Theatre
superficiality of people's lives. On the whole it oliimhs the depths of eXistential angst in a fair", (I()li‘.’ll‘-(I.l‘t} and humorous way although moments of eakness from the performers and histrionc Deuts in the dialogue make this fast stroke more of a SlOW crawl.
lCatheme Bromieyl
I Please/ice Courtyard and Over The Road. 556 6550. until 26 Aug. 2pm. [7—58 /£5—£6/.
REQUIEM FOR GROUND ZERO A debauched and egocentric piece
This is self indulgent theatre at its wei‘st Steven Berkoff walks on to a spotlit stage and i'eCites a poem as homage to the unknown Victims of l 1 September. Hands clenched like claws. he speaks of the ‘two r‘flOCGl‘i birds' that attaCKed the towers. he re-ehacts a c0uple's
last morning together and ne ichillinglyi reconstructs 'Brad's' final call home.
All the while he drzfts a". and out of a heavy Anier can twang (lCSIgiiied to i‘ti'iiiittl us
of New York lye-attack.
filled With \.'/Ono'erfti| skylines and Woody Allen mot/res. Observations about Bush and Blair are shrewdly accomplished — but this :s nothing mOre than decadent drvel. (Anna Millar,
I Assembly Rooms.
226 2428. until 26 Aug.
(5pm, l,‘ l() (539/.
SILENT ENGINE Powerful philosophical drama 00..
Julian Garner's haunting two-hander Charts the terrible after- effects of a 10 day-old baby's death on grieVing parents. an architect and his Curator wife. Set in an abandoned. drowned village. it is acted to
perfection by Cathy Owen and Robin Pirongs. who demonstrate wonderful restraint. raw emotion and sensitiVity.
The first scene is too long. but with an interesting time Slip half way through, it develops into a fascinating. philosophical. unexpected drama. heartbreakineg showing how two lives destined to be together can so easily be pulled
apart. Theresa Heskin's clear. lucid. unobtrusive direction allows you to witness great acting at close range. A Fringe treat. (John Binnie)
I Gilded Balloon Cowgate, 226 275 7. until 26 Aug, 72. 75pm, $750—$850 ($650—$760).
THE TROJAN WOMEN Understanding Greek 00.. The Greeks. having won the war against
LA CUISINE Kitchen think drama
Anyone who’s glanced into the next person in the queue’s shopping basket, or given the shelves of a first time acquaintance’s kitchen a quick once-over will know, at least unconsciously, the importance of the place where we store and prepare food. Perhaps more than our lounge rooms, and certainly more than our bedrooms, it’s where the primal
our lives take place,’ he says. ‘lt’s a kind of centre of our lives, and has a lot to say about the spiritual life of a place where people live.’ The kitchen of this production is a multi-facetted one. Many different lives are explored through their kitchens, from love stories to family tensions, to folk living on the edge of a grave, life-threatening political crisis.
Materic developed this script with long acclaimed Austrian playwright Peter Handke, whose work has embraced both politics and existential crisis over the years. Performed in French with English surtitles, this
piece is the company’s first visit to the festival since more than a decade ago when it appeared to acclaim on the Fringe, and promises an evening of quality entertainment. (Steve Cramer)
I Royal Lyceum, 473 2000, 28-37 Aug, 7.30pm, £6—£‘23.
fundaments of our characters are on display. The importance of the room in our lives can’t be underrated, according to Mladen Materic, the artistic director of the Toulouse-based Theatre Tattoo.
‘lt’s where some of the most important discussions and interactions in
76 THE LIST FESTIVAL GUIDE fa. ; Sm .9 . ..