Theatre
AMERICANA ABSURDUM
New York’s finest fringers return with four plays
John Clancy is one of the most significant movers and shakers on New York’s innovative off-off-Broadway theatre scene — as anyone who saw his blistering Fringe First-winning productions of Vomit and Roses and Wolverine Dreams for Americana Absurdum in Edinburgh two years ago will testify. Now Clancy’s back, despite the fact that his talented actor wife, Nancy Walsh, underwent major surgery for a brain tumour just a couple of weeks ago in New York.
Nancy - so memorable as the mom in Vomit and Roses — was to have starred in Don Nigro’s fast and funny one-woman play, Cincinnati, about a woman who may or may not be losing her mind. At the time of writing, the plan is for the production to go up on 14 August, just over a week later than scheduled, so that they can continue rehearsing: Walsh collapsed while working on the play.
Meanwhile, Clancy’s other three shows open as part of Assembly Theatre’s New York, New Work season imaginatively programmed by associate director Mary Shields. Goner is a new pitch~black comedy by Americana playwright Brian Parks, while Horse Country is a two-hander from CJ Hopkins, one of America’s most thought-provoking writers.
Greg Allen, Danny Thompson and Ben Schneider have written the hilarious The Complete Works of Samuel Beckett as Found in an Envelope (partially burned) in a Dustbin in Paris Labelled ‘Never to be performed. Never. Ever. Ever! Or I’ll Sue! I’LL SUE FROM THE GRAVE!!! Which has to be the best Fringe show title ever. It’s energetically performed by Thompson and Schneider with Bill Coelius, who is also in Goner. The latter is a satirical cross between ER and The West Wing filtered through the imagination of a Stateside Joe Orton.
An actor, director and award-winning playwright, Clancy was artistic director of the East Village-based Present Company for a decade. Five years ago he founded the New York International Fringe Festival. Last September he left both the Present Company and the Fringe directorship to freelance.
He and Walsh are producing all their Edinburgh shows, except Goner. Clancy Productions is the logical next step for them both, he says, after spending so many years in non-profit. The writers and performers whose work he’ll showcase in Edinburgh are all fellow artists with whom he has been involved over the last ten years.
‘There has never been the time or the energy to focus on pushing them to the next level,’ he says. ’Plays like Horse Country are brilliant, fresh stuff that I know would do well commercially, so that’s the game plan. The defining experience of my generation of theatre practitioners in New York has been one of neglect. We are the feral children of American theatre — I’m determined to change all that.’ (Jackie McGlone)
I All four Americana Absurdum shows are at the Assembly Rooms, 220‘ 2428, 2- 26 Aug.
54 THE LIST FESTIVAL GUIDE 1 l1 Ail; 2’22."
STONE CRABS
Hard-hitting drama without hard hitting
The fragility Surrounding domestic violence makes it a delicate SUDJGCI to deal wrth. whether on screen or stage. The theatre. without haying the camera to manipulate the action, is in danger of turning into a Punch and Judy show if not treated senSIDIy. Devised by London- based BraZilian actors Franko Figueiredo and Tereza Araujo. Stone Crabs realises the danger of mocking the subject by injecting take action into the play.
“We deCided to do the piece without showing any phySical aggression.' says Franko. 'otherwrse we Just go into the cliche. You can't show on stage such a strong and pox'rerful thing. We have to tread very carefully'
Performed in both English and Portuguese ‘.'/|lll accompanying music. the play's three endings are reminiscent of fellow Brazilian Augusto Boal's technique of offering DOSSIDIIIUGS rather than provrding answers. Subtle but exploswe. (Mererid Williamsi I C02, Oxygen. Infirmary St. ()8 7 O 7 Of 5705. l—I7Aug. 6.30pm, 1.6. St) r535. 50/.
TABOO Penetrative Australian humour
Listing a few of his favourite things. ‘.‘/l'll(}f and performer Tre/or Stewart mentions. among others. Radio 4. the Marquis de Sade. crop rotation and nudes descending staircases. Taboo. he lllSlSlS. is a quasi-intellectual debate ‘on how artists and comedians are constricted by socral taboos.” In the guise of a psychiatrist he takes the audience on a trip through quite a lot of what he calls 'unconscious grime'. 'l'd really like to improve the audience's minds.‘ he says. insisting that he ‘won't stand for any heckling'.
Stewart's genitalia plays a small but vital role in the show. perhaps most significantiy when he crosses the stage
pulling a skateboard. on which sits a ghetto blaster, by means of a cord tied around his penis. ‘lt y/OuId be eaSIer with a ring through it.' he says. ‘but I'm not that trendy' Just to let you know. that's the kind of guy we're dealing With.
lGareth DaviCSi
I Girdeo' Béi/lOO." Terror. 226 2 7:3 7. 2—26 Aug. midnight. 519.:30—5960 r’E.‘7.5()- 319.:30r
THE DROWNED WORLD
New play is beastly to beauty
In a parallel world. not unlike our own. genocide is tearing society apart as one Side of the population tries systematically to eradicate the other. 'Throughout history there's been a lot of (‘lreadful stuff about societies tearing themselves apart] says playwright Gary Owen. ‘Ultimately they rust destroy themselves."
In his latest play. brought to the Traverse by Paines Plough and Vicky Featherstone. director of last year's Fringe First wrnner Tiny Dynamite. the ethnic cleansing is being levelled against those '.“/llll physical perfection. the beautiful. by those who apparently despise but secretly covet such (Bl‘dO‘f/llltillls themsr-zlyes.
“Often. such massive genocides are instigateri by a sick fascination. almost a fetishisation. of the people they are destroying] says Owen. Vt/liether a tract on the modern culture of
The Drowned World: genocide of the beautiful
beauty and attraction, Or an exploration of the extremes of love and desire. Ont/en's play might make yOu think twice before reaching for the beauty products. lGareth Daviesi
I Traverse. 228 1404. 7—24 Aug. times vary. F. 7. 50—.{7 I 0 (E4. 50—— F7601.
SNATCHES Monica Lewinsky and Linda Tripp laid bare Monica and .31: c — ("€1- '.""e<:-s::me that threatened democraCy in Amerca. -i’ you beiieye ‘.'."‘.£1‘. yet. read n the papers. Bat there was more to the recorded phone calls between. LO‘JrlllSKy and Tripp than met the tapiOid eye. Laura Strausfeld has sifted through over 22 l‘ours of transcribed conversation to present a play abOut the Monica ()l‘, Bill incidei‘t. bct i." the context of tune ordir‘iai'y ".'.-’Olll(}'l .91:ng out their lives.
'Sare. it‘ey talked about what we all know at)0ut — Bill. the blue dress —- but these are two me". lying t'ie 90s. lit/hat they talked about most. and most ntimately was [flat na:r. The mat betrayai. Monica's betrayal of Li'ida. lll‘.'()-\.’C(l a COHEN". hairstyast. but the most poxrerful part of the olag. is seeing the disintegration of tho :: ose ll'l(3."(lS.'l.l} these two women snared: I'Tétl strikes a chord.’
Gareth Dayies
I Assernh/i.’ Poo/its, 226 2128. 3—26 Aug. 2. ls'ipm, f‘ltJ-l‘l 1 r5104) l or.
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