James' favouite photos. As the Festival reaches its climax, ThreeWeeks photographers pick out their favourites from the pictures they've taken this year. Today James Robertson picks that Jim Rose Circus picture, ThreeWeeks cover star Jo Neary and from Daily Edition number one, Arrieritos' 'Todos Los Gatos San Pardos' at the Universal Arts Theatre.

FINAL BATCH OF HERALD ANGELS AWARDED
So, The Herald distributed another batch of its Angel Awards this weekend, and among those receiving prizes this time were the Zoo venues, for their continued growth and interesting programming, and the Forest Fringe for their independent ethos and ever growing programme. Shows recognised this time round included 'The Fooligan' at The Pleasance, and 'Special Ed And The Shortbus' and 'My Friend The Chocolate Cake', both from the Spiegeltent. Well done one and all.

--

THE STAGE ACTING AWARDS PRESENTED
And finally in awards news for this year, I reckon, the overall winners of the awards presented by theatre industry weekly The Stage were announced this evening. These recognise the best professional acting talent at the Festival, and the winners were...

Best Actor: Ciaran McIntyre for 'Deep Cut' at the Traverse

Best Actress: Rhian Blythe for 'Deep Cut' at the Traverse

Best Ensemble: Live Theatre for Motherland at Underbelly

Best Solo Performer: Matthew Zajac for 'The Tailor of Inverness' at Assembly @ George Street

Even more reviews for you! Enjoy...

Speedy links:
Books - Comedy - Dance - Events - Music - Musicals - Theatre - Visual Art

ThreeWeeks Ratings Explained
1/5: Bad
2/5: Mediocre
3/5: Good
4/5: Very good
5/5: Excellent

BOOKS

The Edwin Morgan International Poetry Competition Poetry Prize
Edinburgh International Book Festival
The point of a poetry competition is perhaps to give poets a reason to write and to celebrate new poetry. Unfortunately, this event was so taken up with the judges reading their own material that ten minutes before the end, prizes had still not been presented and winning poems not read. As a result, only Kate Miller's first prize entry - 'After the Ban' - was performed, a lament on the redundancy of certain inanimate objects since the smoking ban. Also notable was judge Donny O Rourke's humorous, thought provoking and musical poetry, which comments on xenophobia, and Jeremy Paxman's recent snub of Robert Burns. As this is the competition's first year, perhaps the second will be better organised.
ScottishPower Studio Theatre, 17 Aug, 7.00pm (8.00pm), £9.00 (£7.00), bfpp 36.
[js]

Hanif Kureishi: Meet the Author
Edinburgh International Book Festival
Hanif Kureishi's refusal to shy away from the taboo subject of madness is commendable. Although he argued that reading and writing can be a form of therapy and that writing is a symptom of madness, he retracted what he said at the Hay Festival - that students and teachers on creative writing courses are mad - but maintained that the system of creative writing courses is mad. As a teacher, he also suggested that teaching is morally rewarding, unlike being an artist "when you don't feel as if you're a good person". Although he has a simultaneously dislikeable but amusing arrogance, he spoke at a deep and honest level and his ability to do that is surely a reason for his success.
RBS Main Theatre, 17 Aug, 11.30 am (12.30pm), £9.00 (£7.00), bfpp 34.
[js]

Keith Laidler & Kieron O'Hara Human Rights
Edinburgh International Book Festival
How much should we care about an increased threat to our privacy? While Keith Laidler argued we are in danger of being abused by the availability and distribution of our biometric data and the media's subsequent poor reporting of such abuse, O'Hara seemed to celebrate the internet's growth - arguing it's not the collection of our information which poses a problem, but how it's used. We were left to contemplate two extremes: On one hand there is a euphoria surrounding the possibilities of the net and on the other, an overwhelming fear of being exposed and incriminated when we go online.
Peppers Theatre, 11 Aug, 12.30pm, £9.00 (£7.00), bfpp10.
[js]

Lisa Appignanesi
Edinburgh International Book Festival
Lisa Appignanesi's new book 'Mad, Bad and Sad' is a cultural history of how women have been treated by "mind doctors" (from neuroscientists to psychoanalysts) from 1800 to the present day. She raises some interesting questions about what symptoms and criteria are used to diagnose mental illness (from teenage pregnancy and 'hysteria', to the growing prevalence of eating disorders) and looks at whether what is considered normal has become so limited that even minor deviations are considered disorders. This is a topic that has been widely researched and written about, and there obviously isn't time in an hour to go into much detail, leaving Appignanesi to rather gratingly end most responses to her audience's questions with "read the book".
ScottishPower Studio Theatre, 17 Aug, 5.00pm, bfpp 35.
[gs]

