Stitches @ the Edinburgh Fringe

The ThreeWeeks review of Manchester University's Stitches, the new play from 2009's ISPC winner:

Global warming is a hot topic these days, but this new script from award-winning playwright Claire Urwin gives it a whole new angle. Urwin presents a highly imaginatively created world, based on an Earth devastated by firestorms, acid rain and solar flares. It gives her a chance for language games with survivors who've forgotten how it all works, and she also has fun with an amusing deconstruction of modern society and turns of speech, even if the laughs come from the survivors' misunderstandings more than anything else. A detailed world is built until the emotional, brutal conclusion, at which point the lesbian subtext suddenly makes sense. Another imaginative, image-rich creation from Urwin.

tw rating: 4/5

Hitler Alone @ the Edinburgh Fringe

The ThreeWeeks review of Paul Webster's Hitler Alone, a show in an incredibly small room (fourteen in the audience) which would have been amazing if it had coincided with the guns/fireworks firing up at the castle:

Adolf Hitler was a foot away from me, banging on the floor and shouting about the people who'd betrayed him. He was angry about inept Generals, but I couldn't help being pleased with their failure. I didn't show that I was pleased; Hitler was screaming and spitting in front of me. The man's a megalomaniac, you don't argue with him - even when he says every generation should experience war. I disagree, but so powerful is Paul Webster's performance that counter-arguments fall away. With a liberal smattering of historical fact, Webster keeps a tiny venue in hushed awe as Germany's charismatic Führer - he shows the man within the monster. You'll not quickly forget this man ranting in a small room.

tw rating: 4/5

Jumping Mouse @ the Edinburgh Fringe

The ThreeWeeks review of Unpacked's Jumping Mouse, a children's show at the Pleasance Courtyard:

These performers are really very good at making objects into animals. They've got an inventive style that lends itself well to sparking the imagination of children; watch out for the walking sticks that are birds as well as a bison's horns. The warm-hearted trio lead us onto their bus and tell the tale of Mouse 267B, who goes off in search of whatever is causing the roaring noise in her ears. On the way she meets some blues frogs - who very nearly steal the show - and a competitive wolf, not forgetting that bison (whose song is a wonderfully witty ode to old age). This is a strong production, and should definitely be going places.

tw rating: 3/5

The Event @ the Edinburgh Fringe

The ThreeWeeks review of Tom Clancy's The Event, which amusingly starts in almost exactly the same way as Lyn Gardner's review for The Guardian:

A man stands in a pool of light. He says some rehearsed words, and is - apparently - very candid about it all. The whole hour is meta-theatrical to the point of absurdity - but in a good way. The man - claiming to be Dave, but I'm not sure I believe him - gives a confident performance. He has an appreciative audience of theatre folk in the palm of his hand so it's a shame that the stuff about the state of society plods so much. When on theatre-related subjects - ie when talking about the show itself - he never says anything surprising or new. 'The Event' refers to itself all the time; it's very self-consciously an event about an event.

tw rating: 3/5

Generation F @ the Edinburgh Fringe

The ThreeWeeks review of Actas Company's Generation F, in one of The Spaces venues:

There's a lot of concern about global warming these days, and the other day I saw a TV programme arguing that sixteen year-olds should have a vote. The nightmare situation of teen voters amid global flooding is the subject of 'Generation F', which imagines a post-Flood world where the aged will be sent to conservation camps. This is a script that really wants to sound informed, edgy and worthy, tackling so big an issue. It comes nowhere near; technically dubious, with a sedate pace and a disastrous mix of mime and props (how hard is it to buy some Tesco cakes in the morning?), F stands for 'fail' rather than 'flood'.

tw rating: 2/5

Miller @ the Edinburgh Fringe

The ThreeWeeks review of Miller, which is a play about football and stuff, at the Fringe:

Your dad's death isn't something you really want to think about, but it's where 'Miller' packs its biggest emotional punch. No one person plays Miller himself, but three of the talented cast of four throw themselves into playing him beautifully; their strength lies in their versatility. He's not an especially likeable man, but it's his sensitively-played son that makes us feel for him. This is a production that understands the basics, and keeps it simple; these guys know what they need and that they don't need anything extraneous. Solid, sensitive, versatile and touching. Seeing it with your dad would be uplifting but ultimately force you to confront the inevitable. Well worth a look.

tw rating: 4/5

Kursk @ the Edinburgh Fringe

Something meaningful packed into a small space. That's how Ian Ashpitel's Donnie Black describes a a haiku poem in Sound&Fury's piece of (almost literally) immersive theatre produced with the Young Vic. It works as a description of the British submarine which Kursk is set...except that the playing space – designed to be the inside of a Trafalgar class submarine – actually sprawls rather more than an actual submarine.

