FESTIVAL THEATRE | Reviews at a Glance REVIEWS AT A GLANCE
For full length versions of these reviews, see list.co.uk/festival
ALMA, A HUMAN VOICE ●●●●● A tricky, very challenging piece that eventually manages a strange kind of alchemy; as a consideration of the idea, or the ideal, of a muse, it takes obscure material and creates something that’s both comprehensible and moving for audiences willing to make the considerable effort required. (Eddie Harrison) Summerhall, until Aug 26, (not 20), 11.50am, £10 (£8).
AILSA BENSON IS MISSING ●●●●● It’s a character study with real bite, meditating on the male gaze, and issues around trust when families are riven by parental separation. Ailsa Benson is not an easy or reassuring experience, but a thought-provoking and haunting piece which lingers long after. (Lorna Irvine) Assembly Rooms, until 25 Aug, 2.20pm, £10 (£9).
THE ASPIRATIONS OF DAISE MORROW ●●●●● The excellent acting and precise staging, with entrances and exits among spectators, still succeeds in capturing Patrick White’s performative writing. Daise Morrow is captivating, easily shifting from humorous observations to moments of sheer energy or emotion. The flashback to Daise’s first encounter with her lover, in particular, remains a highlight of poetic writing, acting and directing. (Adeline Amar) Assembly George Square Gardens, run ended. THE BASEMENT TAPES ●●●●● Stella Reid is captivating in the central role, but there’s a sense that even she’s occasionally treading water rather than cranking up the tension before the unnerving final moments. Nevertheless, it’s a chilling, cleverly conceived hour of theatre that will have you unpicking its clues long after the show’s over. (David Kettle) Summerhall, until 26 Aug (not 20), 6.30pm, £12 (£10).
THE CHORE OF ENCHANTMENT ●●●●● What makes this hour really special is that this is a magic show about magic itself. Vincent Gambini uses the distancing device of a dream to allow him to complete what he claims is his final show. But this is a brilliantly provocative blend of theatre and magic, as challenging and stimulating as it is entertaining. (David Kettle) Underbelly Bristo Square, until 27 Aug (not 20), 5.45pm, £9.50–£10.50 (£8.50–£9.50). CHECK UP: OUR NHS AT 70 ●●●●● Home truths, as with pills, are better with a little sweetener, and Mark Thomas’ scathing delivery is, of course, hilarious and self-deprecating, musing on his own weight and potential future
92 THE LIST FESTIVAL 15–27 Aug 2018
illnesses. It’s a compassionate and trenchant show, with typical Thomas zingers and some nice theatrical touches. (Lorna Irvine) Traverse, until 26 Aug (not 20), times vary, £20.50 (£15.50).
DRENCHED ●●●●● It’s a neat concept for a show, and there’s masses of potential in the swaggering, misguided Drenched, among whose gems is a pedantic slagging-off of Poldark. But it’s hard to recommend a show that seems to want to mystify and frustrate its audience for so much of its length. (David Kettle) Pleasance Courtyard, until 27 Aug, 3pm, £9–£11 (£8–£9). FIRST SNOW / PREMIÈRE NEIGE ●●●●● Although fluently played by the cast, the Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner? framework is hackneyed, and the failure to say anything political other than the blandest ‘why can’t we all just get along?’ hand-wringing marks First Snow as another missed opportunity to grasp the thistle and say anything at all about Scottish or Quebecois politics. (Eddie Harrison) CanadaHub @ King’s Hall, until 26 Aug (not 20), 6.10pm, £15 (£13).
