The Traverse Company COLUMBUS: BLOODING THE OCEAN
The Traverse Company THE LIFE OF STUFF
Communicado
% CYRANO
DE BERGERAC
Theatreworks,
' Singapore
MADAME MAO'S
MEMORIES
4..
Bambalina Titelles,
Spain QUIJOTE
One Yellow Rabbit, Canada SERPENT KILLS
Cinnabar, England REVELATIONS: THE TESTAMENT 0F SALOME
SUZANNE BONNAR Scotland
A PEN & A FIDDLE Norma MacCaig & Aly Bain
TOM MCGRATH ENCOUNTERS C.P. TAYLOR
THE INDEPENDENT! TRAVERSE
TRAVERSE
40312281404
.w .-:..-:r:-:-:-:».-:-:‘-:v.-’. : : : .-.-.-2i-I-eal-:-(:<::'ivi::'5¢:‘?u}
? g 'g.’ é if? g
a"? a: g
:3}
mw‘wfi-K TmmimM'sfim-sfic«wsixw‘c-:~z~$-.'3m~:x+§~ Q.
.'\\::I\:: 'i
.‘11
i.
w (##filf-t-M4-3-2-:-:-:’-x-:fiE-‘fv‘-'4:’-‘-"”W .ov new. "59,59 I"? " " "14:55:44,993:-
V THEATRE
SCHIPPEL
Schippel, the local plumber and (gasp) a bastard, has a voice to melt butter. Adolph dies. leaving a randy fiance and a vocal quartet without a tenor. After lots of grotesque snobbery. confusion, trysts up ladders, etc. Schippel takes Adolph‘s place.
I suppose ifyou like this sort ofthing, the play is fine. Tales of petit bourgeois pomposity. however, leave me cold, perhaps since I‘ve never met a member of the petit bourgeoisie. I assume this early 20th century species became extinct due to stupidity. Perhaps ifour theatre began to satirise those who took their
' place, I‘d become
interested. Let‘s see Tories and Republicans on balconies being squirted by faulty plumbing instead.
See Schippel if you must. The set is a nightmare but the singing‘s rather stirring. (Roberta Mock)
I Schippel (International Festival) Greenwich Theatre Company, Church Hill Theatre, until 22 August, 7.30pm; 22 Aug, 2.30pm mat, £8—£12.
V THEATRE
oncmos IN'THE MOONLIGHT
Based on a turbulent episode in the life oftwo elderly Mexican film stars, Maria Felix and Dolores Del Rio. this production of Carlos Fuentes‘s script, is a sort of Latin-American What Ever Happened To Baby
Jane. The two women live
in a strange twilight world, glowing in the light ofpast glories but unsure of who they are or should be. lmmortalised by celluloid but with old age creeping upon them like leprosy, they are Hollywood's portrait in the attic. The play is acted by two very much younger actresses, evokingthe illusion of living in the past. Set in a cramped room in Venice (California), the walls begin to close in and the melodramatic. lusty
' relationship between the
women sparkles and dazzles like paste jewellery. (Beatrice Colin).
I Orchids in the Moonlight (Fringe) Southern Development Trust. Richard Demarco Theatre (Venue 22) 557 ()707. 17—29 Aug, 7.30pm. £4.50 (£3.50).
V CABARET ,
THE MAKINGS OF A MAGICIAN
The egg dutifully appeared in the pocket. The scarves miraculously tied themselves up in knots. The water materialised in the rice bowls. The punter's£10 note. identifiable by its
/.
FESTIVAL
torn corner, surfaced in a previously uncut lemon.
This is Magic. Not startlingly original Magic. but good old-fashioned Magic nonetheless.
Not that Ian Keable intended anything different. He has made it his job to take us down Magic‘s memory lane, pointing out landmarks of interest en route. lfthe patter of 19th century Viennese magician, llofsinger, loses a bit in the translation. the tricks still travel across the centuries. I suspect, however, that Keable's apparent demystification ofa few tricks of the trade is a bit of a con. Couldn‘t he be expelled from the Magic Circle for that? (Roberta Mock)
I The Makings ot a Magician (Fringe) lan Keable, Pleasance (Venue 33) 556 6550. until 5 Sept. 6.30pm. £4.50 (£3.50).
V THEATRE REAL-TIME
The drifting, the unloved, the lonely and the displaced populate the crumbling glory of Eva‘s Bar in Tel Aviv. All immigrants, they cling to each other like drowning souls while longing for someone else. Eli loves Milan, Milan loves the wife who left him and Eva longs for her dead husband. When Milan‘s wife comes back, the uneasy calm is broken.
In this heady mix of movement rather than words, the production conjures up underlying emotions and lyrical sensitivities. Real-Time is
also visually astonishing with a closely woven tapestry of interesting and diverse effects. Unusual. poetic and, most significantly, inspired, this production engulfs the audience and swallows them whole. (Beatrice Colin)
I Baal-Time (Fringe) Tmu-Na, Richard Demarco Theatre (Venue 22) 557 0707, 17-29 Aug (not Sun) 6pm, £5 (£3.50).
V THEATRE
THE STORY OF THE LAST OF THE JUST
The Besht Tellers‘ adaptation of Andre Schwartz-Bart‘s novel relates the legend ofthe line of Jewish ‘just men’
from the 12th century
Rabbi Levy of York to Ernie Levy. the ‘last ofthe just‘, killed at Auschwitz. His extraordinary life and times form the focus ofthe narrative.
The production has flaws: it will get tighter— at nearly three hours. it is too long; and the live music is evocative, but occasionally intrudes. However. the strong troupe (Danny Schienmann is outstanding) tells its tale with considerable wit. invention and passion. They have created an intimate, intelligent show, well worth seeing. (Jon Webster)
I The Story of the Last of the Just (Fringe) Becht Tellers, Richard Demarco Gallery and Theatre (Venue 22) 5570707, until 22 Aug. 7.30pm; 24—29 Aug, 10.30pm,£5.50 (£4).
“:5
Teaming up with Opera North, contemporary dance company Adventures in Motion Pictures has come up with a brand new version of Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker tor a specially expanded line-up of eighteen dancers. Directed by Martin Duncan, the ballet goes on a lantastlcal ioumey from Christmas party to sickly wedding least and promises to be avlsual and
THE UTCRACKER
musical treat. The production is sharing the bill with Tchaikovsky’s Yolanta, also performed by Opera North. (MFF)
Yolanta and The Nutcracker (Intematlonal Festival) Opera North/Adventures in Motion Pictures, King’s Theatre, 225 5756, 26, 28, 29 Aug, 7pm, 210-235.
42 The List 21 — 27 August 1992