festival
theatre 0 dance 0 comedy o kids
THEATRE REVIEW selection of the bard's greatest love
The Robert Burns Tour P°eW and Prose- RemoYed from the? THEATRE PREVIEW contexts, some of the pieces lose their ,
*ivk Berkoff 5 Women
dramatic thrust; however, the sheer vitality of the writing, coupled with the strength of the performance, ensures that they are often powerful enough to stand alone. (Davie Archibald)
. Shakespeare: In Love — The Passion, Plays And Poetry (Fringe) Bruce Morrison, Tron Kirk (Venue 76) 225 1637, anti/27 Aug, 1.30pm, free (donation at door).
This undemanding meander through Old Town closes provides an insight into Burns the rascal and radical, although a keen ear for Scots will help you get the best out of his songs and poetry. Slow to ignite, the high spot was the final fifteen minutes in the Canongate graveyard, with a spirited rendition of ’Parcel Of Rogues' and a mournful ’For A’ That’ by the grave of
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Burns’ inspiration - 23-year-old Robert THEATRE REVIEW Fergusson. Derek Elsby plays Burns as a The Treehouse self-deprecating likeable rogue. His ***
anecdotes are as light and frothy as cappuccino, with a whisky chaser to warm the soul. (Gabe Stewart)
| The Robert Burns Tour (Fringe) Netherbow (Venue 30) 556 9579, until 30 Aug (not 75, 22) 2.30pm, £6 (£4).
’Men, women, families — these are the big things in life.’ Collin Johnson plays a dying man who, over a period of weeks, records future messages for his young son: messages to be played over the years as the child grows and celebrates important birthdays. This was originally a Radio Four play and it is very much afternoon play territory, reflecting the values of cricket, opera, and trying hard. It's a gentle performance and Johnson has nicely observed the thick-voiced restraint of middle class England, trying to come to terms with a crisis. (Moira Jeffrey)
I The Treehouse (Fringe) Collin Johnson, Pleasance (Venue 33) 556 6550, until 30 Aug, 2. 75pm, £7/f6 (f6/f5).
Linda Marlowe: l'm every woman - it’s all In me
THEATRE REVIEW Shakespeare: In Love - The Passion, Plays And Poetry
***
The 16th century Tron Kirk is an intriguing background in which to stage this 35 minute ’plaert'. Combining snippets from over a dozen Shakespeare texts, Bruce Morrison strides confidently over the Kirk floor interacting with the surrounding audience as he delivers a wide
It all started in Covent Garden. 'Stephen Berkoff and I were sitting in a sidewalk cafe, talking about his one-man shows going around the world. and he said, “You should do a one-woman show.” I said I'd like to but finding material was hard. And he said, “You should do a one-woman show of my work.“ I was bowled over, because he's very possessive of his work. He gave me carte blanche.’
So, after 25 years of working with him, Linda Marlowe commenced the ultimate Berkoffian odyssey. Guy Masterson took on the production on the proviso it premiered at the Edinburgh Fringe; and Josie Lawrence, her friend for over ten years, agreed to direct.
The nine Berkoff speeches show women in various guises. 'T he Sphinx says some quite incredible things about being a woman,’ says Lawrence. 'Steven looks at women’s sexuality in terms of their power as females,’ adds Marlowe. 'Not just being a turn-on for men, but their pride in being strong as career women, and being able to have children and suckle and provide.’
SHAKESPEARE 4 KIDZ '
IN ASSOCIATION WITH THE STAG THEATRE, SEVENOAKS
Tuesday 17th - Monday 30th August 1999, 1pm GEORGE SQUARE THEATRE
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A MUSICAL FOR KIDZ OF ALL AGES! “SHAKESPEARE MEETS LLOYD WEBBER”
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Times Ed
"A MUSICAL FEAST” Sunday Herald
"SHOWSTOPPING SONGS” Croydon Advertiser
Marlowe and Berkoff are both passionate and perfectionist, and first reviews suggest these qualities have resulted in a five star show. Full review
next week. (Gabe Stewart)
5 Berkoff’s Women (Fringe) Guy Masterson Productions, Observer Assembly (Venue 3) 226 2428, until 30 Aug, 7. 15pm, £9/£8 (£8/£ 7).
0131 662 8740
36 THE usT 12—19 Aug 1999
THEATRE REVIEW Bare ****
No, this couple don't go bare, but they do get under the skin of a handful of beautifully observed New ZeaIand characters, and you will not see a more ingenious lovemaking scene on stage this Fringe. Masterfully constructed by Toa Fraser, perfectly excecuted by Ian Hughes and Madeleine Sami, and delicately directed by Michael Quy, this
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often hilarious series of monolgues turns deadly serious halfway through. Character-driven, narrative only becomes apparent as the fragments in the lives of these very likeable characters begin to interlink. It may be a few minutes overlong, but the devil is in the detail of wrecked lives and minutely observed humour.
(Gabe Stewart)
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