023_LS392_reviews/index
9/25/08
4:18 PM
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latest listings Your weekly guide to what’s on
30 September – 6 October
Under review Here’s our round up of recent local shows, plus there’s oodles of reviews online at www.thelatest.co.uk Calendar Girls A living legend, a great film, and now a stage show. Could they pull it off, forgive the pun? The answer is, yes. Handled with delicacy this new stage version more than meets the challenge. The script is good, the staging excellent but above all this is casting brilliance. An all star cast could have too many divas, but this is ensemble work at its best. Full marks to all, but in particular to Sian Phillips whose timing milks every laugh, lines and pause, I wanted more of her. Lynda Bellingham is superb; Brigit Forsyth, hysterical; Gaynor Faye, glorious; Julia Hills, utterly convincing and Elaine C Smith sings like an angel and laughs like a demon. Patrica Hodge is rock solid at the centre of the tragicomedy although her accent is more Knightsbridge than Knapely. Moving, funny and heart warming, the story lives on. Chichester Festival Theatre, 16 September ✌✌✌✌ Andrew Kay
Esoterica A sell-out at the Edinburgh Fringe and compared to the devil himself, the only connection physically visible with magician, Eric Walton, is a sardonic, wicked smile and bewitching charm. As the New Yorker deftly delivers cool ‘how did he do that’ card tricks and memorable mindreading feats with members pulled from an excited audience, he’s also quick to comically improvise on the spot. Add an engaging verbal journey through the mystical, arcane, philosophical, metaphysical and psychological, and this cracking formula of contemporary magic and slick wit makes an original ‘magic show’. Paul Daniels this definitely was not! Hanbury Club, 17 September ✌✌✌✌ Monica Perdoni
Tim Vine – Punslinger The punmeister of the circuit had so many quick-firing gags there was hardly time to breathe between laughs, or room to think before the
HOT REVIEW OF THE WEEK Los Albertos If you’re looking for the ultimate unpretentious party band then look no further than this Brighton-based six-piece. Rapidly gaining a reputation as one of the best live acts around, they immediately set about getting heads a-bobbing and feet adancing throughout the sweaty confines of this excellent venue. Their ska-ish undertow is mixed with lashings of A-grade
funk, high energy soul and badass rock, underpinned by a tight as hell three-piece brass section and original songwriting. Sweep away all those sheeplike art rock and skinny jean types and instead immerse yourself instead in quality party music, pure and simple. Brunswick, 20 September ✌✌✌✌✌ Julie Andrew
assault of another manicured punchline. Polished and propped up by songs and a bag of props, it was like watching a one-man pantomime with puns and electronic backing music adding to the frenetic energy, each accompanied by a non sequitur punchline. Good at what he did, but limited and with no sense of the personal, unfortunately. However, the surprise support from Boothby Graffoe delivered with aplomb, mixing puns with the personal and a gentle guitar accompaniment from the man himself. Theatre Royal, 14 September ✌✌✌
Sam Sparrow p29
Victoria Nangle
The Luchagors + Los Mendozas + Spookey All-girl Japanese popsters Spookey opened, in nice enough, if ultimately forgettable fashion. Local quasi-Mexican wrestling mentalists Los Mendozas were sporadically great: when they actually played, it was fantastically heavy hardcore, though too much time spent clowning, till the joke isn’t funny anymore. Headlining was an actual former wrestler, ex WWE superstar, Amy Dumas, and her band, The Luchagors. Early sound problems frustrated, but once sorted it was clear the sound wasn’t as much a problem as the plodding, radio punk numbers which left the listener underwhelmed. Full credit to the Hobgoblin for bringing worldwide punk to Brighton. Usually it’s pretty reliable, though tonight something was missing. The Hobgoblin, 16 September ✌✌ Nick Aldwinckle
Van Morrison Despite the fuss about ticket prices (admittedly £105, even for the best seats is steep) and the ban on alcohol at the venue, this was Van Morrison on form. OK, you could set your watch by the exact 90 minutes you get, but the guy’s a legend, and this was a largely brilliant set. A faithful, and staggeringly fresh-sounding ‘The Way Young Lovers Do’ showcased the musicians and Morrison’s still emotionally powerful voice. A Van Morrison set is never predictable and given his famed reluctance to performing his more trancendental music, it was a rare treat to hear ‘When The Healing Has Begun’ live. Brighton Dome Concert Hall, 19 September ✌✌✌✌
24 Comedy Chris Cox talks geek chic
24 Art The Brighton Photo Biennial 2008
25 Stage Roy and Tony move to the Latest Music bar; listings
26 Film Jar City director talks to Latest; listings
28 Events It’s Breast Cancer Awareness week; listings
28 Books Sham shamen; listings
29 Music Nick Aldwinckle chats to Sam Sparrow; listings
33 Music & Clubs Seven days of partying
35 Gay Will’s kicking open closets; news & listings
38 Television Billie Piper’s bum is annoying Dani, plus TV listings for the week
Candy MacNamara
For complete and comprehensive listings go to thelatest.co.uk latest 7 23