The List Festival Week 3

FESTIVAL

BOOKS | COMEDY | DANCE | KIDS | MUSIC | THEATRE | ART

150+ SHOWESD REVOMIMEENWDATIONS

+ HITLIST REC

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FREE

PAPPY’S LIMMY BUTT KAPINSKI JOSEPH MORPURGO TREVOR NOAH JANICE GALLOWAY PLATFORM: 2015 PARADISE LOST SUFJAN STEVENS LE GATEAU CHOCOLAT ANTIGONE

HANDS ON THE WOMEN MAKING MEN’S ROLES THEIR OWN

20–31 AUG 2015 | WEEK 3 LIST.CO.UK/FESTIVAL

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TICKET OFFERS

INSIDE

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Festival

CONTENTS FESTIVAL 2015 | ISSUE 3 | LIST.CO.UK/FESTIVAL

FRONT Top 20 Frontlines Pic of the Week

4 8 9

FEATURES

10

Pappy’s Limmy Gunge-filled game shows Theatre role reversals Wave Movements

FOOD & DRINK

COVER STORY

2

10 14 17 21 25

26

Festival food stalls

COMEDY

ROLE REVERSALS

26

35

Trevor Noah Butt Kapinski Fern Brady Joseph Morpurgo Sam Simmons Liam Williams

Gender identity has never been as high in the public’s conscience as it is just now, so it makes sense that the Fringe would echo this. Theatre editor Gareth K Vile talks to the Smooth Faced Gentlemen, All Bare theatre company and pre-eminent drag king Diane Torr about reversing gender roles in performance. See feature, p21.

DANCE

35 37 42 44 46 48

55

Ballett Zßrich Ockham’s Razor FEAST Paradise Lost

55 57 58 58

KIDS

61

COVER: OTHELLO: AN ALL-FEMALE PRODUCTION, PHOTO Š MO EL-FAITH

The Scarecrows’ Wedding The Marvellous Imaginary Menagerie Alfie White: Space Explorer Gruffalos, Ladybirds and other Beasts

MUSIC

65

Sufjan Stevens Magners Summer Nights Crap Music Rave Party

THEATRE

GREAT OFFERS 10 Win tickets to Museum After Hours

17

6

65 67 71

73

The Encounter Antigone Puddles Pity Party Tar Baby Le Gateau Chocolat 887

75 80 83 84 87 87

VISUAL ART

89

Platform: 2015 Outlandia Scottish Art

Win tickets to Nothing Ever Happens Here 6 Win tickets to Glasgow Doors Open Day 6

EVENTS

89 91 93

94

Festival Detours

PAPPY’S

We catch up with Pappy’s, one of the Fringe’s favourite sketch groups. They’re back reliving grou past glories together for the first time since 2012.

GUNGE GAME SHOWS

90s nostalgia as our writer Claire Flynn gets gunged and embraces the messier side of the Fringe with Grossed Out Gameshow and Get Your Own Back: Live!

61 63 64 64

94

INDEX

95

ARCHIVE

96

Mark Thomas

96

THIS WEEK ON LIST.CO.UK/FESTIVAL T As the Fringe moves into its final days, at List HQ we’re showing no signs of stopping. We’ve still running reviews, features, interviews and recommendations. And, yes, our hearts are still open to Big Fat Fringe re Bribes.

Why not embrace your last chance to turn our heads? See page 4 for more information.

B

Festival

MAILBOX

Below are a section of reviews and comments from our website and Twitter – add your own opinion at list.co.uk/festival or @thelistmagazine

The American Solder Amazing and intense solo performance.

My wife was moved to tears. It’s [a] thought provoking insight into the mindset of war veterans when they return to mainstream life. Please go, you will see a top performance and unless you are made of stone you will be emotionally moved.

Comment posted by Peter G Life in Progress A Colossal waste of a legend’s talent bowing out with this pretentious twaddle?

Really!? This 1st night EIF audience would have given her a standing ovation had she stood still for 2 hours.

Instead we got phenomenal dancing

by Guillem and some talented partners to atrocious and dated choreography (barring the male duet by Forsyth) that ran the contemporary choreographic vocabulary gamut from A to B combined with some extraordinarily banal “soundscapes�, some masquerading as “music� (whether live or pre-recorded, they were ALL poorly miced and over amplified.) Shocking. A sad end to an illustrious career!

Comment posted by James Alexander

CONTRIBUTORS

Joseph Morpurgo: Soothing Sounds for Baby JOSEPH MORPURGO !!FIVE STAR REVIEW!! JOSEPH MORPURGO !!FIVE STAR REVIEW!! JOSEPH MORPURGO !!FIVE STAR REVIEW!! JOSEPH MORPURGO !!!

Comment posted by @TheInvisibleDot Beth Vyse: As Funny as Cancer Very brave Beth Vyse told her story with audience participation and light hearted humour but brought home the story of breast cancer. This show brought a tear to my eye at the finish. If you get the chance please go and experience this show for yourself.

Comment posted by Fiona G Susie McCabe: The Drugs Don’t Work Great show, despite being from Australia and my friend from USA, we still caught 95% of the jokes, thanks for the laughs, would highly recommend.

Comment posted by Sharron Winks The Encounter The Encounter is incredible...I loved it too.

Definitely worth your time during festival season.

Comment posted by @KirstyFwrites Le Gateau Chocolat: Black Merci, Lorna at the List. Another ***** for #Black. #edfringe @sohotheatre @ AssemblyFest Morning. X

EEK W E H FT O E B I BR

Comment posted by @LeGateauChoc Feminazi I’m sorry but I went to this show, and I really didn’t enjoy it. I actually disagree with the three stars. I’m a feminist and I’m all about supporting any women trying to do their thing. I’ve seen a few other shows this Fringe about feminism or just generally by women (and plan on seeing quite a few more). Comedy in particular is definitely a man’s world, and good on Kirsty Mac for creating a character that tries to challenge that. I’m not sure she ‘reclaims and lampoons’ the feminazi of the title. It was just kind of about nothing really, said really loudly. It just wasn’t funny.

Comment posted by Sarah KW The Church of Malcolm I found the songs of the Mr. Doherty and the original way he delivers his story to be uplifting and powerful. I dont understand why the critic thought he takes his self professed “Godhood� so seriously, Mr. Doherty clearly states in the first 5 minutes of the performance that it is a non religion and that the words “Amen� and “Catholic� and “Church� mean “I agree�, “Universal� and “gathering�, respectively.

The inclusion of beliefs and musical good feeling that washed over me as an audience member quickly made me a convert to this professed non religion, and I hope his message of love and beauty coming from within spreads far and wide.

Comment posted by Phat Man Dee

REAL-LIFE CELEBRITY RUBBISH Working in Edinburgh during the Fringe wouldn’t be right without a celeb spot or two. We’ve been working so hard, we haven’t had time to trawl the streets for famous folk (woe is us), but the kind soul behind Late with Lance! brought the stars to us, in the form of a grotty old t-shirt that deďŹ nitely once belonged to Hugh Jackman (it’s got a post-concert Vegemite stain, guys) and a genuine pair of Liza’s eyelashes – remarkably intact. These gifts aren’t even the grossest things we’ve seen this year, so, for that, Lance wins our ďŹ nal Bribe of the Week.

Q Q Late with Lance!, Laughing Horse @ The Counting House, 667 7533, until 30 Aug (not 24), 2.30pm, free.

That’s the last of our printed Bribes of th the W Week, k but b t you can still till send us your promotional swag until the end of the month, and we’ll give the good stuff a shout on Twitter at @thelistmagazine

Publisher & General Editor Robin Hodge Director Simon Dessain EDITORIAL Editor Yasmin Sulaiman Senior Writer & Content Editor Scott Henderson Research Manager Kirstyn Smith Senior Researcher Murray Robertson Research Alex Johnston, Rowena McIntosh, Rebecca Monks, Henry Northmore Subeditors Mercy Breheny, Paul McLean Editorial Assistants Claire Flynn, Carolina Morais SALES & MARKETING Media Sales Manager Chris Knox Senior Media Sales Executive Debbie Thomson Media Sales Executive Jade Regulski Sales Support Executive Jessica Rodgers Digital Business Development Director Brendan Miles Partnership Director Sheri Friers PRODUCTION Production Director Simon Armin Senior Designer Lucy Munro Designer Jen Devonshire DIGITAL Senior Developer Andy Carmichael Senior Designer Bruce Combe Software Developer Iain McCusker Senior DBA Andy Bowles Newsletter Editor Hamish Brown ADMINISTRATION Accounts Manager Sarah Reddie Events and Administration Assistant Claire Cooke SECTION EDITORS Books Yasmin Sulaiman Comedy Brian Donaldson Dance / Kids Kelly Apter Food & Drink Donald Reid Front / Music Kirstyn Smith News Rebecca Monks Theatre Gareth K Vile Visual Art Rachael Cloughton

Published by The List Ltd HEAD OFFICE: 14 High Street, Edinburgh EH1 1TE Tel: 0131 550 3050, Fax: 0131 557 8500, list.co.uk, email editor@list.co.uk GLASGOW OFFICE: at the CCA, 350 Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow G2 3JD Tel: 0141 332 9929, glasgow@list.co.uk ISSN: 0959 - 1915 Š2015 The List Ltd. Reproduction in whole or in part is forbidden without the written permission of the publishers. The List does not accept responsibility for unsolicited material.

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2 THE LIST FESTIVAL 20–31 Aug 2015

Festival

TOP 20

The number of acts performing at this year’s Festival might seem a trifle overwhelming, so here’s a round-up of 20 unmissable shows

MUSIC

Janice Galloway One of

Sufjan Stevens Ultra-elusive

Scotland’s defining modern authors, Galloway presents Jellyfish, her first piece of fiction since 2009. See preview, page 31. Charlotte Square Gardens, 20 Aug.

Stevens stops off in Edinburgh as part of a rare UK tour, following the release of Carrie & Lowell – one of the best albums of 2015 so far. See preview, page 65. Playhouse, 30 Aug (sold out).

MUSIC

COMEDY

KIDS

Wave Movements With pop and rock making inroads into the

Trevor Noah Trevor Noah

International Festival programme for the first time this year, indie rock giants Richard Reed Parry of Arcade Fire and Bryce Dessner from The National get a chance to explore their orchestral leanings, presenting this work composed to the rhythms of real waves to go alongside Hiroshi Sugimoto’s 1980s seascape film. See feature, page 24. The Hub, 28 Aug.

appears off the back of a sell-out UK tour with a show demonstrating why he’s now the new host of The Daily Show. See preview, page 35.

Assembly Hall, 28–30 Aug (sold out).

The Marvellous Imaginary Menagerie Fringe favourites Les

PHOTO Š SHERVIN LAINEZ

PHOTO Š PAUL BLAKEMORE

BOOKS

PHOTO Š ZOE MANDERS

Enfants Terrible deliver sideshow capers for wee ones. See review, page 63. Pleasance Courtyard, until 31 Aug. ot 26).

BOOKS

DANCE

COMEDY

Limmy YouTube phenomenon, turned TV star,

Paradise Lost (lies unopened before me) Lost Dog present their physical

Pappy’s Live at the Cabaret Bar

turned author. Daft Wee Stories is a collection of his intriguing tales, familiar to those who are smart enough to follow him on Twitter. See feature, page 14. Charlotte Square Gardens, 22 Aug (sold out but streamed on bbc.co.uk).

interpretation of Milton’s epic poem, a piece of work aimed at anyone who’s ever created anything only to see it go off the rails. See review, page 58.

Summerhall, until 30 Aug (not 24).

The award-winning comedy trio revisit the site of previous glories and indulge in some sketch nostalgia, performing hits and highlights from their Fringe career. See feature, page 10. Pleasance Courtyard, 27–29 Aug.

4 THE LIST FESTIVAL 20–31 Aug 2015

Joseph Morpurgo An

PHOTO Š EDINBURGH ART FESTIVAL

THEATRE

BOOKS

VISUAL ART

Tar Baby

Patrick Ness What if you

Platform: 2015 Recent

were an unremarkable kid at a high school full of ‘chosen ones’? Patrick Ness’ new book imagines just such a character. See preview, page 32.

Charlotte Square Gardens, 25 Aug.

graduates Antonia BaĂąados, Ben Callaghan, Ross Hamilton Frew and Jessica Ramm take centre stage at the Art Festival. See review, page 89.

9–11 Blair Street, until 30 Aug.

A ferocious and passionate attack on racist attitudes in the USA. Performed by Desiree Burch, it’s brutal and beautiful. See review, page 84. Gilded Balloon, until 31 Aug (not 26).

PHOTO Š ELIES VAN RENTERGHEM

absorbing found multimedia comedy show, as Morpurgo is interviewed by a disgruntled Kirsty Young for Desert Island Discs. See review, page 44.

Pleasance Courtyard, until 31 Aug.

PHOTO Š DEBBIE SMYTH

PHOTO Š JANNICA HONEY

COMEDY

THEATRE

A Game of You

The unsettling final play (after The Smile off Your Face and Internal) in the Personal Trilogy from acclaimed Belgian theatre company Ontroerend Goed. Traverse, 25–30 Aug.

THEATRE

MUSIC

COMEDY

Puddles Pity Party As good

Antonio Forcione & Adriano Adewale Guitar

Butt Kapinski Deanna Fleysher plays the titular private detective in a

as he looks, Puddles has mournful magic and reinvents the pop song for all ages in this five-star show. See review, page 83. Assembly George Square, until 31 Aug (not 25).

acrobatics from the duo, blending soul, jazz, African and Latin rhythms.

See preview, page 68. Assembly George Square, 23–30 Aug.

wildly parodic take on a Raymond Chandler-style character, exploring the different ways men and women are portrayed in the detective genre. Led by accomplished clown Fleysher’s superb physicality, this theatrical comedy is a thoughtful and thrilling ride. See review, page 37. Liquid Room Annexe, until 30 Aug (not 25).

DAYS OUT

THEATRE / MUSIC

COMEDY

MUSIC

Edinburgh Mela World music,

Le Gateau Chocolat: Black

The Magic Flute Boundary-

dance, fashion, food and fun over four areas: the Main Music Stage, the Mela World Dance Feste, the Mela Mix stage and the Mela Kidzone. Leith Links, 29 & 30 Aug.

A personal journey through the life of the cabaret singer that deals with his difficult transition to the performer he is today. See review, page 87.

Assembly Hall, until 30 Aug.

Fern Brady: People are Idiots Award-winning Brady explains how and why some people are idiots in a typically blunt show.

See review, page 42. The Stand 3 & 4, until 30 Aug.

pushing take on Mozart’s comedy at the EIF. The show blends silent film with Weimar cabaret and dark humour. See list.co.uk/festival.

Festival Theatre, 27–30 Aug. 20–31 Aug 2015 THE LIST FESTIVAL 5

READER OFFERS WIN TICKETS TO MUSEUM AFTER HOURS: FRIDAY FRINGE TAKEOVER

Enjoy a unique flavour of the Fringe and explore the National Museum of Scotland after hours across three exhilarating nights. Guest-programmed by the festival gurus at The List, each night of this extravaganza will offer a different and tantalizing taste of the Fringe, with hand-picked performers, music, comedy, bars and entry to the fascinating summer exhibition, Photography: A Victorian Sensation.

WIN TICKETS TO NOTHING EVER HAPPENS HERE IN ASSOCIATION WITH BLACK T

The List are giving away a pair of tickets plus a meal for two with bottle of wine at the Museum Brasserie for the last night of Museum After Hours on Fri 28 Aug. To be in with a chance of winning just log on to list.co.uk/offers and tell us:

We have teamed up with Black T from Tennent’s to give you and up to nine friends the chance to enjoy a VIP experience at Nothing Ever Happens Here in association with Black T presents: Joanna Gruesome on Wed 23 Sep at Summerhall. Chock-full of chunky guitars and spread thickly with amazing pop melodies, Joanna Gruesome is a mesmerising band to watch. Winners will be treated to food and drinks courtesy of Black T at the Royal Dick and tickets to the gig. To be in with a chance of winning just log on to list.co.uk/ offers and tell us:

What is the name of the summer exhibition?

Where is Black T Brewed?

Museum After Hours: Friday Fringe Takeover National Museum of Scotland, Chambers Street 7.30pm - 10.30pm Fri 28 Aug

Nothing Ever Happens Here Summerhall Place, Edinburgh EH9 1PL Wed 23 Sep 2015, Tickets ÂŁ10

ÂŁ16, ÂŁ14 Members and Concessions, age 18+, includes admission to Photography: A Victorian Sensation

8pm

summerhall.co.uk

nms.ac.uk/afterhours TERMS AND CONDITIONS: COMPETITION CLOSES FRI 26 AUG. ENTRANTS MUST BE OVER 18 YEARS OF AGE. USUAL LIST RULES APPLY.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS: COMPETITION CLOSES 16 SEP 2015. ENTRANTS MUST BE OVER 18 YEARS OF AGE. WINNER WILL BE EMAILED. THE LIST’S USUAL RULES APPLY.

WIN TICKETS TO GLASGOW DOORS OPEN DAY AT WELLPARK BREWERY (TENNENT’S)

50p off a bottle of 500ml Deuchars IPA in Tesco stores To celebrate Deuchars IPA’s sponsorship of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, you can claim 50p off a bottle of 500ml Deuchars IPA in Tesco stores!

To claim your offer, simply cut out this voucher and present it to the cashier upon payment.

TO THE CUSTOMER Terms and conditions: Hand this coupon to the checkout operator along with your Tesco Clubcard to receive the benefits as above. Customers must be 18 years or over to purchase or receive alcohol. This coupon has no cash redemption value and can be redeemed only once and by the person to whom it was issued. Valid in the UK and IOM only. Not redeemable through Tesco.com. Offer is subject to availability. Copied, damaged and defaced coupons will not be accepted. This coupon is, and shall remain, the property of Tesco Stores Ltd and is not for resale or publication. Offer is not valid in conjunction with any other offer or discount.

Valid from 26.08.15 – 15.09.15

Glasgow Doors Open Day takes place across Glasgow 14–20 Sep, celebrating the buildings, streets, parks, architecture, history and people of the city with over 100 buildings opening their doors and a programme full of walks, tours, talks and events.

The List are giving away a pair of tickets to visit the home of Tennent’s Lager - the largest brewery site in Scotland. The Tennents tour takes you through the brewing process and you can learn about the rich heritage of one of Scotland’s most loved brands. Wellpark Brewery in Glasgow is home to more than 450 years of brewing tradition and award winning beers. Once you have seen the production process, you can enjoy a complimentary pint.

What are the dates for the 2015 Glasgow Doors Open Day? Wellpark Brewery 161 Duke Street, Glasgow G31 1JD Sat 19 Sep 2015, 1pm

glasgowdoorsopenday.com thanks-for-clicking TERMS AND CONDITIONS: OFFER CLOSES 6 SEPTEMBER 2015. BOTH ATTENDEES MUST BE 12+ YEARS OLD. THERE IS A LOT OF WALKING AND LOTS OF STAIRS SO ITS NOT SUITABLE FOR ANYONE WHO HAS DIFFICULTY WALKING. THE LIST’S USUAL RULES APPLY

6 THE LIST FESTIVAL 20–31 Aug 2015

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FRONTLINES DIARY

FESTIVAL NEWS IN A NUTSHELL independent bookstore Word Power, it was launched by author Mark Thomas, who was there with his book, 100 Minor Acts of Dissent. Bibliophiles with a penchant for independent writing, this one’s for you.

• It’s been a bit of a sad week for Festival cancellations. Joan Armatrading had to back out of her much-anticipated Fringe by the Sea appearance following medical advice, while Alasdair Gray has had to cancel his Edinburgh International Book Festival, as he has not yet recovered from a fall at his home.

• The Fringe Society are getting on board with this whole modern technology thing by running a #Fringie competition. Snap a selfie of yourself at the Fringe, post it to Twitter with the hashtag #Fringie, and you could win a prize. Now would be a good time to perfect that duck pout you think looks simultaneously kind of ridiculous and kind of great.

• In other book news, the Edinburgh Book Fringe began on Friday. Taking place at

• Another Fringe antic has raised a few eyebrows, after performers did a trapeze stunt from a city centre bridge above traffic.

According to a spokesperson for the Council, they were not informed that the event was taking place, and performers Josa Koelbel and Bellina Sorensson had not applied for a license.

• It’s all going on award-wise, with the Scotsman dishing out

#WTFRINGE The F word is all over Twitter, as Edinburgh embraces the Fringe @robinpjohnson7: Carrying an armchair through the soggy streets of Edinburgh at 8am.

Gary McNair

its initial Fringe First winners (Gary McNair’s A Gambler’s Guide to Dying, Going Viral, The Christians, Swallow, The Deliverance, Underneath and The History of the World Through Banalities). Moreover, the longlist for the Amnesty Freedom of Expression Award has been announced (with our highly-rated shows As Is and How To Keep An Alien included), and, if that’s not enough, the Foster’s Comedy Award nominations will be revealed on Wed 26 Aug. Finally, the Edinburgh Fringe Sustainable Practice Award winner will be announced on Fri 28 Aug. See list.co.uk/festival for award news.

WHAT A SELL OUT Tickets don’t last forever, y’know.

Here’s what’s selling fast at the fest, and what’s already sold out* (19–25 Aug).

GOING, GOING...

#wtfringe #edfringe

A Girl is A Half-Formed Thing • Austentatious • An Audience With Jimmy Savile • David O’Doherty: We Are All in the Gutter, But Some of Us Are Looking at David O’Doherty • Flight • Gruffalos, Ladybirds and Other Beasts • James Acaster: Represent • Jason Byrne: 20 Years A Clown • Paul Foot • Joseph Morpurgo: Soothing Sounds for Baby • Reginald D Hunter: Bitchproof • Rob Beckett • Tommy Tiernan Alive in Edinburgh

@NortonIsEmperor: Gui Gui accepted the

GONE

@edfringe, it’s for you. It’s all for you. #WTFringe @EdinBlogger: Navigating the crowds of The Royal Mile is a rite of passage #WTFringe #Edinburgh @edinburgh @edfringe #edfringe @ptcomed: It’s a sad fact of life: 9/10 flyers are abandoned in public toilets. #adoptaflyer

challenge and munched down on a Deep Fried Mars Bar. His reaction “only once� #WTFringe @TheEdinbug: RIP my credit card. #myedfests #edfringe #WTFringe

Aisling Bea: Plan Bea (at Gilded Balloon – availability for Pleasance shows) • Bridget Christie: A Book For Her • Katherine Ryan: Kathbum • Nina Conti: In Your Face • Oh Hello! • Polyphony • The Colour Ham – One. Last. Time.

RESIDENT TOURIST In conversation with Fringe veteran Dillie Keane, one member of cabaret group Fascinating Aida, who has a solo show at this year’s festival

PHOTO Š STEVE ULLATHORNE

• The Edinburgh International Book Festival is more international than ever this year, with several events being live-streamed online for the world to see. Organisers have announced a new collaboration with BBC Arts, which will see ten events broadcast on the website. Highlights include a talk

by American civil rights activist Reverend Jesse Jackson, a conversation between crime writer Val McDermid and Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, and comedian Limmy talking about his new book (see interview, page 14).

NEWS AND GOSSIP FROM ACROSS THE FESTIVALS

Describe the Fringe in four words.

Explosive, exulting, extreme and exciting.

Why do you bring your work to the festival? Habit, and to see other shows and to spend time in one the world’s greatest cities.

What was your most surreal festival experience? I met Adrian Henri, the poet, and it was incredible and spectacular and it moved me . . . I remember my jaw dropping, I didn’t know what to say.

What is the best thing reviewers have written about you? I think what made me laugh most was a review saying I had glamour like Brighton seafront.

And the worst? That I had glamour like Brighton seafront.

Where are you likely to be found this festival? I’m likely to be found either in a bar or seeing a show. I see a lot of shows and I drink a lot of beer.

Why do you think acts return to Edinburgh year-on-year? It’s a great shop window, it’s a great place for that. And it’s a chance to be in a place for a whole month and see a tonne of other really great stuff and get ideas.

Q Dillie Keane, Underbelly George Square, 0844 545 8252, until Aug 30, 6.05pm, £13.50–£14.50 (£12.50–13.50).

8 THE LIST FESTIVAL 20–31 Aug 2015

" !

Pic of the

WEEK

PHOTO Š PETER FINGLETON

FOREST FRINGE

The Forest Fringe is growing in prominence every year (soon it’ll practically be a jungle). It kicked off on Monday 17 August, and one of this year’s featured acts is this fella, Scottee, who is bringing his Party Piece to the festival. It’s ‘a show full of the things we do when drunk’, so cheese and chips at the ready. Party Piece, 27–29 Aug, Out of the Blue Drill Hall, 8pm, free.

20–31 Aug 2015 THE LIST FESTIVAL 9

" !

FESTIVAL FEATURES | Pappy’s

PAPPY DAYS ppy’s are back!

Good news fans of general silliness: Pa

W

ell, they’d probably argue that they’ve never really been away. But their last appearance in Edinburgh as a trio was back in 2012, where they presented their Comedy Awardnominated show, titled Pappy’s Last Show Ever – so you’ll understand why we were worried.

Over the intervening years, the threesome – Matthew Crosby, Ben Clark and Tom Parry – have been busy, in particular with their BBC3 show Badults, which has had two series broadcast since their last Edinburgh appearance.

Their 2015 return sees them with something of a full roster: Matthew and Tom both have solo shows at Just the Tonic; Matthew’s also hosting comedians’ game show The Humble Quest for Universal Genius; Tom’s directing sketch group BEASTS’ show, as well as Max and Ivan’s hour; and Clark’s in Comedians Theatre Company production, Marriage (see review, page 76), which Tom’s adapted.

But they’re making time for Pappy’s stuff too: for a few nights at the Fringe, they’ll be hosting their Brixton-based night, The Secret Dudes Society, which has in the past featured pals like Lazy Susan, Bridget Christie and James Acaster. And over the last weekend of the festival, they’ll also be taking over the Pleasance Cabaret Bar each evening for Pappy’s Live at the Cabaret Bar!, effectively a ‘best of’ series of sketches from their back catalogue.

Yet these three lovely lads still made time to come visit us at List HQ as the festival kicked off, to chat about their busy month ahead – even if Tom was a bit late...

Welcome back! Over the last two years, has it been nice to come up to the festival for pleasure rather than work?

Ben: It was and it wasn’t.

Matthew: It’s a little bit like when you leave university and you still have some friends there. And you come back and go ‘I’m going to have a pint with you guys!’ And they go ‘Uh, who’s the grandad?’ Ben: [laughing] ‘Get out of here old man!’ Matthew: I think two years away is long enough, we all wanted to come back and do something.

So the last show you did together was called Pappy’s Last Show Ever, and that was two years ago. You had people actually thinking it was your final show...

Ben: Yeah, I think a lot of people did...

Matthew: Including us.

Ben: [laughs] We always thought it’s quite risky having this title, Last Show Ever. But it’s kind of exciting and it was the theme of the

ut show. It’s wasn’t just to get people into it to watch it [laughs]. But actually, as it went on I was like ‘Well, it isn’t but it could be’. as Matthew: It was our sixth Edinburgh show, so at that point it was about eight years of us performing together and it was what we gs always dreamed of achieving with a sketch show. Loads of things he we talked about for years and years ended up happening in the ng show: for instance, us playing ourselves as older people and going through an entire life within one sketch. It corresponded with us he getting a sitcom commissioned, which took us away from the nd Fringe. We went to Glasgow and we spent two years writing and at putting that on, so it felt like the Fringe is now something that we don’t have the time to put our energies into. So it’s funny, it was kind of a self-fulfilling prophecy. And part of the reason of e, doing these shows at the Cab bar and the Secret Dudes is because, especially with us doing the solo shows, people write about us ass ‘former Pappy’s’. And even today I was doing the press launchh d for my solo show and one of the guys said ‘former Pappy’s’ and I went ‘No, no, current Pappy’s! But also current me as well.’ Do you feel like people can’t reconcile you doing shows s as a group and alone?

Ben: I think particularly with sketch groups, people are waiting forr you to stop doing it. Because it does tend to happen with a lot off sketch groups, you know. They’re around for a few years and then...

Matthew: We went from a four to a three [Pappy’s parted ways withh original fourth member Brendan Dodds in 2009], so the trickiestt thing in the world is keeping that working relationship going, but a lot of it is filled by us doing other things. I’ve always done stand-up ever since we first started doing Pappy’s. But you know, if you’ve got all your eggs in one basket people think I’m just part of a sketch team. There’s loads of other aspects of performance that we all enjoy doing. Just Pappy’s seems to be the one that has been the most visibly successful. It’s funny, especially the way we are on stage, people often think we live together. But I’m married and it would be insane if I also had Tom and Ben in my house.

Ben: Well, we keep saying we could make it work...

Matthew: People see we all live together and sleep three in a bed [in the show] and that’s what people assume. In my first solo show in 2011, people were like ‘What do the other two think?’ I said ‘They don’t give a fuck!’ So tell us about the Secret Dudes Society...

Matthew: Well it was just a way of us getting together and trying to write new stuff. And actually what we intended it to

10 THE LIST FESTIVAL 20–31 Aug 2015

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Pappy’s | FESTIVAL FEATURES

L-R: Tom Parry, Ben Clark and Matthew Crosby

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FESTIVAL FEATURES | Pappy’s

be and what it became are two quite different things. We’re big fans of a band called the Spook School, who are kind of an Edinburgh / Londonbased band. So we got the rhythm section of it in London, those two guys did the theme to the second season of Badults, so we got to meet them through that. So basically, we’re a bunch of guys in our 30s who had a breakdown and formed a band.

Ben: [laughs] Matthew: So we’ve written all these songs, they are not comedy songs but they are funny songs. It’s going to be us with our friends, in all of the Brixton shows we have friends coming to perform...Hey! Look who it is!

[A red-cheeked, puffing Tom bundles in, fresh from an overrunning BEASTS rehearsal] Tom: I’m sorry, I’m sorry!

Matthew: So the next question is for Tom...

Tell us about Live at the Cabaret Bar! – how’s that different from Secret Dudes Society?

Tom: It’s the most fun to do! Right from the very start to the very end of it, it was joyous.

Ben: We had, like, a proper job which felt lovely. Get up every morning, go and write together, that was great. That was a really lovely process.

Matthew: I had a funny thing the other day...I was at a friend’s wedding and a guy came up to me and said ‘Oh you’re in that show with the World Cup thing’. And I said ‘Yeah, Badults’. And he said ‘Well what’s your name? Oh Matthew? Like in the show! Was it autobiographical?’ [Ben & Tom laugh] Matthew: I mean, it kind of was.

Tom: Yeah, it kind of was.

Matthew: Those are our actual sketches. So if you’ve seen our Fringe shows before, Live at the Cabaret Bar! will be a collection of shows, a collection of sketches. Hopefully there will be stuff from almost every show we’ve done at the Fringe.

Ben: That’s our plan.

Tom: We always promised ourselves that we’d never come and do a ‘Best Of’.

Matthew: I think the distinction we’re making is we never had such financial difficulties as we’re having now.

[Ben & Tom laugh] Matthew: No, the distinction we made is, because we’re all up, it seems churlish not to. I think what we didn’t want to do was be sat in London and going ‘Oh on the last weekend we’ll all go up on the train together, do three shows and come back’. That’s not it. And also the Cab Bar was dark [at 9.20pm, due to Romesh Ranganathan’s cancellation], and it’s such a good venue. As soon as we found out the Cab Bar was dark, we put in our flyers that we were doing the Pleasance a massive favour. I mean, we’re not really but if there’s a dark theatre at 9.20pm, you’ve got to go and do something.

Ben: Yeah and we love the Cabaret Bar! Matthew: We did our 2008 show Funergy there, and we just had a complete ball. It was just wonderful and the chance to get to do it again was brilliant.

Matthew: But yeah it won’t be a fully narrative sketch show, it’ll just be some of our favourite sketches. There’ll be some bits that we literally won’t have done for five years, so that’ll be quite fun.

Do people recognise you when you go places now?

Are you enjoying doing your solo shows?

So: Badults. Did you enjoy making a sitcom?

Matthew: I was with Isy Suttie and someone came up and was like ‘You’re Dobby from Peep Show!’ and she said ‘Yeah I am’. And then they looked at me and said ‘You’re someone as well, aren’t you?’

Tom: I’m having fun. I don’t feel like it’s a stand-up show. It kind of is really, I’m just I guess shying away from saying I’m doing stand-up, I just think it’s me shit-talking for an hour and having fun [laughs]. It’s fun to be able to talk for an hour without having people [ie – an Matthew] trying to stop you.

Ben and Matth Matthew: It’s funny that when you do a solo show it reminds you w what is good about Pappy’s. You always have to do things mak up for the lack of the other two. Like in my solo show to make I take my shirt off and dance around, which is pretty much being Tom. But in a very controlled way.

[Ben & Tom laugh] Matt Matthew: We’re already making up for having two years away We now just go ‘We’ll just do everything.’ I’m also away. doing ten nights of a game-show, The Humble Quest for Univ Universal Genius, so literally there will be days I’m doing four shows, pretty much back to back. It’s going to be a real exer exercise of stamina, but I just love the Fringe so much, why not? If you get the chance to do as much as you can, see as muc as you can, why not? It’s only a month. much (Int (Interview

by Yasmin Sulaiman) Pap Pappy’s Presents...The Secret Dudes Society, Ple Pleasance Dome, 556 6550, 24–25 Aug, 11.55pm, £7 (£5). (£5 Pa Pappy’s Live at the Cabaret Bar!, Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, 27–29 Aug (9.20pm), £9 (£7).

Co To Tom Parry: Yellow T-Shirt, Just the Tonic at The Tr Tron, 0330 220 1212, until 30 Aug, 6.20pm, £5.

M Matthew Crosby: Smaller than Life, Just the Tonic a at The Mash House, 0330 226 0000, until 30 Aug, 7 7.40pm, £5.

M Marriage, Assembly George Square Studios, 623 3 3030, until 30 Aug, 2pm, £12–£13 (£11–£11.50).

T The Humble Quest for Universal G Genius, Assembly George Square Gardens, 623 3030, 21–30 Aug, 2pm, £12 (£11).

BEASTS: Live DVD, Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 31 Aug, 4.45pm, £7.50–£10 (£6.50–£9).

Max and Ivan: The End, Pleasance Dome, 556 6550, until 30 Aug, 8.20pm, £9–£12.50 (£8– £11.50).

12 THE LIST FESTIVAL 20–31 Aug 2015

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THE ‘STARTLINGLY GOOD’ HIT OF THE FRINGE The Times

The Guardian The Times Daily Telegraph The Stage FEST British Theatre Guide

5 - 30 Aug 4pm (80 mins) 0131 556 6550 | pleasance.co.uk 20–31 Aug 2015 THE LIST FESTIVAL 13

FESTIVAL FEATURES | Limmy

WHO THE FUCK ARE YOU? As a comedian, Brian Limond’s appeal is cultish rather than populist. Will Limmy’s book of Daft Wee Stories ďŹ nd its audience with the literary crowd, asks David Pollock?

I

t’s all just about having a laugh if you’re to know everything I’ve done to like the book, but I don’t want the Q&A to be like, “my first Limmy. He gauges the audiences on his question is, who the fuck are you?’’’ national book tour for the just-released Daft It was around a year ago that he started writing the stories and improvising them on his Wee Stories, to see how much of a laugh they’re up webcam, another way to pass the time when he found himself getting bored and the itch to for; at the time we speak he’s experienced Glasgow create hitting. ‘Just one of they things,’ he says, ‘just off the cuff, you just start typing up (‘they were up for a laugh, I knew that’), Aberdeen (‘a stories to see what people think. I mean, I don’t know if I’d ever write them if nobody bit quieter, but still a good laugh’) and Newcastle. ‘It ever read them. If I typed them up then set them alight. I want people to see what they was this wee hall with 100 seats. I thought, what’s that think. They’re only wee so you don’t have to worry about plot and all that, and if I’m gonnae be like? I don’t even need a mic. But they were writing an idea and enjoying it while I do it, then it’s no’ work.’ really loud. It’s Manchester tonight, that’ll be a good laugh.’ The book tour, he says, is good practice for Limmy Live, which will bring the A laugh is all he’s after, and he’s made a career out of it. characters from his television show to Glasgow’s Clyde Auditorium early next He’s a machine when it comes to throwing every little idea year (29 & 30 Jan). Although he’s most familiar with online success, this he thinks might raise a smile out there, and he’s smart enough won’t be his first crack at stand-up. After his podcasts went well, a Glasgow to know how many channels are available to him. He tweets, he promoter put him on in the city’s Blackfriars Bar in 2007, and he did the does videos on YouTube, he puts clips up on Vine, and he’s happy Edinburgh Fringe that year and the year after. But when his television to interact with his audience. pilot came through, he decided to quit.

Limmy (his real name’s Brian Limond and he’s from Glasgow) is a ‘I never wanted to be a great stand-up or anything,’ he says now. ‘I wayward comedy auteur whose work sits somewhere between razornever wanted to be playing stadiums and all over the telly. Sometimes sharp, seriously funny, uncomfortable, and just straight-up taking the I get a wee idea, a wee feeling that other stand-ups maybe wonder piss. He’s had his own sketch show called Limmy’s Show on BBC Scotland who I am, coming out of nowhere. But I don’t care, I had my own and he’s enjoyed cameo appearances on The IT Crowd and his own slot on thing happening for years, my website’s been there since 1999.

Charlie Brooker’s Weekly Wipe. You either get him or you don’t, an increasing I just wanted to do stuff I enjoyed. And I’m enjoying this.’ audience is discovering.

And now he’s written a book. Or rather, he wrote a bunch of short stories which he Limmy, Charlotte Square Gardens, 0845 373 5888, 22 Aug, 9.45pm, £10 (£8). It’s sold out chucked up on his blog, and a publisher (Century, part of Random House) saw them but will be streamed live on bbc.co.uk as and asked to publish them. part of BBC Arts Live from the Edinburgh This month, he’s bringing his book tour to the Edinburgh International Book Festival.

Festivals 2015. Daft Wee Stories is out now, ‘I don’t just want people who go to book festivals to turn up,’ he says. ‘I want people who published by Century. get my stuff right away and are up for a laugh, it makes it better for all of us. You don’t need 14 THE LIST FESTIVAL 20–31 Aug 2015

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Limmy | FESTIVAL FEATURES

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Gunge Shows | FESTIVAL FEATURES

L-R: Get Your Own Back: Live! host Dave Benson Phillips; Claire Flynn (right) gets gunged in Matty Grey’s Grossed Out Game Show

Get Your Own Back: Live and Grossed Out Game Show offer audiences good, clean (in one sense) family fun. The List’s Claire Flynn went along to ďŹ nd out more – and got gunged for her trouble

W

hen the Fringe rolls around every August, it is wise to expect the unexpected. Although usually when I think of the weirder side of the festival, it’s highly experimental theatre pieces and wild cabaret acts that spring to mind – not necessarily shows involving gunge tanks and slime showers.

One of these green gunk-filled hours is Get Your Own Back: Live!, with television presenter Dave Benson Phillips bringing the live version of his hit 1990s BBC children’s show to the festival.

