6pm — 8pm FESTIVAL .
THEATRE REVIEW Walking *****
This Theatre Royal Bath youth theatre production of an original play by John Eggleston, directed by a previous Fringe First winner Donth Macneil is truly a delight. The performance and
production values really do put the vast
majority of adult Fringe companies to shame.
Walking is a poetically told, darkly humorous piece using a physical style of theatre. It deals with such weighty issues as truth, obsession and faith. In an experimental and ambiguous piece of theatre, this company of young actors attain a maturity of style that is quite amazing. A true success.
(Ross Holloway)
I Walking (Fringe) 2nd Nature, Youth International at St Oswald ’5 (Venue 728) 346 7405/229 5562, until 23 Aug, 6pm, £5 (£4).
THEATRE REVIEW The Imaginary Invalid it A it
The young lover, unable to marry her sweetheart because her father has other plans for her, is a rather tired theatrical cliche.
Moliere's slant on it is that the father is a hypochondriac and wants her to wed the son of a doctor. As twists go, it's pretty Simple, so the multinational Theatre Of Eternal Values does well to sustain interest with an intensely modern translation and plenty of invenhon.
Song, dance, mime and burlesque make this colourful entertainment. If you worry that Moliere is best left to university courses, you should head along and see how close he can get to pure pantomime. (Stephen Naysmith) I The Imaginary Invalid (Fringe) Theatre Of Eternal Values, Greyfriars Kirk House (Venue 28) 225 3626, until 30 Aug (not 24) 6. 75pm, £6 (£5).
THEATRE REVIEW
Trilogy 0f Sorrow *
There is every reason to try and be charitable about this show. The all-ages company is funded by a coalfield regeneration project; one of the plays is written by a woman prisoner, another only had six hours’ rehearsal; and the three plays bravely attempt to tackle some of today's biggest sooal issues. However, Since audiences are paying £5, they have every right to expect better. Lines have not been learned; speaking is often unclear; the first two plays are hackneyed and predictable; the third is painfully propagandist and undramatic. Each ends more agonismgly tritely than the last. Donate money if you like, but don’t see the show. (Ed Grenby) I Trilogy Of Sorrow (Fringe) Tamar Theatre Company, West Leigh, South Bridge Resource Centre (Venue 723) 558 9997, until 23 Aug, 7. 75pm, [5 ([3).
THEATRE REVIEW
Jump To Cow Heaven
*“i‘*‘*
The show kicks off with Morrissey's ’Last Of The Famous International Playboys’ and a slide show of headlines and images from London’s swmgeing 60s.
Having escaped from Dartmoor, the Krays' ’axe-man' lies low with a SpIVVIsh minder and an East End moll, awaiting the call from Ronnie and Reggie before going on to a life of
Beyond redemption: Jump To Cow Heaven
comfort and bliss in the country. Yeah, bleedin’ right.
Fortunately, this is no glamorisation of the Kray heyday, but a brilliantly performed and written exploration of the effects of evil and how there is little anyone can do to change a life so mired in crime, corruption and Violence. Sweet as a nut.
(Brian Donaldson)
I Jump To Cow Heaven (Fringe) Big Fish Productions, Assembly Rooms (Venue 3) 226 2428, until 30 Aug, 6. 35pm, £7. 50/[8 50 (f6. 50/f7. 50).
THEATRE PREVIEW Cafiban
the moon-calf himself.
f5 (f4).
L~_____._._,_ __ _ .._- . -._--.. .__.._
Colonial irritation: Marcos de Azevedo as Caliban
Post-colonial interpretations of Shakespeare's The Tempest might be fairly common. Shows in which Caliban cooks Prospero's body in the style of a TV chef and serves it to the audience are relatively rare.
Caliban is one of the latter. Described by Hartley Kemp, Artistic Director of C Venue, as ‘30% Shakespeare, 40% original, 30% documentary', the one- man-show is as much about the Portuguese colonisation of Brazil as about
The show's Brazilian director, Eduardo Bonito, explains that ‘Shakespeare only had access to texts describing the men of South America in very strong images - cannibalism, people running naked — and we want to show a different vision of Caliban: not just a funny monster.’
If it sounds too serious, Bonito assures us: 'In rehearsal. it's getting funnier and funnier. There’s lots of politically-incorrect things. We don't think we have to preserve the image of the Brazilian lndian.’ Which is presumably why Caliban eats beautiful birds and plays basketball with people‘s heads.
'It will be interesting to see how our sense of humour matches the British sense of humour,‘ says Bonito. ’It will be a surprise for us.’
And for us too, by the sound of things. (Ed Grenby)
I Caliban (Fringe) Bonito And Compri, C (Venue 79) 225 5705, 24—30 Aug, 6pm,
ASYLUM
Theatre Company
William Shakespeare
at"
i 2.30pm? 2.55pm
Preview Aug. 10 Aug. ll-30 (not Suns) Tickets £6.50 (£4.50)
Jim Cartwright
Our ‘96 Frin e Hit *. i * * * Three Weeks
* * * * The Scotsman
7.35pm to 8.50pm Preview Aug 10 Aug. 11-30 (not Suns) Tickets £5.50 (£4.50)
HBWMIII BRENTBN
GIIIIIS'I'IE
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Midnight to too am Aug. 10 [Preview], 12. 14.
16.19.2113. 26.28.30 Tickets 24.50 [23.501
Venue 81
The Garage Theatre Grindlay Street Court Booking Tel 228 221 5
22—28Auq 1997 TllELlSH?