www.|ist.co.uk/festival
Theatre
TALK RADIO
Fear and loathing in a radio show 0000
Given the commercial success of a series of cynically programmed blockbuster theatre shows over the past few years featuring popular Fringe comedians (12 Angry Men, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, The Odd Couple — none of them very good), you’d be forgiven for suspecting Talk Radio, which stars Canadian comic Phil Nichol, Perrier winner Will Adamsdale and former Whose Line is it Anyway? troupe player Mike McShane and is directed by stand-up Stewart Lee, of being more of the same money-making crap. But in fact the show, which has a full compliment of eight comedians doing ‘serious', is a solidly staged and very well performed piece of theatre that does justice to the original play by writer-actor Eric Bogosian.
Bogosian. of course, made the story his own not just by penning it but also by co—writing the 1988 film adaptation directed by Oliver Stone and taking the main role of self—destructive talk radio show host Barry Champlain. Bogosian‘s extraordinary film performance
WHAT I HEARD ABOUT IRAQ
Verbatim theatre piece ravages conflict...
is probably impossible to top, which sets Nichol, who plays Champlain in this new stage version, something of a challenge. He rises to it. Nichol’s super smart but self-loathing radio host who hates the nation of fools that listens to him even more than he hates himself is a convincing, compelling and utterly dynamic characterisation. His performance dominates the play, despite good turns from the rest of the cast, in much the same way Champlain dominates those listeners who phone into his nocturnal show.
Lee and Nichol (who also produces, debuting his newly formed Comedians’ Theatre Company, which is also staging a version of Sam Shepherd’s True West this year) have opted not to update Bogosian's play. And it doesn’t need it. Prophetic when it was written back in the eighties (inspired by the murder of radio host Alan Berg by right wing extremists), its indictment of a nation in terminal moral, intellectual and emotional decline rings horribly true today. (Miles Fielder)
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SHAKESPEARE FOR BREAKFAST
Does what it says on the tin 000
With complementary coffee and ’If()l.‘$f3éilll.‘3. this early morning show is a good way to start the day. Moreover. this; bouncy and boisterous comic take on Willie's; work isn't a bad introduction to the Fringe itself. One might argue the amateur dramatics on (IlSMEly here — ie spontaneous and 53()|lll(;(l performance — are the essence of the Fringe. A fl‘.’Q'STFOT)g ail-girl troupe .‘Jlll/ through The Taming of the Shrew. plundering freely — and T’lf‘réf'flllfiédlllgl", — from other of Shakespeare's; pla,s as well as some
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PAULINE GOLDSMITH: YOU SHOULD HAVE HAD THE FISH
Family friendly comedy. .00
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TRUE WEST
Sibling Rivalry 0000
The old cliche of being able to r,hoo5;e lflfllldfi but not family f,(,l'(:Illllf; true If] this darkly eomir; Sam Shepard play. ’lwo brothers. one a screen writer and one a petty (:riminal drifter end up back at their mother's; house and wreak havor; on the plane and each other.
Volatile. savage arguments Jllei’lpfl‘J,‘ calm and humour (if; the brothers discover they are strangers. Shepard'f‘, play questions how another person can affect your life. either (JUSIIIVOIy or negatively. and explores the fantasre'. of long lost boyhood. Beautifully acted by Phil Nichols. his perforrriarirge if; intensely exhausting while Tom Stade"; geek-o-matic COuriterpart add'; colour to the dreary world they oorgupy. Intense and at times childish, it's an enjoyable afternoon, (Lindsay Corr)
I ASS :mb/y Rooms, 226 2428, until 28 Aug (not 74/, 7.40 pm, {37 760477250 ([70504] 1.50).
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