For those who didn’t watch the show religiously as they were growing up (unlike a certain List writer), the premise was simple. Two kids would compete against each other in a variety of activities to win points. The one with the most points got to propel the deserving adult of their choice into a foul-looking, greeny-yellow pool of gunge. The main differences between the televised and live show are that the infamous gunge tank has been adapted for the stage and the audience and participants (other Fringe acts) are at least 10 to 15 years older. ‘It’s really funny when I go out and do a children’s show, and there are no children in the room,’ commented Phillips about performing to a bunch of wildly enthusiastic 20-year olds, who were clearly avid fans of the TV series.

Matty Grey’s Grossed Out Game Show, however, does attract families with young kids, all of whom are desperate to see people drenched in slime. He invites guest team captains, normally other Fringe performers,

to lead their half of the audience in a variety of competitions, from a dance contest to catching paper plates with tongs. For every point won, an extra litre of slime is poured on the opposing team captain at the end.

Grey recently asked for a representative from The List to be a team captain and I volunteered – my desire to tick ‘take part in a Fringe show’ off my bucket list got the better of me. Despite the vigorous scrubbing it took to get the green gunk out of my hair afterwards, I had fun, and so did the audience – they went wild when I got covered in slime, anyway.

Judging from the whooping and cheering in both shows as the messy finale commences, it seems that people do love these horrible-looking liquids. But just what is it about them that pulls in the crowds?

Phillips reckons it’s because gunge ‘looks totally alien and feels totally alien’, adding with a grin, ‘you have the X Factor . . . this is like the Eugggh Factor.’ Grey adds: ‘It comes back to the idea that being naughty is fun and getting dirty is naughty. We spend so much time when we are young being told to walk around the puddles that it makes the idea of jumping in with both feet all the more appealing.’ The gunge and slime elements may be integral to the success of both shows, but both would fall flat without the presence of their charismatic hosts. Phillips’ comedic timing, occasional bouts of dancing and sweet shout-outs to his wife and son (‘it’s a family show’) ensure he entertains a predominantly adult audience with humour that is neither profane nor rude. While Grey, with his brightly coloured suit, loud personality, and, again, cool moves, manages to keep parents and kids cheering through a game of chubby bunnies like they’re watching Murray at the Wimbledon final.

Get Your Own Back: Live!, Gilded Balloon, 622 6552, until 31 Aug (not 20), 4.30pm, £12–£13 (£11–£12).

Grossed Out Game Show, Assembly George Square, 21–23, 28–30 Aug, 11.15am, £10 (£9).

20–31 Aug 2015 THE LIST FESTIVAL 17

E T S A T # D N A L T SCO What better way to get to know a country and its people and culture than through its food? Scotland is celebrating the Year of Food and Drink throughout 2015, a 12 month celebration of our country’s fantastic natural larder and unique producers.

From artisan cheeses to world-renowned whiskies, there is an abundance of delicious, regional flavours around every corner in Scotland. d rney around Scotlan rgettable culinary jou fo un ils ta an de on es rk bin ba Em ls com land’s Foodie Trai ot Sc of e st Ta A this year. trails with of Scotland’s food relevant local information about eresting businesses and int oduct. facts about each pr for free Download the guide nd.com/ at www.visitscotla tastescotland

Find events, food trails and more at:

www.visitscotland.com/tastescotland

T ON . . .

SPOTLIGH t n 3, Finniesto mber, SWG 5 – 6 Septe, Food for a Fiver Free Entry

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tive of lk co-opera od, Real Fo Fo l , The ea kk R ha w , ne rabs d The exciting s at Cail Bruich, The C ravaigin an St ef h, ch nc Fi ow d an top Glasg menu at r India, Ox l he na ot io M at , ’s ns Gannet, Guy Chip will serve up a se , Let’s rant festival ous nous restau the Ubiquit ge di in y ul ďŹ rst tr of Scotland’s lourful ďŹ esta !

Eat Glasgow ne â€˜ďŹ eld to fork’, the co t, restaurant ke yo ar er Taking ev , bustling m live ure livestock onstrations, food will feat hery and cooking dem tc showcase, bu ren’s activities. ms to child Real Folk ai music and Real Food, scene and t, en od fo ev e e rs th Through easingly dive cr in ogramme, ’s pr ty ch ci ea e celebrate th the co-operative’s outr . for the city raise funds ess across e at ition awaren now availabl rs he raising nutr uc vo mmended. od co fo re nt se ra ha au rc ÂŁ5 rest Advance pu . uk o. .c ow letseatglasg

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A shellfish platter, as served at the Loch Fyne Oyster Bar at Cairndow

EVENTS Enjoy a feast of events and festivals happening all over the country during the Year of Food & Drink. Here are a few.

AUGUST

OCTOBER EDINBURGH COFFEE FESTIVAL 3 October, Mansfield Traquair The capital’s inaugural coffee festival is coming!

Certain to stimulate senses with the gorgeous aroma of coffee, exciting demos, live and music and more, the festival promises to be an unmissable occasion for cafĂŠ culture vultures, discerning coffee lovers and those in the industry.

BALMAHA’S BRAW WEEKEND

ELGIN FOOD AND DRINK FESTIVAL 22 August A chance for all the family to enjoy the city centre with Jamie Scott, winner of MasterChef The Professionals 2014, and true scot Norman of Great British Bake Off fame appearing.

GALLOWAY COUNTRY FAIR 22 – 23 August, Drumlanrig Castle An all-round celebration of rural life, this year’s fair is shaping up to be a feast for food fanatics with their largest ever Food Marquee, baking competitions and g demos. cooking

SEPTEMBER CRAFT BEER RISING 4 – 5 September, Drygate Brewery, Glasgow Proudly returning to Glasgow for their second year, CBR presents 40+ breweries for your sampling pleasure, amidst an array of fine street food, top DJ’s and music entertainment.

BEST OF THE WEST

3 – 4 October, The Oak Tree Inn Drawing on the excellent food and drink credentials of The Oak Tree Inn, head to Balmaha for local food, live music and events during the daytime, and a more grown up real ale, whisky, beer and music festival on the Saturday night.

NOVEMBER PERTH FESTIVAL OF CHOCOLATE 21 – 22 November At Scotland’s first outdoor chocolate festival, expect fine chocolatiers as well as some more unusual cocoa products, from candles to soap, and demos in chocolateering! It goes without saying that tastings will be an integral feature of the weekend‌

THE WINE GANG WINTER WINE FESTIVAL 28 November, Assembly Rooms, Edinburgh Following sell-out festivals in London and Bath, this pre-Christmas treat promises ‘unstuffy’ introductory wine tastings, an incredible masterclass programme and the chance to get some discounts on your favourites on the day.

12 – 13 September, Inverary Castle Whether you relish fine dining or get excited about tucking into Argyll’s local specialities, you’ll definitely enjoy the gastronomic offerings showcased at the festival alongside energetic Scottish folk music.

SCOTTISH BRAVES CHILLI FIESTA 19 – 20 September, Scone Palace, Perth Enjoy the ‘hotly’ anticipated chilli festival, two days of fiery fun with stands showcasing everything from fresh curries and c chilli chutneys to chilli ciders and cocktails, a celebration celeb of food, drink horticulture and more.

There are plenty of other er ways to get your foodie fix this year. Farmers’ and Community Markets are a great way to meet the producer in person, learn about where your food comes from and get some cooking tips, at thinklocalscotland.co.uk/farmers-markets SPOTLIGHT ON . . .

THE NIGHT MARKET

16 Sep S ttember, Balgove

Larder near St Andre ws

Wednesdays are the new weekend at Balgove Lar der!

With dates throughout the year, these unique events offer entertainment, loca l crafts, fresh food and drink from the farm shop and butchery alongside a sele ction of other producers. Past o events have featured sm all-batch jjam from Cochrane’s Kitc hen; versatile sauces from The Whisky Sauce co; seafoo W d from Arbroath Quality Fish; and delicious, healthy dishes d from Good Food Good Feelings.

The September event T is set to have an autum nal feel, proďŹ ling speciality loca p l beers.

balgove.com | @Balgove b

Get more inspiration on facebook.com/visitscotland and join in the discussion on twitter using #TasteScotland

& /

| fb/balgovelarderfarms hop

#birramoretti

list.co.uk/festival

Theatre Role Reversals | FESTIVAL FEATURES

(WO A WO

It’s never been a better time to play with gender roles in theatre. Gareth K Vile talks to a handful of female performers taking on theatre’s historically male-dominated roles

T

he question of gender identity is a hot theme at this year’s Fringe. Critics have been chasing each other to list shows that explore transgender experience, often without recognising that each work has a distinctive set of interests that don’t overlap. The abrupt discovery by critics of trans activism belies the work that has been done over the years, both in feminist and drag performance, to blur the lines between male and female.

The Smooth Faced Gentlemen continue in this tradition of causing gender trouble. An all-female company, they fearlessly adapt Shakespeare to contemporary society – their Othello at Underbelly effortlessly updates the action to the 1950s and reflects on cold war paranoia – and allow women to take on those famous characters. ‘The immediate first step is to search for a starting point to approach the script,’ says director Yaz Al-Shaater. ‘For us, gender is always a theme in our work. But the “concept� of each show comes from spending weeks analysing the text, and researching the play and its history.’ And so, their Titus Andonicus (first performed in 2013 but at the Pleasance this month) takes a middle path between visceral brutality and a more abstract violence. ‘The audience will see the blood and gore replaced with paintbrushes and bright red paint,’ adds Al-Shaater, ‘and the play [is] treated with the sense of humour that should be reserved for the darkest acts of humanity.’ Their Othello, meanwhile, does more than provide the powerful image of a black female protagonist. ‘Visual, interactive, non-verbal, and physical theatre elements all pervade our work, 20–31 Aug 2015 THE LIST FESTIVAL 21

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L-R: Othello: An All-Female Production; Diane Torr in Donald Does Dusty.

Previous page: Titus Andronicus: An All-Female Production

and we believe applying the ideas and unbridled creativity that comes with that to Shakespeare is the best way to keep it relevant and exciting.’ It is this combination of respect and irreverence that has made the Smooth Faced Gentlemen so dynamic – and with the addition of a final element: ‘the traditions of farce, slapstick, double-takes and general silliness. The more you can make an audience laugh, the more engaged they are, and the more it’ll hurt when you hit them with something serious.’ Of course, Shakespeare used single sex casts himself – albeit with boys playing the women, a trope that he worked for humour. Yet, until the advent of the 20th century, the iconic roles of theatre were more usually reserved for male characters.  If the Smooth Faced Gentlemen take a classic play and reverse the gender of its characters, a strategy that livens up the personal politics of the Bard, All Bare theatre company have taken a 20th-century queer classic and twisted it backwards. Genet’s The Maids – here translated by playwright Martin Crimp, himself a radical innovator – is a play about three women (who are usually played by men). Director Jesse HaughtonShaw was inspired by this combination. ‘Crimp’s translation melts biting lyricism into Genet’s imagistic energy,’ she says. And running with the tagline ‘A bit of role-play never did anyone any harm’, The Maids presents a mutually dependent relationship that moves from fantasy into murder.

Apart from Genet’s complicated layering of the action – the first scene is a performance of a role-play of the maids’ obsession with their mistress – Haughton-Shaw is fascinated by the script’s themes and the way it examines power within relationships. While she may have removed Genet’s most obvious role-reversal, she is aiming towards the heart of the play’s difficult connections of repressed desire and submissive eroticism.

The Smooth Faced Gentlemen and All Bare are more sophisticated than the critics in that

they toy with gender issues but connect them to wider themes. Diane Torr, meanwhile, has been messing around with preconceptions for decades.

Once part of the legendary New York art scene and a member of Disband, a group of artists who were more punk than mere rock’n’roll could ever be, she returns to the Fringe with Donald Does Dusty. ‘Donald . . . began after the funeral of my brother in January 1992. My idea was to make a performance that was an homage to him and to Dusty Springfield,’ she says. ‘Additionally, [I wanted] to create a more intimate way to deal with the death of loved ones.’ Torr’s popular Man for A Day workshops – and her performances in a variety of personae – have made her an iconic figure who has been subverting masculine stereotypes with a fierce wit. The finale of Donald Does Dusty sees her act as her brother performing Dusty Springfield, after a subtle journey through her past and a look at her brother’s influence on her personality and ambition.

The connection between all these shows

is more than just that they are all centred on women. They are part of a healthy tradition of theatre that rejects the mundane and expected roles and, with a sense of fun, re-invents the relationship between performance and identity.

If all the world is a stage, here is encouragement to stop accepting the expected, and imagine a fluid world of freedom and play. Donald Does Dusty, Summerhall, 560 1581, until 31 Aug (not 25), 7.35pm, £12 (£8).

The Maids, theSpace @ Surgeon’s Hall, until 22 Aug, 10.10am, £8 (£5).

Othello: An All-Female Production, Underbelly Potterow, 0844 545 8252, until 31 Aug (not 20), 12.20pm, £10.50–£11.50 (£8–£9).

Titus Andronicus: An All-Female Production, Pleasance Dome, 556 6550, until 31 Aug (not 20), 5pm, £9.50–£11.50 (£7–£9).

22 THE LIST FESTIVAL 20–31 Aug 2015

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FESTIVAL FEATURES | Wave Movements

PHOTO Š SHERVIN LAINEZ

L-R: Bryce Dessner, Richard Reed Parry

TIDAL Indie rock giants Bryce Dessner of The National and Arcade Fire’s Richard Reed Parry explore their orchestral leanings at this year’s Edinburgh International Festival.

Malcolm Jack ďŹ nds out more

A

s new Edinburgh International Festival director Fergus Linehan brings pop and rock music into the programme for the first time this year, from Sufjan Stevens to FFS, few musicians seem better placed to reflect on this important sea change than Bryce Dessner and Richard Reed Parry.

Close friends best known as members of renowned North American indie-rock bands The National and Arcade Fire respectively, they’re also both classical composers. Dessner has a masters degree in music from Yale University and has seen his works performed all over the world by the likes of the Los Angeles Philharmonic and the Kronos Quartet, while Parry’s debut contemporary classical album Music For Heart And Breath (produced by Dessner) was released last year.

They appear at this year’s EIF as part of a performance of their debut collaborative composition Wave Movements, an ‘orchestral work with a very strong visual element,’ as Dessner describes it, based on the different wave cycles of the world’s oceans. Composed directly to the rhythms of waves, it will be played by the Scottish Chamber Orchestra accompanied by a film from Japanese visual artist Hiroshi Sugimoto,

and alongside Parry’s composition Heart & Breath, which will feature Dessner and Parry on guitar and bass.

Dessner has known Linehan for many years, ever since the Irishman gave The National guitarist one of his first opportunities to see his classical works performed outside of the USA during his tenure as director of the Sydney Festival (which Dessner credits Linehan with ‘revolutionising’). ‘I think the message Fergus is embracing is a broader vision of what is music,’ he says, over the phone from New York. ‘It’s a statement that Italian opera and Beethoven symphonies and Schubert’s Lieder and contemporary works by modernist composers and Stockhausen and minimalist composers like John Adams, all of these things matter, you know? People no longer need a club membership or a bank account big enough to afford a ticket to the most expensive halls across the world to hear this music – you can hear it in many different ways.’ Dessner believes it’s important not to see Linehan’s message as being a pejorative statement on EIF’s more traditional preserves of classical and opera music, because the lines between pop and rock and classical

24 THE LIST FESTIVAL 20–31 Aug 2015

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list.co.uk/festival

Wave Movements | FESTIVAL FEATURES

PHOTO Š GUILLAUME SIMONEAU

SHIFT musicians are often much more blurred than many may appreciate.

Take Sufjan Stevens for instance, who brings one of the most critically acclaimed albums of the year to EIF in indie-folk heartbreaker Carrie & Lowell (see preview, page 6). He’s an artist Dessner knows well as a collaborator both in his classical career and with The National. ‘You have a musician like Sufjan who grew up playing oboe and writes ballets and classical music,’ he says. ‘He’s obviously an extremely talented songwriter, but he’s someone who probably has more in common with his composer peers than he does other pop songwriters.’ Responding by email from Japan, Parry is rather more succinct in his praise of changes afoot at EIF. ‘Go Edinburgh!’ he writes. ‘The walls are down. It’s fantastic. Let’s all make the most of that.’ While Dessner grew up surrounded by classical music, learning Bach fugues on the guitar from a young age (he describes his electric guitar playing in The National as being ‘more influenced by Steve Reich’s Electric Counterpoint than it is by Jeff Beck or Jimmy Page’), Parry’s background lies principally in folk. His late father David Parry was an influential figure on the Canadian folk scene in the 1970s and 80s, and Richard was raised in a very musical household, an atmosphere which ‘firmly established that music was just something that I do, almost all the time,’ he says, ‘whether it’s singing, playing, composing or collaborating.’ A multi-instrumentalist – he’s the Napoleon Dynamite-alike who can just as likely be spotted squeezing an accordion as he can banging out percussion on a motorcycle helmet – Parry began experimenting with instrumental chamber music with his group Belle Orchestre, several

members of which also play with Arcade Fire. Belle Orchestre have performed often alongside Dessner’s improvisatory side-project Clogs, ever since he and Parry first met and bonded when The National and Arcade Fire by chance found themselves playing different rooms at the same Amsterdam venue in 2005.

Ten years later, Wave Movements comes to Edinburgh, a score for string orchestra with percussion that Dessner describes as ‘quite tranceinducing’ and ‘minimal in its aesthetic’. ‘We were thinking about the naturalistic element of the sea and the sound that the sea makes, the sound that nature makes,’ he explains. ‘We thought about the instrument itself as an extension of the body and the natural properties of the string instrument. Various things like circular bowing and certain types of harmonics. Very specific things in terms of timbre and tone and where you place the bow on the instrument.’ According to Parry, the audience can expect ‘a very hypnotic, beautifully ephemeral musical experience.’ As for The National and Arcade Fire, what are their present statuses?

The National are ‘having a good time’ writing new material, says Dessner. ‘I think where our last album Trouble Will Find Me had a kind of layered and well-crafted feeling about it, the new works we’re doing sound much more effortless. It’s all happening quicker. So it’s really fun.’ For Arcade Fire, the future is a little vaguer. ‘We’re hiding and averting our eyes for a while,’ writes Parry. ‘There’s a live film coming out in the fall [The Reflektor Tapes], and we’re playing music casually together when the mood strikes. But no big plans right now.’ Wave Movements, The Hub, 473 2000, 28 Aug, 9.15pm, ÂŁ25.

20–31 Aug 2015 THE LIST FESTIVAL 25

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SUPPORTED BY

Festival

FOOD & DRINK

PHOTO Š OLIVER ROSSER

SNACK ATTACK

When hunger strikes in festival season, a quick bite is probably all you’ll have time for. Keith Smith rounds up the best food stalls across Edinburgh this August

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184–186 Cowgate, Old Town

SPIT/FIRE Laid-back New Town drinking den with dining, from the talented crew behind the Hanging Bat. 26B Dublin Street, New Town.

VDEEP The Vintage team join forces with Hardeep Singh Kohli to deliver top-notch curry and craft beer.

60 Henderson Street, Leith

26 THE LIST FESTIVAL 20–31 Aug 2015

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STEVE LINDRIDGE

BOOKS

LOUISE WELSH Crime writer talks about the second book in her Plague Times trilogy Having established herself as one of Scotlandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s foremost thriller writers, Louise Welsh will be appearing alongside MR Carey (author of The Girl with all the Gifts) at this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Edinburgh International Book Festival.

Welsh â&#x20AC;&#x201C; who recently published Death is a Welcome Guest, the second part in her Plague Times trilogy following last yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s A Lovely Way to Burn â&#x20AC;&#x201C; says good thrillers are a reflection of the times they are written in. â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;The thrillers I like best are well-observed, redolent of a particular place, fast-paced and political,â&#x20AC;&#x2122; she tells us.

At the Book Festival, Welsh will talk about the worlds she has been able to construct within her trilogy. â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;The trilogy follows the progress of a few survivors during a contemporary

pandemic,â&#x20AC;&#x2122; she explains. â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a love letter to the times we live in. I walk around thinking how wonderful our flawed world is and imagining its collapse.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; Welsh believes that the festival continues to â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;turn readers on to new writers and gives writers a platform on which to express themselves.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; Edinburgh also gives her the chance to return to the first book festival she attended, and one she continues to savour. â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Whenever I start getting blasĂŠ about festivals,â&#x20AC;&#x2122; she says, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;I think back to that experience, how nervous I was about going and how important it was to me.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; (Kevin Scott) Q Charlotte Square Gardens, 0845 373 5888, 22 Aug, 8.45pm, ÂŁ10 (ÂŁ8).

20â&#x20AC;&#x201C;31 Aug 2015 THE LIST FESTIVAL 29

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FESTIVAL BOOKS | Hitlist

BOOKS HITLIST Yasmin Sulaiman picks out some of the best events happening across the Fringe and Book Festival

Square Gardens, 0845 373 5888, 20 Aug, 11.45am, ÂŁ10 (ÂŁ8); Word Power Books, 28 Aug, 1pm, free.

SHIFT/ â&#x20AC;&#x201C; A BEST OF SPOKEN WORD Want to see some of Scotlandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s best spoken word artists in action? Head to Summerhall for Shift, a blend of music, poetry and performance from Jenny Lindsay, Rachel McCrum, Harry Giles, Ali Maloney and more of their talented pals. Summerhall, 560 1581, until 28 Aug, 9.30pm, ÂŁ6.

DOCTOR BOOK Having trouble finding books to interest your children? In this Edinburgh City Libraries event, Doctor Book will help you find the solution to your kidsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; literary ailments. Charlotte Square Gardens, 0845 373 5888, 21 Aug, 10.30amâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;5.30pm, free (drop-in).

MOST PEOPLE ARENâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;T THAT HAPPY, ANYWAY John Osborne, creator of John Peelâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Shed and member of Homework (see preview, page 31), presents his first hour-long poetry show at the Voodoo Rooms. After Hours, his new Sky 1 sitcom written with Molly Naylor, airs later this year. Voodoo Rooms, 556 7060, until 30 Aug, 1.30pm, free.

JANICE GALLOWAY Earlier this year, Galloway released Jellyfish, a first-rate book of stories and her first fiction work in six years. Sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s in Edinburgh talking about the bookâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s primary themes: sex and parenthood.

See preview, page 31. Charlotte

GEORGE THE POET One of the UKâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s brightest young poets, 24-year-old George Mpangaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s words speak of the UKâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s social and political issues. Catch him at Charlotte Square Gardens before his autumn tour. See preview, page 32. Charlotte Square Gardens, 0845 373 5888, 21 Aug, 8.15pm, ÂŁ7 (ÂŁ5).

JURA UNBOUND: FIGHT FOR YOUR RIGHT The Bethnal Green spoken word cabaret comes to Edinburgh. See preview, page 31. Charlotte Square Gardens, 0845 373 5888, 22 Aug, 9pm, free.

EMILY ST JOHN MANDEL Mandelâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fourth novel, Station Eleven,

Rally and Broad

has been one of the literary success stories of the last 12 months. See preview, page 31. Charlotte Square Gardens, 0845 373 5888, 24 Aug, 8.45pm, ÂŁ7 (ÂŁ5).

PATRICK NESS Nessâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; past novels â&#x20AC;&#x201C; among them, A Monster Calls, More Than This and the Chaos Walking trilogy - have won him critical acclaim and fans across generations. He launches his newest YA work, The Rest of Us Just Live Here, at the festival two whole days before the rest of the UK. See preview, page 32. Charlotte Square Gardens, 0845 373 5888, 25 Aug, 5pm, ÂŁ4.50.

CAROLINE CRIADO-PEREZ The prominent feminist activist talks about her book Do It Like a Woman.

You can also catch her at Why I Call Myself a Feminist, where men and women will take to the stage for five minutes each to talk about why theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re feminists. See preview, page 32. Charlotte Square Gardens, 0845 373 5888, 31 Aug, 5pm, ÂŁ10 (ÂŁ8); Why I Call Myself a Feminist, 30 Aug, 8.45pm, ÂŁ10 (ÂŁ8).

JURA UNBOUND: RALLY & BROAD During the year, Rally & Broad is one of Edinburgh and Glasgowâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s premier literary nights. Focused on the theme of translation and interpretation, thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be music from RM Hubbert and Chrissy Barnacle. Hosted, as always, by Jenny Lindsay and Rachel McCrum. Charlotte Square Gardens, 0845 373 5888, 30 Aug, 9pm, free.

800 authors from 55 countries in 750 events.

Join the adventure in Charlotte Square Gardens!

Book tickets: 0845 373 5888/ www.edbookfest.co.uk Tickets still available for: Chris Brookmyre, Kate Mosse, Stik, Helen Lederer, Belle & Sebastianâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Stuart David, Meera Syal, Evie Wyld, A C Grayling, Edwyn Collins, Steve Bell, George the Poet, Pat Barker, Tracey Thorn, David Hare, Oscar Coop-Phane, Patrick Ness, Don Paterson and many more.

30 THE LIST FESTIVAL 20â&#x20AC;&#x201C;31 Aug 2015

Previews | FESTIVAL BOOKS

ANDREW KEEN Why the internet might still not be the answer

PHOTO Š DESEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;RAE L. STAGE

PHOTO Š ANGUS MUIR

PHOTO Š MICHAEL AMSLER

list.co.uk/festival

JURA UNBOUND: FIGHT FOR YOUR RIGHT

EMILY ST JOHN MANDEL Literary noir author moves into dystopian fiction

Bethnal Green spoken word night heads north To those who spend most of their time either head bowed, leaning into a tablet or slouched in front of their home PC, the title of Andrew Keenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s latest non-fiction study is a challenge to their entire ethos.

The Internet is Not the Answer might lead to this Anglo-American author being dismissed as a weird crypto-Luddite type, but it should be noted that Keen is a strong advocate of the online world: heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s just not a fan of its current configuration.

For him, the problem is that the internet is not the democratic, equality-seeking force itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s often painted as being (especially on the occasions in recent times when people have risen up against tyrannical governments for revolutions partly triggered by digital communication).

The ability of states to spy on people not just in their own backyards but across the globe is now well acknowledged, but Keen also points out that individuals are being dumped onto the economic scrapheap in vast numbers while only the very few are able to feast on the vast wealth being created.

Keen will address this desperate situation in Edinburgh, but whether the solutions are out there remains to be seen. (Brian Donaldson) Q Charlotte Square Gardens, 0845 373 5888, 26 Aug, 8.45pm, ÂŁ10 (ÂŁ8).

The idea behind Homework â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the literary cabaret night held at Bethnal Green Working Menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Club â&#x20AC;&#x201C; is simple: seven key writers and performers present a monthly piece of â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;homeworkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; around the same theme. For their Edinburgh foray, the theme is liberty and social freedoms. But, as co-founder Luke Wright explains, the night isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t overtly political. â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Spoken word is good for speaking out about social issues,â&#x20AC;&#x2122; he says, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;but the danger is that you end up playing to the gallery. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re not really ranters â&#x20AC;&#x201C; we confront in stranger, more offbeat ways.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; This show will present a full Homework house: Ross Sutherland, Katie Bonna, John Osborne, Joe Dunthorne (pictured), Tim Clare, Molly Naylor and Wright. â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;We all started out as poets,â&#x20AC;&#x2122; Wright says, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;but weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re branching out. John and Mollyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sitcom will be on Sky 1 this autumn, Joe and Tim have written novels, Ross is making films, Katie is writing a film and Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve just written a play [What I Learned from Johnny Bevan at Sumerhall, see review page 88.]. â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be writing down to the wire. It might be a little shambolic but I have a feeling there will be some gems in there.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; (David Pollock) Q Charlotte Square Gardens, 0845 373 5888, 22 Aug, 9pm, free.

Emily St John Mandelâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first three novels were all literary noir and well received by the critics.

However, she broke the mould with her fourth novel.

And so Station Eleven was born: a dystopian work of fiction that took her in a new direction.

It follows a band of actors after a flu virus kills off 99% of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s inhabitants, exploring the value of art and theatre, as well as the role of technology in society, while considering how humanity would change and adapt if it had to start again. â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;It seemed like a good moment to try something entirely different,â&#x20AC;&#x2122; Mandel says. â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;I was also interested in writing about the modern world, the spectacular infrastructure of technology that surrounds us. And of course one way to contemplate something is to consider its absence, which is why I set much of the book in a postapocalyptic landscape.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; Mandel is looking forward to appearing at the Book Festival, where sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be discussing the novel alongside fellow writer Catherine Chanter. â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Generally speaking,â&#x20AC;&#x2122; she says, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;live audiences are there because they liked the book, so theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re overwhelmingly positive.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; (Rebecca Monks) Q Charlotte Square Gardens, 0845 373 5888, 24 Aug, 8.45pm, ÂŁ7 (ÂŁ5).

JANICE GALLOWAY Exploring two of lifeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s greatest human experiences: having sex and having children Since the release of The Trick is to Keep Breathing in the late 80s, Janice Galloway has made a huge impact on the literary world.

That modern classic is considered to be one of the most accurate portrayals of depression in contemporary literature.

Motivated by beauty, Galloway says she is also inspired by â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;how extraordinary everything is the more you think about itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. Her latest short collection, Jellyfish, alternates between slim tales about sex or sexual chemistry, and longer stories concentrating on â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;the hugeness of rearing childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;.

Since All Made Up came out in 2011, the 59-year-old has spent time travelling in New Zealand and Eastern Europe. Back on home soil, sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s looking forward to her appearance at the Book Festival: â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Do you realise how little I go out?!â&#x20AC;&#x2122; Galloway writes about lifeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s experiences â&#x20AC;&#x201C; love, separation, depression, death. She creates female protagonists that awaken and empower. And she doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t hold back when it comes to the issue of gender equality. â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Do you listen to the news on the World Service? Check the current US and Northern Irish stance on abortion, the general regard for the horror that is FGM and womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s health issues, the horror that is rape in war . . . the fact that Penguinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s utterly wonderful collection of 80 beautiful books in the series Great Ideas has only three women from the whole history of writing.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; A self-confessed introvert, Galloway has no plans to put down her pen, but there have been times that sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been tempted to give it all up. â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Discouragement is pressure â&#x20AC;&#x201C; even a challenge to stop!

A direct response that is positive helps me to keep having another go.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s that fighting spirit that we love about her. (Tina Koenig) Q Charlotte Square Gardens, 0845 373 5888, 20 Aug, 11.45am, ÂŁ10 (ÂŁ8).

20â&#x20AC;&#x201C;31 Aug 2015 THE LIST FESTIVAL 31

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FESTIVAL BOOKS | Previews

PATRICK NESS Chaos Walking author launches new Young Adult novel at the book festival

PHOTO Š THURSTAN REDDING

PHOTO Š CLEVERPRIME

PHOTO Š CAITLIN MOGRIDGE

If the memory of coming home from school and watching Buffy leaves you with a warm glow in your stomach, Patrick Nessâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; new book is for you. But rather than being yet another â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Chosen Oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; story, The Rest of Us Just Live Here focuses â&#x20AC;&#x201C; as its title suggests â&#x20AC;&#x201C; on a group of high school students who exist on the sidelines of magical happenings. â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;A lot of people mention â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Zeppoâ&#x20AC;? episode of Buffy,â&#x20AC;&#x2122; Ness says, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;where Xander has his own adventure. This book is about all those kids who didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t even get to speak a line, the ones who sat at the back of the class and just wanted to graduate without a giant snake eating them.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; Ness comments on the proliferation of â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Chosen Oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; books for young people; the Harry Potters and the Hunger Games of this world â&#x20AC;&#x201C; even his own award-winning Chaos Walking series. In The Rest of Us Just Live Here, Mike and his friends are working up to the end of high school and tackling their â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;ordinaryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; problems â&#x20AC;&#x201C; unrequited love, neglectful parents, mental health issues â&#x20AC;&#x201C; while other, more-lavishly named indiekid high schoolers fight demons in the background. â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Why do heroes and heroines tend to have slightly . . . letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s say, unusual names?â&#x20AC;&#x2122; Ness laughs. â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;What about Mike, you know? Why doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t Mike ever get his own book? So in a way this is kind of the Book of Mike, because he deserves a book too.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; Heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be launching the novel at the Edinburgh International Book Festival, two days before the rest of the UK gets its hands on it. â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;I love Edinburgh,â&#x20AC;&#x2122; he says. â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been there five or six years in a row, and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been sunny every single time. So I think I bring the sun.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; Hereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hoping. (Yasmin Sulaiman) Q Charlotte Square Gardens, 0845 373 5888, 25 Aug, 5pm, ÂŁ4.50.

JAMES DAWSON

CAROLINE CRIADO-PEREZ

GEORGE THE POET

Young Adult novelist's three book festival events

Campaigner discusses her feminist non-fiction work Do It Like a Woman

Spoken word performer influencing a new generation

Human rights activist Caroline Criado-Perez is a champion of international feminism. Her 2015 book Do It Like a Woman . . . and Change the World is both a celebration of pioneering women and an exposĂŠ of female oppression across the globe.

She describes the international focus as incredibly important, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;the oppression women face around the world varies in both extremity and the way in which it manifests, but the underlying ideology is often the same: fear of womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s voices, of womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s power.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; She acknowledges the difficulty of picking which accounts made the final edit: â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;You could write this book a thousand times, each time with different women.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; One situation that particularly resonated with her was the women poets in Afghanistan. â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Too often, the media presents Afghan women as passive victims. Their poems are a powerful riposte to this patronising attitude.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; The book covers ongoing campaigns for human rights and Criado-Perez emphasises that â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;we canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t cherry-pick our fights. Every feminist fight is important because we are fighting a structure here, and they are all connected.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; (Rowena McIntosh) Q Charlotte Square Gardens, 0845 373 5888, 31 Aug, 5pm, ÂŁ10 (ÂŁ8).

A lot has changed for 24-year-old George Mpanga in the past year. Not long after graduating from Cambridge University he was placed fifth on the BBCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Sound of 2015 list, has been making music with the likes of Paolo Nutini, Emeli SandĂŠ and Idris Elba, and been working as an adviser for the BBC Diversity Trust. His music oozes experience, discussing social enterprise, sharing views on better education, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;the housing prices which are now in crisisâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, and decent wages. This artist knows exactly what impact words can have, previously insisting that â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;rappers have so much power to do goodâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;.

Heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s at the book festival to spread the word about a new project â&#x20AC;&#x201C; his first book, Search Party.

The title of this autobiographical poetry collection comes from the idea that â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re all here looking for something, and my poems are my way of finding myselfâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, Mpanga says. With themes of empowerment and representation, Mpanga instils hope, promising us change.

This wordsmith seems to have the power to influence and bring people together. Erm â&#x20AC;&#x201C; George The Poet for prime minister, anyone? (Tina Koenig) Q Charlotte Square Gardens, 0845 373 5888, 21 Aug, 8.15pm, ÂŁ10 (ÂŁ8).

James Dawson, former social, personal and health education teacher turned author, was drawn to YA for its potential to tell creative stories, tackle serious themes and advocate diversity. â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;[You can cross] the boundaries between contemporary, horror and thriller without worrying about where youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll go in the bookshop!â&#x20AC;&#x2122; he says. â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;There arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t any rules about what you can and canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t write.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; Since releasing his first book in 2012, Dawson has not stopped writing. A mixture of horror, nightmarish fables and realism, his fiction includes a story of a haunted tattoo (Under My Skin), an updated â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Bloody Maryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; myth (Say Her Name) and a holiday thriller (Cruel Summer). His latest book All of the Above (out on 3 Sep) leaves genre fiction behind, but still carries the fun and easy language Dawson brings to all his books.

With seven titles under his belt in three years, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s no wonder Dawson was crowned 2014â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Queen of Teen. Long may he reign. (Sasha de Buyl) Q Best of the Brits: Celebrating our Young Adult Fiction, 27 Aug, 7pm, ÂŁ7 (ÂŁ5); Nightmare Fairy Tales, 28 Aug, 5.45pm, ÂŁ4.50; Boys will be Girls and Girls will be Boys, 29 Aug, 6.45pm, ÂŁ4.50. All events at Charlotte Square Gardens, 0845 373 5888.

32 THE LIST FESTIVAL 20â&#x20AC;&#x201C;31 Aug 2015

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Day Planner | FESTIVAL BOOKS

list.co.uk/festival

Yasmin Sulaiman selects highlights from the final ten days of a packed Book Festival programme

THURSDAY 20 Janice Galloway The author of the acclaimed The Trick is to Keep Breathing talks about the themes of her latest collection, Jellyfish: sex and having children. See preview, page 31. 11.45am, ÂŁ10 (ÂŁ8).

Don Paterson The celebrated Scottish poet reveals his follow up to 2009â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s acclaimed Rain, 40 Sonnets. Chaired by Stuart Kelly. 7.15pm, ÂŁ10 (ÂŁ8).

Nick Robinson Freshly recovered from an operation to have a tumour removed, the outgoing BBC political editor pops up to talk about his General Election diary, Election Notebook. There were plenty of, letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s say â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;interestingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; reactions to Robinsonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s indyref coverage, so weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re anticipating the Q&A section of this event to be particularly lively. 8.15pm, ÂŁ10 (ÂŁ8).

FRIDAY 21 Joanna Blythman The acclaimed writer provoked plenty of debate earlier this year, with the publication of her book Swallow This: Serving Up the Food Industryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Darkest Secrets. Expect that discussion to continue in earnest here, at her Book Festival appearance. 2.15pm, ÂŁ10 (ÂŁ8).

George the Poet 24-year-old George Mpanga is fast becoming the poet of his generation. See preview, page 32.

8.15pm, ÂŁ10 (ÂŁ8).

Jonathan Edwards and Ryan van Winkle If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re an Edinburgh-based

poetry-lover, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll already know Ryan van Winkle. Here, he talks about his latest collection, The Good Dark, which features work performed in his acclaimed 2012 Fringe show, Red, Like Our Room Used to Feel. Alongside him is Welsh poet Jonathan Edwards, who won last yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Costa Prize for My Family and Other Superheroes.

8.45pm, ÂŁ7 (ÂŁ5).

SATURDAY 22 Sean Michaels & Anna Smaill New

Zealander Anna Smaillâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s impressive debut novel, The Chimes, has been Booker-longlisted, so donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t miss this chance to hear her talk about it here at Charlotte Square. Part of the festivalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s First Book Award series of events, sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s appearing with Sean Michaels, author of the Giller Prize-winning Us Conductors.

7pm, ÂŁ7 (ÂŁ5).

Paul Kingsnorth, Mark Rylance & Martin Shaw If â&#x20AC;&#x201C; like everyone who

watched it â&#x20AC;&#x201C; you loved Mark Rylanceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s turn as Thomas Cromwell in Wolf Hall, hereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s your chance to see the great actor in the flesh. Heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s appearing here alongside Paul Kingsnorth (whose novel, The Wake, Rylance has acquired the film rights for) and storyteller Martin Shaw.

5pm, ÂŁ12 (ÂŁ10).

Jesse Jackson The Book Festivalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s keynote event, legendary civil rights activist and one-time US presidential hopeful Reverend Jesse Jackson comes to Edinburgh. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s long been sold out, but even if you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have a ticket, Charlotte Square will be abuzz tonight. 8.15pm, ÂŁ10 (ÂŁ8).

