LOVO And Other Fairy TIIOO O... Pleasance. until 27 Aug. 5.30 pm. Nick Revell's script for this Scarlet Theatre production updates the language of its original. Chaucer‘s Wife OfBath '5 Tale nicely. It might not please a Medievalist to see this done. but as a former English Literature lecturer. I can tell you that we regarded them as the goalkeepers of the profession; you had to be a bit mad to be one. In Grainne Byme and Katarzyna Deszcz‘s production. the central character has been round the block a few times. having presided over the suspicious death of her fourth wealthy husband. then felt uncharacterist-cally disempowered by her fifth. much younger. spouse.

Chaucer‘s narrative is told here to the author himself. who assumes several roles. as do the other witnesses. the Prioress. the Pardoner. the Nun and the Squire. all of whom mime. with deliberate campy cheesiness. the horseback ride necessary to their Canterbury pilgrimage. Amid the story. var ous other stories interweave in a complex. but accessible. metanarrative. The cast. all of whom show a good car for the witty nuances of the script. perform well. with Andrew Bridgmont as Chaucer and Cindy Oswin as the fomiidable storyteller. particularly strong. The fairy tale the old girl tells. as well as her own life story. boil down to one. finally answered question: What do women most prize in a relationship? Well. if I told you. you wouldn‘t go. (Steve Cramer)

by students. the acting is patchy. and never really gets under the skin to the pain or social world that Wilde inhabited. An exception is Sebastian Fernandez-Armesto who inhabits two diverse parts with utter conviction. Gross Indeeeney captures the trap that Wilde fell into; always performing in life. so he did in court. using words as a defence and getting caught by them. Given a chance to flee the country. Wilde chooses to stay for the sake of reputation and is dead within five years. (John Binnie)

Gun Play www. live mmedinhurgh tonighteouk. until 3/ Aug. 7. 30pm. The first Fringe intemet play ever. Pay-per-view. Only at 7.30pm.

Ouaaet Laurielorrjv. Komedia Roman Eagle Lodge. until 26 Aug. 2.35pm. About a woman whose gusset determines everything. Hamlet Frantic Redhead Prmluetions. Crowne Plaza Hotel. until 26 Aug. 5.15pm. Speedy and intimate version of the tragedy by Scotland‘s Prime Productions. Two stars in The Scotsman.

Hamlet by Proud Perfm‘manee Exchange. Quaker Meeting House. 20—25 Aug. 9pm. Shakespeare's tragedy reinterpreted from a Freudian perspective. Hamlet! - The Musical Big Cheese. C Venue. until 26 Aug. 6.30an Not one for the purists. this is a ‘totally inappropriate savaging of the Great Dane‘ (their words). Three stars in The Scotsman

A Handful of Rain Venue 13. until [8 Aug. 1.15pm. Imaginary exchange between Dylan Thomas and Bob Dylan in New York‘s Chelsea Hotel.

Hang Up Venue [3. until 25 Aug. 4.20pm. Anthony Minghella‘s twenty-minute study of a love affair.

Hannah and Hanna oooo Company

of Angels. Gilded Balloon at Taylor's Hall. tutti! 27 Aug, 12.15pm. For a play aimed at teenagers. Hannah And Hanna effortlessly holds its own against more high-brow fare. It tackles the issue of asylum seekers in Britain through the intense relationship between two 16-year-old girls: Hannah. a Iippy tough-nut living in .Vlargate. and her namesake. who arrives in the seaside town from Kosovojust as resentment towards the refugees is reaching boiling point. Against a soundtrack of Steps and Kylie. the girls start to forge bonds. and English Hannah soon finds herself the focus of as much local

hostility as the asylum seekers themselves. In Alyson Coote and Celia Meiras. Company Of Angels has found two sparkling actors for the moving drama that ensues. (Alastair Mabbotll

Happy Days Stand-by- I’rodttt'tlmts‘. Gateway Theatre. l6—27Aug. 6.05pm. Samuel Beckett's brilliant play of existential musings featuring a woman buried up to the waist in earth.