Xiaolu Guo
Edinburgh International Book Festival
Brilliantly talented novelist and filmmaker Xiaolu Guo treated a rapt audience to a reading of an unpublished work, comprising a sequence of letters that evocatively portray Beijing through a series of reminisces. Xiaolu describes her own, highly unusual and semi-autobiographical style as attempts to get rid of the "historical shadows" that she feels lingers around so much of modern Chinese literature, and it is certainly a very different, and far more personal, image of China portrayed through her writing. The discussion that followed gave a good insight into Xiaolu's writing process and the problems with translating between English and Chinese. A captivating talk , and one that received the most enthusiastic applause I've heard from a book festival audience this year.
Peppers Theatre, 17 Aug, 6.45pm, bfpp 35.
[sh]

COMEDY

Life in 2D
Daniel Sloss and Davey See
With their wit far more developed than their facial hair, these youthful comedians commanded their audience with raw talent. It seems that comedy is following suit with sport, music and acting where the stars all seem to be getting younger; at twenty-one I feel I've missed my chance. He may have been skipping school, but Daniel, only seventeen, gave the show its spark. While the others showed signs of nerves, he looked most comfortable on stage and seemed fully aware of his precociousness, poking fun at the fact that he's unable to buy himself a drink. However, I'm sure plenty of the audience would have been willing. Very Scottish, very funny and very impressive, I just wish it had been longer.
Laughing Horse @ Espionage, 17 - 25 Aug, 12.50pm (1.20pm), free, fpp 72.
tw rating 4/5
[sg]

Mike Wozniak
He reminds me of the Cowboy character from The Big Lebowski - that'd probably be due the hugely impressive 'tache, then. But this is not the only reason that makes Wozniak worthy of his If.Comedy nomination for Best Newcomer. He is not only fresh, risqué and trenchant but also enticingly personal, revealing his clumsiness and devastating bad luck as well as amusing stories and annoyances with regards to his recently wed twin sister, scientist father and wise old grandma. I found his general intonation a bit repetitive but he has an enthusiastic yet hypnotic style, only interrupted by his explosive outbursts of rage, which were riveting. His muesli incident had me squirming in disbelief. A very wise if ill-fated man.
Medina & Negociants, dates vary, times vary (1hr), £5.00 (£4.00), fpp 79.
tw rating 4/5
[da]

One Night Stand: An Improvised Musical
One Night Stand
I'm definitely going to this again. In fact, with each performance totally unique I might come back every night. These eight performers not only had voices that could grace the West End but had impeccable comic timing, quick wit and a sense of fun that made an hour feel like ten minutes. Created on the spot entirely from audience suggestions, the plot unravelled like a pass the parcel with each successive treat more exciting than the last. The stirring song of the hero, the chorus ensemble, the villain standing in the way of righteousness and of course the romantic ending; it's everything you want from a musical. Except it's better, funnier and cleverer than any musical I've seen before.
Pleasance Dome, 31 Jul - 24 Aug (not 11, 18), 9.35pm (10.35pm), price varies, fpp 84.
tw rating 5/5
[sg]

The Tiger Lillies' 7 Deadly Sins
The Tiger Lillies
Indulgent, potty-mouthed fun is how I would describe a night with The Tiger Lillies, as they pay homage to the seven deadly sins through shit-eating songs and brilliant puppetry from Nathan Evans' 'Punch and Judy' stories. Lead vocalist and accordion player, Martyn Jacques has an incredible range even whilst screaming, and his onstage burlesque mistress, Ophelia Bitz, delights with her simple humour. I laughed, clapped, and enjoyed this self-aware punk cabaret but many audience members just didn't get it - I don't know what they were expecting from the famous Spiegeltent. Underneath the rubber chickens, baby dropping, and goth makeup there are talented musicians that truly entertain with a myriad of instruments from the musical saw to the theremin.
The Spiegel Garden, 7 - 30 Aug (not 11, 18, 26), 9.45pm (10.55pm), prices vary, fpp 104.
tw rating 4/5
[zl]

