The latest Brighton Festival and Fringe reviews from Team ThreeWeeks. Look out for more ThreeWeeks reviews here in the eDaily and every morning in The Argus each day in May. Hurrah.

A Guide To ThreeWeeks Ratings:
1/5 - somewhere around about God-darn awful, though possibly it's so bad it's good.
2/5 - just not any good really, sorry.
3/5 - good for what it is - if you like this genre, probably worth a try
4/5 - now, this is what we are talking about, a fine example of this genre
5/5 - oh Lord, so damn good, whatever the genre, go see this show if you can

CABARET

The Kitsch Kittens Holiday Slide Show
The Kitsch Kittens
Like eating more candy floss than you should, this is a confectionary of a cabaret, so saccharine you cant avoid getting a sugar rush. The honey-voiced duo, in the kitschiest gingham costumes, are here to show-off their US holiday snaps, Barbies pictured with many hunks while with Sindy its usually junk food. If youre not made to wear a grass-skirt or given an impromptu lap-dance, the predatory pair may well target you for a personal rendition of their camp classics right into your face - more like amorous tigers than kittens. The revealing skin-tightness of their Vegas costumes has to be seen to be believed and see it you must, as you only have one more chance to taste this camp camp candy.     
Upstairs At Three And Ten, 7 and 21 May, 10:00pm, £7.00 (£5.00), fringe pp9.
tw rating 5/5
[se]

COMEDY

GSOH Upstairs At Three And Ten – Andrew O'Neill
Good Sense Of Humour/Otherplace Productions
Your material better be bloody good if you haven't learnt it and instead read off a laptop, while seated, drinking Jack Daniels - palming the audience off with a sore throat sob story. So it was lucky for Andrew O'Neill that his history of British industry from Dark Ages to Dyson wasn't just a bunch of cheap gags, but a cleverly-plotted side-splitting narrative. From spot-on analysis of the past -  "unfortunately for Scargill, Thatcher was a cunt" - to an inventive foretelling of the future with the rise of cloned boy-bands and a circular twist on a par with Douglas Adams that will send shivers down your spine and ripples of laughter through your body. This is the genesis of an industrial-strength comedy.
Upstairs At Three And Ten, 5 May, 10:00pm, £7.00 (£5.00), fringe pp17.
tw rating 4/5
[se]

GSOH Upstairs At Three And Ten - Michael Fabbri
Good Senseof Humour/Otherplace productions
What comedian Fabbri really needs is more comic fabric to patch up his routine. He has a good laid-back demeanour and is completely comfortable interacting with the audience – which in this case included the gift-horse of a Gary Glitter impersonator. Mainly based around Fabbris childhood experiences, from other families middle class affectations to being a "retard" at school, recounting his adolescent antics came easily to the wide-eyed boyish comic. A sore throat and script still on stage seemed to have afflicted Fabbri (as it did the previous nights stand-up at Three and Ten - perhaps theres something in the beer?), but there were plenty of laughs nevertheless, though Fabbri needs a lot more structure woven into his act and a stronger overall theme.
Upstairs At Three And Ten, 6 May, 10:00pm, £7.00 (£5.00), fringe pp17.
tw rating 3/5
[se]

Complete And Utter Conti
Nina Conti
I had heard about Contis foul-mouthed monkey, but nothing had prepared me for the South African voodoo expert cursed with a two-foot talking trouser-snake. Innocent Nina, trying to rein in the cursing and sexual-frustration of her monkey, was still the mainstay of her act, the ambitious length, though, allowed the expert ventriloquist to reach new highs and sink to smuttier depths. Amidst the cavalcade of voices and characters that materialised on stage, Conti becoming her ventriloquist Aberdonian granddad, who brings her grandma back as a puppet, was both heart-warming and a little creepy. The self-awareness of the monkey, with his many references to the presence of the ventriloquists hand, reached its conclusion with the jaw-dropping role reversal finale.
Komedia,7 May, 8:00pm (10:00pm), £14.00(£12.00), fpp 16.
tw rating 4/5
[se]

