festival
wrestling match of sorts using some unconventional techniques - hard stares, thumb wars, lager and much, much more. They take a simple premise and bend it as far as it will stretch.
The result is inspired and hilarious. Even though it won't appeal to everybody, within its remit it is thoroughly realised. This is punk rock theatre with loads of energy that’s Dada daft. (Ross Holloway)
I Fisticuffs (Fringe) The Freaks, Garage Theatre (Venue 81) 221 9009, until 30 Aug, 12.15am, £5 (£4).
COMEDY REVIEW Tina C. In Leaving On A Jetplane
*‘kfi
Seated on an aeroplane, complete with sick bag programmes, everything's fine until we start to plummet. But all is not lost - a Nashville singing sensation is onboard, who will ease our trip down to earth with her inflated ego.
Slathering her country 'n' western in innuendo, Tina C. aka Chris Green muses upon her bid for world domination, including a Hindi-country hybrid performed with much sari-ed sashaying. Her act, unlike our plane, is hardly ground-breaking, but is, like her silver shoes, lovingly polished with kitsch.
Rather more Savagely-chested than Dolly Parton, Tina C. puts the ’tran' into transatlantic for buckets of inflight entertainment. (Judith Ho)
I Tina C. In Leaving On A Jetp/ane (Fringe) Tina C., Pleasance (Venue 33) 556 6550, until 30 Aug, 10pm, £8/£ 7 (£ 7/£6).
COMEDY REVIEW Two Fingers Of Scotch ii"):
The sister show to Three Weird Beards features two familiar faces to the Scottish comedy circuit who have quite contrasting styles.
Janey Godley starts the show with her straightforward everyday observational humour. Instantly likeable, she's got a down to earth style which encourages intimacy with the audience.
From a perverted Girl Guide leader to a twisted clairvoyant, Susanne Fraser’s characters show a much darker side. Not overly convincing, her section eventually loses pace and almost comes to a standstill.
Scottish female comedy may be alive and kicking but, as witnessed here, in a slightly underdeveloped way.
(Tracy Griffen)
I Two Fingers Of Scotch (Fringe) Gilded Balloon // (Venue 36) 226 2151, until 30 Aug, 11.15pm, £7 (£6).
DANCE REVIEW Mimi La Sardine **
With a shimmy of hips and whirl of waistlines, this show quick-steps
10pm-Late
through the dance styles of Egypt, Moorish Spain and Persia. This is not so much naked bellies on the move but a celebration of women, music and movement.
Written by and starring Wendy Buonaventura, there are moments when the show catches a real sense of joie de body. Loosely following the belly-dancing life of Bella - a woman from Wembley whose Arabic ancestry is under dispute - the dancers deliver full-on enthusiasm.
We get Salome dancing for Herod and the Sirens swirling their hips and voices for Odysseus. Yet it does not quite hit the spot. (Susanna Beaumont)
I Mimi La Sardine (Fringe) Wendy Buonaventura & Company, Famous Grouse House (Venue 34) 220 5606, until 29 Aug, 10.05pm, £7 (£5).
THEATRE REVIEW Politica Erotica in:
Politics and power, porn and PVC provide this production’s pull. Politica is an MP pushing through an anti-porn bill. She employs a naive young secretary to assist her, but her own morality is called into question when she abuses her position to draw her aide into a world of seduction and fetishism.
lnevitably, the tables are turned and, after an exploration of lesbian paedophile fantasies, we're offered a polemical conclusion about porn and sexual liberation.
Interesting enough material, but the acting is below par and the direction stilted. The set might be monochrome, but the issues are not as black and white as presented here.
(Davie Archibald)
I Politica Erotica (Fringe) Bristol Experimental Theatre Company, Roman Eagle Lodge (Venue 21) 226 7207, until 29 Aug, 12.203m, £5.
DANCE REVIEW Made Of Clay *‘k‘k
African, Indian and European cultures combine in this eclectic evocation of the artistic impulse in dance, sculpture, percussion and spoken word.
A sculptor, moulding her clay, imagines a tiger stalking a beautiful Indian woman and the dream becomes reality on stage. The dancer’s intricate play of hands is interpreted in the artwork while the movement of the performers - part choreographed, part improvised - is suitably haphazard as it explores freedom in artistic ex reSSIon.
Individually talented performances, including stunning classical South Indian dance, sit uncomfortany together though, and the ensemble walks a fine line between freedom and chaos. (Catherine Bromley)
I Made Of Clay (Fringe) The Elements. C cubed (Venue 126) 225 57 05, until 30 Aug (not 27, 29) 10pm, £6 (£5).
Continued over page
Roman Eagle Lodge venue @
(“31 226 7207 daily at lz45pm
2 lohnston Terrace
Steven Alan Green
.-lmerieu‘s l’unls-rlmcn
Besl Slurirl-up (furnie
Presenls . . .
(Venue 4-?) I7 Wes! Register Slreel . . .-lullten!ieull_\' mmrehie . . . Subrersire. ereu. " 'I‘IIIC LIST THURS, AUG 05 TO MON, AUG 30 AT 23:00:00
£7.00, £5.30 ° TICKETS:
0 l 31 356 25-1-0
American—5ter Coffee House
5pecia|ity Coffeee & Teae
Eepreeeo Cappuccino
Food 6erved All Day
Live Mueic Eveninde
Wednesday, Thursday &
7.30pm til close Free entry
2/5 North Bank Street
on the Mound
Lattee
Take-Awaye
{We :“A'R‘Z\"
LIVE MUSIC
Friday nights.
The MOund Edinburgh 0151-226 1416
M-F 9am - 10pm 5-510arn - IOprn
en a z = a n: c: z o E E :5 c
26 Aug—9 Sep 1999 THE LIST 4?