ThreeWeeks Edinburgh » by Jessica Ballance

ED2011 Theatre Review: Under The Influence (American High School Theatre Festival)

admin — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 22:46:38 +0000

Centred around emotional, physical and drug-related abuse, this play comes across as if these mature and ambitious subjects were being tackled by a cast with woefully meagre experience of them. The performance began to feel like a bad trip itself, as I found myself being shouted and screamed at for just over an hour. The film crew in the corner only confirmed my suspicions that I was, indeed, seeing the Rebecca Black of theatre. The self-indulgent monologues felt highly artificial and abrasive, and the script was filled with clichéd, laughably ill-chosen lines which jarred with the sombre subject matter and seemed a flailing attempt at catharsis. Approached with the best of intentions, this was a show that fundamentally missed the mark.

theSpaces at Surgeons Hall, 8 – 12 Aug (not 10), times vary, £5.00, fpp308.
tw rating 1/5
[jlb]

ED2011 Theatre Review: Remembering Annabel (Cathartic Connections Theatre Company)

admin — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 21:37:35 +0000

Grasping at the film noir genre with desperate, fur-coat-shrouded hands, this felt like serious (though not entirely successful) escapism. Peppered with popular culture bon mots, it proved sporadically funny in a way which accorded reasonable with the tone of Edgar Allen Poe’s original ‘Annabel Lee’. Some physical theatre sections, though inventive, were baffling or over-long, but the Faustian aspects are approached sensibly with a slightly tongue-in-cheek attitude. The bizarre Mexican Stand-off scenario was disorientatingly ill-explained, and I found I cared very little about the characters. Andrew Simpson gave a captivating and darkly comic performance as Ed, with his enlivening moments of lunacy, but even this wasn’t enough to resuscitate a show which frequently sank into worrying melodrama.

theSpaces On North Bridge, 5 – 13 Aug (not 7), 3.05pm (3.55pm), £5.00 – £7.50, fpp291.
tw rating 2/5
[jlb]

ED2011 Theatre Review: Othello (DugOut Theatre)

admin — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 21:34:22 +0000

Othello was drenched with the sweaty evidence of a clearly demanding (and, on the whole, accomplished) performance. Though never appearing all that obviously heroic – and this did dampen the tragedy somewhat – in the depths of his madness, he achieved a truly commanding presence. Emilia’s performance was highly perceptive and potentially stage-stealing, far outshining the disappointingly vapid Desdemona, while the worryingly fresh-faced Iago proved a most marvellous sociopath in a towering, relaxed and highly nuanced performance. The desire to modernise the original iambic pentameter sometimes resulted in rushed, indecipherable speech, and actors steamrollered over occasional lines in pursuit of a more contemporary delivery. However, slight hiccups aside, this was a stunning retelling by a frighteningly strong cast.

Zoo Roxy, 5 – 20 Aug, 6.45pm (8.45pm), £8.00, fpp287.
tw rating 4/5
[jlb]

ED2011 Musicals Review: Nine – The Musical

admin — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 10:05:10 +0000

The stage was littered with rows of white chairs; it should have immediately indicated the stultifying, sedentary and lacklustre performance which was to follow. A troupe of ill-clad women trooped onstage, sang, sat down… and then continued to sit statically for what seemed like the entire performance. The accents were questionable, often sounding more Eastern European than Italian, and the show was lacking almost entirely in the Italian passion which made it (and Guido) such a notorious success. Though the chorus was sporadically great, the voices showed signs of tiredness from Carla especially, but Luisa’s talented, velveteen voice invigorated what was a flagging performance, making the whole thing not totally unbearable. Frequently bored, I was glad when it ended.

Paradise In Augustine’s, 8 – 13 Aug, 6.40pm (8.10pm), £8.00 – £10.00, fpp229.
tw rating 2/5
[jlb]

ED2011 Comedy Review: Barely Legal Corn – Free (Big Spoon Little Spoon / Laughing Horse Free Festival)

admin — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 09:23:13 +0000

If you’re keen on obvious humour and enjoy the dull grate of a rather worn cliché against your funny bone, then you might not utterly hate these three rather dashing comics. Heaving themselves unceremoniously onto the stage, their whole hour of material circled, with worrying frequency, around ‘babestation’, their lack of a sex life, and how badly their jokes were going. Welshman Robin Haywood’s comedy mostly concerned sheep and this farmer who had sex with his pigs, which hardly made for riveting, or even bearable material. And although James Farmer was a small road-bump of excitement, the deliveries were universally lethargic in a largely flailing hour of comedic flat-lining.

