FESTIVAL THEATRE | Reviews
OMEGA Russian carnivalesque curiosity ●●●●●
Fringe First and Total Theatre Award winners blackSKYwhite promised that Omega would take the audience into a twilight world of the circus side show. Russian physical theatre has a reputation, thanks to the likes of Derevo, for stretching the possibilities of both the body and imagination. Unfortunately, Omega is overambitious in scale, but under-ambitious in depth. A series of variable routines – some astounding, like the
apparently mechanical Moongirl, others predictable – are strung together across a vague narrative that suggests a bold look at the dark heart of human nature. When the physical theatre takes control, the effect is disorientating and forceful. Unfortunately, the interludes between the routines degenerate into obscure bellowing about occult cosmology: moments of sinister suggestion are frequent but lost in the mix. blackSKYwhite obviously have the famed skill of Russian
physical theatre, and most of these scenes would be outstanding – and fearsome – in a more general cabaret. Yet the attempt to lend each act power through a dystopian narrative is well worn. The music owes as much to Tom Waits as to proto-industrial electronica and frequently overwhelms the performances: the spurious weight added to admittedly impressive acrobatics undermines the sheer skill by loading it with portentous meaning. Omega is perhaps all the more disappointing because of
this disjuncture between the artists’ brilliance and its failure to plunge the emotional depths that it promises. While there are unforgettable moments – the spiders that weave reality, the manic energy of the two chorus girls and the final image of a lurking, sinister entity beyond human – the show drags at over an hour and slips into incoherence. (Gareth K Vile) ■ Assembly Rooms, 0844 693 3008, until 25 Aug (not 12, 19), £15 (£12).
P H O T O © S T E V E U L L A T H O R N E
THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION Stephen King tale hits the stage ●●●●●
Given the warmth felt for the film adaptation of Stephen King’s prison-based novella, it’s little surprise that The Shawshank Redemption is one of the hottest tickets at this year’s Fringe. A tale of friendship and hope in the face of adversity, King’s tale – here adapted for the stage by Owen O’Neill and Dave Johns – tells the story of banker Andy Dufresne and his incarceration at the ’Shank for the murder of his wife and her lover. While fans of the film will miss some of the movie’s
more cinematic moments, director Lucy Pitman- Wallace creates enough drama within the prison walls to build an effective backdrop to this ultimate tale of friendship and salvation. Omid Djalili is a sound choice as Red, the man
who can get anyone anything except himself parole. While as the wronged Dufresne, US actor Kyle Secor brings a determined humility and a quiet reflection to the role. Certain things niggle, the passing of time doesn’t quite ring true and the reveal of the hole behind the poster is a little rushed, as is Red’s touching finale monologue, but this is a solid 90 minutes of theatre nonetheless. (Anna Millar) ■ Assembly Rooms, 0844 693 3008, until 25 Aug (not 12), 4.50pm, £16 (£12).
78 THE LIST FESTIVAL 8–15 Aug 2013
CHOOSE YOUR OWN DOCUMENTARY BY NATHAN PENLINGTON Funny and nostalgic interactive show based on cult 80s books ●●●●●
The Choose Your Own Adventure books were a publishing phenomenon, offering re-readable stories with multiple outcomes and potential death or glory at every page-turn. Writer and performer Nathan Penlington mines a rich vein of pre-internet nostalgia in this interactive show about his CYOA obsession and there’s a childlike thrill to voting on the course of his story using your own personal remote control. But this is not improv; every possible story-route
involves video clips and sound cues, and much like in the books, there is a ‘best route’ that an audience can take, while some decisions can lead to whole story strands being cut off abruptly. That also results in the interactive element of the show being noticeably lessened in the second half, giving the feeling that Penlington hasn’t fully integrated the show’s form with his storytelling intentions. The show is best entered without knowing specifics. After a very funny context-setting introduction, Penlington heads in a more substantial and engaging direction, taking us on an adventure that is personal and gently moving. (Paul Gallagher) ■ Gilded Balloon Teviot, 622 6552, until 26 Aug (not 14), 1.30pm, £9–£11 (£8–£9).
HIGH PLAINS (A WESTERN MYTH) Drifting through the secrets of the past ●●●●●
He’s had a few drinks, young drifter Jake explains to us at the start of Brian Watkins’s quietly gripping solo play – but he needs them to recount what he’s about to tell. What begins as bar room recollections about growing up in the prairies of Colorado – why he lives in a town that’s an acronym, how he found his first love – soon moves into darker territory as Jake picks apart his fractured relationship with his unstable brother. A seemingly insignificant prank has profound consequences – and an unsettling retribution.
Watkins’s writing manages to be lucid and disorientating, an ideal combination in a play that hints at the paranormal yet remains enigmatic. His evocation of the brutal yet devoted brotherly relationship is compelling, and his steady control of growing tension is remarkably effective.
Ben Newman as Jake is the show’s real draw: he’s a thoroughly convincing study in uncertainty and guilt, giving a high-definition performance that brings his every stumbling thought to the fore. It’s a slight tale in some ways, but the sheer passion of Newman’s delivery makes its mysterious theme unforgettable. (David Kettle) ■ Underbelly, Cowgate, 0844 545 8252, until 25 Aug (not 12), £9–£11 (£8–£10).