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THEATRE REVIEW Collusion we >5: The spirit of Romania and the spectre of the orphan dominate this tale of love and abandonment. Following the usual mid-life crisis, a dashing young doctor heads for Romania in an attempt make a difference to the world. While there he finds love, spouts Shakespeare, and does his bit, presumably to ease his conscience. An interesting clash of cultures ensues This ambitious collaboration between Scottish and Romanian actors from Teatrul Ariel attempts to articulate the tale through music, dance and text, with varying degrees of success. Intense and elegant performances, however, make this a memorable experience. (Robin James) 33% Collusion (Fringe) Genesis, Theatre Workshop (Venue 20) 226 5425, until 37 Aug, 2pm, £6 (£5),
COMEDY REVIEW Keep Young and Beautiful
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If you've ever heard your flatmate shagging your love interest whilst you’re lonesome, you'll get the humour in this. If you’re a woman who's never had an orgasm, you’ll get the humour in this. If you’ve got an interest in the absurd, you’ll get the humour in this.
A delightfully dizzy sitcom, Six Pack Productions take the audience on a rather silly ride of lost opportunities and found identities. Not even male cameo appearances by SUCh names as Ed Byrne and Brendon Burns can beat the naive, almost amateur antics of the dysfunctional household of Elle, Pippa, Jane and Fiona.
Neurotic, erratic, slapstick and downright funny, these four women have scripted comedy perfected to a tee. It'll put a smile on your face for
the rest of the day — even if it’s only because you’re happy you're not them. (Tracey Griffen)
a Keep Young and Beautiful (Fringe) Six Pack Productions, Calder’s Gilded Balloon (Venue 739) 226 275 7, until 37 Aug, 7.30pm, £6 (£5)
THEATRE REVIEW
Teleluwies
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Find out what goes on behind the cheesy grins we love to hate in Flying Pig Theatre’s latest production, Teleluwies. With audience figures plunging and TV hosts Julie and Nick at each others’ throats, things don’t bode well for Good Day UK. But don’t let this put you off. If you hate breakfast telly, this hilarious slice of live 'live' TV will send your shoulders into super- drive as you hunt for the Kleenex. Caught between a slick script and the talents of Gill Taylor and Nick Cheales, you'll never feel the same about breakfast again. (Robin James)
as Te/eluvvies (Fringe) The Flying Pig Theatre Company, Calder’s Gilded Balloon Nenue 38) 226 2757, until 37 Aug, 2.30pm £6 (£5).
THEATRE REVIEW LIT. 305 arena
Bored students, marital discord, oppressive budgets . . . Teachers suffer, and lonely Professor Feeney is no exception.
Dan Mason portrays the disillusioned romantic wanting to ignite poetical fire in his students. As the class draws on and fails to spark, he falls into melanchony self-hate. Even his controverisal audio-visual aids seem to conspire against him
Intense and focused, L/T. 305 may well describe every teacher’s life, but something about it doesn’t gurte click. Maybe it’s JUSI too sentimental for an Edinburgh audience, or perhaps us Just
Taking an extreme view of iambic pentameter
theatre . dance . comedy
THEATRE REVIEW Amy .lohnson irks? * ~w*' \
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Amy Johnson in a highfiying production
Amy Johnson knew all too well the duality of celebrity. A heroine at 26 by dint of her 1930 historyomaking flight from England to Australia. her consequent life was by turns as darkly tragic as it was invariably inspiring. Set against a time of social flux, BadApple Theatre Company‘s beautifully- realised period enactment conveys this dichotomy superbly. Taking us from the young Amy‘s ebullient idealism, through her celebratory ascent (and the turmoil it engendered) and onto the mysterious circumstances which surrounded her death; Helen Cates astutley-wrought script affords a telling
glance behind the public smile of this
profoundly remarkable woman.
Driven by Amy's poignant soliloquies (delivered by an enthralling Juliet
McLeod) the narrative’s precision and
subtlety never overplays the obvious
pathos at its core; while its subtextual treatment of the nascent feminism of the time is depicted with both clarity and with poise.
Ultimately though, this is a story of celebration as much as tragedy. Amy’s final foray to the skies may remain a mystery to this day. yet her legacy certainly doesn't. In a time of cast iron certainty, hers was a truiy maverick spirit. A life less ordinary indeed! (Barry McPherson)
:63 Amy Johnson (Fringe) BadApple Theatre Company, Randolph Studio (Venue 55)
25 5366, untii‘3i Aug, 2.75pm, £6.50 (£4.50)
that It's been done before. Poetry? Nervous breakdown? Robin Williams would love the part. tNicky Agate) & HT 305 (Fringe) All New York, Hill Street Theatre (Venue 41) 226 5221, until 31. Aug, 2 15pm, £7 (£5 50)
THEATRE REVIEW The Machine Gunners
Sparkling performances from an energetic young cast are the strength of this rnIISIcaI adaptation of Robert Westall‘s children's classic Plenty of Westall‘s irreverent humour and spot- on playground banter surVIves, and the novel's wartime setting is skilfully evoked with pro. ise period detail, but there's a lack of really strong songs, and an excess of Lond-Webberesgue schmaltz It's to the credit of the performers, especially the y0ung leads, that the real emotional impact lies not With the big tearJerking numbers, but Wliii the conVIncIng portrayal of intense childhood friendship, A show for older children and nostalgic adults. (Hannah McGIH)
.23 The Machine Gunners (Fringe) Sooth Tyneside College of Performing Arts, Observer Assembly (Venue 3) 226 2428, until 5 Sep, 2. 70pm, [70/[9 ([9/(8;
l COMEDY REVIEW i The Dope I sea
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Andy Smart has smoked so much , skunk/spliff/weed/hernp/tea whatever, that he has forgotten the crucial : difference between comedy and information. Reading out a brief history of marijuana from cue cards falls distinctly into the latter category. Smart is an improwsational comedian but you’d never know It from this informal chat which resembles a lecture fioni a trendy substitute teacher
There are a couple of mildly amusmg anecdotes that I’rn sure were hilarious when he was stoned — most things are. Smart maintained that the worst Side effect of getting high was minor acodents, That‘s a pretty apt description for this show. (Rory Ford) it: The Dope (Fringe) Andy Smart, The Gilded Balloon (Venue 38) 226 2 75 7, until 37 Aug, 2. 75pm, [6 ([5).
STAR RATINGS
innit Uninissiihle *ttt Very good t** i It
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27 Aug~lO Sep I998 TllEllST33