OON’T RUN
In the post-Heysel years, the tabloid media and foreign authorities seemed to expect the ugly face of English football hooliganism to raise its head every time a ball was about to be kicked on continental turf. Unfortunately, a handful of fans were only too happy to oblige. But their behaviour often had more substance than lager lout xenophobic frenzy. as Gary Drabwell‘s controversial play These Colours Don't Run attempts to explain.
Nigel Williams, director of Bedfordshire Youth Theatre. first came across the play in its ten-minute edited format on TV’s Club X. Months of negotiation finally saw the company present a full version which coincided with international tension over English fans visiting the World Cup. The play is not, however, limited to distorted beliefs in English nationalism, as actor lain Thomas explains: ‘It‘s got the content of, say,
A rrivederci Mill wall or 0i For England and the presentation of Berkoff— the rhyming slang — but it’s also like First World War poetry. There are parallels between the soldiers then and the 1988 Dusseldorf rioters.
‘Maybe it‘s wrong, really,‘ he continues, ‘but there‘s an appeal for the young generation of theatregoers in a play on football hooliganism. The audience gets caught up in the adrenalin ofthese three guys and understands what they’re about — that they believe
they‘re doing this for their country, for the same reasons that soldiers do. It‘s shocking, but with insight you can maybe start to see how the problem could be solved.‘ (Alan Morrison)
I These Colours Don't Run (Fringe) Bedfordshire Youth Theatre, Celtic Lodge (Venue 6) 225 7097, 11-31 Aug, 9.30pm, £2.50 (£1 .50).
COLLECTING GRAVITY
‘Terry‘s hidden talent is that he‘s a gourmet cook.‘ Using apples and umbrellas, he whisks up an international dance dish ready for the tasting. Who is he? Where does he come from?
Straight from Philadelphia, USA, with a new show for Theatre Workshop and the ICA are the Terry Beck Troupe — heralded as a ‘llit Dance Company‘ for the Fringe 1991.
Terry and his Troupe present Collecting Gravity — reflecting today‘s society like good art should. Many would agree that we live in a world where greed and power are top ofthe list, where people are distrustful ofeach other and are loathe to share or bare their emotions. Right on subject matter for a 1990s
' dance show.
Since visiting the Fringe with Waiters in 1989, Terry has choreographed Wyoming. The ‘exceptionally thoughtful and gently pensive dance’ had four senior citizens joining the company members to look at attitudes to the passing of time and inevitability of death. Wyoming starred
Terry Beck Troupe
FESTIVAL 8"/10"‘ Y
umbrellas too, and led directly to the quirks and concerns developed in Collecting Gravity.
The music for the show has been written by John Lilley, lead guitarist with The Hooters, best known in Britain for Satellite, their Number One hit in 1987. Lilley has been quoted as saying that he had always wanted to compose for dance because ‘1 write textured. emotive music, the kind a choreographer would want to use.‘ He was obviously right. Terry did.
So what ofumbrellas and apples? Like all good symbols they are there to help us, the audience: of course, umbrellas are used to shelter from the rain, but in this context they are also cover for the emotional and spiritual things of life; whereas the original Edenic temptation ofiife is. . . crunch. (Tamsin Grainger)
I Collecting Gravity (Fringe) Terry Beck Troupe , Theatre Workshop (Venue 20) 226 5425,10—31Aug,9.30pm. £5 (£3.50).
V THEATRE
UPSTREAM
Readers ofJulian Barnes’ phenomenally successful A History of the World in 1 01/2 Chapters will remember the chapter in which a film actor relates, in letters home to his girlfriend, the strange progress ofa film that he is shooting in the Amazon. Paradox Theatre‘s entry in the Fringe Programme seems to suggest that Barnes may have also had a hand in adapting the chapter ‘Upstream’ for stage.
In fact, the adaptation
aFREELOADa
ON THE
iirFESTIVALi‘r
Your chance to see some of the best shows in this year's Festival! You may claim as many different offers as you wish, but only one pair of tickets per voucher, on a FIRST COME FIRST SERVED basis. Please take the whole magazine along with you each time. All offers are subject to availability and the individual management's de- cision is final. ENJOY THE SHOW!
MANDELA THEATRE COMPANY
A pair of tickets to see INFERNO on Mon 12 Aug at 2.00pm. Tickets should be picked up from Theatre Workshop Box Office on the day of the perform- ance. Up to 4 pairs of tickets available.
CYNTHIA PAYNE
A pair of tickets to see Cynthia Payne "At Home“, on Fri 9, Sat 10 and Sun 11 at 4.30pm. Tickets should be picked up at The Pleasance Box Office on the day of each performance. Up to 25 pairs of tickets available for each performance.
FILM FESTIVAL
A pair of tickets for one of the following events: The Opening Gala on Aug 10, Jungle Fever on Aug 11, Paris Trout on Aug 12. Tickets should be picked up from the Filmhouse Box Office from 12 noon on Fri Aug 9. Only 3 pairs of tickets available.
RED HERRING
A pair of tickets to see BORED GAMES on Fri 9 Aug and Sat 10 Aug at 6.15pm. Tickets should be picked up from the Caiton Centre Box Office on the day of each performance. Up to 3 pairs available for each performance.
THE MAMBO INN
The FIRST FOUR PEOPLE (plus one guest each) with a copy of this voucher will receive FREE ENTRY, 2 FREE bottles of Corona, 2 FREE Basede caps and 2 FREE pairs of Corona Sunglasses! to The Mambo Inn's Opening Night at The Playhouse on Sat Aug 10 at 11.00pm.
THE ARC
A pair of tickets to see PLURABELLES (7.15pm) or THE SPLITTING OF LATHAM (10.00pm) on Aug 12. Tickets should be picked up from The Arc Box Office on the day of each performance. Up to 3 pairs available for each performance.
BLACK SWAN
A pair of tickets to see BAGCACE AND BOMB- SRELLS on Sat 10 Aug (6.10pm). Tickets should be picked up at See Red Box Office (Venue 4) on the
day of the performance. Up to 5 pairs available.
The List9— 15 August 199145