{THEATRE} Reviews at a Glance
And the Birds Fell from the Sky ●●●●● Don a pair of video goggles, put headphones in your ears and surrender yourself to the bizarre Faruk clowns in this short immersive experience, where you’re the main protagonist. Production values are high, and the performers make every effort to ensure your senses are engaged. At once seductive, bewildering and threatening, it makes real life seem mundane afterwards. (David Kettle) C ECA, 0845 260 1234, until 29 Aug, every 15 minutes from noon-2pm, 4-6pm, 8- 10pm, £8.50–£10.50 (£7.50–£9.50). Bette and Joan – The Final Curtain ●●●●● It’s 1989 and Bette Davis lies alone and dying. Her nemesis Joan Crawford arrives to guide her to the other side, and then the fireworks begin. Foursight Theatre’s witty and inventive deconstruction of the relationship between two of Hollywood’s most iconic actresses (and later battleaxes) is well researched, sharp, irreverent and very moving. (Paul Dale) Assembly George Square, 623 3030, until 29 Jun, £12–£13 (£11–£12). Constantinople ●●●●● Theatre Beating’s dramatisation of the rise and fall of Constantinople is like a great pop song; it thrives on the tension between being completely brilliant and also very, very stupid. The jokes are from the daft end of the street, but the physical skill, commitment, affability and sound research of the Kiwi performers give the show unlikely wings. Wisely silly, ridiculously funny and unexpectedly educational. (Alex Johnston) Electric Circus, 226 4224, until 29 Aug, 3pm or 10.30pm, free. Cul-De-Sac ●●●●● Scripted by Matthew Osborn, this natty little three- hander relocates The ’burbs to Middle England. Taking the tested trope of a seeming idyll masking a sinister reality, the deviant Tony Deveraux rules the cul- de-sac with an iron conservatism, where ‘wrong-uns’ are not welcome. A capable garden-fence comedy about the perils of conformity. (Suzanne Black) Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 28 Aug, 3.15pm, £10 (£8). Dan Canham: 30 Cecil Street ●●●●● Canham tells the story of a now dilapidated theatre in Ireland through movement, set to a soundtrack of voices and ambient noise. An unusual piece of dance-theatre with a surprising amount of humour, even if the recordings are at times difficult to decipher. (Lauren Mayberry) Forest Café, forest fringe.co.uk, until 27 Aug, 9.30pm, free. Devotion ●●●●● Insofar as it attempts to convey the depth of feeling engendered by the traditions and solemn ceremony of the bullfight, Devotion just about succeeds, powered by two stunningly intense performances from its male leads. However its story is too slight and its early stated aims to uncover the nature of the torero only partially met and too flippantly glossed, for it to leave any lasting effect. (Laura Ennor) theSpaces @ Surgeons Hall, 0845 508 8515, until 27 Aug, 7.20pm, £10 (£8). Doris Day Can F**k Off ●●●●● The concept for Greg McLaren’s show should certainly be applauded: for a number of weeks he went round the UK 58 THE LIST 25 Aug–22 Sep 2011
communicating to people through song, taping his experience as he went. Accompanied by a sound deck, guitar and gold lame jacket, this is the story of that experiment. Inspired and thought- provoking, McLaren’s show rises and falls on his interaction with an audience who are amused, bemused and embarrassed in equal measure. (Anna Millar) Zoo Southside, 662 6892, until 29 Aug, 6.15pm, £9 (£7). Hedda Gabler ●●●●● A boldly minimal, variably acted and oddly updated adaptation of Ibsen’s drama from the young actors of Palindrome Theatre Company of Austin, Texas. One of the Norwegian Bard’s characters will, we are told, ‘piss his pants’, another is ‘a piece of shit’; textual alterations which are incongruous in an otherwise classically-oriented production. Robin Grace Thompson gives a resonating performance in the title role. (Mark Brown) Hill Street Theatre, 226 6522, until 29 Aug, 2.15pm, £8 (£6). Hotel Methuselah ●●●●● In a war-time hotel night porter Harry delves into his memories in this tense, mysterious multimedia work from Imitating the Dog. A frame around the stage offers limited views of the actors who work in tandem with pre-filmed dialogue and supplementary images to great effect. Playful, inventive and enthralling throughout, ITD’s tricks are intrinsic, always working to enhance the story. (Suzanne Black) Summerhall, 226 0000, until 28 Aug, 10.45am, 12.45pm & 2.45pm, £12 (£10). Little Matter ●●●●● In their delightful purpose-built gypsy caravan/tent venue the River People weave a story of hope and despair using puppetry and song. The performers overflow with wit and charm, interacting with each other and the puppets comfortably. While the storyline doesn’t knit together as much as it could – certain narrative threads feel under- explored – it’s a beautiful show that’s unafraid of a little darkness. (Niki Boyle) Bedlam Chambers, 225 9893, until 28 Aug, 1pm & 7pm, £9 (£8). Maybe if you Choreograph Me, You Will Feel Better ●●●●● Tania El Khoury is a gifted young Lebanese performance artist based in the UK. This tantalising solo gives one man at a time the power to decide what she’ll do and how she will do it. Led to a ‘secret’ yet public location we speak to her via headset a series of instructions which she then obeys. With its built-in unpredictability this special piece is loaded with provocative political implications and just a trace of lost romance. (Donald Hutera) Meet at Forest Café, forestfringe.co.uk, times vary, until 27 Aug, free. The Overcoat ●●●●● An up-to-the minute, fast-paced version of Gogol’s great satire, Catherine Grosvenor’s sharp and hilarious translation (for Finnish companies Rhymäteatteri and Ace Productions) finds us in the world of Edinburgh banking. A fine cast is led by the excellent Billy Mack as our unassuming hero, bank worker Akaky McAkaky, is hurtled through breakneck capitalist development and into the jaws