Laughing Horse at The Three Sisters, 12 – 18 Aug, 12.30pm (1.30pm), free, fpp43.
tw rating 1/5
[jlb]

ED2011 Theatre Review: Bouncers Remix (DugOut Theatre)

admin — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 17:59:02 +0000

Football chants merge with Arctic Monkeys lyrics; a group of lads on the town slam into a girls’ night out. The four-strong cast are mesmerising to behold as they stagger, strut and stalk around the stage in utterly convincing portrayals taken from the whole spectrum of city night-life. It’s a flawless performance from start to finish, with Luke Murphy’s seemingly elastic spine adding further splendour to the inebriated excellence of their physical presence. It’s as energising as one-too-many double-vodka-Red-Bulls, but manages to equally convey the more important moments at its core, such as Rosie (George Chilcott) proving a source of both hilarity and well-tempered poignancy. The result is a multifaceted performance by a truly formidable cast.

Zoo Roxy, 6 – 28 Aug (not 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 17, 19, 21, 23, 25, 27), 2.30pm (3.30pm), £6.50 – £10.00, fpp246.
tw rating 5/5
[jlb]

ED2011 Theatre Review: The Dark Philosophers (National Theatre Wales / Told By An Idiot)

admin — Sat, 27 Aug 2011 12:19:34 +0000

“Let me explain – I’m dead.” In this mystifying performance, that wasn’t the only thing that needed clarification. Fragmented narratives were intricately woven together into captivating, somewhat cohesive theatre by a deceased yet ever-present masked figure. The events, for the most part, followed a patchwork trail along the lifeline of Gwyn Thomas, a novelist once termed “the true voice of the English-speaking valleys”. The set was ingeniously conceived, with wardrobes serving as portals between other characters’ stories as well as across time. Though this did mean that occasionally the multiplicity of narratives proved a little hard to follow, the narrative flung itself back and forth, shifting focus between Thomas and the parallel (equally scintillating) stories immersed in Brimstone Terrace. Bewitching.

Traverse Theatre, 9 – 28 Aug (not 15, 22), times vary, £6.00 – £19.00, fpp253.
tw rating 4/5
[jlb]

ED2011 Comedy Review: Bridget Christie – Housewife Surrealist (Bridget Christie / The Stand Comedy Club)

admin — Thu, 25 Aug 2011 13:05:34 +0000

Having doused her audience with holy water and hurled communion wafers into the crowd like transubstantiated Frisbees, she removed her bishop’s hat and finally began her set. But it’s not quite as easy to remove Christie’s comedy from her Catholic faith – this is though, I believe, a good thing and definitely to her credit. Few comics approach the well-trodden ground of religion from quite her angle, and she’s very comfortable in simultaneously pointing out the nonsensical foibles of her faith whilst presenting a wonderfully measured attitude to her Catholic upbringing. She explored the similarities between comedians and priests, the theological dichotomies which arise when your husband’s a “depressing” atheist, plus, the miniature re-enactment of The Ascension alone was certainly worth a watch.

The Stand Comedy Club II, 4 – 28 Aug (not 15), 4.40pm (5.40pm), £7.00 – £8.00, fpp52.
tw rating 3/5
[jlb]

ED2011 Theatre Review: Unnatural Selection

admin — Tue, 23 Aug 2011 13:36:04 +0000

Amnesiac vampires admittedly were not a premise that immediately thrilled or captivated me, but this grungy, slick, apocalyptically-tinged performance was certainly gripping. At its worst, it put me in mind of Twi-hard porn with depth, as an olive-skinned Edward Cullen figure brooded across the stage, playing the troubled romantic out for impassioned revenge. The styling was crisp if predictable, and the densely fabricated plot was weighted down by too much circumstantial politics. They create a richly detailed, cinematic, adrenaline-fuelled world, but it was a performance of overly ambitious scope. Though somewhat ill-suited to the stage (and, arguably, limited by it), this performance would make for a fairly saleable vampire novel – and God knows there’s a market for those.

theSpaces at Surgeons Hall, 5 – 27 Aug (not 7, 14, 21), 7.30pm (8.35pm), £5.00 – £8.50, fpp308.
tw rating 3/5
[jlb]