Electric Mouse Comedy Showcase
Tonight's host makes quite a song and dance about the free comedy at Heist. Five comedians! A host! Free? Yes! Free! What a shame then, this particular evening, that no one gets their money's worth. Richard King's warm-up does no favours for opener Lou Sanders, who can't read the notes on her hand well enough to string her material together. It picks up a little when she is relieved by Robert White, who quite literally makes a song and dance of his frantic set and just about justifies his extra five minutes. Chris Brazier's set, mercifully, is five minutes in total. When I add up all the minutes I've given, it feels like an expensive evening. There are different acts every night though folks, so roll up...
Heist, 3-26 May, 9:15pm (10:30pm), Free, fringe pp16.
tw rating 2/5
[jg]

Woody Bop Muddy
I'm sure anyone who saw Nirvana's turn on 'Top Of The Pops would assume that only the Weirdest Act would perform to a backing track of 'Smells Like Teen Spirit'. Unfortunately for Kurt Cobain, Woody Bop Muddy, armed with a bucket of rice and lyrics like "your fingers have been cut off, your house is made of porridge", has made off with the title, leaving a trail of Basmati in his wake. For the main event he offers typically bad records up for an audience vote, to be granted passage to 'record heaven' or to meet the business end of his golden hammer. Its an unfortunately small crowd at judgement day, for, whilst the jokes wear a bit thin with time, Woody's unrelenting lunacy is quite a spectacle.
The Parlure Spiegeltent, 3 May, 3:00pm and 7:30, £11.00 (£9.00/£7.00), fringe pp23.
tw rating 3/5
[jg]

EVENTS

Creative Brighton Debate
Brighton Festival
Turns out this did not do exactly what it said on the tin for this was a debate that lacked in, well, debate. The three speakers, who between them represented the new media departments of Channel 4, Universal Records and The Guardian, were all eloquent and evidently clued-up about the digital age but the fact that all are employed by institutions facing similar problems, ie firmly established but needing to adapt rapidly to technology that changes quicker than a chameleon on speed, meant that each of the speakers were also facing similar problems and so had similar experiences to recount. If we had been given the opportunity to hear from a diverse selection of individuals for whom the digital age represents a range of different scenarios, we would have been much more likely to have been rewarded with a fresh and thought-provoking discussion.
Pavilion Theatre, 7 May, 7:30pm, £7.50, festival pp32.
tw rating 2/5
[jh]

LITERARY

The Hot Topic
Brighton Festival/Sir David King
Former chief scientific advisor to the government David King stresses from the outset that his is no 'long hair and sandals approach to global warming but rather a scientifically grounded and insightful view of climate change. This talk, an accompaniment to the book of the same name, was split into three parts beginning with a presentation that demonstrated the problems of population growth and the resulting effect on global warming. The second part, an interview with the host, was when the really interesting stuff came out: the silver lining of foot and mouth, the background intricacies behind the 2001 election date, and the White Houses payouts to its leading scientists. Audience questions finished off the event focusing on this truly interesting and entertaining speaker.
Pavilion Theatre, 8 May, 7:30pm (9:00pm), £7.50, Festival pp33.
tw rating 3/5
[rt]

Celebrating Linda Smith
Brighton Festival
Tribute shows to deceased national treasures can often feel a bit over the top, but this was a nice evening of fondly remembered Smith moments. Written, produced and presented by the man she, even after 23 years of partnership, referred to as her boyfriend, the show mixed video footage and music with readings of her work. Smith certainly had a talent for making everything that is wrong with the world sound hilarious and the diverse pieces performed ranged from the regretfully addictive lures of satellite television to the embarrassment of having excessively rightwing elderly relatives, via the horrors of adult Harry Potter reading. With several good performances, the best moments were the ones where her sharp material was left to speak for itself – surely the objective of any homage.
Sallis Benney Theatre, 9 May, 6:00pm and 10:00pm, £12.50, festival pp33.
tw rating 4/5
[jn]

