Review: Ringside, Theatre, Signet Library, Edinburgh Fringe Festival
Posted by: Stephen on: August 28, 2009
Ringside
Signet Library
Edinburgh Fringe Festival
**** 4 STARS
From the moment carnations were pinned to the audience on their entry it was clear that this was going to be no ordinary show. Led into the ornate surroundings of The Signet Library- all pillars and gold gilt- we were then ushered in front of a camera in groups of six, given an identity to pose with then requested to sit down at our allotted seats, apply our headsets then wait. Then the proceedings began.
‘Ringside’ is not a show in a conventional sense, rather it is an art installation by Mem Morrison wherein the audience are guests at a Turkish Cypriot Wedding. After being seated the narrator intoned his story as a twelve year old through our headpieces. This gave the proceedings a sense of alienation and distance, which combined with the ostentatious beauty of the surroundings, lent a paradoxical feel to the whole affair. The faces on the faces of the other ‘guests’ was entertainment in itself- their headsets and bewildered expressions gave them the look of especially confused new-starts in Topshop Interspersed with the narration Morrison introduced jerky spasmodic dance moves into the act further integrating a schizoid feel. The seven black clad women, who had welcomed us on our entry, then busied themselves setting up the wedding tables. More confusion reigned on the faces of the’ guests’ but by this stage it was one of intrigue rather than dismissal. The drama unfolded in front of our eyes and through our headsets taking many diversions until the audience had no idea what was going to happen next.
‘Ringside’ therefore is a show that possesses many moments of great beauty, combined with subtle humour and a sense of longing for the loss of childhood. It is a work that fascinated me and those around me with its inordinate structure of taking conventions and transposing them into typical surroundings whilst still highlighting the strangeness of both when juxtaposed together. It is a work that will appeal to anyone looking for a different and interesting way to round off their festival.
Reviewed by: David Marren
Review: The Timekeepers, Theatre, Sweet Venue, Edinburgh Fringe Festival
Posted by: Stephen on: August 27, 2009
The Timekeepers
Sweet Venue
Edinburgh Fringe Festival
The Timekeepers, Theatre, Sweet Venue, Edinburgh Fringe Festival
***** 5 STARS
Understandably, the Timekeepers was already a highly acclaimed and successful piece of theatre long before it graced the stage at City 1 of Sweet Grassmarket. Written in such a delicate and respectful style by Dan Clancy and directed with similar assurance by Lee Gilat it relates the story of three concentration camp inmates.
Benjamin, played wonderfully by Rami Baruch, is a proud but traditional horologist who is joined by Hans, a young homosexual German who knows nothing about mending watches but may have news of Benjamin’s family. Together they are brutally overseen by their convicted criminal Kapo. Through their enforced unity and slightly disparate views on opera they come to appreciate the value of each other.
The Timekeepers defies the collective concentration camp associations through its intimacy and by doing so it illuminates the realities of the catastrophe suffered by not just the Jews but all manner of people. Even the heartless Kapo is portrayed with a confused tragedy.
Never flinched from the indignities and brutalisation endured by the inmates and the underlying fear that these men suffer wherever their place in the hierarchy it manages to be spine-tinglingly sad while never diverging from the sense of hopeless duty and the idea that friendship and selflessness are truly the defining characteristics of the human spirit.
Every second of this play is timed to perfection, each scene is new and realistic and the content is equally heartbreaking and hilarious, fulfilling every ounce of reverence due to such a heavy subject.
Reviewed by: Magnus Huntly-Grant
Review: Maria Tecce in Viva, Assembly Rooms, Edinburgh Fringe Festival
Posted by: Stephen on: August 27, 2009
Maria Tecce in Viva
Assembly Rooms
Edinburgh Fringe Festival
Maria Tecce in Viva, Assembly Rooms, Edinburgh Fringe Festival
**** 4 STARS
Adjectives such as sultry or seductive seem wholly ineffectual when measured against the actual reality of this woman and, furthermore, they do not give adequate embellishment to someone who is both incredibly attractive and, more importantly, powerfully gifted at singing. Maria Tecce is a Siren; beautiful, chic and enticing.
The three piece musical accompaniment, hushed lighting and coquettish interludes provided for a perfect backdrop to the main attraction. Every tune was pure emotive bliss, whether in Spanish or English the language of Maria’s music transcended mere words and became something altogether more delightful.
Her performance style is always wholly unabashed, and rightly so, she has the ability to make one feel privy to something which should perhaps be private, such is the allure of her performance. While her repertoire may not exactly be diverse I was delighted when she started singing a wonderful rendition of Nature Boy, a song I had only previously heard sung by David Bowie and one which may have seemed a little out of place were it not handled with such masterful tact.
She may not be the only highly acclaimed chanteuse at this year’s Fringe but she is certainly not one to be missed.
