Iookaflkes
The List identifies performers
have a stunt double. We were struck by the remarkable resemblance between President
Kissinger and conductor Kurt Sanderling, who will be leading the Philharmonia Orchestra through a programme of Brahms at the Usher Hall. Could they by any chance be related . . .
In a short series for the Festival,
visiting Edinburgh who appear to
Nixon’s foreign affairs guru Henry
performer’s choice
AKA Sir Bernard Chumley and the baby- faced drummer George Dawes from BBCZ’s Shooting Stars, Matt lucas chooses five must- sees in Edinburgh
I Bill Bailey I laughed tny head off last year. Bailey is a one-off. a genuinely talented man — go and see him shine. xls‘smri/2/y' lv’rmms. <)»-».i/ Aug. 9pm.
I Phil Kay This wild-haired Scottish comedian is the funniest man alive. Miss him and you ruight as well not have bothered coming to the Festival. (ii/t/erIliul/mm. lb’ Aug. /()pin; [9 Aug. 8.45pm; 26—3] Aug. //..iUpnI.
I Modern Problems in Science Three wise men provide the most fun you‘ll ever have in the theatre. I shall be seeing this show nine times. Probably.
.'l.v1v'em/)/_v Rim/us. ‘l- .v'l Aug. 8 45pm. Matt Lucas upper/M in Sir lii'i'nurt/ ('lru/iI/ey's (Janus/mu til the .‘l.\.\'(’IIl/)/_\‘ Run/its. ‘)-~.t’/ xii/g. /().‘\’()/)III.
I Bill And Bob’s All New 1994 Show The kids will adore these cheeky scamps. better known as Jerry Sadovv'itl. arid Logan Murray. Assent/riv- lv’umns. ‘2-«3/ Aug. //.-/5pm.
I Bugsy Malone/National Youth Music Theatre If you're going to see a musical. you can‘t go far wrong with the NYMT. Altogether now. ‘My name is Tallulah. . . ' (fringe Square Theatre. /-t’- ‘26 Aug. limes iii/"V.
bunch of 'fives
For no good reason we can think of, here’s a quintet of hilarious show
titles featuring undergarments (this may be the only publicity they get).
I. Big White Pants (Gilded Balloon) 2. Frank Farmer‘s Pants; Robber's Dog (Diverse Attractions)
3. Laugh Til Yer Pants Turn Green; Four Quid Cabaret (Music Box)
4. Pigs In Knickers; Fortnight Productions (Champions Club)
5. It‘s A Man‘s World — Baggy Breeks (Whale)
festival scanner ' s
The folks up at the Fringe oflicc think their Web Site is pretty cool. At least they did until the Big Boys front Apple and Adobe came along with a bigger. better. shinier one. The computer giants' super-Web site I-‘ringe.’ l‘Tt’t/llt’llt')‘ will use state-of-the-art Apple. Adobe and Net technology to rush an impressive multi-trtedia Fringe ‘magazine' down the wires from Internet provider Supernet‘s Network Centre in Jersey.
As with the perfectly-goml official liringe site designed by local Internet cafe. Web l3. Apple/Adobe’s site will run news. views and reviews. bill with the benefits of Apple's Quick Time technology l’i‘inge: Frequency will have the luxury of videos and high- resolution stills to spice up test and screen design. Grand plans for site content include a star interview with last year's Perrier Award winner Jenny Eclair; a behind-the-scenes look at Fringe venue The Pleasance with director Christopher Richardson: a daily man-about-tlie-Fringe column from cit-Flying Picket Mervyn Stutter‘;
Quicktime video clips from Fringe shows: and some potentially unsavoury late night reports from the Fringe Club filed by ‘undercover‘ Els (electronic journalists) using Apple Powerbooks.
