Theatre
Fern Hill 0... Assembly Rooms. until 27Aug. 3.55pm. This montage of stories and poems shows there's more to Dylan Thomas' work than L'nder Milk Wood. Guy Masterson enthusiastically introduces us to recognisable characters enjoying a batik holiday at the seaside. bringing the writing to life.
Filth Pleasanee. 20—26 Aug. 4. 50pm. Actor Tam Dean Burn is in top form bringing to life one of Irvine Welsh's most degenerate characters. police officer Bruce Robertson. The adaptation falters in the second half. but it‘s well worth seeing for the first.
Finnish The Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama. Venue 13. 16—25 Aug. times vary. Students perform in this new translation by Ella Wildridge of Martin Heckmanns's play about a man who sends himself a parcel just to meet his beautiful postwoman.
The First Chapter of Peter Stanford University Department of Drama. Gateway Theatre. until 27Aug. 9.40pm. A messed up boy tries to blame the world for his problems. Four stars in The Scotsman. First Impressions Dolphin Theatre. C l'enue. until 26 Aug. 11.45am. Jane Austen performs and discusses Jane Austen.
First Love Britiin Russian Theatre Project. Rocket (0‘ Royal College of Surgeons. until [8 Aug. times vary. Samuel Beckett's story about a strange love between a young prostitute and a tramp.
Foley Traverse Theatre. until 25 Aug. times vary. Everyone in Dublin is full of praise for Andrew Bennett's performance. his voice in particular; not surprising. perhaps. for the man who was the narrator of the film of Frank McCourt's Angela 's Ashes. He plays a southern Irish protestant who finds himself the last of a dying breed.
Four Dogs and a Bone 100 Monkeys. (ireyfriars Kirk House. until [6 Aug. 6.30pm. John Patrick Shanley's sharp- toothcd tale of celluloid fame.
Four Little Plays Called Rape Demareo Roeket Prruluetions. Rocket (0‘ Royal College of.S'iiIge(ni.v. until 27 Aug. 3.30pm. Return run for Rank Taxi after success last year with this quartet looking at violation in all its forms.
Frank and Rosy Double'lake Prmluetions. Roe/(e! (if St John 's Hall. until 27Aug. 7.30pm. Modern marriage musical. Fright Nights: The Tour of Terror .8‘ oil/l Prmluetions. Royal Mile. next to I’oliee Information Centre. 17—26 Aug. 11.45pm. Second time round for this horror story compilation. this time in a spookier location. which could make redundant our lack of
enthusiasm for the production when it opened last year.
From lblza to the Norfolk Broads 0... Tiny Dynamite & Tlte Bull Theatre. C Venue. until 26 Aug. 1 lpm. Adrian Berry's haunting drama is set in a special unit of a children's hospital where a young man has an unhealthy obsession with David Bowie. and a worsening eating disorder. Originally written for the Youth Theatre in Barnet. it is heartfelt. bursting in integrity and ftill of strong naturalistic dialogue. Only occasionally it is over written. However its topicality and the committed performances keep the audiences on the edge of their seats. Tiny Dynamite perform with gutsy relish and constantly surprise with the depths of their emotion. Alex Clarke gives an extraordinary. knockout performance as a boy living with the legacy of his father‘s suicide. .\'ot just for Bow'ie's‘ fans. for anyone interested in good. relevant. engaging theatre. (John Binnie) From the Ashes Mum Pup/wttheatre. Rocket (‘1‘ South Bridge. until 18 Aug. 6.30pm. Masks and Bunraku-style puppets.
Fucking Asylum Seekers British Russian Theatre l’roieet. Rocket (0‘ Royal College ofStafigeons. until 18 Aug. times vary. A retort to the racist immigration policies of European governments. Victor Sobehak's play is about ‘modest' asylum seekers who take over the whole country.
A Fumble in the Dark eooo
Theatre liorkshop. until lh’ Aug. 4pm. In the men's toilet of a Glaswegian pub one man stands at a urinal while another man helps him to take a leak. A drunk psychopth walks in on them and totally misreads the situation. So begins Jim .‘ylcSharry‘s short funny and ultimately tragic play that challenges the audiences attitudes to disability by placing us in an all too familiar setting. the heart of casual prejudice. Discursive. rhythmic and deeply vernacular. this is a little treat. in its 30 minutes it manages to give each of its characters a
flawed voice in the face of ensuing violence.
