3’76""
‘ Full Tilt
ONCE UPON A TIME IN TOTTENHAM HALE
The (‘ockney wideboys from Steve Wright's radio show are painted much darker on stage. in this unsettling and tense black comedy. Billy and Dave are an amalgam ofall those twisted Cockney dtios from Steptoe and Son to Rodney and Del
Boy. cking out a living and
dreaming of the big time. Cornwell and Stone have a mastery of the convolutions of speech. slipping in malapropisms with the meaningless cliches to convey menace as much as humour. Billy and Dave wait for party guests who never arrive. reminiscing on previous escapades. and various dodgy mates. It's a surreal tragedy. sometimes a little tediously relentless. but finely acted and a welcome departure from the usual ‘comedy double-bill’. (Tom Lappin) I Once Upon A Time In Tottenham Hale (Fringe) Phil Cornwell And Rick Stone. Assembly Rooms (Venue 3) 220849.981 Aug(not l9. 27).4pm.£6 (£5). weekends £7 (£6).
VTHEATRE
FOX AND FLUTIST
lot and I‘fllllyl is a Japanese story-telling pcrfortttance. A widower. while mourning hiswile. meets a woman w ho looks just like her. They tallin love. but it is not until later that he discoy ers she is actually a los in disguise 'l he pcilornier. llisa
lliraizumi. speaks and mm es clearly and
sensitivelythroughthe
j poignantandtragiestory.
[ 'l he performance is based
Despite the reputation of the Edinburgh Festival in places foreign, it is unusual to come across something out of the ordinary these days. But with the last minute announcement of l.0.U.'s Full ; Tilt, there‘s still a chance.
l.0.U. is no new talent emerging from 9 ; drama school, for this company has '
been making innovative theatre for fourteen years, and is still a source of originality. It was formed ‘to invent a rich and visual music-based theatre,‘ making touring shows for ‘theatres and outdoor spaces as well as unique shows for woodlands, warehouses, mudflats, castles and catacombs‘.
The band of performers enter the arena on a magical music-machine. They prepare fora joust, a surreal scene de combat with one member of the company on a metal bucking horse and another concealed in an oil drum. They bash the hell out of each other with weapons like a giant saw and
FESTIVAL
Grainger)
t medieval ball and chain, before ' stopping, atthe ring of a bell, for a demure tea. It’s the afternoon type that you get all dressed-up for, and where you get served by a lady who stores the salt cellar in her skirt-cum-hostess- trolley—you know the kind of thing? Full Tilt is all action and no words- ideal for an international festival event. There is continuous and original music throughout which will be enjoyed by people of all ages. Adept at acrobatics, wearing colourful costumes, lively, and with great performance ability, these players put a twinkle in your eye. (Tamsin
Full Tilt (Fringe) l.0.U. Theatre, Assembly/Wildcat at the Meadows (Venue 116) 220 4349, 20—27 Aug, 4.15pm; 20—27 Aug, 8.15pm; 23—27 Aug, 12.30pm, £3 (£2), £1 children, £6 family ticket (2 adults, 3 children).
on \oh-sty le theatre -— highly disciplined. minimal ey en. The language is the main eletnent in this production.' although subtle movements around the stage helptoexplain which character is speaking. But despite the promisingelements. there w as not enough to sustain my interest in this show. (Tamsin (irainger)
I Fox and Flutist ( l-‘ringei Shinkofl‘heatre \Vorkshop (Venue 30) 220 5425. until 34 Atig ( not Sun 18). 3pm. £3.50 (£3.5(l).
V THEATRE
LAHRINS SAHIB
This play is not just another tale ol good versus ey il in a colonial context; it is much more subtle than that. l.ahrinsis sent to represent the British Raj in THJtls l’unjab. ('aught between distaste for the white man‘s burden and an unhealthy reyerencc tor
36'l‘he List in: 22 August mi"
the erstwhile l’unjabi king. he soon falls toitl of his colonial superiors and l’unjabi friends. Dressed in colourful costumes. the cast is strong and
beliey able. all the more so because tltcy lapse into Indian languages in moments of rage and tenderness. A tltoughtlul retelling of an old story. ((‘arl l lonore)
I Lahrins Sahib ( fringe) Akadeineia Repertory Theatre. Paradox (Venue 73).?2‘) loo}. lI--I7Aug. 4. ltlpnt; Ill—Bl Aug.
f). lllpm. £5.4(l(£4.5t)).