ED2011 Comedy Review: McNeil And Pamphilon – Which One Are You?

admin — Tue, 23 Aug 2011 12:55:01 +0000

Never have a comedy duo been so fixated on each other’s balls. If Morecambe and Wise were born in the 1980s and found themselves in dissatisfying nine-to-five jobs, then perhaps they would have written a sketch show a little like this. McNeil and Pamphilon had a marvellous bromance and a comedic chemistry that was wonderfully self-evident, spawning a series of electrifying gags which were executed with enviable panache and an endearing and relaxed comic presence. With a mix of musical numbers and exquisitely timed sketches, they played superbly off each other’s foibles in a fine example of sharp, cut-and-thrust comedy. Come! Gorge your humour-bones on casually-styled, face-achingly funny comedy.

Pleasance Dome, 3 – 28 Aug (not 17), 5.40pm (6.35pm), £7.00 – £9.50, fpp117.
tw rating 5/5
[jlb]

ED2011 Comedy Review: About Tam O’Shanter (Bruce Fummey)

admin — Tue, 23 Aug 2011 12:46:54 +0000

Anyone who has not been to a Burns’ Supper will find the majority of Bruce Fummey’s set difficult to follow. A Scottish comic for a Scottish audience, the show begins with some of his older material – the science-based comedy of a funny Brian Cox. This is relatively successful and receives gentle laughter. His actual set, however, is more interesting and informative – but it isn’t comedy. Those who are unfamiliar with Scottish culture may find that the majority of his set goes over their heads. Many jokes are in the standard misdirection vein and are barely surprising or original, with audience members pre-empting the punchlines. Though not particularly comedic, perhaps Fummey should begin looking into a career in lecturing.

Laughing Horse at The Beehive Inn, 4 – 28 Aug (not 15, 22), 8.00pm (9.00pm), £3.50 – £7.00, fpp33.
tw rating 2/5
[jlb]

ED2011 Comedy Review: Dicking A Great Big Hole (Jodie Dick)

admin — Tue, 23 Aug 2011 12:36:32 +0000

Come witness the place where laughter comes to die. As Dick launched her “comedy” into the oppressive silence, the box of wine on the side table never looked more appealing. Whether Dick intended her show as ironic (it wasn’t) was anyone’s guess. Whichever way you spin it – ironic, failed ironic, downright masochistic – it was an awkward, uncomfortable performance. Faced with leaden jokes and a baffling headset, I sat fervently counting the minutes until my release. If you enjoy burning money or experiencing the slow decay of time, then by all means buy a ticket. But with the economy as it is, you’d be safer playing the stock market for all the return you’ll get.

Just The Tonic at The Store, 4 – 28 Aug (not 16), 1.40pm (2.40pm), £3.50 – £7.00, fpp66.
tw rating 1/5
[jlb]

ED2011 Comedy Review: Tom Bell Begins (Draw HQ)

admin — Tue, 23 Aug 2011 12:27:33 +0000

Taking inspiration from the masked avenger, Tom Bell begins his set with a jaunt through the crowd, balancing like some sort of dark cat-like knight amidst the tottering tabletops. Bedecked in a mesmerising cardigan, this cape-less crusader overwhelms the forces of sub-standard comedy with a barrage of reliable anecdotal japery. It ranges from the through-flowing and uncanny parallelisms between himself and a certain Bruce Wayne, to a surreal musical episode where he stands jigging while reciting the different species of sustainable fish. Important environmental messages aside, this is a stand-out show from a personable and charming comic. His humour is zany, his guitar-tuning zanier – if you weren’t laughing, well, you just didn’t get it.

Just The Tonic at The Tron, 4 – 28 Aug (not 16, 21), 3.40pm (4.40pm) £5.00 – £8.50, fpp160.
tw rating 3/5
[jlb]

ED2011 Musicals Review: FRESHER The Musical (Paulden Productions)

admin — Sun, 21 Aug 2011 19:20:18 +0000

Exceedingly well-framed characters forge a great and surprisingly believable dynamic here. The music is rousing when needed, but the range of styles on display lead to an incredibly varied and versatile performance. The premise is strong, and the overall themes of self-discovery and insecurity are universal enough that you don’t need to be a fresher to understand it. The well-orchestrated incorporation of recitative-like moments is particularly striking, forming a contrapuntal cocktail with more melodic lines. Memorable songs, endearing characters, scenarios you can relate to – this was truly energising to watch. Whether university is a recent memory, distant nostalgia, or something to look forward to, this captures all kinds of exuberance in one thrilling musical snapshot.

