FESTIVAL 6pm—8pm
THEATRE PREVIEW
Zero
Measure the possibility of capturing a split second in time when a roomful of party guests are rocketing towards the millennium How much decadence can they Cram in before the new day dawns? Is it conceivable that a photograph can be produced, containing the hundreds of thoughts flying through their brains during that one second?
Well, Frantic Assembly Will be giving us a chance to flirt With that phenomenon by bringing their new deVised piece, Zero to the Fringe, concluding a trilogy that also includes K/ul) and flesh
’The piece is an amalgam of dance, theatre and performance art,’ explains co-director and performer Scott Graham 'Our main intentiOn is to reflect Britain for our particular generation '
The right music is also an important feature of Frantic’s work and Wltll top Dis Andy Cleaton of Birmingham’s Republica and Dave Randall of London’s Trade, the house is gonna be pumpin' iSarah Crawford)
Zero (Fringe) Frantic Asserrib/y, The P/easance (Venue 33) 556 6550, 8—30 Aug (not 72, 26) 6 50pm, [8/[7
([7/[6i Preview show, 7 Aug, 6 50pm,
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“Theatrical Magic”
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THEATRE PREVIEW Candides
Seen at The Big Top, Salisbury, Fri 6 Jun.
Whether you are familiar With Voltaire's Candide or not, Cirque Baroque’s interpretation — merging theatre, live music and dead good circus — makes a complex story come to vivid life. 'It is a fantastic fairytale,’ says the troupe’s leader Christian Taguet. ’Even in a mOVie, it would be very hard to follow the stOry, but we try to create beautiful images and hopefully make sense of the whole thing as it comes together.’
The troupe is part of the New Circus movement — ’that is CerUS With mise en scene, direction, theatrical feelings, original music and choreography to tell a story,’ explains Taguet, Even if the story means nothing to you, images such as a woman climbing a 50-foot rope, pulling a clip and being trans- formed into a human beehive by her dress are memorable in the extreme
The company has been much praised on home ground — Taguet received the French eduivalent of a knighthood in 1995. ’My mother put the certificate on her wall and she is proud,’ he remarks, 'but it means nothing to me.’
Once word gets rOund, it might mean more to the rest of us.
(Brian Donaldson)
1994 Fringe First Winner
“985 177}; $9
“Take the family” -Tll(’ List
Roman quhaLodge
Venue 2]
225-7226
-T/l(’ New York Times
“Often always
witty,
. . fl 1nvent1ve
6110 PM 830 August
(not Thu rsd ays)
-T/I(‘ Independent
56 THELIST B M rm viii
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Voltaire ambition: Cirque Baroque's Candides
l Candides (Fringe) Cirque Baroque, Leith Links (Venue 747) 477 7200, until 37 Aug (not Mons) 7.30pm, £70 (£8) family ticket [20.
THEATRE PREVIEW Californian Poppy
In the vein of Nancy Friday's My Mother, My Se/f .- which did untold damage to mother/daughter relationships the world over — is the Byre Theatre/0M6 Productions Fringe show Californian Poppy, a disturbing new play by Jan Natanson
Growmg tip in the 40s With the town whoor for a mum, and a dad who
i could be any of the punters, makes for a far-from-rosy childhood But when
estranged sisters Molly and Ruth are reunited in middle age by their rnother’s death, their polar coping strategies crumble as they’re forced to confront the irreversible damage of decades ago To add further insult, there's the discovery that aspects of their rnother’s personality lurk in themselves.
’lt's great to be doing a new piece by a Scots writer and cornpany' enthuses director Ken Alexander. 'Sadly, one of the things that has been disappearing from the Fringe in recent years is new
drama ' (Claire Prenticjel
I Californian Poppy (Fringe) Bi're Theatre/D M 6 Productions, Famous Grouse House (Venue 341i 220 5606,
9 30 Aug (not 78, 26) 7pm, [8 ([6i
i THEATRE RREviEw
Knives In Hens
ln a rural 16th century community, a
~ woman discovers a world beyond her ; surroundings Her key to this disc oveiy
is language, given to her by an
educated stranger The \‘JOHldli's husband, a c losecl-rninclecl iiiillei, isn't
impressed Put simply, the conflict in Edinburgh- born writer David Harrowei's play is
between ignorance and knowledge its 5 appeal lies in subtle c'liaiacterisatioii,
5 An American in Cairo
and the pearls of poetry buried in its earthy language. Premiered at the Traverse in June 95, it's also been produced in Berlin and New York and earned Harrower a daunting raft of commiss:ons A for the Traverse, the Royal Court, the National Theatre the RSC and BBC Radio 4,
Revived at the Traverse, Knives In Hens has one new cast member, but is largely unaltered. 'l’ve changed about low lines,’ says Harrower. ’One of the last scenes was really bugging me — and there was a gag I wanted to work.’ From knowledge came forth humour (Andrew Burnetl I Knives in Hens (Fringe) Traverse Theatre (Venue 75,) 228 7404, iinti/29 Aug, times vary; [ 70 ([6)
THEATRE PREVIEW Khamasseen
it was bound to put cultural differences into sharp relief For lclinneapolis playwright Tom Coash, life as an ex-pat was also the
: starting point for Khamasseen.
Set in modern Cairo, a vast metropolis of endless hustle and bustle, Coash’s play charts the despair and eventual liberation of American 'ciii-viile’ Donna, who’s locked in an abusive marriage. Through friendship with her rnaicl, things begin to change 'She comes out of l‘.(‘l shell and realises she doesn't have to stay With the guy,’ explains Coash, who has lived in Cairo for two years 'But theies also huineur in the play and a look at cultural itiisc “triceptioiis'
Perfc‘ir'iii‘d in English i.‘.:tb small blasts of Strata (incl F'eitc ‘i‘i by an Egyptian cast from the Aiiieiic'aii University c-f Cairo, the play's title refers to North. »\il|( a's 50—day season of sai‘dstei‘iiis 'lt's a perfect title,
\.‘,'l‘.l(l‘i relates to Ponita's inner storrns,’
savs Ceasli iSusanna Beauiiioiitl II K’liarrtasseeii (Fringe‘ Airterxcaii Uiriversifi' Of Cairo, Tire South Bridge Resource Centre il'errue l23l 558
9997, l? 76 Aug, ,7’ 750.”), [5 C”
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