COMEDY REVIEW Teeth Of The Jungle!
this!
Things are looking grim in Teeth of the Jungle
Ewan Bailey and Jonathan Chesterman give it the old nice-but-dim brother, nasty-evil-fiendish brother routine in the tight fit of the Pleasance Upstairs, and with such multi-charactered (not to mention Monty the Butterfly) comedic antics, the lion may be having problems sleeping this afternoon, and this Without an Intelligent drum and bass tune in earshot . . . I’d better stop, this is getting all too silly.
Suffice to say that Teeth of the Jungle is a ripping yarn suitable for all ages. Terriny silly indeed. (A bit like this review). (Ross Holloway)
3 Teeth of the Jungle! (Fringe) Rubbaba/ls, P/easance (Venue 33) 55 6 6550, until 37 Aug (not 29) 2pm,
f 7/f 6 (£6/f5).
Five star Shylock: a Triumph 38 THE "81' 20—27 Aug 1998
theatre - dance 0 comedy - kids
THEATRE REVIEW
Shylock
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Gareth Armstrong is an absolute triumph in this study of Shakespeare’s most infamous villain. He single- handedly takes on the roles of a variety of fictional and historical characters from throughout the ages to create a fascinating insight Into 400 years of anti-Semitism. Meticulously researched and flawlessly presented, Shy/ock is a masterpiece of modern theatre.
Armstrong’s compelling performance is injected with the kind of universal humour which makes this fictional character very much a man of our time. An educating, entertaining and emotional experience, it is worth more than a pound of flesh to see this play. (Kirsty Knaggs)
a Shy/ock (Fringe) Guy Masterton Productions, Assembly Rooms (Venue 3) 226 2428, until 5 Sep (not 26) 1.20pm, £9/£8 (£8/£7).
DANCE PREVIEW Hysterica
What happens when a Texas—trained dancer based in Los Angeles takes her company for its first international appearances? An exciting and universally accessible production, according to director Kitty McNamee. ’I think dance is like poetry and music — everyone can connect to it. I'm sure Fringe audiences Will be able to relate to our picture of LA. life, an exciting kind of darkness with quite a bit of aggression.’ Movmg on from experience in theatre and teleVIsion work, McNamee is enjoying the buzz of running her own company, attracting adjectives like lurid and grotesque for her work. ’There is a dreamlike quality to it, quite edgy and visceral' says McNamee, citing Pina Bausch and LaLaLa Human Steps as influences. Coming back to her Scottish/Irish roots, who knows, she might even take a Celtic influence home for her next work. (Don Morris)
& Hysterica (Fringe) Kitty McNamee’s Hysterica Dance Co, The Famous Grouse House (Venue 34) 220 5606, until 30 Aug, 2.40pm, £7 ([5).
THEATRE REVIEW The Last Obit kwek
She wears a deceptively festive dress and wields a giant green penCIl. She has the look of a sad, aging mouse with a mean glint in its eye. Bereft and scornful, she spits out words (hit those consonants!) and pokes the air. She is the obituarist for The Morning (Mourning?) Telegraph and this Is her final day before her JOb Is terminated due to computerisation. Angela Pleasence, a perfect cross between crone and pixie, is superb as this figure of Beckettian insanity. She invests stylisation With real feeling. Credit to Peter Tinniswood for writing this memorable bleak comedy.
EST—NA
3.7:. in r
' (Donald Hulera)
DANCE PREVIEW Bright EXh3l3tiOk
‘ lo Performance
rm Take a deep breath for Bright Exhalation Where are all the women mime artists? This is the question that perplexes Jeanine Thompson who makes her first visit to the fringe this summer. Women mime artists do of course exist. but not in large numbers, and when they do they invariably take on the male persona. 'We lack women that can mentor you into the art form and into your own artistic visjon,‘ she tells me.
She has been lucky. Marcel Marceau has been her mentor and has supported her sense of lyricism and pathos as well as her sense of her own femininity. With his encouragement she has developed her own style which is a combination of classical mime and modern dance, particularly, Graham technique.
in Bright Exhalation she will perform six of her signature pieces including Images of Woman. one of her most chalienging works. (Robin James) Bright Exhalation, Solo Performance (Fringe) Jeanine Thompson, South Bridge Resource Centre (Venue 123) 558 9991, 24-29 Aug, 2pm, I 5. 50 (f 3).
aggrandizing celebrities.
(Rory Ford)
Baddiel a Skinner — Get Back To The Very Essence Of The dinburgh Fringe (Fringe) P/easance (Venue 33) 556 6550, until 30 Aug (not 25), 7 30pm, [2.
The Last Obit (Fringe) P/easance (Venue 33) 556 6550, until 37 Aug, 2 50pm, [7/[6 ([6/[5l
COMEDY REVIEW
Baddiel & Skinner —
Get Back To The Very Essence Of The Edinburgh Ffinge
THEATRE REVIEW Tooled Up
2 Displaying a rare balletic prowess
' "' for such a big man, Stephen
’lt's only two quid, I think that’s a Powell tells the ’true' story of his
phrase we‘ll be falling back on rather a father, an old school East End Villain
lot ’ Frank Skinner was right, every who is in equal parts literate and
time there was an uncomfortable Violent.
i Silence or a pointless trip up a comedy This first person contemplation of Cul-de-sac the duo harked back to the his metaphySIcal navel narrated from
Cheap ticket DTlCO Admittedly it’s brave the confines of Brixton nick ducks,
for the pair of them to walk onstage dives, bobs and weaves in much the
With no prepared material, In fact, for same fashion as the tale being told.
DaVId Baddiel it's positively foolhardy This illumination of the human
His idea of spontaneous Wit consisted condition utilises some bizarre literal
of asking 'What does everyone think of physical metaphors to help engage
my beard?’ and other similarly hilarious the audience in the underlying
iriteriections. tragic momentum of proceedings. Skinner managed to unearth a few Words as sharp as a mod’s suit.
laughs but they were mostly about (Ross Holloway)
how poor the show was, Still, it’s only eat Too/ed Up (Fringe) Steven Powell,
two quid. Well, for only two quid you Pleasance (Venue 33) 556 6550, until
could CHJOY a pint In the Pleasance 37 Aug, 7.30pm, USO/[6.50
courtyard and av0id any self- (£6.50/£5.00).