MR Carey & Louise Welsh One

of Scotlandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s foremost thriller writers, Welsh just released the second novel in her Plague Times trilogy, Death is a Welcome guest. Here, she talks alongside The Girl with all the Gifts author MR Carey. See preview, page 29. 8.45pm, ÂŁ10 (ÂŁ8).

Jura Unbound: Fight for Your Right Bethnal Greenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Homework

collective pitch up in Edinburgh for a night of dazzling spoken word. See preview, page 31. 9pm, free.

Limmy The offbeat funnyman and creator of BBC2â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Limmyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Show talks about his new book of short fiction, Daft Wee Stories. See interview, page 14.

9.45pm, ÂŁ10 (ÂŁ8).

SUNDAY 23 The Poems of Iain Banks The verse of the much-missed Iain Banks is celebrated in a collection compiled by his friend Ken MacLeod, published earlier this year. Here, MacLeod reads some of Banksâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; best early poems, as well as some of his own. 2.15pm, ÂŁ10 (ÂŁ8).

Peter May Mayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s The Lewis Trilogy is one of the biggest Scottish crime success stories of recent years â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and it was almost never published in English. In this event, May talks about his latest standalone novel, Runaway, which is loosely based on a real episode from his childhood, when he and a friend ran away to London in the 1960s. 6.45pm, ÂŁ10 (ÂŁ8).

MONDAY 24 Mark Fisher & Joyce Macmillan

Two of Scotlandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s foremost theatre critics

discuss whether arts journalism is in crisis. With the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s arts journalists in town for the festival season, the audience is likely to have plenty to say in this event. 2.15pm, ÂŁ10 (ÂŁ8).

Catherine Chanter & Emily St John Mandel Emily St John Mandelâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

Station Eleven has been a publishing sensation since its publication last autumn. Here, she appears alongside Catherine Chanter, author of gripping literary mystery The Well. See preview, page 31. 8.45pm, ÂŁ7 (ÂŁ5).

TUESDAY 25 Edwyn Collins & Grace Maxwell with Ian Rankin In the excellent

2014 documentary The Possibilities are Endless, Edwyn Collins and his wife Grace Maxwell offer a heartbreaking, candid and ultimately uplifting look at the Orange Juice singerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s battle to recover from two massive strokes. In this event, they talk to crime writer and devoted Collins fan, Ian Rankin. 3.15pm, ÂŁ10 (ÂŁ8).

Andrea Bennett & Emma Hooper

Emma Hooperâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Etta and Otto and Russell and James tells a decades-long love story set in rural Canada, and is one of this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s biggest debuts. Part of the festivalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s First Book Award series of events, sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s appearing alongside Andrea Bennett, author of Galina Petrovnaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Three-Legged Dog Story. 5pm, ÂŁ7 (ÂŁ5).

Patrick Ness The Rest of Us Just Live Here is Nessâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; brilliant new novel, featuring a bunch of intelligent kids who happen not to be the Chosen Ones this time. See preview, page 32. 5pm, ÂŁ4.50.

Celia Imrie One of Britainâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most cherished actors talks about her debut

COMIC VERSE Part of Babble On, the series of spoken word events at this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Book Festival, who says poetry always has to be serious? At this event, four of the funniest poets working today â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Rob Auton, Elvis McGonagall (pictured), Katie Fox and John Osborne â&#x20AC;&#x201C; perform some of their comic verses. An enticing mash up of poetry, comedy and theatre.

Q 22 Aug, 5.30pm, ÂŁ10 (ÂŁ8).

20â&#x20AC;&#x201C;31 Aug 2015 THE LIST FESTIVAL 33

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PHOTO Š MIMSY MOLLER

FESTIVAL BOOKS | Day Planner

VAL MCDERMID WITH NICOLA STURGEON Continuing the tradition set by Alex Salmond before her, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon hosts a talk with crime writer Val McDermid (pictured) about her recent short story collection Stranded and upcoming Tony Hill mystery, Splinter the Silence. If both womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s form on spirited public debate is anything to go by, this is going to be a festival highlight.

Q 6.45pm, ÂŁ10 (ÂŁ8).

novel, Not Quite Nice, set in the glamorous French Riviera. 8.15pm, ÂŁ10 (ÂŁ8).

WEDNESDAY 26 Lucy Ribchester & Care Santos

Edinburgh-based Ribchester, the author of the supremely entertaining The Hourglass Factory talks to Lee Randall about her debut at this First Book Award event. She appears with Catalan-Spanish writer Care Santos, writer of the fictionalised history of the cocoa bean, In Desire for Chocolate. 2pm, ÂŁ7 (ÂŁ5).

Chigozie Obioma & Simon Sylvester Obiomaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Nigeria-set The

Fishermen has been longlisted for this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Booker Prize, so nowâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a great chance to catch the author before the shortlist comes out. Next to him on stage will be Simon Sylvester, whose The Visitors is a haunting mystery set on a remote Scottish island. 5pm, ÂŁ7 (ÂŁ5).

Andrew Keen The author of The Internet is not the Answer doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t hate the internet - he just doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t like its current incarnation. Here more about his stance in this Book Festival event. See preview, page 31. 8.45pm, ÂŁ10 (ÂŁ8).

THURSDAY 27 Meera Syal The last time acclaimed

actor and screenwriter Syal was at the Book Festival was in 2000, following the publication of her first book Life Isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t All Ha Ha Hee Hee. This year, she returns to discuss her latest novel, The House of Hidden Mothers. 11.45am, ÂŁ10 (ÂŁ8).

Best of the Brits: Celebrating our Young Adult Fiction Some of the

best writers for young people in Britain today â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Elizabeth Laird, Tanya Landman, David Almond and James Dawson â&#x20AC;&#x201C; get together to celebrate their readersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; generation and discuss their works. See

James Dawson preview, page 32. 7pm, ÂŁ7 (ÂŁ5).

Michel Faber Best known for seminal works, Under the Skin and The Crimson Petal and the White, Michel Faberâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s last novel, The Book of Strange New Things might just be his saddest. Here, he talks to Jackie McGlone about his mesmerising, inter-terrestrial love story.

8.45pm, ÂŁ10 (ÂŁ8).

Jura Unbound: Neu! Reekie! With their first anthology under their belt, and their biggest night ever in June headlined

by Mercury Prize-winners Young Fathers, this Unbound event at the Book Festival puts a neat full stop on Neu! Reekie!â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s great summer. 9pm, free.

FRIDAY 28 Emily Mackie & Lisa McInerney

When we reviewed it a year ago, we called Emily Mackieâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s In Search of Solace â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;a novel in the vein of Iain Banks at his bestâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. Hear her talk about it at this Book Festival event, in which Irish writer Lisa McInerney will also chat about her book The Glorious Heresies. 5pm, ÂŁ7 (ÂŁ5).

Writing Across Boundaries David Almond, Bruce Pascoe and Alison Hubert talk about why itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s important for children to read books in translation. Almond is the acclaimed author of Skellig, Pascoe is an indigenous Australian writer and Hubert is director of Book Aid International. 5.30pm, ÂŁ7 (ÂŁ5).

Tracey Thorn Everything but the Girlâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Tracey Thorn follows up her memoir Bedsit Disco Queen with an ode to the joys of singing, Naked at the Albert Hall.

8.15pm, ÂŁ10 (ÂŁ8).

Jesse Armstrong & Tom Drury

Armstrong, one of the writers behind hit television comedies Peep Show and The Thick of It, pops up to Edinburgh to talk about his debut novel, Love, Sex and Other Foreign Policy Goals. Next to him will be American Tom Drury, whose

1994 novel The End of Vandalism is a classic in the US but has only just been published in the UK. 8.45pm, ÂŁ7 (ÂŁ5).

SATURDAY 29 Johann Hari Four years ago, journalist

Hari was embroiled in a plagiarism scandal that led to the withdrawal of the Orwell Prize heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d been awarded in 2008.

Heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s spent the last few years researching his new book, Chasing the Scream: The First and Last Days of the War on Drugs. An essential event for anyone interested in addiction and reforming drug laws. 2pm, ÂŁ10 (ÂŁ8).

Caroline Lucas Green MP for Brighton Pavilion and a former leader of the party, Caroline Lucas comes to the festival to talk about her book, Honourable Friends: Parliament and the Fight for Change. 5pm, ÂŁ10 (ÂŁ8).

Alan Cumming with Ian Rankin

Cumming might be one of Scotlandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most celebrated actors, but in his brilliant, moving memoir Not My Fatherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Son, he makes a good case for being one of its most affecting non-fiction writers too.

Here, he talks to Ian Rankin about his life and career. 8.15pm, ÂŁ10 (ÂŁ8).

Irvine Welsh Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been a prolific couple of years for Irvine Welsh. Hot on the heels of last yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s The Sex Lives of Siamese Twins comes A Decent Ride, his latest Edinburgh-set novel. He talks to writer and comedian Viv Groskop about the book. 9.45pm, ÂŁ10 (ÂŁ8).

SUNDAY 30 Gordon Brown Ten months after the Independence Referendum, former PM Gordon Brown talks about the events of last year and what he sees for the future of Scotland, as discussed in his book My Scotland, Our Britain: A Future Worth Sharing. 3.15pm, ÂŁ10 (ÂŁ8).

Pat Barker Barkerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Regeneration

trilogy is still one of the greatest modern works about war. Her second trilogy dealing with war ends this month with Noonday, the follow up to Tobyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Room and Life Class. 5pm, ÂŁ10 (ÂŁ8).

Why I Call Myself a Feminist: A Rally, A Rant, A Story, A Song, A Protest, A Poem A wide range

of authors and performers â&#x20AC;&#x201C; including Caroline Criado-Perez, Val McDermid, Nish Kumar, Jo Clifford, Elif Shafak and Andrew Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Hagan, among others â&#x20AC;&#x201C; take to the stage for five minutes each to discuss why they are a feminist. 8.45pm, ÂŁ10 (ÂŁ8).

MONDAY 31 Elif Shafak One of Turkeyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s premier novelists talks to James Runcie about her novel, The Architectâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Apprentice, which is set in 16th-century Istanbul. 10.15am, ÂŁ10 (ÂŁ8).

David Torrance Torrance â&#x20AC;&#x201C; who recently published a biography of Nicola Sturgeon with Birlinn â&#x20AC;&#x201C; looks back on the last 12 months of Scottish political life.

Heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll talk particularly about two recent books: Britain Rebooted and 100 Days of Hope and Fear. 2pm, ÂŁ10 (ÂŁ8).

Christopher Brookmyre Just when Brookmyre fans had given up hope that theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d ever see Jack Parlabane again, the crime writer brought the Edinburgh journalist back in this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Dead Girl Walking. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a fast-paced thriller that shows Brookmyre at his best, and in this event on the last day of the book festival, he talks to the BBCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Brian Taylor.

8.15pm, ÂŁ10 (ÂŁ8).

Jura Unbound: Bang Bang! The final Unbound of the festival says goodbye with a band. Starts at a slightly later time; look out for lineup announcements nearer the time. 10.15pm, free.

All events are at Charlotte Square Gardens, 0845 373 5888, until 31 Aug, edbookfest.co.uk

34 THE LIST FESTIVAL 20â&#x20AC;&#x201C;31 Aug 2015

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Festival

DANCE COMEDY

& PHYSICAL THEATRE

For m info gootroe

LIST.CO.UK /FESTIVAL

TREVOR NOAH: LOST IN TRANSLATION The new Daily Show host proves that his stand-up career is blessed with quality When South African stand-up Trevor Noah arrived in Edinburgh three years ago, backed by the heavy endorsement of Eddie Izzard, it was clear that he was a quality act who was going places. But few people would have guessed that at the end of his next Fringe trip, heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d be preparing to host the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s number one satirical news programme.

Taking over from Jon Stewart as the anchor for The Daily Show is perhaps an unenviably impossible task (some wags have suggested that heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s all set for a fall as an inadequate David Moyes-type figure who wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be able to fill the void left by an all-conquering â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Sir Alex Fergusonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;). Whatever his future holds (and if those digging around Twitter for dirt have quite finished?), we

should be grateful for one last opportunity to witness a stand-up who has gone very far in a relatively short space of time.

His 2012 debut show, The Racist, was a beautifully scripted and wonderfully performed true tale of being born mixed race in a nation that was still six years away from even starting to topple the worst excesses of apartheid. With Lost in Translation, societal and racial matters may still be part of his mix while if anyone is savvy enough to have a new spin on old material (Oscar Pistorius?), itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be Trevor Noah.

(Brian Donaldson) Q Trevor Noah: Lost in Translation, Assembly Hall, 623 3030, 28â&#x20AC;&#x201C;30 Aug, 10.30pm, ÂŁ15 (ÂŁ14).

20â&#x20AC;&#x201C;31 Aug 2015 THE LIST FESTIVAL 35

FESTIVAL COMEDY | Hitlist

COMEDY HITLIST Brian Donaldson highlights some of the best comedy on offer in week three of the Fringe

Joseph Morpurgo

work here with their own various shows bring us some surprise treats at the tail end of a tiring month. See feature, page 10. Pleasance Dome, 556 6550, 24 & 25 Aug, 11.55pm, ÂŁ7 (ÂŁ5); Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, 27â&#x20AC;&#x201C;29 Aug, 9.20pm, ÂŁ9 (ÂŁ7).

JOSEPH MORPURGO Odessa was a highlight of last yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Fringe but Morpurgo has surpassed himself with the fabulous Soothing Sounds for Baby, a raucous musicbased trip into memory and mayhem.

See review, page 44. Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 30 Aug, 8.15pm, ÂŁ8.50â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ10.50 (ÂŁ7â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ9).

BUTT KAPINSKI Deanna Fleysher, previously having hit the Fringe jackpot as the Red Bastard director, dons the signifiers of film noir for an interactive look at gender roles.

See review, page 37. Liquid Room Annexe, 226 0000, until 30 Aug (not 24, 26, 29), 2.10pm, free.

TREVOR NOAH The new host of The Daily Show gives us possibly our last chance to sample his stand-up delights, of which there are a great deal. See preview, page 35.

Assembly Hall, 623 3030, 28â&#x20AC;&#x201C;30 Aug, 10.30pm, ÂŁ15 (ÂŁ14).

SAM SIMMONS This Marmite absurdist Aussie comic delivers a funny yet emotional show that could actually be loved by anyone. Hear exactly what â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;shits himâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. See review, page 46. Underbelly Potterrow, 0844 545 8252, until 30 Aug (not 24), 9pm, ÂŁ12.50â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ14 (ÂŁ11.50â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ12.50).

PAPPYâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S Three sketchy chaps already doing

TOMMY TIERNAN The Irish comedy master is going all improvvy on us, but he wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be taking any of your suggestions: itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s all just going to come out of his head and through his mouth. Gilded Balloon, 622 6552, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28, 30 Aug, 7.30pm, ÂŁ15â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ16 (ÂŁ14â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ15).

7272, until 30 Aug, 12.10pm, ÂŁ8 (ÂŁ7).

FERN BRADY Great to see a Scottish comic getting strong reviews this Fringe and Brady is merrily cementing her reputation as one of the top stand-ups of the local bunch. (Brady? Bunch? Oh yes). See review, page 42. The Stand 4, 558

THE MISSING HANCOCKS Reliving a legend with the airing of some previously unheard scripts as Kevin McNally takes on the lead role with relish. See review, page 39.

Assembly Rooms, 0844 693 3008, until 30 Aug, 4.15pm, ÂŁ16 (ÂŁ13).

LIAM WILLIAMS Potent politically imbued stand-up from the Sheeps guy who is following in no oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s footsteps. Even if he has been compared to Philip Larkin and Les Dawson. See review, page 48. Laughing Horse @ The Free Sisters, 622 6801, 20â&#x20AC;&#x201C;30 Aug, 7.30pm, free.

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36 THE LIST FESTIVAL 20â&#x20AC;&#x201C;31 Aug 2015

Reviews | FESTIVAL COMEDY

LINDA BLACKER

STEVE ULLATHORNE

BOBBY GOULDING

list.co.uk/festival

LAZY SUSAN: DOUBLE ACT

TEZ ILYAS: TEZ TALKS

HOLLY BURN: I AM KIRSTY K

Dark laughs from 2014 Newcomer noms OOOOO

A plea for tolerance plus robotic dancing OOOOO

Method madness from talented Tynesider OOOOO

Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s no doubting the talent of Celeste Dring and Freya Parker, aka Lazy Susan. Last yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Best Newcomer nominees are slick comedians; in this second Fringe hour â&#x20AC;&#x201C; which glistens with promise but doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t land as often as it should â&#x20AC;&#x201C; they segue between sketches with lightning speed and an effortless confidence that beats many of their more established contemporaries.

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a shame then that their material isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t as polished as their performance. Double Act takes on a similar form to 2014â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Extreme Humans; rather than a storyline linking each sketch, we have recurring characters that fit into an almost narrativefree hour. There are a few standouts: a sketch about dirty surgeons is darkly brilliant, and motivational speaker Jackie Sanchez (Parker doing a convincing Scottish accent) and her assistant T (Dring at her most ridiculous) is a highlight. But while thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s some very well-crafted stuff here, it doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t gel.

Like the red sequinned curtain at the back of the stage, Double Act shimmers with delicious danger.

And even though this might not be Lazy Susanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s best overall show, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s certainly worth seeing these two comics in action. (Yasmin Sulaiman) Q Pleasance Dome, 556 6550, until 31 Aug, 8.10pm, ÂŁ8â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ10 (ÂŁ7â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ9).

Even before he takes to the stage, Tez Ilyas has one thing in his favour: a forename that can be utilised for pun after pun. Set up as a sort-of TED Talk (yep, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a TEZ Talk) in which the aim is to convert an audience of infidels to Islam, Ilyas tops it all off with his Tez Commandments (see?). Despite having an amusingly patchy beard, he hops on stage confidently in a sharp suit, assuring us that thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s much more to him than looking like an â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;overenthusiastic Apprentice candidateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; before launching feet-first into his project.

But within this mock conversion course (complete with silly robotic dancing and criticism of grammar on racist graffiti) is a serious topic: Ilyas wonders why he has been made to feel like an outsider in the country heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s called home from day one. At least two people can be spotted wiping tears from their eyes at this heartfelt plea for sanity in a nation riddled with all manner of regressive phobias.

But not to worry, a gag is just around the corner to offset the emotion and things are back on track.

TEZ Talks is an assured debut and more can be expected from Ilyas whether he sticks to his central theme or not. (Brian Donaldson) Q Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 30 Aug, 7.15pm, ÂŁ10â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ12 (ÂŁ8â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ10).

Holly Burn has always thrown herself wholesale into her performance, whether itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s as host of a sitespecific foray (At Home with Holly) or as a murder victim who is resurrected as a series of characters (Living and Dying). Her profile has risen sharply recently with a video spoof of Victoria Beckham and a scissor-wielding appearance in Bad Bridesmaid.

But with I Am Kirsty K, she returns to the Fringe stage with her most immersive role to date. Not only is Burn transforming herself into a slightly unhinged and manically yelping Whitley Bay girl, word has it that sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s being Kirsty K offstage throughout the entire duration of August.

Getting all â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;methodâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; on us is one thing, creating a fully rounded Fringe hour is quite another; the latter falls down rather sadly as Kirsty goes on a national memorial tour to mark her granâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s death.

Her relative has a few skeletons in the cupboard, naturally, which tumble out amid a game of hide and seek, and a eulogy that is the dictionary definition of awkward. Burn has an adrenaline-rushing ability which could really produce something memorable with the right project but her latest conceptual artefact falls way short. (Brian Donaldson) Q Just the Tonic at The Mash House, 226 0000, until 29 Aug, 6.20pm, ÂŁ5.

BUTT KAPINSKI A raunchy ride into gender politics and the seedy world of noir OOOOO

Butt Kapinski is a private dick straight out of a Raymond Chandler story. He drawls his hard-boiled slang with a lisp that obliterates the letters L, R and S, all the while looking like Humphrey Bogart; if, that is, Bogey was a woman in a lumpilypadded trench coat. Butt is played by Deanna Fleysher, director of 2013â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Fringe talking-point, Red Bastard.

The story is a murder with the audience playing salient roles. Not only are they implicated in the crime but also in the performanceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s success. All the noir tropes are present and transformed: the street lamp that cuts through the darkness is affixed to Butt like a third eye; the soundtrack is provided by an audience member; policemen, corpses and seedy underworld denizens are all conjured by Buttâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mush-mouthed oration and the crowdâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s game participation.

Just as Butt is a grotesque parody of the hyper-masculine hero, male audience members are drafted in to play female characters and vice versa. The point isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t laboured but draws attention to the disparity in noir gender roles. While men can be the hero, villain and everything in between, female characters are limited to love interest, sex worker or femme fatale. Our detectiveâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s speech impediment allows Fleysher to utilise a kind of doublespeak where Butt means one word but the audience hears another. Thus, transformed, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;clearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; becomes â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;queerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; and â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;whoreâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; becomes â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;horrorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;.

Just as the genre holds a dark mirror up to the values of postwar America, the show analyses noir to expose its subconscious values. Led by accomplished clown Fleysherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s superb physicality, this theatrical comedy offers a thoughtful take on the detective genre amid a raucous thrill ride. (Suzanne Black) Q Liquid Room Annexe, 226 0000, until 30 Aug (not 25), 2.10pm, free.

20â&#x20AC;&#x201C;31 Aug 2015 THE LIST FESTIVAL 37

Reviews | FESTIVAL COMEDY

EVAN MUNRO-SMITH

list.co.uk/festival

TRYGVE WAKENSHAW: NAUTILUS

JENNY BEDE: DONâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;T LOOK AT ME

ANDREW DOYLE: MINIMALISM!

Near-silent comedy produces loud laughs OOOOO

Exuberant but uneven Fringe debut OOOOO

Quicksilver set from a man who claims heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s now become his own bitter creation OOOOO

By the time Trygve Wakenshaw is high-fiving every audience member as they exit a packed venue, the goodwill within the room is tangible. The prospect of a 90-minute clowning mime show at the beddybyes end of a long day will test the endurance of even the most committed festival-goer. But with Nautilus (the final part of a watery trilogy launched by 2013â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Squidboy), the New Zealander continues to hit the physical comedy jackpot.

Subverting even the image of todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s modern male clown (whereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the beard?), it seems almost pointless to note that Wakenshaw learned much of his trade with Philippe Gaulier (havenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t they all?).

That studying comes to the fore right from the off with an opener which would be called â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;So, Why Did the Chicken Cross the Road?â&#x20AC;&#x2122; were he ever to be taken with the idea of giving names to his routines.

Over 1.5 hours of expertly-performed and largely-silent segments, he transforms into a dozing dinosaur, a goofy bartender, a smarmy stand-up, Rapunzel, Aretha Franklin and a furball-producing cat. While a significant number of hour-long shows drag by, Nautilus zips along without you ever checking the time. (Brian Donaldson) Q Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 30 Aug (not 24), 10pm, ÂŁ10â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ12 (ÂŁ9â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ11).

For the purposes of her Fringe debut, the heavily tipped singing comic Jenny Bede isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t quite sure what she wants to be. At heart sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s probably a party girl but that doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t stop her from dreaming about nights-in, draped in comfy evening-wear, probably gorging on Game of Thrones. Still, sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s defiantly doing this show for the kids, hence a tune all about emojis: itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s possible that no one under the age of 20 will understand the unforgiveable clichĂŠ of â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;it does what it says on the tinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; but Bede trots it out without any irony whatsoever. As for â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m a fan of testes: donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t hold it against meâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, that really should have been left on the cutting-room floor.

Strongly in her favour is a natural exuberance as well as a potent social awareness, tackling topics like tampon tax and rap lyrics (happily, Bede avoids non-hack territory here as she compares that nice chap Drake to her own mum). And she does have a surprise around the corner with a spectacular finale, but this is scant reward for the lulls that precede it.

The lingering feeling post-Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t Look at Me is of someone telling you at length about their amazing night out. Mainstream acceptance undoubtedly awaits. (Brian Donaldson) Q Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 30 Aug (not 24), 3.30pm, ÂŁ9â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ11 (ÂŁ7â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ9).

If English isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t your mother tongue then youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll have your work cut out trying to keep up with Andrew Doyle. Ideas burst from his mouth in an astonishing fusillade and, fortunately, most of them are on target, although the big laughs are rather scarce.

Doyle says he refuses to abide by the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;ruleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; that states a Fringe show must have a theme, and while there are recurring motifs running through Minimalism!, he broadly sticks to that position.

Claiming that when he started comedy he invented himself as â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;a bitter gay comicâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, Doyle says that heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s turned into his creation. Recent experiences around a bad gig in Gibraltar form much of the show, and this feeds into a routine about dating as a gay man; in particular, thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a winning section about the florid body classifications used within some sections of the gay community.

Doyleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s material is built by layers. He introduces a subject, elaborates a little, and then goes off on a rant. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a technique possibly designed to help his audience keep up, although much of the material becomes repetitive. If heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d just slow down he might earn some bigger laughs. (Murray Robertson) Q The Stand 6, 558 7272, until 30 Aug, 7.50pm, ÂŁ10 (ÂŁ8).

THE MISSING HANCOCKS: LIVE IN EDINBURGH! A sense of genuine fun heightens the comedy history being played out before your eyes OOOOO For those not in the know, Hancockâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Half Hour was a BBC classic (on both radio and TV) in the late 50s and early 60s. Most episodes are now available on Radio 4 Extra, but like many great BBC productions, a chunk of them went missing. When former Drop the Dead Donkey star and now antiquarian book dealer Neil Pearson acquired the papers of a freelance comedy writer, he stumbled across 20 scripts from the lost recordings. Pearson went on to record five of them for radio with Kevin McNally reviving Hancock.

Here, in this transfer to the stage, there are four episodes in total performed across two days. The episodes are staged in the traditional way of live radio recordings with a lone mic in the centre of the stage as the actors bob up and down reading from the script. It could easily be dull to watch but there are plenty of visual shenanigans and mugging to the crowd, particularly from Robin Sebastian who shines as Kenneth Williams.

You canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t fault the Galton and Simpson scripts. The comedy is still as fresh as it was back then, and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a testament to the writing that some of the audience werenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t even alive when the series first aired. Pearson only tweaked one line in the adaptation but there are a fair few actor asides to add freshness.

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a tricky task playing an actor playing a role but they all seem to nail it. McNally is comfortingly convincing as the eternally thwarted Hancock, particularly if you momentarily close your eyes to concentrate on the voice. To add an extra layer to the humour thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s some endearing corpsing, while a forgotten prop results in good-natured teasing between the players, providing a sense of fun to the whole project. (Marissa Burgess) Q Assembly Rooms, 0844 693 3008, until 30 Aug, 4.15pm, ÂŁ16 (ÂŁ13).

20â&#x20AC;&#x201C;31 Aug 2015 THE LIST FESTIVAL 39

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STAND 2

FESTIVAL COMEDY | Reviews

SHIT-FACED SHOWTIME For the uninitiated: Shit-Faced Shakespeare â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and now its progeny, Shit-Faced Showtime â&#x20AC;&#x201C; features one drunk performer each night. The rest of the cast attempt to carry on as normal, while the inebriated one struggles, often hilariously, to remember their part.

Shakespeare was fantastic in its first year, but the formula feels a little more tired as each year passes. Showtime â&#x20AC;&#x201C; which swaps A Midsummer Nightâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Dream and Macbeth for a generic musical â&#x20AC;&#x201C; feels like a step too far. Sure, there is evident talent among the cast of five, but the verve and spontaneity of ShitFacedâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s early years is lost here.

Part of the problem with Showtime is its utter lack of story â&#x20AC;&#x201C; which, in fairness, the cast readily admit in the opening number.

Yes thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a basic plot about two warring parents moving to America to escape their debts, and their daughter running off with a sweet young man who turns out to run a seedy Cabaretstyle club. But in the total absence of a meaningful narrative or characters worth investing in, nothing is at stake when things go wrong. With Shakespeare, thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a general awareness of what wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t happen in the play if the drunk performer messes up. In Showtime, drunkenness is the only joke on offer.

Still, thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a lovely, supportive spirit among the cast; the compere Dylan, who plays piano with expert speed, is on constant lookout for tonightâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s drunk performer, whoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s consumed a Bulmers and a third of a bottle of vodka before the show. Yet itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s telling that this eveningâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s funniest moment comes from a sober performer ad libbing. Perhaps with better base material, Showtime might in time gain that frisson of unpredictability that Shakespeare has in its finer moments. (Yasmin Sulaiman) Q Underbelly Med Quad, 0844 545 8252, until 31 Aug, 6.45pm, ÂŁ11â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ12 (ÂŁ9â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ10).

JESSICA MCDERMOTT

RAY PETHERBRIDGE

Shit-Faced Shakespeare spin-off is a bit of a lightweight OOOOO

FERN BRADY: PEOPLE ARE IDIOTS Brilliantly on point savvy seething OOOOO Some of the idiots Fern Brady wants to discuss in her first solo show are, in no particular order: people who hear a Scottish accent and deduce itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the voice of the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;commonerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;; people who think their babies like going to cafĂŠs; producers who book Katie Hopkins as a pundit; producers who book Fern Brady as a pundit.

The latter refers to her Channel 4 News appearance in April, after which her Scottish independence views went viral. Yes voters and those bored with reductive stereotypes will find plenty to enjoy in her call-a-spade-a-spade views, delivered with a sleepy aggression; itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a strangely successful schtick.

Bemused to find sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d been voted 99th in The Listâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Hot 100 of Scotlandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s top cultural contributors, confused at being labelled â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;working classâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; (â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;we had three tagines in my house growing upâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;), and stumped on how to make friends with girls without resorting to flirting, Bradyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s emo-ennui is brilliantly on point. Just as her savvy, lethargic seething recently scored her a BBC sitcom pilot (Radges), this show should give a lot more power to her arm. Unless, of course, people really are idiots. (Claire Sawers) Q The Stand 4, 558 7272, until 30 Aug, 12.10pm, ÂŁ8 (ÂŁ7).

MORGAN BERRY: WATERSHIP DOWN

GURPAL GILL: INDIAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S STRONGEST MAN (1982)

Likeable show puts accent on poor taste OOOOO

Weak on jokes, strong on tedium OOOOO

Dressed in an African tribal print tunic and with long hippy tresses, Joe Rowntree is in character as Morgan Berry for the duration of Watership Down. Ostensibly a group therapy session for those grieving dear departed pet rabbits, audience members are called upon to name their ex-bunnies and then led through how to cope with the loss.

Rowntree proves to be adept at audience interaction, milking punchlines from both the most reticent and over-enthusiastic volunteers.

Committing to the character to deliver just the right amount of naffness, he does a good job of pretending to be bad at his job as a bereavement counsellor and still remain entertaining.

That he declares his character to be African and proceeds to speak in a mimicry of an African language is more problematic. Those who value political correctness will find it offensive and others will be aware of its poor taste. The irritating thing is that itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not integral to the act and he could have just as easily foregone the racial imitation and avoided a stain on an otherwise likeable show.

(Suzanne Black) Q Banshee Labyrinth, 226 0000, until 30 Aug (not 24), 6pm, free.

You know that all is lost when a comic starts to wind up their act by asking audience members what Fringe shows theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d recommend. Any pretence that this might be even a semi-solid Edinburgh debut has long fled the room, roughly at the point where the character of â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Indiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s strongest manâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; has been ditched for Gurpal Gill: Londonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Gagless Stand-Up. Among the many crimes against comedy is laughfree video footage of Gill in training (whatever you can imagine is probably funnier than whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s shown); humiliating an audience member by leaving them on stage to fill the gaps while our turn departs; and while he makes one knowing reference that weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re meant to be in 1982, Gill puts his foot firmly in it by playing â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Into the Grooveâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; (a chart hit from 1985) .

The ad libbing is lame while the accent he starts with morphs into his own voice Ă la Omid Djalili from almost two decades ago. On the plus side (and this is a stretch), one decent moment predicted what Anne Frank might have posted on Twitter but even that goes on longer than it should have.

Indiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Strongest Man might well be the weakest 50 minutes on the Fringe. (Brian Donaldson) Q Just the Tonic at The Mash House, 226 0000, until 30 Aug, 1pm, free.

42 THE LIST FESTIVAL 20â&#x20AC;&#x201C;31 Aug 2015

Reviews | FESTIVAL COMEDY

IDIL SUKAN

JESSICA VERMA

STEVE ULLATHORNE

list.co.uk/festival

THRONES! THE MUSICAL

SARAH CALLAGHAN: ELEPHANT

ADAM RICHES IS COACH COACH

Enjoyable Game of Thrones musical that has something for most fans OOOOO

A disorienting debut that has problems with tone and content OOOOO

Over-excitable and profoundly daft tale of a coachâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s obsession with victory OOOOO

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s rare for a Fringe show about a popular TV programme or cultural icon to satisfy the obsessivesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; needs. Only the most easily-pleased Game of Thrones nerd would have revelled in the mess that was last yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Winter Is Coming. Luckily, Thrones! The Musical from US improv troupe Baby Wants Candy feels like a more accomplished affair.

Kicking off with a very neat crowd-pleasing reference, the cast launch into an opening number about spoilers (is there anyone alive in possession of a screen who doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know about the twists in The Sixth Sense and Usual Suspects?) before getting into the nitty gritty of the showâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;catchphrasesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; (â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Hodor!â&#x20AC;&#x2122; â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;You know nothing, Jon Snooâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;). There are amusing takes on classically disturbing moments such as the Red Wedding and Branâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s attempted murder while, rather fittingly, the scenes featuring Daenerys Targaryen are the least interesting.

George RR Martin crops up to meet and greet his fans (in true Roose Bolton style), and Thrones! might well inspire everyone but the most jaded Westeros completist to go back to the very beginning. (Brian Donaldson) Q Assembly George Square, 623 3030, until 31 Aug, 5pm, ÂŁ13â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ14 (ÂŁ12â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ13).

Sarah Callaghan has complaints that many an early twentysomething will relate to. Trapped in a social backwater and culturally stifling environment (letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s call it Uxbridge in north-west London) and with little prospects on the job, property and love fronts, her bedroom at home is a bijou prison.

Callaghan is every inch the attitude-laden, nononsense, hoodie-wearing working-class young woman. Her tough exterior is somewhat blunted by the girlie bow pinched in her hair, and this curious contradiction might have minds beginning to query. Although we assume this is the real Sarah Callaghan, the hourâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s semi-theatricality means that Elephant often comes across like a one-woman monologue rather than a pure stand-up show.

The resulting effect is a disorienting one and not necessarily in a wholly positive way. When she gets down to them, some of her jokes are poor and Callaghan resorts to jousting with senior members of the audience rather than anyone who comes close to being in her own age bracket. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s another odd move in an ultimately frustrating debut show.

(Brian Donaldson) Q Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 30 Aug, 5.50pm, ÂŁ10â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ12 (ÂŁ8â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ10).

Banging chart dance is pounding as the audience take their seats. The wise know to give the front row a wide berth, but in fairness, no seat is really safe.

The crowd is violated with wild abandon during Adam Richesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; profoundly daft tale of an American high school sports coach, guiding his team to victory in a â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;volfsballâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; tournament. This allows for every Eastbound and Down / Friday Night Lights / Dodgeball clichĂŠ to be lined up and smacked out, as he relentlessly parodies the testosteronepumped laddishness of the genre.

Coachâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s middle-age addiction to gum and general failure at adulthood also brings to mind the heroindependent heroine of Strangers with Candy. His long-suffering wife and angry teenage daughter both take good parts in the ensemble cast, which also includes a cameo from Richard Gadd, who has to sprint off to make his own show every night.

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s certainly not an hour to attempt with a hangover, or a craving for intelligent, sedate laughs.

This is over-excited, energy-drink fuelled adolescent humour or, as Riches says, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;the ultimate test of a paying crowdâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s patienceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. (Claire Sawers) Q Pleasance Dome, 556 6550, until 30 Aug, 9.45pm, ÂŁ10â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ14 (ÂŁ8â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ12).

BETH VYSE: AS FUNNY AS CANCER

IDIL SUKAN / DRAW HQ

Emphasising triumph over tragedy as a cancer scare gets short comedic shrift OOOOO Did you hear the one about the woman who was diagnosed with breast cancer, then had one of her boobs lopped off? Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a hoot! One of a string of shows at this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Fringe to tackle very serious subject matter through the medium of stand-up comedy (euthanasia, irritable bowel syndrome and amputation are all getting a look-in elsewhere), Beth Vyseâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s show focuses on the bombshell that was dropped on her five years ago.

Just 28 at the time, Vyse was juggling a portfolio career of acting and comedy when her boyfriend noticed a lump while they were in bed together. Tests confirmed her fears, and she underwent a mastectomy and chemotherapy before being given the all-clear last year. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a powerful punchline, yet the set-up to her harrowing yet absurdly told true story begins in signature style as she greets her incoming audience dressed as Dolly Parton with plastic bosom and wig, then babbling chirpily through easy patter about her upbringing in Stoke-on-Trent.

There are props for the crowd too (ping pong balls for a frenzied ejaculation scene, among others) with the interactive elements seemingly dropped in to grease the wheels for what could be a tense hour. Sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s determined to give her show a triumphant rather than tragic tone though, and explains that writing it was her way of â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;coming outâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; after keeping her cancer secret for a long time.

Now she prefers not to take herself too seriously. As she gleefully stabs an oversize inflatable boob with a pin, popping it loudly, before leading a Rod Stewart singalong, sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s serious about making light of one of the shitter hands that life tried to deal her. (Claire Sawers) Q Heroes @ The Hive, 226 0000, until 30 Aug, 4.20pm, ÂŁ5 (or Pay What You Want).

20â&#x20AC;&#x201C;31 Aug 2015 THE LIST FESTIVAL 43

FESTIVAL COMEDY | Reviews

JOSEPH MORPURGO: SOOTHING SOUNDS FOR BABY A majestic multimedia artefact about music and memory OOOOO

WILL BREMRIDGE

There used to be a saying that some comedians heading up with their Fringe show would â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;write it on the trainâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. How often that genuinely occurred is unclear but Joseph Morpurgoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s work is the polar opposite of an hour thrown together at the last minute.

With his latest â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;foundâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; multimedia comedy artefact, you get the distinct sense that each line and every moment is the result of painstaking months of research, production and editing.

The standing ovation which the Austentatious member received, a rare happening in a Pleasance bunker, was deserved for effort alone: thankfully Morpurgo has a full grasp of what makes for a wonderfully funny as well as staggeringly innovative Fringe event. Set up as an edition of Desert Island Discs, Morpurgo is being grilled by a grumpy and confrontational Kirsty Young, her words spliced together from actual episodes.

The tunes he selects introduce us to a semi-fictionalised gallery of characters. We meet Joseph Cooper (host of Face the Music, the BBCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s classical music quiz from the 60s and 70s) conducting a piano lesson; we get dating advice from jazz fusion pioneer Stanley Clarke; thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s some spoken word, too, with Winnie the Pooh taking a sinister turn. All the while, there are projected visual gags by the crateload and a totally daft quiz.

And how did he mark the receipt of a whole room on its feet?