Best Of New Irish Comedy
Kinda Funny/PBH's Free Fringe
I feel that the title of this show might be considered a slight over-statement, as there was little innovative or fresh material from these new comedians. Controversial topics were touched on but many of the jokes felt familiar and, with plenty of subject matter repetition from comic to comic, by the end of the show this handful of Irish comedians had merged into one in my mind. There were a fair number of laughs, but nothing particularly remarkable or memorable. To define this show as the best of new Irish comedy does not give me much incentive to see the rest of it, although as the line-up changes nightly I may just have been unlucky.
Voodoo Bar, 2 - 23 Aug, 9.30pm (11.30pm), free, fpp 32.
tw rating 2/5
[gm]

Best Of So You Think You're Funny?
Gilded Balloon Productions
The 'Best Of So You Think You're Funny' promises to be very, very funny with a line up of recent winners and runners-up from the comedy contest; and although the trilogy of comedians are clearly talented, the evening lacks real comedy magic. The compère is effective at warming up the crowd and the first comedian gets a lot of laughs discussing the irritating nature of supermarket self-service check outs, amongst other trivial everyday matters which have us chuckling. However, by the time the second comedian enters the energy has dropped and by the third and final performance a lot of people have gone home. Perhaps with a more enthusiastic audience the night would be a whole different barrel of laughs.
Gilded Balloon Teviot, 30 Jul - 25 Aug, 10.45pm (12.15am), £10.50 (£9.50), fpp 33.
tw rating 3/5
[kc]

Big Jessie's Bag Of Drag
Gilded Balloon Teviot
Six drag queens and about six billion sequins dazzle the audience in this typical Australian drag show. I was disappointed to discover that typical Australian drag means that the ladies mime along to songs, as opposed to actually singing them, but what they lacked in live vocals they made up for in energetic dance routines. A selection of classic songs were performed from 'Bring On The Men' to 'Stand By Your Man', complete with incredibly vulgar gestures and plenty of thrusting. Most of the audience lapped it up and sang along, although it wasn't for everyone, and a few people left. Sparkly, fluffy and iridescent costumes, and a guest appearance from comic Tom Allen, completed this fun, yet slightly haphazard, evening.
Gilded Balloon Teviot, dates vary, 12.30am (2.00am), £10.00 (£9.00), fpp 33.
tw rating 3/5
[gm]

Comedy And Cake
Two Shades Of Blue
Oh dear. The stage was cluttered and messy in this ramshackle sketch comedy, and so were the sketches. There wasn't really a lot going for this; the timing was off, the singing was out-of-tune and the dancing was sloppy. This would all have been forgivable had the material been on song, but unfortunately this department was also in disarray; it was riddled with clumsy puns, poorly executed ideas and derivative sketches. There's plenty of enthusiasm here and I saw glimpses of potential, but for the most part I was left in a state of complete befuddlement. At least there was cake, though - perhaps it would be a fairer description if this show was just called 'And Cake'.
C, 17 - 25 Aug, 11.15am (12.15pm), prices vary, fpp 39.
tw rating 1/5
[th]

Damian Callinan In 'Mmm... They're Small'
Damian Callinan
Damian Callinan's personal story of dealing with impotence is probably as close to feel-good male empowerment comedy as it gets. Whatever that is. His introduction as a nurse handing out semen sample cups doesn't bode well but his skill lies in attacking the subject of male impotence with honesty, exposing the hilarity behind the situation with anecdotes that, while knob-related, aren't too cheap. The delivery is at times unintentionally awkward, there are various cardboard characters and jokes are either missed by the audience or, in the case of using a plunger to offer a sample to the front row, too terrifying for some to enjoy.
Gilded Balloon Teviot, 30 Jul - 24 Aug (not 12), 6.15pm (7.15pm), £9.50 (£8.50), fpp 43.
tw rating 3/5
[rd]

Des Bishop 'Tongues'
Lisa Richards in Association With Edcom8
Des was born to be a comedian. The fact that he's originally American gives him the right to slag off his fellow countrymen, but add to this his Irish charm and humour and you have created a comedian who can criticise almost anything and get away with it. Bishop is clearly fond of the Irish nation but brings up some very humorous observations that are especially appreciated in Scotland, maximising his all-round appeal. Charming and full of craic, as you might expect, some of his material about his first years in Ireland is so simple and naive that it is blooming hilarious. Des Bishop is my Neapolitan ice-cream; full of flavours (nationalities), and sweet and delicious.
Assembly @ George Street, 3 - 24 Aug ( not 11, 18), 8.50pm (9.50pm), prices vary, fpp 46.
tw rating 4/5
[mi]

