FESTIVAL REVIEW
LUNCH WITH THE ALEXANDER SISTERS
’Scotland’s newest and most promising comedy double act’ Glasgow Herald
BUSTER BROWN'S, 27 Market Street (venue 60) 24 — 29 August Doors Open 12.30pm — Show starts 1pm (finishes 2pm) FOODAVAILABLE’LICENSED BAR Tickets: £2.50 (£2 concs)
Assembly Rooms
25 August. 11.45 pm.
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(0702) 713333
BEAU LYS
presents
a Drama IONAS FISHER Aug 10-12, 20—26 a Cabaret All Turned Off COMEDY Aug 13—l9m 27—29 2.30pm £2/£l
Venue 27 The Roxburghe Hotel
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ZO'l‘he List 21 Aug» 3 Sept
FESTIVAL THEATRE
AROUND THE FRINGE
acted. with music courtesy ol Debussy and Presley. the show is too moving an ollering to omit lrom your viewing. (Helen Davidson) 0 Death 01 a Salesman. Oxlord Theatre Group. Abbey Laird Hall (venue 14) 226 5985. Until 29 Aug (not Mons). 8.15pm. £3.
A CHRISTMAS CAROL
As Mrs Reeve (alias Tiny Tim. Fred's wile and The Ghost 01 Christmas to Come) contidingly inlorms you atthe start. the Dramatic Society. regular visitors to the Fringe. has really excelled itsellthis year. ’Some olthe costumes look like real clothes!‘
In a uniquely discordant rendering olACHRlSTMAS CAROL. a new and unpredictable light is cast (when Adrian can master the switches) on Scrooge. Played with unremittant acidity bythe sharpest tongue on Farndale Avenue. his cautionary tale gets only a little lost inthe perlormance. though continually upstaged by intercast tension. dire patches ol grievous bodily harm. and a wandering copy 01 Men Only.
Displaying yet againthe masterly ineptitude that has made theirreputation. Entertainment Machine execute anotherClassic massacre with an awesome and convincing idiocythat holds you in thrall despite all your betterinstincts. Blaze an immediate trail lor the last and last-dwindling tickets. (Rosemary Goring) o A Christmas Carol. Farndale Avenue Housing Estate Townswomen's Guild Dramatic Society. Pleasance Theatre (venue 33) Until 22 Aug. 6.35pm. £4.50 (£3.50)
ILOVE YOU BABY, BUTl GOTTA RUN
A tale lull ol wickedlylunny local colour and memorable 503' soul music. The plot ol comedy cum thrillerinto which authorJohn MacKay has woven such apparently diverse threads. centres aroundJimmy Broon— that's James Brown to any at you Sassenachs outthere — who linds himsell in merry mayhem when a bag lull 01 stolen money is stashed in his much-loved. butsadly clapped-out motor.
The dillerent laces at Edinburgh conlrontas Jimmy and his yuppie girllriend Eileen grapple not only with the seamierside ol lile. but also with poncy university student Charles Locoq. whose interests. we are inlormed. are investment banking.
tutes. Although heavily cliche-ridden. the show has the wonderlullytherapeutic quality olbeing ableto laugh at itsell. Indeed anything which looks to both ‘Grease‘ and ‘The Sloane Ranger's Diary' lor inspiration could not very well do otherwise. Natives ol Edinburgh will enjoythat pleasurable lrisson ol recognition when our heroine talks olthe overwhelming 'relainement‘ olJenners. (Helen Davidson).
0 | Love You Baby. Bull Gotta Run. Merry Mac Fun Co. Crown Theatre. 19 Hill Place (venue 53) 6677588 Until 29 Aug (notSuns) 9.15pm. £2.50 (£1).
THE PUB BOMBERS
Birmingham 1976. The greatestmass-murderin the history at the British Isles. Six lrishmen are arrested on their way out ol the country. They never admittheirguilt. The campaignlorlheirrelease continues. Home Secretary Douglas Hurd hasjust ordered a review olthe case. WriterJamesD'Brien's style is living newspaper— and you can expect lines likethe above delivered at lull volume. in a chant. lrom the six members at his cast. When he tires oljournalese intelling olthe arrest. interrogation and conviction olthe six he relapses lormore emotive outbursts with a group shout in rhyme. rather like having Rupert Bear'sverse- synopses delivered by six sergeant-majors. The ellect is exhausting- intentionally—butmore disagreeable is the lailure to make a clear distinction between tact and conjecture in histelling olan appalling story: a latal mistake inthis sort oldrama. D'Brien directs with panache—an initial image ola hall-
( slaughtered pig is ellective l and relevant — but in the end 3 he clouds a good case with
too much passion. A disappointment. (Alexander Renton)
. o The Pub Bombers. Giro
lax-hunting and semiology
Theatre Company. Demarco Gallery 17-21 Blacklriars St (venue 22) 557 0707 until 29 Augtimes vary. £2.50 (£1.50).
BABE BOOKS
Threatened with eviction. Leo— down-at-heel Manhattan bookseller— nevertheless reluses to go into partnership with his less ethical butmore successlul wig-maker lriend. An elegant young woman enters his shop. Creating a triangle ol conllicting emotions lrom which he emerges triumphant. leaving his
lriend open-mouthed.
A sharp cameo ol scruples and instinct. swiftly capturing three complex characters. this is an assured and convincing sketch: but. like an aperitil that disappears too last. dissatislyingly short. (Rosemary Goring)
0 Rare Books. Rarebear Productions. St Columba's bythe Castle. Johnston Terrace (venue 4) Until 22 Aug. 4.10pm. £2.50 (£2)
VICTORIA—A MOST UNUSUAL WOMAN
No. this is not the story at Queen Victoria. nor even at any otherhistorically important Victoria. It is intead a caustic comment on a world in which women are classilied as‘unusual‘ or even ‘amazing‘ lortaking anything otherthana passive stance in lite. George Pensotti‘s clever script (which it's no surprise to learn. has been taken up by Radio 4). has Victoria as an old woman on herdeath bed reliving past experiences. Her every action it seems. has been a ‘conventional' response to whatmen have done to her. As a single woman. she leaves home — 'unusual‘ lor 1927— but only because her latherhas raped her. She argues with heremployers because she wants equal wages lorwomen. Sheturns to drawing because itis something she can do ‘without regretting thatshe isn‘ta man.‘ Throughoutthe play. the perlormances lrom the cast olthree men and Alison Griltin as Victoria. are variable. but the whole show comes alive withthe depiction olhersecond marriage. Hernew husband isa laconic artdealerwho thinks herartis ‘abominable' butwill sellto seaside guest houses. As a twist at late leaves him tragically dependent on her. she discovers the saddestloss olliberty olall -dedicating yourliletothe person you love. (Stephanie Billen) 0 Victoria — A Most Unusual Woman. Torn Curtain Theatre. Epworth Halls. Nicholson Sq. (Venue 63) 667 5611. Until 22 Aug. 7.30 pm. £3. (£2)
AMERICAN BUFFALO
Oxlord Theatre Group's production olAMERlCAN BUFFALO has the two invaluable attributes at great atmosphere and good acting. The play centres on a traumatic 24 hours in the lives 01 three characters. Donny. Teach and Bob. all olthem. in varying degrees. on the wrong side olthe law. Brent North is superb