Fringe marketing and press manager. Stuart Buchanan admits to being ever so slightly jealous of Fringe: Frequent'y‘s flash technology. Never one to miss a Microsoft Window of opportunity though. Web-master Buchanan is now taking steps to ensure the Fringe get their slice of Apple/ Adobe pie.
‘Hopel'ully we'll be able to do something with them next year‘.‘ he said. ‘We'd still do what we do with the Fringe Web site and have all the info. but there'd be all this peripheral stuff as well which they can do for us. which would be amazing.‘ Watch this Web space. (Ellie Carr)
The official Fringe Website. Fringe '96 ()n The Internet is at http://ivwrepresent‘e.m.tik/li'iitge/ Apple C mnpnler and Adobe Systems Web site can bejtilllil/ ul /i/I/).'//lt'll'll'. (Iii/eslivul.stipert'ltunnel. ne
PISTOL OFF
Carla Cantrelle of Travelling Light Productions was indeed travelling light when she found herself two actors short of a cast. Following the TWA air disaster. the quivering thesps were too scared to take the transatlantic flight. The airport problems didn‘t stop there. A prop pistol caused all sorts of panic at US departures. while Ilcathrovv customs staff were fortunately alert enough to spot a handgun in the hand baggage. ‘lt‘s for the Edinburgh Festival.‘ Cantrelle explained. ‘What’s that. then." the culturally challenged official reportedly responded. Helps keep it all in perspective. huh'.’
SHOW TIME SHOW-TIME
Swaggering into town for a couple of days‘ carousing in the saloons of Edinburgh is Wyatt Earp. great-grand nephew of the original Western gunslinger. As an adult. Earme feels conrfortable enough with his farrrily history to perform a show about his famous ancestor. But throughout childhood. being saddled with such a famous name was a liability —
particularly when the hit 5th television show of the satne name was on air. ‘lle got in a lot of liglrts.‘ says his wife Terry Earp. who wrote the show. ‘Ilis fatnin started calling him Johnny jtrst so he could get home from school in one piece.‘ The alternative was packing a sis-shooter with little Wyatt‘s lunch.
DUMB JOKER
Just as German humour seems to lose something in translation. stand-up corrredians playing to deal audiences can run into drl'licultres. For the third year running. however. Jirueoin and Rich Hall have brought their own sign language translator to the l-‘riuge in a brave attempt at equal-opportunities humour. Interpreter Phil Bobbins has worked with the comedians to convey as much of the comedy as possible to deaf people in the audience. Parts are the ruost difficult to translate. according to Bobbins. and the trick is finding another way of convey ing the same joke: ‘lt's a question of finding a balance between getting the humour across without taking over the shovv.‘
hardy perennial
. . . the first in a new series. in which a regular festival visitor prepares for another tour of duty, starting with . . .
Macbeth
Well, here I am packing the sporran for another three weeks in Dunedin - or Edinburgh as they insist on calling it these days. Another busy year for me - six shows no less, including one in Fife, where luckily I’m good mates with the local 'Ihane who runs a charming little Bed & Banquet. When they said Bavenscraig I assumed we were talking some post-industrial, post-modernist tosh - turns out it’s not a defunct steelworks at all but one of my favourite castles.
I do like to get outdoors and meet my public - as any aspiring monarch would - so I’m a bit disappointed that Illyria lot are hanging me up in the Bedlam this year - usually they’re good for a wee wander around a park. I don’t like theatres much - for some reason people go to
Theatr Ludowy: Polish Macbeth
such elaborate lengths to avoid addressing me by name . . .
There have been a few changes here since I first shacked up In the castle back in 1040; mostly in the last 50 years, I’d say. This Festival thing certainly keeps me in oatcakes, which pleases ller Indoors, who’s always on at me to go for that promotion. Between thee and me, I don’t think she’s quite the full Ilorln.
llold on - is this a lager which I see before me? Sorry folks, must dash. This year’s six Macbefhs are listed on page 140 of the Fringe Programme.
The List 9-l5 Aug I996 11