MUSIC

Want Rufus
Kit Ashton and friends
All in all, this wasnt really for me, but it must be said that the rest of the crowd packing out The Hanbury clearly loved it. And the evening, predominantly a tribute to Rufus Wainwright, did see the musical collective on stage themselves having a great time, which was infectious and wonderful to see. Lead singer Kit Ashton had a friendly, inclusive yet modest stage presence which was incredibly disarming. The surprise hit of the night for me, however, was one of the guest singers - Brett Dickinson - whose singing was entrancing. It certainly looks like Ashton should maintain his momentum and organise more such nights.
Hanbury Club, 7 May, 8:30pm, £7.00 (£5.00), fringe pp39.
tw rating 3/5
[sla]

New Music for Two Percussionists
Adam Bushell and Tom Norrell
Upon walking into The Friends' Meeting House I was met with an atmosphere that felt distinctly like a church congregation. Except it was not a sermon the middle aged crowd were waiting for, it was geniuses of percussion, Adam Bushell and Tom Norrell. A sweaty, riotous affair it was not, but the skill and innovation displayed by the performers was astounding. Using a vast arsenal of percussion they subjected the audience to two hours of unadulterated thumping, with the notable highlight of 'Clapping Music', a piece played purely through the medium of (you guessed it) clap. One could appreciate the mathematical precision involved, but after an hour, a distinct realisation emerged that you were merely witnessing two grown men hitting things.
Friends' Meeting House, 8 May, 7:30pm, £7.50 (£6:00), fringe pp35.
tw rating 3/5
[sfw]

Martha Tilston
For those who don't know Martha Tilston by sight, there is no mistaking the celebrated sound of her voice as it rises above the din. Right from out of the din in fact, as she begins to sing from the audience. The sparse instrumentation is well arranged but ultimately plays second fiddle to Martha's voice, characterised by a unique, trembling vibrato, stressed until it stutters. The economy of her guitar work is enjoyable too, making a welcome change from self-indulgent support act Nathan Bell. The plainly narrated nostalgia of numbers like 'Songs That Make Sophie Fizz is a little sickly sweet, but her lyrics are otherwise charming and thoughtful. 'Does anybody else get me? Oh yes, everybody here tonight at least.
Komedia, 7 May, 8:30pm (11:00pm), £10.00 (£8.00) fringe pp. 35
tw rating 4/5
[jg]

THEATRE

The Black Curtain
Angel Exit Theatre
A slick satire on modern society through the lens of film noir, the Angel Exit theatre machine sets in motion a world of twitching blinds and shadowy exchanges. Government employee Frank has to decide between the conspiracy theories of his paranoid colleague and loyalty to his department as they wage an increasingly zealous war on terror. In long raincoats and hats, the actors slide from scene to scene with precise choreography in harmony with the versatile set. The office scenes in fast-forward and reverse are especially effective. The femme fatale and other characters are precisely portrayed, but the piece is more than just an homage, with a critical finger pointed at not just over-vigilant governments, but also a compliant media.
UdderPlace, 6-9 May, 7:00pm, £11.00(£9.00), fringe pp44.
tw rating 4/5
[se]

Power Lunch by Alan Ball
Scorch Theatre
Power Lunch provides a short but sharp hour of what can best be described as a pseudo-psychological romp. A chance meeting between a business man and a business woman in a restaurant quickly unravels a kind of collective neurosis, as power-relations and modern insecurities are played out with hyperbolic precision. And it is not only gender roles which are challenged – once the waiter Dorothy and the waitress Donald join the couple, some serious role playing questions the very concept of definite gender-identity. As you would expect from the writer of 'Six Feet Under and 'American Beauty, this is a stylish, darkly humorous and well-observed show, but at times it gets a little bit too hysterical and silly for its own good.
Open House Public House, 8 - 11, 14 – 18 and 21 – 25 May, times vary, £10.00 (£8.00), fringe pp42.
tw rating 3/5.
[jn]

