The List Festival Week 3 2016 by List Publishing Ltd

FESTIVAL

FREE

CHRISTEENE COUNTING SHEEP AMY SCHUMER THE STORY OF MR B DANIEL KITSON KIERAN HODGSON SH!T THEATRE

a m m Ma Mia

OWS H S + 150 EWED ONS REVI RECOMMENDATI IST

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18–29 AUG 2016 | WEEK 3 LIST.CO.UK/FESTIVAL

LADY RIZO’S BACK IN TOWN

AT THE EDINBURGH FESTIVAL FRINGE

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Festival

FRONT

CONTENTS FESTIVAL 2016 | ISSUE 3 | LIST.CO.UK/FESTIVAL

Top 20 News Pic of the Week

4 8 9

FEATURES

Lady Rizo Christeene Counting Sheep

10 17 19

FOOD & DRINK

COVER STORY

Section 33

BOOKS

Unbound Hitlist Jonathan Safran Foer

LADY RIZO

29 30 31

COMEDY

The ever-glam cabaret star returns to the Fringe with a show influenced by her recent experience of motherhood. But if you think being a mum has robbed her of that trademark sass and effortless glitz, think again. She talks to us about coming back to Edinburgh with a babe in tow on page 10.

Amy Schumer Hitlist Sofie Hagen Kieran Hodgson Richard Gadd Reviews at a Glance

35 36 42 46 47 49

DANCE

Scottish Ballet Hitlist Pss Pss

55 56 57

KIDS

The Many Doors of Frank Feelbad Hitlist The Story of Mr B

PHOTO: ALEX BRENNER AND BOOTWORKS THEATRE

MUSIC

KIDS SHOWS

COUNTING SHEEP

From heartwarming tales for tiny tots to raucous entertainment for their older siblings, the Fringe is packed with first-rate shows for young audiences.

Lemon Bucket Orkestra’s guerrilla folk opera is one of this year’s most talked about shows, giving an unsettling glimpse into the 2014 uprising in Ukraine.

GREAT OFFERS Win tickets to Museum After Hours

Win tickets to Art Late with Jonnie Common Win a tour of the Caledonian Brewery Win tickets to the Virgin Money Fireworks Concert

Win a trip to Rio Carnival 2017

Win a crate of Blue Moon

Win a bottle of Porter’s Gin

61 62 63

Starman Hitlist Cosi fan tutte

65 66 68

THEATRE

The Glass Menagerie Hitlist The Duke Life According to Saki Reviews at a Glance

VISUAL ART

73 74 76 81 88

Alice Neel Hitlist Joseph Beuys

89 90 91

EVENTS

Art Late 4

INDEX

COMIC REVIEW Mouse

96 96

THIS WEEK ON LIST.CO.UK/FESTIVAL Check out our Top Rated page for an overview of what reviewers across the Fringe are saying about the best – and the worst – shows. Plus, we’ll have reviews going online right up until the end of the month, so keep looking out for more tips

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Festival

MAILBOX

CONTRIBUTORS

PHOTO: EMILY BUTLER

Now that there’s been two weeks to explore the ins and outs of the Fringe, conversation is at an alltime high. There’s still time to let us know your opinions (we know you have them): go to list.co.uk/festival or tweet us at @thelistmagazine

Adam Kay: Fingering A Minor on the Piano ‘Sorry for the ongoing self-promotion, but here’s a lovely review from @ thelistmagazine, who normally DESPISE me.’ Comment posted by @ amateuradam The Club ‘It felt like they’d just learned three new swear words and were testing them out.’ Comment posted by Rob N. Trumpageddon ‘I know they’ll be nice when they call me a “satirist”’ Comment posted by @ JayBirdProds (see review, page 82) Preview: Deep Time – ‘We’re trying to make it as epic an experience as we can’ ‘Deep Time was a disappointment. The visuals were impressive, but the quotes projected on the castle walls were up for too short a time. I only just managed to read them before they disappeared. Last year we left feeling uplifted; this year it was

BRIBE

not worth the effort.’ Comment posted by Martin P Deep Time ‘Loved that. Look forward to Atomic later in month’ Comment posted by @icrad4 Puddles Pity Party: Let’s Go! ‘Puddles Pity Party was Pure Packaged Pulsating Painful Pandemic Painted Pedro Portraying Popov Pitiful Priceless Performing Puddles . . . Perfect.’ Comment posted by Gavin Wilson Shit-faced Shakespeare ‘Remember when you were 15 and started drinking with your friends? And there was

EK E W E OF TH

always one person who acted really drunk even though they’d only had a can of cider? That’s what this is like.’ Comment posted by George McConnachie Good Kids: On Tap ‘Half the audience got up and left. If you are looking for something that will make you laugh I don’t recommend this act.’ Comment posted by TTS Good Kids: On Tap ‘It wasn’t non-stop belly laughs, but it kept us entertained. These guys definitely have something and can only get better. Would definitely see again.’ Comment posted by Jim Hunt

MY LOVE IS LIKE A LEAD, LEAD ROSE Roses are red / rhubarb is red / here is a pipe / it’s made out of lead. Romance has never been our forte, but we’re pretty sure stashing a lead pipe and some rhubarb in a bouquet isn’t normal. This display of affection from Arbery Productions becomes less baffling when you realise their play The Rose and Crown contains the line: ‘I suppose you think I can grow new lead pipes in the back garden like sticks of flaming rhubarb?’ It’s a one-act spine-tingler where some drinkers in a pub are interrupted by a mysterious stranger. As long as he doesn’t try to seduce them with rhubarb, we’re sure it’ll be fine. ■ The Rose and Crown, theSpace on Niddry St, 510 2383, 22–27 Aug, 9.10pm, £8 (£6).

If you’re not above exchanging presents for Fringe performance exposure, send some of your best swag to Big Fat Festival Bribe, The List, 14 High Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1TE.

