FESTIVAL REVIEW
FESTIVAL THEATRE
narration.
aside. the actors'
228 4141.
the previous act.
Quite inordinately adolescent mayhem it is too. The lilm’s no-budget ‘special' ellects amount to chaps in rubber masks desperately wishing they were convincingly crazed mutant corpse stealers. while mad doctorJohn Carradine’s space-age lab simply has to be seen to he laughed at. Uppingthe dementia tactor. the ‘improved' screenplay adds a barrage ol stoopid voices and wild gags sending up the somehwattreestyle continuity. while doing its best to contrive a plotline that was probably never even there in the lirst place. The odd lacklustre patch
unhinged genius inthe writing make this a must on the late-nite Fringe circuit. (TrevorJohnston)
0 Double Take MeetThe Astro Zombies. Cameo Cinema. Home Street (venue 43). Until 29 Aug. 11.15pm. £4 (£3). Tickets:
BLACK AND BADDIEL/THE TWO MARKS
The tunniest thing about Black and Baddiel's show is Bill's designercondom T-shirt. ‘Got a stiltie weara jillie‘ (Bill being a member ol the audience hauled on stage). But despite their etlorts they can’t take credit tor it. The Two Marks on the other hand turn their haltot the show into a real humdingerot juggling and stilt-walking skills. butare greatly hindered by an audience anaesthetised by
0 Black and Baddiel/The Two Marks. Theatre ACT.
32a Broughton Street (Venue 101) 557 1785. Until 30 Aug (not Mons). 10.55pm.
INSINUENDOS
The lnsinuendos are in a class ottheirown. Their combination otwitty songs and show-biz parody highlight contemporary attitudes to sexuality, gay or straight. They successtully combine sexual politics and entertainment in a show that is honest. original and uplilting. They have a great rapport with the audience too. I loved every minute. 0 The lnsinuendos. Gilded Balloon Theatre. Cowgate
' (venue 38) 226 2151. Until
outrageously sharp comic timing and llashes ot
30Aug. 8.15pm.£3.50
(£2.50).
SLAVE clowns
. OF THE THIRD
REICH
' Brogue Male's humour is in
the same school as Glen Baxter’s: ripping yarns horribly parodied; grand adventures surreally undermined; absurd verbal
juxtapositions andlogical
twists. Paul B. Davies appears in
traditional Austrian dress
as a prisoner ot netarious Nazi scientists who pertorm nasty experiments involving
: a sell-willed television and a devilishly attractive
1 telephonethen ashis white-coatedtorturer.
' assuming a variety ot
bizarre roles on the
television screen in
between.
This is a slick and deftly-scripted piece. a least at preposterous monologues and — perhaps most amusing— controntations between the man and his video image.
Davies‘ apparently boundless capacity tor ridiculous invention, coupled with his mastery ot all kinds oi comic voices. makes tor a very silly evening indeed. (Andrew Bumet)
o Slave Clowns ot the Third Reich, Brogue Male Productions. Calton Studios. Calton Road (venue 71) 556 7066. Until 29Aug. 9pm. £3.75 (£3.25).
VICTOR AND BARRY
It‘s good to reportthat super-stardom has had little eliect on the boys lrom the Kelvinside Young People'sAmateurDramatic Arts Society. MacLeish and Maclllvaney may now have monogrammes on theirsilk dressing gowns. butthe show remains as delightfully. primly. theatrically Kelvinside as ever. They‘ve Iett Edinburgh. but it you get a chance to see the lruitoi their recent excursion to mime class inthe nextiew months. you should cancel all engagements. and worship belore Glasgow's answers to Noel Coward. (Alexander Benton)
0 Victor and Barry. Assembly Rooms. 54 George Street. (Venue 3) 226 2427. Runlinished.
VICIOUS BOYS
‘Ittook us yearsto realise we had nothing in common.‘ says Andy (the tall blonde one). ‘so we decided to do a two-hander aboutwhat happens when we go home altershows.‘ The result is VICIDUS RDDMERS. a play (inthe loosest sense at the word) written by the short. dark one (Angelo Abela) which the duo hope will erase a sticky ‘label ot being kids' entertainers'.
Already on stage when the audience comes in. the boys loll about intheir natural habitat— allat divided into two. one side dishevelled. the other tucked in at the edges. both an extension 01 their hosts. Etlecting a neatdelaying tactic in waiting till the last moment before breaking into their characters. the duo switch in and out ol a playthat draws outtheir ditterences. Sketches are inspired by a television- side chat. bound bythe theme ‘you are whatyou watch'. Lively and bright reliet trom the deadpan and dark side oi the lringe. and a brave and inventive departure from hometurlthat hits more often than it misses. (Tristan Davies)
0 Assembly Rooms. 54 George Street (venue 3)226 2427. Run tinished.
BROWN BLUES
The Blues are Jungr and Parker. a line and wondertully sentimental jazz duo. he on guitar, she on vocals. The Brown is Arnold. Glasgow jewish comedian. an old lava and. back with new material. betterthan ever. Brown's style is caressing. benevolent- a wonderlul change trom the trequent aggressive or aggrieved stand-up comedian—and gently sell-mocking: ‘I'm a patisserie kind ol guy’. His material rambles amiany around his lite-style-a constant condition at surprise at the ordinary, skirting on politics. His delivery is wry and deliciously laid back and he and Jungr and Parker together make a mellow evening.
