list.co.uk/festival Festival Theatre

‘SCOTLAND, OF COURSE, HAS A VERY COMPLEX RELATIONSHIP WITH ALCOHOL’

Bukowski’s work often simply describes a way of life. But are there things he’s for and against?

BH He’s definitely writing against the Reaganite ethic, that thing about work really hard and you’ll be rewarded. His father was very like that, a good old American guy, a soldier and a hard worker he worked so hard that he virtually died of exhaustion. That’s what I find seductive in his argument: he makes you think you might have a more fulfilled life sitting on a barstool, feeling the world, shagging lots of women, drinking loads. You can get more from life that way than, say, going to India or, for that matter, calling yourself a writer. He’s pretty serious about writing, but he doesn’t want to do it in terms of the rat race he doesn’t want that bullshit of sitting around in Paris like Joyce and being patronised by people. KF And my character doesn’t want to be pigeon-holed that way. It puts a tag on him, and he kind of resents it. He wants his work to be read he’s vomiting out his soul, but he’s scared of selling out and losing that. If you pull him from that world, will he lose his power? If you look at bands like Oasis and Arctic Monkeys they had great first albums because they wrote about what they wanted, and about getting out of the gutter. But when they got the rich lifestyle, they couldn’t write about what they did anymore. There’s a kind of fear about losing that world he writes about. S o , w h a t ’s t h e m o s t c re a t i v e t h i n g you’ve done when you were drunk?

GW I made my son. BH God, you’ve topped us all before we started! You certainly become more convinced of your own importance. Jude Docherty [Grid Iron’s producer and Harrison’s co-artistic director] and I were walking along the street in New York, and this woman came out of a bar horizontally. I said to Jude: ‘That must be an authentic American barfly.’ She spotted us looking at her, and dragged us back into the bar, you know, [American accent] ‘Give these guys a drink.’ She was probably only about 50, but she was ravaged. By the end of that night we’d talked about it, and decided to do Barflies. It was obvious we were doing it in the Barony, it was even cast, so that’s the most creative thing I’ve done drunk. David Paul Jones And on the other side of the world I was in the Barony when I got Ben’s text about it! I’ve written songs pissed. My favourite is one called ‘Sailing Cloud Jo’, it’s about love and loss, but it’s not negative, it’s a celebration of what was. KF I’ve re-directed all the plays I’ve been in pissed. But I think as an actor I’m not alone in that. I tell you what, I’ve managed to turn some real munter girls into beauties pissed! GW We’ve all done that!

Barflies, The Barony, 228 1404, 8–31 Aug (not 14 & 15, 21 & 22, 28 & 29), 3pm (24 & 25 noon), £16 (£11). Preview 7 Aug, 3pm, £11 (£5).

OUT OF SITE

Hotels? Islands? Toilets?? Grid Iron isn’t the only company at this year’s Fringe to set its work in an eccentric venue

FAULTY TOWERS THE DINING EXPERIENCE Join Basil, Sybil and their put-upon manservant Manuel for this outrageous twist on the concept of ‘dinner- theatre’. Three- course meal included. Whatever you do . . . don’t mention the war! B’est Restaurant, 556 4448, 7–31 Aug (not 8, 15, 22, 29), 2.30pm & 9pm, £29 & £39.

THE HOTEL Described by its creator, the comedian Mark Watson, as ‘a sort of comedy installation art piece’ the show takes place in a hotel a short walk from Assembly central. Assembly Rooms, 623 3030, 7–31 Aug (not 17), 4.15pm, £10.50–£13 (£9–£10.50). Previews until 6 Aug, £6.

THE BITTER BELIEF OF COTRONE THE MAGICIAN

This epic re-working of Pirandello’s unfinished fairytale involves a boat ride to Cotrone’s mystery island, taking in the Route

of the Countess and the City of the Giants. Sweet in the Firth of Forth, 0870 241 0136, 8–16 Aug, 7.30pm, £25 (£20).

POWER PLANT A SOUND AND LIGHT EXPERIENCE A sublime journey through a series of absorbing installations in the Botanic Gardens’ glass houses. Royal Botanic Gardens, 623 3030, 12–30 Aug (not 17, 18, 24), shows every ten mins 9.30pm–11.20pm, £10 (£8).

THREE SISTERS

Olya, Masha and Irina can now be found dreaming of Moscow from the comfort of a boat on the Union Canal. Take tea from a

samovar as Chekhov’s melancholy drama unfolds. Re-Union Canal Boats Ltd, Edinburgh Quay, 226 0000, 14–23 Aug, times vary, £7 (£5).

STILL WAITING FOR GODOT Forget luvvies Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen, this must-pee version of Beckett’s absurdist classic is coming to a public loo near you, complete with a scattering of toilet-humour. St James Centre Public Toilets, 226 0000, 25–31 Aug, 6.30pm, £5.

6–13 Aug 2009 THE LIST FESTIVAL MAGAZINE 51