EDITORIAL Editor Yasmin Sulaiman Senior Digital Editor Scott Henderson Research Manager Rowena McIntosh Senior Researcher Murray Robertson Research Alex Johnston, Rebecca Monks, Henry Northmore, Kirstyn Smith, Louise Stoddart Subeditors Paul McLean, Tracy Taylor Editorial Assistants Louise Stoddart, Arusa Qureshi SALES & MARKETING Media Sales Manager Chris Knox Senior Media Sales Executive Debbie Thomson Media Sales Executive Rachel Cree Promotions Executive Jade Regulski Sales Support Executive Jessica Rodgers Digital Business Development Director Brendan Miles Partnership Director Sheri Friers PRODUCTION Senior Designer Lucy Munro Designers Stuart Polson, Carys Tennant DIGITAL Senior Developer Andy Carmichael Digital Designer Sharon Irish Software Developer Iain McCusker Senior DBA Andy Bowles ADMINISTRATION Accounts Manager Sarah Reddie Publisher Robin Hodge CEO Simon Dessain 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 ©2016 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. The List provides this content in good faith but no guarantee or representation is given that the content is accurate, complete or up-to-date. Use of magazine content is at your own risk. Printed by Acorn Web Offset Ltd, W.Yorkshire.

2 THE LIST FESTIVAL 18–29 Aug 2016

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sign up to smart and win Sign up for your free Smartcard before the end of August and you could win a monthly Smart Season Ticket. scotrail.co.uk/smart ail..co co.uk/smart uk/sma

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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

KIDS

Lady Rizo: Multiplied

The Story of Mr B

Multi-award winning cabaret star Lady Rizo is back with more rejigged pop songs and classic originals. See feature, page 10. Assembly Checkpoint, until 28 Aug (not 22).

A brave, tragic and compassionate puppet show from Shake Shake Theatre. See review, page 63. Institut Français d’Ecosse, until 28 Aug (not 22).

THEATRE

COMEDY

Christeene: Trigger

Kieran Hodgson: Maestro

A fusion of punk, gender politics, sex and cabaret from the ultimate purveyor of fantasy and filth, Christeene is back at the Fringe for the first time since 2014’s The Christeene Machine. Christeene’s new show, Trigger, flirts with hip hop and throws a mess of musical theatre into the mix too. See feature, page 17. Underbelly Cowgate, until 28 Aug (not 22).

He was nominated for Best Show last year; Hodgson’s latest hour is centred around that time he wrote a symphony. See review, page 46. Voodoo Rooms, until 28 Aug.

Fern Brady: Male Comedienne

PHOTO: MICHAEL SHARKEY

PHOTO: JAMES ROBERTSON

CABARET

After the success of last year’s People are Idiots, Brady looks at gender, class and Catholicism. The Stand Comedy Club 2, until 28 Aug.

PHOTO: ROSS FRASER MCLEAN / STUDIORORO

BOOKS

EXHIBITION

THEATRE

Unbound: Vic Galloway & Friends

Local Heroes: Scottish Design at Edinburgh Airport

Counting Sheep

Vic Galloway helps Story Shop celebrate its 10th birthday with Tom Lanoye, Anneliese Verbeke and music from Adam Stafford and Khartoum Heroes in the last Unbound of August. Charlotte Square Gardens, 29 Aug.

This playful exhibition of Scottish design features work by nine contemporary creators based in Scotland. See feature, page 14. East Terminal Plaza, Edinburgh Airport, until 31 Aug.

A 15-piece guerrilla folk-punk band leads a call to arms as they tell the story of events that changed the course of Ukraine’s history. See feature, page 20. Summerhall @ The King’s Hall, until 28 Aug (not 22).

4 THE LIST FESTIVAL 18–29 Aug 2016

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PHOTO: P.VICTORARTCOMART

PHOTO: SIMON MURPHY

PHOTO: ANGELA STIRLING

DANCE

COMEDY

THEATRE

MUSIC

Scottish Ballet

Richard Gadd: Monkey See Monkey Do

Anything that Gives Off Light

Cosi Fan Tutte

One of last year’s breakthrough acts returns to wow again with Monkey See Monkey Do. See review, page 47. Banshee Labyrinth, until 28 Aug.

National Theatre of Scotland and The TEAM present a new work exploring Scottish and American traditions. EICC, until 26 Aug (not 21).

Scotland’s national ballet company presents spectacular contemporary works, performed by their 38-strong corps. See preview, page 55. Festival Theatre, 18–20 Aug.

Christophe Honoré directs a provocative version of Mozart’s opera of love, lust and fidelity. See preview, page 68. Festival Theatre, 25–28 Aug (not 26). PHOTO: AUREL SCHEIBLER

PHOTO: BRIAN SWEENEY

MUSIC

Mogwai & Mark Cousins: Atomic – Living in Dread and Promise A collaboration from two of Scotland’s most majestic creative forces, Mogwai perform a live soundtrack to Cousins’ documentary film. See preview, page 71. Playhouse, 27 & 28 Aug.

KIDS

Jonathan Safran Foer

The Many Doors of Frank Feelbad

The Everything Is Illuminated author presents his new novel, Here I Am, a story of a fractured family caught up in war. See preview, page 31. Charlotte Square Gardens, 28 Aug.

PHOTO: ALEX BRENNER AND BOOTWORKS THEATRE

PHOTO: JEFF MERMELSTEIN

BOOKS

VISUAL ART

Alice Neel: The Subject and Me A retrospective of drawings and late paintings by Alice Neel, which tells the story of the turbulent events which shaped her life. The troubled US-born artist’s distinctive portraits of the 20th century, which offer observations of sexuality, family, childhood, pain and poverty, were years ahead of their time. See review, page 89. Talbot Rice Gallery, until 8 Oct.

Bootworks Theatre tackles bereavement in a fun way. See review, page 61. Pleasance Kids @ EICC, until 28 Aug (not 22). PHOTO: GAVIN OBSBORN

PHOTO: LUKE MACGREGOR

DANCE

THEATRE

COMEDY

MUSIC

Closer by Circa

Mouse – The Persistence of an Unlikely Thought

Ahir Shah: Machines

Grandaddy

Philosophical ponderings from Shah, covering such diverse topics as democracy, internationalism and lizards. Laughing Horse @ Cabaret Voltaire, until 28 Aug.

A one-off gig from indie-electro outfit Grandaddy, performing as part of Summerhall’s Nothing Ever Happens Here series. Summerhall, 22 Aug.

Aussie troupe present their rock’n’roll circus style, blending breathtaking acrobatics and thrilling aerial work. See review page 58. Underbelly George Square, until 29 Aug (not 23).

Daniel Kitson on loneliness, friendship, doubt and love. See review, page 77 and comic, page 96. Traverse, until 28 Aug (not 22).