A Fringe Taster
Smart City Hostels
For first time Fringe-goers this show is brilliant, offering a selection of acts in bite-sized pieces. Unlike the chat-show format of some shows designed to allow performers promote their shows, this one presented the audience with snippets from variety of acts, two of these tasters - from improvised musical comedy 'Showstopper!' and female Russian vocal group 'Koleso' left me wishing I could have the whole meal. With such a range of acts, the after-taste is a bit of a melange. some flavours exciting, some punchy, and others bland. This is very well put together, though, and isn't just made up of acts that can't sell tickets, so the inclusion of five star shows masks any dull flavours.
SmartCityHostels Café, dates vary, 5.00pm (6.00pm), free, fpp 52.
tw rating 4/5
[gm]

The Great Big Comedy Picnic
Ian Fox With Permission from Turquoise Productions
Sometimes when there is a series of acts for a variety comedy show, the audience can get restless and be unforgiving to each act that comes on. To the credit of this audience, they tried their best to find the jokes funny, but the gags were few and far between. A shame, because it started well with entertaining comedy songs from Ashley Friese, but by the time Ian Fox was up, the audience just didn't seem to care any more. I wanted to give them as much chance as I could, but by the end my feelings for the show could be summed up with a shrug, and while they weren't the worst acts I've seen, they just didn't win this comedy-hungry crowd over.
Laughing Horse @ Meadow Bar, 31 Jul - 24 Aug, 5.35pm (6.35pm), free, fpp 56.
tw rating 2/5
[lh]

Picasso At The Lapin Agile
Arkle Theatre Company
Steve Martin may be funny, but even this group of talented amateurs have failed to carry his patronising play to a hysterical end. It's 1904, Picasso and Einstein meet at the Lapin Agile bar, and here begins wordy dialogue about their separate, yet similar visions for art and science. There is no climax or resolution, just a collection of characters each with their own interests stagnating on stage. By having so many actors on stage remaining fairly still, the show felt like a framed picture with talking heads, instead of something funny and engaging. Discussing relativity and surrealism on stage with witty reference to the modern day is just a poor choice for comic material.
Mayfield Salisbury Church, 11 - 16 Aug, 6.15pm (7.45pm), £10.00 (£8.00), fpp 87.
tw rating 2/5
[zl]

Richard Sandling - VHS3: Video Nasty
Good Sense of Humour
If you don't like the idea of a fat man talking about films, avoid this show. That's what Richard Sandling advises his audience, well aware that not everyone shares his geeky film buffery. Yet after much stating that he would talk about films, he moved on fairly quickly to other material on racist co-workers and wannabe-gangsters in Essex. This was almost a shame, because his genuine and un-ironic love of the VHS and amusing summaries of bad B-movie plots were some of the most enjoyable things in this show. Sandling isn't a laugh-a-minute kind of stand-up, but he's someone you'll really want to listen to, with an infectious enthusiasm and encyclopaedic knowledge of all things video.
Underbelly's Baby Belly, 31 Jul - 24 Aug (not 13), 8.35pm (9.35pm), prices vary, fpp 91.
tw rating 3/5
[hw]

Shrimps Improv: Catch Of The Day!
Shrimps
This young and enthusiastic band of (shr)improvisers shell out fresh comedy in every performance, the format the same as every other improv show at the Fringe; audience contribute settings, emotions, pet hates or food stuffs which they have to use on-the-spot in a scene. There's quite a range of talent in this troupe, with a few members simply quicker and funnier at thinking on their feet than others, and some sketches should really have been cut shorter. Their musical numbers were a highlight - the singing/rapping improv seemed more original and somehow much funnier than most sketches and if you love watching improv they won't disappoint - but if you're not a fan there's nothing exceptional here to convince you.
Sweet Teviot Place, 11 - 24 Aug, 10.20pm (11.35pm), £7.00 (£6.00), fpp 95.
tw rating 3/5
[hw]

