Brighton Fringe people answer the ThreeWeeks Q&A quick quiz. Today, Mill Goble of Discombobulated And Me whose show 'Utter Bellocs' is currently playing at The Hope. Plug your show in the eDaily by simply sending in your answers to these five questions (plus a photo and listings info) to quickquiz@threeweeks.co.uk

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

Face The Music
Flamin' Dames
The true spirit of cabaret was captured tonight as the Flamin Dames' love of performing gave their act a refreshing feel, the supple duo creating a cabaret-lounge warmth to entertain their unfortunately small audience. The songs ranged from classic show tunes to humorous, specially written numbers, some of which ticked all the right boxes, though others were a tad more hit and miss. Their unique rendition of Verdi's Quartet from Rigoletto, however, would have to be a contender for one of the best Fringe moments of 2008, cleverly capturing a hilarious tongue-in-cheek attitude to opera. The running dialogue between songs was a nice touch but a little stilted at times. It was the effortless talent of this pair, though, that made for a relaxing hour of quality entertainment.
Friends' Meeting House 4, 15 May, £8.00 (£6.50), times vary, Fringe pp8.
tw rating 3/5
[rt]

CHILDREN'S SHOWS

Flyaway Katie
Long Nose Puppets
So high in the scrumptious stakes that it gives cheesecake a run for its money, 'Flyaway Katie' is an utterly delightful puppet show, based on Polly Dunbar's book of the same name, and brought to the Fringe by the wonderful Long Nose Puppets. Children and parents alike were captivated by the charming tale of Katie, a little girl who feels very drab but is helped to achieve colour and a fantastic end result by a variety of characters, including an extremely laid-back caterpillar. Tom Gray's music is engaging and the puppets are just wonderful, particularly the sparkly sunflowers that suddenly burst open. This is a true treat that has been lovingly crafted and proves that Long Nose Puppets are ones to watch.
Upstairs at Three and Ten, 17-18 May, 12:30pm, £6.00 (Free for kids on laps), fringe pp28.
tw rating 4/5
[jh]

COMEDY

Off The Box
Joanna Neary
It took less than ten seconds to begin smiling, less than thirty to begin laughing, and within a minute of the show, it was difficult not to fall in love with Joanna Neary – such endearing comedy does not come by often. With astounding ease and amazing grace, the Brighton-based comedienne led a character-based song and dance show that made every single joke and gag work, even when they didn't, melting the usual tension that Fringe comedy shows can carry with them. Truly a triumph of British humour, this is a show that could be enjoyed by anyone who values candour and a good Bjork impression.
Komedia, 14 May, 8:00pm, £12.00 (£10.00), festival pp19.
tw rating 5/5
[cp]

Scott Capurro – Laughtershock
Unlike Josef Fritzl, Scott Capurro takes no prisoners, however he does give the Fritzl family some abuse, along with Maddie, Anne Frank and just about any other supposed no-go area you care to mention. The US comedian is on the warpath, only unlike his home country there is a method in his madness. The real target is liberal guilt and what he sees as an unhealthy obsession with insignificant events (in the wider scheme of things), which, he'd say, includes the missing Madeleine. Amidst material eye-poppingly offensive and painfully funny, the venom-tongued comic turned his devilish gaze on Maximus, a hetero in the second row - Capurro didn't hesitate to describe what he wanted to do to him. Half clown, half demon, his destruction of a heckler was terrifying.
Udderbelly, 14 May, 10:30pm, £14.00 (£12.00), fringe pp 20.
tw rating 5/5
[se]

DANCE & PHYSICAL THEATRE

The Bellydance Diaries
The Bellydance Co
The Bellydance Diaries was quite a feat for a one woman show, as Daphne Pena undertook to dazzle us with belly dancing routines and entertain us with a collection of stories, told in different voices, of belly dancers living in Cairo. Her costumes were magnificent and the show began with a routine involving a swirling gold cape that was truly spectacular. Belly dancing at its best is a mesmerising, sensual experience, but, while Pena danced joyfully and with verve, her movements were sometimes too stiff to give her complete fluidity. Meanwhile, her stories were so diverse, ranging from those of a mother from northern England to an American woman, that they seemed a little disjointed. The show was well rehearsed, though, and the music evoked an exotic world of souks and Bedouin tents. Pena's band clearly adores her, and the audience were thoroughly entertained.
Komedia Studio, 15, 18 May, 6:30pm, £7.00 (£6.00), Fringe pp25.
tw rating 3/5
[sla]

