FESTIVAL
i—
LES MACLOMA
been well-disposed lor this,
the stairs to Pleasance One,
tor a Fringe act and clapped.
' 0‘s ‘1' “ ’ i x‘ ,1“ ‘ 4
There’s only one red nose in Les Macloma, but the clowning sentiment is still there. You know the sort oi thing: big tits and bums are lunny, as are telling over and pulling bits ol the scenery down with you. lshouid have
when l was calmly making my way up
saying ‘please queue here' iell loudly and heavily onto the back at my head. I tried to see the lunny side as a small group oi irritating punters mistook me
Not ior nothing are telling over and being hit on the head two oi the world’s oldest jokes, and Les Macloma have
because
a placard
France)
3PM/6PM
their high points, but not enough to stretch over 100 minutes. The couple sitting next to me ‘loved mime' and they seemed to enjoy some oi the silent, absurdist bits. Otherwise the atmosphere was a bit ilat. I liked the section where one Macloma played the piano on his side, and the clown who took the part oi a glum waiter and a buxom opera singer was brilliant. The Tlananmen Square joke was less lunny, lthought. But then perhaps I was suiierlng irom concussion. (Miranda
Les Macloma (Fringe), Pleasance (Venue 33) 556 6550, Until 5 Sept (not 1), 5.45pm, £5.50.
present
72: FREELOAD ON THE FESTIVAL fr
TheGILDED BALLOON, one of the liveliest venues in this year's fringe is offering readers of The List a chance to see some of their best shows FREE!!! Tickets may be picked up only on the day of each performance, at The Gilded Balloon Box Office, on a FIRST COME, FIRST SERVED BASIS. Please take the whole magazine along with you. Tickets subject to availability and limited to one pair per person.
Please note that all shows are on 28 August.
v CABARET '
ARTHUR SMITH SINGS ANDY WILLIAMS
Well, Ok. he does. But he also gives an inspired lecture on a certain Arthur Craven — one of the century‘s great failed poets. philosophers. artists. dancers. wits and boxers. Smith tells of Craven‘s attempt on the World Heavyweight Boxing championship (the bout lasted just under a minute). his three-minute boxing/dancing spectacular at a Parisian nightclub and his (supposed) death. ‘Supposed‘ because Smith‘s grand theory is that Craven changed his name and became American singer and entertainer. . . you guessed it. It‘s all justan excuse for Smith and his mate, Tony Hawkes l
accompanying on the piano. to croon some Williams songs. The whole thing lasts just over halfan hour. It costs 50 pence. Oh yeah. and it is the funniest show you‘ll see this or any other year. Absolutely brilliant. (Philip Parr)
I Arthur Smith Sings Andy
William8(Fringe).The
Pleasance (Venue 33) 556 6550. until 31 Aug. 4.30pm. 50p; 29 Augonly. 4.30pm.£10.
HARD TIMES
This stage version ofthe Dickens novel stresses the utilitarian educational philosophy of the period. Facts and figures from the
School of Statistical Zeal
are tempered with circus merriment in an exacting philosophy ofamuse ‘em
. and abuse ‘em.
Although Mrs Sparsit (Dawn Wrench). 3
v THEATRE
high-society lady now fallen on hard times, is a delight and the stagingis sometimes innovative, your main impulse is to
. rereadthe novel.The ; indictment of industrial 3 capitalismislargely
l
absent. and both Gradgrind and Bounderby are reduced to soap-opera figures with relatively minor personal problems. (Wes Shrum) I Hard Times (Fringe) CYT Productions. The Roxy (Venue 27) 650 8499,28 Aug, 3.45pm,£4 (£3).
STEVE COOGAN & JOHN THOMPSON
Four pairs of tickets to see STEVE COOGAN IN CHARACTER WITH JOHN THOMPSON (10.30pm).
GERRY MCNULTY
Four pairs oi tickets to see GERRY MCNULTY PRESENTS (7.30pm).
KARL MCDERMOTT
Four pairs oi tickets to see Karl McDermolt in MONROVIA, MONROVIA (3.00pm).
MORTON, MACAULAY, ,az FERGUSON “ Four pairs oi tickets to see "’ “é RICHARD MORTON AND FRED ‘ I , MACAULAY WITH LYNN FERGUSON ‘ (10.00pm).
, “ BEN KEATON & PAUL DAVIES " ~' Four pairs of tickets to see THE HELL GUIDES (4.30pm).
The List 28 August — 10 September 1992 29