If you haven't heard of these people yet — you soon will.
12 THE “ST 6~l3 Aug 1998
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Cyndi Freeman
’The goal rn Edrnburgh rs to take the town by storm.’ Bold words from Cyndr Freeman: rf she succeeds rt wrll be rn a one-woman show of her own conception, frnancecl by puttrng her money — or rather, her major credrt cards — where her consrderable mouth rs. Greetings From Hollywood takes the form of four comrc monologues, each recountrng a tale from Trnseltown's hotspots. Drawrng on her own experrences as a strugglrng LA. actress, Freeman addresses the need for human companronshrp, the rmpossrbrlrty of marntarnrng drgnrty when the TV movre you've srgned up for turns out to be a softcore spectacular, and the problems facrng a female drag artrst. The trrbulatrons endured by the characters are enough to strain credrbrlrty, but Cyndr clarms 100 per cent authentrcrty: ’People say, the show’s great, but that rsn’t really true, rrght? None of rt rs made up.’ (Rob Fraser)
Greetings From Hollywood (Fringe) Cyndi Freeman, Calder’s Gilded Balloon (Venue 38) 226 2 l 5 7, 7—37 Aug, 5pm, £6 ([5).
Ross Cooper
Ross Cooper rs calmly energetrc when drscussrng hrs Frrnge debut wrth The Curve Foundatron, hrs year-old, Edrnburgh-based company — even rf he rsn’t sure what they’ll be performrng yet. ’It’s great to have the opportunity, because work grows through berng shown,’ he says. ’l'm not really looking for recognrtron -- I’m Just lucky to be able to keep dorng the work.’ Orrgrnally from Dunbar (twenty miles east of Edrnburgh), Cooper trarned rn London and Lausanne and crtes Influences as diverse as Michael Clark and Frederick Ashton. Just 26, Cooper’s work has already been well recerved, though he rs not drrftrng rnto complacency. ‘I don’t want to always be dorng dance for the sake of rt,’ he says. ’The company's work should be as rmportant to the Scottish scene however rt evolves, whether rt's dance, krnetrc sculpture or wrrtrng.’ Wrth an abundance of rdeas and drrve, he looks Irker to become a familrar face rn Scottish arts, whatever drrectron he takes. (Don Morrrs)
The Curve Foundation is part of Under The Kilt And Under The Stars (Fringe) Famous Grouse House (Venue 34) 220 5606, (0— 76 Aug, 70. (5pm, £7 ([5).
Tommy Tiernan
'I don’t do jOkGS,' says Tommy Trernan unconvrncrngly. '| ramble.’ Last year, he was half of a brrllrant Irish double- brll (the mercurral Jason Byrne berng the other). Now Trernan rs gorng solo and suffering ’the fear’. As he puts rt: ’I feel Irke an ant and Edinburgh rs a large person wrth a magnrfyrng glass.’ He needn't worry. Srnce wrnnrng the So You Think You’re Funny award rn 1996, he’s made hrs brg screen debut rn The Matchmaker wrth Dennrs Leary, put the Late Late Show’s lawyers to work for alleged blasphemy, and popped up rn Father Ted. He played Father Kevrn, the surcrdal prrest, cheered up by Ted wrth the funky theme from Shaft before Radrohead frlled hrrn wrth fresh gloom. Trernan hrmself rs not a fan of the fey mrserablrsts. ’I prefer Leonard Cohen,’ he admrts. ’Whrmsrcal songs | lrke.’ Better call the karma police. (Rodger Evans)
Tommy Tiernan: Undivine Comedy (Fringe) Pleasance (Venue 33) 556 6550, 5—37 Aug (not Tue), 8pm, [8.50/f750 (£7.50/[6 50)