Reviewed by: Magnus Huntly-Grant
Review: Rosie Wilby: The Science of Sex, Comedy, Sweet Venue, Edinburgh Fringe Festival
Posted by: Stephen on: August 27, 2009
Rosie Wilby – The Science of Sex
Sweet Venue
Edinburgh Fringe Festival
Rosie Wilby – The Science of Sex, Comedy, Sweet Venue, Edinburgh Fringe Festival
** 2 STARS
Rosie Wilby’s show has a format which reminds me of an advert for shampoo or make up; lots of attention getting mixed with some loosely associated pseudo-science. In her case, however, there is a peculiar inversion. The science is actually fairly interesting whereas the content – the whole sex part – is somewhat lacking.
Wilby herself is a likeable performer with easy audience rapport and it is to her favour that the actual science part of the show is mildly diverting but beyond this there is very little innovative material or, indeed, much which would exceed the tone or quality of what I would, rather snobbishly, call ‘hen night humour’.
Specious charts and revealing anecdotes elicited a predictable and slightly flushed cackle from the audience but Wilby never managed to raise the bar above exactly what one might expect if the Big Brother inmates had been challenged to attempt to make a stand up show with a ‘science of sex’ theme.
It is hard to say whether her slightly too honest style was brave and sincere or just a bit embarrassing. Well, whichever it is, it seemed to tie the fairly thin gags together and keep the first couple of rows highly amused.
Apparently, before the show started a few nights ago and the call was made for the queue for Rosie Wilby to start coming in, one irate pervert had made a fuss about being there for the ‘sex show’. So, just to reiterate, this is not a ‘sex show’ or a science show, really. It’s a comedy gig. Just not a very funny one.
Reviewed by: Magnus Huntly-Grant
Review: Life of Si, Comedy, GRV, Five Pound Fringe
Posted by: Stephen on: August 27, 2009
Life of Si
GRV
Five Pound Fringe
Life of Si, Comedy, GRV, Five Pound Fringe
***** 5 STARS
There is a huge amount to recommend about Life of Si: all the usual stuff; funny, sharp, modern, well timed, but here is what makes this show really special, unique selling points if you will.
Firstly, Life of Si is the only show I have seen which makes proper use of video clips. Perfectly interspersed with the on-stage action, they are not just there to prop up flimsy points or fill time but instead they add an extra, precision-timed element to the whole affair.
Comedic pairings when done well can literally double the entertainment and there is no better example of two people working in unison; always effortless and tightly coordinated. Both Simon Feilder and Sy Thomas do a brief turn of stand up on their own which only amplifies the hilarity of the duo, especially when they start dual conversations or almost fraternal bickering.
As with a lot of great comedy, Life of Si manages to blend a child like naivety with genius social observation to very rewarding effect. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen a comedy duo with such raw talent and if I were a betting man, I would say it was a sure safe bet that Life of Si is set to be big news in the near future.
If nothing else then it is nice to know that people like this actually exist in the world.
Reviewed by: Magnus Huntly-Grant
Review: The ‘Amicable’ Solution, Theatre, Underbelly, Edinburgh Fringe Festival
Posted by: Stephen on: August 27, 2009
The ‘Amicable’ Solution
Underbelly
Edinburgh Fringe Festival
The ‘Amicable’ Solution, Theatre, Underbelly, Edinburgh Fringe Festival
**** 4 STARS
What this play does best is appreciate the subtleties of inter-personal dynamics which can cause adversity amongst even the most solid of relationships. It does so by concentrating on Andy, the opposite of an alpha male, and how his insecurity, resentment and unfulfilled desire can be overcome by logic and rationale –this is the ‘amicable’ solution. But will it work?
While the script deals well with the central characters torment over his lack of libidinous feeling towards his wife, the character of Andy fails to ever really make it clear why he actually feels that way. Similarly, the plot struggles over congruent resolution to the employment of the ‘amicable’ solution, making it seem rushed into conclusion.
The character of the gym instructor is absolutely outstanding, not just due to his physical appearance but actually as a rendering of every man’s deepest fear. There could be no better embodiment of the elusive Adonis waiting to chat up your girlfriend than the one portrayed here. Utterly hilarious in his solipsistic arrogance and single-minded ignorance, this is without a shadow of a doubt the best and funniest element of the show.
Both funny and, I should imagine, for most people easy to relate to in some form or the ‘amicable’ solution is a light hearted play with a sort of philosophical twist.
Reviewed by: Magnus Huntly-Grant
Review: Isma Almas, Comedy, The Stand Comedy Club, Edinburgh Fringe Festival
Posted by: Stephen on: August 27, 2009
Isma Almas – Bombs
The Stand Comedy Club
Edinburgh Fringe Festival
Isma Almas, Comedy, The Stand Comedy Club, Edinburgh Fringe Festival
** 2 STARS
To begin her show, Isma Almas takes on an alter-ego, Mrs. Hussein, and performs several minutes of tedious stand up. To wrap things up she shows an overly long Bollywood recreation of her absentee father running away from his two wives. Both of these miss-judged bookends make for a rather pointless pre-fix and suffix to an altogether played-out set of gags.
