Festival Theatre
THE FLY IN THE FRIDGE No flies on this ●●●●●
This is what the Fringe is all about. One ersatz stage, one stepladder, and one immensely-talented performer. Karin de la Penha enacts the traumatic true story of an Orphean journey through an underworld of heroin and prostitution. At times almost unbearably painful to
watch, the actress is nonetheless utterly mesmerising as she spins us a host of characters, including the eponymous fly. This is fast-moving theatre that demands audience concentration, but powerful storytelling and protean performance make this a bare-bones theatrical triumph. (Siân Hickson) ■ Sweet Grassmarket, 226 0000 until 29 Aug, 6.15pm, £9.50 (£8.50).
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benefit from a quarter hour’s worth of trimming, with some of the Dali-esque visions feeling a little overindulgent, but there’s wit (including a memorable encounter with the ghost of Harold Pinter) and crisp social observation within the package that makes it worth the watch. (Steve Cramer) ■ Underbelly, 0844 545 8252, until 29 Aug, 7pm, £9.50–£10.50 (£8.50–£9.50). OUR SHARE OF TOMORROW Strong performances illuminate study of love and loss ●●●●●
A girl arrives on a quay looking for the man that loved her mother 15 years ago and never stopped waiting. Her mother is dead and she is there to tell him that he is her father. Intriguingly, she is accompanied by a recently befriended and much older ex-soldier, who aggressively protects her welfare.
What unfolds is a resonant, melancholic exploration of love and
grief, that shines not so much in the twists of the plot itself – this is not about ‘what happens next’ – but rather in the details of the characters’ interaction. Artful, intuitive performances convey the nuances of angst and affection with genuine depth and manage to pick out the sentiment behind dialogue that, at times, might otherwise seem rather obscure. Finely tuned without becoming stilted, this production by Real Circumstance is a touching and sincere portrait of emotional landscapes and the shifting, complex identities of girl and woman, father and daughter, friend and lover. Fully- realised characters provide insight into a narrative that could have floundered in less skilled hands and deliver to the stage a polished, streamlined piece of theatre. (Amy Russell) ■ Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 30 Aug, 1pm, £8.50–£10 (£7–£9).
GIRL CONSTANTLY FUCKING INTERRUPTED Unnerving descent into madness ●●●●●
Faith is 25, in therapy and addicted to prescription drugs. Sadly, these are the least of her problems. Hiding in the attic as her murdered mother’s wake rages below, insanity rears its head. As a trunk in the corner reveals a host of other personalities vying for attention, the very essence of what it is to be oneself is brought into question. In this intense one-woman show our protagonist flits from one personality to
another with an ease that is almost embarrassingly real. Although at times she is perhaps too aware that there is an audience and the script occasionally veers dangerously close to melodramatic cliché, the subject matter – a girl’s psychological meltdown – means there is more leeway for such diversions than most. Yet as each alter ego begins to bleed so smoothly into one entity, the ease with which madness descends is frankly unnerving. Ultimately, Faith – and her other selves – must make the decision: should she attempt to meditate her way to happiness or give up and allow her mind to kill her? (Kirstyn Smith) ■ Gilded Balloon Teviot, 622 6552, until 30 Aug, noon, £8.50–£9.50 (£7.50–£8.50).
‘stunning production’ ‘stunning production’ ‘Tis Pity She’s a Whore at Salberg ‘Tis Pity She’s a Whore at Salberg Studio, Salisbury Playhouse Studio, Salisbury Playhouse
The best of Scottish produce, prepared for you in the heart of Edinburgh
The Edinburgh Larder is a new deli and licensed cafe just off the Royal Mile serving delicious Scottish food and drinks in a warm and welcoming environment. Open 7am - 11pm during the Festival
15 Blackfriars Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1NB Tel: 0131 556 6922, www.edinburghlarder.co.uk
CaLARTS FESTIVAL THEATER At Sundown Aug 07 - 13 @13:20 Aug 14 - 21 @18:30
The Bacchae Aug 07 - 13 @15:30 Aug 14 - 17 @20:30 Aug 18 - 21 @22:30 Floozy Aug 07 - 13 @12:00 Aug 14 - 21 @17:00
Silken Veils Aug 07 - 13 @14:20 Aug 14 - 21 @19:30
NO PERFS AUG 16TH
CaLARTS festival theater
On Lochend Close Off the Royal Mile £8 Gen | £5 Con tix: 07074 20 13 13 www.venue13.com
at sundown The story of the end of our lives told in our youth. A collectively imagined autobiography about the unraveling of memory. A joyous physical theater collage about clinging to the past and letting it go.
www.atsundown.net www.allmalebacchae.com
By Amy Tofte Directed by Pacho Velez
www.silkenveils.net
Run through the MicePace Sonic Maze while you wait!
19–26 Aug 2010 THE LIST 73