BANG BANG YOU’RE DEAD Columbine killings revisited 000
What mares art Alliffllf/tl‘ high school PM grin fl’).‘/f‘i his tellers; f,i«'l',',flti1l‘:‘} is the (lllfr‘,ilfrll this show lli‘,l)lf‘:’I by the (/iluritbine killings grapples with. The
conclusion, that the lure
gunman here in question If, a spoilt brat. is somewhat llllfI(;l‘.’/ll(3lllllfl’]. Ne‘ixertheiess. the irieat of this show from fringe l irst winners the fled (Lhair Players (Hie lararrrre Pro/ch during which said kiddy killer rs toirriented by his (it)llf;t;l(:ll(lt’3 in the form of his five Victims. is dextrous and energetically staged. leaping back and forth in time and derailing from reality into the surreal landscape of a dairiaged young mind. flvlrles l ieldei)
I (I, ()8/0 [0] :3 IOS. u/rtr/ H Aug. 2.:’S()prn, 571.50 06.50).
THE SMALLEST PERSON!
Pulling the right strings .00
this is a cabaretesgue Journey into the life of Caroline Crachami, whose fame overshadowed her 18) inch frame. 'lrestle
'l heatre makes clever use of puppets and rriasks to recreate her small life as she seduced 18th century audiences from her beginnings in freak shows to her audience With King George himself - a wonderfully over—caricatur'ed royal who takes comfort in self parody As a modern teenager uses Carolrne's tale to deal wrth her brother‘s illness. the show questions the omnipotence of the medical professmn. Occasionally The Smallest Persorr.’ falters as it tries to do too much. but when it gets the pace right it succeeds in being both
naqmnneflodfinq Book Festival 0131 624 5050 Fringe 0131 226 0000
THOM PAIN (BASED ON NOTHING) Superb Beckettian clowning 00”.
Venture out into the deeply uncertain universe of contemporary culture, bury your childhood traumas as best you can, and fall in love with someone. A brief wait to be fucked over by them and you‘re in the world of you, me and Thom Pain. He's a creepy little bastard, with a deeply unsympathetic character, a casual user and abuser with little interest in anyone beyond himself. He might be in the New Labour cabinet, but for the paradox of his deeply sympathetic and loveable humanness.
Will Eno’s magnificent monologue captures the agony of being and the mystery of meaning in a single witty, intense and dark hour. In it, the title character arrives mysteriously, disclaims with perfunctory bonhomie, shallow lechery and glad handing empathy before some inner discovery, 3 final realisation. This is perhaps that no matter how glibly we dismiss our emotional needs and existential ponderings, they are still a necessary
condition of existence.
James Urbaniak gives a splendid rendering of a deeply complex character, a small frail figure in a man at C&A suit, all aggressive discourse, threatening nonsense and desperate, barely covered frailty. This piece rediscovers theatrical monologue, exploring ontological issues with a sure wit just short of stand-up. Eno’s writing might well be an acquired taste; so dense is the wordplay that it’s bound to divide the most intelligent audiences, but it will create conversation whichever way you lean. (Steve Cramer)
I P/eaa’rrrce (Joirrtiard, fifio‘ ti-‘r’ic. EV? X”; ‘_ 7ft], ftp/ll, If; 5‘”) ‘)\/‘_."7()' 3 F,“
thought—pro\./oking and entertaining
lCou'ie Millsl
I Pod Deco, ()tl/(l/ 533/ 705), -1~.'_’.‘) Aug mo! 70, 7/, 24). 5.20pm. f‘l()~f‘/l (58530).
NIKOLINA No holds barred entertainment .00
Hichoceting between war—torn Serbia and apparently peaceful Sheffield. Niko/irra is a sensual assault. Staccato scenes rattle before the audience forcing us to take an unflinching look at the politics of sexual consent. This is a welcome return for nabokov theatre and writer Van Badham. a team brave enough to strip an uncomfortable subiect down to its uncomfortable reality. As a Balkan refugee tries to piece her life back together in the North of England. Badham’s script cleverly iuxtaposes her abused past With her
International Festival 0131 473 2000 Film Festival 0131 623 8030 Jazz Festival 0131 473 2000
soon to be abused present and raises some unnerying questions lll the process. this is intelligently aggressive and caustically ‘.'xitty stuff. iCorne Millsi
I Pi’easantie (It iii/ti. art! «ooh (ififitli. J» (it) Aug. 1.10pm. 510-470.
THE AQUATIC APE Honeymoon killers? .0.
As directed b‘, Sam lloyie, .Jo‘, \‘Jilkinsoii's short plaj, transforiris the tin; tin space that is the l’leasance l ift into a shark cage, .vrth the two '.‘.'etsuit clad perforrriers ‘s.'.'irrirning'
about insi’lr- it and the single digit audience iiriirig the lift walls pl;r,ingfish. lhe intirrrarr,’ of the staging irriinerliatel, banishes arr, potential discomfort due to the pioxrrnitg, of the performers, and in an, event the ice is s.'.riftl, broken with a
fipfbf, 7* I
p yr «32“.
series of laugh out loud ‘.'lf»llit| and verbal gags arisirtg front thi- rriiidest narratrue concerning the second ll<)llf,‘,’lllf)f)ll of a failed marriage, ‘.‘.’lllfill may or may not result lll rnurder, lMiles l ielrleri I l’leasarrce, f'i‘io boot), until it) Aug Irrot 7/. ."Ji, Litrprrr, 51") iflli.
‘M
r w.
The Pull of Negative Gravity, Traverse
‘.'< z ,-‘. THE LIST FESTIVAL MAGAZINE 71