9‘71"
SCOTTISH TRADITIONAL STORYTELLERS
Every morning Fringe ‘cvent should be as enchanting as this hour-and-a-quarter in the company of Scottish storytellers. More invigorating than even a cup of coffee and a fry-up, the magic woven by the human voice can only restore faith in the day ahead. The spirit of the ceilidh provokes the sort of camaraderie which forces you unconsciously to smile at pe0ple in the streets whom you’ve never met before. Storytelling is a neglected living art, supplanted over the years by the quill, the radio, the television. Although different storytellers will be spreading tales in this slot throughout the Festival, if they are all as skilful as Alison Millen and Peter McNeil, who performed early in the week, there will certainly be plenty of spell~binding accounts of little people, giants and ghosts in store. (Roberta Mock) I Scottish Traditional Storytellers (Fringe) The Netherbow (Venue 30) 556 9579, until 5 Sept (not Suns), 10.45am, £3.50 (£2.50).
V THEATRE
WALKING ON STICKS
From encounters while travelling in New York and Nicaragua, Sarah Cathcart weaves together the stories of three women - an American nun, an ex-US Army officer and a Nicaraguan mother. Cathcart’s own persona is portrayed as a gauche, phrase book-thumbing tourist. Through her eyes we begin to perceive and understand the different characters, what makes them tick, why circumstances have changed them, their sorrows and their fears. Employing disciplined physical and voice work , with a minimum of support from props, set or music, Cathcart creates a variety of environments and people in a combination of naturalistic narrative and more symbolic imagery. A balanced and intriguing performance. (Michael Balfour) I Walking On Sticks (Fringe) Sarah Cathcart,
FESTIVAL
In a new production by award-winning
CRIMES OF AOVERSITY
story.‘ (Michael Balfour)
writer Bill Dunlop (Klytemnestra’s '2 I" Balms), Second-Skin presents a play ’ based on the lite and times of Grace O’Maily, Chieftain Princess of Connaught turned pirate, and her Intriguing confrontation with
‘As soon as we mention the word
I pirate, we’re in trouble, because
' people immediately think at Peter Pan or Erroll Flynn,’ warns Dunlap. ‘I've by no means ditched history, but the ' records of Grace’s lite were recorded second or third-hand, so I’ve had to discover the mind of the character through her actions. This is a political saga - and one with a contemporary impact— but It’s also a very human
Crimes of Adversity (Fringe) Second Skin, Richard Demarco Theatre (Venue 22) 557 0707, until 29 Aug (not 23), noon, £4.50 (£3.50).
Assembly Rooms (Venue 3) 226 2428, until 5 Sept (not 25, 1) noon,£6/£7, (£7/£6).
HOW TO BE ALWAYS WELL OR LETTERS FROM THE SEAFRONT
Forget the Alka-Seltzer
and try the memoirs of
, Colonel Enderby Lathe
(retired) instead. Not that
the Colonel would have
any sympathy with
v whingeing whippersnappers who‘ve
I been lounging about in
bars all night. There was a time back in India when . .
And so, Roger Booth‘s
i colonel takes us on a tour
5 of the colonies, recounts
. the several Imperial wars
'5 he has taken part in, and
1 gives us his first
’ impression of Hitler, back
. in ‘34: ‘A good man to
! have in the jungle.’
l Admittedly the whole
! idea is indebted to
I Ripping Yams and as a
‘ performer there are
I moments when Booth
| patently lacks confidence,
; but as a writer he has
i created a vivid portrait of
! an endearing old homicidal bigot. Spiffing stuff for groggy chaps. (Stephen Chester) I How To Be Always Well or Letters From The Seafront (Fringe) The London
. Theatre Company, The
_ Roxy (Venue 27) 650
' 8499, untilS Sept, noon,
! £5 (£4).
v THEATRE lmewoaxs
5 Theatre des Bicyclettcs promises to provide outdoor shows to please
V THEATRE
all the family and it succeeds. With accumulated skills of juggling. dancing unicycling and mime. these experienced entertainers perform a range of delightful sequences from simulated battles to diving. head-first. into the sea from a great height.
The risky art of involving the audience was well demonstrated when Michael - an enthusiastic volunteer— almost stole the show. lie hummed Yellow Submarine on the kazoo and bobbed up and down with a balloon disguised as a fish — part ofthe fire-juggling underwater stunt! It is a shame that there isn‘t a chance fora
- child to participate. but
don‘t let that put you off. (Tamsin Grainger)
I The Works (Fringe) Theatre des Bicyclettcs. Wireworks Playground (Venue 1), until 28 Aug. 11am and 3pm, £1 .50(£1).
MARIO’S
. MAGNIFICENT . MARVELS
An entertaining mixture
- of mystery, magic and 3 banana skin comedy.
involving a greedy jewel thiefout to nab Mariothe
. Magician‘s diamonds.
