FESTIVAL
V THEATRE ADVICE TOADAUGHTEB TALKING BIRDS , All the dead are little girls played by men in nightdresses. The birds 3. talk and the devil is tied to a a pillow. This succinct "’ experimental production , is certainly weird, set in a s ' - , nameless village that "f '\ ‘ I 4 annually celebrates with a “"5” - 2* . cathartic carnival. To rid AY- delight - drawing young the population of its evil g ' and old into the ludicrous deeds, a feast is prepared i h o F E world of sea-worthy which is consumed by a ‘ it sieves, masts made out of sacrificial ‘sin-eater’ - g i outsize tobacco pipes, and who is then fed to the pigs. 5 Based on Edward Lear’s musical instruments made While the dzvilsebg l . : nonsense poems, the show from kitchen utensils, A production is e ' rate y . takes us to a topsy turvey world where the useless is ' odd, it is never obscure. The mom samuei mehamson “meted "fie! but u 8 very dmlcu" "m m fantasy land, where made useful and vice Courageously exploring item is an occupational condition ° Jellymould and friends versa. theatrical conventions and which has altllcted many great writers; The ionsm“ “mean What depart on a quest for the The show is evidence space, the deadpan a dubioust ambiguous obsession with mohamso" was Wino to 33V and What Runcible spoon. This is a that kids theatre does not humour mixes with the the thing he’s 3'3“an o“. the resulting work was saying about participatory promenade have to be loud and brash surreal and superstitious ms most lamous and weigh” novels, him is a leature ol the play, which production with songs, in order to hold the subject matter. The each upping the scales at several mos, Incorporates a tape recording of sameness“ mama“ teaturemeeponymousnmmes Wer'wemotm'e . r I a precr What makes this intelligence of a child can adventurous collective Pameia and Claus“: supposed” "glfi'm h rd d m m children’s show one of the be provoked rather than imagination. And the Virtuous characters. Whom “my 0m 0 c a so" an e a" on“ highlights of the Fringe, is accosted. (Michael work resonates with man Sam blatantly Iancies the socks 3” implicated in "'3 Voyeuriwc 0319 that it genuinely sets out Balfour) integrity and a gentle taste 011, The resulting prose is, according to "men burdens "'9 female Charade“ in to make the young I FarAnd Few: History 0t for innovation. This is Amanda Horlock' "mar and actress, lite and art, giving the piece its audience think. Each zany The Jumblles (Fringe) what the Fringe is really serum: to say the leasf . modernity. According to Horioclr, ‘lt's adventure challenges Poor Fools Theatre about. (Michael Balfour) . - ex luring our cumin. ’ (Stephen - . Clarissa is very much an object oi his P every-day logic and Company, Cathedral I Talking Birds (F nnge) ' ta m h me chamfler 0' Chem") questions assumptions of Church of St Mary and Rifle Lodge (Venue 101) Laonvefayce [figms Hoflock whose one adulthood. The Cha ter House (Venue 557 1785, until 5 Se t not t ’ company’s quiet and 91) :ntii 5 Sept (not 29, 27, 3) 12.15pm,8.§0( woman show is based around the “Vice TO A 080W" (Fflnllei Wham unassuming style is a 30) 10.30am, £4 (£3). (£3). novels oi Richardson. ‘He's trying to Demamo sane” Ivan“a 22) 557 0707: condemn the libertine values of 31 Mill-43 3091. I100". 94-50 (93-50)-
DIRECT FROM THE ITALIAN
SOUTH AFRICA rm or vmmne "Heme filififiiffgi'zflfi?‘ SANDRA DUNCAN FRINGE 1992 APORTRAIT or {KILL MEILOVE (£6.50).£7(£5-50). iN THE EUROPEAN VINCENT :YOU PREMIERE OF THE "UL" The major problem with ‘ To be honest, I haven’t a v this one-man monologue ! clue what this is about. is that it’s an actor short of After half an hour of a full dramatic dialogue. clowning and opera I had There is a distinct feeling LA N G U I CC LA Tire result is a sort of 5 to admit that while the of casualness and post-impressionist Sooty buffoonery was first rate improvisation in the air. 5 U G N E Show, with actor Michael f the show earned nul As the lights go down, it’s McEvoy asking an empty .- points on the a full two minutes before space, ‘What was that, 5 comprehensibility scale. anything happens. Then Theo,’ and then after a . Indeed, it was only after someone saunters on,
I P L slightly unrealistic pause I quite a lot of car straining . feigns surprise at the responding, ‘How dare that I realised many of the i discovery of a piece of you say I should continue songs were in Italian and i bamboo, blows a tentative my painting!’ I German as well as note and hopes we pick up
In all this pulling up of 1 English. the message. empty chairs the Fortunately, a quick dip This is more or less the production falls between in the programme st ie this ‘theatrical MON 24 - 29 two stools; too hammy to revealed that the show | history of Peruvian music work as a kosher art was made up of little bits I and culture’ takes. In the 7PM £4 (£2050) lecture yet too narrativer of opera by folks like second part of the show, restricted to survive as a Verdi, Rossini etc. 80 though, the musicians dramatic piece. . that’s why people kept simply play. And there’s Ultimately, despite a dying and coming alive simply nothing better to Adapted from the stories of laudable set and again! If you’re an opera lift the spirits. Between praiseworthy script, we freak you’d have known son 5, the la ers chatted MARGARET % learn little more about that all along and awagy in SpgniZh to each Van Go than the facts robabl en '0 ed ourself other, as if the audience THE LIVES OF FIVE the averglge art book ipmmensZIy. iigweier, if were groupies sitting in on REMARKABLE WOMEN IN provides us with: that he all you know about opera a rehearsal. But in the NINE" "mu-[Es OF was an intense and is that the seats are ’ end, they smiled, the G difficult man and his expensrve then there 5 audience clapped and we
TH EATRE WORKSHOP paintings ar(e very‘ little more to do than all had ourselves a
expensive. Step en enjoy the highly skilled “amboree, Michael PL E E 34 HAMILTON PLACE Chester) clowning, as the loud JBalfour) (
I A Portrait Of Vincent voices tend to revent on I Hilos Del Sol - Sons oi Venue 33. 60 The Pleasanm EDINBURGH EH3 SAX (Fringe) Portrait getting any kip? (Stephizn the Sun (Fringe) Hill AUG 13 - SEP 5 at 12 N00" _ Box OFF'ce. Productions, Celtic Lodge Chester) StreetTheatre (Venue 41) BOX OFFICE 031 556 6550 . (Venue 6) 225 7097, until I Kill Me I Love You 225 7294, until 5 Sept (not Tickets £5 (£4 oonm.) 031 226 5425 5 Sept, £6 (£4.50). (Fringe) Opera Circus, 1) 11am, £3.50 (£2.50).
Assembly Rooms (Venue
20 The List 28 August - 10 September 1992