No. it’s not the recently down-sized Take That rehearsing tor their UK tour. Aussie hooters Tap Dogs arrive in their tackety boots with a mission to make tap dancing hip. Clickety clickety clickety clack clack cllckety etc. The Palladium, 11 Aug-2 Sept, 7pm.
Steering well clear of auteur theory and general movie buffery. the Edinburgh Film Festival has introduced a range of new and accessible programming including. would you believe. showing films in Glasgow. The whole approach has been summed up by one image — a piece of popcorn. Edinburgh design agency Navy Blue had the nerve to suggest this blindingly obvious yet remarkably effective idea. ‘It’s an image which relates to cinema universally — people _ - would understand j" '__ _ | it anywhere in the " i world.’ says " ‘ ' designer Nick Jackson. But how will popcorn taste washed down with ajumbo cup of the sponsor’s tipple — Drambuie‘.’
The only drug we could come up with beginning with ‘Z' is some yucky tasting ulcer preparation with no known recreational use. which is why those seeking chemical enlightenment have been looking torward to Poulter & Dutt’s A-Z ot Drugs. As an added incentive. it one were needed. volunteers can sample a range at legal highs. Alter herbal ecstasy. whatever next - macrobiotic speed? Assembly Rooms. 12 Aug-2 Sept. noon.
Herbal Ecstacy supplied by Cybertonics an 0973 401659
Forget Big in Japan. This lot aim to be big all over. Last year lndo-Japanese dancer Shakti. who is perhaps best remembered tor her provocative publicity shots which are best described as ‘wet kimono'. brought three companies to the Fringe. This year the Rising Sun will be shining across Edinburgh with nine shows under the banner The Japan Experience. ‘The Edinburgh Festival is the world‘s largest arts testival but it doesn't represent the East.“ explains Shakti. ‘So I thought l’d better do something about that. l have nine unique artists trom Japan and none ot it's traditional. Everything is modern so it represents Japan today.‘ Having taken over an entire guest house tor her entourage. Shakti is now looking torward to introducing them to the Edinburgh experience. ‘Some at them have never been outside.‘ she says. “But they’ve all heard ot the Fringe. I've told them to expect a whole bunch at everything.’ (Ellie Carr) '
The Japan Experience /2’, f is at various venues. .1/ See Fringe programme for details.
Top Ten
Our crack team or hardy hacks sitt the diamonds trom the dust and present the hottest tickets tor the tirst week at the ensuing madness.
I Theatre: Lanark Alasdair Gray's novel was a startling and majestic work that took in a huge sweep of Scottish culture and presented it in new and exciting ways. taking the novel into new territory. Alastair Cording faced a tough challenge adapting the book for the stage but word has it that he’s on to a winner.
I Exhibition: Light From The Dark Room A beautifully designed exhibition that spans ISO years of Scottish photography and reinforces the vital role played by Scots as pioneers and innovators in the field.
I Comedy: Women In llnttonn Mel and Sue. the lippiest Iasses in comedy are back. Last year it was ‘Mel and Sue who?‘ This year they're the new star tum.
I Drama: Observe the Sons or Ulster Marching Towards the Somme The Abbey Theatre in Dublin present this revival of Frank McGuinness' play to mark the ceasefire in Northern Ireland. The work examines the story ofeight Ulstermen who volunteer to fight in the trenches of World War I.
I Drama: Animal Farm Guy Masterson. virtuoso of theatricality. adapts. acts. directs. stars. in fact be practically does everything apart from serve the ice cream at the interval. in this version of ()nvell‘s work which is fifty years old this year.
I Film: Cold Fever A young Japanese man travels from the confines of Tokyo to the wide open spaces of Iceland to perform burial rites for his deceased parents. Iceland's top film director. Fridrick Thor Fridricksson. teams up with US indie producer Jim Stark fora visually-startling cult classic in the making.
I Comedy: lano and Woodley Largely silent slapstick peddlcd by an unknown yet formulaic double-act (geeky fall guy. square-jawed hunk)? Sounds like hell. no? Well it would be if it wasn't Lano and Woodley running the show. I Drama: Trainspotting If you enjoyed the hook and can't wait for the film. check out the stage adaptation of Irvine Welsh's already classic account of sex and intravenous drug-taking in Edinburgh. This is the Citizen‘s third production ofthe play in a year so it should be hypodermic sharp.
I Opera: I Was Looking at the Ceiling and then I Saw the Sky These performances mark the European premiere of this collaboration between the director Peter Sellars and composer John Adams.
I Drama: Out oi The Blue Richard Hoehler presents a one man show with no set and a cast of thousands. well eight anyway. The bearded New Yorker gives a voice to the little people in the Big Apple.
The List ll-l7 Aug 1995 5