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A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM There have been some weird and wonderful productions of Shakespeare’s great comedy of fairies, mechanicals and bickering lovers, from the 1934 Hollywood version starring James Cagney as Puck to Peter Brook’s inspired 1971 production for the RSC. But neither featured the multimedia excitement of the Beijing Film Academy’s interactive production, which stars 18 Chinese performers and blends martial arts with computer gaming and Olympics-style technology. ■ McEwan Hall, 651 1292, 15–23 Aug, 7pm, £12 (£10). Preview 14 Aug, £6.
5QUESTIONS
The Forest Fringe artistic director Debbie Pearson takes time out of her hectic schedule to tackle our Q & A 5 words to describe the Forest Fringe? Adventurous, supportive, spontaneous, revolutionary, lo-fi. 4 shows you’re looking forward to seeing in Edinburgh this August Sporadical and A Western at Forest, Nic Green’s Trilogy; Daniel Kitson’s The Interminable Suicide of Gregory Church. 3 things you love about Edinburgh in August That beautiful shows and companies you’ve never heard of seem to emerge from out of nowhere. That every hour of the day becomes a valuable commodity not to be wasted. That artists (at Forest in particular) are supportive and excited about each other’s shows. 2 things you hate about Edinburgh in August Posters, flyers and paper: 90% of it wasted. How much money everyone ends up spending, artists and audiences alike. 1 word to describe how you’re feeling right now Electric. Like I’ve been plugged into a light socket and it could go either way. ■ The Forest Café, 17–30 Aug, free, tickets in person from box office.
Hitlist FESTIVAL THEATRE *
✽✽ Diaspora Ong Keng Sen’s multi-media epic about migration and cross-continental journeys. Playhouse, 473 2000, 15 & 16 Aug, 8pm, £8–£30. ✽✽ Sea Wall Haunting family tragedy, vividly enhanced by the appearance of God. See review, page 64. Traverse Theatre, 228 1404, until 16 Aug, times vary, £10-£11 (£5-£7). ✽✽ The Tartuffe Belt Up blasts through the fourth wall in this irreverent adaptation of Moliere’s farce. See review, page 68. C Soco, 0845 260 1234, until 31 Aug, 8.55pm, £9.50–£11.50 (£8.50–£10.50). ✽✽ Trilogy Joyous, life-affirming exploration of contemporary feminism by Nic Green. See review, page 74. St Stephen’s, 0141 565 1000, until 31 Aug (not 18, 25), 7.30pm, £12 (£9). ✽✽ The Hotel Daft, delirious hour of site-specific, interactive theatre. See review, page 74. Assembly Rooms, 623 3030, until 31 Aug (not 17), 4.15pm, £10.50–£13 (£9–£10). ✽✽ The Interminable Suicide of Gregory Church Accomplished 90-minute monologue distinguished by a breathless, verbose delivery from Daniel Kitson. See review, page 68. Traverse Theatre, 228 1404, until 30 Aug (not 17, 24, 29), 10.15pm, £14–£16 (£10–£11). ✽✽ White Tea David Leddy’s new work treads the borderline between study of denial and camp melodrama. See review, page 70. Assembly Rooms, 623 3030, until 31 Aug (not 18, 25), 2pm & 5pm, £9–£10. ✽✽ Optimism Melbourne’s Malthouse Theatre adapts Voltaire’s 19th century satirical fantasy Candide. See feature, page 60. Royal Lyceum, 473 2000, 15–17 Aug, 8pm (Sun mat 2.30pm), £10–£25. ✽✽ Faust Silviu Purcarete’s adaptation of the Goethe classic is an orgiastic carnival of sex and death. Lowland Hall, Ingliston, 473 2000, 18–22 Aug, 7.30pm, £20. For venue addresses see index page 88.
13–20 Aug 2009 THE LIST FESTIVAL MAGAZINE 59