“mummmmm
' Q \ \ A. -' ‘v ' EDINBURGH'S FESTIVALS " "' O
ill-l ,, I!“ 35155.“.—
CUCKOO TWO?
Re: Review (502)
I've just been to One Flew Over the Cuckoo 's Nest at the Assembly Rooms. and was surprised to see that your reviewer only gave it a two-star rating. While I don't agree that it necessarily justified the breathless hype and fawning reviews in some of the papers. I do think you were unfairly harsh on the performance. Considering the stories of chicken pox and fisticuffs, I found Christian Slater's performance pretty powerful. This alone makes up for the shows many other flaws. Mike Stanmore
London
Originally, press critics were to have been Invited in for reviews on 12August, but due to Christian Slater 's illness this was pushed back to 78 August. Our issue was published on the following day. If we 'd gone along with that, it would have been impossible for us to review the show until the end of its run. Normal/y, any shows which go up prior to the press day are previews — technically they 're rehearsals — and visitors can enter at less than full price. Since punters were made to pay full price prior to the press view of Cuckoo 's Nest, we felt justified in commissioning a review from a journalist who paid to enter, incognito. She saw a performance five days before the official press view, and rated it as a two-star show. However, we sent a second reviewer a week later, and on the basis of this second
2 THE LIST 26 Aug—9 Sep 2004
Letters
The List,
14 High Street, Edinburgh EH1 1TE
or The List at the CCA
350 Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow G2 3.10
or email editor@list.co.uk
opinion, despite Slater's admittedly strong performance. felt it was at best a three-star Show.
THOMAS TITTER
Just writing to say how very pleased I was to catch Mark Thomas' (somewhat truncated) run at the Bongo Club during the Edinburgh Festival before it ended. Not only is Thomas a very, very funny bloke indeed. but his show was certainly one of the more thought-provoking things I could imagine seeing in Edinburgh during August. Lambasting multinational brands like Coca-Cola is not exactly a new concept. but the comedian weaves his argument with more conviction, humour and pathos than most worthy stage plays and any number of Michael Moore best-sellers.
A highlight. and so much better than Ricky Gervais' one- night. very-loosely-themed show at the Playhouse. Gervais is also a barrel of laughs, don't get me wrong, but a few near-kn kle gags about Nazis and t e handicapped ma e a mockery of his politics theme. Next time. Ricky, remember to bring a point.
Iain Brown Edinburgh
GLASGOWING GONE? I know it's the time of year when Edinburgh becomes the centre of the universe (if you're from Edinburgh at least). but can't The List remain a little more even handed? Your last issue featured a Festival supplement that had twice the number of pages of the main magazine.
Carol M
Paisley
We take the view that, for the vast majority of our readers. the Edinburgh Festival is a highlight of the cultural year in Scotland, whether or not they live in the city. If you agree with Carol that we 're not getting the balance quite right, let us know.
THE RACHAEL PAPERS
Re: Letters (502) Congratulations on your response to the funny guy [Jon G] who blamed Rachael Street for 'not really knowrng that much about football'. For a start, he evidently thinks that no woman can know much about football. and secondly he's obvrously a Hearts fan. For both these sins, he deserves to catch hrs foreskin in his trouser zip on a regular basis. Besides. everyone knows that Killre are going to grab third place. Katrina
By email
THE OLD JOKES . . . Thanks for the GAP Comedy Spectacular review. The 'geriatrics Chris Head and Barry Ferns' alluded to in the review are in fact the yOung
LETTER OF THE FORTNIGHT
UNFAIR COP
musicians during the Festival.
Acoustic Mayhem gigs. Your
important to us. Lee Patterson Acoustic Mayhem Edinburgh
support and goodwill are very
THE LETTER OF THE ISSUE WILL RECEIVE I FOUR BOTTLES OF 35 SOUTH WINE
Head South to 35 South - (Treat ('hilcan \Vincs
.‘.’llIf?lf3 ‘.'.Ilo rte :irIerI or t to pertorn‘ Tittrll o‘.‘.n skirt/her. Itut to get eliterl. gents tr ) it“) it instead.
