THEATRE/DANCE/COMEDY
HIT LIST
HIT LIST
HIT LIST
HIT LIST
HIT LIST
HIT LIST
Words On The Run
They may have been performing their brand of pop prose since the 60s but. under the moniker of I’VO/‘(lS ()n The Run. Liverpool‘s finest poets convince Neil Cooper there is still life in the old dogs yet.
The Irtck \\ ith l'ixc-a-side teams is to eo\et' all angles. and abmc all else to keep on the llltt\L'. 'l'rend} football analogies are llltl'tll} out ol place \\'ith the alt‘ead) athletic sounding lion/x ()n /'/n' .l/or (' \\ htch fields a \xorltlbcating quintet of l.i\crpudliau literar) lions to tnake ex en the late llill Shankl} proud. Will) Russell. Roger .\lc(iough. Brian
l’atten. Adrian llcnri and guitarist .-\nd_\'
Roberts may be a hit llabb} round the middle but \xhen it comes to \xarm- hearted \sordpla} it‘s experience tltat counts. With more than 30 years apiece in the poetic l'rontlinc. e\cr_\one‘s a striker ltu‘ stlt'e.
Rttssell alone is responsible for lzvlut u/rng Ix’rto and Shirley Ill/(’IIIIIH’. \shile .\le(}ough. l’atten and llenri are yer original Li\ er I5t)}\ of pop poetr},
COMEDY PREVIEW
The Words On The Run team: Liverpudlian literary lions
\\ hose \xork \\ as collected together in The .l/erxer .S‘oionl. \\ hich. apart from anything else. is the biggest selling \olutuc of British poetr} excr Roberts. tncann hilc. has a pedigree stretching from the Holt/n |)og Hand and l’ink Floyd to lloll_\ uood ltlm soundtracks.
The current collaboration first catne together. naturally enough. at the l.i\erpool l"c'sti\;il of('omedy \\ hen Alan llleasdale “as also on board. ‘\\'i|l_\ \x‘as \er} mttch the drix ing Itil'L‘L‘.‘ insists .\le(i0uglt. 'Ile doesti‘l often get the chance to perform but “hell he does he's brilliant at it ‘
A show “as did) de\ iscd. the miscd approach of \xltich .\lc(iough likens to his early forays \\ ith poclt‘Vrock band (irimms. 'lt llo“ s together so no one
\sort‘ies about their slot.‘ concurs l’atten. ‘lt helps knou ing someone for .‘ll )mts in order to do something like this.‘ '\\'c‘re a bit like The Supremcsf adds .\lc(iough.
.-\nd. like The Supremcs. all the ll'on/x ()n '/‘/u' Run team are \er) tnueh a product of the (ills. ‘II “as a special tinte but one uhich can never be rcpealedf states .\lc(}ough. partially referring to the recent attetupt to re- create the legendary Albert Hall poetry happenings of the ()I)\. ‘ln those da}s \xe could handle lidinburgh for three \\eeks.' recalls l’atlcn. ‘.\'o\\ new only got stamina for one.‘
I Words On The Run tl‘t'tnge) Assembly Rooms (Venue 3) 320 2428. 3| 35 Aug. «l.l5pnt. [Ill/L") (EX/£7).
Jesus My Boy
It is perfectly fitting that stand-up pioneer and original awkward squad member John Dowie should come to Edinburgh this year with one show for kids and another about religion. What is for certain is that he has no plans to return to stand-up, ever, and is pretty scathing about the career comics who have proliferated on the circuit since the early 80s.
‘There was a time when I didn’t know anyone who was a stand-up - now I don’t know anyone who isn’t,’ he says. ‘These days if you want to hear John Dowie do stand-up invite me round for dinner. I’ll dominate the conversation for the cost of a couple of bottles of wine.’
Two years ago veteran Fringe
John Bowie: the ego has not landed
performer Dowie brought his first children’s show Dogman ‘o Edinburgh, and enjoyed the experience so much he has returned with Poems To Read To Your Parents, which combines comic verse, music and dance, plus a
guest appearance by Dogman himself. ‘There’s no ego involved,’ claims Dowie. ‘Children just want to be amused which makes everything much more enjoyable. It’s great to be in the audience with children and just enjoy yourself.’
Continuing the child theme is his one-man comedy Jesus My Bay, a new show written and performed by Dowie, which speculates on Joseph’s feelings about siring - sort of - the Messiah. ‘Joseph was the first new man,’ says Dowie. ‘Everyone was going on about the virgin birth but how does that make the father feel?’ All will be revealed. (Eddie Gibb) Jesus My Boy (Fringe) John Howie, The Pleasance (Venue 33) 556 6550, 21-31 Aug (not 27), 5.05pm, £6/£5 (65/134).
Poems To Head To Your Parents (Fringe) John Bowie, The Pleasance (Venue 33) 556 6550, until 19 Aug, 5.05pm, £4 (£3).
quick hits
I Snowshow Spectacular is one word for it. Genius could be another. Slava I’olunin brings his magical act to the Assembly Rooms in which he aims to both entertain the audience and widen its perception of The Clown. Anarchic. comic and truly gigantic.
.S'nou'shou' ( I-'ringe) .S'luru I’o/unin. Assembly Rooms ( Venue 3) 226 2428. until 3/ Aug (not IS. 2/. 25. 28) 4.45/ntt/ll./5pnr.
[I 0. 50/ [9. 50 l [9. 50/ [8. 5 l) ).
I The Fever Theatre at its most stripped down as Clare Coulter interprets Wallace Shawn‘s script to darkly humorous effect. From the worries of finding the coffee to the dilemmas within Marxism. Coulter brings the piece to the Fringe having performed it spontaneously at dinner parties and on the train.
The I’erer (l’ringe) Clare Coulter. 'I'rurerse (Venue I5) 228 I404, until 3/ .‘lug (not Mons) rurious times. [7 (£4).
I The Virgin Mary Show Following on from the success of last year‘s When Harry Met ('ut/ir . (C: Anne (Q June . . . . The Virgin Mary Show mixes and matches biblical testament and postmodern references to hysterical effect. Bernadine Corrigan's reputation is rising all the titne and more sell- out signs can be expected to flourish at the Pleasance. The Virgin Mary Show ( I-‘ringe) l’leusunr'e ( Venue 33) 556 6550. until 3/ Aug (not 27) 3.30pm. 1' 7 . 50/ [6. 50 ( [6. 50/ £5. 5() ). I The Quality Shag Ben Miller and Alexander Armstrong are finally gaining the recognition they deserve having trawledthe sometimes unforgiving comedy circuit for four years. This year's show sees them rock-climbing. kicking ass as Strijka and crooning a la Vegas. The Quality Slut g (Fringe) Armstrong and Miller: I’leusunee (Venue 33) 556 6550. until 3/ Aug (not 27) 5pm. [7.50/[650 ( £6.50/f5. 50).
THE LIST’S TIPS FOR THE BEST SHOWS 3PM-6PM
The List lb-ZZ Aug l‘)‘)() 31