Stan Stanley - Vintage Andrew
Stan Stanley
Stan Stanley's show revolves around an autobiography he was made to write at school when he was only 12 years old. Reading out sections of the autobiography, then making fun of them, it is a novel concept, but the show itself is immature and often wooden. Discussing his parents' divorce, school and childhood memories, makes the show extremely personal, but it ends up being more interesting for Stanley himself than for the audience. Additionally, many of the stories he tells about his childhood seem fabricated to get laughs and therefore he ends up seeming insincere. There is definitely some comic talent here, but it needs to be developed, polished and more clearly directed if it is going to get belly laughs.
Holyrood Too @ Faith, - 24 Aug, 9.15pm (10.15pm), £5.00 (£3.00), fpp 99.
tw rating 2/5
[kk]

Zimbani
Avalon Promotions
There's something about Zimbani that doesn't quite click. This 70s spy adventure pastiche is great fun for its ridiculous male posturing, bad 'taches and absurdly dramatic dialogue, but it's a narrow genre that's been done before. If a joke misses it's normally because the audience have already seen where it's going. The script ripples with nice ideas and wit; there's a good consistency of jokes, but the narrative never leads anywhere, in the end barely saving itself from an attempted abortion in order to draw to a conclusion. Despite its flaws there is obvious talent in the performances and if the words 'Garth Marenghi's Darkplace' mean nothing to you, then you're in for a treat of an hour.
Pleasance Courtyard, 30 Jul - 25 Aug (not 20), 2.45pm (3.45pm), £9.50 (£8.50), ffp 111.
tw rating 3/5
[rd]

DANCE AND PHYSICAL THEATRE

Steve Reich Evening
Edinburgh International Festival
Art is such a personal experience, and never is this more evident than when a third of the audience walks out halfway through. Choreographer Anne Teresa de Keersmaeker takes minimalism to new levels, working with the music of Steve Reich to create something both distancing and mesmerising in the same moment. The dancers move as though on currents of air, drawing us in and yet confusing us. It was this ambivalence - as well as a five minute piece that involved watching 100 metronomes tick - that for many was the final straw. Had they stayed, they might have appreciated the extraordinary innovation of this collaboration and joined the remaining audience members in a standing ovation that lasted well into the encore.
Festival Theatre Edinburgh, 15 - 17 Aug, 7.30pm (9.35pm), prices vary, eifpp 20.
tw rating 4/5
[fc]

EVENTS

About Silence
Proto-Type Theatre
I feel irritated by this production, as what would have been interesting and even poignant for half an hour became almost unbearable after one. It's an intriguing idea: three performers, for want of a better word, sit at a table by turns reading out an apparently unseen script from their laptops while an abstract video plays over the projector. It sounds a lot like 'Choose Life' from the film 'Trainspotting', and while the first half was sometimes stirring and amusing, the length of the piece ensured that by the end I had really had enough, and left feeling the aforementioned irritation. This would have been better in a smaller, more intimate space, faster-paced at times, and half the length.
Forrest Cafe, 17 - 18 Aug, 7.00pm, prices vary, fpp n/a.
tw rating 2/5
[ah]

Sweet Film-making Workshops: Audition Technique
Stuffed Animals Media & Sweet Entertainments
This is a feet on the ground, no nonsense workshop designed to help give a step up for young or aspiring performers considering a career in 'the business'. Run by professional casting director Adam Morley, the event is geared to preparing individuals for an audition, offering physical training exercises, insider knowledge and help towards mental preparation - in particular a 'role horoscope' that anticipates the parts for which you are best suited. The advice is no doubt invaluable for drama students and other interested parties, to which I highly recommend the intimate affair. For anyone interested, my versatility suited me to any number of roles from an alcoholic to a heroin addict, perfect for Holby City - my mother will be proud.
Sweet ECA, dates vary, 11.00pm (12.30pm), £7.50 (£6.50), fpp 130.
tw rating 3/5
[rh]

MUSIC

Shooglenifty
Described by the Guardian as 'acid crofters', six-man band Shooglenifty certainly lived up to expectation at this rowdy and feel-good shindig, playing their signature traditional Scots music with a bit of rock, dance, reggae and Latin thrown in for good measure. The set was launched with a rumba number and their playing included new rigs and jigs as well as a Macedonian Death Song. The audience certainly loved them with stomping, jigging and clapping accompanying the random mini-ceilidhs conducted on the dance floor. As fiddler Angus R Grant stated: 'For health and safety reasons you need to step forward one foot and dance.' The Spiegeltent was the perfect venue; a magical setting for a maverick band.
The Spiegel Garden, 11, 18, 23-25 Aug, 8.00pm (9.10pm), £15.00 (£13.00), fpp 164.
tw rating 4/5
[bw]

