FESTIVAL REVIEW
and a vandal before going to ('ambridge and w inning a poetry medal. There is no trace of her earlier life here. I’urrir‘ii/c' appears to hay e been w ritten by someone w ho has had no experience of life outside black-crwered l’eugums At timesit wasdrffieult to keep from laughing aloud at the sheer pretension of the language. \\ oi‘ds ‘fly like dyingbirds‘ oi arelike fools who are 'deconiposed and ray mg in the suri.' Breath is. of course. silken. and people don't see things they hay c ‘visionsofbrightness' The precise setting of l’olandon (‘hristmas lave. 1970. is inystify mg and raises questions like ‘I low is the prodigal father able toget in and out of the country as he pleases.” But the biggest mystery of all is how this play got beyond the academic exercise stage. (Norma Bordwell) l’arricide. (‘ainbridge Arms ((‘oinmon home i. Royal Mile Primary School ( Venue 5“). until 3'7 Aug. b. 15pm. £2.50 (£2).
SALT OF THE EARTH
John (iodber's play is a saga of Yorkshire mining life from the mid-forties to the present day. It is rich in that particularly Northern humour which sustains the miners and their families through the hardships ofthat life A the threat ofdanger. bereavement. redundancy and strikes.
We see the Hickman family gradually overcoming their bickerings and iii-fighting. taking a positive view of their lot of ‘losing life for coal' and establishing at last a sense of unity and common pride that allow s them to accept back into the fold the son w ho has alienated himself by going to university in the south.
The deliberate avoidance of any politicisation giy es the play a softer finish than one might hope for. and consquently it tends towards soap opera in tone. While a strong cast. sound staging and good direction make this a very worthy piece of work from l‘lullTruck. I would have welcomed the bite that could have been the result of a more critical narrative view. (Sandy Richardson) I Salt of the Earth llull Truck. George Square Theatre (Venue 37) 667 3704. Until 27 August ( not Sun). 1pm; 29 Aug—3 Sept 7pm. £5 (£4.50)
_- STRANGE AS AN ANGEL
The poems of l .aw reiice l‘erlighetti form the testof this piece; his search for happiness its sub-text. l he tortured soul of an artist is shown as a fight between an aii\iousangel. m w hite suspenders ov ei a gleaming w hite body stocking. and a pan figure. A catholic upbringingat war with a pagan sensibility Askingheavcii about the possibility of attaininghappiness in this world leadsonly tofurthei anarchy whilst the poet seuriies for a measurable safety behind the televisionscreen. l’oernssiniply declaimed whilst the actors think up waysof using up a giant roll of paper neither add to our picture of l‘crlighetti nor to the dramatic impact. excitement comes w hen the drummer. left to comment and accompany disconsolatcly offstage. finally takesoverthe action and we hear a wondrous display of technique. ofexeiting rhythms and disturbing freedom from restraint. ls ihythin riughtier than the word" ('l‘inch Minter) I Animus (iilded Balloon (venue 3S) L'ntil 3 Sept (not 22 ck 2‘) Aug)
.~.15pin.£3(£2)
THE TAINTED HONEY 0F HOMICIDAL BEES
lileaiior Zeal has written 'a comedy which becomes blacker as it unravels. but this does not detract from the enjoyment it gives. oi the idea of it being a serious comment upon the age-old theme of the responsibiltiesof parenthood and the stain of murder on a family
Det. lnspeetoi Lamp. the bullying but quick—witted policeman. remarks. as he reveals the identity of Jonathan's murderer. ‘those Greek blokes knew how to say it sow cll'. and indeed the connections with Aescliy lus' ()reyfiu become apparent towards the endofthe play.
The action is fast and funny . with strong performances from the cast of three w omen.w ho
triple-uptoplay the extraordinarycharacters
ofthe Eveling house-hold.
Amanda Maguire's Betty is hilarious. an old lrish woman muddled and mad. Elenor Zeal's subdued Duck and outrageous Dirk Bob Doug Kirby.
w ho is more keen on his marrows than his wife.
FESTIVAL THEATRE
and the sharp but obno\ious Inspector lamp play ed by Debbie lloldeii. ’l‘he show needs polishingaround the edges. but more than this it requires a lively and responsry e audience. (Nicola Robertson) ITainfed Honey of Homicidal Bees '1 llealfe (Iiddis. (aiioiigate lodge (yeiiue 5) 55'» l ASS] l'ntil .1 Sept S H5pii‘. H5” it: <m
VIVA ESPANA
"l be trouble w itli Spain is that there aie too many Spics‘ says Have. an epitomisatioii of much that is crass. empty and tifiloyable about lhateherism He has loadsariioiicy . but little else. and descends on some unfortunate. but presumably not unsuspecting. lbei ian holiday resort determined to get as pissed as possible. \\ lllc‘ll he acliiev es. and to have sex w ith any woman foolish or drunk enough to agree. .lohii Burrow s' new play is a gloi ious send ripof Club 15.3” holidays. a man‘s cipher for sea. sun. sand. se.\ and saiigi ia. not to mention a flaunting of the Linton .lack and an unhealthy dose of gratuitous violence. It is presented in Hull 'l'i riek‘s polished sty lc and will. inev itably . pull in a huge audience (Steve Briggs) I Viva Espana Ilult I'rriek. (ieorgeSquaie l'heatre (y enue 37 ) rm" 37(l4. [hill 3 Sept. ltipin. LVN)
— YELLOW FEVER
\\ ith practically every American city claiming its own fictional detective these days. it w as inevitable that someone would create anoriental priv ate cy e for the stage.
