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AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL are such a nuisance. A chap can't execute. torture or
l’ESPlEllDIDA VEBGOIYA DEL FE‘I’ MAI. PET which translates as The Splendid Shame 0! The Deed Badly (lane is not the snappiest title at this year’s Festival. llor is it enticing that Caries Santos's play is periomied in Catalan. But this poster image - certainly the International Festival’s sauciest - should help egg on the punters. So should the news that it’s only an hour long, and tilled with weird visual imagery, warped choral music, surreal humour and acrobatic stunts. Mainly the poster, though. See preview page 41.
l’Esple’ndida Vergonya Del Fer Mal Fe! (Intemalional Festival) Kings Theatre, 23-25 Aug, 8pm, £6-£20.
spEATCOR WEEEND You r0 SEEK ASYLUM m BRITAIN-
unjustly itnprison these days without the blighters getting on the case. liven that nice Mr Howard — who‘s only trying to keep Britain ethnically clean — has a bothersome time deporting scheming foreigners back where they belong. Now Amnesty want your money too! They‘ve organised three Festival events to help fund their activities and raise their profile. There‘s a comedy show. The Secret l’olice Dog '5' Electric Shock. featuring Greg Proops. Jitneoin. Rich Hall and others; there's an auction of celebrity artefacts. including cartoons by Steve Bell. Austin (pictured). and others. plus signed items from stars like Emma Thompson. Mel Gibson and Blur; and there's an exhibition of woodcuts by South Korean artist Hong Song Dam — a fortner ‘prisoner of conscience'. The whole shebang is dedicated to two Burmese comedians U Pa Pa Lay and U l.u law (comedy names. no doubt). who‘ve been sentenced to seven years' hard labour for supporting Burma's National League For Democracy — which. when you think about it. is less criminal than what some of these Fringe companies come up with . . .
The Secret I’m/ice Dog '3' [Electric Shock ( Fringe) Function Huus ( Venue [52) 557 2957, 24 Aug, 7.30pm, [/2 (NO).
The Secret l’u/ice Dug '.\' [Electric (0“uctinn (Fringe) Functunt Huux (Venue I53) 557 2957. 24 Aug. 9.50pm. tit/niissimrjree Irv ini'itutuin — cull (l/Hli'l’ nutn/n'rfin' details. Artists In Chains (Fringe) Ant/testi- Intermttimtul, l-‘estii'ul (‘lult ( Venue 5.?) 557 2957, until 3/ Aug. ()rttn—ll/nn.free.
lEANDRE RIBEM is the kind of person who restores your faith in accidental discoveries on the Fringe. The Spanish clown. who makes his Edinburgh debut in Lenin/re Lunatic. is hardly a household name here. but he's held audiences spellbound all over
Spain. in France. England and Australia (where a shortage of venues inspired him to develop new street theatre skills). and is now delighting punters in the Gilded Balloon's tiny space at The Honeycomb. With Slava Polunin winning hearts at the Assembly Rooms. clowning has found a fresh audience in Edinburgh. By our reckoning. Ribera could be just the hombre to mop up. [cum/re Lunatic (Fringe) Lettntlre Riltera. Gilt/ell Bulltmn at The Htmevcmnl) (Venue I39) 226 2/5], until 3/ Aug. 4pm, £6 ([5).
6 The List 23 Aug-5 Sept l996