36 THE usr 20-27 Aug I998
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COMEDY PREVIEW Loose Ends
Thirty-five years after his first visit. Ned Sherrin’s back in Edinburgh. in those days. what is now the world’s largest arts festival was merely on the outskirts - the 'fringe’ - of theatrical activity. 'At the time they used to have “happenings” - what you’d now call “stunts” - some naked woman running through the Usher Hall. That was my first memory of Edinburgh!’ it was the 605 that spawned the mould- breaking TV show TW3 (That Was The Week That Was) ’It changed things. . . for a while. We set out to make a show that amused us, but we became a sensation.’
Sherrin's here for an edition of Radio 4's lively arts chat show Loose Ends, which he's hosted since 1985. 'The formula is really to get interesting guests, some sparky
Ned Sherrin at 3 Loose End in Edinburgh
semi-regulars and have one old fart sort of trying to control things,’ he says. 'We like to keep it freewheeling and fairly spiky.’ Veteran of practically every medium imaginable — film, theatre and
.television, as a director, producer, writer and actor - Sherrin’s visit is
fleeting. He is in the middle of rehearsals for Keith Waterhouse’s Good Grief; is ’fiddling with a novel’; and is hoping to revive Jeffrey Bernard ls Unwell. There. In time-honoured Loose Ends fashion, we managed to
squeeze in a plug. (Scott Montgomery)
£25352 Loose Ends (Fringe) BBC Radio 4, Pleasance (Venue 33) 22 Aug, 9 45am, free {tickets available day before show from the Pleasaan max four per person).
THEATRE REVIEW Gogol's Gamblers
The nrr-en haixe arena wf the t ard table has inspired many meat minifs, from Dayirf Mamet to Kenr‘y Roners l-lei‘e Nlt oiai Citrtrif's take on when I(‘ hold 'em and \.'.'hen to fold 'e'n l‘Mtltllil to life hy an ‘ll‘:{ll("‘)si‘v'(‘ younn .ast John Hones lhaiey ( aiiies the play, Sillfllllt} a {lelir ate halaiti e hetxueen (ool superzority and i'arnrtry atant e The one eleriient whi< h lets pror eedinns down is some analog/aid staoinn, partrr llldtf‘y‘ tfllr'liltl tl e (ard games themselves That said, 'he play is consistently intolyinn, and the r'wss art-1f double ~’ truss :s all the .'."-t re effe‘v tne for lettino the audienr e (air it on a heartheat he‘w'e the itir‘tanonists (Cardt sha'r: entertainmer‘t inoh F'aser' 3555 Good/'1 Ga'nh/ers thinge' {.J‘i'tufiz'e Edge [)rama, Pleasanre It’eriue 33g" 556 6550, until 37 Aug, If -’15a'n, [6 5065 50 J5 50/[4 50l
THEATRE RE'. iE'.'~.l Love! Valour! Compassion!
Not many Frinne plays offer three hours UK ludinr; sirvxinn, stronr; lanriuane and SfUlllly-tfliil)w’lll, but this 1995. Tony Award wanner has all these and more Not so mur h a day play, let alone an AIDS play, this is a warm and humane piece about friendship, love and growinn older Well cast, immaculately acted and alt-rays rorivriiciiiq, there is an immediary and intimacy that whisks us thrOiioh the tale of three American
holiday ‘.'.'eel:ends of (hanfiieahle weather and fortunes amonqst eight men The (hararters are likeahle and (](’f‘.lll:'l(‘, while Terrenre lrl<Na||y's sCript strikes a ft‘flf‘hfllll’] halanre of humour and pathos, without ever driftinn into heinn maudlin (Don Morris;
3'35; Love/ valor/rt Compass/om (Fringe) Theatre 28, Bed/am Theatre (Venue 49) 225 9393, until 29 Aug (not Sun),
7.? 75pm, 8 ([7 50/
’39? l7 A REVIEW
A Bite at the Opera
As the three tenors have shown, there's more tr: opera than lavish sets and steaming wo'ins there are tunes for all and passion .vorth killinii for Opera on a Sher-string takes a stab at both the tunes and the passion in a selertion of iaii<v srei‘ies from everyone's favourite ')[‘tlitl% Performed by a (ompany of three and an orchestra of one, the audience is treated to excerpts from The Barber of Sevr/le, Don Giovanni and Carmen Despite the occasional poor direction, the singers perform with energy and verve, transporting the audience to the heat and dust of Sewlle and beyond (Robin James)
A Bite a! the Opera (Fringe) Opera on a Shoestring, Famous Grouse House zl/enue 3/1) 220 5606, 27 -23, 28—37 Aug, noon, [6 ([4)
.STAR RATINGS
tittt Unmissahle *itt Very good
it * Worth seeing ** Below average * You've been \‘rarnerf