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

Win a pair of tickets to the hugely popular Museum After Hours, at the National Museum of Scotland on Fri 26 Aug. Enjoy a unique flavour of the Fringe and explore the museum after hours with hand-picked performers, music, comedy, bars and exclusive entry to the exhibition Celts, organised with the British Museum. Ten innovative new galleries will set a dramatic scene to complement this year’s performances. Opened this summer, these incredible spaces showcase over 3,000 extraordinary objects. Guest-programmed by the festival gurus at The List, this adults-only extravaganza offers an unmissable take on the Fringe. To be in with a chance of winning just log on to list.co.uk/offers and tell us:

How many new galleries have opened at the National Museum of Scotland this summer? Museum After Hours National Museum of Scotland Fri 26 Aug, 7.30–10.30pm £18, £16 Members and Concessions

nms.ac.uk/afterhours

WIN TICKETS TO EDINBURGH’S ART LATE WITH MUSIC FROM JONNIE COMMON

Art Late is a series of specially programmed late openings and events, taking in live music, performances, artist talks and tours. This year offers even more opportunities to enjoy the programme by night. This third EAF Tour starts at The Fruitmarket Gallery, followed by Stills Gallery, The Queen’s Gallery, a performance as a part of Platform 2016 at the Edinburgh Art Festival Kiosk, a talk by commissioned artist Olivia Webb at the Trinity Apse, visits to see artwork from Graham Fagen, Jonathan Owen and Bani Abidi and finishing with music from Jonnie Common at the Scottish National Portrait Gallery. The List are giving away a pair of tickets to Art Late on Thu 18 Aug plus one lucky winner will get a Scottish National Gallery Membership. To be in with a chance of winning just log on to list.co.uk/offers and tell us:

What is Graham Fagen’s work called? Art Late The Fruitmarket Gallery, Thu 18 Aug, 6–10.30pm Tickets £7.50 / £5 concession, including complimentary drinks in ticket price.

eventbrite.co.uk/e/art-late edinburghartfestival.com TERMS AND CONDITIONS: COMPETITION CLOSES 17 AUGUST 2016. ENTRANTS MUST BE OVER 18 YEARS OLD. THE LIST’S USUAL RULES APPLY.

WIN A BEHIND THE SCENES BREWERY TOUR AND TASTING AT CALEDONIAN BREWERY

WIN TICKETS TO THE VIRGIN MONEY FIREWORKS CONCERT

TERMS AND CONDITIONS: COMPETITION CLOSES MON 22 AUGUST 2016. OPEN ONLY TO THOSE OVER 18 YEARS OF AGE. THE LIST’S USUAL RULES APPLY.

Caledonian Brewery have been brewing world-class beers for over 140 years but now their focus is on the future. The List have teamed up with Caledonian Brewery to offer 10 lucky readers plus a friend each a behind the scenes tour of the famous brewery with tasting. You and a friend will get an exclusive chance to have a peek at their brewing secrets with top tasting experts on Fri 23 Sep. To be in with a chance of winning just log on to list.co.uk/offers and tell us:

Name Caledonian Brewery’s IPA beer? Caledonian Brewery 42 Slateford Road Edinburgh, EH11 1PH Fri 23 Sep 2016, 6.30pm

caledonianbeer.com @caledonianbeer TERMS AND CONDITIONS: COMPETITION CLOSES WED 31 AUG 2016. THE PROMOTION IS OPEN TO UK RESIDENTS 18 AND OVER. THE LIST’S USUAL RULES APPLY.

Enjoy the magical atmosphere of the Virgin Money Fireworks Concert in Princes Street Gardens as Edinburgh Castle is transformed into a sparkling kaleidoscope of pyrotechnics. With live music from the Scottish Chamber Orchestra and over 400,000 fireworks, you’ll want to be at the heart of the action for this spectacular summer festival season finale. We’ve teamed up with the International Festival to offer you the chance to win one of 10 pairs of tickets to see the Virgin Money Fireworks Concert on Mon 29 Aug. To be in with a chance of winning log on to list.co.uk/offers and tell us:

The Virgin Money Fireworks Concert will feature over how many fireworks? Virgin Money Fireworks Concert Princes Street Gardens, Edinburgh Mon 29 Aug, 9.30pm

eif.co.uk/virginmoneyfireworks #VMFireworks TERMS AND CONDITIONS: COMPETITION CLOSES MON 22 AUG 2016. THE LIST’S USUAL RULES APPLY.

6 THE LIST FESTIVAL 18–29 Aug 2016

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READER OFFERS WIN A TRIP TO RIO CARNIVAL 2017 WITH DELIVEROO

The biggest sporting event of the year is here and to celebrate, Deliveroo have got some incredible prizes up for grabs. For the chance to win a Rio Carnival trip for you and three friends log on to list.co.uk/offers submit your details when prompted and simply order from Deliveroo until 21 Aug 2016. The more times you order, the more chances you have to win. Runners-up will bag a year’s worth of Deliveroo credit or £25 worth of credit.

Make sure you never miss a moment of the Rio 2016 Olympics – kick back, enjoy the sport and Deliveroo will handle the food. And with free delivery on selected restaurants, there’s no excuse not to. Log on to list.co.uk/offers for your chance to win one of Deliveroo’s amazing prizes.

deliveroo.co.uk

TERMS AND CONDITIONS: COMPETITION CLOSES SUN 21 AUG 2016. ENTRANTS MUST HAVE A DELIVEROO ACCOUNT SET-UP IN ORDER TO ENTER THIS PRIZE DRAW. THIS PRIZE PROMOTION IS OPEN TO RESIDENTS IN THE UNITED KINGDOM, FRANCE, GERMANY AND BELGIUM AGED 18 YEARS AND OVER. 1 X FIRST PRIZE APPLICABLE DATES: OUTBOUND 24 FEB 2017 RETURNING 4 MAR 2017. FOR FULL T&C’S VISIT DELIVEROO-1.TYPEFORM.COM/TO/GUUAVX. THE LIST’S USUAL RULES APPLY.

WIN A BLUE MOON BEER CRATE DELIVERY Blue Moon has partnered with The List to offer you the chance to win an exclusive Blue Moon beer crate delivery, so that you and your friends can enjoy this artfully crafted beer at home.

WIN A BOTTLE OF PORTER’S GIN THIS AUGUST In order to celebrate the Porter’s Gin bar at Bedlam Theatre, Porter’s are giving away one bottle of their premium gin for List readers.