Did he sign a string of autographs before slumping backstage drenched in fizzy wine? No. As we slowly filed out, he quickly gathered up his many props to make way for the next act. No matter how brilliant your show (and Soothing Sounds for Baby is majestic), the Fringe will always keep you firmly rooted.

(Brian Donaldson) Q Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 31 Aug, 8.15pm, ÂŁ8.50â&#x20AC;&#x201C; ÂŁ10.50 (ÂŁ7â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ9).

JELLYBEAN MARTINEZ: MR SATURDAY NIGHT TV

RICHARD GADD: WAITING FOR GADDOT

ALEX EDELMAN: EVERYTHING HANDED TO YOU

In praise of light entertainment, technical hitches and all OOOOO

Self-referential hour of self-loathing OOOOO

Another smart hour from US rising star OOOOO

Richard Gadd has clearly been studying a lot of other peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s comedy. How else would he know how to deconstruct it so well? He clumsily breaks his set down to visual gags that donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t work, set-ups delivered after punchlines, infuriating suspense games and Alan Partridge-style tragi-male comedy.

Not to mention cameos from other comedians; the excellent Ed Aczel nearly steals Gaddâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s thunder with his brief cameo.

In a spot of self-critiquing, live self-loathing, Gaddâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s planted heckler sarcastically mocks his style: â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s unique, so it doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t need to be funnyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;.

Plenty parts arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t funny, for sure: the violent and odd bits are unsuccessful, but the laughs are big when they do show up. The BSL-interpreted song sequence is glorious, and the live Facebooking, FaceTiming and texting is a clever touch, too.

Eavesdropping on Gadd as he squirms through his multiple neuroses and father issues would be much harder work if he didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t make it so entertaining (in bits). Luckily his knowing, surreal style makes this an enjoyable hybrid of performance theatre and dysfunctional stand-up. (Claire Sawers) Q Banshee Labyrinth, 226 0000, until 30 Aug, 11.30pm, free.

It would be a feat beyond almost all belief were Alex Edelman to match John Kearnsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; landmark triumph of winning the main comedy award the year after scooping the Best Newcomer prize. But there wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be many smarter and more accomplished hours of straight-down-the-line stand-up this August.

Everything Handed to You feels like a more personal show than last yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s gong-worthy Millennial. In particular, he chats about his twin brother (a professional bodybuilder) and their much younger sibling (the word â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;mistakeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; crops up). His material is so well-crafted that he can play the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;confused by British waysâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; card as comfortably as the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;shamed by his compatriotsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; behaviourâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; suit.

So, his routines about Blue Peter, Greggs and a possibly racist incident are astute while he seems to enjoy the imagined moment when the Hill sisters first pitched â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Happy Birthdayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; to record execs as much as the audience. While this talented Bostonian insists that life in New York has turned his soul mean, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s clearly helped him produce stand-up comedy thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a generous brew of funny and clever.

(Brian Donaldson) Q Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 30 Aug, 8.30pm, ÂŁ9â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ12 (ÂŁ8â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ10.50).

Character comedy can be tough. Jellybean Martinez (the camp Spanish alter ego of Matthew Ellis) is definitely more Tony Ferrino than Alan Partridge, and a man who looks back on the Michael Barrymore, Noel Edmonds and Cilla Black (â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;she was my Princess Dianaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;) era with misty eyes.

His Fringe hour is a celebration of all that was good, as well as endearingly naff, about 80s TV before talent shows dominated the schedules.

The lucky / unlucky punters in the first few rows are called up to take part in a series of ridiculous game shows, including Gladidater (a Gladiators and Blind Date hybrid). Then about 15 minutes in, disaster strikes, with the entire multimedia system crashing. After a couple of panicked minutes, Martinez fills the rest of the hour like a pro, ploughing on through a gloriously gaudy celebration of televisual nonsense.

Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s impressive is that despite the technical difficulties Martinez wins round the entire crowd.

Admittedly itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sometimes infantile and supremely silly, but itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s also stupidly funny. (Henry Northmore) Q Just the Tonic at The Caves, 0330 220 1212, until 29 Aug, 3.15pm, ÂŁ6â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ7 (ÂŁ5â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ6).

44 THE LIST FESTIVAL 20â&#x20AC;&#x201C;31 Aug 2015

20â&#x20AC;&#x201C;31 Aug 2015 THE LIST FESTIVAL 45

FESTIVAL COMEDY | Reviews

SAM SIMMONS: SPAGHETTI FOR BREAKFAST One in the eye for critics of this absurdist Aussie OOOOO

JOHN CAIRNS

YEAL STEMPLER

Olives are not for everyone. Sam Simmons reckons that when you first pop one in your mouth, those taste buds are certain to recoil in disgust. But eventually your palate warms to the little fellasâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; delights and that fixed, determined opinion will soften.

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a thinly veiled metaphor for the effect Simmonsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; comedy can have on some observers. As someone who has previously failed to see the Aussie absurdistâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s appeal (it all seemed a bit Harry Hill-lite), Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m perfectly happy to say that he has won me over with the Barry Award-winning Spaghetti for Breakfast.

The unhinged peculiarity seems more engineered now towards producing laughs than raw daftness for its own sake, with his amusing faux fury at audience members who donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t play ball with his gags or close-up banter less a personal attack than mere punctuation to move onto the next idiosyncratic routine.

Simmonsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; wilful nonsense doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t simply float aimlessly in the air, like the extension cord which he eventually brings into play (this show is another of his typically prop-heavy Fringe affairs). Serious issues underlie the hysteria such as the cruelty which he experienced at the hands of his mother (her bizarre â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;lovingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; methods are the damaging acts of perhaps the first true surrealist he ever met). This has led him to conclude that her offkilter parenting â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;skillsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; shaped the comic we see before us.

Meanwhile, a recorded voice-over from Josie Long delivers potent heckles aimed at his lack of â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;relatableâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; comedy. Initially he takes this to heart but eventually dismisses the notion: heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s going to do things his own way rather than add to mainstream comedy fodder. To paraphrase the hourâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s central running motif, things â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;that shitâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; long-term critics of Sam Simmons will include hearing his acolytes saying â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;told you soâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. (Brian Donaldson) Q Underbelly Potterrow, 0844 545 8252, until 30 Aug (not 24), 9pm, ÂŁ12.50â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ14 (ÂŁ11.50â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ12.50).

DIARY OF A DATING ADDICT

CHRIS TURNER: XXV

Non-revelatory but lyrically amusing trip OOOOO

Captivating rapping and wordplay OOOOO

One-womanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s adventures in the dating world is a simple and oft-used comedy premise, especially in the age of internet dating. But Maddy Anholt succeeds in drawing you in with the sheer warmth of her personality. You want to her to find happiness whether it be with a fella or without.

Sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 27 and feeling the weight of 30 looming with her body clock ticking (though not that loudly to be honest, love: ease up on yourself). To anyone who has zoomed way past 30, it might seem a little young to be worrying, but nevertheless itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a recognisable milestone that everyone has to pass.

So, Anholt presents four of the idiots sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been on a date with in the last year: two knuckleheads, a child and an ice-cream man. All are convenient stereotypes with easily discernible accents to enable Anholt to bring them to life effectively.

Though the show doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t offer anything particularly new on the topic, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s impeccably and lyrically performed. Gently amusing rather than guffaw-inducing, Diary of a Dating Addict is still nicely written with a fair few celebs whoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve recently featured in the headlines dropped in there to ensure its freshness. (Marissa Burgess) Q Gilded Balloon, 622 6552, until 31 Aug, 1.30pm, ÂŁ9â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ9.50 (ÂŁ7.50â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ8).

Chris Turner has a preternatural gift with words and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a genuine thrill spending an hour in his company.

At the age of 15 (he's 25 now), he was told that he had a terminal condition which gave him ten years to live. Rather than settle into a period of despondency and introspection, Turner figured that another decade wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t such a bad innings and he set out to become an expert at rapping.

Although the thought of a white, middle-class Mancunian performing freestyle rap might sound like an exercise in naffness, Turnerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s execution is masterful. The speed and dexterity with which he conjures lyrics is breathtaking and heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s so seamless in his craft that the audience are initially dumbfounded, wary of interrupting the prolific flow of words cascading from his mouth.

When heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not rapping, Turner displays an exquisite ear for wordplay through a series of wonderful stories. And just when you think youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve got the jump on an impending pun, heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll pull the rug from under you with a flourish. Turner mockingly laments that no one knows who he is: with material like this under his command, that wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be the case for much longer. (Murray Robertson) Q Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 31 Aug, 9.45pm, ÂŁ8â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ10 (ÂŁ7â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ9).

MARK STEEL: WHO DO I THINK I AM? The story of a life with a little bit of politics OOOOO

The left-wing, anti-Tory, pro-Corbyn Mark Steel promises that his show is not about politics before launching into rabble-rousing invective about the current government. This is followed by a critique of 70s and 80s politics. Next up is a contrarily specific bit about south London that only a small percentage of the Edinburgh audience understands. The reason for this material eventually become clear as Who Do I Think I Am? concerns Steelâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s quest to find the birth parents who gave him up for adoption in 1960 and the impact of resultant revelations on his identity.

Steel is a professional. His delivery is assured The story is well-constructed, with the seemingly confusing preoccupation with 1970s capitalists and south London locations making sense in the end.

The events of his life were even kind enough to partially take place in Dunkeld so that Steel can throw in some Scottish references. Gifted with an interesting life story, he succeeds in conveying the fascinating way that truth can be stranger than fiction but a lack of emotional vulnerability makes it difficult to relate. (Suzanne Black) Q Assembly George Square, 623 3030, until 30 Aug, 8.15pm, ÂŁ13â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ14 (ÂŁ12â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ13).

46 THE LIST FESTIVAL 20â&#x20AC;&#x201C;31 Aug 2015

Reviews | FESTIVAL COMEDY

KARLA GOWLETT

IDIL SUKAN

STEVE ULLATHORNE

list.co.uk/festival

BEC HILL: CAUGHT ON TAPE Silly yet emotional trawl through regret OOOOO With Everything Everything then a remix of Edith Piaf playing while the audience enter, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not hard to guess the topic of Bec Hillâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s latest show: regrets.

She admits it isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t an obvious choice for comedy but the burden of a big regret spurred her to ask the Twittersphere how people deal with theirs.

Caught on Tape uses third-party stories but Hill brings her own personal take to bear on each. Sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a delightful host, bursting with energy and game for trying her hand at shouted suggestions. Once sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s covered the regrets of bad dates, body functions and being an â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;uncoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; (a handy Aussie phrase for someone who is uncoordinated), she moves onto the serious regrets of those grieving for loved ones, expertly handling the change in tone.

Known for her comic art, the show opens and closes with her signature flip book. Her pictorial version of what the song â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Non, je ne regrette rienâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; sounds like to an English speaker â&#x20AC;&#x201C; lots of rears â&#x20AC;&#x201C; is comedy gold. Her propâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s delivery is quicker than her sometimes patchy stand-up, with a laugh almost guaranteed on every page, but merged together they provide a balanced performance of heart and silliness. (Rowena McIntosh) Q Gilded Balloon, 622 6552, until 31 Aug, 5.30pm, ÂŁ8.50â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ9.50 (ÂŁ7.50â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ8.50).

FESTIVAL OF THE SPOKEN NERD: JUST FOR GRAPHS

JONNY PELHAM: BEFORE AND AFTER

More graphs than laughs OOOOO

Not-bitter tale of a difficult life OOOOO

The classic Venn diagram takes a starring role in this show. Following last yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Full Frontal Nerdity, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;stand-up mathematicianâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Matt Parker, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;experiments maestroâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Steve Mould and â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;geek songstressâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Helen Arney all bring complementary skills to the table in a world where anything and everything can be analysed for entertainment.

As Mould says, real-life scenarios provide datacollection opportunities, not least the in-depth analysis of the contractions leading to the birth of his daughter. Elsewhere thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s booming song from Arney, Parkerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s magician-like skills with tables of numbers, and some hands-on audience interaction.

Mould has shown off his science skills on Blue Peter, and the stage show feels like a more interactive, academic version of that TV programme, a compliment as far as Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m concerned. It all adds up (ahem) to an admirable celebration of nerdiness, with extra fire and swearing added in for good measure. Yet it doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t quite live up to its promise of being a â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;graph-a-minuteâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; and feels less like a comedy show than an hour-long education thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s also entertaining. (Emma Newlands) Q Assembly George Square, 623 3030, until 30 Aug, 6.30pm, ÂŁ10â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ12 (ÂŁ8.50â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ10.50).

Jonny Pelham is a unique young man (he plumps for â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;weirdâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; as the catch-all self-description). One of only 200 people in the UK who have popliteal pterygium syndrome, he was born with a cleft palate, webbed feet and more nipples than is standard. Merrily getting on with teenage life, the NHS stepped in to offer him reconstructive surgery of a purely cosmetic nature; the Before and After of the title suggests that this operation was a turning point in his life, both physically and psychologically.

Avoiding a steadfastly â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;woe is meâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; tale, the Yorkshire comic discusses a gig that went horribly wrong and led to him receiving the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;worst present everâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; while he bristles at the notion that he is fundamentally â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;braveâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; simply because of what he has rather than anything to do with his actions.

What Pelham goes on to attempt next in comedy will be just as intriguing as this debut. Perhaps heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll do a Wil Hodgson and continue to mine the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;originsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; story that makes him stand out or he might decide that heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s got all that out of the way now. He certainly has the talent to successfully do whatever he so pleases. (Brian Donaldson) Q Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 31 Aug, 6.45pm, ÂŁ7â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ9.50 (ÂŁ6.50â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ9).

NICK CODY: BEARD GAME STRONG Assured, incisive debut from Australiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s next big thing OOOOO You can see why Bill Burr and Jim Jefferies headhunted Nick Cody to provide support on their antipodean tours. The Australian has all the requisite blokiness tinged with a measure of self-disregard to fit right in with that pairâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s core audience. He also just so happens to be in possession of a handful of routines that are among the most hilarious at this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Fringe, making him a strong contender for a Best Newcomer nomination.

Bikram Choudhury might not have expected to crop up in a bundle of Fringe comedy shows for his now-notorious â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;hot yogaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; technique, but Cody is straight in there, wondering what other activities could accurately be dubbed â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Bikramâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s also an opening perusal of the methods he utilises to ensure that his own air travel experience is largely child-free and he has a few predictable but still funny attacks on fruitarians, food allergy sufferers and anyone who has the temerity to enjoy high art.

Where Cody truly excels is in his surgical dissection of daft or dangerous things that have happened to him. These veer from the low-level jeopardy of being unable to fathom the safe workings of a toilet hose in a Thai hotel to the genuine peril of entertaining the troops in Kandahar with the Taliban preparing to strike on a seemingly hourly basis. As for the very close encounter with a bear in deepest Alaska, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s an edge-of-the-seat tale which piles on the laughs.

Codyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Beard Game Strong is an analytical overview of the modern male and an incisive exploration about where true heroism lies. Bravery might not reside in the act of telling jokes up on stage in front of a liberal, arts-appreciating audience. But within that context, the rap-loving Nick Cody goes the extra mile for his crowd. (Brian Donaldson) Q Assembly George Square, 623 3030, until 30 Aug, 9.40pm, ÂŁ10â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ12.50 (ÂŁ9â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ11.50).

20â&#x20AC;&#x201C;31 Aug 2015 THE LIST FESTIVAL 47

FESTIVAL COMEDY | Reviews

LIAM WILLIAMS: BONFIRE NIGHT

OOOOO

An incendiary hour of politically motivated hardcore whimsy

CHRISTA HOLKA

STEVE ULLATHORNE

Liam Williams has recently written that gig-ruining hecklers might be a thing of the past, with contemporary audiences considering stand-up to be an artform as worthy of respect as theatre or film. Tonightâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s crowd is a case in point. The tail-end of a boozy Friday should attract ill-advised shouting within a packed space but only the odd muffled squeal is heard.

Perhaps the new heckling comes in the form of temperature abuse. Several times, Williams apologises for the roomâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s excessive heat, which seems unnecessary unless he left the radiators on all day. Appropriate then, that he turns the dial up with Bonfire Night, another ultra-smart and potently funny assault on both modern politics and ancient rituals (the fifth of November gets concise shrift) with dashes of hardcore whimsy, a bit of comedy hip hop (â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;sad lad rapsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; he dubs them) and some angry meta-exchanges with himself and the Fringe office.

His â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;John Cage approachâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; inevitably results in, not exactly silence, but medium-length passages which arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t always punctuated by a joke to break the tension. The denominator Williams is most interested in is the highest common one, demonstrated early by warning those who have accidentally stumbled into the gig thinking it was Shaggers to leave before they are treated to an hour more akin to â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;sulky lovemakingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; .

While his goals are ambitious, the means to getting there is still blessed with a light touch. Heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll merrily quote European political scientists before analysing how tricky it can be to operate some tin openers. The excitement of Williamsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; act is that while you never quite know where you are or who you are listening to, the strength of the material and potency of the gags keep things bouncing along with true comedic verve. (Brian Donaldson) Q Laughing Horse @ The Free Sisters, 622 6801, 20â&#x20AC;&#x201C;30 Aug, 7.30pm, free.

MEGAN FORD: FEMINASTY

LOLLY

Fast and loud multi-character show OOOOO

Intriguing show about comedy and race OOOOO

American comic Megan Ford is hopefully preaching to the converted for an audience of â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;artsy liberal cuntsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. Though given the lack of delirious applause which greet a few of her character-led sections, the odd conservative or two may have sneaked their way in. Against a backdrop of newspaper and magazine front covers which range from the somewhat disrespectful to the downright salacious, Ford sets out her stall for her Feminasty hour.

Why is society obsessed with seeing Emma Watsonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s labia as she departs from a parked vehicle of an evening? Have we moved on at all from the dark period of the 1980s, a decade crammed with â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;racial stereotypes and cleavageâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;? To back up her arguments, she introduces us to characters such as Lena Zerox, a bazooka-breasted video-games character, Maddy Mitchell, a right-wing family-values prospective congresswoman, and Trixie Lockwood, a pre-Depression-era flapper.

The lack of subtlety might make your brain hurt before its had a proper chance to think. Still, if the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;patriarchy wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t fuck itselfâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, getting the word out fast and loud might be the only way to stop everyday sexism in its tracks. (Brian Donaldson) Q Underbelly George Square, 0844 545 8252, until 31 Aug, 2.50pm, ÂŁ8â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ9 (ÂŁ7â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ8).

The deliberately bad comedian has long been a successful trope, with prime exponents including Neil Hamburger, Jeremy Lion, bits of Johnny Vegas and, this year, Zoe Coombs Marrâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Daveâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. Lolly Adefope deals in similar potentially hazardous terrain as part of her debut multi-character show.

Set up as an open mic night, her Lolly â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;creationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; has been tipped for great things but, crippled by nerves, sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s unable to function on stage.

Conversely, the Ăźber-confident ordinary girl Gemma delivers gags that are either terrible or insensitive, but itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s attitude that gets her through. Similarly, the gender-challenging â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Xâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; is so off-piste that her strong convictions are ultimately formed on nonsense while John Legendâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s father shows up to claim back his estranged multi-millionaire son. The whole event is held together with vice-like determination by Wendy Parks, a delusional host.

Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s something interesting going on beyond oberserving that modern comedy is a very broad field. The distinct racial make-up of this industry is touched upon with backstage chatter from all the acts seeping through to us, but itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s here and gone before it can truly ignite a debate. (Brian Donaldson) Q Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 31 Aug, 4.30pm, ÂŁ7â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ9.50 (ÂŁ6.50â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ9).

JOANNA NEARY: FACEFUL OF ISSUES Unhinged, quirky character-based fun OOOOO Rather than her usual assortment of characters, Joanna Nearyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 2015 show features just one: Celia Jesson, loosely inspired by Brief Encounterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Celia (played in the film by Laura Jesson).

Celiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a canny creation: sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a woman out of time, and Neary â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a Perrier Best Newcomer nominee in 2004 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; sets the kooky, slightly unhinged tone very early with a ditty about Britpop sung in 1940s-nostalgia style. The hour that follows is littered with weird, anachronistic references, from Bunty (the girlsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; annual) to Buzzfeed (â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;I laugh, but then I feel sulliedâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;). Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not a sure-fire crowd-pleaser by a long way â&#x20AC;&#x201C; but if your humour leans towards the quirky, and your sensibility to this side of vintage, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s enrapturing.

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a shame that the space Nearyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s playing in isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t a little better suited to her razor-sharp whimsy; its odd shape doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t quite suit the atmosphere. But Faceful of Issues still succeeds, helped in part by Nearyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lovely guitarlele-playing assistant Martin, whoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s clearly loving every moment. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a smart, fun and exquisitely crafted show thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s well worth your time â&#x20AC;&#x201C; if you like this sort of thing. (Yasmin Sulaiman) Q Assembly Rooms, 0844 693 3008, until 30 Aug, 7.45pm, ÂŁ10 (ÂŁ9).

48 THE LIST FESTIVAL 20â&#x20AC;&#x201C;31 Aug 2015

Reviews at a Glance | FESTIVAL COMEDY

list.co.uk/festival

For full length versions of these reviews see list.co.uk/festival

is not an option, Baram welcomes all into her world without taking no for an answer and offers not just a pleasant hour of storytelling, but food for thought.

(Suzanne Black) Just the Tonic at the Caves, 226 0000, until 29 Aug (not 24), 2.30pm, free.

Devilâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Door Bell

Ahir Shah: Distant OOOOO

Passionate, poetic and powerfully funny, Shah is a committed comic who, in this compact room, makes you feel like youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been cornered by a slightly furious soapbox orator. While being proud of his heritage heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s also marginally guilty about how posh he might seem on the ear, but his skills are clearly born from both a solid education and natural comedic flair.

(Brian Donaldson) Laughing Horse @ The Counting House, 667 7533, until 30 Aug, 7.30pm, free.

Aisling Bea: Plan Bea OOOOO First spied in disguise, Bea has a right old dance to herself as the crowd troops in. With little concern about making herself look daft, the Irish comic delivers a frenetic and sarcastic second full Fringe show. Her past as an extra in a pirate-rock music video acts as the centre to this hilariously rambling set in which her own ad libbing asides are as funny as anything she may have scripted. (Brian Donaldson) Gilded Balloon, 622 6552, until 30 Aug, 9.30pm, ÂŁ10â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ12 (ÂŁ9â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ11).

Darren Walsh: Punderbolt OOOOO

When a comedianâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s set is stuffed full of one-liners itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s always a wonder they manage to maintain an audienceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s attention for the full hour. Walsh is taking no chances and has opted for lots of visuals and a touch of audience participation to decorate his puns. There are cartoons, short films and an otter called Philip. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a surreal world that Walsh creates and one that youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re happy to spend time in. (Marissa Burgess) Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 31 Aug, 8.30pm, ÂŁ7â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ9 (ÂŁ6â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ8).

David Mills: Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t Get Any Ideas

An Audience With Harry Deansway OOOOO The deal with Deansway is, heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a self-deprecating, self-sabotaging, deliberate shambles of a showman. So he fluffs his lines, interrupts himself, tries out new material for the first time, sings tunelessly, trips on his props, gets a noshow from his own parents, then proceeds to rattle off an embarrassing string of (apparently true life) disasters, all involving him. Weirdly, it works. (Claire Sawers) Just the Tonic at The Tron, 0330 220 1212, until 29 Aug, 5pm, ÂŁ5 (or Pay What You Want).

Andrew Maxwell: Yo Contraire OOOOO Maxwell is in good humour, largely because he recently got married. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s thrown him more material, having married a Muslim woman, opening up a personal angle to Islamophobia and ISIS as well as a giving him an Omar Sharif lookalike father-in-law. Once again Maxwell proves a Fringe banker, delivering an edge no matter how cheery he gets. (Marissa Burgess) Assembly George Square Theatre, 623 3030, until 30 Aug, 10.30pm, ÂŁ13â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ15 (ÂŁ12â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ14).

Anna Morris: Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Got To Be Perfect OOOOO A posh control freak is surely everyoneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s idea of a nightmare bride.

Character act Anna Morris revels in Georgina, a monstrous creation preparing to wed a Tory MP who might not be everything he seems. But for now, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s all about the rehearsals (all 28 of them this month) and as invited guests weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re hired to make things go without a hitch.

Depending on how feisty the crowd is on each day, it should all fall apart with little fuss. (Brian Donaldson) Voodoo Rooms, 226 0000, until 30 Aug, 3.55pm, free.

Bat-Fan OOOOO If you are in any way a fan of Batman or musical theatre, this show is for you. If you happen to be in love with both, do not let the month expire without a visit to Bat-Fan. James Wilson-Taylor has been a fan of the caped crusader for as long as he can remember (visual evidence is available) and his obsession leads to him putting on his own Fringe show in tribute. (Brian Donaldson) Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 30 Aug, 3.30pm, ÂŁ10â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ12 (ÂŁ8â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ10).

Beard: The Grin Of Love OOOOO

Initially dressed as white-sheeted ghosts, Wnek and Robson follow up their unique beginning with a series of clever (if not especially hilarious) set-pieces which involve members of the audience in relatively low-level ways. Precisely what The Grin of Love refers to is never revealed as Beard deliver clowning routines about a weird pregnancy, an invisible woman and a man getting annoyed at someone while on his deathbed. (Brian Donaldson) Sneaky Peteâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, 226 0000, until 29 Aug, 1.15pm, free.

Bodell And Maxwellâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Chromatic CharacterMenagerieOOOOOLosingyour

audience halfway through the first sketch isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t an ideal start but sympathy laughs

can only be stretched out for so long.

Nothing really improves for Maxwell and he has a hard time engaging with the audience. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s something his partner (although they never appear onstage together) Bodell has no problem with, employing a bit of Adam Riches-esque determination when selecting audience members to join her onstage. (Kirstyn Smith) Cowgatehead, 226 0000, until 29 Aug (not 25), 9pm, free.

Breakfast Epiphanies OOOOO Cormac Friel was just a simple young man from Donegal who wanted to be a rich and successful Hollywood star and win Oscars and fame. Why is that so difficult?

He retells his experiences with a genuine charm, despite his cold put downs that he dishes out to any member of the front row brave enough to engage him. (Graeme Connelly) Just the Tonic at The Caves, 0330 220 1212, until 28 Aug, 7.40pm, ÂŁ5â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ6 (ÂŁ4â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ5; family ticket ÂŁ16â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ20).

Centred: A One Clown Show About Stuff OOOOO Silently, and with

immense physical prowess, Liam Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Kane transforms into a young boy trapped overnight in a shopping centre. Resigned to his fate, the boy realises his wildest fantasies can come to life. Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Kaneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s physicality astounds and he is capable of conveying more emotion in one facial expression than most can with all the words in the world. (Kirstyn Smith) C south, 0845 260 1234, until 31 Aug, 6.20pm, ÂŁ7.50â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ9.50 (ÂŁ3.50â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ7.50).

Charles Booth: Deer In The Spotlights OOOOO Boothâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s energetic

character comedy begins with the eponymous skit, which moves directly from a deerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s near-death experience to a long, impressively athletic dramatiation of characters representing the sperm of the animalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s father. The tone is set for a series of long, thoroughly drawn-out sketches in which every possible drop of humour is wrung from punchlines that wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have looked out of place in the 1970s. (Dave Coates) Just the Tonic at The Mash House, 226 0000, until 30

Aug, 5.20pm, ÂŁ5â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ6 (ÂŁ4â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ5).

Chris Betts: Social Animal OOOOO Having worked in bars almost

everywhere, UK-based Canadian Betts insists that heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s in a unique position to analyse the human condition. Quite why the tales he chooses to regale us with are so pedestrian is unclear. Announcing that he records every show, you can only hope that heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s taking some guidance from the playbacks to improve his set. (Brian Donaldson) Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 30 Aug, 9.45pm, ÂŁ7.50â&#x20AC;&#x201C; ÂŁ9.50 (ÂŁ6.50â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ8.50).

Croft & Pearce: Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Always Something OOOOO Back with more

silly sketches and absurd characters from infatuated teachers to useless work experience, Croft and Pearceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s chemistry results in a show thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a bit twee, middle class and jolly hockey sticks (apart from a delightfully foul mouthed utterly inappropriate Brownie troop leader).

Perhaps a bit safe and clean but if youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re in search of a well-written and brilliantly acted hour of whimsy this is a perfect fit.

(Henry Northmore) Gilded Balloon, 622 6552, until 30 Aug, 5.45pm, ÂŁ10 (ÂŁ8).

Dan Lees: Brainchild OOOOO

Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s something beautiful about a whole audience working together, united in the moment towards one goal. Lees is unlikely to agree as his crowd rebels and refuses to follow instructions, garnering the most laughter of the whole ordeal.

In each sketch Lees dons a prop, speaks unintelligibly then directs the audience to copy him, with diminishing returns.

(Suzanne Black) Underbelly Med Quad, 0844 545 8252, until 31 Aug, 7pm, ÂŁ9â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ10 (ÂŁ8â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ9).

Daphna Baram: Something To Declare OOOOO Cross-cultural

similarities and differences are a mainstay of comedy. Baram â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Israeli, Jewish, a former human rights lawyer and ex-journalist now living in London â&#x20AC;&#x201C; is uniquely placed to discuss this with authenticity. Like her impression of Israeli hospitality, in which refusal

OOOOO If you can get past a rather bitter strain to Millsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; show (his savage take-down of last yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s award-winner John Kearns who played in the very same room seems uncalled-for), thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s plenty to enjoy in his catty hour where his claws are as sharp as his suit. Oh, and Oscar-winner Eddie Redmayne gets it in the neck as well. Draw your own conclusions from that. (Brian Donaldson) Voodoo Rooms, 226 0000, until 30 Aug, 5.15pm, free.

The Dead Secrets OOOOO Opening in the style of an espionage thriller, The Dead Secrets present a comedy adventure of epic proportions. A curator is tasked with rescuing her boss from the Curiositorium, a labyrinthine museum populated by a host of odd characters including a mad scientist, the shadow people and a lost tourist looking for a Roman coin collection. It is as bizarre as it sounds and delightfully bonkers with it. (Rowena McIntosh) Underbelly Cowgate, 0844 545 8252, until 30 Aug, 2pm, ÂŁ8.50â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ9.50 (ÂŁ7.50â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ8.50).

Devilâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Door Bell OOOOO Drawing most of her material from her life growing up in rural Kenya, Njambi McGrath hits us with some devastating abortion statistics while she even gets a laugh from female genital mutilation.

Her upbeat enthusiasm draws you in emphasising her point of view rather than slapping you round the face with dry facts and figures. (Henry Northmore) Just the Tonic at The Mash House, 226 0000, until 29 Aug (not 23), 5pm, free.

Elaine Malcolmson: Arrangements OOOOO The Scottish circuit regular from Northern Ireland will be too downbeat for many tastes but her seemingly nervy delivery fits well with her subject matter of funerals as told through the tale of a young woman called Julie. Malcolmson intersperses the diary-style reading with her own musings and an apparent pathological loathing of florists. (Brian Donaldson) The Stand 4, 558 7272, until 30 Aug, 2.30pm, ÂŁ8 (ÂŁ7).

Emma Sidi: Character Breakdown OOOOO Sidi walks on stage, clad in a stonewash denim jacket, and becomes Brita: a girl who sounds like a mix of Eastern European, northern English and just plain made-up. After introducing us to an anti-people person working in new media and a Spanish lecturer-turnedraconteur, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s clear Sidi is not afraid to take risks. A promising solo debut from an exceptionally talented character actor.

(Rebecca Monks) Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 31 Aug, 8pm, ÂŁ7â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ9 (ÂŁ6.50â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ8.50).

Fairy Tale Theatre: 18 & Over OOOOO A great introduction sets up the audience for a wild and twisty ride as moral tales for strictly adults-only viewing are played out with a mixture of puppets and live action. Social taboos are explored and ethical conundrums raised.

If you didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t need to see a therapist before, you may do before the end.

(Graeme Connelly) Assembly George Square Studios, 623 3030, until 30 Aug, 10.30pm, ÂŁ10.

Funmbi Omotayo: Legal Immigrant OOOOO Omotayoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hour focuses on his 20â&#x20AC;&#x201C;31Aug 2015 THE LIST FESTIVAL 49

FESTIVAL COMEDY | Reviews at a Glance life so far: his Nigerian roots and growing up in Hackney before gentrification.

Mellow, laid-back and worldly wise, he advocates getting to know each other better and slowly begins to take in weightier topics of racism, xenophobia, and the anti-immigration slant in the media. Observations are made without apparent judgement allowing us to make up our own mind. (Marissa Burgess) Gilded Balloon at Pleasance Dome, 622 6552, until 30 Aug, 9pm, ÂŁ8.50â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ9.50 (ÂŁ7.50â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ8.50).

Jack Barry: This Title Came To Me In A Dream OOOOO Twins man

Barry makes his solo Fringe debut with a charming if uneven set of personal and observational stand-up. Having opened with strong material about the absurdity of working a social media profile for a high-profile fast food chain, this was undermined by some unsavoury gags about suicide and a joke about his grandparentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; homophobia.

(Dave Coates) Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 31 Aug, 7pm, ÂŁ7â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ9 (ÂŁ6.50â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ8.50).

Gabriel Bisset-Smith Tells The Most Original And Funniest Joke In The Universe! OOOOO Can Bisset-

James Hamilton Is So Lonely OOOOO Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s awkward when you

Smith really pull off his titleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s promise?

The entire show is one long build-up to a final punchline, a suitably circuitous trip through cheese blogs, dancing crocodiles and Kanye West on our way to enlightenment. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a faux journey of discovery that in many ways works as a canny parody of a soul-searching inner voyage. (Henry Northmore) Underbelly Cowgate, 0844 545 8252, until 30 Aug, 9.30pm, ÂŁ9â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ10 (ÂŁ8â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ9).

Goodbear OOOOO Goodbear bills itself as a â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;character-led sketch show which contemplates the big issues: life, death, our very existenceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, and while thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s certainly true, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not all as philosophical as that. Structurally, the show is intelligently pieced together: characters are revisited, what seem like one-off jokes actually form part of a larger motif, and thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a storyline at work which holds the individual scenes together.

(Rebecca Monks) Underbelly George Square, 0844 545 8252, until 31 Aug, 9.35pm, ÂŁ9.50â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ10.50 (ÂŁ8.50â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ9.50).

Good Kids OOOOO Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re greeted with enthusiasm, hugs and handshakes and off to an amiable if over-friendly start which then tips over into irritation as they throw around sweets, offer fizzy drinks and literally start swinging from the rafters.

When the show eventually begins, we have a series of disparate sketches framed around the pair pretending to bicker with each other. However, few of the sketches elicit more than the faintest of chuckles and most of them linger for far too long.

(Murray Robertson) Just the Tonic at The Mash House, 226 0000, until 23 Aug, 10.20pm, ÂŁ6â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ8.

accidentally stumble in on someoneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s surprise proposal; even more so when the fiancĂŠe-to-be hasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t turned up. This is the basis of Hamiltonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s show, but throughout the hour jokes are totally turned on their heads for punchlines that come from nowhere. He has a line in the macabre and also jumps on the observational wagon, but his pacing is superb. (Kirstyn Smith) Voodoo Rooms, 226 0000, until 30 Aug, 9.30pm, free.

Jessie Cave: I Loved Her OOOOO

Awkward in manner, with huge glasses and pigtails, Cave appears as a cross between the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Overly Attached Girlfriendâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; meme and Matilda. Her cardboard props take homespun whimsy to a new level of childishness and are drafted in to represent the important figures in her life â&#x20AC;&#x201C; her comedian boyfriend, her baby and the internet â&#x20AC;&#x201C; as the socially anxious social media addict recounts her foray into motherhood. (Suzanne Black) Underbelly Cowgate, 0844 545 8252, until 30 Aug, 5.30pm, ÂŁ9â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ10 (ÂŁ8â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ9).

Joe Hart: Dirty Rotten Apples OOOOO The self-proclaimed â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;nerdy,

surreal, gay dandyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; is a highly likeable performer, starting on strong footing with some audience interaction. But what starts out promisingly soon runs the risk of heading the same way as Newtonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s apple as the material, genuinely interesting as it sometimes is, is just too

Graham Clark Reads The Phonebook OOOOO For the first five

John Hastings: Marked From The Start OOOOO Hastings is a master

storyteller, treating his audience to a show that feels like a single coherent narrative rather than a series of bits.

He creates an intimate atmosphere, occasionally hopping onto a bar stool as he tells a personal tale of how he, and his dyspraxia, fit into a large Canadian family. His delivery is relaxed even when heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mock seething with quiet anger, brushing against controversial topics including Christianity and economics.

(Rowena McIntosh) Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 30 Aug, 9.40pm, ÂŁ8â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ10 (ÂŁ7â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ9).

John Robertson: Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Redecorate!

OOOOO With his shock of white hair and

black attire, Robertson vividly resembles a pint of Guinness. He remarks that he needs no amplification and, dispensing with his mic, prowls around the stage and in among the audience like a panther.

Robertson is a master at engaging with individuals as if itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s all part of his scrupulously written script, and the unpredictable cadence of his performance is remarkably theatrical as well as consistently funny. (Murray Robertson) The Stand 6, 558 7272, until 30 Aug, 2.50pm, ÂŁ10 (ÂŁ8).

John Robins: Speakeasy OOOOO

When his girlfriend heads off to Australia for a month, Robins is primed to have the time of his life. Except the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;legendsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; in his contacts have got lives of their own and dropping things to accommodate Robinsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; booze-fuelled intentions just isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t practical. Speakeasy might tickle some of the right places but it wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t especially tax your mind and the overall effect is of a decent club set drawn out to fill an hour.

(Brian Donaldson) Assembly George Square Studios, 623 3030, until 30 Aug, 8pm, ÂŁ10â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ12 (ÂŁ8.50â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ10.50).

Julian Deane OOOOO Deaneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hour starts innocuously enough, with some

rather humdrum observational one-liners about drugs, work and women. But about 15 minutes in he starts to tell the story of how he ended up in Belmarsh prison and how it changed him. He isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t afraid to get earnest, dropping in the occasional jibe at the inefficacy of the prison system, or a hint of the added perspective being a young father gives. Quite unexpectedly, the show builds towards a rather heartwarming end. (Laura Ennor) Just the Tonic at the Tron, 0330 220 1212, until 31 Aug, 9pm, free.

Katia Kvinge: 140 Karakters OOOOO Performed with unshakeable

exuberance, Kvingeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s show is a madcap mission to introduce the audience to 140 different characters in one breathless hour. Sure, that means taking a few liberties here or there and some imaginative maths from the audience member in charge of counting them but thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s still an awful lot of material packed into this show. Unfortunately, thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s often a sacrifice of quality in favour of sheer quantity. (Laura Ennor) Just the Tonic at The Caves, 0330 220 1212, until 29 Aug, 7.45pm, free.

Keith Farnan: Anonymous OOOOO

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;This may sound like a TED Talk from a maniacâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, Farnan says after 40 minutes of discussing data sharing and internet privacy. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a well-structured, confidently performed stand-up set from a very likeable comedian as he explains that his gripes and fears about modern technology have been heightened since the birth of his daughter (he worries about data, she just says dada), and some of his strongest material comes from the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;tired new dadâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; angle. (Rebecca Monks) Underbelly Cowgate, 0844 545 8252, until 30 Aug (not 25), 6pm, ÂŁ10â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ11 (ÂŁ9â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ10).