V POETRY AUTOGEDDON
Swinging from polenneal to lyrical. lleathcote \Villiams' latest prose poem takes an alien's eye y iew of the motor car - or rather humanity 's one affair with it. i lis y isioii of Autogeddon is of a global auto-reich. suffocating in a haze of petrol fumes.
w here people are reduced to mortality statistics and
emotion emblazoned iit car adyerts. lt isa relentless monologue. btit Roy llutchins'deliyery has sufficient drama to giye life to the tumbling stream otiinages. Sometimes too much drama. but less would have tailed togiye rhythm to the work's anarchic structure. lt isa thought-proyoking titty minutes. (Thom l)ibdin) lAutogeddon ( Fringe) Roy llutchins. Assembly Rooms. ( Venue 3) 33” 434‘). until 3| Augtnot Tue). 3.3tlpm. £6.50 £750 (£5 £0).
V THEATRE
THE CRUEL GRASP
The ghosts of ()sborne. ()rton and perhaps ey en lan .‘vlaeliwan hover conspicuously over this one act kitchen-sink drama by Thomas Kelt. In an impossibly broken
down old flat Robby and
Mumsie alternately
wrangle over her new relationship with llarold wealthy but shifty —- and eajole each other with sinister pet names and kisses. llarold arriveson the scene and. left in Robbie's hands. is subjected to y arious unpleasantries. including blackmail.
The actors are all impressiy e in their execution Robby. in particular. plunges itew depths of sullen nastiness — but it often feels as if they have been given the wrong brief. Harold and .‘vlumsie verging inappropriately on caricature. .lanet Suzman boasts that she pulled this play together in a w eek -— w'hy not have giy en it a bit
longer‘.’ (Miranda l’rance) I IThe Cruel Grasp (Fringe) '
Blue Moon Productions.
The l’leasance (Venue 33) 9
5566550. iii—31 Aug. 4pm.£5 £5.5(l(£4 £4.5ti).
v THEATRE _
DEATH AND THE KING’S HORSEMAN
ln Nigerian Yoruba culture. w hen a king dies it's his liorseman's duty to accompany his masteron
Soy inka‘s intense. tragic drama is set on the day of such a death as the horseman prepares for his honoured transition. unaware that the colonial authorities intend to prevent it. This conflict is
used toexatnitte the wider
clash of natiy e arid imperial cultures. and to explore human tears and rituals surrounding death. Though colourful and energetic. this production is highly uney en in pace and little. \\ ilii L'\L‘L'\\l\ L‘ leaping about and shouting it) some scenes. wooden stereotypes in others Soy inka'stest. though. can carry a pretty heayy burden. and it first-night nery es can be oy c‘l'coine things may w ell improye (Sue \Vilsonl
I Death and the King's Horseman t l'ringel (ainbridge ( iods. ()ld St l’aul's(‘hureh (Venue 45) 55“”432. until l"Aug. 5.3Man l‘) 24Aug. ll.l5am. £4.5tltt3l
V THEATRE
NAKED
l’irandello‘s lesser know it .Vukerl is being giy en a worthy airing by ()dd Socks at ()yerseas l louse. True to l’irandello's instructions. the cast assimilate the characters totally. immersing into the
to the next world. \Vole
passionate language and action which acts as a
megaphone for the w riter's philosophy. We hear him loud and clear.
oy er and over again.
In this case l’irandello‘s concern is to explore the contradiction betw een appearance and reality. \Vhen lirsilia Drei. a young uu puir girl.
3 attemptstotakeherlifeat
is the woman whom others judge her to be that she wants to destroy In a polished and
thoughtful production. director l’hilip Wilson has chosen to concentrate on the film noir tone of the play . in which nothing is certain. but w here instead character and language is fragmented. The scenery too is a neat touch. made out of new spapers. and thus providing a metaphor for the way in which fact and truth is constructed. (Aaron llieklin)
I Naked ()dd Socks Theatre Company.
()y erseas l louse (Venue 19). 335 5105. until 3] Aug (not Tue). 5.3Upm. £4.5utt‘3).
V THEATRE
KILLING M sorer
'l’he y ery act ot focusing on a male-female
gay -straight relationship in the theatre tny oly es the risk of turning it intoan lssue. but the main strength of .loltn Binnie's play is the inatter-ot-tact way it tackles its subject, lt'spi‘esented simply as the story of twounusually
close and affectionate triends. attempting to counter anti-gay prejudice by emphasising the characters ordinarincss. The play . enjoying a fifth successiy e l5ringe run.
often makes its worthy intentions a little too
oby ious. rely mg on at) audience‘s right-on sympathies to get away
with some blatant serinonising. But the
young east's enthusiasm and y igour produce some appealing performances. and the show w ins through in the end. thanks toits retreshing honesty and directness. (Sue Wilson)
I Killing Me Softly (l-'ringe)('lyde l'nity Theatre. Theatre \Vorkshop. 3365435. 17. 3f). 23. 34 Aug. 5.30pm. ( £4.5ti(£3.5ll).
A