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j
The end ofan era for Frank Dunlop. the chance of a day off for The List‘s reviewers. Festival 91 is w1nd1ng down and here is our round-up of reviews for the last three davs.
5 Well . oiled
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In the wake of the Hysteria of last year. the 1991 Fringe again boasts an all-starline-upinabenefitgig forthe ; sufferers ofAIDS. The joint i beneficiaries of the evening will be I the Terence Higgins Trust and Scottish Aids Monitor which has
done so much to help sufferers of the
disease in Edinburgh.
The host for three (count them) hours ofentertainment at the 2 Playhouse will be Clive Anderson. The besuited barrister will introduce
some of the highlights of this year's Fringe. ranging from the beige
beauty of Bob Downe to the acerbic.
well acerbity. ofBilI Hicks.
Past and present Perrier nominees are well represented with self-styled
miserable bastard Jack Dee and
Eddie lzzard representing this year's
contenders and Simon Fanshawe. Sean Hughes. John Hegley. Dillie Keane and Arnold Brown. winners and close seconds from the last four
Perriers.
With the demise ofthe annual ‘Night for Nicaragua‘ extravaganza. Live and Lubricated is the only major benefit ofthe Festival and. aside from the fact that it is the most worthy ofcauses. it also provides the best value for money in a Fringe which has been priced out of the pockets ofmost Fringe-goers this year. (Philip Parr)
I Live and Lubricated (Fringe). The Playhouse (Venue 59). 31 Aug. midnight. £9.50. £8.50. £7.50.
i Clive Anderson. host of Live And Lubricated
BILL HICKS
‘I‘m in a fuckin‘tent.‘ begins Bill Hicks on his first night in Edinburgh And. indeed. the sensation ofthis year‘s biggest comedy festival (Montreal) has been roughing it with the carnies (his term) this year. To anyone less accomplished it would be a draughty. intimidating arena in which to perform
stand-up. Hicks. who doesn‘t come across at all well on either recordings or TV. obviously relishes the live gig. be it under canvas or not. Although the material is of the Leary school — challenging. often sick. irreverent - the man himself has no problems in establishing a rapport with the audience. He doesn‘t scream at us. often seems genuinely amused at heckles and. when he asks questions. does so in such a friendly way that nobody has any qualms about responding. It‘s like watching an old pal trying his hand at comedy. The one thought that keeps recurring in your mind after the show. though. is ‘How can a man who visualiscs future Coke ads in terms of hard-core porn flicks actually be a nice guy?‘ Maybe he‘s got us all fooled. . . andthatwould be dangerous. (Philip Parr) I Dangerous (Fringe) Bill Hicks. Assemny 'Wildcat (Venue 116) 220 4349. until 31 Aug. 10.15pm. £6.50 (£5).
V THEATRE
LAUGHING WILD Off Broadway plays usually combine intensity and innovation. Laughing Wild by the Phoenix Theatre Company ofSan Francisco is no exception. The play breathes in urban hassle. paranoia. madness and fantasy.
It opens with a monologue by a crazed lady dealing with life. tuna fish and all that. followed by an insecure man‘s monologue on confused sexuality and sanity. While the woman rages. the man tries to remain positive and grasps at any artifice for salvation. His life works except for ‘plumbing. careers and relationships‘. Nothing works for her. Neither character is a walking advertisement for Urban America.
Linda Ayres-Frederick provides a fine mad laugh and Brian Scott conveys the right sense ofbeing lost. Unfortunately.
demands on special effects ; near the end put some
strain on the audience and
the play. (Kerry Napuk) I Laughing Wild (Fringe) Phoenix Theatre Company of San Francisco. Over-seas House (Venue 19)225 5105.29—31 Aug. 1pm.
V CABARET
BEETHOVEN’S
What a night Beethoven's Not Dead was last year. After being arranged in about three days. Bob
Downe hosted. Miles and Millner cavorted and Jim Tavare bowed Bassic. The atmosphere was electric. and the show ran to over two hours. After that success. the performers realised that this could be a nice little earner and so planned for this year. even getting a guest. Mitchell Zeidweig. in from the US.
The venue was switched
from George Square Theatre to the Queen's Hall and we were away. Or we re we'.’ There's something amiss this year. Although these acts are among the Fringe‘s finest.
‘ 4 thcydon'tgellastheydid
last year. The atmosphere
is not as exhilarating and. ‘ ironically.consideringthe
planning. the show does
not run as smoothly. It is
also all over half an hour early.
Reservations aside. measured against any other show at this year's Fringe. this is still in the top three or four. Maybe next year they should once again leave it to the last minute and make it the best. (Philip Parr)
I Beethoven's NotDead
I (Fringe) Run ended.
The List 3(lAugust — I: September IWI 15
V THEATRE
OVERHEARD Edinburgh Graduate Theatre Group chose to produce Peter Ustinov‘s Overheard in honour of the author‘s7ilth birthday. However. with the attempted overthrow ofGorbachev. this gentle diplomatic farce set in a British Embassy somewhere south-east of Berlin. south-west of Moscow. north-east of Athensand north-west of Damascus. takes on the unexpectcdairof timeliness.
Donald (‘raig playsthc Ambassador with a polished resonant subtlety. supported by a rather unconvincinglan Renton as his bored wife. Iris. Philip (iaudin isthe happy. lusty Bozidar Popkov-Prokop. a free-love poet who shakes up both marriage and state. (Roberta Mock)
I Overheard ( Fringe) Edinburgh (iraduate Theatre (iroup. Adam I louse Theatre ( Venue 34). until 31 August. “.3ilpm. “(15).