list.co.uk/festival Reviews at a Glance | FESTIVAL THEATRE
REVIEWS AT A GLANCE
For full length versions of these reviews, see list.co.uk/festival
BORIS & SERGEY’S ONE MAN EXTRAVAGANZA ●●●●● It’s a funny script, with plenty of sibling patter but it’s the puppeteers’ talent for improvisation that keep the audience laughing. The puppets are expertly manipulated. It’s a little over-long towards the end and the villain of the piece seems a bit tacked on, lacking a clear motivation for their actions. (Rowena McIntosh) Assembly George Square Theatre, until 27 Aug, 9.25pm, £10–£12.50.
BREAK UP (WE NEED TO TALK) ●●●●● Five people dressed in comedy banana skins enact an unhappy break-up over five hours. Rotating between roles, so that the gender or sexuality of the two thwarted lovers is never fixed, it follows the break-up from the slight sense of discomfort in the first hour, moving through confessions, resentments, nastiness and, finally, resignation. (Gareth K Vile) Summerhall,14, 21 Aug, 6pm, £10 (£8). CARRIED AWAY ●●●●● Fresh-faced Phoebe (Lizzie Gray) is clearly in a tizz: she is pregnant after a one-night-stand with a DJ. This well-paced and genuinely funny show from Alexandra Simonet and Lizzie Gray, who alternate performing the role, owes a generous debt to Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s superb Fleabag. (Irina Glinski) C royale, until 20 Aug, 6pm, £8.50–£10.50 (£6.50–£10.50).
COW ●●●●● Cow shows us Bethan returning from London to take over her parents’ farm and struggling in the process. A mixture of high intensity dance, monologues and songs mingle together to tell Bethan’s story. Jessica Barker-Wren’s voice is the strongest part of the show, while much of the narrative is, at best, mundane. (Liam Hainey) Underbelly Cowgate, until 27 Aug (not 16), 1.30pm, £9–£11 (£8–£9). THE DELIGHTS OF DOGS AND THE PROBLEMS OF PEOPLE ●●●●● There are some nice hints early in the text to the character James’ controlling and emotionally abusive true self, which shows off the best of Rosalind Blessed’s writing. Overall, it is a bit over-performed and underwritten, which doesn’t do justice to the complex and emotive subject matter at hand. (Irina Glinski) SpaceTriplex, until 26 Aug (not 13, 20), times vary, £10 (£8).
S R E M L A H C H T E B
: O T O H P
DUST ●●●●● In an unflinching examination of a suicide, this stripped- back monologue for one woman inspects the unavoidable practicalities, heart-wrenching decisions and pain – plus the laughter. What could be a bleak monologue is however peppered with dry humour through Milly Thomas’s sharp, quick writing and excellent delivery. (Adeline Amar) Underbelly Cowgate, until 27 Aug, 4.40pm, £10–£11 (£9–£10).
FLIGHT ●●●●● Flight is not a ‘true story’, and, as such, is capable of dealing with the wider issues of migration without relying on the authenticity of the two boys’ lives here: their shared journey offers both a triumphant and tragic conclusion and the gentleness of the script and scenography reveals a rich reflective relevance. (Gareth K Vile) Church Hill Theatre, until 27 Aug (not 16, 22), times vary, £15.
GLITTER PUNCH ●●●●● Glitter Punch is a classic coming of age story told through the diaries of 16-year-old Molly. There is no traditional happily ever after. Molly ends the story as neither victim nor winner. But having drawn us into her life, with wit and passion, there is hope that she can find happiness for herself. (Liam Hainey) Assembly George Square, until 28 Aug, 1.15pm, £10–£12. LOSERS ●●●●● Losers has a strong premise: the rise of celebrity culture has created a generation of people more interested in fame than ability or integrity. The performances are engaging, and play up the vacuity of the wannabe, but the sharpness of the satire never quite hurts enough. (Gareth K Vile) Underbelly Cowgate, until 27 Aug, 11.20pm, £10 (£9).
MORALE IS HIGH (SINCE WE GAVE UP HOPE) ●●●●● If the finale attempts to comment on the contradictions of preaching to the converted without any strategy for change, it doesn’t quite redeem the shortcoming itself. Full of energy, unchanneled anger and accurately depicting the impasse of British politics, Morale still doesn’t rise above the anxiety it depicts. (Gareth K Vile) Summerhall, until 20 Aug (not 16), 10.15pm, £12 (£10). MY PET, MY LOVE ●●●●● My Pet, My Love is a gentle, contemplative work, but it packs a mighty emotional punch all the same. Through Rob Gaetano’s fluid characterisation and his disarming candour, it glows as a delicate but brave meditation on memory, love, loss and death. (David Kettle) C royale, until 28 Aug, 7.35pm, £8.50–£10.50 (£6.50–£8.50).
NINA – A STORY ABOUT ME AND NINA SIMONE ●●●●● With the support of a superb three-piece band, Josette Bushell-Mingo closes the show by belting some of Simone’s best-known songs with explosive energy, garnering raucous applause from the audience. The exultant ending brings the show full circle, echoing the problem with revolution: it suggests that you end up right back where you started. (Irina Glinski) Traverse, run ended. OLD STOCK: A REFUGEE LOVE STORY ●●●●● There’s a lot of grit and passion in this cabaret- style creation, and Old Stock raises questions about our age-old distrust of outsiders. But there’s a problem with structure, too. If it doesn’t quite live up to its opening
Flight
promise, it’s a thrilling, enlightening ride nonetheless. (David Kettle) CanadaHub @ King’s Hall in association with Summerhall, until 27 Aug (not 21), 9.30pm, £10 (£8). PIP UTTON’S GREATEST HITS: CHURCHILL ●●●●● The problem is that the material suffers from being well-worn. Everyone knows Churchill’s epoch-defining speeches, and they are repeated here again almost verbatim. More originality in the script would not go amiss. Still, Utton at his least successful is still head and shoulders above many at their worst – a major talent. (Lorna Irvine) Pleasance Courtyard, until 28 Aug, 12.25pm, £8.50–£11 (£7.50–£10).
THE SOFT SUBJECT (A LOVE STORY) ●●●●● Chris Woodley’s tale is deeply personal. As such a few storytelling blips in the latter half of the hour obscure the audience’s understanding, leaving us, like a struggling pupil, fighting to catch up. Nevertheless, Woodley’s confidence and passion for energetic nineties pop send us home with contented smiles. (Liam Hainey) Assembly Halls, until 28 Aug, 4.25pm, £9–£11 (£8–£10).
ZSA ZSA AND ME ●●●●● When Zsa Zsa Gabor died, obituary writers were quick to point out that, while she had no obvious talents, Gabor was a harbinger of the vacuous celebrity culture. Adding a little more meat on the bones of the anecdotes involved should make sure that Nigel Miles- Thomas gives Zsa Zsa the send-off she truly deserves. (Eddie Harrison) Gilded Balloon at Rose Theatre, until Aug 29 (not 21), 6pm, £11–£12 (£10–£11). 17–28 Aug 2017 THE LIST FESTIVAL 91