Blue Moon is a refreshing, medium-bodied, wheat ale which is spiced with fresh coriander and Valencia and Navel orange peel. The perfect accompaniment for summer barbecues, pairing well with foods such as grilled seafood and chicken. And since everything at Blue Moon flows from an artistic approach to brewing, you can enjoy a perfectly-served pint at pubs and venues across Edinburgh throughout the Fringe, including the Pleasance Courtyard, the Peartree and many more.

Porter’s began by combining a passion for good quality food and drink with the aim of making a premium gin. When Professor Andrew Porter of Aberdeen University sourced a rotary evaporator, an incredible piece of distillation equipment that allowed him to distill at cold temperatures, the recipe and name came to life.

To be in with a chance of winning a Blue Moon beer crate just log on to list.co.uk/offers and tell us:

In which Scottish city is Porter’s Gin distilled?

The result is a superior quality premium gin with a traditional bold juniper body, and a unique, fresh citrus profile. To be in with a chance of winning a bottle of Porter’s Gin log on to list.co.uk/offers and tell us:

In which country was Blue Moon beer founded? Porter’s Gin at Bedlam Theatre 11 Bristo Pl, Edinburgh EH1 1EZ

bluemoonbrewingcompany.com TERMS AND CONDITIONS: COMPETITION CLOSES FRI 26 AUG 2016. ENTRANTS MUST BE OVER 18 YEARS OF AGE. THE LIST’S USUAL RULES APPLY.

portersgin.co.uk @portersgin TERMS AND CONDITIONS: COMPETITION CLOSES WED 31 AUG 2016. ENTRANTS MUST BE OVER 18 YEARS OLD. THE LIST’S USUAL RULES APPLY.

18–29 Aug 2016 THE LIST FESTIVAL 7

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FRONTLINES Diary

NEWS AND GOSSIP FROM ACROSS THE FESTIVALS

FESTIVAL NEWS IN A NUTSHELL PHOTO: JMA PHOTOGRA PHY

• We like James Acaster. Heck, we put him on the cover of our first festival issue this year. This Fringe, he’s had a raft of great reviews as always, and his run of good luck doesn’t stop there: the BBC has piloted a sitcom written by the funny man himself, based around a jury on a murder trial.

ANOTHER F*CKING Q&A F*cking Men explores the love lives of ten fellas, covering everything from infidelity to heartbreak. We gave star Harper James a break from talking about sex to tell us all about the Fringe.

• The Edinburgh International Book Festival is a go-er. This year’s theme is Imagine Better, and highlights include Jonathan Safran Foer, Jackie Kay with Nicola Sturgeon, Eimear McBride (pictured) and Thomas Keneally. • The Edinburgh International Television Festival kicks off on 24 Aug, and features a number of exclusive screenings and Q&As available to the public, including Red Dwarf, Porridge, The Fall and Poldark. • A new ‘whistleblowing’ site for Fringe acts, participants and workers has been launched. fringewhistleblower. tumblr.com is a place for contributors to anonymously discuss problems they have at the festival, such as being underpaid, overworked or feeling angry about their experience in any way.

• The shortlist for the Fringe Sustainable Practice Award has been announced. This accolade rewards shows which engage their audiences with sustainability and environmental issues. The shortlist includes shows such as Eden, Sheltered and Trashed, and the final winner will be announced on 26 Aug. • The first batch of Fringe First award winners have been announced for this year’s festival. Counting Sheep, The

The F word is all over Twitter, as Edinburgh embraces Fringe fever

@MinkyComedy We just want to reassure everyone that we have found our taxidermy rat. #edfringe @ArielleDundas Friends keep asking me if there’s enough to do during the day. #edfringe

• And speaking of Fringe firsts, the Gilded Balloon celebrated their very first Fringe marriage on 15 Aug. Funny lady Bec Hill (who is something of a GB staple now), married her fella Gav in a ceremony at Teviot Row House. Congratulations, you guys. Five stars for effort.

WHAT A SELL OUT

#WTFRINGE @MollyHeathy Effective flyering technique: shouting ‘I’M STOOD IN THE RAIN PROMOTING STUDENT COMEDY FEEL SORRY FOR ME AND TAKE A FLYER’ #edfringe

Interference, Expensive Shit, Angel, World Without Us and Heads Up all won the prestigious award.

@PocketVenus11 Don’t worry if they gave you two stars, tell them you only do moons. xx #edfringe @tobiwilson56 I’ll say this for #edfringe: at least flyering in the rain and worrying about student critics stopped me googling Arsenal rumours all day. @johnnycandon My little nephew loves looking at all the Edinburgh Fringe reviews. He’s only three! But he reads like he’s four. #edfringe

DON’T END UP ON THE FRINGE OF THE FRINGE: GET YOUR TICKETS BEFORE THEY’RE GONE. HERE’S WHAT’S SELLING FAST AT THE FEST AND WHAT’S ALREADY SOLD OUT*.

GOING, GOING . . . • Ed Gamble • Daniel Sloss: So? • Fern Brady: Male Comedienne • Katy Brand, I Was A Teenage Christian • Louis CK • Mark Watson: I’m Not Here • Nish Kumar •Nina Conti: In Your Face • Pete Firman: TriX • Seann Walsh: One For The Road

GONE • Daniel Kitson Presents an Insufficient Number of Undeveloped Ideas Over Ninety Testing Minutes Starting at Noon • James Acaster: Reset • Katherine Ryan: Work In Progress • Susan Calman *Correct at time of going to press

Best thing about the Fringe? The atmosphere, and seeing all the performances from different cultures/backgrounds that’s on offer. A culture vulture’s paradise. Worst thing? The queue for your morning espresso at BrewLab, your super trendy coffee shop. Strangest Fringe experience? So far, a man coming backstage during a show to ask me where the toilet was. I mean, please, I’m acting sweetie. Best thing a reviewer has said about you? Harper takes us on a journey with perfect ease and plays the variety of characters with such strong identities. The worst? One commented on my manhood rather than my acting ability. It was a compliment, but still. I’m an actor, not a striptease. Who are you looking forward to seeing this year? Briefs at Assembly Hall and Lucy McCormick: Triple Threat (as well as plenty of others). Describe your show in four words. Snappy, revealing, true, touching. ■ F*cking Men, Assembly George Square Studios, 623 3030, until 29 Aug (not 23), £13–£15 (£11–£13).

