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COMEDY REVIEW THEATRE REVIEW Friday Night At The End Of The Ministry Of Biscuits The oylglndl and The World at i: * a, “H rm oubte Tired of over-acting and hammed-up _. H __ characterisation yet? If so, Friday Night " At The End Of The World could be the antidote. It's a low key, no messing kind of show with natural acting, non- stop jokes and some very recognisable characters. Loaded Man, Paranoid Man and Uncommunicative Man (with some expert female assistance) shed new light on the old question of what to do for New Year's Eve 1999. Writer/lead Trevor Lock is a name you’ll want to remember. (Victoria Nutting) I Friday Night At The End Of The World (Fringe) Gilded Balloon ll (Venue 36) 226 2757, until 30 Aug, 5pm, x __ g £6.50 (£5.50). -' FESTIVAL OPENING TIMES THEATRE REV'EW Restaurant 9am - 12pm 0 Bar until 3am Half Of What You See . . . * a Breakfast, Lunch, Pre Theatre & Dinner . j . , High tea manager: The Ministry Of ' Baffling. This hour-long piece IS about Biscuits a man jumping off a bridge - an event that would have taken less than a This musical comedy lovingly re-creates minute. The other 59 minutes are a 19505 style Britain, one under the wordy experiments, somewhat akin to heel of. convention as symbolised’ by ‘3 I .1 33 GEORGE SIRE“; EDINBURGH EH2 415 two rambling pot heads. This ’theatre the Sinister Ministry of BISCUItS. Its a in the making‘ does not appear world that we can instantly recognise Til-3013' 2254442 ' FAX: 013' 2205693 conclusive, or indeed, even finished. through the Ealing comedies. . Endeavoring to explore the meaning of It’s wonderfully done, right down to philosophical problems while dropping the carefully observed information film in the subject of fish at every given on the dangers of fancy biscuits. ' opportunity for no apparent reason, However, it is limited by the 3”“ “#9 “mm” ""5"" it’s sorely lacking in substance. conventions of the genre in which it Will someone please explain the . has chosen to work. The light satire London’s most exclusive and talked-about meaning of the inflated condom with doesn’t add up to more. than light . cabaret club comes to Edinburgh fish drawn on it - was it a surrealist entertainment. To be fair though, it is light bulb joke or a psychosexual in many ways delightful and is certainly If l comment? (Tracy Griffen) among the best family shows on the - Half Of What You See (Fringe) Fringe this year. (Ross Holloway) Collective Unconscious, Garage I The Ministry Of Biscuits (Fringe) Theatre (Venue 87) 227 9009, until 30 Quirk Theatre And Film, Gilded Balloon Aug, 5pm, £5 (£4). ll (Venue 36) 226 2757, until 30 Aug, 4pm, £7 (£6). COMEDY REVIEW Geraldine McNulty In Betty THEATRE REV'EW . **~k** Six Degrees Of Separation - . . mm, 1,, Betty Buchanan is brilliantly * i * blasphemous. This exceptionally well Would you rearrange your life to spend worded piece, written by Karen time with Sidney Poitier's son? . “magnum, McLachlan, sees this lonely middle- Jeopardise familial bonds to court a bit aged woman discovering 'self- of fame? Exploring aspects of ’star- 0 FEATURING pleasuring’ through her white goods fucking’ voyeurism, this play examines then seeking absolution through a how we prioritise relationships and coach tour pilgrimage to the Isle of friendships. The title is catchy, but is Iona. A nymphomaniac, a flagellant perhaps misleading, as the notion that and a dodgy priest join Betty in her everyone on the planet is connected quest for spiritual cleansing. through six others is not really the meat Every word is hilarious, with McNulty of the play. transforming herself into the kooky Nevertheless, it's carefully crafted and and neurotic spinster aunt that this production moves along at a everyone has in their family. She has a cracking pace. The slickness of the dark side, however, and in exposing dialogue requires an equally slick Betty's bizarre yet barren world this delivery and with one or two noticeable simple production shines. Fabulously moments - and the odd suspect 1' (d? d a 1'00" at th 9 I)“ I“ d i u n. bleak, McNulty proves herself as one performance the cast delivers. (Davie A g ' . _ of the most talented comic actors Archibald) ."»"- ' "3” "5 2” I "m" "" ' \ P" H "' working today. Domestic bliss. . Six Degrees Of Seperation (Fringe) _ (Tracy Griffen) Moonbun Mathilda Productions, C too 10' 30 PM / 18 29 A T / £10' 50 50) I Geraldine McNulty ln Betty (Fringe) (Venue 4) 225 5705, until 30 Aug, GIL OED BALLOON BOX OFFICE 0131 226 2151 Geraldine McNulty, Gilded Balloon 3pm, £6 (£5). (Venue 36) 226 275 7, until 30 Aug. 3.45pm, £7 (£6). Continued over page

26 Aug—9 Sep 1999 THE UST 33