Kelly Kingham: Inside Out OOOOO

Most Fringe fans are well versed in the language of comedy and realise that not everything said on stage is true. And we hope thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the case for Kingham who paints a rather sad picture of a lost figure living an unfulfilled life. Made redundant, considering divorce, his only friend is his dog Colin. Starting off as an oldfashioned stand-up, he heads into more uncomfortable territory at which point he loses the crowd. (Henry Northmore) Just the Tonic at The Caves, 0330 220 1212, until 29 Aug (not 25), 5pm, free.

Kirsten Macgregor: Hello Cruel World OOOOO For an 18 year old who is

minutes, Clark literally reads from the phonebook. There are a few nervous titters as the fear grows that this might be some esoteric concept piece and as the tension mounts he breaks from his monotonous diatribe to explain how he found himself stuck with this themed show. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s quirky and often brilliant but gets slightly trapped by the confines of the concept. (Henry Northmore) Assembly George Square Studios, 623 3030, until 31 Aug, 5.20pm, ÂŁ9â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ10 (ÂŁ8â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ9).

still at college and has experienced more than her fair share of difficulties in life, MacGregor does pretty well. Sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s honest about her stints in psychiatric hospital and is at her best when sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s dips into dark humour, a quality sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d do well to develop. (Marissa Burgess) Laughing Horse @ The White Horse, 557 3512, until 30 Aug, 12.15am, free.

Laura Lexx: Lovely OOOOO If thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s one thing an Edinburgh show needs itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a theme and Lexx would just love a life crisis or traumatic incident to base her show around to make it interesting. But she canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t, so Lexx tells stories about lovely things: strangers helping her on the motorway, documentaries about penguins, her perfect boyfriend. She is blessed with a wonderful anecdotal style but jokewise it is a little lukewarm.

(Graeme Connelly) Underbelly Med Quad, 0844 545 8252, until 30 Aug, 4.05pm, ÂŁ9â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ10.50 (ÂŁ8â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ9.50).

Ian Smith: Whereabouts OOOOO

If there was a prize at the Fringe for the King of the Call Back, Smith would be sure to win it as he ducks and weaves, returning to gags on topics as random as mannequins, bum bags and Mini Cheddars. The show is observational in the main but with a daft take on the delight of a child on holiday discovering that the remote control operates the caravan next door and a nosy at Postman Patâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s living arrangements. (Marissa Burgess) Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 30 Aug, 7pm, ÂŁ7.50â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ10 (ÂŁ6.50â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ9).

Letluce In Sea Men (A Naval Tale) OOOOO After playing both the

STEVE ULLTHORNE

Ismo Leikola: Observing The Obvious OOOOO At no point during his

show does Leikola rant, gesture wildly, or even raise his voice. The Finnish comic is incredibly mellow, a chilled-out guy observing the world and stroking his beard with amused disbelief. The show is broadly about observation and while some of the gender material is a bit middle of the road, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a pleasure to spend an hour in his bemused company.

(Rowena McIntosh) Gilded Balloon at Pleasance Dome, 622 6552, until 30 Aug (not 20 & 21), 4pm, ÂŁ9â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ10 (ÂŁ8â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ9).

thin on laughs. (Emma Newlands) Gilded Balloon at Pleasance Dome, 622 6552, until 31 Aug, 2.45pm, ÂŁ9â&#x20AC;&#x201C;10 (ÂŁ8â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ9).

Funmbi Omotayo: Legal Immigrant

front and back of a pantomime horse in 2014â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Show Pony, LetLuceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 2015 offering is an aquatic-themed panto-esque romp. Comparisons with the Mighty Booshâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s stage shows are apt and all the requisites of the genre are in place: the idiot / cynic dynamic; the absurdity; the whimsy; catchy ditties; scripted â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;ad-libsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;.

LetLuce do a credible job of keeping the silliness flag sailing but their prodigious chemistry is the only thing keeping it afloat. (Suzanne Black) Just the Tonic at The Caves, 226 0000, until 29 Aug, 4pm, free.

Lewis Schaffer Is Free Until Famous, ÂŁ5 OOOOO If you found

50 THE LIST FESTIVAL 20â&#x20AC;&#x201C;31 Aug 2015

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Reviews at a Glance | FESTIVAL COMEDY

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Schaffer sitting in a bus shelter on his own you would probably call social services. But a twinkle in his eye gives away his true character. This is a performance piece that is very believable and his delightfully vulnerable awkwardness makes him so endearing that the crowd canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t help but come along for the ride as he talks about modern problems through the eyes of a senior comic. (Graeme Connelly) Just the Tonic at The Community Project, 0330 220 1212, until 30 Aug, 5.35pm, ÂŁ5 (ÂŁ3; family ticket ÂŁ14).

next tale is palpable. (Murray Robertson) Liquid Room Annexe, 226 0000, until 31 Aug, 7.10pm, free.

Steve Hall: Zebra OOOOO The former We Are Klang guy with the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;boring face and boring voiceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; (his words) is on fine form with an hour effectively concerning how to avoid being a terrible father. As youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d imagine, he doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t always succeed in that venture and the tales of family portraits going horribly awry is quite hysterical. (Brian Donaldson) The Stand 6, 558 7272, until 30 Aug, 6.35pm, ÂŁ8 (ÂŁ7).

Mid-Brow

Luke Mcqueen: Double Act

Stewart Francis: Pun Gent

OOOOO McQueen has cultivated an

OOOOO One of the Fringeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s big TV

embittered and unhinged persona with a confrontational attitude towards both the audience and reviewers and seemingly no concept of going too far. The opening set piece unleashes a torrent of aggression and his dead-eyed glare suggests no one is safe. The ostensible theme of the show is McQueenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s anger and hurt at the betrayal of his previous comedy partner Jack Whitehall, but after so much hype about his malevolence, Double Act proves relatively benign. (Suzanne Black) Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 31 Aug, 9.45pm, ÂŁ8.50â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ10.50 (ÂŁ7â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ9).

draws, on this night Francis attracts an enthusiastic audience eagerly anticipating his entrance. He has written a solid if unspectacular hour filled to the brim with gags, though some take a bit too long to set up before deflating with a predictable punchline. But like all the best short-joke comedians, Francis has so many gags up his sleeve that youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re never too far from a corker. (Murray Robertson) Assembly Rooms, 0844 693 3008, until 30 Aug, 8.10pm, ÂŁ15 (ÂŁ13).

Susie Mccabe: The Drugs Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t Work OOOOO If you went on a night

Matt Winning: Mugabe And Me (3d) OOOOO Pretending to

be Zimbabwean president Robert Mugabeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s son (a risky move that lands just shy of offensive) allows him to move from segments on an African gap year to corruption in FIFA to Top Gear presenters in a way that makes narrative sense. He even manages to work in a game show, a poem and, most unbelievably, reads out internet comments in a way that doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t imply he was too lazy to write his own material.

(Suzanne Black) Opium, 226 0000, until 29 Aug, 3.45pm, free.

Michael J Dolan: Miserable Guts OOOOO The self-effacing misanthrope

presents a pitch black take on the world, enumerating the horrors of a universe that allows child murders and sex offenders, as well as the mundane travesties of the property ladder, consumer ethics, relationship ennui and societyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s terrible attitude towards mental health problems. Although he shares Bill Hicksâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; dissatisfaction with the world, he has none of his revolutionising zeal. Instead, he resembles Frankie Boyleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s utter contempt with the universe mixed with Bernard Blackâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s furious apathy. (Suzanne Black) The Stand 4, 558 7272, until 30 Aug, 4.50pm, ÂŁ8 (ÂŁ7).

Mid-Brow OOOOO Why aim high when you can instead lower your sights to mediocrity? Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the self-professed plan by sketch duo Mid-Brow, who say theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve spotted a gap in the market.

But they make a mediocre job of being mediocre to create something pretty damn good. The pair steers a clear course through the waters of sketch comedy, lampooning their targets but staying one step ahead of expectations, deconstructing their own analyses between sketches. (Emma Newlands) Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 31 Aug (not 24), 4.45pm, ÂŁ7â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ9 (ÂŁ6â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ8).

Minor Delays OOOOO Minor Delays return after last yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s highly regarded debut, with their format honed and their high-energy, often deeply maudlin sketch comedy in fine shape. Facing the audience and away from each other, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s immediately clear just how fine-tuned the performance is, many sketches relying on almost telepathic synchronisation.

What the three make from little more than facial expressions and the audienceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s imagination is breathtaking. (Dave Coates) Gilded Balloon, 622 6552, until 30 Aug, 4.15pm, ÂŁ8â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ10 (ÂŁ6â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ8).

Moby Alpha OOOOO Though they wear their literary and sci-fi references with pride, you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t need to have read Moby Dick or seen a heap of sci-fi to enjoy this magical show from Seattle-based duo, Charles. According to the old Gregorian calendar, the year is 2984 and Captain Ahab has lost his leg (itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been replaced by a better one but thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not the point) to

an energy cloud called Moby Alpha and heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hell-bent on revenge. The production is a witty, postmodern take on the story.

(Marissa Burgess) Assembly George Square Studios, 623 3030, until 31 Aug (not 24), 4.10pm, ÂŁ10â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ12 (ÂŁ8â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ10).

Omar Handi: In The Valleys Of The Kings OOOOO Welsh-Egyptian

Hamdi tries so hard in this debut show, filling us in on his upbringing, his absent father, his first visit to Egypt, his absent father, his clinginess with girls, his crisis of masculinity, his lack of role models, his absent father. You get the idea.

Dysfunction and awkwardness could be the makings of a decent set if he veered away from the more hackneyed comedy tropes. (Claire Sawers) Assembly George Square Studios, 623 3030, until 30 Aug, 10.20pm, ÂŁ10â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ12 (ÂŁ8â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ10).

Phil Mann: Hydrophobia OOOOO

Mannâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s unafraid to embrace the oddball in his work and this is no exception as he shares his worst sexual moments and how he was sent back to kill Hitler. There are plenty of bad puns strewn about and heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s damning about reality TV. Not all in the room go with him and there are some awkward moments as Mann moves through his crowd asking them if they think theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re good at sex. (Marissa Burgess) Laughing Horse @ Bar 50, 524 1989, until 29 Aug (not 24), 3.30pm, free.

Phil Wang: Philth OOOOO As part of sketch trio Daphne, Wang has found a complementary outlet for his deadpan stage presence. When heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the only thing to focus on, it can feel as though the life is being sucked out of a room, even if he does offer some enjoyable material about his low-energy delivery. Wang is after love and seems content to have found an â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;OKâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; girlfriend. You wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t really expect him to be any more enthusiastic than that. (Brian Donaldson) Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 30 Aug, 6pm, ÂŁ8.50â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ10 (ÂŁ7â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ9).

Pierre Novellie Is Anxious Peter OOOOO This nominally centres around

the comicâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mental health. His means of managing insomnia and a distinctly niche study of medieval culture serve as a way of trying to understand what, exactly, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s all about. Novellie is a huge, beaming bear of a man, and the show moves from â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;hereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s why Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m weirdâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; to â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;hereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s why weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re all weirdâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; almost imperceptibly, and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s clear from his flawlessly bumbling delivery that not a word is wasted. (Dave Coates) Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 30 Aug, 9.30pm, ÂŁ8.50â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ10 (ÂŁ7.50â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ9).

Pun-Manâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Pun Party OOOOO Yes, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s shambolic. Yes, there are groans mixed in with the laughs, but somehow it all works. Leo Kearseâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s claim that he

can pun on any subject is demonstrably false, but the sheer number of them ensures enough hits to outweigh the misses. Despite claiming to eschew observational material, he sprinkles it among the one-liners and, with an extended bit about trains, manages to be improbably hilarious about a mundane topic. (Suzanne Black) Frankenstein Pub, 226 0000, until 30 Aug (not 24), 8.30pm, free.

Rhys James: Remains OOOOO

Another semi-laddish comedian with the right amount of sensitivity in his armoury, James cracks wisely about the real meaning behind some clothing brands, why comedians are just as brave as firefighters and the pain and struggle he hasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t experienced on the way to playing a sweaty container like this. A film which neatly references almost every routine in the show draws matters to a close. Charming but a little forgettable.

(Brian Donaldson) Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 30 Aug, 4.45pm, ÂŁ8â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ11 (ÂŁ7â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ9.50).

Rodney Bewes: Whatever Happened To The Likely Lad? OOOOO The artist formerly known as

half of The Likely Lads brings us an autobiographical one-man show. Heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s an impish raconteur, clearly delighted to be back on stage and meanders, glass of red wine in hand, through tales of his Yorkshire childhood to Hollywood, with starry stories of luvvie encounters with Sir Alec Guinness, Laurence Olivier and Raquel Welsh. (Claire Sawers) Assembly Rooms, 0844 693 3008, until 30 Aug, 4pm, ÂŁ10 (ÂŁ9).

Sean Mcloughlin: Whatever It Takes OOOOO Quite how this

wild-eyed comedy loon is not a bigger name remains something of a mystery.

McLoughlin has passion, jokes and a (often scary) presence on his side and here puts it all to expert use for his own story which starts by retelling his forced relocation from Brighton and ends with a collapse in faith. And thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a terrifically bad Borat impression halfway through.

(Brian Donaldson) Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 30 Aug, 8.15pm, ÂŁ8.50â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ9.50 (ÂŁ8â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ9).

Sofie Hagen: Bubblewrap OOOOO

The Danish comedian introduces this as a â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;personal showâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; and sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not kidding. Over the hour, she covers stories of urophilia, self-harming, petty theft and depression, yet itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a testament to her bubbly disposition that this is an unwaveringly upbeat, if not hilarious show. Whether sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fantasising about having sex with Westlife or imagining a gay tryst between its members, every time Hagen reaches for her book of stories the audienceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s enthusiasm for the

out with McCabe sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d probably lead you astray. In a show that recognises cigarettes, alcohol, drugs, gambling and even certain foods as vices, sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s adept at describing their enjoyment. Sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s brilliant when angry, whether it be about her wife pausing the news or her brotherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s blatant cheating at Subbuteo and her impassioned rants make for hilarious delivery.

(Rowena McIntosh) The Stand 4, 558 7272, until 30 Aug, 7.10pm, ÂŁ8 (ÂŁ7).

Tats Nkonzo: The African With Wifi OOOOO From the very second he

comes on stage Nkonzo is entertaining.

Smiling and interacting with the audience in between songs, he serenades girls with an excellent singing voice. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t worry, there are jokes as well, his material all about drawing attention to our preconceptions about Africa. Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s nothing extraordinary in the subject matter, but itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s nice to see it done with a fresh approach and the style which he performs is captivating. (Graeme Connelly) Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 31 Aug, 9.30pm, ÂŁ8â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ10.50 (ÂŁ7â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ9.50).

Tom Neenan: The Andromeda Paradox OOOOO Previously one half of the

Gentlemen of Leisure alongside Nish Kumar, Neenan gave us a spooky tale last year, and for 2015 heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s dipped ostensibly into sci-fi for an enjoyable romp about a boffin son escaping his pioneering fatherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lengthy shadow. Neenan expertly embodies his many characters as evidence of potential alien lifeforms kicks off a comedic mystery. (Brian Donaldson) Pleasance Dome, 556 6550, until 31 Aug, 6.40pm, ÂŁ8â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ10 (ÂŁ7â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ9).

Twisted Loaf Present Stale Mate OOOOO If last yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s show was Half Baked,

this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s is fully fried. Like French and Saunders after some bad acid, Nina Smith and Libby Northedge delight in the strangeness of their character comedy, but the audience isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t always so enthralled.

The bared boobs, pregnant pauses and deliberately awkward audience interactions canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t float the show through weaker moments and when itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s bad, it gets pretty painful. (Claire Sawers) Just the Tonic at The Caves, 0330 220 1212, until 29 Aug, 5pm, ÂŁ8 (ÂŁ7).

Will Mars: Outspoken White Guy OOOOO This is an hour of unpleasant, often

offensive material, most of which Mars has used in previous shows. He attempts to make jokes about race and gender that reveal how unprejudiced he is but the rest of the material gives the opposite impression. What is meant to be a barnstorming crescendo â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a monologue about relationships â&#x20AC;&#x201C; elicits a weak response. He implies that this is character comedy, an ironic persona, but nothing in the material or the delivery bears this out. (Suzanne Black) Laughing Horse @ City CafĂŠ, 220 0125, until 30 Aug, 6.45pm, free.

20â&#x20AC;&#x201C;31 Aug 2015 THE LIST FESTIVAL 53

The world famous circus trailblazers return to

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;rob you of your breathâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;!

The Times

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Mind-blowingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; d bo g ThreeWeeks

A show that mixes spectacle and storytelling.

The Guardian

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54 THE LIST FESTIVAL 20â&#x20AC;&#x201C;31 Aug 2015

Festival

DANCE

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For m info gootroe

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BALLETT ZĂ&#x153;RICH

PHOTO Š JUDITH SCHLOSSER

The past meets the present in this exciting double-bill from Switzerland The inspiration may be old, but the double-bill Ballett ZĂźrich is bringing to the International Festival couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be more forward-looking.

Kairos, by choreographer Wayne McGregor, is set to Vivaldiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 18th-century work The Four Seasons â&#x20AC;&#x201C; but itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Max Richterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 2014 â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;recompositionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; of the concertos weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be hearing.

Meanwhile, Ballett ZĂźrichâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s artistic director Christian Spuck chose four of Shakespeareâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sonnets, written in the late 16th-century, for his piece Sonnett. Their delivery, however, is far from traditional, with a female actor dressed as Shakespeare speaking the words, while dancers move around her to a soundtrack by minimalist composer Philip Glass.

Spuck commissioned McGregor to make Kairos specially for his company, and was

more than happy with the result. â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Wayne draws you into a completely different world,â&#x20AC;&#x2122; he says. â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;And for each movement in the music, he creates different images on stage. I think itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a fabulous piece and Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m immensely proud to present it at the Edinburgh International Festival.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; As for his own piece, Spuck isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t trying to act out the sonnetsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; text on stage â&#x20AC;&#x201C; more capture the flavour of them. â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Shakespeareâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sonnets are some of the most beautiful love poetry Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve ever read,â&#x20AC;&#x2122; he says. â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;But there are also lots of question marks surrounding them, theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re very mysterious â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s what the piece is about, those question marks.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; (Kelly Apter) Q Playhouse, 473 2000, 27â&#x20AC;&#x201C;29 Aug, 7.30pm, ÂŁ10â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ32.

20â&#x20AC;&#x201C;31 Aug 2015 THE LIST FESTIVAL 55

FESTIVAL DANCE | Hitlist

DANCE HITLIST Kelly Apter highlights some of the best dance, circus and physical theatre in week three of the festival BALLETT ZĂ&#x153;RICH An exciting double-bill from the acclaimed Swiss company, featuring works by Christian Spuck and Wayne McGregor. See preview, page 55.

Playhouse, 473 2000, 27â&#x20AC;&#x201C;29 Aug, 7.30pm, ÂŁ10â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ32.

BARBU If you want to end the day with a smile on your face, head to the Circus Hub for an unforgettable night of â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;electro trad cabaretâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; from Canada. Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be glad you did. Underbellyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Circus Hub, 0844 545 8252, until 29 Aug, 9.50pm, ÂŁ17.50â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ18.50 (ÂŁ16.50â&#x20AC;&#x201C; ÂŁ17.50).

PARADISE LOST (LIES UNOPENED BEFORE ME) Lost Dog dance theatre company dive inside Miltonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s epic poem, Paradise Lost and re-emerge with a captivating five star show. See review, page 58.

Summerhall, 560 1581, until 30 Aug (not 24), 2.40pm, ÂŁ12 (ÂŁ10).

OCKHAMâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S RAZOR: ARC AND EVERY ACTION

BARBU

Funny, moving and dramatic, this superb double-bill from UK aerial company, Ockhamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Razor is one of the Hubâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s best shows. See review, page 57. Underbellyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Circus Hub, 0844 545 8252, until 26 Aug (not 20), 1.25pm, ÂŁ15.50 (ÂŁ14.50).

CLOSE UP Get close to the action, the people and the skill, in this pared back but no less exciting offering from excellent Australian company, Circa. See review at list.co.uk/festival Underbelly George Square, 0844 545 8252, until 31 Aug (not 25), 8pm, ÂŁ17â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ18 (ÂŁ16â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ17).

4X4 EPHEMERAL ARCHITECTURES Four classical ballet dancers meet four highly skilled jugglers in this five-star show from Gandini Juggling. See review at list.co.uk/festival Assembly George Square Theatre, 623 3030, until 30 Aug (not 25), 5.30pm, ÂŁ14â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ16 (ÂŁ12â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ14).

HOTEL PARADISO Inspired by Fawlty Towers, this stunning mask show from Berlinbased Familie FlĂśz is a Fringe must-see. Pleasance Courtyard,

556 6550, until 31 Aug, 3.15pm, ÂŁ12 (ÂŁ11).

VERTICAL INFLUENCES Canadaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Le Patin Libre prove thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s more than one way to stage

an ice show, in this stunning display of contemporary dance. See review at list.co.uk/festival Assembly at Murrayfield Ice Rink, 623 3030, 23, 28 & 29 Aug, times vary, ÂŁ15 (ÂŁ12).

ZOO southside

56 THE LIST FESTIVAL 20â&#x20AC;&#x201C;31 Aug 2015

Reviews | FESTIVAL DANCE

PHOTO ŠRICHARD DAVENPORT

list.co.uk/festival

DANZA DEL CARIBE: ITARA Vivid Afro-Caribbean modern dance ritual OOOOO

OCKHAMâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S RAZOR: ARC AND EVERY ACTION

FEAST Clout plays with our relationship to food OOOOO

Stylish storytelling and stunning circus OOOOO The umbrella title for this collage of three dances from Cubaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Danza del Caribe translates from the West African Yoruba language as â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;burning desireâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;.

The company specialises in a fusion of styles, principally Afro-Caribbean and modern dance. It helps that the music is played live, though less beneficial is the limited performance area â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the dancers deserve more breathing room. Without space to expand, the work can come across a mite sloppy and kitsch, when whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s probably meant to be conveyed is a meaty vibrance.

The opening section is a fertility dance by Caribeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s founder, Eduardo Rivera. The castâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s torsos are notably undulant and they sport fierce expressions.

Luz (light), by principal dancer Eduardo Salas Borrero, features movement that is by turns adagio, gymnastic and marked by more than a hint of primitivism. Los Elementos, by Australian-born company member Mina Waks, taps into cultural traditions reflecting the Santeria religion. Here the dancing is carnal and carnivalesque and, at the climax, briefly accompanied by flames. Danza del Caribe may not light a blazing fire in your soul, but theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll keep your attention. (Donald Hutera) Q Assembly Roxy, 623 3030, until 31 Aug (not 24), 5pm, ÂŁ12â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ14 (ÂŁ11â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ13).

London-based Ockhamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Razor may be one of a growing crop of UK circus companies, but you wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t find a cloud swing or a trapeze in one of their shows â&#x20AC;&#x201C; at least not as youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d recognise it. Instead the group creates custom-built equipment to bring out daring and play.

In Arc, a giant metal grill is used as a life raft for three performers cast adrift. At first their games are cautious, mirroring and pleasing one another. But inevitably threeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a crowd, and when relationships bloom someone has to be odd man out. The clever thing here is the way the company uses narrative to trigger the gasp factor we expect from circus â&#x20AC;&#x201C; but the less said about that the better the surprises.

Every Action is pure delight; four people, one enormous rope and a pulley. The best moments are the problem-solving ones, and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s nice to see another of circusâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s classic elements â&#x20AC;&#x201C; clown â&#x20AC;&#x201C; hinted at through hapless scrapes.

In each piece, clean visuals and a clear sense of purpose leaves room for the mediumâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s tricksy side to be just the icing on the cake. (Lucy Ribchester) Q Underbellyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Circus Hub, 0844 545 8252, until 26 Aug (not 20), 1.25pm, ÂŁ14.50â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ15.50 (ÂŁ13.50â&#x20AC;&#x201C; ÂŁ14.50).

Well, clearly someoneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mother never told them not to play with their food. By the end of Clout Theatreâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hour-long riot of macabre buffoonery, involving breakfast, lunch and dinner, you are genuinely pitying the person who has to clean it all up afterwards. But that is to jump ahead, and this three-course piece from the Lecoq-trained absurdist troupe really, despite its filth, is worth savouring.

The banquet gets off to a slow start. Three figures dressed in nappies, hands bandaged like penitent dunces, grub about in mud. They donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t seem to know who they or each other are: all they know is that the three pieces of cutlery â&#x20AC;&#x201C; one each â&#x20AC;&#x201C; are to be worshipped.

Through characters who are part-toddler, partrenaissance fools, FEAST examines what happens when idiots such as humans are confronted with food in abundance. When it ceases to be a means to survive, hunger gives way to abuse, comprising shame, humiliation, indulgence, complacency, pretentions and fetishisation. It might all look bizarre but itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s probably no more silly than the latest diet fad website or an episode of Man v Food.

(Lucy Ribchester) Q ZOO, 662 6892, until 31 Aug (not 21), 3.55pm, ÂŁ10 (ÂŁ8).

BALLETRONIC

OOOOO

Ballet-fusion show from Cuba is not quite the sum of its parts What do you get when you take fantastic dancers, vibrant costumes, a great band and one outstanding violinist? In the case of Balletronic, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not quite certain.

This show from Ballet RevoluciĂłn (based in Cuba but with an international production team) has all the ingredients for a flashy, glitzy celebration of electro-ballet-meets-contemporary dance, with an 11-piece live band and a Cuban-flavoured score. But something hasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t come together here.

The show opens with a dreamlike encounter between a man in black, a woman in purple and a white violin. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s an arresting visual idea, but whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s its purpose? Are we supposed to feel drawn into a narrative between the pair of lovers? Has he dreamed her, or vice-versa? This feeling of half a story that isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t quite communicating itself keeps coming back throughout Balletronic. The violin duo sometimes returns, along with a few visual motifs of covering the eyes or being restrained. But so do random pairings, ensemble pieces that donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have any link to the scene before, and a bizarre seduction sequence.

Of course, dance doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t need to have narrative, or a theme, or even a set of ideas to process. It can be there for the sake of showing off and entertaining us. But if thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the case, the choreography needs to be gaspingly flashy or intriguing, and above all watertight, and thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s just not the case here.

The saving grace is the quality of the ensemble â&#x20AC;&#x201C; both dancers and musicians. Violinist Jelien Baso Miranda, vocalist Luna Manzanares Nardo and percussionist Yaimi Karell Lay stand out, but the whole musical team is excellent. And Jenny Sosa Martinez and Wuilleys Estacholi Silveiraâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s airy chiffon-veiled duet is beautiful. (Lucy Ribchester) Q Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 31 Aug (not 24), 9.30pm, ÂŁ14.50â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ16.50 (ÂŁ12â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ14).

20â&#x20AC;&#x201C;31 Aug 2015 THE LIST FESTIVAL 57

FESTIVAL DANCE | Reviews

PARADISE LOST (LIES UNOPENED BESIDE ME) Brilliant dance theatre ode to the clumsy and crushing art of creation OOOOO

PHOTO Š MATT LONCAR

PHOTO Š ZOE MANDERS

For many a graduate of English literature, the idea of anything based on Paradise Lost sends shivers up the spine. It seems outrageously ambitious to turn it into a work of contemporary dance theatre. But there isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t a scrap of arrogance here, and Lost Dogâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s one-man piece distils Miltonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lofty, allusion-packed poem into beautiful parcels of everyday life with intelligence and huge compassion for anyone who has ever tried to create anything.

Throughout the show, performer (and creator) Ben Duke gets under the skin of this bizarre human urge, giving us God and Lucifer the home-makers, sharing the anxieties of parenthood, and tenderly sending up the way we embellish ourselves when faced with someone we want to impress. His God starts out with all the clumsiness of the optimist, an innocent who has never known failure when he bustles about the stage thumping together heaven like bits of clay. Later, his take on establishing flawed humans through a well-meaning Adam, who ruins his own entry dance, is brilliantly heartwarming.

If this makes it all sound too gentle and whimsical, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not.

By humanising God, Duke offers us a mirror to our own failures when it all goes wrong. He gives us the chance to collude in creation too, inviting us to use our imagination when chickpeas fall from the sky in lieu of boulders, and by the time he builds to a sobering climax â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the vision of Adam and Eveâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s future blending with contemporary allusions â&#x20AC;&#x201C; you can see it, and it is crushing.

The scale of Dukeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ideas is overwhelming, yet he sews them together so deftly you could be listening to a friend tell an anecdote; it is a remarkable piece and makes Miltonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s tale feel more immediately relevant than a literature lecture ever could.

(Lucy Ribchester) Q Summerhall, 560 1581, until 30 Aug (not 24), 2.40pm, ÂŁ12 (ÂŁ10).

360 ALLSTARS

PROJECT HAHA

Kâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;RD STRIP

Hit urban circus puts all-male spin on all things round OOOOO

Disappointing show from absurdist troupe OOOOO

Evocative and original cabaret-plus from Maoriâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s gay community OOOOO

Rotation is the name of the game in a sporty production that brings together athletes, acrobats, dancers and musicians. Directed by the Australian percussionist Gene Peterson, the slick package is billed as urban circus. Accurate, given that itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a chance for hip hop culture to rub shoulders with Big Top skills. Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s more, as a piece of uncomplicated popular entertainment for all ages it seems to work a treat, with a full house responding enthusiastically to all that was on offer.

Just about everything in the show has something to do with roundness, whether itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the oversized Cyr wheel inside which Australiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Rhys Miller spins; the globe-like objects deftly manipulated by Americaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Basketball Man (yup, thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s his name); the head pirouettes and full-bodied floor work of Kareem and Leerock, b-boys who respectively hail from America and New Zealand; the tyres upon which the Hungarian BMX Flatlander champ Peter Sore executes his tricks. The rapport between the men is pleasantly palpable, although it might have been interesting to see at least one or two women invited into this all-male preserve. (Donald Hutera)Â Q Assembly Hall, 623 3030, until 31 Aug, 4.15pm, ÂŁ15â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ16 (ÂŁ13â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ14).

Remote Controlâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s last offering at the Fringe, La Donna è Mobile, was definitely a Marmite piece.

But even though that haphazard take on femininity and madness divided audiences, there was no denying its originality. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a shame then that in their second work, rather than building on the strength of their imaginations and harnessing that with a bit of direction, the group has chosen to do the opposite.

Project HaHa starts promisingly. A woman dressed in yellow, blissfully content, starts a sequence of whispers around the audience. â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re in the best seat,â&#x20AC;&#x2122; she tells each of us. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s an invitation to smugness, an indicator that whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s to come might be a spiky dissection of the dark side of happiness. Instead we get her swirling about the set murmuring â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;coolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, while another woman slides on the floor â&#x20AC;&#x201C; handily dressed in black in case we were in any doubt as to what she might represent.

Eventually the pair pop coloured pills and zone out.

Everything feels slow and meandering, and short on material. The final ten minutes have more visual intrigue, but not enough to rescue the piece from its determination to be weird whatever the cost.

(Lucy Ribchester) Q Summerhall, 560 1581, until 30 Aug (not 24), 7.50pm, ÂŁ10 (ÂŁ8).

Performed by six Maori gay men, this production from New Zealandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Okareka Dance Company is genuinely original. Although placed in the Fringeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s cabaret section, the mix of song and dance routines, scripted and spoken word text and an emphasis on characterisation means the show wouldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been suitable almost anywhere except comedy. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not to say that the performance doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t evince a sense of humour, but it also carries its weight as an unconventional theatrical drama.

The title is a reference to Karangahape Road, an avenue in Auckland infamous since the early 1970s as a hang-out for misfits. The cast play an assortment of characters, from hookers and victims to a homeless person. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a landscape of loneliness, quick violence and fleeting connections. From this central location the performers branch out into music and dance, notably featuring the glaring eyes and extended tongues of haka culture as well as pleasing vocals. Most amusingly, they also pretend to be preening birds in search of sexual fulfillment.

The overall result is somewhat rough round the edges, but all the better for it. (Donald Hutera) Q Assembly Roxy, 623 3030, until 31 Aug, 6.40pm, ÂŁ14â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ15 (ÂŁ13â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ14).

58 THE LIST FESTIVAL 20â&#x20AC;&#x201C;31 Aug 2015

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Find out whoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s performing this year 07-31 August 2015

edfringe.com

60 THE LIST FESTIVAL 20â&#x20AC;&#x201C;31 Aug 2015

Festival

MUSIC KIDS

For m info gootroe

LIST.CO.UK /FESTIVAL

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Here, once again, theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve taken Donaldsonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s work and run with it, by adapting her book about Harry Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Hay, a scarecrow who goes on a mission to find items that will make his wedding to Betty Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Barley a perfect day.

James Buttonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s set is visually interesting,

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Muireann Bird and Edward Day as ommolor Orest earuptasita voles the scarecrow couple story necerum fugit offi ctemtell et,their omnim diawith doluptat clarity and faccum eat.warmth, infusing it with a sense ofTemos gentleex romance and wide-eyed adventure et harum quid et re, sequo et, as Harrypeliqua sets offeriamusapedi looking for a ate necklace of sequae volumquis shells and a bunch flowers.quassitate Paul Brendan eosRorrorent ut queofesequos is both the kindly farmer and Reginald Rake, parumquam illiciant acesequam rem reperume the scarecrow lothario whose armchair turns into a sports car, and together the cast sing gentle songs and deliver Donaldsonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s typically rhyming text in a fashion which silences their large audience in wonder. (David Pollock) Q Underbelly George Square, 0844 545 8252, until 31 Aug, 2.50pm, ÂŁ10â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ11 (ÂŁ9â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ10). OOOOO

THE SCARECROWSâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; WEDDING

PHOTO Š STEVE ULLATHORNE

First-rate Scamp Theatre adaptation of Julia Donaldson book

13â&#x20AC;&#x201C;20 Aug 2015 THE LIST FESTIVAL 61 20â&#x20AC;&#x201C;31

FESTIVAL KIDS | Hitlist

KIDS HITLIST Kelly Apter highlights some of the best kidsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; shows to check out in week three of the Fringe THE SCARECROWSâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; WEDDING Fringe favourites Scamp Theatre adapt another of Julia Donaldsonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s popular picture books, with suitably fun results.

See review, page 61. Underbelly, George Square, 0844 545 8252, until 31 Aug, 2.50pm, ÂŁ10â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ11 (ÂŁ9â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ10).

THE OVERCOAT A young girl finds unexpected adventure through a piece of thread, in this visually engaging show from Korean company Brush Theatre. See review, page 64. Summerhall, 560 1581, until 30 Aug, 9.45am, ÂŁ9 (ÂŁ5).

The Overcoat

childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s authors comes to the Fringe, with this enjoyable mix of storytelling and theatre featuring six of her bestloved tales. See review, page 64.

Underbelly George Square, 0844 545 8252, until 31 Aug, 11.30am, ÂŁ10â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ11 (ÂŁ9â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ10).

THE MARVELLOUS IMAGINARY MENAGERIE Award-winning theatre company Les Enfants Terribles takes you back in time to the world of circus sideshows, in this show thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s jam-packed with fantastical nonsense. See review, page 63. Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 31 Aug, 11am, ÂŁ9.50â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ13 (ÂŁ8â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ12.50).

ALFIE WHITE: SPACE EXPLORER Highly regarded childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s theatre company Tall Stories delivers a fun, dynamic and moving tale about a young boy searching for his father.

See review, page 64. Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 30 Aug, 2.05pm, ÂŁ8â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ10 (ÂŁ7â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ9).

MRS MCMOONâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S TEA PARTY Talented young comic actor Katie Cooper plays a cast of fun characters, who keep stealing poor old Mrs McMoonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s biscuits in this enjoyable show for little ones. See review, page 63. Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 23 Aug, 12.15pm, ÂŁ8â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ8.50 (ÂŁ7â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ7.50).

GRUFFALOS, LADYBIRDS AND OTHER BEASTS â&#x20AC;&#x201C; WITH JULIA DONALDSON One of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most popular

THE MAGIC PORRIDGE POT AND OTHER TASTY TALES Three great tales from the always wonderful Theatre of Widdershins,

including The Magic Porridge Pot and The Gingerbread Man. See review at list.co.uk/festival Scottish

Storytelling Centre, 556 9579, until 30 Aug, 1pm, ÂŁ9 (ÂŁ7); family ticket ÂŁ28.

!

Superhero Tommy Foggo and his cello Destino embark on an epic, interactive musical adventure. Brought to you by award-winning composer and writer Stephen Deazley and Martin Riley and Join in the fun on international cellist, Tuesday 25, Thursday 27 singer and actor, and Saturday 29 August at 11am.

Matthew Sharp.

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TICKETS ÂŁ12, CONCESSIONS ÂŁ10 (includes juice and mufďŹ n after the show!) available on the door or in advance from: FRINGE BOX OFFICE 0131 226 0000 www.edfringe.com

ROSL ARTS VENUE 19 0131 225 1501 www.rosl.org.uk

62 THE LIST FESTIVAL 20â&#x20AC;&#x201C;31 Aug 2015

Reviews | FESTIVAL KIDS

LINAANDTOM.COM

list.co.uk/festival

MRS MCMOONâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S TEA PARTY

VAGABOND

THE PIPER

Homely one-woman physical comedy OOOOO

Colourful classic clowns in need of energy OOOOO

Participatory modern take on the folk tale OOOOO

If you can get your head around the slightly ropey accent, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll find that Mrs McMoon is a homely Scottish granny who invites us into her kitchen while she makes some lovely biscuits . . . makes them and makes them, for something keeps going wrong. Sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s played by Katie Cooper, an exuberant young comedy actor who has a particular way with kids and an even better one with an ad-lib when they shout out something odd. She potters and fusses, then nips out for a second while someone inevitably comes in and scoffs the lot (bearded Gilbert and his cheeky chipmunk, her snooty sister Jill, her huffy granddaughter Rosy).

Each of these characters is played with a quick and inventive costume change by Cooper, and the sense of believability of each â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;newâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; face popping through the window in the impressive homemade set seems to keep the audience (especially those around the older pre-school age) enthralled. Our hostâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s storytelling is clear and filled with physical action that carries us along nicely with a bit of cute hand puppetry and a hilarious tableau where she crams every biscuit on the plate into her mouth.

(David Pollock) Q Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 23 Aug, 12.15pm, ÂŁ8â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ8.50 (ÂŁ7â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ7.50).

Some things are best left to tradition. It seems company Triciclo Rojo from Mexico stood by this maxim when creating Vagabond. Their clowns are classic: red-nosed, white-faced, pink-cheeked, all stripy tights and mismatching colours, getting themselves into scrapes when tasked with the simplest of things.

The three Vagabonds of the title squabble and fight to protect a precious luminous dandelion head found in a dustbin. Through storms and sea voyages they travel, sometimes cooperating with each other, sometimes at loggerheads.

There are some magical moments and sweet jokes, such as fighting a duel with a ladle. But a clown show is the only kind of movement piece where the choreography can feel too precise, and here the slapstick feels so cautious that there is never really a sense of calamity. Not that we would want to see someone hurt, but when clowns collide you do want a bit of crash-bang-wobble.

Still, the palette of colours, the graphics, the simple set and the costumes are so lovely that this could be an engaging show for introducing very wee ones to the theatre. (Lucy Ribchester) Q New Town Theatre, 220 0143, until 30 Aug, 11am, ÂŁ12 (ÂŁ9).