The show is slick and
polished and never misses
a chance to involve and include the children in the action. In fact two young
detectives got so excited
that they sprang offtheir seats and did a few spectacular rugby tackles in an attempt to apprehend the thief. There‘s a rumour the two are planning to do their own show next Fringe.
Unplanned scenes apart, the magic is impressive as Mario turns bubbles into jewels, and special comic praise goes to Detective Who’s Clouseau-like antics. Recommended. (Michael Balfour)
I Mario's Magnificent Marvels (Fringe) Magic Carpet, Southside (Venue 82) 667 7365, until 29 Aug, 12.25pm.£3.50(£3).
FLYING CHESTY COFFS
Clearly adapted from a street show, and yet restricted by the confines ofa small stage, the Flying Chesty Coffs hike from routine to routine with general audience approval.
Utterly plotless and wholeheartedly fooling around with pranks, gags and audience participation, the (‘offs are hardy entertainers, sensitive enough to deal with shy children, adventurous enough to deal with extrovert Welshmen.
With well constructed comedy material, tried and tested visual gags, and a talent for adlibs- the two urban clowns deliver a show which is suitable for all tastes and ages. (Michael Balfour)
I Flying Chesty Colts (Fringe) Flying Chesty Coffs, Hill Street Theatre (Venue 41) 225 7294, until 5 Sept (not 23) 11.10am. £2.50 (£1 .50).
V THEATRE
PERSONA
Through astonishing physical control and minutely observed characterisation. Sandra
: Duncanilluminatesthe
l stories of five women drawn from the novels of
, MargaretLaurence.The
literary source is adapted
' with sensitiveintclligence, and evocative music is an
added enhancement. But it‘s Duncan's beautifully
restrained performance that makes the show so
hard to fault.
She draws the audience in and conjures up sharp images of life in a small town. a world shaped by sadness, loss and regret. Poignant and humorous.
warmth. subtlety and depth. An accomplished performance of the highest standard. (Michael Balfour)
I Persona (Fringe) Sandra Duncan, Pleasance (Venue 33) 556 6550, until 5 Sept (not 23, 1) noon, £5 (£4).
THE GREAT . SMILE ROBBERY :
is .2"
My throat was hoarse, my
arms were tired and I had narrowly missed reeeivin g a custard pie in my face.
It‘s impossible not to participate in this show. The audience is primed to react to particular words with either a hearty Boo or a vigorous arm wave, or to shout out ‘the Alan family have got it’ and point to an embarrassed mother timidly holding up an outsized prop.
All the antics are fed into a Roger McGough story about Emerson versus a gormless gang of Stinkers intent on mischief.
Subjected to water-pistol attacks and low-flying foam, the adults were probably cursing the day Tiswas was taken off the air — at least they could switch that off. But the kids loved every minute. (Michael Balfour)
I The Great Smile Robbery (Fringe) Custard Factory, Theatre West End (Venue 126) 20—22 Aug. 31—5 Sept, 11pm; 24—29 Aug, 1pm, £4.50 (£3).
V THEATRE
FLIPSIDE
In her sketches of women
dealing with the daily trials of motherhood, wedlock, weight problems and similar womanly trials, Flip Webster has a range of props, guises and ready facial expressions. But although the
execution of her material
is good, the material itself
is mixed.
Perhaps it’s the fact that the same kind of Sharon
i
and Tracyotypes of the show populate so many TV sitcoms that these character-sketches are not as funny as intended. And the act is strewn with weak sexual innuendoes— funny names like Ivor Biggin. It‘s not all bad. Sketches like the mucky baby eating on a high chair are quite amusing, and although not comical, the
; battle-weary housewife is
sure to find more than a
grain of truth in characters - like Webster‘s distraught
_ . mother. (RobertAlstead) the portraits resonate wrth '
I Flipside (Fringe) Flip
Webster, Gilded Balloon (Venue 38) 2262151,until
5 Sept (not Weds), noon,
£5(£4).
V THEATRE MELTING WINGS
Cross-cultural romance is a hard one tocrack. especially when you‘re employing cross-cultural dramatic techniques— from French mime to Chinese opera — to stage it.
Devised by its cast, Bonni Chan Lai (‘hu and Sean Curran, this is the tale of Big Al fae Muirhoose, who arrives in llong Kong in a dodgy suit and an optimistic frame of mind, ready to make his fortune. In his rented apartment. he meetsand falls for a squatter — Moi Moi - young, innocent and brimming with shrilljoie de vivre.
Naturally, the course of true love fails to run smooth and — with his loved one growing ever more unstable and his material aspirations thwarted — the Scots lad is forced to risk everything. Engaging and stylish, with a downbeat but moving ending. this is a brooding. surprising journey into despair, leavened by skilful performances and splashes of humour. (Andrew Burnet)
I Melting Wings (Fringe) Theatre du Pif, Richard Demarco Theatre (Venue 22) 557 0707. until 29 Aug (not 23 Aug), noon, £4.50 (£3.50).
18 The List 21 — 27 August 1992