FESTIVAL IO— LATE
COMEDY REVIEW The Johnny Vegas Show ****
'l'm not a comedian, I'm an entertainer,’ bellows this fat, Elvis- dressed comic grotesque early on, before proving that he is, in fact, both, and of the highest order. For Johnny Vegas, love involves postmen and Rottweilers, comedy campfires and warmth. A master of the mock- sincere Hollywood blockbuster metaphor, he climaxes his act with a ribald piece of pottery on stage, involving the audience and his cherished wheel.
lnevitably, some allusions to the dirty bit in Ghost occur, as Johnny accounts for his tragi-comic existence with the subtle blend of hostility and pleading which one suspects will become a very successful trademark. (Steve Cramer)
I The Johnny Vegas Show (Fringe) johnny Vegas, Gilded Balloon (Venue 38) 226 2751, until 30 Aug (not 78, 28) 70.45pm, £7.50 (£6.50).
COMEDY REVIEW Hung Le — Now And Zen ****
It can’t have been a barrel of laughs growing up as a Vietnamese refugee in Australia during the 70s, but Hung Le has somehow managed to find
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the hysterical side. His show is a study in inverse racism — he takes all the stock racist stereotypes and turns them upside down and on their heads. You want to joke about eating dogs? 60 ahead, make his day. Le must have the world’s largest edible- dog-joke collection. Ditto jokes about chopsticks, Asian kids being good at maths and not having much body hair. If attack is the best form of defence then Le has it down to a fine art form.
(Jonathan Trew)
I Hung Le - Now And Zen (Fringe) Hung Le, Honeycomb (Venue 139) 226 2751, until 30 Aug, 10.30pm, £6.50 (£5.50).
THEATRE REVIEW The Coat *****
If Gogol's ghost had been roaming the streets of Edinburgh last night, Credo Theatre would surely have put it to rest. A ghost, a baby and a coat — for Credo, these are the things that dreams are made of.
This extraordinary company from Bulgaria exquisitely tells the stOry of the government clerk who died because his precious coat was stolen. With a few seemingly insignificant props, they create a magical world of imprisonment, misery, despair, freedom and joy. The captivated
FESTIVAL THEATRE USC - USA SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA IN REPERTORY - 7- 30 AUGUST 1997 STAR WARS TRILOGY IN 30 MINUTES - A PERFECT GANESH OLYMPUS ON MY MIND (MUSICAL) *WOMEN AND WALLACE
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DRUMMOND COMMUNITY THEATRE 4] BELLEVUE PLACE 0 (OI3I) 558-9695
audience is effortlessly drawn into Gogol’s world of ironic whimsy through some superb acting. There is no excuse not to see this one.
(Robin James)
I The Coat (Fringe) Credo Theatre, Demarco European Art Foundation Wenue 22) 558 7330, until 76 Aug, 10pm, 18—23 Aug, 7.45pm, £5 (£3).
THEATRE REVIEW The Last Vegas Lounge Act * int:
Toni Rae, the wide-eyed Queen of Las Vegas is here to blow Scotland away with glitz, glamour and garish couplets — she rhymes ’Vegas' with ‘haggis,’ for heaven’s sake. Accompanied by a pianist and two all-singing, all-dancing ruffle-shirted blokes, this Is a study In Amen-trash as they zip through a series of musical numbers based on Macbeth and The Blob, among others All in the name of ’legItimate theatre.’ While The Ghost Road production is often funny and the performances are solid, the piece could do with a little snipping at the edges. The saxophonist’s gold shorts went down well, though. (Brian Donaldson) I The Last Vegas Lounge Act (Fringe) The Ghost Road Company (USA) Hill Street Theatre (Venue 4 i) 226 6522, 74, 76, 79, 27, 23, 25, 27, 30AI/g, 77.70pm, £5.50 (£4.50).
THEATRE REVIEW Incarnate ****
Incarnate is one of the understated and unexpected productions which makes the real Fringe w0rthwhile. Genuinely committed to experimenting with text and performance, this talented Cambridge ensemble takes the audience through the less beautiful parts of town with absurd, often mesmerising sketches based loosely and totally irreverently on the life of Christ.
Refreshineg unpredictable, and changing their choice of locations every night, they succeed in turning IrVIne Welsh, Shakespeare and the Bible Into a curious, poetic and intimate theatrical experiment. A production best reserved for the more adventurous Fringe goers.
(Tanya Stephan)
I Incarnate (Fringe) Cambridge University ADC, Moray House Theatre (Venue 767) 667 2212, until 24 Aug (not 78) 70.30pm, £5 (£3).
STAR RATINGS
hHr ** Unmissable
* A i * Very good
* it It Worth seeing
it * Below average
1% You’ve been warned
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The Guardian