If your child isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t content to sit in the audience and would rather be on stage taking part, The Piperâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s got you covered. People with â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;onstageâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; tickets (see underbellyedinburgh.co.uk/thepiper for details) get to participate in the show, with a set of wireless headphones that tell them what to do.

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a lovely idea thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s well-executed in this adaptation of folk tale The Pied Piper of Hamelin from Australian theatre company My Darling Patricia. In the show, Hamelin starts out as a beautiful forest thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s cut down to make way for a bustling city. Over time, Hamelin city develops a garbage problem, and the rats come flooding in.

Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll know what comes next; but seeing these children and their parents in the roles for the day gives the legend a freshness. Yet, despite an energetic start and some lovely visuals, The Piper gets a bit slow in the middle and doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t quite pick up the pace again until the end (when the usually morose tale concludes on a surprisingly joyous and colourful note). Still, its best moments are a lot of fun, and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a great chance to participate in a Fringe show if you can snap up some onstage tickets.

(Yasmin Sulaiman) Q Underbelly Potterow, 0844 545 8252, until 31 Aug (not 24), 10.30am, ÂŁ12â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ14 (ÂŁ8â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ10).

THE MARVELLOUS IMAGINARY MENAGERIE

PAUL BLAKEMORE

Sideshow capers deliver another hit for Les Enfants Terribles OOOOO A trip to the zoo is all very well, but youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re unlikely to find anything there you havenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t seen before. Far better to pay a visit to Dr Longitudeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Marvellous Imaginary Menagerieâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, where youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll encounter all manner of strange creatures â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s just the humans working there.

Known for its highly physical approach to storytelling, Les Enfants Terribles (an English theatre company, despite its name) has dreamt up a vaudevillian circus sideshow bursting with lesser-known curiosities from the animal kingdom.

But before we meet them, the dynamic team of five talented performers takes us on a journey, back in time to before Dr Longitude was born. There, we meet his father (played by a member of the audience, so watch out dads) who starts the menagerie his son will one day inherit.

Watching Dr Longitude Jr and his assistants populate his menagerie is great fun. Off they journey, into the wilderness to bring back a Long-snouted Chuffalump, Bumble Wasp, Whistling Pank and the hard to locate Decapus among others. Each creature comes with its own adventure, with a range of bizarre props used to tell the tale of its capture.

The set, costumes and heavy make-up all conjure up the atmosphere of a Victorian travelling show, and as we become absorbed in this ridiculous but hugely enjoyable story, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s as if weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve entered a different era.

At first, the action, dialogue and song is so quick-fire (and often in rhyme) itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s tricky to keep up. But before long, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve entered their colourful world of crazy hats and animal masks, and canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t wait for the next adventure the charming, but slightly inept, doctor will take us on. (Kelly Apter) Q Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 31 Aug, 11am, ÂŁ9.50â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ13 (ÂŁ8â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ12.50).

20â&#x20AC;&#x201C;31 Aug 2015 THE LIST FESTIVAL 63

FESTIVAL KIDS | Reviews

ALFIE WHITE: SPACE EXPLORER Richly crafted, sparkily delivered fable for the whole family OOOOO

STEVE ULLATHORNE

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a clever trick, setting a kidsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; show in the late 1960s. The children get all the magic of an unfamiliar era, while the parents get a good dose of nostalgia. Tall Stories also has a fantastic ready-made soundtrack at its disposal, with everything from Miles Davis to the Beatles.

But these arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t the only â&#x20AC;&#x201C; or even the main â&#x20AC;&#x201C; reasons this show is so great. The company has devised a lively and tender tale about a boy who makes up his own tall story to get the bullies off his back about where his father is. Edward White, Alfie tells us, was the first man to walk in space. Sure enough it gains him respect for a while but is a story that ultimately backfires, and if you know your space history, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll already know why.

Coming clean about the lie, Alfie then embarks on a detective hunt with his plucky new friend Meg, leading him to discover the truth about his father, and also that the skies arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t the only place stars can be found.

Jordan Turner is an adorable Alfie, gutsy and awkward and beautifully expressive, while Lucy Tuck â&#x20AC;&#x201C; playing all the other parts, from Meg to nose-picker Stan, to a gate post, stairs, a see-saw and a dog â&#x20AC;&#x201C; is absolutely outstanding. A natural physical storyteller and comedian, the detail she injects into each character, along with her comic timing and energy, lifts what is already a jolly good yarn to even greater heights.

There is so much to love about this production, not least the inventive use of records as masks and Bek Palmerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s creative set, that it is tempting to recommend it for an antidote to a rainy day whether or not you have children to bring along.

(Lucy Ribchester) Q Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 30 Aug, 2.05pm, ÂŁ8â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ10 (ÂŁ7â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ9).

GRUFFALOS, LADYBIRDS AND OTHER BEASTS â&#x20AC;&#x201C; WITH JULIA DONALDSON

ALI MCGREGORâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S JAZZAMATAZZ!

THE OVERCOAT

Jazz beats and family-friendly tunes OOOOO

Clever digital fun from South Korean OOOOO

Author tells her most famous stories OOOOO

Before McGregor has even taken to the stage, little ones are scurrying around the floor, hips swaying to the jazz beats of her superb backing band. On arrival, dressed up to the nines, the Australian vocalist introduces her two side-kicks for the hour â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a dance duo, there to encourage everyone to join in.

Giving children their first flavour of cabaret, McGregor works her way through a series of familyfriendly songs. Playgroup standards like â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;If Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re Happy and You Know Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; are given a jazzy flavour, while a cover of Bjorkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Oh So Quietâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; has children pretending to sleep then leaping back up excitedly for the chorus.

If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve ever been to a toddler group or preschool music class, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll recognise the dynamic here straight away. Some parents concentrate on their children, dancing by their side and following McGregorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s instructions. Others grab the opportunity for adult company, chatting to friends while the children are occupied. It makes for a strange atmosphere, but in the centre of it all is McGregor with her beautiful voice and witty charm.

Those who make the most of her are the clear winners. (Kelly Apter) Q Assembly George Square, 623 3030, until 30 Aug (not 24 & 25), 11.10am, ÂŁ6â&#x20AC;&#x201C;8.

A child not wanting their parent to go to work will be a recognisable scenario for many in the audience.

But when young Jenny tugs on her fatherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s overcoat as he walks out the door, something magical starts to happen. A loose thread pulls away, and as she sits there playing with it, an adventure unfolds.

The canvas tent, built by Jenny and her father before he leaves, becomes the backdrop for a series of clever projections. As the little girlâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s vivid imagination runs wild, she finds herself escaping a spider, swimming under the ocean, bouncing on top of a wave and trying to escape a colourful woolly monster.

What at first seems lo-fi, homespun and lacking direction soon becomes a touching, funny and highly imaginative show which entertains everyone, young and not-so young. South Korean outfit Brush Theatre LLC is the team behind popular 2014 show, Brush (which has returned for this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Fringe) and The Overcoat builds on their reputation for using visual art to theatrical effect.

Before the show starts, Jenny and her father tie a small piece of thread around all our wrists â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a gentle reminder of a charming show. (Kelly Apter) Q Summerhall, 560 1581, until 30 Aug, 9.45am, ÂŁ9 (ÂŁ5).

Continuing their long association with the creator of The Gruffalo, Julia Donaldson, Scamp Theatre (whose adaptation of Donaldsonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s The Scarecrowsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Wedding is also at the Fringe this year) present a very different anthology of the prolific writerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s work. Performed in person by Donaldson with her husband Malcolm, sister Mary and actors Joanna Hutt and James Huntington, the stories are read and acted out with warmth and humour.

Donaldson is a better storyteller than a performer, but in her have-a-go attitude â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and particularly that of Malcolm, a kind of eager comedy foil who seems unafraid of mucking in â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the piece finds much of its heart. The moveable library around them proves versatile as a set, and the different tone and style of each story holds the interest of a full tent.

Jack and the Flumflum Tree and What the Ladybird Heard feature, as well as the cheery musical version of A Squash and a Squeeze and an interactive Zog. The finale of The Gruffalo is the big hit, inevitably, with most children eagerly joining in with his tale. (David Pollock) Q Underbelly George Square, 0844 545 8252, until 31 Aug, 11.30am, ÂŁ10â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ11 (ÂŁ9â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ10).

64 THE LIST FESTIVAL 20â&#x20AC;&#x201C;31 Aug 2015

Festival

MUSIC

For m info gootroe

LIST.CO.UK /FESTIVAL

SUFJAN STEVENS

PHOTO Š EMMANUEL AFOLABI

The elusive musician appears at the Edinburgh International Festival as part of a UK tour From electronic concept albums about the Chinese zodiac cycle to rap collaborations, Christmas music and ballet scores, Sufjan Stevens has never shied from operating at the fringes of the unorthodox and opaque.

This year saw Detroit-born Stevens return with album number seven, Carrie & Lowell, an existential meditation on â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;life and death, love and loss, and the artistâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s struggle to make sense of the beauty and ugliness of loveâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, as he sought to come to terms with the recent loss of his mother (who, along with his stepfather, the record is named after).

A return to ascetic instrumentation and Stevensâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; folk roots seemed apposite

considering the emotive themes of the album (the refrain of â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re all going to dieâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; features at one point), with the feeling of catharsis poised on a razor-thin tipping point against that of despair throughout. One of the many popular music artists to be included as part of this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Edinburgh International Festival, Stevensâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; rare European tour schedule over the past decade has always him marked as a â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;must seeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. But even for such an inexplicable and perpetually engrossing innovator, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s this current chapter of his career which feels unmissable. (Graeme Campbell).

Q Playhouse, 473 2000, 30 Aug, 8pm, ÂŁ20â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ30 (ÂŁ10â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ15), sold out.

20â&#x20AC;&#x201C;31 Aug 2015 THE LIST FESTIVAL 65

FESTIVAL MUSIC | Hitlist

MUSIC HITLIST Kirstyn Smith picks out some of the best musical events at the Fringe PALE IMITATION FESTIVAL Song, by Toad handpick a selection of the best Scottish indie acts, including Eagleowl, Adam Stafford, Supermoon and a Night Records showcase. See preview, page 71. Henryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Cellar Bar, 629 4101, until 29 Aug, times and prices vary.

CRAP MUSIC RAVE PARTY Anarchic DJ TomĂĄs Ford accepts any and all suggestions, as long as theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re rubbish. See preview, page 71.

Just the Tonic at The Community Project, 0330 220 1212, until 30 Aug (not 24 & 25), midnight, ÂŁ6 (ÂŁ5).

LANG LANG Young Chinese virtuoso Lang Lang has become one of the most famous pianists in the world and has reportedly inspired over 40 million Chinese children to take up the instrument. Usher Hall, 473 2000, 21 Aug, 8pm, ÂŁ26â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ46 (ÂŁ13â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ23).

ANTONIO FORCIONE & ADRIANO ADEWALE The award-winning Italian acoustic guitar virtuoso and the Brazilian

Alexi Murdoch

percussionist blend soul-jazz and flamenco guitar with African and Latin rhythms. See preview, page 68. Assembly George Square, 623 3030, 23â&#x20AC;&#x201C;30 Aug, 8pm, ÂŁ14â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ15 (ÂŁ13â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ14).

MAX RICHTER Contemporary classical mixed with indie pop from Richter, renowned for his remix of Vivaldiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Four Seasons. Playhouse, 473 2000, 24 Aug, 8pm, ÂŁ10â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ32 (ÂŁ5â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ16).

HOT DUB TIME MACHINE Party on at this all-night-long mashup of instantly recognisable tunes from the 60s to the present day, presented against a video backdrop. City Nightclub, 26 & 27, 30 Aug, 11.30pm, ÂŁ16.50 (ÂŁ15).

FLAMING LIPS The Flaming Lips bring their cosmic eccentric live show, furry animals and fake blood back to the Fringe, as part of Magners Summer Nights. See feature, page 67. Ross Bandstand, 27 Aug, 6pm, ÂŁ32.50.

ALEXI MURDOCH London-born Scottish singer-

songwriter, now living the true musicianâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lifestyle in Berlin, performing tunes as enigmatic as he is. The Hub, 473 2000, 27 Aug, 9.30pm, ÂŁ25 (ÂŁ12.50).

SUFJAN STEVENS Celebrating the release of latest album Carrie & Lowell, Stevens performs a rare UK date. See preview, page 65.

Playhouse, 473 2000, 30 Aug, 8pm, ÂŁ20â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ30 (ÂŁ10â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ15), sold out.

Add Miaoux Miaoux at Scottish National Portrait Gallery

Edinburgh Art Festival Detours and Art Late 20, 21 & 26 August Acts include: â&#x20AC;&#x201C; â&#x20AC;&#x201C; â&#x20AC;&#x201C;

Carol Ann Duffy at Talbot Rice Gallery Man of Moon at Collective Miaoux Miaoux at Scottish National Portrait Gallery

Tickets from ÂŁ4 edinburghartfestival.com

66 THE LIST FESTIVAL 20â&#x20AC;&#x201C;31 Aug 2015

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list.co.uk/festival

Magners Summer Nights | FESTIVAL MUSIC

The Flaming Lips

SUMMER LOVINâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;

James, the Flaming Lips and the Waterboys will headline a mini-fest thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s bringing Edinburghâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Ross Bandstand to life at the end of August. Sam Bradley ďŹ nds out more about Magners Summer Nights

F

ollowing on from last yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s successful spot at Glasgowâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Kelvingrove Bandstand, Magners Summer Nights is venturing east with three dates at the Ross Bandstand in Edinburghâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Princes Street Gardens. The festival will include a â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;cider villageâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; in the Gardens with food and drink alongside the bandstand itself, which is being revamped for the festival. The organisers of Summer Nights, Regular Music, say they want it to become an annual event in Edinburghâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s music calendar â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a welcome prospect for those hopeful for renewed use of the long-unloved venue.

Baggy legends James are due to open Summer Nights, bringing an authentic mellow Madchester vibe to the Fringe in their roomy sunhats.

After the recent slew of 90s-inspired trends throughout pop culture, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be a relief to have some actual 90s kids around â&#x20AC;&#x201C; that is, a band that visited the Hacienda before it was turned into a block of flats and who flogged tie-dye album artwork without any discernible sense of irony. Pop-punk Glaswegians Little Eye play in support, adding another impressive name to their hitlist of support slots. Although post-reformation James brought out a new album in 2014, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be shamelessly holding out for the big hits â&#x20AC;&#x201C; â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s A Starâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Laidâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Sit Downâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; and â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Born of Frustrationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; â&#x20AC;&#x201C; each one a quality pop reminder of that golden time before the North Westâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s indie mantle was assumed by those ruffian Gallagher brothers.

The following night, Mancunian indie kids Dutch Uncles grace the gardens in support of Oklahomaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s finest space rock quartet, the Flaming Lips. With their visually expansive and eccentric live shows, the Flaming Lips have established themselves as one of those â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;must see before

you expireâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; acts. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be interesting to see them adapt to the genteel surroundings of the Gardens â&#x20AC;&#x201C; but then again, who wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want to go and listen to a space rock opera in the shadow of a historic castle? The Flaming Lips are as likely to play stoned-sounding Beatles covers as they are to sing about battling a robot army, so expect rolling fog banks of dry ice, mountainous tinfoil capes, psychedelic laser showpieces and unnecessarily long song titles. Dutch Unclesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; chirpy math rock should dovetail nicely with the headlinersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; eclectic sensibilities and though they released a new album, O Shudder, back in February, hopefully theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll play that weird sort-of cover of Grace Jonesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Slave to the Rhythm.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; On the Friday, folk-rock veterans the Waterboys will make a return to founder Mike Scottâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hometown, ready to rattle through a selection of classic hits and â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;big musicâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; anthems as well as their most recent record Modern Blues. They claim to be the biggest band in the world thanks to a revolving-door lineup that collects band members on tour like an avalanche collects mass on a mountain slope â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and the final night at the Bandstand should be a similarly large one. Mike Scottâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s trademark soaring lyrical moments and twee folk nonsense will both be on the cards, perhaps in equal measure. The Waterboys will be supported by Embra native Freddie Stevenson, a singer-songwriter whose acousticfolk stylings should provide a suitable warm-up for the nightâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s main event.

James, 26 Aug, 6pm, ÂŁ40; The Flaming Lips, 28 Aug, 6pm, ÂŁ32.50; The Waterboys, 28 Aug, 6pm, ÂŁ35. All events are at the Ross Bandstand, 0844 844 0444.

20â&#x20AC;&#x201C;31 Aug 2015 THE LIST FESTIVAL 67

FESTIVAL MUSIC | Reviews & Previews

SOWETO AFRO POP OPERA Downsized to a trio, but nonetheless breezy and confident OOOOO

PHOTO Š JOAN MARCUS

Comparing reviews of this ensembleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s appearance in Edinburgh last year with their 2015 vintage is a study in contrasts. Twelve months ago, reviewers spoke of a larger vocal ensemble backed by a full live band that merged western and African contemporary song styles to create a lively and dynamic show. This year, presumably mindful of their festival budget, the Soweto Afro Pop Opera group have no backing band and are instead reduced to a trio performing to a backing track.

Even without this knowledge there is a sense that the space feels slightly large for them, that there should be more happening up there. Yet taken within the context of whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s going on, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s an enjoyable show, pitting three voices against and alongside each other in a lively recreation of styles from both spheres of their influence.

The trio have a breezily confident way with their vocal parts, incorporating modern western soul-pop styles and a croonerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sensibility, although the show is light on the opera element.

Among their numbers are a delicate version of â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Somewhere from Leonard Bernstein's West Side Story and â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Music in the Airâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; by Sowetoborn jazz singer Letta Mbulu, and the light, populist aesthetic their music builds up has the audience clapping in time on command.

(David Pollock) Q C, 0845 260 1234, until 31 Aug, 5pm, ÂŁ9.50â&#x20AC;&#x201C; ÂŁ11.50 (ÂŁ7.50â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ9.50).

SHOWS ABOUT THE BEATLES Fab hours about the Fab Four Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been 45 years since the Beatles called it a day, but thanks to their lasting influence, people still have a lot to say about the foursome. Two shows this year take John Lennon as their centrepiece: Lennon: Through a Glass Onion (see review, right) and John Lennon: In His Own Write (pictured) which presents his first book on stage in its entirety.

Spreading the Beatles net more widely, A Life with the Beatles explores the scene from the view of road manager Neil Aspinall, and takes place during the recording of â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;A Day in the Life'. In Come Together, Barb Jungr and John McDaniel present classic and unexpected versions of the bandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s biggest hits, while adding even more absurdity to the Beatlesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; tale, Honky Bonk History of the Beatles promises â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s gonna get weird.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; (Kirstyn Smith) Q Lennon Through a Glass Onion, Assembly Hall, 623 3030, until 28 Aug (not 25), times vary, ÂŁ15â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ17.50; John Lennon: In His Own Write, Voodoo Rooms, 226 000, until 30 Aug, 5.10pm, free; A Life with the Beatles, Sweet Grassmarket, 243 3596, until 30 Aug, 5.15pm, ÂŁ9 (ÂŁ7); Come Together, Assembly Rooms, 0844 693 3008, until 21 Aug, 1.45pm, ÂŁ12; Honky Bonk History of the Beatles, Heroes @ Bobâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Blundabus, 226 0000, 27â&#x20AC;&#x201C;31 Aug, 9.45pm, ÂŁ5.

ANTONIO FORCIONE AND ADRIANO ADEWALE

LENNON â&#x20AC;&#x201C; THROUGH A GLASS ONION

Guitar and percussion celebration of African rhythms and European melodies

Australian duo recount late Beatle's life OOOOO

Ask any Fringe act to describe their show, and usually, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll get a quick answer. For Antonio Forcione however, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not all that easy. â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;We donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t describe ourselves, we perform,â&#x20AC;&#x2122; he says. â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;We let other people describe what we do.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; The â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; refers to himself (an award-winning guitarist) and percussionist Adriano Adewale. â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;We are both musicians that love performing and love playing organic instruments. By organic, I mean we donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t use any loop effects, backing music or anything,â&#x20AC;&#x2122; he explains. â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Whatever weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re doing as performers, we make it there. Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a lot of improvisation and we are going to play a celebration of African rhythms and European melodies.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; Forcione and Adewale have been playing together for 15 years. â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;I loved his playing before meeting him,â&#x20AC;&#x2122; Forcione says. â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Since then, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been playing all over the world and weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve recorded five albums together.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m very happy to come back to do the Fringe with Adriano,â&#x20AC;&#x2122; he adds. â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;[He] is like a soul mate for me musically.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; (Rebecca Monks) Q Assembly George Square, 623 3030, 23â&#x20AC;&#x201C;30 Aug, 8pm, ÂŁ14â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ15 (ÂŁ13â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ14).

Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s something deeper and richer than just a straight-up tribute show going on here, although thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s what it remains at heart. The stripped-back duo performing the show â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Australian singer, actor and guitarist John R Waters and pianist Stewart Dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Arrietta, himself a sometime Tom Waits tribute man â&#x20AC;&#x201C; have fortunately not gone for the full moptop and Sergeant Pepper costume look, instead appearing as themselves on a darkened stage with minimal set dressing.

Waters sings the songs and in between plays a passable Lennon, his flat-ironed Liverpool drawl touching upon the Beatleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s life and career in a manner that might be a bit peripheral for both knowledgeable devotees and casual fans.

Yet the tone is engagingly mournful rather than sycophantic, and the choice of songs lends a sense of narrative using Lennonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s own words. For every marquee hit like â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;A Day in the Lifeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Norwegian Woodâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; and the inevitable finale of â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Imagineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, the spirit and rawness of â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Isolationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Working Class Heroâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Crippled Insideâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; and a drawn-out, haunting â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Helpâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; elevates this show. (David Pollock) Q Assembly Hall, 623 3030, until 28 Aug (not 25), times vary, ÂŁ15â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ17.50.

68 THE LIST FESTIVAL 20â&#x20AC;&#x201C;31 Aug 2015

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Previews | FESTIVAL MUSIC

Top Five

DRUM SHOWS There's an inordinate number of drumming shows at the Fringe this year â&#x20AC;&#x201C; we've picked out ďŹ ve of our favourites

PHOTO Š JEAN-CLAUDE MAZUE

SUPERMOON Artist formerly known as Meursault performs as part of Song, by Toadâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Pale Imitation Festival â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Death to Meursault . . . I will kill again . . . â&#x20AC;&#x2122; warned Neil Pennycook one year ago. Not one to renege on ominous promises, Supermoon â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the latest manifestation of Pennycookâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s unique brand of uplifting melancholia â&#x20AC;&#x201C; headlines Summerhall in the marquee event (or â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;posh and show-offyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; according to label owner Matthew) of Song, by Toadâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Pale Imitation Festival on 27 Aug. Labelmate and long-time collaborator of Pennycookâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, Rob St John, completes the lineup where a new collection of songs, appropriately named I Will Kill Again, will see their debut.

From the glimpses that weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been given of his post-Meursault guise, there seems to be more of an edge to Supermoon, with the darker and sample-embellished sounds of â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Klopfgeistâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; adding a foreboding undercurrent to the familiar melodic howls and whimpers into which Pennycook contorts his voice. It might be seen as a brave decision to leave behind such a cult following as Meursault had, but Pennycook never was one to rest on his laurels, constantly evolving his former vehicle both in terms of sonic palate and lineup; it is through this lens that this show should be viewed.

One of the more compelling performers to emerge in recent years, heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s equally capable of stripped back and vulnerable performances, stirring, orchestra-backed soundscapes, and nearly blowing the roof off the Liquid Room. This time, heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s backed by a full band, but to an end that remains pleasingly mysterious â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and what better venue in which to wrap this bundle of possibility than Summerhallâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Dissection Room?

With Eagleowl (20 Aug), Adam Stafford (22 Aug) and a Night School Records showcase (29 Aug) all still to come at Henryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Cellar Bar as part of Pale Imitation, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s safe to say that when it comes to live music in Edinburgh, reports of its demise have been greatly exaggerated. (Joe McManus) Q Summerhall, 560 1581, 27 Aug, 8.30pm, ÂŁ10.

CRAP MUSIC RAVE PARTY Club night that promises all filler, no killer Allowing the audience a say in the nightâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s tracklist is bound to guarantee a few clangers, but thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s what Crap Music Rave Party revels in. All eras and all styles are welcome, as long as a songâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s inclusion will elicit groans (no music snobs allowed). An alternative to Hot Dub Time Machine, anarchic DJ TomĂĄs Ford unites clubbers with the music everyone secretly wants to hear at midnight on a Fringe night out.

What to expect depends on the crowd, but a recent tweet from Ford delighted in the fact that the whole dancefloor transcended trends and generations to join together in a move-perfect routine to â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Saturday Nightâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; by Whigfield, while other punters have been singing CMRPâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s praises for getting on board with songs like Donna Summerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s version of â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;MacArthur Parkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; and Britneyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Oops! . . . I Did It Againâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. Ford clearly relishes bringing people together in the name of bad taste. One to consider when youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re bored with all the culture. (Kirstyn Smith) Q Just the Tonic at The Community Project, 0330 220 1212, until 30 Aug (not 24 & 25), midnight, ÂŁ6 (ÂŁ5).

THE JEROME EXPERIENCE: ROTATING DRUMMING SHOW Parisian drummer Jerome Marley plays drums in a wheel that spins him upside down. It sounds like a curious spectacle, although Alesha Dixon did compare him to a â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;drumming hamsterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; when he went on Britainâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Got Talent. Meadowbank Sport Centre, 226, 0000, until 22 Aug, 6pm, ÂŁ7 (ÂŁ5).

REAL JAPANESE DRUM BEAT Samurai drum group, IKKI, fuse traditional and contemporary taiko styles in a show they claim will help you to understand Japanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s soul. the Space @ Symposium Hall, 510 2385, until 23 Aug, 5.10pm, ÂŁ10 (ÂŁ6).

MESSAGES FROM JAPAN / SUPER-CUSSION The Hibiki groupâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s debut Fringe show Messages from Japan / Super-cussion, promises a more reflective, traditional â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;percussive panoramaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; which serves as a tribute to the Japanese tsunami disaster. the Space @ Symposium Hall, 510 2385, until 29 Aug, 6.20pm, ÂŁ10 (ÂŁ6).

FILLS MONKEY: INCREDIBLE DRUM SHOW Also from France are the duo at the heart of Fills Monkey: Incredible Drum Show (pictured), whose frantic show is selfdescribed as â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Stomp meets The Muppet Showâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Animalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, promising juggling, air drumming and a drum being played with a tennis racket and balls. Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 31 Aug (not 25), 5.30pm, ÂŁ10.50â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ13.50 (ÂŁ9â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ11.50).

DRUM TRIBE Meanwhile, Drum Tribe is an interactive South African show performed by a troupe of semi-naked men. What, you want to know more? Well, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a primitive blend of music and dance from a group whoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve performed with Metallica, REM, Shakira and Shaggy. Gilded Balloon, until 31 Aug (not 27), 622 6552, 1.30pm, ÂŁ13.50â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ15 (ÂŁ11.50â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ13).

(David Pollock)

20â&#x20AC;&#x201C;31 Aug 2015 THE LIST FESTIVAL 71

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THEATRE EARLY MORNING OPERA

ABACUS

(List)

TRISTERO, BIG IN BELGIUM RICHARD JORDAN PRODUCTIONS THEATRE ROYAL PLYMOUTH IN ASSOCIATION WITH SUMMERHALL

ON TRACK

SMOKE & MIRRORS COLLABORATIVE

NDEBELE FUNERAL

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AND MANY MORE

(Scotsman) ON TRACK

MUSIC NOTHING EVER HAPPENS HERE... PRESENTS

SUPERMOON WITH ROB ST.JOHN

OWEN PALLETT

JOANNA GRUESOME AND MANY MORE JOANNA GRUESOME

VISUAL ARTS ON TILL THE 5TH OCTOBER 2015 EXHIBITIONS INCLUDE:

HERMANN NITSCH: DAS ORGIEN MYSTERIEN THEATER DERRICK GUILD: AFTER A.D.

DAVID SHERRY: ONE MILLION YEARS OF LAUGHTER 10AM â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 7PM EXHIBITIONS ARE FREE AFTER A.D.

NOVEMBER 2015 â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;You could spend the whole three weeks at Summerhall and never be bored for a secondâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Lyn Gardner Guardian 2015.

0131 560 1581

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VISUAL ART THEATRE

For m info gootroe

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Temos expossibly et harum quid et re, sequo et, (Eddie sequaeHarrison) peliqua eriamusapedi ate volumquis Q Gilded Balloon, 622 esequos 6552, until 31 Aug, 1.45pm, eosRorrorent ut que quassitate ÂŁ10â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ11 (ÂŁ9â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ10). parumquam illiciantOOOOO acesequam rem reperume

13â&#x20AC;&#x201C;20 Aug 2015 THE LIST FESTIVAL 73 20â&#x20AC;&#x201C;31

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FESTIVAL THEATRE | Hitlist

THEATRE HITLIST Gareth K Vile rounds up the best theatre in week three of the festival THE ENCOUNTER Simon McBurney shows the possibilities of high technology in a journey deep into the Amazon and then back to the very beginning of time itself. A remarkable solo show. See review, page 75. EICC, 473 2000, until 23 Aug, 7.30pm, ÂŁ32.

LE GATEAU CHOCOLAT The big man of cabaret tells his life story in music and anecdote, ranging from miserable school days to his majestic musical triumphs. A celebration of talent, resilience and holding tight to dreams and ambitions.

See review, page 87. Assembly Hall, 623 3030, until 30 Aug, 4.50pm, ÂŁ11â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ12 (ÂŁ10â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ11).

BRUCE Further evidence that puppetry can bridge the gap between serious issues and theatrical fun: exquisite moves from a pair of puppeteers who take their hero into outer-space, and beyond. See review, page 77.

Underbelly, 0844 545 8252, until 30 Aug, 3.15pm, ÂŁ11.50â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ12.50 (ÂŁ10.50â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ11.50).

MY NAME IS . . .

Tamashaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sensitive work of verbatim theatre looks at the real life case of a teenager torn between two cultures.

Refusing to condemn and respecting the opinions of both Islamic faith and secular Scottish mother, this is a gentle, yet moving story of the hard side of multiculturalism. See review, page 87. Northern Stage at Summerhall, 560 1581, until 30 Aug, 7.25pm, ÂŁ14 (ÂŁ11).

THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JESUS, QUEEN OF HEAVEN For a work that is primarily a study of personal theology â&#x20AC;&#x201C; elegantly performed by the playwright Jo Clifford â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Jesus, Queen of Heaven is a charming and dynamic hour.

See review, page 84. Summerhall, 560 1581, until 30 Aug (not 24, 25), 10.45am, ÂŁ12 (ÂŁ10).

PENNY ARCADE: LONGING LASTS LONGER Penny Arcade gives a crash-course in cultural resistance, mocking gentrification and flying the freak flag high. Part sermon, with a funky live DJ providing the beats, Longing is a chance to see a legend in full flow.

Underbelly Cowgate, 0844 545

Penny Arcade

8252, until 30 Aug (not 24), 8.50pm, ÂŁ10â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ12 (ÂŁ9â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ11).

PUDDLES PITY PARTY More compassionate than pitiful, Puddles rescues songs from sentimentality and the clown from its reputation as nightmarish in a charming hour of song, mime and audience participation. See review, page 83. Assembly George Square Gardens, 623 3030, until 31 Aug (not 25), 7.25pm, ÂŁ13â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ14 (ÂŁ12â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ13).

TAR BABY Raging attack on racism from America: a passionate and angry cry against lazy assumptions and the oppression that is accepted as normal behaviour.

See review, page 84. Gilded Baloon, 622 6552, until 31 Aug (not 26), 12pm, ÂŁ9â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ10 (ÂŁ7â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ8).

TRANS SCRIPTS A remarkable example of verbatim theatre that gives voice to the often ignored. See review, page 88.

Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 31 Aug, 3pm, ÂŁ7.50â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ10 (ÂŁ6.50â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ9).

RAZ The perfect start to a night out: Jim Cartwrightâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s scathing commentary on the excesses of youth culture is performed by his son. Walking down the Cowgate after seeing this solo show is to find the character come to life in the faces of the young men trawling around the clubs in search of a hedonistic nirvana. See review, page 85. Assembly George Square, 623 3030, until 31 Aug (not 24), 4pm, ÂŁ12.50â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ13.50 (ÂŁ11.50â&#x20AC;&#x201C; ÂŁ12.50).

SEE IT - BEFORE WE GET SUED!

WEDNESDAY 5TH - MONDAY 31ST AUGUST 7.00PM 0131 556 6550 | PLEASANCE ONE WhenBlairHadBushAndBunga.com 74 THE LIST FESTIVAL 20â&#x20AC;&#x201C;31 Aug 2015

Reviews | FESTIVAL THEATRE

PHOTO Š RICHARD LAKOS

PHOTO Š ALEXIS DUBUS

list.co.uk/festival

MĂ&#x2030;NAGE

TETHER

HOW TO BE FAT

An interview with a prostitute OOOOO

Exposing the raw ambition of competitive runners OOOOO

Moving monologue performed with finesse

When marathon hopeful Mark fails to make the cut for team GB, his girlfriend suggests he act as a guide for blind runner Becky. In Hollywoodâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hands Tether could so easily be an over-sentimental tale of self-sacrifice but Isley Lynnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s script focuses instead on the raw ambition of competitive athletes. Mark wants gold, Becky wants a higher placing and theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re both selfish in the pursuit of their goals.

Tether provides a fascinating insight into this unique sporting partnership as well as athletes with a visual disability. Becky notes that, as a woman, being blind isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t her biggest challenge. Her dry sense of humour as Mark attempts to guide her provide regular comic relief but itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not until late in the play that the pair have a chance to unleash strong emotions in a tense and furious argument.

Tether is an impressively physical performance.

Both cast members spend the majority of the play running, delivering their lines between deep breaths. Spot lighting and pulsing beats coupled with increasingly pained faces create convincing marathon montages but the big race scenes fall a bit flat. (Rowena McIntosh) Q Underbelly Cowgate, 0844 545 8252, until 30 Aug, 2pm, ÂŁ9â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ10 (ÂŁ8â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ9).

Mathilda Gregory is, by her own admission, not â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;curvyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;voluptuousâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, or â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;horizontally tallâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;: just fat. And, she says, despite the well-intentioned objections to this label, 18 stones of weight on a 5â&#x20AC;&#x2122;5â&#x20AC;? frame are hard to dismiss. In her latest show, How to be Fat, Gregory gives a warm, funny and intimate history of her relationship with her body and its relationship with the world.

She begins lightly, hilariously skewering common reactions to a fat body and mocking the unrealistic and futile demands of diet plans. Her seemingly effortless delivery belies a sharp sense of comic timing and masterful audience control. In this small bar, it often feels like a chat with a hilarious friend.

But a more vulnerable side to Gregoryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s character emerges. Opening up about her previous attempts to lose weight, she bares her latent anxieties about her body for all to see. And while she laughs at her own irrational view of thinness as the solution to all her problems, the projected slides reveal an insecure truth that is difficult to share.

How to be Fat is a deeply personal, yet universally relatable solo show. (Jordan Shaw) Q ZOO Southside, 662 6892, until 31 Aug, 6.55pm, ÂŁ8.50 (ÂŁ7.50).

From a verbatim script by Ryan Good, mĂŠnage is an intimate, site-specific show which happens in a secret location for two audience members at a time. Having been ushered into the bedroom by a glamorous, if distant, young woman, the audience is invited to listen to her explain her life choices.

Rather than exploiting the sexual tension, Goodâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s script collects a variety of voices, neither ignoring the problems (shame, relationship issues, police raids) nor forgetting the humanity of the woman.

It even deals with the practical, and negative, consequences of recent legislation.

The discomfort of being in close proximity to the performer lends an immediacy to the performance.

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s impossible to ignore the woman as she recounts her experiences, playing with expectations but also slipping into melancholy or baseless optimism.

The message is simple â&#x20AC;&#x201C; sex workers are not pariahs, but people who have the same range of emotions and experiences as other workers. By using interviews with real women, Good has found a way to bypass the usual clichĂŠs and create a site-specific show where the format enhances the subject. (Gareth K Vile) Q Underbelly George Square, 0844 545 8252, until 30 Aug, times vary, ÂŁ14.

OOOOO

THE ENCOUNTER

PHOTO Š GIANMARCO BRESADOLA

Unforgettable journey into the Amazon through 3D sound OOOOO About a quarter of the way through Simon McBurneyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new show with Complicite, I realise I am watching with my jaw open. So astonishing and inventive is this production that it feels like weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re witnessing a real turning point in theatre, a performance that will be looked back on in years to come as hugely influential.

The Encounter uses binaural (3D) sound technology, which the audience experiences through the headphones provided, to bring Petru Popescuâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Amazon Beaming to the stage. Popescuâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 1993 book tells the real tale of American photographer Loren McIntyre, who travels to the Amazon in 1969, encounters the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;uncontactedâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Mayoruna tribe and is seemingly captured.

The Amazonian setting evokes images of rich, green vegetation and coursing rivers; but on stage here at the ultra-modern Conference Centre, McBurney has only a tangle of wires, some bottles of water, speakers and a head-shaped binaural microphone for company. Behind him on the expansive, emptyish stage is a huge anechoic (echo-free) chamber wall, and its formidable appearance gets drawn into the show too.

What McBurney does so well is demystify binaural technology, explaining to us in entertaining detail how it works. So when he begins to tell McIntyreâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s story â&#x20AC;&#x201C; loosely intercut with the actorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s young daughterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s amusing interjections during his working process â&#x20AC;&#x201C; weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re not over-awed by the technology because we understand how it works. Instead, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re captivated by how McBurney uses it to create a deeply immersive world.

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s an intense unforgettable two hours, thanks to its intelligent set-up and McBurneyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s astounding performance. If Fergus Linehan continues to programme breathtaking works like this for the EIF, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re in for a good few years ahead. (Yasmin Sulaiman) Q EICC, 473 2000, until 23 Aug, 7.30pm (20 & 23, 2.30pm), ÂŁ32 (ÂŁ16).

20â&#x20AC;&#x201C;31 Aug 2015 THE LIST FESTIVAL 75

FESTIVAL THEATRE | Reviews

MARRIAGE

OOOOO

A modern version of Gogolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s comedy of romantic errors

FIVE FEET IN FRONT (THE BALLAD OF LITTLE JOHNNIE WYLO)

PHOTO Š RICHARD DAVENPORT

PHOTO Š RICHARD DAVENPORT

NICK KAY

Adapting Gogol is a tough assignment in terms of translating a specific kind of humour; Tom Parryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s adaptation for Fringe institution the Comedians Theatre Company fashions the Russian writerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s wit as a withering parody of a drawing room comedy, broad and subtle in equal measures and performed with an off-kilter energy that generates some big laughs.

A confirmed bachelor (Ben Clark) is persuaded by his friend (Adam Riches) to take the plunge, aided by a matchmaker (Camille Ucan). She lines up an interview with the comely heroine (Celeste Dring), under the watch of her aunt (Freya Parker) but thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the small obstacle of three other suitors to get past.

