Theatre
GONE Spin Cycle 000
In our current global Situation the tail shouldn't be accused of wagging the political dog so much as shaking it senseless, ln Gone Glyn Cannon reaches for the Greek template of political reasoning, Ant/gone.
FATBOY
Jarry meets Brecht in superb political farce me.
and .vrites :t bang up to date Sophocles text Sits : larmingl/ comfortably in the modern age. ln the 21st century the power- hungry Creon is disturbingly Blairesgue in deli/er; and his Chorus of Advisors wouldn't be out of place lssuing and retracting
statements in Number 1’; And. while the shows approaCn can be a little too ob‘aous. its message is a pertinent one: .vrien the shit hits the fan. it stinks. iCOrne MlHSl
I Pleasance Courtj.ard. 555 6550. 5~7O Aug mot 70, .17, 2.1L :3pm, {USO—i850 riff—{‘71
I wonder if the audience felt like this after the first night of Brecht’s The Resistable Rise of Arturo Ui? Certainly, as I watched the punters file out of the Assembly Ballroom, weak with laughter and finally, shock, it felt as if something quite historical had happened. John Clancy’s production of his
own script, an adaptation of Jarry’s Ubu Roi with a very clear parallel to the realpolitik of global capitol, is not only powerful and funny, but revivifies the
idea of agit prop in such a manner that no-one in their right senses could deny its relevance to modern theatre.
As Fatboy (Mike McShane) growls his opening ‘motherfucker', we know we’re in for a treat. The fat bastard’s missus, Fudgey (Nancy Walsh) is voracious in every respect, and demands the noble born ignoble one get more cash. He does, in a homicidal display of naked greed, and finishes up in front of a wastrel judge (David Calvitto) for war crimes. The political
parallels become increasingly stark and affecting beyond this point, yet the
play maintains its wild comedy. The mad grotesquerie of this piece, with its big, overblown comic
costumes and gaudy pictureframe set, is bizarre, yet very real, a stunning
effect, and something which is added to by a universally splendid cast of
five. The astonishing timing, so precise and complete, is a testament to the
experience and artistic verve of the Americana Absurdum folks. This is their best piece at a Fringe so far, and if you saw such previous work as Vomit and Roses and Goner, you’ll realise that this is very high praise
indeed. (Steve Cramer)
I Assembly Rooms. 226 2428. unti/ 30 Aug. 5.45pm. £72413 (£7 7-5 7 2).
72 THE LIST FESTIVAL MAGAZINE 5—12 Aug 2004
THE PULL OF NEGATIVE GRAVITY Hard-hitting war trauma drama COO.
Makmg io.e. not war. rust doesn't cut it ill Jonathan Lichtenstem's hard-hitting look at (:on‘bat trauma ar‘d its deuastating effects anon the soldier and tarml- The brutalisrng of loye Is compelling play ed out by Colchester Merriur, Theatre troupe undm the direction of artistic director Gregory Thompson. and the drama comes loaded With crushing contemporary resonance. In a key scene. young Welsh soldier Dar returns home from lrag, back to his mother, brother and Wife-to-be. Upon his arrival. the horrible revelation of his physical and mental iniuries provokes shock, and later guilt and, most disturbingly, disgust in his loved ones.
Deftly Jumping back and forth in time, from the antiopation of [his return back to his cOin toss deCiSion to go to war in place of his brother and forward to the ultimately tragic turn of events. the second half, focusmg on Dar, is the more engaging. This is not least because of the dark dramatic turn. but also because it benefits from a remarkable performance from Lee Haven-Jones. Home guards Lourse Collins. Joanne Howarth and Daniel Hawksford also acqwt themselves admirably, and if there's one critICIsm of Lichtenstein's powerful piece of theatre it's the comic aSides. which. although funny, don't. in light of the compelling nature of The Pu// of Negative Gravrty. seem necessary.
(Miles Fielder)
I Traverse. 228 7404. until 28 Aug (not 76. 23/, times vary. f 77 (2450—58)
AND IN THE END Murdered rock star back from grave
0..
Sandy Marshall's production of his own play starts With the shooting of John Lennon, then tracks back through his life With a fascmating
Mongoose, Assembly Rooms
(t(?<‘tlllltil{til<1l‘r of iiyraly detail. It's a [lltflitf that will bring a nev. perspectia: on this rock legend, regardless :‘l your knowledge «if riin‘. There's the odd ininoi narrative clunk. and the odd tendency toward sentirnentalisni. but this is overwhelmed by the strength of the story Valentine Pelka's performance as the man himself is strong. by turns full of sweep and idiosyncratic detail. Witty and guite moving in places. this needn't be Just for Lennon fans. (Steve Crameri
I C. Chambers Street. 0870 70/ 570:3. until (it) Aug, 510.50 (5‘8.5()i.
THE FIRST LADY
For the sweet-toothed .0.
This is the personal account of an overtly public life. The story of Jackie Onassis a woman who was so much more than a pair of srgnature sunglasses. As the First Lady. Lori Spee's melodic v0ice Sings and whispers seductively. taking the audience wrllingly through Jackie’s life from her overpriwleged childhood right to the bittersweet end. But the inherently interesting tale of the First Lady is often undermined by the saccharine delivery. Scandals are alluded to but not investigated. Like a White HOuse press release. this is deep enough to be personal but it doesn‘t
Telephone Booknq Book Festival 0131 624 5050 Fringe 0131 226 0000
lllllit‘ cut to the (w-ntrr (Vim) Millsv
I (;/’KIVI)IIV [Thd‘f‘fl It’b' ‘f, o‘o‘cr will}, i; flax.
ii iixi
MONGOOSE Childhood's end .00.
A stiruft‘, olrlr o lgur wets his ‘.‘.’lll‘3llt: .vith '.‘.’lll‘ii\i?*.’_ and iii llll a dust, ain‘thair in lllt‘ dirnl, lit sitting room of the old family farm recalls in a protrarteil rainbling incrii ilogue oper the (it)lllf;r: of a howling ‘.‘.’lll(i‘, night, lll‘. childhood, the death of his mother, the abuse meted out by his father and his in'aginar, frir-nd, a mongoose. ln fart tightly scripted. l’etei llarness' initiall, enjoy/ably errentnr, show slog-rly rereals itself to be a ill(:lll£lll(,fllly’. as .vell as lli(:l£l|l‘,. dark affair, Richard Rreinrner's il le Who Must Not Be Named in the first Harry Potter tilrni ’Itlitl'élCl‘fllSJlllflll of the troubled elderi/ bugger If} superb, il/lll‘f) Fl‘,‘l’if,‘fl I Assembly. 226 2428. untr/ (if), 7 7.50am, 226 2428. f9~ IO (Ht—.9).
NOT I
Beckett short from the Arches Theatre Company 0000
A .‘relr,orrie revival from the Arches' recent Beckett season. Pauline Goldsmith performs in such a i‘ra/ that only her mouth is '."Slb|€‘. bringing warmth, depth and emotion to a 20 minute stream-of-r,onsciou<, monologue. as one woman recalls her life in
International Festival 0131 473 2000 Film Festival 0131 623 8030 Jazz Festival 0131 473 2000