list.co.uk/festival Reviews | FESTIVAL THEATRE
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OF MICE AND MEN Steinbeck’s classic novella is brought to life ●●●●● THE LAST LAUGH Stand-up tragedy with deceptive intelligence ●●●●●
BIRTHS, DEATH AND MARRIAGES Coming of age dramedy ●●●●●
First published in 1937, John Steinbeck’s much loved novella, Of Mice And Men, has graced the stage on many occasions all around the world, tackling major universal themes like friendship, loneliness and powerlessness in an oppressive world. And while this well acted production does shine a light on such themes, it seems to be only skimming the edges of Steinbeck’s novel.
George and Lennie are two migrant ranch workers searching for their place in the world and a better future for the two of them. George is a quick-witted, ambitious man, while Lennie is a large, simple minded, if well-meaning figure, that just wants to look after rabbits. Together they search for their own little piece of paradise, only to discover harshness and tragedy that will ultimately destroy them both.
Despite a sentimental conclusion and the clear influence of stand-up comedy on the structure, The Last Laugh is a mordant satire that goes beyond the simple parody of comedians that it advertises. Keir McAllister’s script twists elegantly, moving from a naive examination of how male comedians try to deal with feminism, into a more complex tale of love and deception. Beginning with a comedian’s attempt to cash in on the fashion for feminist comedy – played with a despairing gusto by the author, the play mocks the egotism of a male artist who, even when he is being cynical, is trapped by his lazy assumptions about women. Larah Bross, his foil, gets the best lines and teaches him a life lesson about confusing sex and love, or sex and weakness.
This two hander is expertly acted by Michael Alternating between solo routines and witty
Roy Andrew and Nigel Miles-Thomas, who bring these two iconic characters to life with such apparent ease that it is difficult to see anybody else performing the roles. But the play itself does not have the depth of the novella. The complexities of additional characters are missed out and we are left with something not quite as rich. (Alex Eades) ■ Gilded Balloon, 622 6552, until 31 Aug (not 17), 1.30pm, £9–£12 (£7.50–£8.50). banter, the script is less amusing when it presents fragments of the stand-ups’ acts, but sparkles when the couple get into complimenting or abusing each other. The Last Laugh makes trenchant comments on the battleground of heterosexual desires and prejudices. (Gareth K Vile) ■ Assembly Rooms 0844 693 3008, until 30 Aug (not 17), 1.30pm, £10 (£9).
People You May Know and New Wolsey Theatre Company previously produced a triple award nominated show in the form of Party Piece, garnering much critical and public acclaim. And so, with their new piece, Births, Deaths and Marriages, expectations are high. And while some might find this quirky encounter a perfectly harmless piece of fun, it’s more comfortable than spectacular. Set over a single night, four young people have
some very big decisions to make. One has got his girlfriend pregnant, another is running away and contemplating death, while a couple wrestle over their relationship after an ill-advised proposal. As the night rumbles on, the gravity of their situations begin to weigh ever heavier and the urgency of their choices burn deeper and brighter. This well performed and cleverly structured show
raises more than a few laughs in its hour-long running time, but there are a few misses, such as an overly long gag involving the repetition of lyrics being played through a karaoke machine. However, it is largely an entertaining, inoffensive yarn, if almost instantly forgettable and not quite as profound as it thinks it is. (Alex Eades) ■ Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 31 Aug (not 17), 2pm, £7.50–£9.50 (£6.50–£8.50)
CLEANSED Sarah Kane’s shocking masterpiece ●●●●●
First performed in 1998 at the Royal Court Downstairs in London, Sarah Kane’s deeply unsettling third play is brought to life to devastating affect by newly established Glasgow-based theatre company, Fear No Colours, whose talented young cast convincingly capture the madness and the horror of her script. Cleansed follows a gay couple, a brother and sister and a
peepshow dancer within a concentration camp overseen by the sadistic Tinker. Tinker is both authoritarian teacher and sexual deviant, and is one of the most unpleasant characters in 20th- century drama.
As the characters suffer through the shocking hell of the
institution, Kane draws the audience deeper and deeper into a world where no light ever shines and the transgressive becomes almost familiar.
As with all of Kane’s work, it feels as if she is punishing the audience and driving her characters towards the very brink of sanity. However, despite this, the repeated confrontations with horror build into an almost redemptive, if brutal resolution. This splendid production by Fear No Colours is a tour de force.
The performances by the entire cast are gut-wrenching in their honesty, offering up energy that captures both Kane’s hate-filled script and a love for her dark poetry. The black-hearted Tinker epitomises the evil that Kane saw in the world – authority figures from fathers through teachers to Nazi scientists are evoked in his behaviour. Erfan Shojanoori lends him an appropriately slimy swagger and provides the foundation of a powerful production.
Not one for the younger or the easily traumatised, this is an emotional, dark journey into the black corners of the human soul. (Alex Eades) ■ C nova, 0845 260 1234, until 31 Aug (not 17, 24), 1pm, £8.50– £10.50 (£6.50–£8.50).
13–20 Aug 2015 THE LIST FESTIVAL 87