Pleasance Dome, 3 – 29 Aug (not 15), 3.50pm (5.00pm), £8.50 – £12.00, fpp225.
tw rating 4/5
[jlb]

ED2011 Comedy Review: Luke McQueen – Your Love Is Mine (Luke McQueen)

admin — Sat, 20 Aug 2011 16:50:29 +0000

“If you’re funny, you’re funny” said McQueen, as he stood questioning his rather serious financial decision to be a comic through the power of rap. His brand of absurdist comedy was received with mixed response, and overall, McQueen’s set was somewhat hit and miss; when mining for diamonds, you’re going to come across a lot of coal along the way. McQueen exhibited moments of brilliance which made me wish he were faced with a slightly bigger audience: with ambitious and promising material, he entertained in a series of guises – some more successful than others – which, though bizarre, had great comic foundation. His strongest material was often his shortest. His edges were rough, but I sensed potential.

Cabaret Voltaire, 5 – 28 Aug (not 15, 22), 5.00pm (6.00pm), £6.00 – £7.00, fpp110.
tw rating 2/5
[jlb]

ED2011 Comedy Review: Laughing Horse Free Pick Of The Fringe (Laughing Horse Free Festival)

admin — Fri, 19 Aug 2011 07:06:05 +0000

Although saddled with a compere (Ivor Dembina) possessing all the charisma and pizzazz of a comatose John Cooper Clarke, the show – rather spectacularly – didn’t utterly bomb. Ria Lina’s musical humour electrified the audience with her relaxed yet biting wit. The self-deprecating, blunt sexual comedy of David Lee Nelson dealt with topics ranging from octogenarian drug dealers to Super Mario Brothers, with a charmingly agitated style of delivery. Nelson proved difficult for Tobias Persson to follow; however, Persson’s lengthy digression concerning a “duck Pope” was a refreshing taste of absurdity, comfortably mastered by the Swedish comic. Finally, despite looking like a “physics teacher” James Dowdeswell’s anecdotal tales of Bartholomew, the well-read homeless man, proved a particular success. Free and not too shabby.

Laughing Horse at Espionage, 4 – 28 Aug, times vary, free, fpp107.
tw rating 3/5
[jlb]

ED2011 Theatre Review: Magicians Do Exist (White Room Theatre)

admin — Tue, 16 Aug 2011 11:23:02 +0000

Jacques Tati apparently said, “Comedy is all in the legs”. Unfortunately, this show didn’t have a leg to stand on. The prop ‘orchestra’ of assorted rubbish, although inventive, did precious little to resuscitate what proved an increasingly dire performance, and a flagging Chris Creswell was even frequently upstaged by his own audience. Like a mime on a mobile phone, this show conveyed an infuriating nothing as it limped towards its long-awaited close, dragging with it the tattered remnants of any comedic potential. The level of audience-participation was ambitious, but the show, heavily reliant on the skill (or lack thereof) of its audience, was definitely not worth the three sunless days (it seemed) I spent watching it. Perhaps one for Tati enthusiasts only?

Pleasance Dome, 3 – 28 Aug (not 16, 23), 12.10pm (1.00pm), £5.00 – £9.00, fpp278.
tw rating 1/5
[jlb]

ED2011 Comedy Review: Shinoxcy Presents There’s No ‘I’ In Shinoxcy – Free (Shinoxcy / PBH’s Free Fringe)

admin — Tue, 16 Aug 2011 06:53:13 +0000

A talking unicorn called Pete sits astride a grand piano and bars the gates to heaven: ‘Shinoxcy’ arms itself with a string of bizarre characters, from a girl with teaspoons for hands to a virginal would-be rapist. The action swings from meta-theatre to ludicrous surrealism with varying degrees of success, and you can hardly accuse the company of being un-inventive, yet the performance is chequered with some hits and plenty of near-misses, and is often lacking sharpness and polish. Elements of the writing feel slightly juvenile, and sections drag uncomfortably or just don’t make sense – calling themselves “surreal” plasters over the majority of cracks. It won’t blow you away, but it’s an entertaining, varied way to spend an hour.