GLASGOW ’14 ●●●●● Written by Sally Lewis, Glasgow ’14 takes on male mental illness as a subject, performed as a series of interlocking monologues by Neil Gwynne. Gwynne is a forceful, skilled performer who takes on each role with real verve, but putting together a jigsaw of a fictional tragedy against the background of a real one is a genuine error of judgment. (Eddie Harrison) theSpace @ Surgeons Hall, until 18 Aug, 8.10pm, £10 (£8). HARPY ●●●●● Philip Meeks’ play is
more than simply a vehicle for Su Pollard: it’s a shifting, elusive piece, part thriller, part family tragedy, that asks pointed questions about our care for the elderly, and the ease with which we attribute blame to those we misunderstand or fear. Its gags – and yes, there’s plenty of gentle humour – are occasionally rather obvious, and the ending feels a shade too heartwarming for its earlier darkness. But Harpy is a likeable, deceptively provocative show all the same. (David Kettle) Underbelly Cowgate, until 26 Aug, 4pm, £12–£13 (£11–£12). HUNCH ●●●●● Beneath the humour is a deeper examination of how we make decisions: simple staging and well-measured lighting effects allow Kate Kennedy to be lying in bed, travelling through time or addressing the city with minimal fuss and neatly avoids an over-use of blackouts. This comic play is testament to the power of a one- person show to create entire worlds. (Rowena McIntosh) Assembly Roxy, until 27 Aug, 5.05pm, £10.50–£12.50 (£8.50–£10.50).
THE LAST STRAW ●●●●● While the production is masterful, the cerebral direction prevents the ideas from entirely engaging: a litany of disasters, expressed playfully, become distant jokes rather than present dangers and the austerity of the scenography heightens the sense of alienation, both within the characters and from the audience: The Last Straw is ultimately more admirable than loveable. (Gareth K Vile) Summerhall, until 26 Aug, 3pm, £12 (£10).
OLD SOULS ●●●●● Old Souls is an exploration of the universality of friendship. The friendship between Rosie and Vera is heartwarming, with the usual exchange of life lessons;
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imposter syndrome and the fear that accompanies any life development are dealt with eloquently and cheerfully, and the consideration of the possible loneliness of old age is moving but sympathetic. (Rachel Walker) PQA Venues @ Riddle’s Court, until 27 Aug (not 20), 5pm, £8 (£5.50).
PRICKS ●●●●● Moments of humour and hilarity are delivered with a punch and the more melancholic episodes are agonising in this play detailing life with type 1 diabetes. The stunning crescendo of the piece arrives when the audience are invited to experience a hypo, with Jade Byrne’s enigmatic commanding presence exploding off the stage. (Nyla Ahmad) Pleasance Courtyard, until 27 Aug, 2.15pm, £10–£11 (£8.50–£10). THE ROCKFORD FILE ●●●●● This isn’t much of an homage to the classic TV show: playing the fabled theme at the start and finish doesn’t make this feel any less of a ‘bait and switch’. It’s a shame, because Liam Grundy’s bar- room rock / country stylings are more than enough excuse for a show, and one that’s likely to be of considerably less interest to Universal Television’s copyright department. (Eddie Harrison) Pleasance Dome, until 26 Aug, (not 20), 2.50pm, £9–£10, £11–£12.
TIMMY ●●●●● A meditation on the issue of modern-day dating, it gently rails against rom-com sensibilities. The mundane subject matter is handled with humour, and the nuances of incompatibility are presented in neat dialogue. While the narrative is predictable, the play is chock-full of laugh-out-loud funny moments. (Nyla Ahmad) Assembly George Square Studios, until 27 Aug, 4.15pm, £9–£11 (£8–£10).
USER NOT FOUND ●●●●● The show might feel a little too whimsical to truly grapple with issues surrounding our online identities. But as a portrait of twice-lost love, it’s heartbreaking. And a couple of truly moving moments remind us that, for all the show’s technological cleverness, what’s vital to us all is human contact. (David Kettle) Traverse at Jeelie Piece café, until 26 Aug (not 20), 8pm, £20.50 (£15.50). THE VANISHING MAN ●●●●● For those who delight in the rush of live magic, The Vanishing Man contains truly glorious sleight of hand and thrilling magic reveals. Some of the script wanders into the stauncher magic fan territory as the plot becomes more complex before a surprisingly poignant turn drills right to the core of our desire to believe in real magic. (Rowena McIntosh) Pleasance Courtyard, until 27 Aug, 2.10pm, £9.50–£13 (£8.50–£12).