8 THE LIST FESTIVAL 18–29 Aug 2016

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Pic of the

WEEK

FOREST FRINGE The Forest Fringe is in full swing, featuring a mix of theatre, spoken word, art and experimental performance. This picture shows Jak Soroka, who brought a work-in-progress to the festival exploring audience-performer relationships as a tool for valuing different kinds of intimacy. Out of the Blue Drill Hall, until 20 Aug, free.

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FESTIVAL FEATURES | Lady Rizo

EX YOU

10 THE LIST FESTIVAL 18â&#x20AC;&#x201C;29 Aug 2016

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Lady Rizo | FESTIVAL FEATURES

list.co.uk/festival

XPRESS URSELF Cabaret star Lady Rizo talks to Rebecca Monks about motherhood, her alter ego and the quest for women to just ‘be’

hen I speak to Lady Rizo, she is breastfeeding. We’re connected over a patchy phone line from Edinburgh to New York on a mid-August afternoon, which is possibly the only time of year that Auld Reekie is noisier and louder than NYC. There’s a car alarm going off on the Royal Mile, mere feet away from where I sit hunched over a landline, while street performers and promoters alike do their best to be heard over the strident wailing of the thing. Life on my end is clamorously hectic, but an ocean away, the cabaret star sits peacefully, her new baby at her breast, calmly musing about life, art, and the wonderful slog of the Fringe that awaits her. This sums her up perfectly: thoughtful, honest and unafraid to be exactly who she is. The singer’s new show, Multiplied, is all about her recent plunge into the world of motherhood, exploring son Tennyson’s life from conception to birth. She’s breastfeeding on the promotional material too, and when I ask if this is a supportive statement connected to the recent Free the Nipple movement, she explains that it’s not really any kind of statement at all. It’s just life, for goodness’ sake. ‘It’s reality,’ she says, occasionally going quiet for moments as she tends to her son. ‘If reality is political, then so be it. I think that more exposure of women doing and being what they are without apology is

important in the world, and unfortunately we’re still in a world where the quest for women to just “be” is still going on.’ While Lady Rizo seems to have no problem ‘being’, it’s important to remember that she is actually ‘being’ a character, created by American comedian and chanteuse Amelia Zirin-Brown. The life, the love, the baby, they all belong to Amelia, but the show? That belongs to Rizo. ‘I love the melding of reality and fantasy,’ she says, explaining how she comes to construct her autobiographical performances. ‘Where I find the reality is in the truth of my particular circumstances. Humour is crouching within truth, always. That’s my own personal process. ‘It’s like I’m looking at my life through the lens of an alter ego. Lady Rizo is able to look at it all with humour and sensuality and glamour and palpable joy. She never has to deal with paying tax. She lives in the world that we all want to be living in, which is decadent, fun, social, spiritual and sexy. She grabs life by the cheeks.’ Lady Rizo and Amelia will both be doing their fair share of cheek grabbing this month, with Multiplied going centre stage at Assembly Checkpoint for the latter half of the festival. The show is a mix of songs and stories, and when it comes to the bare-knuckle fight that is the Fringe, she’s more than ready to battle her way through the crowds and the critics. ‘I guess it is like being in a war,’ she says, reflecting on the frenzied nature of Edinburgh in August. She’s using military vernacular, but 18–29 Aug 2016 THE LIST FESTIVAL 11

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FESTIVAL FEATURES | Lady Rizo

‘I’m well versed in the art of mass seduction’

in an ironic way: I asked her how she felt returning as a Fringe veteran, which amused her, since this will only be her fourth year. ‘Are you a veteran after four years?’ she asks, but I explain that the answer is yes. True, there are many acts that have appeared more regularly, but few who can match Lady Rizo’s notoriety. In just three previous visits she has established herself as the belle of the cabaret scene, impressing reviewers and audiences alike. ‘I don’t mean to compare myself to a war veteran, but I guess it is like being in a war. You feel embattled and brazen, and you have to keep really intense hours.’ Brazen is the right word to describe this performer. She is brimming with confidence, and has the power to connect with audiences. ‘I am well versed in the art of mass seduction,’ she admits. ‘I like to make UK audiences especially nervous. They resist me at first, and then they give in.’ She draws them in with personal tales, original songs, and the occasional rearranged cover. Her mashup of Pixies’ ‘Where is My Mind?’ and Judy Garland’s ‘Somewhere Over the Rainbow’ is particularly memorable, for instance, but she’s equally unafraid to tackle Beyoncé’s ‘Halo’, or Nirvana’s ‘Lithium’. And the people? Well, they love it. Of course, it helps that Fringe audiences seem to enjoy performance as much as she does. ‘I think it’s like when you see people at sporting events, and it’s so surreal for them to all be there for their team, and that sport. Well, shows are my sport. That’s what I’m passionate about. To have so many

people in a square mile that are diving into performance, it’s just unlike any other place in the world that I’ve been.’ Her perspective on performance remains as passionate as ever, but her outlook on life has been impacted by the birth of her son. Now, she is more keen than ever to view the world with childlike purity, which informs her art in a positive way. ‘I guess the brass tacks of my life as an artist has changed, in that I always have to think about this extra appendage, or this joyful little person that I have to be around. But as far as a larger, more expansive look at it, I think that as an artist what’s really exciting is the gift of returning to infant eyes. It means just “being” in the way that babies just “be”. ‘You know, I’m very childish,’ she adds. ‘I remember when I was eight years old and I was at an all-you-can-eat buffet. I ate so much and then I lay down in the booth and I had this thought: “I wonder if I’ll ever be too old or too adult to not lay down in a booth after an all-you-caneat buffet?”. I haven’t gotten there yet. I am blatantly using the child to remind myself to always lay down in a booth.’ Maybe that’s what audiences can take away from Lady Rizo’s show: a reminder that life is art, art is life, and that no matter how old we get, there’s always time to see a cabaret show, grab life by the cheeks, and every once in a while, let our inner child lie down in the booth.

Lady Rizo: Multiplied, Assembly Checkpoint, 623 3030, until 28 Aug (not 22), 6.55pm, £14–£15 (£12–£13).

