list.co.uk/festival Reviews | FESTIVAL MUSIC
BRIEFS: THE SECOND COMING Burlesque with balls ●●●●● THE TIGER LILLIES Godfathers of punk cabaret ●●●●●
ADAM PAGE Multi-instrumental comedy ●●●●●
Elaborate dick pouches, man-dogs and defecation are just some of the high – and low – lights of a Briefs show as occasionally brilliant as it is totally bonkers. A fabulous Priscilla, Queen of the Desert- inspired opening sets the tone for an all-male burlesque troupe, whose second coming would make even the holiest of waters sizzle. Mistress of ceremonies Fez keeps the wheels of the smut train nicely turning in an array of spandex so tight it makes Madonna’s noughties attire look like a conservative habit, while the Brief boys’ muscular bods infuse burlesque, vaudeville and magic to largely comic effect.
The highlights here lie in the dazzling rope work that bookends the show, while some of the edgier set pieces – like a Crufts-inspired catwalk show – arguably induce more ‘eww’ than ‘woo’; and a lip- synching lounge act fails to really hit the high notes. None of which matters much when the star of the
show, Las Vegas lovely Mark Winmill, swings into view for the closing ‘bird bath’ routine – with aerial trickery sure to leave the hottest under the collar suitably watered down. (Anna Millar) ■ Assembly George Square, 623 3030, until 26 Aug (not 13), 7.50pm, £15 (£14).
Despite the exploding popularity of cabaret at the Fringe (and beyond), this London trio remains the high watermark below which all others will inevitably sink and drown. Now in their 14th year, and widely considered as godfathers of the genre known as ‘Brechtian punk cabaret’, The Tiger Lillies show no signs of slowing or losing their wild creative edge. The band’s sound, which draws from pre-war
Berlin cabaret with French chanson, British music hall, gypsy music, sea shanties and any number of other retro styles, is still utterly unique. In addition to their eclectic, eccentric musical influences, their unusual instrumentation (accordion, ukulele, musical saw, theremin, a tiny silver bell . . . ) adds to the beguiling idiosyncrasy. They look as weird as they sound; three lunatics, escaped from a Victorian asylum, staring wild-eyed from grease-painted faces. And then there are the lyrics, macabre and preoccupied with murder, buggery, bestiality, prostitution and every old-fashioned vice imaginable by the most perverted of minds. The Tiger Lillies remain consummate performers, transporting us to a strange, dark but quite beautiful place. (Miles Fielder) ■ Underbelly, Bristo Square, until 17 Aug (not 12), 10.20pm, £14–£15 (£12.50–£14). Run now ended.
Adam Page has an almighty beard and he’s not afraid to use it. The high-spirited Australian’s show starts with a cacophonous demonstration of loop pedals and a request that the house lights go down because people – apparently – make him nervous. If he’s out of his comfort zone it doesn’t show: within half an hour he’s whipped his beard into some scratchy, if slightly uncomfortable, sounds and delivered impressive genre-meshing musical improv.
A multi-instrumentalist with talent, he overlays flute, sax and string riffs with his own beatboxing and sporadic vocal additions, generating jazz, reggae and afrobeat rhythms.
The ‘Wellington wonky beat’ is his homage to
the New Zealand music scene and a bizarrely fantastical track is also created from the plink plonk of drinking water. There are worthy comedic moments throughout, Page only turning serious for a heartfelt saxophone rendition of Radiohead’s ‘High and Dry’ and to play a harmony flute, the spiritual end to a diverse musical hour. (Jo Bell) ■ Underbelly Cowgate, 0844 545 8252, until 25 Aug, 4.50pm, £10–£11 (£9–£10).
LEO CONDIE SINGS BREL AND BRECHT A showstopping Brel tribute from the Low Miffs frontman ●●●●●
The basement of a former church in Orwell Terrace is an airless, charmless box. Within it Leo Condie, former frontman of the Low Miffs, performs songs by Jacques Brel (with one Brecht and one Pet Shop Boys thrown in for the crazy hell of it) with so much brio the polystyrene ceiling tiles vibrate in their metal strips. In ‘The Drunkard’, he’s the steaming guy holding the lamp-post,
downing several plastic cups of water. In ‘Next!’ he crosses his legs to describe queuing up to lose his virginity in a whorehouse truck. It’s brittle, but with a touch of Alan Cumming’s quixotic pixieness. Two factors allow this show to soar way above the other cabaret wannabes flogging their angst around the capital. One is Condie’s pitch-perfect persona. He is just stagey enough: arch, a tiny bit camp, always on the right side of purple. There is no expositional chat. Just fantastic songs – ‘Amsterdam’, ‘My Death’, ‘The Gas’, ‘It’s A Sin’ - sung with an extraordinary vocal range and the occasional flash of Edinburgh accent.
The second joy is the musicality of the arrangements. Condie is joined on stage by a couple of Miffs and three other talented musicians. Cello and violin add a lushness to counterpoint Brel’s earthy subject matter. Saxophone, tuba and French horn round out the sound, sometimes pointedly discordant, at others poignant and rich. Unlike some other Brel performers, who can overpower the audience with frenetic emoting, Condie shares the job with the rest of the band. They add to his interpretations while giving them room to breathe. Their changing brass instruments and hunting for sheet music adds a shambolic edge. The result is thrilling and exhilarating and just fantastic. Note to cabaret tent bookers: track down this man with all
urgency. Now. (Anna Burnside) ■ The Acoustic Music Centre at St Brides, 668 2019, until 16 Aug, 5.30pm, £10–£12. Run now ended.
22 Aug–19 Sep 2013 THE LIST 117