Happy Hour Masterpiece lintertainment. C o2. until 26 Aug. 5.30/mi. Split personalities. a real Asian Elvis and a saxophone with a mind of its own are all part of this American comedy.

Harmful Effects Of Tobacco British Russian Theatre Project. Rocket (0 Kirk 0' Field. until [8 Aug. 9pm. ()ne-man anti- stnoking campaign. agony uncle and classical mosic expert.

Hedwig and the Angry Inch

0.. l’leasanee. until 27Aug. 9.30pm. A musical that's more (iuns n' Roses than Gilbert and Sullivan. telling the story of at Berlin transsexual who learned to sing in the oven. Kevin (’ahoon is dynamically entertaining. but the upbeat soundtrack is at times so enthusiastic that the I) rics are lost. Henry James’ The Aspern Papers festival Theatre L'SC (ISA. Drummond Community Theatre. until 23 Aug. 4pm. New adaptation of the novel.

Her Aching Heart I’leasanee. until 27 Aug. 1. 15pm. Oh no sir? It's a saucy musical comedy about a country maiden. ‘()titrageotis and enormously entertaining?‘ according to Time Out.

Heaa Amrumer Prmlut'tiims. (irey/i‘iars Kirk House. until 18 Aug. ll.5()am. Michael Burrell‘s one-man play about the life of Spandau's infamous prisoner. Two stars in The .S'eotsman.

Hiawatha 7. Theatre ('o. Augustine's. until l7rltlg. 6.25pm. Iinsemble staging of LongfeIIow's epic poem.

High On All‘ Year Our Drama ('ompany. (' (Indergrotuul. until 18 Aug. llam. The world of media through the eyes of some of America's best-loved composers/Iyricists.

For hour by hour daily listings see

index Theatre

FESTIVAL THEATRE USO—USA

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// FRINGE SEASON

COMEDY

STAR WARS TRILOGY IN 30 MINUTES Aug. 4 35t.\'ot.\lons>((1 \Iidnight Aug. 4. II. Ib’. 35 ((1 Noon Aug. lb’ & 25 (u ||:()() am

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* RAISED IN CAPTIVITY

Aug. 5. 9. I3. lo. I". 33 (<1 thltl pm

MUSICALS

I LOVE YOU, YOU'RE PERFECT, NOW CHANGE Aug. 4. 5. 8. II. II. I5. Ib‘. I‘). 32. 35 ((1 IIHIII pin

*WEIRD ROMANCE and LE BOEUF SUR LE TOIT Aug. 5. 7. ‘I. It). I4. to. I“. II. 23. 24 (a 0:45 pm

T H F. A T R B *THE ASPERN PAPERS

Aug. 5. V. II. lo. I‘). 23 (u 4W) pin

* BECAUSEHECAN Aug. 4. b’. l I. I5. IS. 33. 25. (it 4:(i() pm

* BURIED CHILD (REVISED) Aug. 3. 7. ll). I4. 17.31.24ur "will pm

OLEANNA _ Aug. 3. 7. III. l4. IT. 3|. :4 (<1 4M) pm

* THE NOTEBOOK OF TRIGORIN Aug. b‘. ll. I5. H.315 («1 thltl pin * UNCLAIMED ASSETS PLUS THIS PROPERTY IS CONDEMNED & 27 WAGONS FULL OF COTTON

Aug. 5. II. II. Ib'. I”. 25 (it 11W pm

* Ilenotes Premiere RICSICRVA'I‘IONS (I I 3] 557 9040 All 'l‘ickets £5.00 Drummond (‘ommunity Theatre 41 Bellevue I’lace ° Venue 25 School of Theatre

l'nisersit) of Southern (‘alifornia I.os‘ .v\ngeles‘. California

16-22 Aug 2001 THE LIST FESTIVAL GUIDE 59