WORD
0F MOUTH
‘I don’t really look on having an abortion as being that dark, to tell you the truth. It’s not like a fun thing to do, but it’s a good alternative to having an unwanted child.’
Sandra Bernhard proves she is unlikely to be top of the Pro-Life mailing list.
‘Ifyou judge me by the size of my ass and my thighs and my boobs and not the size of my mind and my heart. then you are an idiot.‘
Thea Vidale suggests that, in some respects at least, size isn ’t everything.
‘There’s a great deal of humility on the stage and human warmth being given to the audience. I want people to be broken down by what they see and then opened up.’
Grassmarket Project director Jeremy Weller makes his bid for the ‘Luvvies' column, while talking about ‘Mad’.
‘All art should be eternal.’ Legendary film director Hans-Jurgen S yberberg hints that he probably won’t be in the front row for the Durham Revue.
‘Playing this piece in undies is spot-on. For the play reveals that underneath everything there is a passion waiting to come through.‘ Producer Jonathan Lichenstein explains to the Daily Record why the castofAn Event In The City OfGoga had to lose their costumes.
_ Season’s
When Nigel Kennedy takes up his bow for Vivaldi’s Four Seasons next week it will be for the final time. The score that made his name, he complains, has become a cliche’. Although bound by his contract with EMI to produce three more classical recordings, his radical plans for the future include work on unfinished songs by Jimi Hendrix and a major tour with Stephen Duffy. with whom he has been working for the past year.
‘I’ve changed my programme for Edinburgh to include the Four Seasons because I had to cancel it last year, but after this I‘m getting a group together with a string quartet and various improv musicians. Music is a kind of adventure, and I need to rediscover that spirit again.’
Kennedy‘s image has been denounced and praised in equal measure, but he insists the change of direction is no sham. Sacking his manager. John Stanley. last December. was designed in part to prove that he wasn’t being manipulated. ‘I felt that I wasn’t in control any more, and I need to be in charge of my career in order to be honest.‘ (Aaron Hicklin)
Nigel Kennedy performs Beethoven ’s Violin Concerto and Vivaldi '3 Four Season '5 at Edinburgh Castle, 2 Sept.
Joe 92
Mark Little, who plays working-class hero and heart-throb Joe Mangel in Neighbours, is to base himself in Britain, he revealed at an Assembly Rooms press conference. Little begins his British career with a one-man show, Conquistador Of The Useless which opens at the Assembly Rooms on 29 August. Future plans include a UK tour and TV work.
‘We decided to move for the excitement value,’ he explained,
' ‘and at the moment, because of the recession in Australia, it’s become
more difficult for performers who are trying to do something challenging. There’s no money available for that sort of stuff.’
Conquistador is a development from Little’s stand-up show, which he performed in Edinburgh in 1990. He describes it as ‘a blend of adventurous comedy, moving poetry, atmospheric sound and light, interpretive dance, very good mime work . . . and Dada.’
In Australia Little has already quit
Neighbours although he can be seen on British screens until December (yes, he does marry Melanie). He still regards the character with affection: ‘I like to see Joe as a Pop Art experiment,’ he says, only half tongue-in-cheek.
_ rv FEST
Channel 4 head Michael Grade delivers the James MacTaggart Memorial Lecture on 28 August, to open the Edinburgh International Television Festival. The lecture, at the Kirk Ol St Cuthberts, will address the subject ol the luture olthe BBC as the Corporation’s charter comes up tor renewal.
The three days of lectures, seminars and debate are essentially lor industry insiders, but an important innovation lrom 1991 has been developed. With help from the Scottish Film Council, the Television And Young People project will otter around 20016—21-year-olds the chance to learn about many aspects oi television production, including contributing to a BBCZ programme on the TV Festival.
:— Performer’s Choice
To Mannion, who appears as the big-nosed hero in Communicado
Theatre’s production at Cyrano at the Traverse, lists the live shows he's keen to catch at Edinburgh this year.
1
Chinese State Circus Great, spectacular stuff.
2 Cauld Blast Orchestra Unique sound, unique band, a relaxing evening.
3 Mouth Music Brilliant, and Malcolm Shields is in the band.
4 The Misogynist Tom Hickey. I just want to see this one.
5
The Lile 0t Stull I keep hearing about it in the Traverse bar and I want to join in the discussion.
_ one In THE EYE
The Show Must Go On award goes to Brian Withstandley lrom the Hill Street Theatre who had a lucky escape when exiting stage lelt alter a perlormance ol Allred Jarry's Ubu Rex. A collision with the curtain caused him to trip and the point at a sword pressed against his eye socket. Our hero escaped with a lew stitches, and, like a real trouper, was back on stage the lollowing evening.
Oo-er missus! Get a load ofthat saucy little picture above. and come up with a suitably raunchy or witty caption. That’s the challenge set by the people responsible for Sex After Supper, a witty collection of 17th century naughty bits doing a roaring late-night trade at the Hill Street Theatre. Described in this very organ (l) as ‘long on charm‘ it’s well worth catching (l) and those lovely people are offering two free tickets and a bottle ofchampagne to the best entry (l). Send your filthy thoughts to Steven Oxley at Hill Street Theatre, 19 Hill Street, Edinburgh. Make sure your entries reach him by Monday 31 August at the latest.
6 The List 28 August - 10 September 1992