The Art Of Catastrophe
Still Point
A performance so open and honest that it leaves a lump in the throat when the character's story comes to its touching ending. Helen, played by Sarah Blackman, who devised the piece with Emma Roberts, tells the story of her life through the moments that she remembers most vividly. Her dull office job and marriage breakdown all come back to haunt her, as she becomes her cold former self, a friendly colleague and most fun of all her husbands bubbly young mistress, discussing the merits of his cock. Blackman mixes touching conversations with humorous reminiscences and liberating dances all the more impressive for being performed in heels. A beautiful all-round piece of theatre by a genuine, skilled performer, deviser and writer.
The Nightingale Theatre, 6-8 May, 7:30pm (8:40pm), £8.50 (£6.50), fringe pp 44.
tw rating 5/5
[se]

Brighton Bits at Komedia Studio Bar
Hole In The Road
Important as forums that give actors and writers the opportunity to perform and receive feedback are, the standard of scripts here was disappointing. The performances were confident throughout, the characters the actors were playing were superficial, unconvincing and failed to engage their audience. The shorts began with an excerpt about the human fallout from the Palestinian / Israeli conflict, worthy subject matter, but the characters tale felt like a generalised representation instead of a specific personal story. 'La Patisserie worked in mixed media, with parts of the play shown on a big screen, a great idea but which was not brilliantly executed and proved jerky and confusing. 'The Waiting Game was engaging in parts, but was at times unconvincing. 'Mothers Day again was hit and miss; 'How to Fake Friends wasnt serious and it was hard to grasp what 'The Baby was about.
Komedia Studio, 5 May, 3:00 pm – 5:30 pm, £5.00 (£4.00), fringe pp40.
tw rating 2/5
[sla]

Reviewed in the ThreeWeeks eDaily tomorrow...
Tom Tom Club, Drookit Dogs, Woody Sez, Flabbergast, Total, Abandoman: A Hip Hop Comedy, A Cappella Sensation, Durang Durang. Some of these reviews will appear first in tomorrow's Argus.

ThreeWeeks Reviewers Guide...
Sarah Agnew [sla], Steve Bromley [sb], Kate Charles [kc], Seth Ewin [se], Sean Farrance-White [sfw], Joel Gunter [jg], Jess Hookway [jh], Jessica Nero [jn], Laura Oliver [lo], Clearhos Papanicolaou [cp], Anna Pearce [ap], Richard Tatnall [rt].

ThreeWeeks is the flagship media at the Edinburgh and Brighton Festivals. Its mission is to provide as comprehensive coverage as is humanly possible of both these festivals, in particular reviewing those shows not getting media coverage elsewhere.

We launched ThreeWeeks in Edinburgh in 1996 because at that time the Edinburgh Festival was growingly hugely each year, but at the same time media coverage was, if anything, decreasing. That meant that many strands at the Festival - and especially the new, alternative and grassroots performers and companies which, as far as we could see, were what made the Edinburgh Festival so exciting in the first place - were not getting the coverage they deserved. From year one ThreeWeeks aimed to cover as many aspects of the Festival as possible, from the big names at the big venues through to the real grass roots shows not covered elsewhere. Over a decade later we continue to operate to that ethos, getting even closer to achieving it by reviewing over 1500 shows each Edinburgh Festival - nearly all of them - and hundreds more than our closest competitors.

Since 2006 we have applied the same ethos in our coverage of the Brighton Festival. This year we will have over 25 student reviewers seeing shows. You can read their reviews via this eDaily, our website and through a daily column in The Argus. We also offer a bucket load of previews and interviews on and with some of our favourite shows and performers, on our website, and via our free ThreeWeeks Guide to the Brighton Festival, available all over Brighton from 6 May.

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