she asks with the electric confidence of youth, want to fuck her? With that, four people embark on a tiger-chasing-its-tail circle of sex, self-deception and dishonesty that is not always what it seems.
Tom the plumber has been married to Joan for 30-odd years
and, since their daughter left home, they have forgotten how to be alone together. Sex is rubbish. Turns out that Tara, the upfront vixen, is with Peter, the male escort that Joan books for a revenge liaison after Tom and Tara squeeze a dirty weekend's worth of depravity into an encounter up a close. Benny Young as Tom and Cara Kelly as Joan glow at the heart
of this production. Young is pitch perfect as the gruff, Scottish fifty-something man who thought he had forgotten how to do anything more than install toilets. Kelly soars as the enraged wife who feels she has been cheated of a life rather than cheated on by her husband. Owen McCafferty's sparkling script is at its best when these
two are together. Their parts are so well written, and Rachel O'Riordan's direction of them so assured, that the younger two sag slightly in comparison. Owen Whitelaw's obnoxious male escort is a less confidently conceived character while Amiera Darwish's Tara has all the chutzpah to set off the fireworks but less of the emotional range needed for the sticky bits.
They have, however, the thankless task of providing the plot backup, the platform on which the grown-ups shine. And how they shine: like a copper pipe used as a weapon. (Anna Burnside) ■ Traverse, 228 1404, until 24 Aug (not 18), times vary, £19 (£8–£14).
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SUPER TRAMP Talented one-man performance ●●●●● BILL CLINTON HERCULES A fireside chat with Bubba ●●●●●
This one-man show is based on the true life story of Shane Fox, a schoolboy who ended up living on the streets after his dad was imprisoned for shooting his mum during a drunken argument.
Solo actor Michael Rivers, who also wrote and devised the piece, shows us a young Shane with normal teenage problems enjoying a party before the tragic downward spiral begins. Rivers is, without question, a talented actor, undaunted by his debut. He creates a cast of characters through reactions alone and his flair for movement makes for a beautifully visual performance. He leads the audience through the roller coaster of emotions required for such a desperate tale but is often too quick to step out of the scene and narrate his feelings.
The staging is well thought out, with just a few carefully chosen props and clever use of sound effects allowing for a multiplicity of scene changes. The script is well paced and although some of the writing seems naive, it works well with the youthful energy Rivers brings to the performance in communicating that these tragic events befell Fox at such a young age. (Rowena McIntosh) ■ Zoo Southside, 662 6892, until Aug 25, 9.15pm, £9 (£7).
78 THE LIST FESTIVAL 14–25 Aug 2014
Bill Paisley nails Bill Clinton’s down-home patter and renowned charm in this new show from Guy Masterson and Rachel Mariner. The former US President’s story is ripe with dramatic potential – but this show is fairly unexciting. As the audience files in, Paisley greets us in
Clinton’s signature Arkansas twang, smiling at every punter. He sets a very comfortable tone for the ensuing 70 minutes, during which he treats us to anecdotes from his childhood, his political career and a few from his wife Hillary’s career too. Bill Clinton Hercules is at its most engaging when we hear about the former US President’s idols: John F Kennedy, Martin Luther King Jr, Yitzhak Rabin and Nelson Mandela all get warm mentions, and there’s a particularly touching tale about fellow ex-President Jimmy Carter.
It’s pleasant but isn’t quite sharp enough to make the obvious political drama come to life, and Paisley noticeably stumbles over his lines on a few occasions. Although it captures Clinton’s raw ambition, it ultimately shies away from making any new insights into one of the most fascinating lives in modern politics. (Yasmin Sulaiman) ■ Assembly George Square, 623 3030, until 24 Aug, 2pm, £11–£13 (£9–£11).
THE PURE, THE DEAD AND THE BRILLIANT Scotland's sprites and spirits vote aye or naw ●●●●●
Set in the fairy world, Alan Bissett's script conjures some convincing characters from popular myth and legend and places them in Scotland 2014 at the heart of the campaign for independence. With Bissett's own enthusiasm for a big Yes well known, this is his Fringe contribution to the theatrical debate.
The politics protest a little too much: it is obvious
from the start which way this discussion on independence is going to go. There is some real dramatic tension, however, especially in the fairy parliament, a scene that brings the best from vitriolic No campaigner and demon, Black Donald as he dances around the oil and currency questions better than Salmond or Darling ever could. But despite the entertainment, the politics is boiled
down a little too much and it becomes a battle between true Scot Bogle and the Blairesque Black Donald. As the programme says, the company is proudly partisan. However, this is not a children's show and while the writing is good, it relies on a simplistic caricature of a complex political problem. (Barry Cooper) ■ Assembly Rooms, 0844 693 3008, until 24 Aug (not 18), 2.30pm, £15 (£12).