of the current recession. (Mark Brown) Pleasance Dome, 556 6550, until 29 Aug, 12.25pm, £10–£11 (£9–£10). Phantasmagoria ●●●●● This glum story about friendship betrayed aims for something moving and grown-up, but isn’t helped by performances that vary from winsome to teeth-grindingly awful. The lazily episodic structure forfeits both dramatic momentum and emotional involvement, and the dialogue is so clunky you could stub your toe on it. (Alex Johnston) Spotlites @ The Merchants’ Hall, 220 5911, until 29 Aug, 8.35pm, £7 (£5). The Pretender ●●●●● This amounts to a series of amusing sketches centred on an Italian restaurant, wheeling through a series of archetypal characters. The piece is likeable and nicely performed by its ensemble, who create an array of recognisable contemporary neurotics, though its mildly satirical elements work more cleanly than its knockabout side. (Steve Cramer) Underbelly, 0844 545 8252, until 28 Aug, 1.45pm, £8.50–£9.50 (£9–£10). Silken Veils ●●●●● We join a Persian woman (Leila Ghaznavi) as she freaks out about her impending nuptials. Using puppetry, silhouette-work and animation to complement live action we are taken on a journey through her memories of Iran, suffused with the poetry of Rumi. A charming and tender portrait of the burden of love, in which the stringed performers shine. (Suzanne Black) Assembly George Square, 623 3030, until 28 Aug, 3.40pm, £9–£10 (£8–£9). Some Small Love Story ●●●●● Theatrical tales about love – particularly love lost – can so easily be overly saccharine, lacking the depth and sentiment to truly engage. Not so here. Stripped back simplicity is to the fore, as four excellent young performers reveal two great love stories, one spanning 52 years and one tragically cut down in its prime. The songs are beautiful and talented voices soar in this simple gem of a piece. (Anna Millar) C ECA, 0845 260 1234, until 29 Aug, 9.30pm, £8.50–£9.50 (£7.50–£8.50). Steal Compass, Drive North, Disappear ●●●●● Against a minimalist background of black walls and a scattering of blank chalkboards, Rachel Blackman unravels the story of Martin Charon, philandering video artist, university professor and father of two. Through the four women in his life (each flawlessly portrayed by Blackman, as is Martin) we learn about a man so in love with himself that he has forgotten who and what are truly important to him. Witty, insightful and heartbreaking. (Claire Ritchie) Zoo Southside, 662 6892, until 28 Aug, 4pm, £9 (£7). Sunday in the Park with George ●●●●● Sondheim’s musical about the creation of impressionist masterpiece ‘Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte’ focuses on an obsessed Georges Seurat, whose dedication to his work ruins his life. As the painting’s characters all offer perspectives on their inception, the painter becomes more fanatical and the creation of something beautiful quickly turns ugly. Wonderfully presented by the RSAMD’s One Academy, this is a moving and interesting look at the state of art throughout the years. (Kirstyn Smith) C Chambers Street, 0845 260 1234, until 29 Aug, 3.35pm, £13.50–£14.50 (£9.50–£12.50). 3rd Ring Out: the Emergency ●●●●● If it’s not perfect in execution, this piece is both intriguing and thought- provoking. The audience is ushered into a container functioning as an emergency response room and required to make life- and-death decisions about an ecological catastrophe in Norfolk. An intelligently employed multi-media interactive element makes this something of an audience-led thriller with ideological revelations becoming as dramatic as the floods and heatwaves outside. (Steve Cramer) Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 28 Aug, times vary, £7.50–£9 (£6–£8). Unanswered, We Ride ●●●●● Joe Tippett and Martha Wollner take on multiple roles to flank Joy Barrett’s journey as bereaved mother Reese in a portrait of all-consuming, selfish grief. Despite one jarring attempt at an Irish accent, all aspects collide to create an engrossing study of a complex emotion. There are very few moments of levity to temper the onslaught of anguish. Bring tissues. (Suzanne Black) theSpaces on the Mile, 0845 508 8316, until 27 Aug, times vary, £9 (£8). When Abel Met Cain ●●●●● Raphael Rodan and Anastasis Sarakatsanos are talented musicians – between them they create a Middle- Eastern atmosphere using guitar, percussion and kanun (a Turkish stringed instrument). Rodan is also highly charismatic, telling tales of brotherhood and betrayal with passion and energy. Unfortunately, the stories fail to cohere, sitting awkwardly together. With some stronger material, though, these two should be a highlight at future Fringes. (Niki Boyle) Paradise in The Vault, 510 0022, until 28 Aug, 7.35pm, £5 (£3.50). The World According to Bertie ●●●●● Alexander McCall Smith’s prose is brought pretty niftily to the stage as part twee New Town soap opera, part mild satire. An 11-strong cast bring to vivid life the various dramas amidst the chinking tea cups of Edinburgh’s bourgeoisie, centring on the youngster of the title, an errant dog and some broken hearts. You might need to be a fan of the author to fully appreciate this, but it’s at least well performed and interestingly staged. (Steve Cramer) C Soco, 0845 260 1234, until 29 Aug, times vary, £10.50–£12.50 (£8.50–£9.50). Yours, Isabel ●●●●● Set in 1940s America and based on a real correspondence, this play subverts the classic wartime romance to give an altogether more nuanced portrayal of the relationship between Isabel and her traditionally minded boyfriend Nick. Compelling performances and a script that makes up for in gusto what it loses in subtlety give voice to the progress of gender equality through Isabel’s personal struggle for independence. (Amy Russell) Paradise in The Vault, 510 0022, until 29 Aug, 4.30pm, £5 (£4).
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