That submarine isn't the Kursk, crucially. It's British, the British submarine that was tracking the Russian nuclear submarine that suffered an explosion resulting in the loss of all hands. What with everything being so covert (a hangover from the Cold War, and a dramatic theme for the plot), the British must keep quiet and can't send a distress signal.

It's a misleading title, because although this is ostensibly about the Kursk, all the action happens on the Trafalgar submarine. The Russians are viewed – well, heard – from afar through the sonar, their story reported rather than shown. Instead, the focus of the pathos is on one of the British crew, and the Russian tragedy is forgotten. It's a criticism that's been levelled at Kursk before, but there's a definite lack of actual Kursk. Even the list of the dead read out in tribute at the end is drowned out by the helicopter that arrives to take said British crewman home.

Homing in on the British crew gives a chance to show the British Navy at its blokish, Boy Scout best. To an extent, the beginnings of the mission feel like one big adventure, with shared sleeping areas and arguments over mix tapes. Oh, and they have hot chocolate and biscuits at bed-time. They may as well be on Scout camp. Of course, the sub is devoid of women, except for the messages sent to the boys every four weeks, so it's a very male environment. But some people like that; it's not a problem for some people, including the boys onstage here who clearly revel in the testosterone like many real sailors. I mean it in a good way when I say that this setting reminded me why I dropped my application to join the Navy.

Sound&Fury create a convincing submarine but the story feels misplaced, focusing as it does on the lesser tragedy (in terms of scale, though not poignancy) and not the one that inspired it. More meaning could be packed into this particular small space.

Fringe Review 2009

Ward No. 6, 3 stars on Fringe Review:

http://www.fringereview.co.uk/fringeReview/3064.html

Hamlet, 3 stars on Fringe Review:

http://www.fringereview.co.uk/fringeReview/2986.html

Stacey Meyer: The Funeralogues, 3 stars on Fringe Review:

http://www.fringereview.co.uk/fringeReview/3074.html

Escape, 4 stars on Fringe Review:

http://www.fringereview.co.uk/fringeReview/2985.html

King of the Gypsies, 4 stars on Fringe Review:

http://www.fringereview.co.uk/fringeReview/3027.html

The Lamplighter's Lament, 4 stars on Fringe Review:

http://www.fringereview.co.uk/fringeReview/3028.html

Kataklo's Love Machines @ the Edinburgh Fringe

The ThreeWeeks review of Kataklo's Love Machine, which was a dance/physical theatre piece:

They look as though they could be miners up in the air, but they're hanging off a saddle suspended from the roof, so maybe not. The soundtrack beats and thumps along, as B-movie-style action fills the stage: we've got dancers who look like cyborg soldiers from the future, who seem to be making attempts at first contact with the alien life they find once they reach the stage from that floating saddle, before setting off an interplanetary battle of the sexes. On this planet, the locals live inside huge wooden triangles that roll around, being walls and houses and intimidating scenery. But Kataklo let you put your own story to their eclectic, passionate movement.

tw rating: 3/5

Go To Gaza, Drink The Sea @ the Edinburgh Fringe

The ThreeWeeks review of Guy Masterson's Go to Gaza, Drink the Sea, which is at the Edinburgh Fringe and has anti-Israeli protests outside the theatre:

Go to Hell and drink salt water. Not you, obviously; that's just Yasser Arafat's common message to those denying his people their own state. It's also the real meaning of the title of this play presenting the story of the Palestinians' plight: Israeli air strikes and bulldozings, houses reduced to rubble above families. But telling stories is all it does until we see a son who wants to play outside. It's halfway in, and the first time there's a real feeling of drama. Many of the characters blur together and, while a very worthy subject, the script feels one-sided, unbalanced, the Israeli voice conspicuous by its absence. And why do we need Hamas to dance at the end?

tw rating: 3/5

Absolutely Legless @ the Edinburgh Fringe (it's a show, honest)

The ThreeWeeks review of Absolutely Legless (this blog title isn't a description of the local nightlife), a night of Irish dancing and music:

During this show, the man behind me kept rocking my chair with his tapping foot, so I could tell he was enjoying himself. It wasn't so easy to tell with the dancers - why must they look so miserable? With the upbeat, vibrant and energetic tunes being played with such verve by the musicians of Absolutely Legless, you'd think the dancers could smile more, but they seemed content to let the joy come from their feet, not from their faces. Don't get me wrong; their footwork is electric. I just wanted their faces to be lit up too. If variations of Riverdance interspersed with songs are your thing, then go see this. Foot-tappingly good.

tw rating: 3/5

Snatch Paradise By Van Badham @ the Edinburgh Fringe

The ThreeWeeks review of The Gemeinshaft Dogs' Snatch Paradise By Van Badham, which was a play seemingly inspired by people like Peter André, Jordan and boy band celebrity figures:

At least one of the women in this image-obsessed play has false breasts. She's a singer/actress whose boyband-star boyfriend has just come out of jail with amnesia. As his memories come trickling back, he reacts against the abuse and manipulation of his life. Van Badham gives us a world where sex is payment for everything, lust is the same as love, and public image is all. Mind, the songs are belting good parodies. It takes an outside perspective to see how dirty, corrupt and disgusting it all is; this show successfully delivers a mix of pop, porn, violence and PR (oh, and full-on nudity). Not one for the kids.

tw rating: 3/5

A Pirate's Life For Me! @ the Edinburgh Fringe

The ThreeWeeks review of Act II Theatre Company's Treasure Island, a children's show:

It's not just the 'Treasure Island' rip-off of a plot that lacks magic in this underpowered children's show. There is a plot device (which sounds magical) towards the end that really belongs in a fairy tale, not a pirate story; unfortunately, the lengthy songs don't allow time for that story to really develop. To be fair to the cast, they try hard to involve the children, giving them a vote on all the important decisions along the way, plus, most of the actors double up their roles, and do it in a clever way; they haven't cleared up all of the flaws involved, however. This show might be okay for your six-year-old, but don't expect anything magical.

tw rating: 2/5

Dilly Dilly at Dance Base @ the Edinburgh Fringe

The ThreeWeeks review of Tabula Rasa's Dilly Dilly, which was a dance show for children:

Dilly Dilly is probably a flower who likes to dance. And why not? At Dance Base the slogan is "Give Dance a Chance", and this particular dance gives younger folk a chance to see a cute and charming performance. The garden set is beautiful. The dancing is assured, but maintains an air of childlike wonder as Dilly Dilly gradually learns more about herself and the natural world around her. The way that dance and nature is mixed seamlessly with video makes this a good introduction to dance for the young TV literate generation accustomed to programmes like 'The Teletubbies'. While not a show for dance purists, its engaging opening and style mean that 'Dilly Dilly' is pitched perfectly at its target children's audience.

tw rating: 4/5

The Bone House & Spectrum @ the Edinburgh Fringe

This is quite exciting. While I've been rushed off my (now slightly blistered) feet in Edinburgh, this article/review of The Bone House at the Underbelly has been posted on callthatashow.com and the walls outside the Underbelly. Wow.

http://callthatashow.com/?page_id=133

There are also masses of reviews on ThreeWeeks and Fringe Review.

For example, ThreeWeeks' Spectrum at C, Chambers St.:

Okay, now I'm scared to fall asleep watching telly. A chap in this invigorating dance piece falls asleep – not sure how, the telly's so loud – and the girl from the old Test Card comes to life. Creepy. She and her friends - who might be from inside the set - borrow their movement styles from hip-hop and give the whole thing a desolate, urban sort of feel, a theme enhanced by the use of multimedia. I couldn't help thinking, however, that the Test Card is a bit out-dated; some of the clips, as well the concept of television dominating life, are quite last century. It's all about the internet these days, and that's got its own store of demons that Avant Garde could explore.

tw: 3/5

All that jazz in Edinburgh (and other such puns)

Recently, the Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival has been - er - rocking Edinburgh. No, that needs a better word...er, I'll think of one later. Painting the town...blue(s)? Never mind.

As a teasing preview before they publish any Fringe reviews, ThreeWeeks have published a couple of jazz reviews. Here's my favourite, a review of Scandinavian trio The Thing:

Three muscley, Scandinavian men – Vikings – with short hair appeared. They could have been squaddies. What followed certainly looked like a battle – for their souls. The Thing wrestled their instruments into producing an enthralling cacophony, pulsing with energy. This jazz borrows from punk and metal and includes random shouts of pain and squeals of feedback - amazingly from the saxophones, which make noises no sax should. Drummer Nilssen-Love looked increasingly frustrated that his arms were moving, bassist Flaten seemed tortured by his strings and saxophonist Gustafsson went bright red as air was squeezed from his body. It was like someone was forcing them to play as a punishment. Maybe a spiteful Spirit of Jazz. Punk-jazz may be an unholy alliance, but it's diabolically enchanting.

The Lot, 2 Aug, 9.00pm, £12.50
tw rating: 4/5
published: Aug-2009
http://edinburgh.threeweeks.co.uk/review/6727


Then, over on Fringe Review at the moment, there's a four-star review of Belt Up's The Tartuffe:
http://www.fringereview.co.uk/fringeReview/2957.html

Speaking of Belt Up - which I was - their venue, C Soco, turns into a late-night bar after their shows are over. Find out more about that on callthatashow.com:
http://callthatashow.com/?page_id=82

Exciting.

Call That A Show?

Also, for slightly more off-the-wall, uncoventional coverage of Edinburgh over Summer, it's worth checking out callthatashow.com, a website set up recently by University of Edinburgh students. It's got me reviewing jazz...