The arttual lll'llitil'fif‘w arr‘ Robert (Jargill anri .Iulran Roberts. I tinge virgins anl first tirne “Killitth‘, przrtorrnerr. if‘. their retirement. the, were tnurnphant in aur tlilflll‘; that Chris and Barry held. that amounted to an ()AP Idol contest.
Chris Head By email
CORRECTIONS
In Sylvra Patterson's {IlIlflIf}. 'The Teen Pew Conundr‘urn' (502). she referred to Melis.;a P's book. One / iii/irl/erl Strokes of the Brush Before Bed. as a ‘(Iairytorrn' novel. Attractive as th s sounds. and despite the book's frothy content. rt was a rnrstake.
I have just been told of something which has upset me a great deal. On Monday of this week I ernarled the Lesley Riddor:h show on Radio Scotland. They had a debate about Scottish Music and the Edinburgh Festival in which The List and other Scottish media were criticised for their lack of support for local
In my email I stated the case that most publications had seemed to concentrate on overseas or 'sexy' acts. Due to whatever reason my entire mail wasn't broadcast. I made the point in the email that the only support we had received had been from The List (we had been given a si/eable page allocation in a David Pollock article, prevrewi. We had been absolutely thrilled by the expOSure and are veny grateful for it. My email to the show stated ‘God bless The List for the coverage that they have given us."
I have contacted Radio Scotland and asked them to fonxrard the actual email to your offices. I hope that they do so.
Thanks for the article and for the publication's support of the
I
a
LI
GLASGOW AND EDINBURGH EVENTS GUIQE
COMRIBUTORS
Publisher & General Editor Robin Hodge
EDITORIAL
Editor Nit/k Barley
Deputy Editor
B'ran Donaldson Assistant Editors
Mark Robertson, Paul Dale, Ruth Hedges
Research
Henry Northrnore (I rlvn, Rock 8. Jam Ruth Hedges (Art) Rachael Street Theatre, Dance Cornrkly R Sportr. Morat; Bruce (City I rte, Classicat I oIk 8. Kids) SALES AND MARKETING
Sales 8. Sponsorship Director Amanda Mungall Media Sales 8. Marketing Assistant Barbara Crichton
Media Sales Support Marie Thorns
Senior Media Sales Executives
Carol i erguson
Rachel Shields
Media Sales Executive Brigid Kennedy Promotions and Circulation Manager Sheri Friers
Circulation Executive Keith Benzre
Circulation Consultant Neil Earnshaw
PRODUCTION
Art Director
Krista KCQC‘I'DIXOII Production Manager Simon Armin
Designer Lucy Reeves Subeditor Ashley Davres Production Assistant Russell Steedman
ADMINISTRATION Accounts Manager Georgette Renwrck Accounts Assistant Manager Donna Taylor Accounts Assistant Nick Frederick Reception
Julie Graham
Edinburgh Office
Katie Scott
Glasgow Office Katharine Haslett
New Projects Director Mhairr Mackeane Robinson IT Andy Bowles
SECTION EDITORS Art Ruth Hedges
Books Brian Donaldson City Life Ruth Hedges Clubs Henry Northrnore lwrth Johnny Regan; Comedy Brian Donaldson Comics Paul Dale Dance Kelly Apter
DVD Paul Dale
Film Paul Dale
Food Barn; Shelby Games lain Davrdson Gay Nick Barley
Kids Ruth Hedges
Music Mark Robertson (with Norman Chalmers. Carol Main, Kenny Mathreson, Fiona Shepherd) News Ruth Hedges Records Mark Robertson Shopping Nick Barley Sport Nick Barley Television Brian Donaldson Theatre Steve Cramer Travel Anna Millar