GABARET
FRIDAY 8
I The Counting House Upstairs. 32/2 West Nicolson Street. Edinburgh, 031 6620781. 10pm. £4.50 (£3.50). Bar/restaurant open all day. serving until 9.30pm— diners can claim £1 reduction on their cabaret tickets. Interesting line-up of local comedy tonight from stand-up John Paul Leach and the Pigfoot duo with their theatrical sketches. I Theatresporis Bedlam Theatre. 2 Forrest Road. Edinburgh. 031 225 9893. 10pm. £1 (50p). Queues round the block for the weekly dose ofstudent improvisation from Edinburgh University Theatre Company.
SATURDAY 9
I The Comic Club Blackfriars. 45 Albion Street, Merchant City. Glasgow. 041 552 5924.9pm. £4.50 (£3.50). Baropen 8.30pm-midnight. Another helping of local wit and wisdom from the Funny Farm and beyond.
SUNDAY 10
I Creative Comedy Traverse Theatre. 1 12 West Bow, Grassmarket, Edinburgh. 031 2262633. 8pm. £4 (£3/£2). Terrible twosome the Alexander Sisters are back together for a short Scottish tour of Fantasy Island. their 1989 Fringe hit. a kind of Robinson Crusoe for the Highlands.
I The Salamander Vaudeville Cafe Royal. West Register Street. Edinburgh. 031 228 1838. 8.30pm for 9pm. £3 (£2). A new variant on the Salamander‘s name. but a continuation of its commitment to the Music Hall Variety tradition. Tonight's mixture of music. comedy. poetry and storytelling features Alex Frackleton.
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THEATRE COMPANY
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THE BRUNTON THEATRE SEASON 1990/91
THE MASSACRE OF TRANENT -
RAYMOND ROSS 7 - 23 FEBRUARY 1991 SATURDAY MATINEE 16 FEBRUARY 1991, 2.30pm EVENING PERFORMANCES 7.30pm
CHILDREN'S ENTERTAINMENT FROM MR BOOM 7 - 9 FEBRUARY 1991, 2.30pm ADULTS £2.00, CHILDREN €1.00
BRUNTON PLAYWRIGHTS WORKSHOP 'FOTHERINGHAY’ by GEORGE SCOTT-MONCRIEFF 9 FEBRUARY 1991 2.00pm-5.00pm, £1.00
TICKETS FOR ALL PERFORMANCES, UNLESS OTHERWISE STATED 24.50 (FULL), 23.50 (CONCS), £2.50 (MATS)
BOX OFFICE (031) see 2240 ACCESS AND VIAS ACCEPTED j
CREATIVE COMEDY
Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh. Different line-up every Sunday.
l'm surprised how slow in coming has been the inevitable round oi Gull jokes - so far I've only come across some patriotic pun about lragis and phone boxes ‘- and even Kenny Harris, as he ventures towards the iront line, comes out unscathed with a couple oi camouiiaged iootbali iokes.
But then Harris is most comfortable in iamiliarterritory. This genial, relaxed and extremely polished newcomerto the stand-up scene bases his act on the national sport, iirst generation flares and the great West-East divide. His skill is to pepperwhat could be predictable material with sufficient throw-away one-liners, well-timed asides and sharp observations to set oil continual sparks oi recognition amongst his audience. Whether its your iirst school disco, Glasgow’s up-market down-and-outs or the roundabouts oi East Kilbride, Harris has a fresh angle and pithy punchline.
In contrast, Phil Kay is most at home in the make-believe world of his own peculiar imagination. Slithering about the Traverse stage - not the most hospitable oi arenas for conventional stand-up - he ambles through the set, his matted mop of hair flopping in all ,
directions, using established material and inspired improvisation in equal measure.
With an endearing tendency to slur his words so you can fill in your own jokes it you don’t tune into his, Kay is
, the only comedian from the Funny Farm
stable to stretch the stand-up iorm beyond the one-comic-with-a- microphone iormula. His iantastlcal leaps oi logic are given iorm in visual gags almost as much as verbal ones and the set benefits, in both his improvisation and physical presence, from a strong theatrical influence. The limitation at his current approach is that the set meanders and twists without over coming to a comic crescendo. His refusal to adopt a iormal structure produces exciting and unpredictable results - from chocolate nipples to stripey hats- but a touch more discipline could take him into even higher realms of surreal hilarity. (Mark Fisher)
Reg and Dave. and the Junkyard Angels alongside special guests and open mic spots.
THURSDAY 14
I Robel’l Halpern Pavilion Theatre. 121 Renfield Street. 332 1846. 7.30pm. £3. New season of hypnotism, three nights a week from the popular Halpern.
I The Salamander Vaudeville Upstairs at the Bellevue Bar. London Road. Edinburgh. 031 228 1838. 8.30pm for 9pm. £1. A new mid-week date for the variety cabaret. this time celebrating St Valentine‘s Day. A wild. weird romantic evening of comic romance with your host Charlie Cupid. featuring the TV show Blind Drunk.
FRIDAY 15
I Robert Halpern Pavilion Theatre. 121 Renfield Street. 332 1846. 7.30pm. £4. See Thurs 14.
I The Counting House Upstairs. 320 West Nicolson Street. Edinburgh. 031 662 0781 . 10pm. £4.50 (£3.50). Bar/restaurant open all day. serving until 9.30pm — diners can claim £1 reduction on their cabaret tickets. Another chance to see the Alexander Sisters perform Fantasy Island complete with shortbread. tartan and Highland flings. More of the same tomorrow.
I Theatresports Bedlam Theatre. 2 Forrest Road. Edinburgh. 031 225 9893. 10pm. £1 (50p). See Fri8.