Played by John Henry Falle, Owen Roberts and Ciaran Dowd, theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re a motley collection; a bore, a lothario and a grasping taxman; the course of true love is 40 miles of bad road in this company.

Marriage offers something of a gallery of comic talents, but they make for a unified comedic troupe under the direction of Russell Bolam. Richard Soames hits the right tone from the start as servants Steven and Stephanie; this cheerfully ramshackle approach milks plenty of comedy in a fashion thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s somewhere between Blackadder and Monty Python. Clark has just the right louche charm, and Dring makes for an amusingly demure heroine. But itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the support that keeps the energy flowing in Marriage, with Roberts a stand-out for his deadpan dull suitor, unable to speak without referencing a boring anecdote.

Marriage isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t trying to change the world; itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a 70-minute show that hits the spot in terms of raising a smile, and provides a great showcase for comic actors who seem to be enjoying their performances as much as the audience. (Eddie Harrison) Q Assembly George Square, 623 3030, until 30 Aug, 2pm, ÂŁ12â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ13 (ÂŁ11â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ11.50).

SING FOR YOUR LIFE

THE HUMAN EAR

Hilarious taxidermy puppet cabaret OOOOO

More suspenseful drama from the writer of 2014â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s The Initiate OOOOO

Foot-stomping Dust Bowl morality tale OOOOO With raucous music and a delightfully dilapidated set, north-east theatre company the Letter Room offer a warped Dust Bowl ballad of greed, revenge and Faustian bargains with the wind. Still reeling from the suspicious death of her father, Little Johnnie Wylo (yes, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a she) convinces the impending hurricane to spare her no-hope town if she can find an ounce of goodness left in it. But with a crooked sheriff, and dodgy bankers and realtors, her quest soon takes a darker turn.

Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s so much right in this dusty, hard-driven show that it feels churlish to complain. The songs â&#x20AC;&#x201C; with all instruments played by the cast â&#x20AC;&#x201C; are bold and memorable; performances find a nice balance between naturalism and stylised caricature; and the Depression-era griminess is conveyed brilliantly. The problem is following whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s going on: the singers battle to be heard over the music, thick accents and noisy clog dances obscure key words, and gauze screens are inexplicably drawn across the set, blurring the action. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a fine piece of theatre, powerful and in-your-face, but engaging with it feels like a struggle rather than a joy. (David Kettle) Q Northern Stage at Summerhall, 560 1581, until 30 Aug (not 26), 9.25pm, ÂŁ10 (ÂŁ8).

A puppet cabaret might suggest comparisons with lovable childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s storytellers The Muppets, but this dark comedy is populated by a cast of skinned animal carcasses with gleaming glass eyes. The taxidermy cabaret story follows a neglected French bulldog who discovers a band of animals engaged in a floor show at the bottom of a garden.

The group are talented puppeteers, with three people weaving under each other to manipulate a dancing fox and the puppets bring a mass of physical comedy: the squirrels bring the house down each time they appear clicking their paws like furry extras in West Side Story.

The songs expose the ill treatment of animals â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the badger sings about the cull, the bulldog about pedigree breeding. The show also forces its audience to face the realities of the animalsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; physical forms â&#x20AC;&#x201C; as a chorus of plucked chickens can-can forward, the front row visibly recoil.

While the majority of the songs are well crafted, the dialogue in between numbers drags a little and the singing lacks the musical support expected of a cabaret. Yet overall, Sing For Your Life is hideously hilarious. (Rowena McIntosh) Q Underbelly Cowgate, 0844 545 8252, until 30 Aug, 8.40pm, ÂŁ11â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ12 (ÂŁ10â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ11).Â

In last yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Fringe First-winning The Initiate, playwright Alexandra Wood showed audiences how great she is at creating tense, dark drama. The Human Ear is much grittier but a little less satisfying.

Lucy is reunited with her brother Jason after 10 years, a few months after their mother dies in what we assume â&#x20AC;&#x201C; though itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s never articulated â&#x20AC;&#x201C; is the 7/7 bombings. But her boyfriend is suspicious; is the man really Jason? He goes to Inverness and brings back a human ear that says otherwise.

Woodâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s quickfire dialogue is impressive, effortlessly creating a taut atmosphere (though the faint, menacing background music feels unnecessary). Paines Plough rep actors Sian Reese-Williams and Abdul Salis are great too and Roundaboutâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s innovative LED system comes into its own, as swift changes in lighting are used to effectively switch between time and location.

But the rhythm of The Human Ear feels a little too staccato, and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hard to settle into whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s going on with so much back and forth. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s an impressive production, but a little more breathing room might help it make a bigger impact. (Yasmin Sulaiman) Q Roundabout @ Summerhall, 560 1581, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28, 30 Aug, 3.35pm, ÂŁ15 (ÂŁ10).

76 THE LIST FESTIVAL 20â&#x20AC;&#x201C;31 Aug 2015

Reviews | FESTIVAL THEATRE

PHOTO Š JAMIE BREEN

PHOTO Š KENDAL MESSICK

list.co.uk/festival

TRANS SCRIPTS

BRUCE

TRAINSPOTTING

An unflinching look at transgender women OOOOO

Alvin Sputnik creators return with space-themed parody OOOOO

Frustrating immersive underground show OOOOO

Paul Lucas' unflinching, compassionate play is based on five trans women and one trans man, all from different backgrounds. Using verbatim stories, the cisgender and trans cast of six tackle a panoply of voices from the global community. Travelling from classroom to nightclub, via the surgery for gender reassignment, myths are dispelled. They claim Stonewall's cause was co-opted by white gay men, and sexual preference isn't fixed. After all, the truth is as complex as each individual's testimony.

Everyone is superb, swapping roles or acting as emotional buffers to one other, particularly the serene Bianca Leigh as Tatiana, Calpernia Addams as Sandra and Rebecca Root as damaged Eden, whose parental issues causes eruptions of unfocused fury. It's also hilarious and riotous, with lip-synching, bawdy jokes and the opportunity for some audience members to feel how authentic silicone breasts are.

Ultimately, emerging from stories of 'treatment systems', beatings, day-to-day verbal and physical abuse is a triumphant, undeterred spirit. It's just a little long â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a small edit would give it more punch â&#x20AC;&#x201C; but a really insightful and often beautiful journey into misunderstood, marginalised lives. (Lorna Irvine) Q Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 31 Aug, 3pm, ÂŁ7.50â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ10 (ÂŁ6.50â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ9).

Before donning their masks for their performance, Tim Watts and Wyatt Nixon-Lloyd hang out on stage as the audience file in, clad in morph suits but with their faces on show. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s important â&#x20AC;&#x201C; it reminds the audience that the hour of puppetry that follows isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t just a dreamy, magical sequence, however much it feels like one. These are real people performing with exquisite skill and perfect comic timing, and the triumph that is Bruce is due completely to their hard work.

Audiences will know the pair from 2011â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s The Adventures of Alvin Sputnik and 2013â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Dark Outside. Bruce shares a little more of Sputnikâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s aesthetic, evoking cinematic influences to create an irresistibly charming tale in which every character is portrayed by an oversize sponge with eyes.

We start off in space as Bruce is trying to make it back to Earth, and the story that follows is a jigsaw puzzle of parody Hollywood blockbuster storylines, executed at such breakneck speed that it really does come across like an action movie. And when the story feels a little muddled in the middle â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and it does â&#x20AC;&#x201C; stick with it, because it all comes together in a blissful finale. (Yasmin Sulaiman) Q Underbelly Cowgate, 0844 545 8252, until 30 Aug, 3.15pm, ÂŁ11.50â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ12.50 (ÂŁ10.50â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ11.50).

In Your Face and King Head Theatreâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Trainspotting is a heady cocktail: part Irvine Welshâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 1993 cult novel, part Danny Boyleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 1996 iconic film adaptation, it takes place within a suitably atmospheric setting.The party has already started as the audience enters, armed only with a glow stick against the blaring dance music and strobe lighting. The performers play their in-the-round audience well, particularly during monologues.

Much like the work that inspired it, Trainspotting openly flaunts its intention to shock and the gasps and shrieks of revulsion that greet its stagecraft are often well earned. But the shocks provide diminishing returns after the bold opening gambit.

For all its frenetic energy and gallus patter, a reliance on narration within key scenes limits the potential for emotional moments to unfold organically between the talented nine-strong ensemble cast. Climactic scenes revolving around Greg Esplinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Tommy come close to finding an emotional path into the characters, but by this point more time has been spent on satisfyingly black-humoured vignettes than on setting up the emotional arc of the piece. (Elliot Roberts) Q Assembly George Square, 623 3030, until 31 Aug (not 25), 6pm & 8.30pm (10.45pm, Thuâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;Sat), ÂŁ13â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ15 (ÂŁ11â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ13).

TOMORROW

PHOTO Š MIHAELA BOLDLOVIC

Chilling and beautiful experimental study of dementia and care work OOOOO On a piece of paper handed to the audience as they file in, Glasgowâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Vanishing Point explain that they wanted, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;to get beneath someoneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s skin in a visceral rather than intellectual wayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s safe to say they have. This experimental study of dementia and care work is a hardcore, unflinching look at ageing and end-of-life care, delivered like a sucker punch to the heart.

After an intense opening scene, there are nightmarish nods to Jean-Paul Sartreâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 1940s play No Exit, and John Frankenheimerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s terrifying 1960s sci-fi film, Seconds. George, a young and earnest man, hurrying to meet his newborn daughter in hospital, is grabbed and forced into a disorientating holding pen. A cosseted purgatory, where care workers coo at him in cloyingly patronising tones (â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll need you to calm down for meâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;), they strip him naked and force a rubbery mask over his head â&#x20AC;&#x201C; wrinkled and bald â&#x20AC;&#x201C; trapping him underneath a grotesque flash-forward to his frail, elderly self.

What follows is an uncomfortable and saddening swirl; care workers lead infantile singsongs, patients get aggressive, pee themselves, repeat questions, and all the while, past and present realities blur and churn around them.

Just as the carers rely on jokes to cope with the work, Matthew Lentonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sparse script allows flashes of gallows humour to cut through the gloom. At one point, a silent old man nonchalantly sketches explicit drawings of another patient, and another brandishes his zimmer frame like a weapon.

With its casually crushing dialogue, and skilful sensory manipulation, Tomorrow is chilling and beautiful, and as much an abstract and tortured study of what it means to be â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;in the land of the livingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; as it is the land of the dying. (Claire Sawers) Q Traverse, 228 1404, until 30 Aug (not 24), times vary, ÂŁ20 (ÂŁ15).

20â&#x20AC;&#x201C;31 Aug 2015 THE LIST FESTIVAL 77

FESTIVAL THEATRE | Reviews

ANTIGONE Star-powered translation of Sophoklesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Greek tragedy OOOOO

PHOTO Š ALEX BRENNER

PHOTO Š JAN VERSWEYVELD

With the great Juliette Binoche being the face of this muchpublicised production of Antigone at the Kingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Theatre, it would not be unreasonable to assume that it was all about her and her alone. After all she is an international film star and arguably one of the finest actresses working in the world today. From the moment she flutters on stage like a baby bird, you know that you are in the presence of elegance and a professional at the top of her game. However, there is much more to this finely crafted show than just Binoche. In fact, she may not be the best thing about it.

When Antigone defies the orders of the head of state, Kreon, and buries her brother Polyneikes who has died in a cruel civil war, being deemed a traitor and a terrorist, she is sentenced to death. There is much unrest and the advice is to reverse Polyneikesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; punishment, to release Antigone and bury the boy.

Tragedy, however, looms on the horizon as decisions are made too late and the blood of many is spilled.

Approaching the work with both a classical sensitivity and modern resonance, this sharply written and strongly directed piece demands attention. As the sun and the moon shine down on the stage like ever-watching gods, the action feverishly and passionately plays out with barely a moment to draw breath.

Juliette Binoche is startling as the tortured Antigone, but it is Patrick Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Kane as the fearsome Kreon who steals the show. His confident and muscular performance outshines even Binoche, creating an air of authority that the character demands, yet displaying a complex and layered spirit.

Moving, dark, yet at times even funny, this is a show that has been worth the hype. (Alex Eades) Q Kingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Theatre, 473 2000, until 22 Aug, 7.30pm (also 22 Aug, 2.30pm), ÂŁ17â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ48 (ÂŁ8.50â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ24).

MITCHâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S MOVIE PITCHES

JAMIE WOOD â&#x20AC;&#x201C; O NO!

I, ELIZABETH

A solid, if unremarkable, solo show OOOOO

Taking on the art establishment in interactive show OOOOO

An intimate and richly detailed portrait of a young Elizabeth I OOOOO

Comedy and conceptual art have always been interesting bedfellows, from when Tony Hancock skewered its lofty pretensions in feature film The Rebel, to The Mighty Booshâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Howard Moon, an artsy character not given to much self-awareness.

Jamie Wood sees things differently. Inspired by Yoko Onoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Grapefruit manifesto, he lampoons and homages hippy idealism, using tenets like â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t use emotionally manipulative music â&#x20AC;&#x2DC; (cue Lennonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Imagineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;) or â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;never capitalise on Lennonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s deathâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; (he is â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;shotâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; at, over and over). Wood admits that when he suggested to partner Wendy he would like them to emulate John and Yoko, her response, played on tape, is the kind of exasperation I feel halfway through. However well-meaning, optimists can grate, with a seeming social myopia.

The whole â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;hello, treesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; thing is a clichĂŠ, but at least Woodâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sweetly goofy bearded persona is such that the joke is always on him. When a giant orange ball representing the sun appears, we all reach for it. He creates a happening which is less avant garde art, more the controlled chaos of a hip music teacher in corduroy. (Lorna Irvine) Q Assembly Roxy, 623 3030, until 31 Aug (not 24), 7pm, ÂŁ10â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ12.

Scripted from the words of the monarch herself by performer Rebecca Vaughan, Dyad Productionsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; I, Elizabeth presents a tempestuous portrait of a young queen. Vaughanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s performance is rich and commanding, but has the fragile undertones of a gifted young woman buckling under a life of perpetual scrutiny and painfully aware of the precarious isolation that comes with the throne.

Petitioned by parliament to consider either marriage or the appointment of a successor, the young queen enlists the audience to act as her confidante while she ruminates on the duties and perils ahead. Vaughan is the very picture of Elizabeth I, complete with russet wig, powdered countenance, ringed fingers, and period costume (constructed and designed by Kate Flanaghan).

The production, directed by Guy Masterson, is rich with historical detail yet sacrifices none of its white-hot theatrical potency. Although at times it can be hard to shake the feeling that similar ground has been trodden before, it is none the less thrilling to watch Dyad breathe life anew into a remarkable historical figure. (Elliot Roberts) Q Assembly Roxy, 623 3030, until 31 Aug (not 24 & 25), 11.45am, ÂŁ12â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ13 (ÂŁ11â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ12).

For the second year running, London performance art duo Sh!t Theatre have facilitated the Fringe debut of a new artist with their support scheme.

This time, the product is Mitchâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Movie Pitches, written and performed by Eric Sigmundsson.

Sigmundsson gives a confident performance as Mitch, a haughty but charming writer / director with a creative vision too radical for film commissioners.

A loop pedal at his feet, he drawls, hums and hiccups his outlandish plot descriptions into a microphone, recording parts and playing them back as a soundtrack to his monologues.

Sigmundssonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s inexperience is apparent. The pitches occasionally lose their way, audience interaction is awkwardly handled, and clumsy delivery fails some decent lines. Yet, it remains a promising debut. Although the playâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s climax â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a piercing moment of self-realisation â&#x20AC;&#x201C; feels somewhat unearned, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s performed with a manic intensity that contrasts perfectly with the arrogant monologues.

While the humour is spotty, Sigmundssonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s performance is assured. Despite its flaws, Mitchâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Movie Pitches marks a solid debut for the young artist. (Jordan Shaw) Q Summerhall, 560 1581, 20, 22, 25, 27, 29 Aug, 2pm, ÂŁ5.

80 THE LIST FESTIVAL 20â&#x20AC;&#x201C;31 Aug 2015

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MEET THE MAN WHO PROVED THAT NOT ALL POLITICIANS ARE THE SAME

+++++ +++++ PLATFORM MAGAZINE

LONDON THEATRE

â&#x20AC;&#x153;WONDERFULâ&#x20AC;?

â&#x20AC;&#x153;SUPERBâ&#x20AC;?

NOTTINGHAM POST

THE PUBLIC REVIEWS

BY ANDY BARRETT

7 - 30 AUG 12:15PM â&#x20AC;&#x153;Powerful, emotive and captivatingâ&#x20AC;?

Kettlemag

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s edgy, its raw and its honestâ&#x20AC;Ś itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s also delightfully camp and full of personality!â&#x20AC;?

Edinburgh49

â&#x20AC;&#x153;The most ou outrageous act at th yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Fringeâ&#x20AC;? this Edinburgh News

O K AR E K A DAN C E C O M PANY PR E S E NTS

M U ST-S E E D A N C E /TH E ATR E C A B A R E T D I R E C T FROM NEW ZEALAND M A O R I MY TH O L O GY, D R A G Q U E E N S, H A K A, C O NTE M P O R A RY D A N C E & L I V E S I N G I N G

18:40

05 - 31 AUG

82 THE LIST FESTIVAL 20â&#x20AC;&#x201C;31 Aug 2015

Reviews | FESTIVAL THEATRE

PHOTO Š ALAN MCCREDIE

list.co.uk/festival

THE YEAR OF THE HARE Madcap romp is a biting satire on the absurdity of modern life OOOOO

A STUDY ON THE STILLNESS OF LOVE

Generation-spanning romance OOOOO

Haunting production is flawed but fascinating OOOOO

Vatanen is a Helsinki wage-slave, putting in 12-hour days to ensure Finlandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s paper production moves efficiently to the more profitable South America.

Until he almost runs over a wild hare, that is, and embarks with the injured animal on a surreal, madcap journey involving magic mushrooms, hippie vets, wild dance parties and even a dark, wintry encounter with a sinister forest spirit.

Based loosely on a novel by Finnish author Arto Paasilinna and using an entirely Scottish cast, Ryhmäteatteriâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s crazy romp of a show bristles with a raw, rough energy, offering bitter but savagely funny satire on everything from New Age nature lovers to the unexpected advantages of global warming.

Stop for a second and its pitch-black undercurrents become all too clear â&#x20AC;&#x201C; as they do in the showâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s more ponderous final section, which could probably do with pruning. Performances fizz with enthusiasm, from the care-worn David McKay as long-suffering Vatanen to Kim Allan, seductive yet touchingly naĂŻve as the subversive hare. Its metaphors are sometimes obvious, sometimes wilfully opaque, but itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a show that provokes, entertains, and definitely has something to say. (David Kettle) Q Pleasance Dome, 556 6550, until 31 Aug (not 24), 6.45pm, ÂŁ8â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ10 (ÂŁ7â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ9).

ONE DAY WHEN WE WERE YOUNG

Disturbingly visceral and hauntingly surreal, Andre Neelyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s tale of a childhood gone wrong induces a nebulous discomfort that is difficult to shake.

The playâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s brightest moments are its darkest.

Opening with a harrowing minute-by-minute account of a young girlâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sexual abuse at the hands of an ice-cream man, A Study on the Stillness of Love charts the tragic aftermath that drives apart a once-inseparable brother and sister. Shunning her sibling, the young girl becomes obsessed with her attacker, spending her teenage years wolfing down ice-cream to remind her of the moment they shared, waiting patiently by the phone for a call that never comes. Littered with chilling moments, the play blends black humour with a blacker story that culminates in a deeply unsettling climax.

Unfortunately, the production lacks polish: musical sequences are inelegantly incorporated and the two lead performances lack subtlety. Yet, strangely, these weaknesses somehow seem to add to the playâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s nightmarish complexion. It may be rough around the edges, but this play has an intangible monstrous quality that horrifies. (Jordan Shaw) Q ZOO Southside, 662 6892, until 22 Aug, 8.15pm, ÂŁ8â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ9 (ÂŁ6â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ7).

Given the apparent preoccupation of the Fringe with performers adapting their lives to the stage, and the proliferation of first-world problems being given detailed attention, Nick Payneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s script is a welcome return to old-fashioned storytelling. Splendid performances from Sam Underwood and Valorie Curry lift the plot from the mundane, and the study of ageing is as potent as the romantic theme.

The two lovers are separated by WWII, and meet only twice again. The first time, the manâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s bitter disappointment at his belovedâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s apparent faithlessness pushes them apart, and it is only in the last scene, when he is beginning to experience the onset of dementia, that their love is reconciled.

The restraint and sensitivity of the script avoids melodrama, but since many important events happen between the scenes, this is more of a gentle revelation than a fully engaging production.

There is compassion for both man and woman, and a very English sensibility in their conduct, but the passion that guides them is lost in the civilised conversations. A moving script, well played with minimal staging, One Day . . . is a sentimental journey that is a polite rumination rather than overpowering romance. (Gareth K Vile) Q Assembly George Square, 623 3030, until 31 Aug (not 24), 1.45pm, ÂŁ8â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ10.

PUDDLES PITY PARTY This sad clown brings joy OOOOO Despite his imposing physical presence and precise, expressive mime, there is more to Puddles than meets the eye. His Pity Party alternates between the sad clownâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s interpretations of classic rock and audience participation interludes, building to a finale that feels like a celebration of compassion.

Puddlesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; cover versions find new levels of melancholy in familiar songs: Lordeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Royalsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; becomes wistful and hopeful, and Leonard Cohenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Hallelujahâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; is returned to its religious majesty. In his pierrot outfit, Puddles is connecting the self pity of the spurned rock star lover, and the absurd vulnerability of the clown. This combination plunges the music deeper into misery, and exposes the detail of even over-familiar tunes.

When Puddles gets the audience involved, he delights in them: no mockery, just a need for company and play. An older gentleman is invited to sing a solo, a young girl has a tissue throwing fight with the clown. Puddlesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; obsession with Kevin Costner is revealed in the final number â&#x20AC;&#x201C; which morphs into a heavy metal rock-out â&#x20AC;&#x201C; but he refuses to be pitiful. By exposing his vulnerability in song and mime, he invites compassion. And his gentle attitude towards his volunteers is charming and warm.

His posturings evoke Mick Jagger and other vintage rock gods. Again, the juxtaposition with his clown make-up works not to undermine his strutting but suggest the essential sadness beneath the spectacle of male display.

If the inspiration for the show appears simple â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a tragic clown with a beautiful baritone â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Puddles works it until he becomes an archetypal figure, an embodiment of the romantic despair that infuses so much popular romantic music. At the same time, he's fun, compassionate and an all-round entertainer. (Gareth K Vile) Q Assembly George Square, 623 3030, until 31 Aug (not 25), 7.25pm, ÂŁ13â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ14 (ÂŁ12â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ13).

20â&#x20AC;&#x201C;31 Aug 2015 THE LIST FESTIVAL 83

FESTIVAL THEATRE | Reviews

WHEN BLAIR HAD BUSH AND BUNGA Political mockery of vintage heritage OOOOO

THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JESUS, QUEEN OF HEAVEN LGBTQI spin on religion at Summerhall OOOOO Celebrated playwright Jo Clifford starts the morning with a sermon. But this is no simple Christian prayer session, in spite of the accoutrements (votive candles, bread and wine, white robe) rather, a paean to â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;the otherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; in society: the weak, oppressed, troubled and sick, through the rainbow prism of the LGBTQI community.

Clifford, herself a trans gender woman, delivers a show that is profound and moving, witty and filthy, a wake-up call to tolerance, love and acceptance with an intoxicating secular potency. She is defiant and beatific, delighted that people find her perverse.

It only strengthens her resolve to challenge their deep-seated prejudice and perceived notions of the family unit: â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;My daughter took me aside, and said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Dad . . . youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re going to be a grandmaâ&#x20AC;?.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; It takes an incredible strength of will to be so loving â&#x20AC;&#x201C; even towards tax inspectors. But for the first time at the festival, many people in the audience (or congregation) are whispering â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Amenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, amid strangers; touched and really meaning it, true believers of hope for change. A tender, thoughtprovoking piece of work. (Lorna Irvine) Q Summerhall, 560 1581, until 30 Aug (not 24 & 25), 10.45am, ÂŁ12 (ÂŁ10).

PHOTO Š JANNICA HONEY

PHOTO Š RRAMESH MEYYAPAN

PHOTO Š ROD PENN

Although When Blair had Bush . . . advertises itself as satire, its broad comedy, flash of naked breasts and light farcical plot makes it more like a 1970s sitcom. There are recognisable portraits of Tony and Cherie Blair, a predictably dumb George W Bush and a lecherous Berlusconi. The characters and humour are painted in broad strokes and the serious political points â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the politicians are plotting their invasion of Iraq with obvious dishonesty â&#x20AC;&#x201C; are swept away in the rush of comedy turns.

If some of the characters are too close to stock types, and the displays of flesh gratuitous, When Blair had Bush . . . does have historical antecedents in the wild mockery of Aristophanic comedy. Like the ancient Athenianâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s comedies, this script is ready to attack politicians, but less concerned with political detail. Bush is a Christian maniac â&#x20AC;&#x201C; his drink problem leads him to sharing an incoherent prayer session with Blair â&#x20AC;&#x201C; while Blair is a hen-pecked husband, desperate to look cool in front of the idiotic Texan. The play conjures up a world governed by the weak, the dishonest and the demented.

This cynicism, however, never expands into more precise satire. Despite their antics, the politicians are vaguely sympathetic: Blair is more naĂŻve man-child than potential war criminal. The jokes about Cherieâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s love of money give way to a generic humour about her shrewish nature.

At times, the caricatures of the local maids and police borders on the offensive: although the action is set in the early 2000s, with the UK and USA on the brink of bringing down Saddam Hussein, it looks back to an older time, when comedy was as likely to mock those without as much as those with power, and Benny Hill was not yet unfashionable. (Gareth K Vile) Q Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 31 Aug (not 24), 7pm, ÂŁ13.50â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ16.50 (ÂŁ12â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ15).

BUTTERFLY

TAR BABY

A beautiful blend of movement and puppetry communicates a tragic spiral of grief OOOOO

Roll up for the most subversive, perversely funny, carnival in town OOOOO

Written, directed by and starring Ramesh Meyyappan, Butterfly is a mesmerising piece of physical theatre. Without saying a single word, the show tells the story of Butterfly, a female kite maker and the two men who desire her.

In the later stages of the play, a puppet of a young boy is introduced. Initially adorably playful, his blank features take on a more sinister nature as his curiosity appears increasingly calculated against her.

The performance is rich in symbolism, the central character as beautiful and fragile as her namesake.

Initially joyful and independent, she creates and flies colourful kites, but when the menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s attraction twists into violence she becomes trapped in her anguish.

(Rowena McIntosh) Q Greenside @ Infirmary Street, 618 6968, until 29 Aug (not 23), 8.45pm, ÂŁ12 (ÂŁ10).

Tar Baby is a metaphor for a sticky situation co-opted by the Ku Klux Klan as a racist insult.

American performer Desiree Burch, who co-wrote this blistering piece with Dan Kitrosser, reclaims the phrase in a carnivalesque performance that is part autobiography, part history lesson.

Burch forces truth pills on the audience, both metaphorically and literally, initially in the form of cotton balls and packets of sugar, both symbols of black slavery. She is a sweet then sadistic ringmaster, pushing liberal guilt buttons.

A white male audience member is selected and made up in white clown make-up. Burch persuades him to blacken her skin, alluding to the time a director complained she â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t black enoughâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;What colour is the void?â&#x20AC;&#x2122; she asks. â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;What colour is nothing?â&#x20AC;&#x2122; Towards the end, Burch delivers a scathing monologue that engulfs the audience in a tidal wave of rage at casual everyday racism and the recent cop killings of African-American citizens. Tar Baby is brutal and beautiful â&#x20AC;&#x201C; often hilarious â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and absolutely vital. (Lorna Irvine) Q Gilded Balloon, 622 6552, until 31 Aug (not 26), noon, ÂŁ9â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ10 (ÂŁ7â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ8).

84 THE LIST FESTIVAL 20â&#x20AC;&#x201C;31 Aug 2015

Reviews | FESTIVAL THEATRE

PHOTO Š ELAINE HILL

list.co.uk/festival

TWO SORE LEGS

ECHOES BY HENRY NAYLOR

CITIZEN PUPPET

Powerfully acted one-woman biography of Belfast mother-of-six OOOOO

Sturdy drama of women's role in society OOOOO

Puppet show with masterful movement OOOOO

A veteran of stage and screen, and previous Fringe First winner for The Collector, Henry Naylorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s pedigree is not in dispute. This sturdy play examines two intelligent young British women: Tillie, an outspoken Victorian maverick and Samira, a bright headstrong young Muslim in the present day.

They may be separated by over 175 years, but their concerns are the same; both have faith, both marry brutish men who promised so much, and the shared dreams of contributing to society unravel as soon as the rings are on their fingers.

Felicity Houlbrooke as Tillie and Filipa Braganca, making her Fringe debut as Samira, are both superb, crossing the stage to within touching distance as their lives overlap in grim climaxes.

Political and cultural implications are plain â&#x20AC;&#x201C; much progress has been made, but there is still a long way to go in terms of human rights.

The writing is taut, with evocative imagery throughout. The central motif of insects representing at once freedom and something to be stamped on is a neat metaphor for womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s progress. But more imaginative staging choices would make this a truly special production. (Lorna Irvine) Q Gilded Balloon, 622 6552, until 31 Aug, 5.30pm, ÂŁ10.50â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ12.50 (ÂŁ9.50â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ11.50).

A play within a play is challenging to portray, but a puppet show within a puppet show is a taller order.

Blind Summit theatre execute this brilliantly.

Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s panic on stage as the show opens in Massieville. The body of a giant lays strewn about the village, the areaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s famous beanstalk is missing and so is a young boy, Jack. The fairytale element invites the audience to suspend disbelief and listen to the puppet, notably Daz Mayhew â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;artistic oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; â&#x20AC;&#x201C; who decides to show the audience what happened by putting on a play.

So follows an hour of skilled puppetry, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;directedâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; by the artsy hippie one, featuring a cast made up of an elderly landlady, a world-weary local detective and an extremely chatty teenager. The vocal work of the humans behind the puppets is impeccable, and their mastery of movement faultless.

That said, the story reaches its conclusion quickly, and could afford to play more with the puppetsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; self awareness of their puppet state. This element goes down well with the audience, but is addressed all too infrequently. Ultimately, however, this is an intelligent piece of theatre, distinguished by skill and originality. (Rebecca Monks) Q Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 30 Aug, 5pm, ÂŁ9.50â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ12 (ÂŁ8.50â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ10).

Playwright Brenda Murphyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s personal one-woman show tells the story of her mother Bridie, an Irish Catholic who had six children to a local married man with his own family. Beginning with her funeral, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re given a humorous glimpse of the slightly eccentric woman, taking her granddaughter to a funeral parlour, before flashing back to the day she met Liam, and the path her life took as a result.

Solo performer Maria Connolly is an accomplished actor, recreating a cast of distinct characters from Bridieâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s grumpy father and kind mother to the wider Belfast community of sneering gossips and interfering priests. Dramatic family scenes unfurl with all the tension and emotion of an ensemble cast. The script artfully blends storytelling, character acting and short bursts of song.

While the pace drops slightly in the latter half, there is still plenty of heartache to come and emotions run high until the end. Two Sore Legs is a touching tribute to Murphyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s motherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s personality â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a hard working woman who lived an extraordinary life in an oppressive society and never apologised for it. (Rowena McIntosh) Q Assembly George Square, 623 3030, until 31 Aug (not 24), 12.35pm, ÂŁ10â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ13.

RAZ BY JIM CARTWRIGHT

PHOTO Š OLIVER ROSSER

Cartwright's hardcore clubber monologue gets a blistering rendition by his son James OOOOO Probably still best known for the celebrated play and film of Little Voice, writer Jim Cartwright is a noted wordsmith who brings considerable linguistic dexterity to this simple but effective dissection of the mind of a male clubber.

A pallet-lifter by day, Shane likes to style himself as a millionaire come Friday night, when he launches himself into his local pubs and clubs for an orgy of drink, drugs and womanising.

Shaneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s opening appearance, clad only in pants emblazoned with the Superman logo, strutting his washboard abs in a tanning salon, sets the tone; brash, boastful, reeking of small-town machismo.

As he dresses in his best shirt, Shane phones around his friends, coordinating a night on the tiles with military precision.

But as the drinks are downed with all manner of narcotics, and Cartwright revels in the sordid details, Shane begins to realise that there is something missing from his hedonistic lifestyle.

Performing this one-man show as Shane, James Cartwright makes sure that his machine-gun delivery of his fatherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s carefully chosen words donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t let RAZ down; he does them proud, slipping in and out of other characters â&#x20AC;&#x201C; including a Welsh taxi driver â&#x20AC;&#x201C; with ease, but never losing his grip on Shaneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s deliberately errant character.

The result is a blistering 50-minute monologue that sets the bar high in terms of performance, with Cartwright bringing the intensity of Tom Hardy to his role; clubs may be closing all over the country, but a theatre production as visceral as RAZ bottles the spirit of the hardcore clubber, only to unceremoniously pour it into the gutter. (Eddie Harrison) Q Assembly George Square, 623 3030, until 31 Aug (not 24), 4pm, ÂŁ12.50â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ13.50 (ÂŁ11.50â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ12.50).

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Suitable for ages

16+ The life and death of a British martyr Written by Clive Holland Directed by Mary Swan Performed by Mary Rose

www.proteustheatre.com !

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07 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 31 August 2015

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86 THE LIST FESTIVAL 20â&#x20AC;&#x201C;31 Aug 2015

Reviews | FESTIVAL THEATRE

PHOTO Š Ă&#x2030;RICK LABBĂ&#x2030;

PHOTO Š HELEN MAYBANKS

list.co.uk/festival

MY NAME IS . . .

887

THE AMERICAN SOLDIER

Story behind the headlines gets heard OOOOO

A stroll through theatre greatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s memories OOOOO

One-man show lacks dramatic unity OOOOO

Nine years after 12-year-old Molly Campbellâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;abductionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; from Scotland to Pakistan hit the news, this play from Sudha Bhuchar and Tamasha theatre company attempts to uncover the story behind the headlines. Mollyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s supposed kidnap from her motherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s home in Stornoway to her fatherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s in Islamabad dominated news for days. And when Molly appeared on TV to declare that she had gone willingly, and that her name was Misbah, the media presented the story as a clash of two civilisations.

Bhucharâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s play is based on interviews with Molly and her parents, conducted in 2008 when she was still in Pakistan (sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s now back in Scotland) but their names are changed: Molly becomes Gaby / Ghazala, her parents Suzy and Farhan.

The mediaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s prejudices are roundly attacked, particularly their racism and class scorn. But the play's strength is in the way it tells the personal stories of those involved. Umar Ahmed and Rehanna MacDonald impress as Farhan and Gaby / Ghazala, and Karen Bartkeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s turn as Suzy is particularly heartbreaking. Rather than a sensationalised cultureclash drama, this is first and foremost a deeply sad tale of a familyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s breakup. (Yasmin Sulaiman) Q Northern Stage at Summerhall, 560 1581, until 30 Aug (not 26), 7.25pm, ÂŁ14 (ÂŁ11).

After the spectacular binaural complexity of The Encounter, 887 arrives at the EIF with a similar set of expectations and a technology heavy dramaturgy.

Robert Lepage is a venerable artist who promptly indulges himself with a trip down memory lane and occasional flashes of self-awareness and passion.

The meandering is based around Lepageâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s attempts to learn the 1970s Quebecoise poem Speak White â&#x20AC;&#x201C; he eventually performs the poem, a vitriolic demand for respect, in an electrifying moment. Lepage suggests that he is pondering the nature of memory, personal and historical. This translates into vaguely interesting anecdotes from his childhood, merging the political turmoil of French Canadian activism and his familyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s struggles.

For all the impressive architecture on stage â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Lepage paces around a scale model of his home, peering inside at his past â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the substance is slim.

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s clear that he still has an eye for the telling image, and there are intriguing meditations on how the memory of history can be replaced. Yet his howl of outrage at what has become of the radical movement is an ironic reflection on his selfindulgence on stage. (Gareth K Vile) Q EICC, 473 2000, 20 & 23 Aug, 7.30pm, 21 & 22 Aug, 2.30pm, ÂŁ32.

The broad title marks out The American Soldier as an ambitious work, aiming to capture the experience of several generations of servicemen who have faced the realities of war. Douglas Taurel is an actor whose powerful presence sets a grave tone. The problem is that The American Soldier bites off more than it can chew; the sketches featured in his show donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t amount to a rounded picture, and the result lacks unity.

The mention of Valley Forge in the opening monologue sets the parameters for a journey through American history, taking Taurel through Vietnam and up to date with Afghanistan; from aggressive dope-smoking grunts to lovelorn soldiers, thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a range of characters to describe.

Unfortunately the vignettes are decidedly one-note; war is hell, for all concerned, but repeated motifs, such as an obsession with breasts, throw little light and make too many of the men seem far too generic and similar to each other.

The American Soldier aims too high in terms of scope; Taurel has real talent, but his one-man show needs fine-tuning to be a satisfying take on the subject. (Eddie Harrison) Q ZOO Southside, 662 6892, until 22 Aug, 7pm, ÂŁ9 (ÂŁ7).

LE GATEAU CHOCOLAT: BLACK

PHOTO Š MARK VESSEY

Life-affirming portrait of a battle with depression OOOOO Inspired by the recent deaths of two of his closest friends, Le Gateau Chocolatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new show could be downbeat â&#x20AC;&#x201C; morbid, even.

Not so â&#x20AC;&#x201C; if anything, it is one of the most life-affirming, inventive and beautiful shows at the festival this year.

We follow the opera / cabaret singer backstage as he applies make-up and wig. He traces his journey from a childhood in Nigeria to cabaret shows in London, via the guidance of virtual fairy godmother Whitney Houston, whose â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;I Wanna Dance With Somebodyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; is reimagined as a poignant cry for help. When his voice soars, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s as though a bullet flies into the audience.

He does not shy away from his own depression, which is the only time he directly talks to the audience, and he addresses homophobic beatings, his fatherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hostility and struggles with his weight. Similarly, there are some chilling musical moments â&#x20AC;&#x201C; not least in a pared down rendering of Billie Holidayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Strange Fruitâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; which silences the room (its imagery of Southern lynchings still as powerful as when it was first written) or a stunning rendition of Purcellâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Didoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Lamentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; alongside pianist David Merriman.

But this, as ever, is only half the picture with Chocolat: elsewhere, he is a mischievous, playful presence â&#x20AC;&#x201C; an Esther Williams bathing belle, with retro cap and swimsuit, or shimmying in furs; his impeccable comic timing and gestures a nod to the vaudeville greats of the silver screen.

Threaded throughout are â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;tips for fat peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, audaciously campy segments in sketch form, or the adorable Little Black, an animation about growing up that parodies 70s cartoon Bod, complete with deadpan voiceover. After all, Bod was just a misunderstood little boy who liked dresses too.

Charismatic and gifted, Le Gateau Chocolat commands the space effortlessly, inducing tears and laughter. (Lorna Irvine) Q Assembly Hall, 623 3030, until 30 Aug, 4.50pm, ÂŁ11â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ12 (ÂŁ10â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ11).

