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liich iiall is big newsinhis native America where he haswrittentor David Letterman antlpertorledon‘SaturdaylliditLive'. lle’sorieottwoilSstaod-imalarland otherhppearinguderthoFub Paradisebamerandthisishislldebut. llichllall(Fringe)Fools Paradise. lorayllouse (Vermloa)5585184,13lug-4$ept(not18, 22, 30), 9.45pm, £8.50 (25)
E. Willi“! is the
What's so funny
about Beatnik
poetry? Ora
recurring nightmare
of beckoning
bagpipes? Throw in a few condoms and something is sure to come up.
A Comedy of Sketches. presented by Canadian duo Sketched Out. Aug 11-25,
c Venue 19 (Studio C), Over-Seas House, 100 Princes St., Edinburgh. Tel: 225 5105
THE GUARDIAN: “GO & SEE THEM.
THEY ARE BRILLIANT
PARSONS & .
NAYLOR'S
RICH GREEN PAGEANT
August 13th - 28th 9pm GILDED BALLOON'S STEPPING STONES THEATRE
112 WEST BOW, GRASSMARKET BOX OFFICE 031 226 2151 £6 (£4)
El
JEREMY LEE ASSOCIATES PRESENT, FOR A SECOND SELL-OUT SEASON
"SUPERB INCISIVE WIT" THE GUARDIAN, EDINBURGH '92
PLEASANCE TWO
12 Aug - 4 Sept (except 16, 23, 31)
031556
9:30 pm (10:30) £5.00 - £6.50
Poles apart
In these post-Wall days, eastern European companies on the Fringe are nothing new, but Poland’s Wierszalin Theatre, if rapturous audiences in across Europe and Japan are to be trusted, offer something truly out of the ordinary. Their geographic and creative base is a small rural town near the eastern Polish border, a region where age-old folk myths and ‘naive’ Orthodox rituals survive virtually ‘uncontaminated’ by more recent political and religious developments.
‘Wierszalin were opposed to how the system was before the collapse of Soviet communism,’ says Alan Tweedie of Theatre Workshop, where the company will be playing, ‘and now they’re also concerned about the values of the new regime. They delve back into the traditions of their area to try and find things to build on tor the future; here they use an ancient Byeiorussian table to draw out some important messages about the values of the new system and the threats they present.’
The eight-strong cast represent a peasant community coming together for some kind of celebration, and recounting a story in which the characters are played by wooden puppets. The tale tells of a poor couple who sell their son to a rich stranger, who turns out to be the devil. To return to his parents, the boy must
Merszalin Theatre: Pea-
push a pea home, walking on his knees; the pea sprouts a tree which bears golden fruit, and the tamin must choose between their love tor each other and the riches it offers.
Mixing dialogue and Orthodox choral singing, realism and symbolism, comedy and religious iconography, the production is, says Theatre Workshop’s lies Lamont, ‘very much in that Eastern European tradition of concentrated, intense rehearsal, worked on over a great deal at time; a really superbly put together blend of comedy, and scary bits, and very touching interplay between the characters which is immensely detailed, in a way you just don’t often see in British theatre, yet is simplistic in its complexity.’ (Sue Wilson) lioll-A-Pea (Fringe) Wierszalin Theatre, Theatre Workshop (Venue 20) 226 5425, 13 Aug-4 Sept (not 15), 8.30pm, £7 (£4).
V COMEDY
BOB OOWNE’S TOP TEN GROOMING TIPS
1) Only ever let people see you front on (it’s easier on television, of course).
2) Remember the three ‘e‘s of foundation‘: edges! edges! edges!
3) A full head of Harmony ‘Hard-to-Hold’ and a naked flame don't mix (didn '1 you see The Birds?)
4) lfyou wish to be remembered, apply your individual scent not only to all pulse poian but to pillows, door frames and cat flaps.
5) And if you want to be remembered by future civilisations, always be buried in today's easy- care synthetic fabrics. This doesn‘t apply to cremation. of course.
6) Can that special
bigger collar.
through your hair? Well, go home and don‘t leave the house until you‘ve combed it properly.
7) if you don’t lift slightly off the ground in
laces again!
a decent wind, you need a
8) Check the cuffs of your flares for old and someone run their fingers rare COinS. YOU Could be off to Sotheby‘s!
9) One word: slip-ens! You‘ll never buy shoe-
10) Be selective with your nightlife. Only
frequent discos called Ritzy's. Rogues or Capone's. And, oh yes! Never stand under strobe lighting in ajumbo check.
I Bob llowne Under! (Fringe) Bob Downe. Pleasance (Venue 33) 556 6550. ll Aug—4 Sept (not 16 Aug or 2 Sept). 8.30pm. £7.50 (£6.50).
48 The List 13—19 August 1993