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GEORGE SQUARE, until 29 Aug, 10:00

Returns with a hot new line-up GEORGE SQUARE, until 29 Aug, 17:15

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ASSEMBLY HALL, until 21 Aug, 22:30

Pick your Assembly Festival #MyAssembly The 2015 sell out hit returns ASSEMBLY HALL, until 29 Aug, 16:20

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GEORGE SQUARE, until 28 Aug, 15:30

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ASSEMBLY ROXY, until 28 Aug, 20:20

ASSEMBLY HALL Until 28 Aug, 23:59 @AssemblyFest

15/08/2016 14:58

FESTIVAL FEATURES | Local Heroes

designs of the times It’s not even part of the festival but a tiny container outside Edinburgh Airport has become one of the most talked about exhibits in the city this month. Yasmin Sulaiman ﬁnds out more about design showcase Local Heroes from its curator, Stacey Hunter

ove over Royal Mile: one of Edinburgh’s buzziest attractions this month is happening way out west – at the city’s airport no less. Just outside the main terminal you’ll find a wee container filled with bright objects: an umbrella, a backpack, a blanket. These are the designs of Local Heroes, an exhibition that aims to showcase the artistic flair of Scotland’s designers at a time when the world is playing in its capital and passing through its doors. ‘The name came from the film Local Hero,’ explains curator Stacey Hunter, ‘which is about people getting their head around the intrinsic value of something rather than the market value. Those principles are at the heart of this project.’ Hunter is a design curator, and Local Heroes is perfectly timed, falling within Scotland’s Year of Innovation, Architecture and Design – whose programme, by and large, has focused on architecture. Hunter’s exhibition is a wonderful contribution to the design strand, with each designer commissioned to create their own contemporary take on the ‘souvenir’. There are nine pieces in Local Heroes (pictured opposite, left to right from top): Hilary Grant’s Geelong lambswool blanket; Laura Spring’s screenprinted travel pouch; a necklace from Tom Pigeon; two backpacks from Glasgow’s Trakke; Warriors Studio’s take on a classic souvenir poster; Rebecca Torres’ one-shoulder swimsuit; RISOTTO director Gabriella Marcella’s tropical beach towels; a playful umbrella from Karen Mabon; and a sleek, minimalist watch designed by Instrmnt. ‘We played with the idea of what a souvenir could be,’ says Hunter, ‘thinking about place and tradition and how modern day Scottish designers are being playful with traditions. On the Royal Mile, there is a souvenir shop every two yards, so there’s not much differentiation

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in what you can get. You can get things made by local designers, like a nice Harris Tweed purse, but we wanted to do something that was a really colourful, vibrant snapshot that would stop people in their tracks.’ ‘I travel a lot,’ she adds, ‘and it always annoys me when I see other airports, like Helsinki Airport with their beautiful Marimekko pieces. We’ve got people doing work like that but you just don’t see it.’ The result of Hunter’s project is a delightful addition to Edinburgh Airport’s landscape – even if it is only until the end of this month. And unsurprisingly, attention to detail has been paid in every quarter. ‘The watch even comes with a little screwdriver because, as part of the Instrmnt brand, you have to build it,’ explains Hunter. ‘We’ve had that go through the security scanner just to make sure that it’s alright.’ Importantly, there’s a shop at the airport alongside the exhibition and it’s essential to Hunter that people are able to buy these designs too. And through Local Heroes, she’s helped make these designs much more widely accessible to design enthusiasts and consumers. ‘I love the world of design,’ she says, ‘the democracy of it. A beautiful teacup that’s really well made might cost just £5 or £10, but means you look forward to getting up and making a cup of tea. It’s such a small thing but also huge. If you came over to my house you would probably see lots of objects you didn’t expect to see. I’m not a design snob, I get excited about going to IKEA and then later think “why did I buy that?”. I love vintage stuff, I love bad taste. I don’t think design is about trying to be perfect. It’s about taking pleasure in an object that someone has put a lot of love and thought into.’ Local Heroes, Edinburgh Airport, until 31 Aug. Find out more at localheroes.design

PHOTOS L-R: GABRIELLA MARCELLA – COURTESY OF DESIGNER; HILARY GRANT, INSTRMNT, KAREN MABON, LAURA SPRING, REBECCA TORRES, TOM PIGEON, TRAKKE – ALL FUTURE POSITIVE; AND WARRIORS STUDIO – COURTESY OF DESIGNER

15/08/2016 14:54

list.co.uk/festival

Local Heroes | FESTIVAL FEATURES PHOTOS: STUART MCCLAY

18â&#x20AC;&#x201C;29 Aug 2016 THE LIST FESTIVAL 15

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16 THE LIST FESTIVAL 18–29 Aug 2016

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15/08/2016 14:58

Christeene | FESTIVAL FEATURES

list.co.uk/festival

PHOTOS: MICHAEL SHARKEY

TRIGGER POINT Much more than just ‘a dude in a wig’, Lorna Irvine catches up with the genre-straddling phenomenon that is Christeene

ueer performance has never been in ruder (some may say filthier) health. From Scottee’s mascara tears to moreish slices of Le Gateau Chocolat, there is a whole new wave of artists embracing queer culture, straddling cabaret, live art, music and theatre, and eschewing any rigid definitions of their art. From Austin, Texas, performer Paul Soileau, aka Christeene Vale, is a prime example of this. Not just some mindless drag act, at the heart of Christeene lies a plea for tolerance of LGBTQI people everywhere; part deep-fried Southern grotesque, part loving homage to the strength and resilience of the women in Soileau’s family. As Soileau explains: ‘A lot of earlier characters and things were more traditional, y’know, and I was kind of in a state of mind where I wanted something more dangerous, something like a switchblade, where I could address some things that were brewing inside of me that were more aggressive, ugly, but coming from a musician’s stance on a stage rather than just MCing or a traditional form of drag.’ Many critics have pigeonholed Christeene as female, but Soileau insists that Christeene is neither male nor female. ‘It’s definitely an adventure, in terms of maneouvering around

the gender of it all. People are quick to call Christeene she rather than he – I wanted to draw a line there, where it’s merely the performer, just Christeene. Christeene has taken on an almost mythological persona. There’s a lot of freedom in that.’ Musically, too, there is a hybrid of styles – a bubbling sonic cocktail of hip hop, punk, R&B and electro. Christeene seems to be drawing from many influences such as art pop provocateur Peaches, the trash aesthetic of John Waters’ raw early films, psychedelia, and the industrial crunch of Revolting Cocks, the latter of whom Soileau got into in high school. Live, there is a sense of liberation in Christeene’s song lyrics and many audience interactions (with gifts from unexpected places), and a rejection of religious indoctrination and widespread capitalist domination. It’s a call to arms for outsiders everywhere. This punky spirit has led to other comparisons too. ‘In London,’ Soileau says, ‘I have been told by some of the older gang that [the show] reminds them of going to see Iggy and Bauhaus, and that’s really nice. It’s bringing some of that energy back. That’s one of the most flattering things I could hear – that’s what I love about