Fingers Piano Bar, 6 – 27 Aug (not 8, 15, 22), 2.00pm (3.00pm), free, fpp151.
tw rating 2/5
[jlb]

ED2011 Theatre Review: Request Programme (Cecilia Nilsson / SIRIS Original Theatre)

admin — Sun, 14 Aug 2011 22:43:19 +0000

Kroetz’s understated, unnerving monodrama is tinged with a subtle Swedish tint in this fixating, hypnotic performance. A woman goes about her nightly routine in a sterile, compartmentalised, and meticulously clean apartment. Initial voyeurism creeps towards melancholic realisation, with the gradual accumulation of detail brought about by Nilsson’s nuanced, highly sensitive physical performance. The single teacup; the photo of a dog on the bedside table; dinner for one – all these intricacies progress towards a conclusion in which the fourth wall never feels more concrete. Her silence is met with an equal – almost complicit – silence as, watched by a room full of people, she remains inescapably alone. A stand-out performance as intimate as it is alienating. See it. Be moved.

Pleasance On Cranston Street, 4 – 27 Aug (not 7, 8, 15, 22), times vary, £10.00 – £12.00, fpp292.
tw rating 5/5
[jlb]

ED2011 Theatre Review: Tin Girl Story (Don’t Look Up Theatre Company)

admin — Fri, 12 Aug 2011 21:36:21 +0000

With all the substance of a romantically thwarted Mills and Boon novel, ‘Tin Girl Story’ was well intentioned but ultimately disappointing. The intriguing premise lacked depth and the clunky circular narrative remained as two-dimensional as the characters. Although Kate Gilbert did give a consistent – and at times even entrancing – performance, she was ultimately hindered by somewhat cumbersome, overindulgent writing. Michael Cretu’s fantastical timbres created some interest in what could have been an otherwise tedious performance, and his longer melodic passages wove a beautiful yet tragic aesthetic. That said, the production was almost comically over-sensualised and instances of rhyme felt uninspiring and leaden. If you like inoffensive cabaret or depressing romances then you might not find yourself entirely disappointed.

Zoo Southside, 5 – 15 Aug, 4.00pm (4.55pm), £6.00 – £8.00, fpp304.
tw rating 2/5
[jlb]

ED2011 Theatre Review: Mr Darwin’s Tree (Wayfarer Productions Ltd)

admin — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 17:47:49 +0000

Faith, science and doubt meet in this exploratory insight into one of the world’s most influential scientific theorists. Andrew Harrison flows seamlessly through an impressive and diverse range of characters; embodying each role with conviction, he delivers performances with the well-tempered subtlety of an adept actor. In his role as the narrator, Murray Watts skilfully weaves passages of description so rich that images rapidly materialise in our imagination. Powerful phrases evolve and grow in poignancy as they recur throughout the performance, and Watts’ fleeting and suggestive parallelisms hint at a deeper interconnectivity between characters which complements Darwin’s evolutionary theories remarkably well. An elegantly conceived, clever and highly informative performance, overflowing with gentle humour and charm.

The Playhouse at Hawke And Hunter Green Room, 3 – 21 Aug (not 8, 15) 12.00pm (1.15pm), £8.50 – £9.50, fpp282.
tw rating 5/5
[jlb]

ED2011 Theatre Review: Robert Burns: Not In My Name (Kevin Williamson)

admin — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 17:42:48 +0000

Inspiring, provocative and thoughtful, Robert Burns’ radical lyricism is artfully contextualised alongside stunning and visually hypnotic multimedia. A backdrop of contemporary images, taken from the last hundred years, illuminates Burns’ later poems, endowing them with modern day gravitas. Insightful parallels are drawn between Burns’ revolutionary lines and events such as The Nuremburg Rally, the Iraq War, and the recent News Of The World phone-hacking scandal. Short film interludes act like fragmentary glimpses of memory, enabling a kind of Burns-eye view. Kevin Williamson’s earthy and expressive readings invigorate and stir, and even those less familiar with Robert Burns easily lose themselves in the rich, lilting rhythm and characteristic vernacular. An intensely beautiful, expertly assembled and thought-provoking experience in Scottish poetry.

National Library Of Scotland, 4 – 12 (not 13 – 23), 24 – 28 Aug, 7.00pm (8.00pm), £5.00 – £8.00, fpp293.
tw rating 5/5
[jlb]