About Time Too!
Jennifer Logan and Stuart Hope
Jennifer Logan's selection of comic, light-hearted songs takes the audience through a typical day, from waking up to bathing before bed. It's a well-chosen programme, featuring comic classics by Tom Lehrer and Flanders & Swann and lesser-known songs by modern composers like C. Armstrong Gibbs, as well as Logan's own version of Lehar's 'Viljalied' with lyrics rewritten to celebrate a certain celebrity chef. It is a pity that Logan's flair as a programmer is stronger than her ability as a singer, since these songs would have benefited from more skilful handling, and greater familiarity with the lyrics might also have helped. She has a strong accompanist in Stuart Hope, however, whose solo moments provide the musical highlights of the concert.
St Andrew's and St George's Church, 17 Aug, 4.45pm (5.45pm), £10.00 (£8.00), fpp 138.
tw rating 2/5
[jm]

Anti-Winehouse
Rio & Georgina
Ah, house wine - it does the business, but hardly bowls one over with depth of flavour. Rio and Georgina are well spoken, seemingly somewhat square schoolgirl-types until they burst energetically into song. The antagonistic name and a blurb ridiculous even by Fringe Programme standards ("Nu-Rave Brecht" - a whole world of 'no'), conceal a nice set of songs ranging from cheery to cheery with hints of morbidity. The drink may not live up to its colourful description - few do - but it still delivers a pleasant set by two skilled, fresh-faced sober musicians all for a very reasonable price. There are pleasant tones to this wine, such as the jollified version of 'Rehab', but it lacks swagger, and is perhaps too well bee-hived.
Zoo Southside, 17 - 25 Aug, 4.00pm (4.45pm), £6.00 (£5.00), fpp 140.
tw rating 3/5
[se]

Broken Records
What do you get when you mix an accordion, a cello and an electric guitar? Three sevenths of 'folk punk' wonders Broken Records, and one of the most atmospheric gigs of the year. Comparisons to Arcade Fire are nonsensical; this Edinburgh-born septet piss better songwriting with a more passionate, emotional delivery all over them. We have been waiting for this: affecting lyrics backed by beautiful, intense and original music dispensed by a heart warmingly modest group. Oh, and watch out for majestic lead singer Jamie Sutherland - this guy will do things with his stunning voice that will send shivers down your spine. This is not just a case of local boys done good - welcome to the future of Scottish music.
Liquid Room, 17 Aug, 7.00pm (10.00pm), £8.00.
tw rating 5/5
[ha]

Mendrinos And Holloway - Cosmic Jazz Cabaret
Out Of Time Productions
Jazz, philosophy, cabaret, anecdotes - it's an odd mix that one day, might work. The duo, a talented jazz pianist and a Greek vocalist - whose energy and enthusiasm surpasses her conventional skill - discuss deep philosophy interspersed with some heartfelt melodies. The music itself is pleasant and the philosophy engaging on a fundamental level, but the 'cosmic' atmosphere (hardly created in the first place) is broken by a dismal script. Worse still, a brief improvised interval is hugely disappointing, and more generally the pair don't gel. With a concerted effort to expand the music, whilst removing the empty interchanges, the pair might have a half-decent show but it is unfortunately a jumbled mess, and not in the spirit of Jazz.
Acoustic Music Centre @ St Brides, 17 - 22 Aug, times vary, £10.00 (£8.00), fpp 157.
tw rating 2/5
[rh]

MUSICALS AND OPERA

And The Devil May Drag You Under
Desmond O'Connor and Pustra/Vile-een's Vaudeville
I've often wished that I had the power to decide whether the Fringe acts I saw should go to Heaven or Hell, and at last, here is a show which allows the audience to do exactly that! The Devil, in gorgeous eye make-up, invites you to vote on acts in his cabaret and then nearly steals the show with his own turns on the ukulele. Performers included a beatboxer, a comic magician, an extremely talented harmonica player/percussionist and a comedian. A mixed bag in every way, but the stronger performers made the whole thing worth seeing.
Musical Theatre @ George Square, 6 - 24 Aug, times vary, prices vary, fpp 168.
tw rating 3/5
[jm]