Whirl
Nimblelimbs And Friends
It felt a little bit funny to be sitting in the dark room of a pub, surrounded by lots of mothers with small talkative children, and watching a collage of expressive dance in the middle of the afternoon. The show was advertised as just the longer number 'Whirl', but the first half actually consisted of several shorter solos danced to separate, very different pieces of music. Unfortunately, this approach came across as rather fragmented and prevented the show from getting going. It improved marginally in the second half with the synchronised performance of the main work – which was a fluid, visually interesting piece which demonstrated some original choreography – but it wasn't enough to lift my spirits. In the main, as hard as this show tried, 'Whirl' as a whole failed to engage.
The Brunswick, 16-17 May, 4:00pm, £6.00 (£4.00), fringe pp26.
tw rating 2/5
[jn]

LITERARY

Dalgit Nagra and Sean O'Brien
Brighton Festival
Dalgit Nagra's England is filled with Indian shop-keepers, almost uncookable vegetables and parental threats of character-shaping Sikh faith schools. Sean O'Brien's consists of watery landscapes and the derelict mining communities of Northern towns. In this afternoon poetry reading and talk, the two versions of the country complemented each other beautifully. Nagra said he chose the form of poetry because it allows you to do "funny things with language and get away with it" and the playfulness and wit of his writing captures perfectly the feeling of new experiences and emerging plural identities. O'Brien's heavily poetical work, on the other hand, seems to want to anchor the present with its strong sense of history and place. Two personal visions –both equally real.  
Pavilion Theatre, 11 May, 4:30pm, £7.50, festival pp34.
tw rating 3/5
[jn]

MUSIC

Daughters of Albion
Brighton Festival
"What is it to be English?" asked Jane Tabor "To me" she replied, "it's not painting a red stripe in the middle of your face when England play, it's a love of this land". The 'Daughters of Albion' paid tribute to our fair country; this was not, however, a country of impending recession, binge drinking and sink estates, but of rosy-faced maidens and rolling hills. Consisting of a stellar line up, the daughters delivered beautifully soothing folk ballads, old and new, each of them with soft, yet unique voices. The unusually long set went by in a flash, and as the curtain fell there was an unmistakably warm, (English) rose tinted glow wafting around the Dome.
Concert Hall, Brighton Dome, 13 May, 8:00pm, £22.00 (£15.00),
festival pp13
tw rating 4/5
[sfw]

Soweto Kinch
The Great Escape
As though Eric Dolphy himself were taking the stage, Soweto Kinch stood before his audience, saxophone in hand, with a look of smooth confidence - his music followed suit. The four-piece band did not hesitate, flinch, or lose a beat, as notes melted from the instruments and floated questioningly in the air in the style of proper free jazz. Kinch then proceeded to take off his magician's hat and pull out something unexpected - freestyle rap. Interacting with the audience, Kinch played word games juxtaposed over soulful jazz grooves, maintaining the power of a confident MC and the grace of a weathered jazz cat. Purveyors of intelligent jazz, Soweto Kinch are new players that know how to play the old game.
Revenge, 15 May, 9:00pm
tw rating 5/5
[cp]

Jeremy Warmsley
The Great Escape
The last time I saw Jeremy Warmsley was two years ago when he played by himself, only the guitar and the harmonium - a very intimate performance. This time around the sound has been fleshed out with the help of a band comprising a keyboardist, drummer and a delightfully unlikely and charismatic bassist. Testament to his intricate and thoughtful songwriting, his music suits both forms. 'I Believe...', which I last heard live with the sparsest instrumentation, is treated to a perfect, uncompromising arrangement. In spite of my eulogising over the writing, the highlight is a cover of New Order's 'Temptation', set to be the new single. A very promising young troubadour of sorts, with a varied and unique musicianship.
Pavilion Theatre, 16 May, 8:15pm
tw rating 4/5
[jg]

