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DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS Musical of 1980s film is loveable romp ●●●●● MEEK Religion and oppression in new drama ●●●●●

There are student shows and then there are Royal Conservatoire of Scotland student shows, and each year at the Fringe, the difference is marked. Not only does RCS throw a lot of resources at its

big musicals, in terms of staging and professional behind-the-scenes staff, but the on-stage action (and backstage musicianship) is all top-notch.

This year they’ve taken on Jeffrey Lane and

David Yazbek’s musical adaptation of Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, the 1988 film starring Steve Martin and Michael Caine and it’s a blast.

Two conmen, one refined, one less so (played here with comic aplomb by Derek Dishington and Jacob Bedford) lock horns while fleecing unsuspecting rich women on the French Riviera. A wager is decided to see who should leave town, and gullible soap heiress Janet Colgate (a very convincing and adaptable Sorrel Brown) is the target.

No spoilers of the plot-twist, but suffice to say it’s satisfying in the extreme. As is the post-modern script, peppered with funny outside-the-show quips. All singing, all dancing, all witty, and (happily) an hour and a half longer than most Fringe shows, this is ticket money well spent. (Kelly Apter) Assembly Hall, until 26 Aug (not 20), £14–£15 (£11–£12).

Penelope Skinner's drama focuses on a timely issue, that of the censoring of female voices and the rise and influence of social media. It focuses on a deeply religious society, where shame is currency and the patriarchy dominates.

When Irene (Shvorne Marks) performs a protest

song in a café, she is unaware of the fact someone has recorded it. The authorities hear it and she ends up incarcerated in a tiny cell. Then the clip starts to trend on YouTube and she

becomes an accidental celebrity of sorts. Pious best friend Anna (Scarlett Brookes) provides little comfort, instead basking in the warm glow of their childhood friendship, and sitting in purse-lipped judgement on Irene's affair with a married man.

FACE 2 FACE Technological advancement, romantic interest and narrative curveballs all a bit much ●●●●●

Technology is taking us to thrilling places, but the consequences of these developments are varied and uncertain. Will automation take even more jobs and industries? How will it change the way we interact with each other our personal relationships and sex lives? Face 2 Face is set 20 years in the future; baristas are humanoids, the latest gadget is called a ‘sleevescreen’ and an app called Thinka has established synergy between our dreams and reality.

The topic is also widely covered in popular culture, and therefore carving out an original perspective is difficult. While there are some creative ideas here, the play doesn’t break new ground.

A gorgeous, austere charcoal-marble set with a Face 2 Face is not without merit but the central plot

simple cross by Max Jones reinforces the sense of gnawing claustrophobia, but there are scenes which feel a little overwrought and too long, such as the dialogue towards the end which feels too expository. Still, the central performance by Marks is touching and thoughtful, and the central theme of technology as a symbol of both progressive and prohibitive action is pertinent, particularly as innocent words can be taken out of context. (Lorna Irvine) Traverse, until 26 Aug (not 20) times vary, £20.50 (£15.50). (a love story about finding a real human connection) tries to achieve far more than you can expect from a 50-minute performance. There’s a narrative curveball that adds very little, a further twist that can be seen coming from another planet and an abrupt ending. Luke Mazzamuto provides the best moments; his charisma shines through when he adopts the persona of an arrogant Porsche owner. Face 2 Face otherwise bites off more than it can chew. (Craig Angus) The Space @ Surgeons Hall, until 25 Aug (not 19), 3.05pm, £10 (£8).

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SIX New musical puts historical women centre stage and raises the roof ●●●●●

English history books are filled with monarchs, yet none is more talked about than Henry VIII. Why? Because he had six wives. Up until now, though he has been the talking point, not them. Well Six is here to put that right, and describe married life from the women’s point of view.

Dressed in funked-up Tudor costumes, six superb performers (triple threats one and all) bring Catherine of Aragon, Anne Boleyn, Jane Seymour, Anne of Cleves, Catherine Howard and Catherine Parr back to life. Only this time, they’re telling it like it is.

Initially set up as a competition to see ‘who had the worst life with Henry’, the women realise there’s more that unites than divides them. As a bold piece of herstory- telling, Six more than earns the many plaudits already comings its way. But this slice of 16th-century fun will find its own place in the theatrical annals of time largely due to the instantly likeable music and songs of co-writers, Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss. Each beat-driven track builds an almost gig-like frenzy in the crowd (with a few numbers already racking up plays on iTunes and Spotify), and the slow songs have a bittersweet tenderness.

It’s not hyperbole to say that Six could meet the same

kind of success as Hamilton and indeed deserves to. The two have much in common: historical re-dressing, great vocals, colour-conscious casting, and the kind of clever lyrics that make you smile in approval. (Kelly Apter) Underbelly George Square, until 27 Aug, 7.30pm (except 27, 3.30pm), £13–£18.50 (£12–£17.50).

15–27 Aug 2018 THE LIST FESTIVAL 91