SATURDAY 16
I The Comic Club Blackfriars. 45 Albion Street. Merchant City. Glasgow. 041 552 5924.9pm. £4.50 (£3.50). Bar open 8.30pm—midnight. Glasgow’s comics turn out for another evening ofwisecracks.
I Robert Halpern Pavilion Theatre. 121 Renfield Street. 332 1846. 7.30pm and midnight. £5. See Thurs 14.
I The Counting House Upstairs. 32, 2 West Nicolson Street. Edinburgh. 031 6620781. 10pm. £4.50 (£3.50). Bar'restaurantopen
all day. serving until 9.30pm - diners can claim £1 reduction on their cabaret tickets. See Fri 15.
SUNDAY 17
I A Gala Night at the Clyde Clyde Theatre. Boquhanran Road. Clydebank. 041 951 1200. 7.30pm. £6 (£4). Musicalcabaret presented by Scottish Arts for Nicaragua and featuring Elaine C. Smith. Carol Laula. Dave Anderson, Eric Cullen and Lois Enrique Godoy.
I Creative Comedy Traverse Theatre. 112 West Bow. Grassmarket. Edinburgh. 031 226 2633. 8pm. £4 (£3/£2). This week’s helping of comedy at the Traverse comes from the ever active ‘baldy bastard‘ Fred MacAulay and from further afield.Julie Balloo.
I The Counting House Upstairs. 32/2 West Nicolson Street. Edinburgh. 031 6620781. 10pm. £4.50 (£3.50). Bar/restaurant open all day. serving until 9.30pm -— diners can claim £1 reduction on their cabaret tickets. Maria Callous and Jenny Eclair stay in town another night after their appearances in Thirty Somehow down the road at the Traverse. Here they’ll be doing their regular stand-up routines.
I The Salamander Vaudeville Cafe Royal. West Register Street. Edinburgh. 031 228 1838. 8.30pm for 9pm. £3 (£2). Music Hall fun featuring Flim and Flam. Arnold the Obscure. escapologist Mr Offski. open spots and guests.
WEDNESDAY 20
I Matt Love Wears Your Trousers Cumbernauld Theatre. Cumbernauld. 0236 732887. 7.45pm. £4 (£2). Matt Love introduces several new characters into his set made up of sketches. monologues and satire.
THURSDAY 21
I Robert Halpem Pavilion Theatre.121 Renfield Street. 332 1846. 7.30pm. £3. See Thurs I4.
GLASGOW
I MITCHELL THEATRE Granville Street. 221 3198.
The Elizabeth Henderson School Oloancing Sat 9 Feb. 7.30pm. Dance display.
I THIRD EYE CENTRE 346—354 Sauchiehall Street. 332 7521.
New Choreographers - Programme Two Fri 8 and Sat 9 Feb. 7.30pm. £4 (£3). The second of two programmes comprises Lydia Ariken's Facets. Mark Murphy and Sue Cox in Two Falling Too Far and Fiona Wright‘s solo untitled piece.
Dans Design Thurs l4—Sat 16 Feb. 7.30pm. £4 (cones £3). Film. Dance To Be Murderer! By involves two actors. three dancers. 16mm film. slides. music and design. Based in Norway the company’s inventive Collaborations have placed them at the forefront of modern dance in their home country. This is their first performance in Britain as part ofScottish Norwegian Week.
Beppie Blankert Thurs 21-Sat 23 Feb. 7.30pm. £4 (cones £3). With music by Harry de Wit and design by Keers Spanjers. Dutchwoman Beppie Blankert sums up her work as a dancer and choreographer over the last twenty years. in a piece entitled Aprilafter the month of her birth.
Classes
I DANCE FACTORY 142 Calder Street. 423 9430. Due to popular demand. the dance factory have opened a second studio providing a wide range ofclasscs for adults and children ; teenage class £1 .50 (£2.50 for 2). adult class £2.50 (£4.50 for 2). CAP class £1 .50. Classes include jazz. Callanetics. aerobics. yoga. tap. ballet. rock'n‘roll and belly dancing. Phone for details.
I GLASGOW ACADEMY OF DANCE 2’6. 19 Queen Street. 221 0750.
Ballet. jazz. tap and contemporary dance classes are held in a mirrored and barred studio 1000 feet square. £2—£2.80. Phone for details.
I HILLHEAD HIGH SCHOOL Oakfield Avenue. phone 339 4777 for details. Contemporary Mon 7—8.30pm with Jane Simpson. £2. Phone 334 3349 for details. Callanetlcs and Dancercise Thurs 6.45pm with Karen Pasi.
Jazz Thurs 8pm with Karen Pasi.
I SCOTTISH BALLET STUDIOS 261 West Princes Street. 331 2931. Jazz and contemporary dance classes are i run on an informal basis. £2 (£1 .50).
EDINBURGH Classes
I ASSEMBLY ROOMS George Street. phone Dancer-in-Residence Tamsin Grainger on 220 4348 for details. Classes run until 23 March. Just turn up in loose. unrestrictive clothing for an impressive range ofclasses for beginners. 3 intermediate and advanced pupils in jazz. ' tap. contemporary. mime. belly dance and dance improvisation. £2—£3 (£1—£2). Find out also about a number of youth classes run by Edinburgh Dance Projects all over the city.
I CRAIGLOCKHART SPORTS CENTRE 177 Colinton Road. 443 0101.
A variety of adult coaching sessions are available. including women's activity mornings. aerobics. fitness training and yoga. Phone the centre for more information.
I ELCHAT A variety ofclasses and workshops in creative and contemporary dance. for all ages and abilities. are available throughout East Lothian. Phone Stephanie Selley on ()31 665 371 1 ext 244 for details.
FURTHER INFORMATDN FROM 50 The List 8— 21 February 1991