festival 1t)pm - Late
COMEDY PREVIEW
Burning Sequins
In this country you’d be torgiven tor thinking that Australian light entertainment consists solely ol gay men Irocking-up extravagantly and miming to Abba, and straight men impersonating their rock idols. Sidney- based singer and actor Paul Capsis amalgamated the two for a while, when he began to use his mimicking talents on the gay scene, pertorming singing impressions at his Iavourite singers - all at whom (with the possible exception of Michael Jackson) are lemale.
His latest show Burning Sequins is a stripped-down version of his cabaret turn. He no longer relies on wigs and outfits, just on the imitative power oI his voice to render Iavourite songs by the likes ol Janis Joplin, Aretha Franklin, Judy Garland, Madonna and Tina Turner, ‘. . . all the women I’ve been greatly inspired by. I think it’s still androgynous. I’m not up there being a guy. I’m sort of in the middle. The thing I’m heading lor is trying to find my own voice and sing my own songs!
‘ n‘ 9 e13 1"; Diva Irom Down Under
But what at this antipodean obsession with imitation rather than invention?
‘lt’s because we’re so influenced by what comes lrom overseas,’ says Capsis. ‘We’ve got this cultural cringe thing here. It you’re dillerent and new, it’s like “no, you're not like anyone troni overseas”.’
Incidentally, Paul Capsis has seen Stars In Their Eyes and he’s a big Ian. (Fiona Shepherd)
Burning Sequins (Fringe) Paul Capsis, Gilded Balloon II ( Venue 36) 226 2151, 13-31 Aug, 10.45pm, £7 (£6).
SHED CAFE
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*tt
STAR WARS TRILOGY IN THIRTY MINUTES
What Stoppard wrought iipoti Hum/e! and Mother/i Festival Theatre USC have done to the Slur Wurs movies: stripped them down to the most essential dialogue and rattled through the tales at a furious pace.
The team strikes the perfect tone. this cosmic saga needing only the minimum of sending-up for maximum effect. The show's no-budgel charm slaps a sttipid grin on the face from the outset. and prompts near-hysteria at
highlights like Michael
Cornacchia's unforgettable Jabba the Hull and an attack on the Death Star by a fleet of plastic chairs. It's a piss- take that won‘t upset the devotees. who will appreciate Richard Nason's Luke shouting '(‘arrtel' instead of 'l.eia!’ in tribute to the film's most notorious blooper. Now let's see them tackle 'I'lit' (Im/lrtl/It'r'. (Alastair Mabbott)
759 ézyges/ names 1°12 O/ance.
I Star Wars Trilogy ln Thirty Minutes (Fringe) Festival Theatre USC- USA. Drummond Community Theatre (Venue 35) ‘)—3| Aug. ll.3()pm. £5.
***
THE STAND
It‘s not often that you get the chance to see the likes of Dylan Moran in a venue that would be hard pushed to accommodate a flea circus never mind the proverbial cat swinging session. But that's the beauty of The Stand: lop notch comedy honchos share air with a changing selection of grass roots comedians and the audience is close enough to smell the fear.
Thus pre-Moran. Reg Anderson cocks up more tricks than Tommy
Comer. llovis l’i'eslev. the l .
professional Northerner. does his lugubi'ious and clever poetry. Marian Kilpatrick warns nervously on the perils of TV and Martha McBriei' dies on stage. A mixed bag but hey! taste the atmosphere. (Jonathan Trew)
I The Stand (Fringe) Moscow Bar (Venue 103) 556 6375. until 3| Aug.
I lpin. £5 (£4).
Z09 [DOA/Q/y sugges/you ge/ 012 down.
This year the 50th Edinburgh International Festival is staging one of its biggest and most exciting dance programmes ever. Your first step IS to call 0131 225 5756 for full programme and ticket details. Edinburgh International Festival, 21 Market Street, Edinburgh EH1 18W.
MARTHA GRAHAM DANCE COMPANY ‘One of the supreme mould-breakers in the history of theatre’ New York Times.
NEDERLANDS DANS THEATER ‘Supple, musical, sexy, glorious dancing’ New York Newsday.
IPHIBENIE AUF TAURIS Dance/opera directed by Pina Bausch - ‘creates . . . a phySical emotion which leaves you on the edge of tears’ Liberation, France.
***
Edinburgh
International L 11-31 August 1996-
RESERVOIR DOGS
Dug-i fans \\ ill have seen their favourite jewellery- heist-gone-wrong-and- who's-goitig-to-inop-up- ;tll-lhts-hlotxl film so many times. they could do the dialogue unprompted. and Ill a sense that's what this group of (‘alifornian student actors are doing. lixcept they 'i‘e doing it better than most. It‘s not as lippy as the film (in: one can speak as fast as Steve Boscetni without some massixe «hug intake) so the acting has to be rock solid to carry it off .I task which all the principals manage. Carter (‘iilifield es en manages to look like a young Haney Keitel. and Richard Nason‘s portrayal ot Mr ()range even matches 'l‘ini Roll! on occasion. l)ltlllill always say (along with anyone else \\ ho‘s ever seen the film) that it should be done as a play'.’ tl‘iona Shepherd)
I Reservoir Dogs tl‘ringe) Festival Theatre NSC-(“8A. l)i'ummond (.‘oinniunity 'l'heatre (Venue 35) 558 0095. H). St). 32.34.25.27. 2‘). 3|
Aug. l()pm. £7.
Reg. Charity No.5Coog694.
70 The List ‘)-l5 Aug l‘)‘)(i