20â&#x20AC;&#x201C;31 Aug 2015 THE LIST FESTIVAL 87

FESTIVAL THEATRE | Reviews at a Glance For full length versions of these reviews see list.co.uk/festival Antiwords OOOOO The play tells the story of a meeting between a brewer and a persecuted politician, and relies on exaggerated gesture and intimate physical moments to communicate its storyline.

This piece requires an open mind and some intense concentration, but there is value in it. If you do go, letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hope youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re the type of person who enjoys a quiet beer. (Rebecca Monks) Summerhall, 560 1581, until 30 Aug (not 24), 8.25pm, ÂŁ12 (ÂŁ10).

As Is OOOOO Thirty years after its premiere Off-Broadway, William M Hoffmanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Tony Award-nominated play about the impact of HIV/AIDS on the LGBT community in 1980â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s New York still has the power to move and infuriate, in this often brilliant production at the Bedlam Theatre. The playâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s message is love: love of life, the love of one another.

(Alex Eades) Bedlam Theatre, 629 0430, until 30 Aug, 11.30am, ÂŁ10 (ÂŁ8).

Back to Blackbrick OOOOO By the end itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a truly poignant reflection on memory, family and fate, brought vividly alive in a big, warm hug of a show. It has the same crisp, incisive direction (here from Alex Howarth) that Patch of Blue have showed in a string of previous Fringe successes, and a fine, multi-partplaying cast. (David Kettle) Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 31 Aug, 3.30pm, ÂŁ7.50â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ10 (ÂŁ6.50â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ9).

Blake Remixed OOOOO Hip hop performer Testament is disarmingly charming. His story contains dramatic episodes and the rapping, even when he is impersonating the young offenders, is on point. Yet until the drama and the mundane are integrated, this remains a work in progress. (Gareth K Vile) Underbelly Cowgate, 0844 545 8252, until 29 Aug, 10.15pm, ÂŁ9â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ10 (ÂŁ8â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ9).

Blow OOOOO Less sordid than its name suggests, this black comedy monologue is less about the sex and more about the fantasy. Peppered with cleanly drawn characters, so bad theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re good similes and a sinister twist, Blow reveals a man whose actions must catch up with him.

(Susannah Radford) Run ended.

Disorder OOOOO Bipolar disorder is still a subject of much confusion, fear and stigma for many. Based on the experiences of one of the writers, Disorder looks at the subject with delicacy and honesty in a touching, if flawed, play. It is good to see a subject tackled that deserves a good deal more attention. (Alex Eades) C nova, 0845 260 1234, until 31 Aug, 2.30pm, ÂŁ8.50â&#x20AC;&#x201C; ÂŁ10.50 (ÂŁ6.50â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ8.50).

Boris: World King OOOOO David Benson bears an uncanny resemblance to Boris Johnson, superbly capturing the stuttering mannerisms for which he is now famous, led on by a script that, while humorous, also reveals the character as a quietly dark and predatory figure, which lends the piece a more sinister and creepy tone. (Alex Eades) Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 31 Aug, ÂŁ8â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ10.50 (ÂŁ7â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ9.50).

Eating Seals and Seagullsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Eggs OOOOO Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be put off by the subject matter. â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Irelandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most hated womanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; of this showâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Fringe programme description is Peig Sayers, a peasant from the Blasket Islands off the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s west coast. CaitrĂ­ona NĂ­ MhurchĂş (superb as a defiant, arrogant Sayers) and co-star Louise Lewis deliver a compelling hour of moving, challenging theatre, as theatrically inventive as it is intellectually rewarding. (David Kettle) Pleasance Dome, 556 6550, until 30 Aug (not 24), 1.05pm, ÂŁ7â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ10 (ÂŁ6-ÂŁ9).

Electric Dreams OOOOO Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve got to admire theatre company Dumbshowâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ambition. Transforming the ideas in Naomi Kleinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s vast and incendiary tome The Shock Doctrine into a convincing piece of theatre is an overwhelming undertaking, but theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve pulled it off magnificently â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and succeeded in bringing a lot of emotion and humour

What I Learned from Johnny Bevan

Filthy Talk for Troubled Times

best as a taster session for Shakespeare enthusiasts who are keen to explore another angle on the Bard. (Susannah Radford) CafĂŠ Camino,523 0102, until 29 Aug (not 26), 5pm, free.

OOOOO Neil LaBute has a reputation

Nell Gwyn: An Epilogue OOOOO

for macho scripts: this, an early piece that roves around the club scene of 1990sâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; America, does nothing to dispel that perception. The ugliness of the attitudes displayed, however, is expressed without judgement. It is a bleak vision of the world, and a sharp contrast to the increasingly sympathetic and intimate stories of contemporary theatre. (Gareth K Vile) Basic Mountain, 226 0000, until 31 Aug (not 25, 27), times vary, ÂŁ10â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ13 (ÂŁ8â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ10).

Gwyn was renowned for her stage presence, so itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ironic that this play should lack it so. Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s no doubting Lucy Formbyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s talent, and moments of humour do land well, but ultimately this play, unlike Gwyn, is not likely to go down in theatre history. (Rebecca Monks) Sweet Grassmarket, 243 3596, until 30 Aug, 4.55pm, ÂŁ9 (ÂŁ8).

On Track OOOOO Kristien De Proost delivers her intelligent, thoughtful monologue while constantly moving. She explores every aspect of her life, from her facial structure to her decision not to have children. It is self-reflective and perfectly put together: often funny but never overly poetic, the audience are in the palm of her hand as she regales them with her personal diatribe on modern life. (Rebecca Monks) Summerhall, 560 1581, until 30 Aug (not 20, 23 & 24, 27), 8.30pm, ÂŁ10 (ÂŁ8).

Ross & Rachel OOOOO Although Richard Curtis and Notting Hill are referenced, this is not a feelgood play in any way, but more of a blurred snapshot of two people struggling with separation and togetherness. A promising piece, but some further work on the text is required to provide a clear dissection of the internecine nature of an intense relationship. (Eddie Harrison) Assembly George Square Theatre, 623 3030, until 31 Aug, 12.30pm, ÂŁ9â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ11.

Skins and Hoods OOOOO Played between shimmering video projections and real-life actors, it takes an oblique, metaphorical slant on questions of racial identity through some touchingly realistic performances: itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s brief and to the point, with seemingly not a word or gesture wasted, but the points it raises â&#x20AC;&#x201C; both lyrical and sophisticated â&#x20AC;&#x201C; live long in the memory. (David Kettle) Institut français dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Ecosse, 225 5366, until 31 Aug (not 24), 2pm, ÂŁ12 (ÂŁ10).

into their pitch-black mix too. (David Kettle) Pleasance Dome, 556 6550, until 30 Aug (not 24), 3.50pm, ÂŁ9â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ11 (ÂŁ8â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ10).

The Great Downhill Journey of Little Tommy OOOOO Billing itself

as â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;a coming of age performance told in songs and live drawingsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, following the very basic storyline is a task in itself, as itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s diluted by the mish-mash of things happening on stage. That said, the performers, notably Jonas Vermeulen and Boris Vanseveren, bring the right amount of talent and enthusiasm to the piece, and if you canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t experiment at the Fringe, where can you? (Rebecca Monks) Summerhall, 560 1581, until 30 Aug (not 25), 10.30pm, ÂŁ10 (ÂŁ8).

Hannah and Hanna OOOOO If this debut production is anything to go by, CultureClash theatre have a bright future ahead of them. John Retallackâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Hannah and Hanna is set in Margate in 1999, when tensions erupted between the local community and incoming Kosovan refugees, and two girls with the same name become friends despite it all.

Cassandra Hercules and Serin Ibrahim are impressive as the two 16-year-olds, and the play feels just as relevant now as it did when it was first written 14 years ago. (Yasmin Sulaiman) Assembly George Square Studios, 623 3030, until 30 Aug, 1.20pm, ÂŁ9â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ11.

Jack Rooke: Good Grief OOOOOJack Rooke has a bubbly, winning personality.

This is a promising debut and a lively hour. His maturing may lead to more incisive theatre, and a more expansive vision of the world that goes beyond his own experience. (Gareth K Vile) Underbelly Cowgate, 0844 545 8252, until 30 Aug, 4pm, ÂŁ9â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ10 (ÂŁ8â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ9).

My Stratford Friend OOOOO

Weaving facts and historical events from Shakespeareâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s life through his thread of fiction, Dominick Reyntiens has a relaxed presence and is clearly passionate about his subject. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a pleasant hour that works

Shakespeare in the Garden: What You Will OOOOO In compiling scenes

from the Bardâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most powerful plays, Shakespeare in the Garden succeeds in capturing the emotional heart at the centre of the works. It is all presented with the minimum of props and no scenery apart from the lush green lawn of C southâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s garden. (Robin Hodge) C south, 0845 260 1234, until 31 Aug, 6.30pm, ÂŁ7.50â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ9.50 (ÂŁ5.50â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ7.50).

Tripped OOOOO Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a tightly written

script, with lots of biting comic lines and the threat of an imminent violent death creating plenty of tension. The cast deliver skilled performances, bringing depth and empathy to their characters as their shared fate wears away their defences. In a particularly touching scene, they write farewell messages to their wives and children. (Rowena McIntosh) C south, 0845 260 1234, until 31 Aug, 8.55pm, ÂŁ8.50â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ10.50 (ÂŁ6.50â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ8.50).

What I Learned from Johnny Bevan OOOOO Performance poet Luke

Wrightâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first play is a powerful evocation of Britain in the late 1990s, shot through with the swaggering of Britpop and the optimism of Tony Blair. Unsurprisingly, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a deeply poetic monologue, about a jaded churnalist who finds himself in a gentrified ex-council estate in which an old friend, Johnny Bevan, once lived.

Wright puts in an impassioned, elegant performance, full of humour, sadness and political fury. (Yasmin Sulaiman) Summerhall, 560 1581, until 30 Aug, 4.55pm, ÂŁ12 (ÂŁ10).

Where Do Little Birds Go? OOOOO

Based on the true story of Lisa Prescott, an 18-year-old girl kidnapped by the notorious Kray twins in London during the 1960s, the premise of Where Do Little Birds Go? is undoubtedly dark.

Though brutal, and at times difficult to watch, this engaging work of theatre is not one youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re likely to forget in a hurry.

(Rebecca Monks) Underbelly Cowgate, 0844 545 8252, until 30 Aug, 8.55pm, ÂŁ10â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ11 (ÂŁ9â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ10).

Willie and Sebastian OOOOO Willie Donaldson and Sebastian Horsley were two legendary real-life rakes, sharing excess and seedy glamour. The formula is well-worn but itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s surprisingly soulful. Director Sam Kaneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s staging also contains a few bawdy surprises â&#x20AC;&#x201C; particularly for some brave souls sitting at the front. (Lorna Irvine) Gilded Balloon, 622 6552, until 31 Aug, 8.15pm, ÂŁ12â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ14 (ÂŁ10â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ÂŁ12).

Woolly Eyed Turtle, in 3D OOOOO

UK-based Irish comedy duo Maeve Bell and Emily Johnson unleash their absurd brand of physical humour in this entertaining comedy about returning home. While some threads of this production could be more fully developed to form a tighter piece, creating a number of endearingly stupid characters is no mean feat. (Susannah Radford) CafĂŠ Camino, 523 0102, until 29 Aug (not 24), 7.30pm, free.

88 THE LIST FESTIVAL 20â&#x20AC;&#x201C;31 Aug 2015

Festival

VISUAL ART

For m info gootroe

LIST.CO.UK /FESTIVAL

PLATFORM: 2015

PHOTO Š EDINBURGH ART FESTIVAL

Recent graduates take centre stage at Edinburgh Art Festival In the great agglomeration of shows and events that make up Edinburgh Art Festival, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s encouraging to see an initiative to place the work of emerging artists right in the festival hub. Selected from an open submission by a panel which includes Christine Borland and Craig Coulthard, these are four distinctive bodies of work by recent graduates.

Ben Callaghan gives us a chessboard without pieces, dice with no markings, a film of a perpetually spinning top: a space to play with ideas, to find your own metaphors.

Chilean Antonia BaĂąados, makes a cabinet of curiosities in which mundane objects are cast in glass, as well as being drawn and painted, the ordinary made unfamiliar.

Ross Hamilton Frew creates delicate abstracts by making patterns of fine lines on handmade recycled paper. Here, he places them next to recycled words, which he shapes into haiku with the same meticulousness.

Jessica Rammâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s spherical sculpture of metal bars with climbersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; hand-holds is not only a strong sculptural form, it can also be climbed on, as her film demonstrates.

It would be artificial to try to link the four works thematically, but Emily Grayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s thoughtful curation and design brings their contrasting creations into a kind of harmony.

(Susan Mansfield) Q 9â&#x20AC;&#x201C;11 Blair Street, 225 5248, until 30 Aug, free.

OOOOO

20â&#x20AC;&#x201C;31 Aug 2015 THE LIST FESTIVAL 89

FESTIVAL VISUAL ART | Hitlist

Rachael Cloughton highlights some of the best visual art in week three of the festival RECIPROCITI Designer Patrick Stevenson-Keating has created an imaginary bank with its own notes, debit card and cash dispenser. The experimental work questions whether the most mundane of financial transactions can be used as a force for good. See review, page 91. Royal Bank Of Scotland, 142â&#x20AC;&#x201C;144 Princes St, 226 2555, until 31 Aug, free.

EDINBURGH ART FESTIVAL

ART HITLIST

Platform: 2015

central Edinburgh. The exhibition includes sound recordings from Remote Performances, a project set up

by London Fieldworks, which invited 20 artists, poets, writers, musicians and community space to reflect on their unique surroundings, alongside other installations and video works relating to Outlandia. See review, page 91. Edinburgh College of Art: Tent Gallery, 651 5800, until 30 Aug, free.

PLATFORM: 2015 Four distinctive bodies of work by recent graduates; Antonia Banados, Ben Callaghan, Ross Hamilton Frew and Jessica Ramm take centre stage in new Edinburgh Art Festival initiative.

Artists were selected through an open call by a selection panel that included Christine Borland and Craig Coulthard.

See review, page 89. 9-11 Blair Street, 225 5248, until 30 Aug, free.

DENNIS AND DEBBIE CLUB: THE STRIP Audio-visual installation that reconstructs three distinct locations using CGI animations and multiple screens: the greenhouse in which Kurt Cobain shot himself in 1994; a crater on the planet Mars from data captured

by ESAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Mars Express Mission in 2014; and a collage of seemingly timeless buildings found along Los Angelesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Sunset Strip. See review, page 93 CodeBase, Argyle House, 560 2003 until 22, 23, 29, 30 Aug (Sat & Sun only), free.

REMOTE CENTRES: PERFORMANCES FROM OUTLANDIA Works made on residency in a Highland treehouse are exhibited in

JULIE FAVREAU Compelling new film created for the Edinburgh Art Festival by Canadian artist Julie Favreau. Blending visual art and choreography, Favreau builds a

rich and ambiguous narrative around an isolated female figure and an elastic rope. See review, page 93. Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, 624 6200, until 30 Aug, free.

DEREK MICHAEL BESANT Solo exhibition by acclaimed multimedia artist. Besant worked closely with the Edinburgh Printmakers community, photographing and surveying members to create intimate portraits. See review, page 93.

Edinburgh Printmakers, 557 2479, until 5 Sep (not Mon & Sat), free.

SCOTTISH ARTISTS Dedicated to works of Scottish art in the Royal Collection including paintings

by Allan Ramsay and Alexander Nasmyth. An emphasis is placed on the importance and influence of artists whose work was shaped by the ideas of the Scottish Enlightenment. See review, page 93. Queenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Gallery, 556 5100, until 7 Feb, ÂŁ6.60 (ÂŁ6).

90 THE LIST FESTIVAL 20â&#x20AC;&#x201C;31 Aug 2015

Reviews | FESTIVAL VISUAL ART

PHOTO Š PATRICK STEVENSON-KEATING

list.co.uk/festival

BEATRICE GIBSON: CRIPPLED SYMMETRIES

KWANG YOUNG CHUN: AGGREGATIONS

RECIPROCITI

Films inspired by 1975 novel OOOOO

Meticulously crafted paper art from Korea OOOOO

OOOOO

The noise of money is everywhere in the two films

by Beatrice Gibson that make up the London-based artistâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s show at this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Edinburgh Art Festival. â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;F for Fibonacciâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; juxtaposes archive footage of a mercurial Karlheinz Stockhausen and images of Wall Street city boys at play with an 11-year-old boyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s computer-generated images of a world owned by a fictional superhero, Mr Money. The newly commissioned â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Solo for Rich Manâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; finds another 11-year-old ruffling wads of dosh and dropping coins with composer Anton Lukoszeveize in a Shoreditch adventure playground.

Both films are inspired by William Gaddisâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; 1975 novel, JR, in which an 11-year-old boy creates the world's biggest financial empire with the unwitting help of his schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s resident composer. Gibsonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s films pits notions of progressive education, abstract composition and work by Fluxus artist George Maciuna with the real racket going on in the City.

In physical terms, such counterpoints suggest how throwing a sonic spanner in the works can disrupt a mainstream economy. As far as monopolies go, however, kids rool the skool every time. (Neil Cooper) Q Collective Gallery, 556 1264, until 4 Oct, free.

After 20 years as an abstract expressionist painter, Korean artist Kwang Young Chun changed direction and began to make assemblages from hundreds of triangular packages wrapped in mulberry paper (usually the pages of old Korean books) and tied with mulberry string. Many of the pieces in this show, his first solo exhibition in Scotland, are wall mounted, and look like paintings trying to break into three dimensions.

Some evoke other-worldly landscapes, using shapes and tones to create the impression of ridged surfaces and craters. Others exhibit a painterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s delight in colour: a sunburst in shades of blue, a jagged rectangle in flame and earth hues.

The centrepiece is a huge spikey sphere, like a meteorite, hanging from the ceiling. The immediate impression is one of presence and scale. On closer inspection, one considers the meticulousness and craft in the process, and the blending of an American painting tradition with a sensibility that is oriental and hand-made. However, after sustained viewing, it starts to feel they are all variations on a theme. To see still more, would be to see more of the same. (Susan Mansfield) Q Dovecot Gallery, 550 3660, until 26 Sep, free.

A site-specific installation within a busy city centre bank branch, this display by Patrick StevensonKeatingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Studio PSK carefully freights consideration of money not as a simple article of currency, but as a means of social interaction and a system which is used to arrange people by their interaction with it.

It moves beyond the familiar rich and poor dynamic into other fields. A series of branded posters for the theoretical Reciprociti bank have been designed, advertising insurance for investments devalued by adverse tweets; and savings accounts whose value is linked to the customerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s weight or the hypothetical time / value / location equation.

New objects for making digital payments seek to create a sense of physical context about how much the holder is spending; one is a dial which must be rotated to increase the amount, another an unwieldy balloon system which shows the amount youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re spending in relation to the value of your account.

Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s also a fake ATM dispensing personalised notes, a physical suggestion of the sense of individual interaction Stevenson-Keating is proposing in this thought-provoking exhibition. (David Pollock) Q Royal Bank of Scotland, 142-144 Princes Street, 226 2555, until 31 Aug, free.

Thought-provoking take on the role of money

REMOTE CENTRES: PERFORMANCES FROM OUTLANDIA

PHOTO ŠLUKE ALLAN

Works made on residency in a Highland treehouse OOOOO In 2010, an off-site treehouse titled Outlandia was erected in Glen Nevis, designed by artists London Fieldworks (Bruce Gilchrist & Jo Joelson) and designed by Malcolm Fraser Architects. Artist Jo Joelson described the project as, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;a hideout, a shelter, a studio, a cabin in the forest, a platform for artists to be in residence and for others to stumble across and wonder about its contents.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; The site has since played host to a variety of residencies, allowing space for artists to work outside their usual comfort zones. For one week in August 2014, a project called Remote Performances was set up by London Fieldworks in which the site was transformed into a temporary radio station, allowing 20 artists, poets, writers, musicians and the local community space to reflect on their unique surroundings. This installation at Edinburgh College of Art features sound recordings from that project, peppered with other works relating to Outlandia.

While the project and the site are both fascinating, it is questionable whether this light, clinical space filled with computer screens really captures the dirty, rugged nature of the site at Glen Nevis, but two projects come close. One is a video by London Fieldworks titled â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Outlandia Boardwalkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, which films the long wooden walkway leading to Outlandia, crossing the boggy terrain frequented by hill-walking tourists. Similarly, artist Clair Chinneryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s raw installation â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Generic Hybrid Highland Nestâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; is set inside a mock version of the Glen Nevis treehouse itself. Inside is a giant, grubby birdâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s nest large enough for a whole person to sleep in. Accompanied by recordings featuring shuffling and trampling noises alongside other quiet sounds, you can begin to imagine the contemplative solitude of the space. (Rosie Lesso) Q Edinburgh College of Art: Tent Gallery, Evolution House, 651 5800, until 30 Aug, free.

20â&#x20AC;&#x201C;31 Aug 2015 THE LIST FESTIVAL 91

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30 Julyâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;30 August 2015 edinburghartfestival.com

Charles Avery Marvin Gaye Chetwynd Julie Favreau Emma Finn Ariel Guzik Hanna Tuulikki Kemang Wa Lehulere

Lee Miller and Picasso at Scottish National Portrait Gallery, M.C. Escher at Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, David Bailey at Scottish National Gallery, John Bellany at Open Eye Gallery, James Morrison at The Scottish Gallery, significant surveys of Scottish art at The Queenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Gallery and City Art Centre, Victorian photography at National Museum of Scotland

Phyllida Barlow at The Fruitmarket Gallery, John Chamberlain at Inverleith House, Kwang Young Chun at Dovecot Gallery, Charles Avery at Ingleby Gallery, Hanne Darboven at Talbot Rice Gallery, Beatrice Gibson at Collective, Tara Donovan at Jupiter Artland, Toby Paterson at Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop, kennardphillipps at Stills, Derek Michael Besant at Edinburgh Printmakers

The Number Shop, Rhubaba, Skinny Showcase, Edinburgh College of Art, Platform: 2015, a new festival initiative showcasing early career artists

Carol Ann Duffy at Talbot Rice Gallery, Man of Moon at Collective and Miaoux Miaoux at Scottish National Portrait Gallery

Registered charity no. SC038360 Company registration no. SC314596

Reviews | FESTIVAL VISUAL ART

PHOTO Š EDINBURGH ART FESTIVAL

list.co.uk/festival

DEREK MICHAEL BESANT: IN OTHER WORDS . . .

THE STRIP

JULIE FAVREAU: SHE CENTURY Crammed single-room show loses focus OOOOO

Canadian artistâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s portraiture experiment OOOOO

New digital installation developed at Edinburghâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s tech incubator OOOOO

A creator of large-scale installations and billboard works at home in his native Canada, Derek Michael Besant presents a show which might, by his standards, be considered small-scale. However, created with the users of Edinburgh Printmakers as his models, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s an experiment which is completely in control of its own aesthetic and intention. This is an experiment in portraiture which goes out of its way to â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;unseeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; the individual, to represent them not through their features but through other personal identifying characteristics, both outward and inward.

Besant has photographed each of his participants â&#x20AC;&#x201C; all 25 of them â&#x20AC;&#x201C; in a manner which means their faces are blurred and obscured from our view. The characters are unrecognisable, but thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s enough significant outline in their silhouette and on their face that they may yet be familiar to those who know them. Over these images, he has overlaid a continuing text comprised of their words, a â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;found poemâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; which reveals snippets of each sitter by showing something other than their face. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s an interesting project, although the repetition of form does become slightly wearing over a whole show.

(David Pollock) Q Edinburgh Printmakers, 557 2479, until 5 Sep (not Mon & Sat), free.

Glasgow-based collaborators The Dennis and Debbie Club were artists-in-residence at Codebase, the tech incubator in Argyle House, in the six months leading up to the Edinburgh Art Festival. During this time they developed The Strip â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a digital triptych made using open source 3D graphic software and CGI animation.

This technology maintains the lo-fi digital aesthetic familiar in previous works. Each of three screens constructs a different location; the greenhouse in which Kurt Cobain shot himself in 1994; a crater on the planet Mars from data captured by ESAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Mars Express Mission in 2014; and a collage of buildings found along Los Angelesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Sunset Strip. These scenes eventually break apart, leaving disparate objects floating across a blue background.

But The Strip is displayed in such an honest way (everything is on display, from the speakers and cables to the mouse to turn the clips off and on) that there is no illusion within the work. The scenes constructed and then fragmented are obviously artificial, which is disappointing for an audience expecting to be entertained by the promised immersive possibilities of CGI technology.

(Rachael Cloughton) Q CodeBase, Argyle House, 560 2003, 22 & 23, 29 & 30 Aug, free.

One of the Edinburgh Art Festivalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 2015 commissions created under the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Improbable Citiesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; banner, this single-room show manages to cram a lot in, although thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s perhaps its weakest point.

There are seven distinct items here, and they appear to bear no relation to one another. While itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s interesting to see various elements of Canadian artist Julie Favreauâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s work, the effect is to create a sense of uncomfortable overlap when viewing, making it harder to focus on one item.

The title piece is perhaps the most penetrable.

Over a five-minute film installation, we see a woman â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Favreau herself? â&#x20AC;&#x201C; in a garden, miming finding the edges of a solid structure around her, even as obelisk-like black shields appear to fence her in. In another scene, the shape of what appears to be a razor blade has been laid out on the grass in cable.

She picks it up, whipping the ground as she goes.

The other film piece, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Hunting at Nightâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, shows her scratching at the floor of a country path, taking on the role of hunter even as the projection onto acrylic creates an eerily twilight effect. Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a distinct feminist undertone to these pieces, although itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s less apparent in angular sculptural works and black fabric floor-to-ceiling hanging pieces. (David Pollock) Q Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art Two, 624 6200, until 30 Aug, free.

SCOTTISH ARTISTS 1750â&#x20AC;&#x201C;1900: FROM CALEDONIA TO THE CONTINENT

PHOTO Š EDINBURGH ART FESTIVAL

Exhibition celebrates the Scottish art and artists within the Royal Collection OOOOO With so much contemporary art in town, a show of historical painting feels like something of an anomaly, but there are some real â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and rarely exhibited â&#x20AC;&#x201C; gems in this, the first show from the Royal Collection specifically dedicated to Scottish painting.

There are several stories being told here. One is about the monarchy commissioning Scottish artists: Allan Ramsay became the first to have a royal appointment, at the court of George III, and there is a fine selection of his portraits here; David Wilkie was commissioned to paint, with some pomp and circumstance, George IVâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s visit to Scotland in 1822. There is a story about Scottish painters not only becoming recognised outside their own country, but actively seeking wider horizons: there are important works here from Wilkieâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s time in Spain during the War of Independence, and by John Phillip, whose Spanish gypsy paintings were beloved by Queen Victoria.

And then there is the corresponding story of the Victorian love affair with Scotland: landscapes painted as souvenirs to show places Victoria and Albert visited; a delightful miniature of Prince Albert in Highland dress, painted by Robert Thorburn for the Queenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s birthday; portraits of her favourite tartan-clad entertainers. In 150 years, the country had transformed from a cultural backwater to one which would be celebrated and mythologised in the fashionable art of the day.

(Susan Mansfield) Q Queenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Gallery, 556 5100, until 7 Feb, ÂŁ6.60 (ÂŁ6).

20â&#x20AC;&#x201C;31 Aug 2015 THE LIST FESTIVAL 93

LIST EVENTS

The List EVENTS

Events

CALENDAR

ART LATE SOUTH: MIAOUX MIAOUX Scottish producer, musician and songwriter Julian Victor Corrie will close Edinburgh Art Festivalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s second Art Late event. Scottish National Portrait Gallery, 624 6200, 20 Aug, 6pm, ÂŁ5.

MUSEUM AFTER HOURS

FESTIVAL DETOURS: MAN OF MOON L

Edinburgh duo perform an intimate set at Collective Gallery

ooking to offer fresh perspectives on visual art, Edinburgh Art Festival is hosting a series of live performances in galleries across the city. On Wednesday 26 August, Detours takes up residency at Collective Gallery with an intimate gig from Edinburgh two-piece Man of Moon.

The duo, Chris Bainbridge and Mikey Reid, perform psychedelic, groove-infused blues rock.

Making good on their status as â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;ones to watchâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, this year alone theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve supported the Phantom Band and Admiral Fallow, performed at Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival, Wickerman and T in the Park and are set to play Electric Fields and Jocktoberfest. Their debut single â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;The Roadâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; was released back in July on Melodic and was chosen as our Single of the Month. â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Featuring compressed vocals, scuzzy guitars and a motoric groove, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a psychedelic ode to the open road,â&#x20AC;&#x2122; we said.

Located at the City Observatory on Calton Hill, the Collective Gallery offers fantastic views of the city skyline. During Edinburgh Art Festival, the venue is exhibiting 3am, an immersive installation created by France-Lise McGurn that explores identity construction, and new film Crippled Symmetries by London-based artist Beatrice Gibson thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s inspired by both William Gaddisâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; novel JR and the work of radical educators and composers Brian Dennis and John Paynter.

(Rowena McIntosh)

Explore the National Museum on Chambers Street after dark, with over three hours of Fringe-packed fun. Tickets include entry to current exhibition, Photography: A Victorian Sensation. National Museum of Scotland, 0300 123 6789, 21 & 28 Aug, 7pm, ÂŁ16 (ÂŁ14).

FESTIVAL DETOURS: CAROL ANN DUFFY WITH JOHN SAMPSON The first female poet laureate teams up with her favourite musician. Part of Edinburgh Art Festival. Talbot Rice Gallery, 650 2210, 21 Aug, 6pm, ÂŁ4.

EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL BOOK FESTIVAL: LIMMY Creator of the BAFTA-winning Limmyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Show, Brian Limond has written his first book, Daft Wee Stories (see preview, page 70). Charlotte Square Gardens, 0845 373 5888, 22 Aug, 9.45pm, ÂŁ10 (ÂŁ8).

FESTIVAL DETOURS: MAN OF MOON Bluesy noirish duo on a rapid rise out of obscurity. Part of Edinburgh Art Festival. See preview, left.

Collective Gallery, 556 1264, 26 Aug, 7pm, ÂŁ4.

Collective Gallery, 556 1264, 26 Aug, 7pm, ÂŁ4. SOLD OUT. 94 THE LIST FESTIVAL 20â&#x20AC;&#x201C;31 Aug 2015

FESTIVAL INDEX

Festival INDEX 887 87 (Re)Experimentalista 66 360 ALLSTARS 58 4x4 Ephemeral Architectures 56 A Game of You 5 A Study on the Stillness of Love 83 Adam Riches 43 Adriano Adewale 5, 68 Ahir Shah 49 Aisling Bea 49 Alex Edelman 44 Alexi Murdoch 66 Alfie White: Space Explorer 62, 64 Ali McGregorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Jazzamatazz 64 All Bare 22 The American Soldier 87 An Audience with Harry Deansway 49 Andrew Doyle 39 Andrew Keen 33, 34 Andrew Maxwell 49 Anna Morris 49 Antigone 80 Antiwords 88 Antonio Forcione 5, 68 Art Late 94 As Is 88 Back to Blackbrick 88 Balletronic 57 Ballett Zurich 55, 56 Barbu 56 Bat-Fan 49 Beard 49 Beatrice Gibson 91 Bec Hill 47 Ben Clark 10 Beth Vyse 43 Blake Remixed 88 Blow 88 Bodell & Maxwell 49 Boris: World King 88 Breakfast Epiphanies 49 Brian Limond 14 Bruce 74, 77 Bryce Dessner 24 Butt Kapinski 5, 36, 37 Butterfly 84 Caroline Criado Perez 30, 34 Centred 49 Charles Booth 49 Chris Betts 49 Chris Turner 46 Citizen Puppet 85 Close Up 56 Collective Gallery 94 Crap Music Rave Party 71 Croft & Pearce 49 Dan Lees 49 Danza del Caribe 57 Daphna Baram 49 Darren Walsh 49 David Mills 49 The Dead Secrets 49 Dennis and Debbie Club: The Strip 90, 93 Derek Michel-Besant 90, 93 Devilâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Door Bell 49 Diary of a Dating Addict 46

Dillie Keane 8 Disorder 88 Donald Does Dusty 22 The Dougie MacLean Project 66 Drum Tribe 71 Eating Seals and Seagullsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Eggs 88 Echoes 85 Edinburgh Mela 5 Elaine Malcolmson 49 Electric Dreams 88 Emily St John Mandel 30, 33 Emma Sidi 49 The Encounter 74, 75 Fairy Tale Theatre 49 FEAST 57 Fern Brady 5, 36, 42 Festival Detours 94 Festival of the Spoken Nerd 47 Fills Monkey: Incredible Drum Show 71 Filthy Talk For Troubled Times 88 Five Feet in Front (The Ballad of Little Johnnie Wylo) 76 Flaming Lips 67 Funmbi Omotayo 49 Gabriel Bisset-Smith 50 George the Poet 30, 34 Get Your Own Back: Live!

17 Good Kids 50 Goodbear 50 The Gospel According to Jesus, Queen of Heaven 74, 84 Graham Clark 50 The Great Downhill Journey of Little Tommy 88 Grossed Out Game Show 17 Gruffalos, Ladybirds and other Beasts 62, 64 Gurpal Gill 42 Hannah and Hanna 88 Henry Naylor 85 Holly Burn 37 Hotel Paradiso 56 How to Be Fat 75 The Human Ear 76 I, Elizabeth 80 Ian Smith 50 Ismo Leikola 50 Jack Barry 50 Jack Rooke: Good Grief 88 James 67 James Dawson 34 James Hamilton 50 Jamie Wood - Oh no!

80 Janice Galloway 4, 30, 33 Jellybean Martinez 44 Jenny Bede 39 The Jerome Experience: Roating Drumming Show 71 Jessie Cave 50 Jim Cartwright 85 Joanna Neary 48 Joe Hart 50 John Hastings 50 John Robertson 50 John Robins 50 Jonny Pelham 47 Joseph Morpurgo 5, 36, 44

Need help navigating your way around our Festival coverage? Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve made a neat list of all the Festival shows covered in this issue right here. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll leave you to add your own highlighter pen notes or Biro scribbles around it, as you wish

Julie Favreau 90, 93 Jura Unbound 30, 33, 34 Kâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Rd Strip 58 Katia Kvinge 50 Keith Farnan 50 Kelly Kingham 50 Kirsten MacGregor 50 Kwang Young Chun 91 Laura Lexx 50 Lazy Susan 37 Le Gateau Chocolat: Black 5, 74, 87 Lennon: Through a Glass Onion 68 LetLuce 50 Lewis Schaffer 50 Liam Williams 36, 48 Limmy 4, 14, 94 Lolly 48 Louise Welsh 29 Love Over Scotland 66 Luke McQueen 53 Magic Flute 5 The Magic Porridge Pot and Other Tasty Tales 62 Magical Mistery Hour 68 Magners Summer Nights 67 The Maids 22 Mark Steel 46 Marriage 76 The Marvellous Imaginery Menagerie 62, 63 Matt Winning 53 Matthew Crosby 10 Max Richter 66 Meera Syal 34 Megan Ford 48 MĂŠnage 75 Messages From Japan / Super-Cussion 71 Michael J Dolan 53 Mid-Brow 53 Minor Delays 53 The Missing Hancocks 36, 39 Mitchâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Movie Pitches 80 Moby Alpha 53 Morgan Berry 42 Mrs McMoonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Tea Party 62, 63 Museum After Hours 94 My Name Is 74, 87 My Stratford Friend 88 Nell Gwyn: An Epilogue 88 Nick Cody 47 Nick Payne 83 Ockhamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Razor 56, 57 Omar Hamdi 53 On Track 88 One Day When We Were Young 83 Othello: An All Female Production 21 The Overcoat 62, 64 Pappyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 4, 10, 36 Paradise Lost 4, 56, 58 Party Piece 9 Patrick Ness 5, 30, 34 Penny Arcade 74 Remote Centres: Performances From Outlandia 90, 91 Phil Mann: Hydrophobia 53 Phil Wang 53

Pierre Novellie 53 The Piper 63 Platform 2015 5, 89 Project Ha Ha 58 Puddles Pity Party 5, 74, 83 Pun Manâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Pun Party 53 RAZ 74, 85 Real Japanese Drum Beat 71 Reciprociti 90, 91 Rhys James 53 Richard Gadd 44 Richard Reed Parry 24 Roaring Accordion 66 Rodney Bewes 53 Ross & Rachel 88 Sam Simmons 36, 46 Sarah Callaghan 43 The Scarecrowâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Wedding 61, 62 Scottish Artists 90, 93 Sean McLoughlin 53 Shakespeare in the Garden: What You Will 21, 77, 88 Shakespeare Untold: Titus Andronicus 5 Shit-Faced Showtime 42 Sing For Your Life 76 Skins and Hoods 88 Smooth Faced Gentlemen 21 Sofie Hagen 53 Solotronik - Ribbentrop Factory 66 Soweto Afro Pop Opera 68 The Spooky Menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Chorale 66 Steve Hall 53 Stewart Francis 53 Strictly Balti 73 Sufjan Stevens 4, 65 Supermoon 71 Susie McCabe 53 Tar Baby 5, 74, 84 Tats Nkonzo 53 Tether 75 Tez Ilyas 37 Thrones! The Musical!

43 Titus Andronicus: An All Female Production 21 Tom Neenan 53 Tom Parry 10 Tommy Tiernan 36 Tomorrow 77 Trainspotting 77 Trans Scripts 74 Trevor Noah 4, 35, 36 Tripped 88 Trygve Wakenshaw 39 Twisted Loaf 53 Two Sore Legs 85 Vagabond 63 Val McDermid 34 Vertical Influences 56 Waterboys 67 Wave Movements 4, 24 What I Learned From Jonny Bevan 88 When Blair Had Bush and Bunga 84 Where Do Little Birds Go? 88 Will Mars 53 Willie and Sebastian 88 Woolly Eyed Turtle 88 The Year of the Hare 83 20â&#x20AC;&#x201C;31 Aug 2015 THE LIST FESTIVAL 95

MARK THOMAS

From The List

ARCHIVE

This wee preview is from 2001, when Mark Thomas was doing three different shows, all fundraising benefits (check out those young chaps below too). Ten years after he was nominated for a Perrier, Thomas outlines the ethical and moral difficulties behind accepting the award. This year is just as political (natch).

In 2015, Thomas is focusing on one show: Trespass: A Work in Progress, which is rapidly selling out, so get your finger out if you want to be a part of it. Picking up where 100 Acts of Minor Dissent left off, Trespass embarks on a cheeky wee project to turn urban environments into our own personal playgrounds.

Summerhall, 560 1581, until 30 Aug (not 20), 5pm, ÂŁ12 (ÂŁ8).

Go to

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test revie right up ws to the en d of the Also look fe stiva out for u pdates a l. @thelis t tmaga faceboo zine and k.com /thelist magazin e

96 THE LIST FESTIVAL 20â&#x20AC;&#x201C;31 Aug 2015

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TREVOR NOAH 28-30 AUG Assembly Hall 10.30pm

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