Celebration Africa
Pro Art & Co
Watching 'Celebration Africa' feels a bit like being back in primary school - it features 'Kumbayah' and the poetry is read as if to a class of infants. The poems (by the likes of Langston Hughes and Tagore) have distinctly African themes and are interspersed with a bizarre selection of songs from Negro spirituals to Gershwin musical theatre numbers performed in an operatic style by Josephine Amankwah, and accompanied by piano, cello and African drumming. While this is undoubtedly an innovative and brave show, there's perhaps a reason these things haven't been mixed before. Classically trained Amankwah is an impressive vocal talent, but the style of singing and slightly awkward dancing lacks the passion of more traditional settings of these pieces.
C central, 17 - 25 Aug, 2.15pm (3.15pm), prices vary, fpp 169.
tw rating 2/5
[hw]

THEATRE

Pictures On The Air
Wopsle Productions In Association With Questors Theatre Company
With just three characters on stage at all times, a minimal, sombre backdrop and no escape from the audience's gaze, this dark play and its talented actors grasp the imagination and hold us enthralled throughout. The tale of an unsettling event - and the subsequent fall out - is told from the perspective of each involved, three incompatible characters, united in shock. As one discovers some truths about himself, while another remains entirely numb, we are treated to some fantastic acting, particularly watching the teacher Mr Richards, pull his life back from the brink of disaster. Joe Thomas as Tom is compelling, reminiscent of a grown-up Macaulay Culkin. This is an intelligent, very witty play with a satisfying message of hope on which to dwell.
Sweet Teviot Place, 18 - 25 Aug, 2.30pm (3.10pm), £7.50 (£6.50), fpp 223.
tw rating 4/5
[ks]

Blood Wedding
Colet Players
This interpretation of Lorca's Blood Wedding features an all-female cast, although I'm not sure why this was touted as a selling point, considering all the women who played men were dressed in drag. Symbolism, perhaps? This play is certainly not lacking in that. The fascinating tale of love, duty, and revenge is brought to life by a large, strong cast and a great bare-bones production. And there is much to enjoy here, in what would've been an excellent piece of theatre were it not marred by the restrictions of the venue, which was far from soundproof. The decision to have all the cast enter and exit through two doors flanking the stage didn't help matters, letting in unwelcome light and noise.
Zoo Southside, 17 - 24 Aug (not 12), 9.10pm (10.20pm), £7.00 (£5.00), fpp 187
tw rating 3/5
[amc]

Just
King's Players
Using an 'Alice in Wonderland' style, 'Just' tells the story of a woman who is wrongly accused of murder, sets out to challenge our justice system, and portrays it as a scam. The authorities are accused of being corrupt - introducing new laws as they please and distracting from the truth. Although it was an amusing performance (the rhyming verse in particular raising the most laughs) the players were a bit lacklustre, failing to put their point across strongly or with any conviction. As a result, the underlying darkness of the comedy was not as effective as it should have been. The twist at the end, however, was very clever, really making the audience to think about what they have just seen.
C soco, 17-25 Aug, 12.15pm (1.15pm), prices vary, fpp 209.
tw rating 3/5
[lp]

Lear (Chamber Shakespeare Cycle Part IV)
Chamber Shakespeare Company
It's a brave and interesting experiment to remove all scenes not involving the protagonist from a Shakespeare play, and the result is an experience of intense isolation. Lear, who is portrayed solidly in a well-sustained performance, admirably remains on stage throughout whilst supporting actors flit between characters using some tasteful dress props. It's an uninterrupted descent into madness, the lack of distraction creating a real sense of claustrophobia. Aesthetically it's pleasingly low-key, rouge lighting and candles making it suitably moody, if a little dim. It can be slightly disorientating to work out who's who without the missing scenes, and the audience may feel like they need a break from the action, but this an accomplished, intense piece of theatre.
Hudson Hotel, 30 Jul - 25 Aug, 4.30pm (5.45pm), prices vary, fpp 211.
tw rating 3/5
[th]

Macbeth
The American High School Theatre Festival
Nothing about this show was bad, per se, it was more just off in places. Originally thrown, after hearing 17-year-old Americans speaking Shakespeare, I eventually got used to it, but was put off again whenever some glaringly American pronunciation crept in. Also, while the acting was of a fairly high standard (the leads, especially, were great, with Lady Macbeth deserving a special mention), there was nothing hugely original about the production. And an interesting stage set-up and good light show couldn't cancel out the annoying electric organ soundtrack. Basically, if you're going to do Macbeth during the Edinburgh Festival, you need to be either amazingly different or amazingly good. This play was neither.
Church Hill Theatre, dates vary, times vary, £6.00 (£4.00), fpp 213.
tw rating 2/5
[amc]

