We"

V THEATRE

THE DEVILS

I have to say that I‘m a fan of revenge tragedy. Darkness. violence. melodrama and death they're all right up my street. and this production has them all in abundance. A modern play based around events in 16th century France. The Devils tells the story of the downfall of a hedonistic priest at the hands of the authorities and a group of frustrated nuns with, of course, lots of sex and torture thrown in.

The production would have benefited from more sympathetic lighting and staging but the company‘s

FESTIVAL

Sonnenburg had a good name but an even better brother. He was Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. and he. like everyone else. called his sister Nannerl. Monica

enthusiasm won through and they produced a powerful and energetic performance. The play also benefited from having a large cast - the

sight of five possessed Shallis‘s monologue is nuns in convulsions on written for Nannerl

stage quite took the Mozart. and sadly

breath away. (Frances succeeds in relegating her Cornford) even further into the ITIIO Devils(Fringe) darkness of her sibling‘s Aspects Touring shadow by concentrating Company. The Mad mainly on her reaction to Abbot (Venue 84) 447 his considerable

881 1 . until 29 Aug. achievements.

6.15pm. £4(£3.50).

V THEATRE

MY BROTHER MOZART

Maria Anna Walburga Ignatia von Berchtold zu

‘I‘m not jealous.‘ Nannerl keeps telling us. but she had good cause to be. Her own attempts at composition were dismissed and her performance career ambushed at puberty due to her sex. Domestic details of her marriage and subsequent lifestyle are only hinted at in the script. and the interesting fact that she died in poverty falls outside its scope.

Melanie Avon does her best to animate material with little bite and which does not contain enough fresh information about the Mozart family to be of real interest. (Roberta Mock)

I My Brother Mozart (Fringe) Cygnet Theatre.

EDINBURGH FESTIVAL CHORUS

SOUTH AFRICA’S

AUDITIONS 1992/93

HIT COMPANY ARE BACK

Your opportunity to sing with the world's leading conductors and soloists. Recordings, Radio and Television Performances, Foreign Tours.

TW EDINBURGH FESTIVAL 1992

THEATRE FOR AFRICA

For a personal audition please write or telephone:

The Chorus Secretary _ (031-226 4001) MON 17 AUG Edinburgh FestivalSociety SAT 5 SEPT (NOT SUN) 21 Market Street Edinburgh EH1 18W.

ELEPHANT OF AFRICA

EDINBURGH GRADUATE

presents QUARTERMAINE'S

TERMS

By Simon Gray

August 25th to September 5th '92 7.30pm

Adam House Theatre (Venue 34). Chambers Street

TICkets from Fringe Office. Usher Hall. Venue. or phone 031 225 8696

12.30PM £5 (£3) THEATRE GROUP v

HORN OF SORROW 2PM £5 (£3)

KWAMANZI 2PM £5 (£3)

THEATRE WORKSHOP 34 HAMILTON PLACE EDINBURGH EH3 SAX

031 - 226 5425

. be good too.

Festival Club (Venue 36) 650 2395. 27 Aug. 6.30pm. £3 (£2.50).

V THEATRE HAMLET

lfyou‘re going to make an audience sit through two and a quarter bumcheek-flattening hours of Shakespeare without an interval. it had better be good. And if you're doing Ham/er with nine actors. they'd better

performance that offers moistening of the eyes in return for numbing ofthe buttocks. (Andrew Burnet)

l Hamlet (Fringe) Accented Images. Playhouse Studio (Venue 59) 557 259(1/225 5105. until 5 Sept. 7. ltlpm. £6.50 (£4.50).

V CABARET '

IT’SAMAN’S, MAN’S, MAN’S, MAN’S WORLD

An insubstantial romp about the things women have to go through to succeed in a predominately male world.

Ann. a room servant in a

Luckily. Miranda Wood‘s production for Accented Images resoundineg passes muster on both counts. Dispensing with the first scene. most ofthe play-within-a-play. Rosencrantz.

3 hotel. is brought on to the ‘Grace Love and Now‘ i

Guildenstern. the Gravediggers. Fortinbras and a good many lines. Wood has created an energetic. ingenious and economical production which is frequently surprising and often inspired.

Though his delivery is erratic. Will Keen makes a terrific Hamlet: haunted. witty and violently passionate; but all the principal actors show sparks ofexcellence. A

reveal celebrity secrets. but ends up divulging her own truths.

Choosing a soft satirical

: style. as opposed to aggressive anti-male

stance. the show‘s

message is that women have to be more aware and make changes that suit themselves.

Unfortunately. the many American

televisionchatshowto .

references don’t travel well leaving the audience cool to what is obviously meant to be humourous material. The performers have undeniable skills. and what they say as women is justified. but the writing is naive and superficial. and the satire is without bite. (Michael Balfour)

I lt'sA Man's, Man's. Man's. Man’s World (Fringe) Cart Before The Horse Productions. Theatre West End (Venue 126) until 29 Aug. 11.15 pm. £5 (£4). Hill Street Theatre (Venue 41 ) 225 7294. 30 Aug—5 Sept. 7.15 pm. £5 (£4).

.I 2‘

THE PLEASANCE, 60 THE PLEASANCE, EDINBURGH

15th AUGUST-5th SEPTEMBER ’92, 9.00 pm. Tickets: MOO/£5.00 concession

N.8. Nolshows on lath August. 17th August 8. In September

BOX OFFICE: O3I-556 6550 (Credit cards)

TICKETS AVAILABLE FROM: The Pleasance and Festival Fringe Box Office (03 I-226 5 I 38)

34 The List 28 August - 10 September 1992