Isma Almas deals with issues which have not been cutting edge for some time. The real problem is that there is nothing new here. The problems she addresses through her own story are certainly still relevant but as stand up you get the feeling that you have already seen it, even when she talks in earnest about her adverse formative years the jokes feel too dry, almost inappropriate.
There is also something about the register of her voice which combines with the warm dull hues of the small room to create an entirely soporific effect. Her sheer volume helped alleviate this to some extent but in this instance her delivery was too self aware and her jokes were neither shocking nor particularly funny.
Reviewed by: Magnus Huntly-Grant
Review: Iago, Theatre, Zoo Venue, Edinburgh Fringe Festival
Posted by: Stephen on: August 27, 2009
Iago
Zoo Venue
Edinburgh Fringe Festival
***** 5 STARS
I fell in love with Shakespeare (the legend not the corpse), watching Othello by the RSC in Stratford, and it was Anthony Sheers portrayal of Iago that really clinched the deal. Following in the footsteps of aforementioned Sheer and Shakespeare legend Kenneth Branagh, to name but a few, Martin Aukland has tough boots to fill, in my eyes especially. Not only did he glide quite comfortably into the old size nines but he danced across the space and slipped into a handful of other characters convincingly as well.
This has to be one of the best examples of a one-man show I have ever seen. Not once did my attention falter, or the pace dip, or Aukland loose a hint of focus. His control throughout was staggering, let alone his mastering of the Shakespearean language.
Many Shakespeare haters (or fearers) often feel you have to be practically bilingual to understand what the Dickens is going on but this is not so; as long as the performer understands the lines they are delivering. Aukland achieves this whilst retelling the story of ‘Othello’, without a single prop or costume change. Phew!
Iago’s motives are still a topical debate amongst Shakespearean scholars, but although this production does not provide any answers I believe it is successful in expelling any lingering myths that Iago was simply evil. That is far from the case. He is by far one of Shakespeare’s most Machiavellian villains, like a deadly spider he spins a web of deceit, which traps his friends but it is not with gratuitous malice. By highlighting Iago’s soliloquies from the rest of the text and filtering the other characters through Iago’s eyes, we can better decipher his possible motives, albeit from a seemingly amoral man.
He finds equilibrium in Iago’s character where charisma and cunning sit side-by-side. His exposition scenes from the original script create a dramatic irony, which in this version are intensely intimate, magnifying his calculated unemotive side, through dead eyes he states ‘I hate the Moor’, a truly chilling moment. His physicality remains graceful throughout, and he creates natural divergence between the other characters. His skill at evoking emotion and meaning from the text without having another actor to play off is an incredible feat.
This is a fantastic abridged version of ‘Othello’ told imaginatively from the prison of one of the most complex villains of English Literatures History. I wish I had just an ounce of Auckland’s affinity with the Shakespearean genre. Other Shakespearean groups take heed, and beware ‘the green-eyed monster which doth mock the meat it feeds on’.
Reviewed by: Katie Gadsby
Review: Keith Farnan, Comedy, Underbelly, Edinburgh Fringe Festival
Posted by: Stephen on: August 27, 2009
Keith Farnan: No Blacks, no Jews. No Dogs, No Irish
Underbelly
Edinburgh Fringe Festival
Keith Farnan, Comedy, Underbelly, Edinburgh Fringe Festival
**** 4 STARS
Opening with a charming film of Lego men which captivated the audience Keith Farnan takes to the stage and unleashes a barrage of non-stop banter and jokes that cause the next hour to pass swiftly. An undeniably charismatic and amiable stage presence Farnan’s infectious energy keeps his audience very much entertained. Even on the few occasions when the material veers into patchy terrain it is his natural charm which pulls it out of the rough.
Apparently based on a sign that hung in a restaurant he worked in when visiting the States this show’s primary topic is racism and the many guises that it inhabits. A few keenly observed jokes emerge throughout this show and Farnan handles his topic with ribald patter that has the audience constantly in his grasp. Taking in the many racist and religious prejudices that permeate our diseased culture no bigotry or intolerance escaped his scrutiny.
Not above self-deprecation the Irish themselves don’t escape Farnan’s ire or attention. Riverdance receives a fairly accurate appraisal. Likewise his opinion of James Joyce’s inpenetrable ‘Ulysses’ – which I have the ‘pleasure’ of being acquainted with- concurs with mine that it is merely a dictionary in the wrong order. Self-deprecation aside Farnan moves onto other hotly contested topics such as the BNP and ancient Greeks with observations that are poignantly accurate and well informed.
This is a show that showcases Farnan’s rapier wit whilst running the gamut of prejudices that exist in our society. Keenly observed his natural demeanour and the Lego men -arguably the stars of the show- won his audience over and made for a highly entertaining hour that never dragged or seemed forced whilst the ratio of laughs was high and the atmosphere was, at the shows apotheosis, rollicking.
Reviewed by: David Marren
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