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COMEDY PREVIEW
Greg Proops’ Chat Show
None more ginehy! Alastair Mabbott quizzes the master improviser about his Fringe double whammy and finds him . . . oh, about as prepared as usual.
When ('hannel 4‘s y ieyy mg millions let rip their weekly cry ol‘ ‘llope I’roops is on again'. it isn't dear old agony aunt Marie they crave. No. ‘tis (ireg. undisputed heayy yy eight champ ol' ll’llose Line Is /I .tlnyn'uy'; and the last person outside journalism yy ho still tises words like ‘/,esty' and ‘ginehiest'. Albeit tnainly ahout himsell'. For his IOUITII successiy e year on the
Fringe. the Big I’ is running two sllt)\\s -at once. his regular ey'ening stand-up gig and an early alternoon chat show. Gentle preliminary prohing quickly reveals that. with yentie booked and . posters printed. he still hasn‘t a bloody clue what shape it's going to take. though John llegley. John Cooper Clarke. Scott ('apurro and laiti llanks are all booked and themed shows are planned. such as one where all the
Maehellis on the Fringe ate brought together at once.
This ‘/esty complement'. he explains. y'aguely. will follow the same principle its his slttlltl-ttp slltm.
‘I don't like to say the word improy isation because I don't yyant people to think that they 'te gonna ltaye to shout out things l'or me to do. hecause I don't need that and they don't
want that and eyeryhody gets enough til
it. llut. yes. it will he improyisatory . .. improy -like’.’ Whatey er. it's a horrible word anyway, we‘re gonna ad-lih shit. What I’m trying to do is set up circumstances that things will happen I hay'e no control oy er; ugo humour. The talk shows the same. 'I‘liere's enough structure so that there‘s not a riot or a heer-liall [HI/M // aml tlien hopel'ully alter that there's less structure.‘
The not altogether unespected In is!
Greg Proops warns his audience not to shout out suggestions
here is that (ireg l’roops hates chat shows. ‘I think the more serious ones in [England are interesting. because they'ye disappeared l'rom American 'l‘\".' he says. extolling the y irtues ol'a system yy hich permits Human and Bragg to ply their trades. "l‘hey don't ey en haye people who write hooks on any more. Sometimes. they tnight hay e Anne Rice or someone. but ey'erything‘s about eyerytliing that's already on 'l‘\'.
‘llere in America they say. “(ireg. you liay‘e a little too nmch edge" edge is always the word they use. But I think. tor a talk show host. edge is not a had thing at all. The thing that made Letterman l‘unny' was that he was obviously not a nice. loyahle person.' (free l’roops' ('lml Show (Fringe) (ire-e
‘I’I‘oo/M‘. 'I‘IIe l’leusunt‘e (lent/e 5'3) 556
6550. Ill- /6. /‘/>--2.i dire. 2pm. [5 till).
THEATRE PREVIEW
Inside Uitlander
Along with purple tlares and cheesecloth shirts, emigration was all the rage during the 70s. The promise of eternal sunshine and an escape from Britain in decline was suddenly within reach at working class pockets. 0t course, South Atrica was slightly ditterent. Especially it you were a teenage girl caught up in the eternal hormonal paradox ot wanting to be ditterent, but desperate to tit in too. Carol McGuigan was that teenager, and has transformed her experience into a piece at wry drama in which she plays all the parts. ‘lt’s only recently I’ve been able to talk about it,’ says McGuigan. ‘Yet once South Atrica
Springbok memories: Inside Ultlander
was liberated, it seemed to make me teel easier and more open about my past.’
McGuigan led something at a double lite, skipping oil to drive-in movies whilst maintaining a Iiteline to the perceived glam-rock revolution
taking over Blighty via Jackie magazine, which introduced her to blue eye shadow and Marc Bolan, all of which make an appearance in the show. ‘Ot course, we heard about apartheid, but it seemed like nothing to do with us. Eventually, though, you can’t sit on the tence. You either accepted it or lett.’ McGuigan arrived back in the nick of time tor punk, and quite enjoyed the 70s revival too. ‘For me, it wasn’t a revival. It was a lovely time warp, as I’d only had glam by proxy betore.’
McGuigan recently pertormed the piece on Radio Four, but doesn’t dredging up the past make her long to revisit the veldt? Iter answer is more punk than glam girl. ‘Give me greyness and rain any time. I’ve had enough sunny days to last me a litetime.’ (Neil Cooper)
Inside Uitlander (Fringe) likely Lass Productions, Assembly Rooms ( Venue 3) 226 2428, 11-15, 18-22, 26—31 Aug, 1.30pm. £7.50 (£6.50). 16, 17, 23-25 Aug, 1.30pm. £8.50 (£7.50).
quick hits
I Top Storey First perl'ormed in Edinburgh in I989. and still yyoith a look. this is an unusual and inspired piece of mask theatre. See preview.
72),; .S'Iorey' (l'iringel 'I'rexlle 'l'ltettlre ('onI/mny'. Continental Sin/I o! SI lint/e 's' ('enlre (l'entw 62) 346 [405. Isl—.i/ xii/g. /..i()]nn. {6 ([4).
I Exquisite Sister - The Diaries 0t Dorothy Wordsworth The story ol' the unsung talent w ho inspired both her brother William \\'t)l‘tls\\'t)t‘lll and his mate. Samuel (.‘oleridge. told in her own words. See preview
litquisne Sis/er - 'l'ln' [Marley 0) Doro/Irv lion/.yn‘orI/I (Fringe) Wes! links/lire Ploy/louse. xls's‘em/fly‘ Rooms (li'nue .t’) 226 2428. 9-]2. l4. l5. [5' 22. 26. 28 .i/ xllre. 2.05pm. £7.50 ((6.51)). /6. /7. 25’ 25 Aug. 2.!)5/nn. [8.50 l [7.50).
I like A Virgin Against a background of lamily stril'e. two lo-year-old Madonna wannabes lantasise about living out their dreams. .-\ hit at last year's Fringe. Like A lire/n (l’ringe) .'I.\.\'(‘Hll)l_\‘ Roomy" (l'enue .i') 226 2425’. /()-/5. /.\'..2() 22. 26. 2.\'--_i’/. 2pm. [7.50. [6.50. /6./7. 23- 25 Aug. 2pm. £8.50 (£7.50).
I Mapapa Acrobats Peerless contonionism and acrobatics from this Kenyan team. Prepare to be dumbfounded by their elasticity and gravity-defying feats. Mupupu Arro/mls' ( Fringe) l’leus‘unt‘e (Venue 33) 556 6550. 9—H. /.?-—/5. l8~22. 26. 28—3/. 2.30pm. [7(ti6). l6. /7. 23—25. 2.30pm. [8. [7.
I Entertaining Mr Sloane Featuring actors seen in Rub ( Nes/n'n and HuInls/t .tlurlie/lt and directed by Only An [zircuse's Ross Stenhouse. Tangerine bring a cross-dressing twist to Joe ()rton's classic black l'arce.
'Iiingerine l’rmluen'ons l’resenls linlerluining Mr Sloane ( Fringe) (Ii/(led Balloon (Venue 38) 226 2/5/. 9—3/ Aug. 2./5/nn. £6.50 (£5.50).
THE LIST’S TIPS FOR THE BEST SHOWS 1PM-3PM
The List 9- l 5 Aug l‘)‘)6 29