coming to Britain.’ Christeene’s recent show at the Latitude festival won some new converts, too. Those who get it really feel evangelical about the character. However, not everyone has responded so positively. Some places in the States have been slow to pick up on the subtext and wider messages of the show, and it can be frustrating for Soileau. ‘In America,’ he says, ‘they like to focus on, “Oh, it’s a dude in a wig”. People don’t always look at the theatricality or the costumes, or the movements of it. It stays at this one level, unless we can get to the academic performative platforms where you are sharing with other artists. I want people to dig deeper, and to archive it.’ And where better than the biggest arts festival in the world to spread the word, and the sexually charged music? Christeene’s endlessly inventive, well-oiled, ass-shakin’ persona will doubtless win a whole new audience of admirers when new show Trigger rocks up. The Edinburgh Fringe won’t know what’s hit it. Christeene: Trigger, Underbelly Cowgate, 0844 545 8252, until 28 Aug (not 22), 10.10pm, £11–£12 (£10–£11). 18–29 Aug 2016 THE LIST FESTIVAL 17

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18 THE LIST FESTIVAL 18–29 Aug 2016

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15/08/2016 14:58

Counting Sheep | FESTIVAL FEATURES

list.co.uk/festival

N O I T U L O V E R E H T E M O C ng lk opera’ Counti fo la il rr e u ‘g d in ts the man beh shows at this year’s Fringe e e m e il V K th Gare e most exciting Sheep, one of th

ollowing in a fine tradition of immersive theatre connected to Summerhall’s Fringe programming, Counting Sheep is emerging as one of the most discussed pieces of 2016. Lemon Bucket Orkestra have occupied the King’s Hall, and use the church’s space to recreate the ‘revolution of dignity’, a popular uprising against the Ukrainian government in 2014. With the audience fed and invited to become part of the action – even throwing bricks across barricades and mourning the fallen in a final, moving ritual – Mark and Marichka Marczyk have imagined a way for theatre to shatter the fourth wall and place the spectator at the heart of the action. ‘People call us immersive theatre,’ says Mark Marczyk. ‘I like to call us a guerrilla folk opera. I don’t know if there’s a term like that in the theatre world. But what I’ve seen of other theatre, even immersive theatre, none of those quite capture what we’re trying to do.’ Certainly, Counting Sheep goes far beyond the predictable strategies of performance, driven by the punky dance music of Lemon Bucket Orkestra and demolishing the set to rebuild it as a line of defence against the state’s militarised police force. Surrounding the space with large screens which display news footage from the revolution, and provide commentary on the activity below, the show’s intentions are explicitly political and partisan. The corruption of the Ukrainian state, and the subsequent encroachment of Russian military power, are condemned. The audience, swept into the action,

become the protestors, witnessing the optimism of the uprising and its subsequent tragic conclusion. Marcyzk’s desire to share his experience of the revolution encouraged this multimedia approach. ‘I say guerrilla folk opera, because the show was birthed out of the desire of non-theatre practitioners to express something very deep using the maximum number of performance elements at their disposal. That means first-hand footage, videos, wood, tyres, food.’ The political approach extended into the ethics of creation: ‘Anything that we could get our community to donate, we used. Nothing was wasted.’ The impact of the show is immediate. From the news reports that introduce the action to the climactic ritual at the end, the issues surrounding the revolution are treated with emotive attention to detail. While the scope of the performance is huge – the tensions between Russia and the EU contributed to the violent response of the state to the protests – it is the small touches that hit home. A mobile phone rings in the pocket of a murdered protestor. A cast member places his hand on the shoulder of an audience member and welcomes them. The broad political points – which celebrate resistance and speak truth to power – are matched by the recognition that community is built from thousands of intimate connections. Mark and Marichka’s personal involvement in the revolution clearly encouraged them to respect the values of the protestors, and reject any 18–29 Aug 2016 THE LIST FESTIVAL 19

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FESTIVAL FEATURES | Counting Sheep

ideal of objectivity. While the forces of the state are not caricatured, the video footage condemns the criminal activities of the then-president, Viktor Fedorovych Yanukovych. Since Yanukovych was given to poisoning enemies and sending troops against peaceful protestors, the show’s bias is not unfair, and lends a dynamic, even celebratory, compassion to each of its chapters. However, Lemon Bucket Orkestra, who have been gathering a following by busking around Edinburgh throughout the Fringe, transform the serious message into something more playful and, at times, mournful. Switching between high-octane Balkan dance music and melancholic, unaccompanied songs, Mark’s description of Counting Sheep as ‘folk-opera’ captures both the importance of music in protest and performance, and the nature of the music itself. ‘It’s “folk” because the music is not composed specifically for the piece, but it’s carefully selected from a repertoire that’s been collected from villages across central and eastern Ukraine over the past 16 years by Marichka,’ he adds. ‘The work is a representation of a life work of ethnomusicological research. And we believe that it truly represents the Ukrainian heart, soul and multiplicity of voices.’

Even the show’s genesis came from his awareness of a Ukrainian tradition. ‘We were sharing songs with friends and strangers in Ukraine: everything we do when we share something that’s special to us is a type of performance,’ he explains. The lesson he seems to have taken from the protests is the value of community and communication. ‘I became interested in what drives people to share in the first place and in exploring that in a public way, to coax other people into sharing. And because I think that performance is the first step towards conversation, and conversation is the next step towards understanding.’ The dense collision of ideas, revolutionary fervour and acts of onstage kindness has made Counting Sheep stand out in a Fringe that is often described in financial terms as an ‘arts market’. While it may not conjure the exact experience of being part of a protest – the boredom and sheer terror are absent – it does explore the possibilities of a theatre that is engaged, sincere and serious but, above all, playful. Summerhall @ The King’s Hall, 560 1581, until 28 Aug (not 22); 20 & 21, 27 & 28, 2pm; 18–21, 23–28, 8pm; £13–£20 (£12–£18).

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NEONTOPIA & WALES MILLENNIUM CENTRE PRESENT, IN ASSOCIATION WITH THE OTHER ROOM & THEATR GENEDLAETHOL CYMRU

EXPERIENCE THE GOLDEN AGE OF

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6.40PM (7.40PM)

04 - 28 AUGUST 2016

NO MONDAY PERFORMANCE

Unique days out on the Borders Railway or crossing the Forth Bridge.