A Midsummer Night's Dream
Humshaugh Theatre Group
One of the most popular of Shakespeare's comedies staged by a youth theatre group did feel very much like watching a year 10 school production. In general, the young cast were lacking in the kind of exuberance and gusto that one would hope to find fuelling a performance of this magical and utterly farcical play. On the other hand it was a giggle, and visually very pleasing; the stage décor, especially the fairy spirits were colourful and eye-catching. The live music was also a good effort but a bit jarring, apart from the stunningly played violin and saxophone. The acting was appropriately hammed up and the Athenian lovers, Hermia and Lysander, along with Bottom made me laugh enough to make the show worth it.
C too, 17 - 23 Aug, 4.40pm (5.50pm), prices vary, fpp 216.
tw rating 3/5
[da]

The Phone
clubWEST
Keeping the stage in near-darkness throughout your entire play might seem terribly atmospheric, but in reality it is merely annoying. Keeping the audience in the dark about the events which led the protagonist to the gloomy place he occupies, both physically and mentally, is also quite unhelpful. It's not easy to be interested in someone you can hardly see and never get to know. Script and direction conspire to make the protagonist seem like a real misery, unable to run his life and bent on self-destruction, without any redeeming qualities to render him interesting. Bob Sinfield's portrayal of this unappealing character seemed all right, from what little I could see, but could not compensate for the play's other flaws.
clubWEST@Quincenterary Hall, 3 - 16 Aug, 2.45pm (3.35pm), £8.50 (£7.50), fpp 223.
tw rating 2/5
[jm]

4.48 Psychosis
Edinburgh International Festival/TR Warszawa
Justice has been served to Sarah Kane's final, most dark and harrowing play. The director, Grzegorz Jarzyna has achieved a heart wrenchingly powerful and compelling production taking us on a journey of one precocious woman's inner crises, her turmoil, despair, her plight and struggle for existence in a self-inflicted pain ridden world she is unable to comprehend, nor release herself from. "It is only fear that stops me from jumping in front of the tracks". We identify with her trauma, her hopes and desires - to be loved, and to be forgiven - and watch as she crumbles and emaciates, the count down to her premeditated death. I was left in tears, stunned, speechless and devastated. In Polish with English subtitles and some scenes of graphic nudity.
King's Theatre, 15 - 17 Aug, 8.00pm (9.00pm), prices vary.
tw rating 5/5
[da]

That's Absurd - Ives And Ionesco
The American High School Theatre Festival
A fun and zappy selection of surrealist plays performed by an incredibly young yet mature and enthusiastic cast. 'Time Flies', a romantic comedy about two mayflies who upon finding one another discover they only live for a day, is fast paced, zany, cutesy and playful. 'Babel's In Arms', was my personal favourite, not only for the spin on the biblical story with two Babylonian blue-collar workers trying to weasel their way out of the infinitely mammoth task of constructing a tower to God. I found David Vreeland, playing Cannaphlit, hysterical; his timing and expressions were absolutely spot on. The cast for 'The Bald Soprano' managed a sterling effort also but rushed and struggled slightly with the British accents.
Church Hill Theatre, 15-18 Aug, times vary, £6.00 (£4.00), fpp 236.
tw rating 4/5
[da]

VISUAL ART

We Are All Born Free
Amnesty International
Prints of drawings and paintings done by celebrated children's illustrators of various articles from the UN Declaration Of Human Rights is not the most obvious choice for an exhibition. They seem better placed in a book and not on a wall, which they are in fact taken from. This exhibition has its heart in the right place; there is something touching about teaching British children about human rights when so many children in the world have none, but the message and purpose here override the aesthetic pleasure. That said some of the illustrations are quite effective such as Jane Ray's interpretation of Article 5 regarding torture, and Polly Dunbar's work which improves on reading her description of her own confusion as a child.
St John's Church, 1 - 25 Aug, 8.00am - 9.00pm, free, fpp 136.
tw rating 3/5
[gm]

Reviewer details are online at www.threeweeks.co.uk