The simple set design of two hanging urinals and the clever use of lighting both work well. A brave chamberpot piece from the Theatre Workshop. (Paul Dalet
Tiny Dynamite constantly surprise with the depths of their emotion.
From Ibiza to the Norfolk Broads
Funny Behaviour Rugged [sage Prmluetions. (itevfriars Kirk House. 2l—-27 Aug. 3.55pm. Dark psychological comedy by Chris ()rton.
FUR l.uminaria/Jenniter .S’ .\'l'(' l'enue. The ('iulerln'lly. until 26 Aug. 5pm. A darkly comic love triangle between a pet shop owner. a trapper and a caged beast. Gagarin Way C... TTttl'i’I'.\(’ Theatre. until 25 Aug. times vary. John 'I'iffany's production of (iregory Burke's first full- length play Uses the author's dialogic wit to good effect. Burke‘s nihilism comes with the charm of the script's gag-a-minute pace and combines with splendid performances to seduce and frighten you into laughter. I’ringe I‘irst and Herald Angel winner.
The Game of Love and Chance Short Baek A" Sides. Rocket ((1 South Bridge. until 25 Aug. 11.35am. .\'eil Bartlett's translation of the .‘ylarivaux comedy about the pursuit of love.
Gas and Air I’oeket .llereury l’riuluetions. Kometlia Roman [fag/e Lodge. until 26 Aug.
/. l5/mt. lntcrtw ined tales of two women's loss and laughter by Royal (‘ourt young writer Louise Ramsden. The Gasman Cometh (ii/(led Balloon. until 27Aug. 2.15pm. A celebration of the songs of I-‘landers and Swami.
Geeza . . . Memoirs of an Ex Football Hooligan ooe l’lettttltlt't’. until 27Aug. 4.15pm. ‘I)angcrous' Dennis Watson stops off to promote his forthcoming autobiography. giving handy lighting tips and showing hooliganism in a new light. It's topical. but only a two-joke show.
Gemini .-lirelmrn Theatre ('o in (MVH'TUTTUH With U '1 viii. Stage lty Stage Tidinlnirgh Academy. until lb’ Aug. 2.30pm. l’oetic drama about lost loye.
The Getaway Bus ooo Assembly Rooms. until 27th Aug. 4. l5/nn. An emigrant experience. its recent ey cuts in (ilasgow'. and elsewhere in the country have demonstrated. is never an easy one. But this represents a change of perspective: here the foreigner is Iinglish. and his welcome in suburban Atistralia is no more hospitable than that received by political escapees in Britain. Ingle Knight delivers a monologue which is at times as poetic as his character's cavalier poet namesake. Thomas ('arew. in which a marginalised outsider joins a provincial am
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Jesus Hopped The A Train eeooo
4.45pm. It‘s rare perforimtnces that charge
own penis. and who has turned to (iod during his final days on death row. Angel is
desperate hours. here directed by actor
Gilded Balloon at 'Ieviot Row. until 27Aug.
the air with electricity. but there are at least two faces-offs in this show that'll make your hair crackle with static. Incarcerated in the New York pennitentiary are convicts Lucius Jenkins and Angel (.‘ruz. Lucius. the ‘Black Plague'. is a crack addict serial killer who‘s murdered eight people including a small boy to whom be fed his
a young Hispanic awaiting trial for the murder of a wealthy evangelist who stole his childhood pal and indoctrinated him into a cult.
During their first meeting in the yard Lucius. now at piece with himself. coaches Angel out of his despair about being fucked by the system. metaphorically and literally (in the showers). Later. the roles reversed ~< Lucius is withdrawn awaiting execution. Angel optimistic about his trial — and they argue: Lucius says they‘re two of a kind. Angel says his belief in (iod and heaven is a pipe dream.
