F E S T I VA L T H E AT R E | Hitlist
THEATRE HITLIST
Gareth K Vile picks out the theatre highlights from week three of the festival relentless energy. See review, page 87. Pleasance Courtyard, until 25 Aug, 5.30pm, £15–17 (£14–£16).
ARE WE NOT DRAWN ONWARD PINK LEMONADE
TO NEW ERA Fringe champions Ontroerend Goed demonstrate their continued dominance of the experimental theatre category, with a sinister, intriguing, passionate and formally imaginative study of human progress, environmental catastrophe and time itself. From the title’s palindrome to the structure of the narrative, Ontroerend Goed prove it is possible to go backwards and forwards at the same time. See review, page 90. ZOO Southside, until 25 Aug (not 19), 11am, £14 (£12).
BRYONY KIMMINGS: I’M A PHOENIX, BITCH
Bryony Kimmings has made a career from ruthless self- examination, defining the new wave of autobiographical theatre from her Fringe debut Sex Idiot to this, her comeback. Considering Kimming’s mental illness, the savage title hints at the power of her return, with her usual ferocious energy, dramaturgical wit and
A call for a revolution of acceptance, Mika Johnson delves into the challenges of intersectionality, discovering that their own queerness is complicated by issues of race and fetishisation. From bad dates to self- acceptance as a radical foundation for change, Pink Lemonade is stunning contemporary theatre with both heart and a message. See review at list.co.uk/festival Assembly Roxy, until 25 Aug (not 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24), 3.45pm, £10 (£9).
THE WORDS ARE THERE In which a mop becomes a major performer in a tale of domestic abuse. Ronan Dempsey’s solo show matches formal experimentation and physical theatre with emotional intensity and lends his performance a symbolic depth through the mop’s representation of an abusive partner. Emotive and provocative, it is as visually spectacular as it is painful. See review, page 88. theSpace @ Surgeons Hall, until 24 Aug, times vary, £9–£11 (£8–£9).
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A N D R E W P E R R Y
Baby Reindeer
BABY REINDEER Richard Gadd’s shift from comedy to theatre is a rough journey through emotional obsession. Gadd’s autobiographical solo refuses to let the protagonist escape from his complicity,
but this is a modern horror story that demonstrates how an act of kindness can lead down a dark path. See review at list.co.uk/festival Roundabout @ Summerhall, until 25 Aug (not 20), 6.25pm, £14–£16 (£12–£13).
80 THE LIST FESTIVAL 14–26 Aug 2019