festival
COMEDY PREVIEW Electric Eel
The electrophorus electricu‘, (electrIc eel) can be found In marshy areas of the Amazon Basm, where It kills fish WIth a 600V shock. ElectrIc Eel are a trio of sketch comedIans who have been heralded as the 90s answer to Monty Python. They do not kill fish WIth a 600V shock They might If-you ask them nIcer though
Their debut show at the Fringe last year had a sell-out run and was followed by weekly starrIng roles In BBC's Comedy Nation and The Stand Up Show, which have seen thIs off- the-wall ensemble capture the zeitgeist of the times They’re new, humourous, cute in a funny kind of way and ready for their second Fringe Recently receivIng direction from Geoff Posner and DaVId Tyler (of Steve Coogan and The Dinner Lad/es), their unbalanced Views of the world are bound to prove a hot ticket HHS year (Tracy anfen) [/(JCIT/(j f-e/ (Fringe) Pleasanrie (Venue 33) 556 (5550. until 30 Add (not 5}. 23) 5pm. [8 5077 50 ([7 Ft’) “‘6‘ 50) See F estvral Free/oaders'
THEATRE PREVIEW Fantasia
If an attempt to launch a kite Into the an sounds like a slender basis for a theatncal spectacolar, your ImagInatIon needs a wake-up call from the Russian company Farces TheIr new proiect Fantas/a Is directed by VIctor Crarner, whose Show Show garnered ImpaSSIoned plaudIts at the 1996 FestIval Fantasra combines VIsual comedy, (mine and clownrng, v.'ord|e.ss, dreamlike, surreal, It consists of a series of comic Vignettes One of these deoicts a lady haying her hair cut- pedestnan enough were It not for the fact that her corffure Is composed of fruit
Snow Show enc hanted audiences and critics alike, Fantasia promises the same energy and Inventiveness, combInIng physIc al comeer and clownIng V/Ith the skewed nursery- rhyme VIsIons of TIm Button The yOLIng St Petersburg-based company Is WIdely held to be the most promising In Russia, don't miss out on what could be 1999's most magical Fringe production. (Hannah McGIII) a Fantasra (Fringe) Farces. Observer Assembly (Venue 3) 225 2428. 6—30 Aug. 4 45pm, F lO/r’ff) (TB/:18)
MUSlCAL PREVIEW Little Shop Of Horrors
’l'm tryIng to freshen up musrcals a bit, give them a hit more . . . sex,’ says Kate Prince, dIrector and choreographer of Zoo TC '5 Little Shop Of Horrors.
A sleeper hit at last year’s Fringe, this production of thc. tale of Audrey, a mild-mannered plant which develops a penchant for human blood, :5 Indeed more Innovative and alluring than your average all-singing, all-prancrng theatrical extravaganza because as Prince says, 'It's adapted for a 90s audIence — Jam-packed full of hip hop and dance.’ Hardly surprising as she confesses that Janet Jackson’s choreographer Is her Idol
Tired of Interruptions to the audience’s SUSDCTTS!OH of disbelief, Zoo TC have done away wrth all scene changes, so the cast's bodIes prOVIde the set and props. WhIch means all sixteen members have to be onstage for the duration of the performance.
It may well be time to toss any pejorative preconceptions about musicals aside, (Dawn Kofie) as little Shop Of Horrors (Fringe) ZOO TC. Gilded Balloon at the Palladium (Venue 2(5) 226 27:? 7. 8— 16. 78—27 Aug. 5pm, 77, 74. 78. 27—22. 25 Aug. 7pm, 28—30 Aug. 3 30pm, £9 (E 7). Previews 6—7 Aug. 5pm, 1. 7 (£5).
: COMEDY PREVIEW
Close To The Funny Bone
Glasgow boys Richard Smith and Steven Paul met two years ago In the heady atmosphere of the Fringe. Havrng (ust got their pesky degrees out of the way, under the monikers Richard Pickens and Paul VoltaIre, they’re tipped to take this year’s Fringe by storm wrth the launch of their comedy sketch show
'We chose these names because my name Is boring and Paul’s Is confusIng In that he hasn’t really got a second name,’ explains SmIth Scratch the surface and yOu can detect the puns gomg on here too —- Rich Pickens, Pole Vaulter — get It7
With srx main sketches holding the show together, the act Is Interspersed wrth comedy snippets and mus:cal numbers. The boys performed the show to the tough audience of 150 Glasgow students in March, and it was on the strength of the warm reception
theatre 0 dance - comedy
there that Karen Koren booked them for the Fringe. (Catherine Bromley) I Close To The Funny Bone (Fringe) Gilded Balloon (Venue 38) 226 275 7, 6-75 Aug. 3.45pm, £6 (£5).
COMEDY PREVIEW The Bootlegs
Proving that nothing is sacred, in their fast-paced sketch show, Robbie Pointer, Tom Meeten, Steve Cram and Zeron Gibson will be taking the rise out of 'Old Shep' — Presley's moving testament to the friendship between one man and his dog. Writer Steve Oram confesses the ’Old Shep’ sketch to be a personal highlight: ’lt’s an amazing comedy song, probably one of the most embarrassing songs ever written. In our sketch Shep has mange and it’s terminal. Elvis wants to make his last days special, so he indulges him in drink and cigarettes.’
Other sketches will include 'The Wrestling Refugees’, a spoof gameshow that producer Neil Willis insists is ’all in good taste’, cameos from John (pronounced Jean), the most pretentious man in the West Midlands and Dr Chimney, who was a glam rocker and is now a doctor. (Catherine Bromley)
e The Bootlegs (Fringe) Comedy Club. Gilded Balloon (Venue 38) 226 275 7. 6-30 Aug (not 76). 3. 75pm. £6(£5).
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COMEDY PREVIEW Simon Evans
He’s a hot new comedian but not long ago was a successful porn writer. As a struggling freelance journalist, he found his niche writing readers letters in porno mags. ’I later expanded into erotic stories. "Limousine Lust“ was on a front cover and was probably my proudest moment,’ explains Simon Evans before relating the story of a high class call girl, her customer and a well-endowed West Indian chauffeur. His freelancing career fizzled out, however. ’I was never any good at intervrewing,’ admits Evans. ’My natural instincts have always been to entertain and interest people, I'm not any good at listening, really.’
Critics rave about his observational comedy: expect guidelines for writing porn to sit alongside Samuel Beckett's shortest play and inspirational cricket movies alongside the rock ballad he has penned called ’I Miss You So Much'. Now a real life ’knrckers thrown on stage' scenerio would really give him something to write about. (Simone Baird)
I Simon Evans (Fringe) Pleasance (Venue 33) 556 6550. 6-27 Aug (not 70. 77) 5.05pm, £8/E 7 (E 7/[6]. Preview 5 Aug. £4.
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PLEASANOE Min-m our
Venue 33 Thu 5 - Sun 29 Aug 5.30pm (not Sun 8 Aug. not Tuesdays) Tickets: £8.00 (£5.00)
£9.00 (£6.00) Preview: Thu 5 Aug - £5.00 Box Office: 0131 556 6550
'thoroughly enjoyable... the best play around' The Herald 'a gorgeous production'
Edinburgh Evening News
and on tour
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ORANGE GIRLS/o
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GILDED BALLOON
EDINBURGH FESTIVAL '99
23—12 Aug 1999 THE usr so