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FESTIVAL
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Cecilia Delatori having a cardboard fantasy
‘I sent a script to Richard Gere’s agent in l.A. Although he’s reputedly the most liberal - in many ways — of Hollywood stars, I wanted him to know there was nothing untoward in the show.’ You may not get the real American Gigolo at this year’s Fringe, but Cecilia Delatorl, writer and sole performer, will provide a fantasy in a
Tooting bedslt and refreshments (sponsorship by Maxwell llouse and Sainsbury’s).
It’s not so much girl meets boy, as girl meets Gere lookalike and invites him round for dinner. While she waits, she practises her seduction on an A3 picture of Richard Care. After a few glasses of red wine and directly proportional bitterness, she and the cardboard Gore and up on a Bristol- bound coach to meet her parents. Dame Edna and lloyd Grossman put in cameo appearances.
She insists that it’s not autobiographical but when pressed, does admit to meeting someone who was the spit of Gere, an illusion subsequently shattered by a second meeting. ‘But it’s not actually about Richard Gere,’ says lielatori. ‘lt’s really about fantasies, different relationships and why they go wrong.’ Yeah. Love lifts us up where we belong. (Grace Hodge)
Tonight I’m Entertaining Richard Gere (Fringe) Courageous Petticoats, Marco’s (Venue 93) 228 9116, 13-21 Aug, 29 Aug-4 Sept, noon. £3.50
(£2.50).
‘Singing Kettle created a market and couldn’t quite fulfil it,’ so says Dennis Alexander, alias Crooked Jack. The Giant .leely Piece Show (’big jam buttle’ to non-Scots) sits very prettin in just such a market. ‘We’ve been entertaining all over Scotland for years, in pubs and in cabaret. For the last five years, we’ve emphasised family entertainment, catering for everyone from three years old up.‘
As well as featuring Crooked Jack and his girlfriend Betty Duncan (who sticks the Gollys on jam jars - it’s not hard to guess which leading (am manufacturer sponsors the show), we meet Sam the Skull, (a rather sinister- soundlng cat, who proves to be woman’s best friend by swallowing the occasional dog), and Roboboy, half boy, half robot (who is, naturally enough, made in Scotland from girders). Amidst lots of ad lib humour, the show is based loosely around the theme of Scotland, and, of course, jam. Why jam? Ah, this harks back to the good old days, when weans out playing would have their pieces thrown out to them from a window. With the advent of high-rise flats came Adam Mcllaughton’s protest song highlighting one of the more serious problems for kids: We cannae fling a buttle not a 20-storey flail Seven hundred hungry wains testify to that.’ Tire piece brigade in Castlemilk, Glasgow, went on to demand ’nae malr houses over piece-flinging
Piece in our time “Ck
ch we ‘, ‘r ,o .. 19. \u‘ .1ng 4 A,‘ f.‘ 1 5,4,3.“ 27. , _ I, 4-4
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Roboboy, hall boy half robot, made in Scotland from girders
With its amalgam of participative songs, jokes, sketches and stage games with prizes (more jam) Crooked Jack’s first Fringe show should keep the little nippers’ minds off the next meal, at least for an hour. (Gabe Stewart)
Crooked Jack’s Giant .leely Piece Show (Fringe) Theatre West End (Venue 126) 228 9292, 16-21 Aug, flan, £3.50 (£2.50).
LEFT, WRITE AND CENTRE
Strange but true. the Fringe has something for everyone. whether they be fulfilled Guardian and Independent readers, or frustrated radio drama writers. Good news for the latter; BBC Radio 4 are holding Radio Drama Workshops for those with a penchant to be on the other side of the airwaves. Novices this week; those with experience have a shot the week after.
lncurable Guardian readers should head for the Assembly Rooms every Thursday of the Fringe. As well as being in the comforting company of like-minded souls. they can enjoy challenging chat from the likes of Arthur Smith and Margi Clark (on what brings them to the Fringe). and Malcolm Bradbury. Paul Micou and Will Self (debating the existence or future of the English novel).
Not to be outdone. The Independent Conferences attempt to dispel the paper's ‘establishment. disaffected-Times-reader‘ image. with Masterclasses on subjects as varied as vocal technique and directing; with panel discussions on nationalism and Scottish
music in theatre . . . woah!
fascinating stuff. (Gabe Stewart)
I BBC Radio Drama Writers’ Workshop
(Fringe) Pleasance (Venue 33) 556 6550. 17.24 Aug. |
l lam, free. I The Guardian Talks
(Fringe) Assembly Rooms (Venue 3) 226 2428. l9.26
Aug. 2 Sept. llam, free.
FindouthowtomaketheatretheGloriavrayatthe Traverse/independent conference on Friday 20 August.
i I The Independent]
Traverse Conferences
: (Fringe) The Traverse (Venue 15) 228 1404. 17.
I 20. 25—29 Aug. 3 Sept.
1 llam. free.
é Sparkie. Marquee.
1 Edinburgh College of Art (Venue 73) 225 4472. 16—26 Aug. noon. free.
MING FRANK
! CIRCUS SKILLS WORKSHOP
; Every child's dream is to run off and join the circus — or so the story goes. Well, the circus skills workshop will ensure that budding Archaos or Chipperfield performers will be well prepared
, when the call comes.
‘ The workshop is run by l Sparkie (alias Mark
I Segal). Rachael Henson
i (currently working with
l prime—movers in the
I dance world. Ra Ra Zoo). l and all round musical
I whizz and club swinger.
' Marion Kenny.
Mark. whose official title is professional circus l skills entertainer. has been l holding the workshops I since I986: ‘l‘m basically I self taught and have been l doing this for about five ' years. Two years ago I
went to Russia to trade skills with the Rhythm l Circus Studio.‘
l In fact Mark and his
5 colleagues offer the
l opportunity to learn a
3 dazzling A—Z of essential circus skills including Ejuggling, unicycling.
' stiltwalking, tightrope. l-acrobalance and the art of i clowning. Echoing the
3, immmortal words of Mr
1 Roy Castle. Mark cites.
; ‘dedication and practice‘
: as being the main qualities 1 for a life under the Big Top rather than an innate
; gift or ability for walking
I on your elbows for
| example. (Ann Donald)
l I Circus Skills Workshop
(FEAST at the Fringe)
; Twenty Frank Sinatra
3 songs in a 90-minute show has got to be
‘ obsessive. but Being
i Frank is not merely a
. musical obsessed by old Blue Eyes. it is about the whole process of obsession. Alan Vicary is ‘The Singer‘: a man who has dedicated his whole
" career to imitating Sinatra.
or 'The Voice' as he is referred to in the show. Now his career is ruined, § he’s been blown out of his last gig and he sits in the dressing room pondering whether to end it all or break free. ‘It is a way of looking at obsession through music. E and a way of looking at ( music through obsession.’ f says director Stewart 1 Aitken. who founded First ! Base Theatre as a way of i getting small-scale l musicals onto the stage. E ‘lt is also a way of 3 looking at misuse of talent. The Singer could i have done everything that ‘ he has achieved. and i probably more. if he had I just concentrated on developing his own style and persona. One of the things about The Singer is that it isn’t embarrassing to watch him or listen to him, but it is embarrassing that he hasn‘t got over the fact of trying to be someone else.‘ (Thom Dibdin) I Being Frank (Fringe) First Base Theatre. Diverse Attractions (Venue ll) 225 8961. 16—28 Aug (not 21, 22).
ll.l5am. £3.50 (£1.75).
l m