Watching Stephen Adly (iuirgis' terrific gritty drama about men finding meaning in
Phillip Seymour Hoffman. gives you an idea what it must have been like watching Marlon Brando electrify audiences doing Tennessee Williams. (Miles Iiielderl
68 THE LIST FESTIVAL GUIDE 16-22 Aug 200‘
dram society run by an embittered Iinglish luvvie. Ilis similarly-rejected migrant mates become supremely competitive when acting scholarships are offered to Britain. and the nerdy ('arew- becomes an accomplice in a murderous scheme hatched by a pretty Welsh wannabe. An amusing and at times moving monologue is hampered only by the need for occasional trimming. (Steve (‘rameri
Ghost Shirt Theatre by Design. The ('nderlw/ly. until 26 Aug. 6.30pm. A native American elder crosses the Atlantic in search of a tribal shirt and finds it in (ilasgow. Acclaimed (ilasgow company. Ghost Stories . . . A Late Night Fright O... The l’roduetion Line. l’leasanee. unti 27Aug. 11.30pm. A series of incidents in a small village in Argentina. where spirits and demons are an integral part of the culture. You'll need a good stiff drink before you go home.
The ... (ii/ded Balloon (1! ’leviot Row. until 27Aug. 3.45/nn. Anyone with a dog-cared copy of the second Velvet I'ndcrground album can tell you all about the lovesick misfit who posts himself to his girlfriend in a parcel. The temptation to expand Reed's bare-bones story into an hour-long comic play was too much for writer 'I‘om Lister to resist. and he's done it extremely well.
Glengarry Glen Ross The Ari-e (‘oni/ntny. (' lenue. until 2() Aug. l().4()/nn. David Mamet‘s brilliantly observed study of real estate salesmen.
Glengarry Glen Ross the Berts it’- Stanv Theatre (in. Rocket ((1 Kirk 0' Field. until lh’ Aug. 2.40pm. David .\lamet‘s brilliantly observed study of real estate salesmen performed by this A-lcvel group. Goes Around Comes Around Diverse Attractions. 2() 25 Aug. (1.30pm. I’opular drama by Richard Page.
Going Down in History the (i'amge. until lb' Aug. 5. III/mi. Sex. politics and romance in a show that caught the attention tand rare praise) of Julie Burchill. 'I'hree stars in The Scotsman.
A Good Morning Melody Shifting Tides Theatre T’I'Ujet‘l. Old St Paul’s ('ltut'eh A'- llall. until 25 Aug. times vary. A new play about love in an unstable world.
Good Morning? l’leayant'e. until 18 Aug. noon. \Vit atid deadly humour in a posthumous play by Iiddie Rosen who died at IS from meningococcal septicaemia. 'I‘hrec stars in The Scotsman.
60088 Nights I’ee/m/ykus. I’leasanee. until 27Aug. 5.3701121. Send-up of(ireels‘ tragedy from a company that doesn't take itself \et'itttlsly. Three stars in The .S'i‘ntstmut. Graft - Tales of an Actor (ieorge Dillon 's lita/ Theatre. Hill Street Theatre. until 25 Aug. 5.55pm. \Vidcly regarded its Steven Iiet'kttl'l'\ leading disciple. I)IIIUll's adaptation of Berkoff‘s book of rambling reminiscences was w ell-received on last year's I'ringc. He‘s also presenting two other shows. Berkotl '\ Hell. also at Hill Street. and ('atavtt'o/i/ie at Komedia. llis physical skills and precise sense of theatrical nuance arc \\ ider admired.
Green Ginger - Bambi I’leasalu‘e.
2U 2!) Aug. ll.2llani. The Bambi Story turned into a comic book nightmare in an urban jungle. Acclaimed by Terry (iilliam. Grimm Tales Briytnl ()lil lie Theatre .hit’lttutl. Rite/tel (‘1 Kll‘h ()II'Ti'lil. ttltlil TX Aug. 7.40pm. 'l‘hc imaginative and very successful treatment of the Brothers (irimm stories first seen at I.ondon's Young Vic is now taken tip by students at the Old Vic. Grimm Tales .st-hh/i.’ theatri- (h. ()lii Sr l’aul'v ('hureh A'- l/a/l. 2t) 25 Aug. /(l.45am. I-amily physical fantasy.
Gross Indecency oeo nimble Iidge Drama. The (’nderliellt. until 2!) Aug. noon. How do you reassess the life of gay martyr. w itty wordsmilh and utter snob. ()scar \Vilde'.’ American .\loiscs Kaufman in his off—Iiromlway hit deconstructs the three trials that led to \Vilde's downfall and eventual incarceration in Reading gaol. The problems with trials is that they have longcurs. and sometimes this ensemble piece feels like an academic essay will) too many page references and potted biographies. rather than drama. Performed