1PN/3PI
WHEE-
THE PLUMMETIHG OLD WOMAN
A whole row of Nintendo- generation children sit open-mouthed. entranced by a mask production where for one hour the only word uttered is ‘chop‘. and that is in a
I Slavic language. The indecipherable opening scene with five puppets gravitating lemming-like over the precipice of a building. ushers in these simple yet beautifully fluid tales of human cruelty: from intimidation to love spurned. all are touchingly funny and Chaplinesque in their execution.
Adults and children alike will be affected by this wonderfully unpretentious but enthralling production which appears to be a Russian fairytale book magically brought to life. (Ann Donald)
I The Nominating Old Home (Fringe) Sleeping Giant Theatre, Pleasance Attic (Venue 33) 556 6550. 27—29 Aug. 1.30pm. £4.50 (£3.50).
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"Entrancing" "Just the job" Time Out May 93
EUROPE'S FINEST NON-ANIMAL CIRCUS
EDINBURGH
THE GREEN TENT IN THE MEADOWS VENUE 109
FROM AUG 1 6
Tues 17th to Sat 21 st inclusive:- 3pm and 7.30pm Tues 24th to Mon 30th inclusive and Wed 1st to Sat 4th inclusive:- 5pm and 7.30pm
«Ivmgf v 2:
I. I l i
I From the traditional
Malay welcome to the
l farewell handshake. this ; multi-cultural tale of
g women. and trees. and
I men. and seeing life right. ; is a total charmer. With
I nothing but a step ladder
I in a brightly coloured
f paddling pool and a row
i of oriental musical
I instruments to help them. I the talented company flit with the greatest of ease
| from Noah and his wife.
I to Norman and Nora in a
EVERY TICKET YOU
£1 BUY ON PRODUCTION OF
OFF ADVERTISEMENT
All Seats: Child £3.50 Adult 24.50
DIAL-A-SEAT RESERVATIONS
0782 284850
fl3= FESTIVAL
THE WOMAN m A TREE on THE HILL
contemporary Singaporean suburb. to the fish-tailed Chinese Goddess of marriage Nu Wa and the obstinate Water God Gong Gong. These three pairs. played with great humour and mercurial skill by Ivan Heng and F00 May Lyn. form the basis of an often poignant. but always insightful exploration of the age old battle of the sexes. This. in turn. is placed in the wider context of spiritual and environmental well being. The tree. with its roots firmly in the ground and its branches reaching for the sky, is a perfect metaphor: if we were like that. and kept the sense of perspective and interconnection you get from climbing high up a tree. we would be happy in ourselves. and together. and we certainly wouldn’t be using Chainsaws. It is a simple message which can‘t be repeated too often and is unlikely to be conveyed more imaginatively or more joyoust than this. (Catherine Fellows) I The Woman In a Tree On The Hill (Fringe) Theatreworks Singapore. The Mad Abbot (Venue 84) 447 8811. until 4 Sept.
DIVADLO K
Pneseurs IN ASSOCIATION WITH EDINBURGH UNIVERSITY THEATRE COMPANY
HAMLET
(POW, POW, Pow)
3:59am
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BEDLAM THEATRE
Venue 49
2 FORREST Roan El" 20!!
30m Auousr - 4 SEPTEMBER, 4.3OPM £5, £3 cone.
Box Omce (031) 2269893
Fringe Box Office. 180 High Street, Edinburgh EH1 108 Sales by post or in person. Box Office (031) 225 9893 Opening hours: 10am — 7pm
2.30pm. £4.50 (£3.50).
JUNGLE OF THE CITIES
The living Lindy Hoppers have an excellent reputation for lively. high quality. repertory-style shows so it is a shame that this full-length performance. based on Brecht’s play. Jungle Of The Cities, fails at its preview. It is always dangerous to show work at what is obviously such an early stage and this amalgamation of acting. some choreography and music is so ambitious that it might have been better to wait until it was finished. The cast need to be able to dance. act and sing and although each of the performers has one skill none of them has all three. The band were great but the company were under-rehearsed. the choreography uninteresting and the story difficult to unwind. (Tamsin Grainger)
I Jungle Of The Cities (Fringe) living Lindy Hoppers Dance Theatre, Marco's (Venue 98) 228 9116. 22 Aug—4 Sept.
2pm. £5 (£3.50).
V THEATRE THE OVEHCOAT
Gogol’s tale of a poor clerk's battle with the cold St Petersburg is a chilling fable with a sardonic edge. An ordinary man with no ambition. family or, it seems here. personality. he is the victim of circumstance and the lack of compassion in his fellow workers.
With only one main character. the New Theatre Company have adapted the story for the stage for six actors. three male. three female. who in turn narrate Gogol's text and take the minor roles. Dressed in shabby suits and waistcoats. with bare feet. they pace the sparse stage under harsh lighting to give a sense of deprivation. Although the young cast is clearly inexperienced. the direction is fairly imaginative and the production has a rough- edged kind of charm. (Beatrice Colin)
I The Overcoat (Fringe) New Theatre Company. Theatre Zoo (Venue 4)
228 9208. Thurs 26 and Sat 28 Aug. 2.10pm. £4 (£2).
V THEATRE
METAMOHPH- OSIS
Billed as a ‘Trip into hyper-reality'. this liberal and rather wobbly adaptation of the seminal Kafka short story. where a young man wakes up to find he‘s a beetle and conducts a wearisome monologue. doesn't even reach the stratosphere. The unfortunate main character, Gregor. has to scuttle about on all fours looking like Marcel Marceau with stomach cramps while family members are each permitted five minutes to over-act in the spotlight. One redeeming aspect is the ingenious use of video to convey poor Gregor's thoughts. but this doesn't outweigh the weak script and heavy reliance on music to convey the mood. (Ann Donald) I Metamorphosis (Fringe) New Theatre Company. St Columba’s by the Castle (Venue 4) 228 9208. 27 Aug. 2.10pm. £4 (£2).
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Continental Shifts at St Brides. Orwell
Trestle Theatre Company
PRESENTS
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Venue 'I'errace. Haymarket (Venue 62) Date Tuesday 17 August to Saturday 4 September 1995 (72012.2 and 2‘) .mgust) Time 3.50pm to 5.15pm Tickets £6.00 and £4.00 concessions
Box Office 031 546 1405 or the Fringe ()flice
28 The List 27 August-9 September I993