0 Brown Blues. Gilded Balloon. 233-237 Cowgate (venue 28). 226 2151. Until 30 August 10pm. £3.50 (23)
RAW SEX
Duane (on bongos) and his step-lather (on synthesiser) are. it must be said. pure. sweaty copulation. But they’re also a caring combo, big enough to pay their dues to the greats— Alan Minter and. ot course. Roll Harris. Their satellite link-up to Roll in Australia is this evening's high point. But they keep an eye on young talent - they’re not too proud to share a stage with Tina The Amazing Memory Woman. or even with the lloor—sweeping bell-bottoms ol Eduardo, sixteen year-old Italian guitar hero. Best at all, Raw Sex haven't torgotten how to get a party going in a venue smaller than the NEC. . . don‘t missthem. (James Torre)
0 Raw Sex appearing with Helen Lederer. Gilded Balloon. 233-237 Cowgate (venue 28). 226 2151. Until 30 Aug. 11.15pm. £4.50 (£3.50).
RAMA AND GUESTS
These three Danish ladies come to Edinburgh lorthe lirst time. trailing clouds ot glory across the Continent.
‘Their style 01 comedy is
primarily visual and they sing in English so there’s no problem understanding their humour. Their initial appearance in glamorous blue satin, singing witty little cabaret numbers— ‘Would you like to be my object tortonight?’ -is nicely overturned when they re-appear. almost unrecognisable. ‘in character“: one a severe schoolmarm; one a gauche adolescent in pink net tulle and white bloomers; and
I A If
tunniest at all the third as a gormless. arthritic old crone. Forthe next houror so they entertain us to a crazy musical/acrobatic routine. sending themselves up mercilessly with much good-humoured tun and games. You can't help laughing. In between the reverse metamorphosis lrom butterflies lo grotesque caterpillars, there are two guest comedians lrom the London cabaret circuit. who vary on successive nights. On Monday night Kevin Day and Mervyn Stutter. both experienced comics. raised plenty laughs. Stutter (real name!) is especiallytunny and has his own solo show at the Pleasance venue. (Lily MacGillivray)
o Rama and Guests: ASlice ot Danish. Marco's Leisure Centre. 51 Grove Street (venue 98) 228 2179. Until 29 Aug. 11.15pm. 23 (£2.50)
JOHN DOWIE
John Dowie. ‘altemative‘ comic lrom Birmingham. gives his audience an hour ol brilliantly edgey stand-up comedy. Skating overthe Royal Family and politics- ‘when the Lelt get an idea theytum it into a badge'— he launches into a manic stream ot jokes and sketches (plus the occasional song on piano). ranging lrom sex and porno mags (why are they never just called WANKER?) to the radical ditterences between cats. dogs and slugs. Recent latherhood inspires a hilarious diatribe on babies and his bottle-leading routine had us all in stitches. Nervous, bug-eyed. and unpredictable-a stagehand who wandered on midwaythrough enquiring ‘Dh. you‘re not asleep then?’ seemed to
CABARET SH l
mystity him as much as us- he’s unique and very, very lunny. Notlorthe sqeamish! (Lily MacGillivray)
0 John Dowie: Heriot Watt Theatre, 30 Grindlay Street (Tic Too 2 and 3). 229 3574. Until 29 Aug (notSuns) 6.30pm. £4 (£3.50).
SIMON FANSHAWE
Any man who can extracta laugh trom a joke as creaking as ‘the place where men are men and sheep are nervous' merits attention. A curious hybrid oi styles (Billy Connolly's hair-flicking habit; Ronnie Corbett's delivery). Fanshawe looks not unlike a camp Roy Rudd. He uses his audience well. with a rehearsed ad-lib up his sleeve tor most eventualities—when he discovers there are no Americans in the audience he uses the joke anyway: ‘yesterday there were loads olAmericans in. lasked them it they were hereto invade. or just lorthe hoUdayJ He gallops through a tamiliarterritory (Reagan. Thatcher. sexual inadequacy) with lamiliar material (‘Americans love anything over 75 years old— they even vote tor it'). but he keeps the audience happy enough — perhaps because he has the grace to bring in halt-a-dozen local relerences. (Jim White) Simon Fanshawe. Assembly Rooms. George
Street (venue 3) 226 * _
2427/8. Until 29 Aug. 8pm. £4.25 (£3.50)
MORE CABARET PAGE 12.
The List 21 Aug ~- 3 Sept 11