.. a y .‘ _
Instead of Sam Spade w e get Sam Shika/c. a flip and tough Japanese American. The play rev ol\ es around trouble in the sleazy part of Vancouver during the l‘)7lls. starting with the kidnapping of the local beauty queen w ho happens to be ( ’liinese The production is nicely staged and the atmosphere is smokey RA. Shioini‘s Yellow Fever is performed by the Pan Asian Repertory Theatre and you probably w ill not see a more professional troupe on the Fringe. hay iiig played these parts for in e months Off Broadway. Donald l.i as Sam and Bea Soong as girl reporter Nancy Wing are terrific and the supporting cast is excellent. If you like detective mysteries. you'll loy c this gentle poke at every steieotype in every story you have ever read. (Kerry Napuk) I Yellow Fever Pan Asian Repertory. American l‘estival lhcatre. l’leasance ( Venue 53 l SN) (1550. 3.30 pm. ’5 (1-1)
i l
a retiring boy to an adult whose adultery led to his w'ife‘scliff-top suicide.
A startling. obscure and professional piece which rises cliches and ridiculous exaggeration to create vivid effect. it says nothing new . despite its lonescan quii‘kiness and parody . A powerful work. ney ertheless. it is strongly performed by a talented cast (Anne l’angboru'nc. lilaine l-arilamb. lai’ic Prince and David Rosamond). Superbly orchestrated in every sense. from Wagner to a wind machine. this is a bravely experimental play in which the music and strikingly visual tableaux speak far louder than the tediously overcharged script. (Rosemary (ioringl I Wildsea-Wildsea NS'I't‘. (‘alton Studios ( Venue 71 ) 556 7(lbb. l'ntil :7 August (not Sun ) (i._‘~flpiii. ; £3. £2.5(i
— HEY NICARAGUA!
In 1985 Peter (‘ainpliiig a Dev elopmental Studies student at L'l:A. went to
WILDSEA WILDSEA
Award-winner at the liaster National Student Drama l‘cstiy al. the NS'I‘("spioduetion of Erie Prince's Wildsea~\\'iidsca is no ordinary affair A weiid. often beiiiUsing medley of music. mime and seemingly disjointed scenes. it is created around two men. two women. who turn their eyes scaw ards. ln the spuinc and thunder the characters confront themselves. past. ne and future. The gray c of a thousand sad souls. the sea represents death and solace. particularly for the child who has grow n front
economics of the coffee industry. He was
oy erw helmed r— ‘not so much by the politics. but the culture and optimism ofthe place. I'd never seen people enjoying themselves so inricli.'
When he got back he w rote Hey .Vicuruguu.’. a play which is eiijoyiiigits second year at the Fringe. The play intersperses a history of Nicaragtta with the story of the past ten years in the life of a Nicaraguan family.
’I‘old through songs. slides. sketches. masks. and ev en a Punch and Judy show. the history is a bit iushed at the beginning (1522- 1912 flash by so fast you hardly notice them) but slows down and picks tip with the arrival of
i LM l HeyNicaragiia!
j ' DAPTATIONS
Samosa and then the revolution.
It is difficult with a play like this to judge how much of its power derives simply from the force of its subject matter. (‘ertainly there are faults. the North of Izngland accents for example. but many scenes worked very well. arousing all the emotions that good propaganda should l'his rs a play that makes no pretence at detachment. The message iselear l’atiialibrclO morii (Kasia Boddy)
I Hey Nicaragua! AKA? 'l‘heatre (‘o-Op. Assembly Rooms (venue 3) 22(x2427 8. l'ntil 27
Aug. Noon. L4 5fl(£3.5(l).
SONATA FOR RIMBAUD
David Abbott uses the
poetry of Arthur Rimbaud
to jump off into the world of America today ‘I‘he foremost symbolist poet of nineteenth century l-‘rance metamorphoses into a motorbike racer. daring liiniselftoever greater risks. the parking lot valet who cheeks rich clients. the disillusioned young man who pronounces job like .lob. the Old Testament symbol ofendurance David Abbott's y ery‘ physical performance emphasises the lost A merican dream. the search for the self. substituting new world naiyety' for Rimbaud's precocity. His father. Philip Abbott. directs the young man's search through some ofthe poems. through meeting an old beggar w hoclaims there is a physical similarity. This was effective acting. but centring the piece on failed ambition put it at variance with Rimbaud's life. ('l’inch Minter)
I New Voicesfrom America New York to l lolly'wood. (‘haplaincy ('entre (venue 23) 12-21 Augfnot 14) 4.45pm. 22-27 Aug 7.30pm and 2‘) Aug—3 Sept. Noon. i3.5(l(£3).
ARMED NEUTRALITY
Don't marry a novelist. they alwaysget the last word. 'l homas llardy . thr name on everyonc's reading list was admired during his lifetime and is remember ed for posterity. l€rnma l lardy. his first wife. liveson through the poetry which her death inspired in the regretful Hardy . but what was the woman really like'.’ Armed Neutrality
purports to set the record
straight. A bi av e insight
'I‘he Lis-r'igé :5 August was 19