list.co.uk/festival Reviews | FESTIVAL THEATRE
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21 THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT TORONTO’S CRACK- SMOKING MAYOR Tale of epic political fall from grace ●●●●●
Canadian politician Rob Ford had a non-existent profile on the world stage until last year, when news website Gawker published evidence of him smoking crack cocaine. When Ford’s eventual admission only made things worse (‘Yes, I have smoked crack cocaine . . . probably in one of my drunken stupors’), his long list of past indiscretions — including making racist, sexist and homophobic remarks — was also brought into the open. Rose Johnson plays Kerry Morningside, a Canadian ex-pat and political consultant who aims to exonerate Ford. Or, as it turns out, help dig his grave — it depends who’s asking. A sneaky satire on spin and the amorality of lobbyists, Jason Hall’s script also succinctly highlights the dangers of letting cartoon-character politicians have access to real power (Boris Johnson and Nigel Farage are namechecked). While actor Johnson is occasionally guilty of milking a scene or a gesture a little too much, it’s always good to experience political theatre that credits the audience with enough intelligence to make their own decisions. (Niki Boyle) ■ Sweet Grassmarket, 243 3596, until 24 Aug, 7.50pm, £8.50 (£7.50).
A WALK AT THE EDGE OF THE WORLD Walk and lecture on memory and power ●●●●● CHATROOM Enda Walsh’s cyber-bullying tale ●●●●●
Edinburgh-based theatre company Magnetic North’s lecture-with-walk is a thoughtful, slow- paced, moving exploration of solitude, freedom and power. Solo performer Ian Cameron tells us he’s just recovered from a hip operation so won’t be able to walk very quickly, before leading us on a silent stroll from the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, down to the Water of Leith and back again.
We should take in the sights, sounds and smells around us, he advises, before explaining the heightened awareness of his own existence that those senses brought him on his own walks – and the sense of liberation he gained from stepping away from marked paths.
The context – his own constrained upbringing with devoutly Christian parents – soon becomes clear, and although he branches away from the main route to bring in underwater villages and mad yachtsmen, it’s his memories that he unavoidably returns to.
Nicholas Bone’s poetic text is a study in restraint in this production that dares to say difficult things quietly. (David Kettle) ■ Summerhall @ The Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, 560 1581, until 24 Aug (not 18), 5pm, £12 (£8).
Irish writer Enda Walsh’s name on the poster isn’t always cause for optimism; for every Once, there’s tiresome self-indulgence like Penelope. No Prophet Theatre have chosen to revive his 2005 play Chatroom, an investigation of the world of internet activity. Initial discussions of Willy Wonka, JK Rowling and Britney Spears give way to darker matters: depression, suicide and cyber-bullying. Jim (James Lewis) has issues that Laura (Edith
Poor) can’t resolve; he seeks friendship and understanding in a chatroom, but finds himself a divisive element between Jack (Lachlan Bond), Emily (Amy Dunn), William (Patrick Fleming) and Eva (Serena Jennings). The action of Walsh’s play is largely confined to the written expressions of the six characters, delivered from seated positions directly to the audience. Although the presentation is simple and lacks flair, the effect is intense and dramatic, and the final scenes, in which the group are challenged to come out from behind their keyboards, are fleetingly but hauntingly caught on video footage. Director Will Merrick hits the spot with this dark, jagged production. (Eddie Harrison) ■ C nova, 0845 260 1234, until 25 Aug, 8.20pm, £9.50–£11.50 (£7.50–£9.50).
GOODBYE GÜNTHER The Clown of Death ●●●●●
Like the best clowns, Frank Wurzinger does not wear a red nose or big shoes. Instead, he evokes the pathos of human life through a self-conscious vulnerability, a mastery of characterisation and the occasional pratfall. Following the last hours of the titular hero, Goodbye Günther is a hilarious take on impending mortality.
From the moment he comes on – dressed as Death – Wurzinger engages with the audience. That his attempts to impress constantly fail, and that he gives a running commentary on the various techniques he is using, only add to the intimacy of the show. When he emerges as Günther, it is clear that Wurzinger is both a skilled physical comedian and captures the wistful demeanour of a melancholic stand-up comic. Günther is a tragic figure, bumbling through life. He deals with his imminent demise in the same way as he has lived his life: he tries to be hopeful, he knocks things over, he insists on his normality.
Although death stalks the show, the laughter is never unkind: Günther is clearly a failure in life, but he approaches his death with a measure of dignity. His passions for Cliff Richard and a goldfish called Michelle reflect a deep loneliness and desire to be loved; his interactions with the audience are charming and tentative, far away from the abrasive rage of Red Bastard but sharing a similar interest in opinions and health.
Clowning, at least in the UK, is often associated with children's theatre, but Wurzinger uses the familiar antics as a way to tackle a serious, and difficult, subject. His discussion of the tricks he is using to entertain reveals the intelligence behind the laughter, and the ending manages to be poignant without any sentimentality. (Gareth K Vile) ■ Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 25 Aug (not 18), 12.50pm, £8–10 (£7–£9).
14–25 Aug 2014 THE LIST FESTIVAL 83