The Bisexual Alphabet is about ‘accepting the confusion’

ROUND UP SENSATIONAL SOLOS

One can be fun

Going to a solo Fringe shou'.’ can be daunting. Can one perforn‘er suhiect 'iiatter ce (lt'tt'i‘étlrii er‘ougl'i to susta r‘ on attention for a ‘.'.'hole hour?

Catch three excellent gay solos. where the performer and suhiect "latter are so in tande'i‘ that the r passror‘s ; or: is unite to make great theatre. It's a sense that these stories really need to he told .'.'lll(3li li‘tti’xt} the'i‘ exc-s-ntronaz.

Srcrh only out-gay perfor'ner Ernesto l'o'i‘asrnr re'i‘e't‘hers fll'Sl heco'i‘rr‘g interested in castrate as a ten—year-oltl. 'I insisted t'nat "93. n‘un: dressed n‘e up as Farrnellr.’ he says. ‘In n‘y teens. I identified ‘.'.':th Julie Aridre‘.'.'s in ‘fltrfo". {echo/ta. She glorred in being a litZtii singing \.'.'rth a '\.'.'o'itan's \.orce.' After performing gueer nurork rr‘ Italy. for tire Mata ".'.'r‘o didn't really appreciate the. TO'i‘itSIltl came to London (153(l!‘-.'Et for oueer artiste extraor:irnnarre Lindsay. Ke'i‘p. 'I came up unit.“ the rdea for True or Falsetto? IO... 1 and asked my friend Lucy Powell to '.'.'rrte me a uiai. l ‘oxe her he-aat:fu3. ‘loriti language' On a tiny. ingenious. tr‘ansfornirng set. To'nasrnr takes us on a fascinating secret-hzston, trip that is norgriartt. scrupulous in its detail. and a real l'(}‘.'(}l{tll()ll. Unn‘rssahle.

Daxrd Leddg. 's inspiration for hrs country -house 'i‘tll‘(l(3i‘ 'n‘,'ste"‘;. cari‘e ‘r<>”‘ ".'.’ant!r‘g to exniore how "‘{tlltSlt-iZ-{W‘ cuittire talks about otherness. 'Nerl Bartlett and Rose English are my. role 'iiodelsX lit} s; s. 'l {tit't‘it'tk the ~.'.ra~,s rr‘. ‘.'.'l‘i<llt the. take Intellectual concerns. and make their accessible. As an tittjllfali’ltét!‘ recently ar'f.ed r"

Scotland. I ‘.'.'anted in; first Scottish shov: to. tongue-an cheek. exrrlsre accer‘tf ~lakrng Agatha Christie's lite f/i'uruer of Roger A::k"<2'.<.' as a staring post. On the Edge '0... tlf3 an rnger‘irous. eccer‘trrc ro"‘;: and a '(iéii .ou" :le for Leddgfs considerable acting skills. ()nl‘, signs. 'i‘;ir"'-:;<l it. one for: many, '(:()'i‘!ng out' :lenoue'r‘ents. if s engrosswng.

True or Falsetto

Hailing li‘()'i‘ (Z'ircago. ’2‘! {,earc d lJa‘. :r C.’l£tl3"‘£i.’l is as e'igagrrg and articulate offstage as he is o lle confesses oxer tea: ‘l ‘ert

.1) l ‘.'.'as gay. at :6 had a g:rfrren<l. l .'.'o;rld go aor‘g groups and marches. and the, (:rdn't '.'.'<:rk ‘or "we. l“e. '.'.<:-r<;- ‘..,r at people trynng to fulf:| a stereotype of '.'."l£tZ the“, tnougnt r'. was to he gay. I'm luck“. to have parents that I can he honest .'.':'."1. l'iej. are as confused as we. Bisexual Alphabet '0... l is about ar:<:t:-r:'.:rtg int;- confusion and not expecting an ans.'.'er 'igl‘t a‘.'.'a§.. l 'v‘hrace cfiange' Chapn‘an is influenced by. liti'l‘OilSE Dar/ti Sedans. 'He's xerj. good at con‘hrrwg tl‘e rJorgr‘ant and ‘.'.'rtt[,. tl‘e sharp and soft] he says. |r‘::~::-ed Bisexualx'ii'nnanef rs all theses things. A cha'rs'i‘atrc litfl'itfl'i‘tf' 3.11". til-:Z'HEH‘tt

hori‘osexualrtj. was t. .rseless :le‘rrirttcv‘. and drdr": relate 1:: 'T'e. [\t

l;§ue eyes. Criap'r‘an urns througl‘ the letters of the zilrzltaliet. explorrng (il‘tl ::-:;- .'.'()l'(lf; ‘.'.’l‘.|t:l‘. help explain his hrsexaa‘r‘... l'lrxruent“.

ften. it .s ‘t.nr‘j.. a'ttr quirk, ‘.'.'rth l>.t:; of audience pz‘i'trt::r)atron (Shap't‘ar: ‘.'.'l.'lf; oxer a". .ititlitE’ltitf ‘.'.'ill‘. his .'.'!ttrcis'i‘s. norgriano. and truth lheatre sl‘ould 'ef*e::t .:::'tt<>"‘r:<>';i". life. and tart; is '.'.'nere [J’Isexua/Al,'i'n’1.';ef exce-s. It opens a <f:>;:’ rr‘to a yttrr'g American ‘.'.'or5d. nct lr'i‘ited l); narrox.’ categorrsatron. ‘.'.'ll.;7l‘. :s ::<;--;:l>ratcr‘. about change and expertn‘ertt. and .t (toes so if a .t:j.‘r.l "‘ari"e'. A rta~ "M.

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FESTIVAL GAY

Bread. bisexuals and castrati

I Bisexual Alphabet American 21 year-old David Chapman writes eloquently and performs with real flair in this witty. poignant meditation on bisexuality. The Garage. 227 9009. until 26 Aug. 9.20pm. £6 ($5).

I Filler Up Deb Filer bakes bread live on stage while updating us on her life which includes wonderfully colourful characters such as her diet- obsessed mum and survivor dad. Deb's tales of being a big girl in a world preoccupied with all things skinny are both heart warming and funny. Asse/rib/y Rooms. 226 2428. until 26 Aug, 7.45pm. [SQ—£70 68—59}.

I Swimming in the Shallows One of the best ensembles of the Fringe explore same sex partnerships and gay mating rituals in this delightful American comedy receiving its Scottish premiere. Pleasance. 556 6550. until 26 Aug. 2pm. 537-538 lie—£6).

I True or Falsetto? A Secret History of the Castrati Sicilian high voice. Ernesto Tamasini. draws us in to the secret. compelling world of the castrati. Fabulously performed. it combines high camp with real tenderness on the most magical of sets. Pleasance. 556 6550. until 26 Aug. 5pm. f.‘7.50—C8.5O $650—$750).

I Paul Magrs ipictured belowi Refreshingly unpretentious northern gay writer. whose two recent novels Strange Boy and All the Rage are absolute delights. Strong narrative. compelling characters and a r;)rovocz,ttive talker make Magrs in the flesh a must see. Book Festival. Charlotte Square. 24 Aug. 6pm. £73.50.