Late Of The Pier
The Great Escape
This so called nu rave is usually a genre generally avoided by anyone over fifteen, and when these four entered the stage looking like school kids, I felt undeniably distressed. However, as Late Of The Pier launched into their first track, the electro basslines and infectious pre-pubescent shrieking combined to create very credible dance music. They have managed to create a developed sound well beyond their years, a sound which could be compared to that of a younger and more fashionable Muse. By the end of their incredibly rowdy set, with oversized sunglasses and immaculate haircuts destroyed alike, there is no doubt that Late Of The Pier left Brighton wanting more.
The Barfly, 15 May, 10:15pm
tw rating 4/5

Fat Cat Nights
Brighton Festival/The Great Escape
Brighton record label Fat Cat's showcase of their talent proved a beautifully varied occasion. The evening started with the ethereal music of German composer Haushka. Through the application of carefully positioned strings and bits of tape, he was able to convert his piano to play a number of weird and wonderful sounds. Next up was the post-folk stylings of Tom Brosseau. His set was taken up as much by his charming musings as by his music, but when he did sing it was with a voice that had echoes of Tim Buckley. Vashti Bunyan ended the evening with a set that seemed almost plucked from another world. I entered the Theatre Royal as a tired and weary festival-reviewer, but I left with a smile on my face.
Theatre Royal, 16 May, 8:00pm, prices vary, festival pp14.
tw rating 4/5
[jn]

THEATRE & MUSICALS

Johnny's Midnight Goggles
Brighton Festival/Sharpwire
Matthew Sharp sits alone on stage with just his cello for company, telling the tale of 'Johnny's Midnight Goggles', the atmospheric lighting and deep tones of Sharp's voice creating a storybook world for the audience to enjoy. The real strength of this piece lay in the parts of the story accompanied by the cello which Sharp creatively uses to set the mood of each location, whilst the ambient music, written by the second member of Sharpwire, Pete Wyer, fitted nicely with the story for an impressive overall effect. The show included a good balance of songs, cello music, and colourful characterisation like the most stimulating of bedtime stories – 'Johnny's Midnight Goggles' is likely to appeal to the cultured child in us all.
Pavilion Theatre, 12, 13 May, 9:00pm, £10:00, Festival pp5
tw rating 3/5
[rt]

Lord Arthur's Bed
Theatre North
The really shocking thing here is not the nudity, it's the honesty of this new play. Donald and Jim discover they are not the first gay couple to live in their property and exorcise the ghosts by acting out the story of Lord Arthur, his male mistresses and their trial in 1870. The Victorian queens were living life on the edge, but as the re-enactment progresses the cracks in the modern relationship start to show. In an affecting speech about not wanting to be different, Jim displays his doubts about their lifestyle, leading later to an argument about how much progress has been made. Not just an account of a sensational trial but a raw play that tackles homosexual issues head-on.
Friends' Meeting House, 14-16 May, 7:30pm, £8.00 (£6.00), fringe pp42.
tw rating 4/5
[se]

Hello! OK?
Les Femmes Celebres and Bite-Size
Exploring our current obsession with celebrity, a female cast bounced from one scene to the next with a series of comical characters that gave the script life. I was familiar with two of the sections of the piece after seeing them featured in 'Bite-Size' earlier in the month, however this time they made more sense as part of this performance. Throughout, the performers maintained a high level of energy and slipped effortlessly from one comic character to another. The production gave the impression of not taking itself seriously whilst providing a strong cohesive performance.
Cella @ Sanctuary Cafe, 17 May, times vary, £8.00 (£6.00), Fringe pp41.
tw rating 4/5
[sla]

Footprints In The Sand
Pursued by a Bear Productions
Immigration is usually discussed with serious and often heated words, so it's refreshing to see it handled from a comic perspective, but by no means in a derisory way. A clever script and three energetic performers keep this play, about two performers nearly arrived in the UK in search of fame and fortune, very much afloat. Tosin Olomowewe is the joker Bode while Valentine Hanson is the more glum Eddie, the two clowning drummers who are desperate to make it big in Covent Garden, but due to the Britain's confusing transport system wind-up in Dover, Crawley and picking apples in Didcot. Plenty of topical humour, slapstick and punchy dance routines keep the tale entertaining and bring to light the problems and insecurities of modern Britain.
Udder Place, 14-15 may, 6:15pm, £10.00 (£8.00), fringe pp41.
tw rating 3/5
[se]

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].

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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.

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