11:45 Summerhall (V26) 13:45 Assembly George Square Studios (V17) 15:00 Dance Base (V22) 17:15 Dance Base (V22)

This August and September, step aboard your vintage carriage at Edinburgh Waverley for a memorable day out on the Borders Railway or cross the iconic Forth Bridge for a trip through Fife and the Forth Valley. Prices start from £55*.

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taiwanseason16 taiwanseason 18–29 Aug 2016 THE LIST FESTIVAL 21

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15/08/2016 17:12

FESTIVAL FEATURES | The Zoom Club at the Fringe

SHOOTING STARS Edinburgh’s full of shutterbugs right now: and with so many ﬁre-breathing, juggling clowns around, there’s no shortage of larger-than-life characters to snap. This month, The Zoom Club – a creative digital arts hub for children and young people based at Summerhall – unleashed eight budding photographers of their own. After an impressive series of studio shoots, we were bowled over enough by their images to publish them here, and the Fringe performers they’ve been working with have been pretty chuffed too. Here are the results of their hard work and imagination. Watch out Annie Leibovitz, they’re coming to get you . . . The Zoom Club Studio (Ages 13+) Wed 4-6pm and Sun 3-5pm (term-time), The Zoom Club, Summerhall. Find out more at thezoomclub.com

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The Zoom Club at the Fringe | FESTIVAL FEATURES

list.co.uk/festival

UBU ON THE TABLE (LA PIRE ESPÐCE) SUMMERHALL, UNTIL 28 AUG (NOT 22), 2.35PM, £12 (£10) MAGNUS ROWLEY (14) Working with Théâtre de la Pire Espѐce was a once in a lifetime experience. They are a group of lively individuals who were great fun and really co-operative! I really enjoyed how they incorporated comedy into an old tale and how they used kitchen utensils and mess to bring action to the story.

THE ARTISTS SAID ‘It was great to meet the roving reporters team from The Zoom Club, and to feel that they took the time to analyse the specifics of the show. They really figured out their own artistic point of view within the spirit of the show!’

PHOTO: ELLA YIP

PHOTO: CARMEN THOMSON

PHOTOS: CHEMARA JONES & MAGNUS ROWLEY

CHEMARA JONES (15) Mathieu and Étienne are really talented and energetic performers who used objects to bring the story of Ubu to life in a funny and messy way. We decided to create a battlefield just after a war has ended using materials from the show, with both performers creeping up and reaching out, showing how they are the ones who control this mini world. The artists were so patient and relaxed during the shoot that it really help me to feel more confident and I’m actually really surprised and happy with our final result.

ANATOMY OF THE PIANO (WILL PICKVANCE) SCOTTISH STORYTELLING CENTRE, UNTIL 28 AUG (NOT 22–24), 1PM, £9 (£7) CARMEN THOMSON (15) I found Will really inspiring and relatable: his music creates emotion, a sense of adventure and made me want to play keyboard! He acts as though the piano is a friend and describes its evolution as mimicking an animal, so it is this relationship that I’ve tried to capture in my image.

ELLA YIP (15) In his performance and our initial chat, Will described his closeness to the piano. I decided to paint his fingers to match the piano keys so it seems he is merging with it. He was really enthusiastic about all our ideas and was fine being face painted! I chose to use a portrait format and the length of the keys and Will’s fingers to create depth in my final image.

THE ARTIST SAID ‘Sitting with Zoom Club reporters as they deconstucted my show before then brainstorming on how to capture it in a single image was truly inspiring. Creative, dynamic, and fun, I wish I could have been in the Zoom Club.’

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FESTIVAL FEATURES | The Zoom Club at the Fringe

US / THEM (BRONKS) SUMMERHALL, UNTIL 28 AUG (NOT 22), 10AM, £10 (£8) LACHLAN ROWLEY (13) We wanted to show the playful innocence of children but also the heat, exhaustion and claustrophobia described in the play [Us / Them is based on the Beslan siege]. Roman and Gytha were great, even with all the smoke! It was great to get their perspective on the piece and flesh out our initial ideas. They were really friendly and listened well to direction. I loved the experience of meeting / working with them as well as exploring lighting effects and learning to use the camera. OLIVER STUBBS (15) I really liked the imagery from the piece and how the characters led the story with humour and emotion. We prepared an environment working with shadow and light that we thought would help Roman and Gytha explore some of their characters’ emotions and also the tension and exhaustion described in the piece. It was the most professional thing I’ve done so far and it was really interesting to give directions and work with the artists to get something we all were happy with in the end. PHOTO: LACHLAN ROWLEY & OLIVER STUBBS

THE ARTISTS SAID ‘It was so interesting to be confronted with these young people’s opinions and deeper thoughts on the piece – and especially being involved in the creative output of that later on. An enriching experience for us, as well.’

(THE DEAF & HEARING ENSEMBLE) SUMMERHALL, UNTIL 27 AUG (NOT 24), 1PM, £11 (£9) ALEXANDER WHITE (15) The performance was based on the experience of two sisters, one hearing and one deaf. I wanted to work with Erin and Emily to show the strain on their relationship, power imbalance and the ‘whirlwind’ effect words and sounds can have. Using paper and digital projections helped show this information overload really effectively.

PHOTO: ALEXANDER WHITE

PEOPLE OF THE EYE

PHOTO: LOGAN MURRAY

LOGAN MURRAY (13) This performance really inspired me as it put the challenges of being deaf out in the open in a beautiful way. The set design was incredibly creative, using 8-bit images and glitchy video projections. This helped me choose a ‘pixely’ photo-collage as a way of creating my final image, which also shows the closeness of the sisters’ relationship. Erin and Emily were really up for being chopped up and reassembled too! THE ARTISTS SAID ‘Working with the young people in the Zoom Project was one of the highlights of our Fringe so far. They were insightful, articulate and imaginative. Not only did they analyse the performance with respect and excitement they brought their own unique creativity and sense of fun to the photo shoot, displaying an impressive level of professionalism. We are so excited to see the final images and we hope the project continues for years to come.’

24 THE LIST FESTIVAL 18–29 Aug 2016

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15/08/2016 15:56

DIGITAL ENTERTAINMENT FESTIVAL 04 – 28 AUG 2016

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15/08/2016 17:13

SUPPORTED BY

Festival

FOOD & DRINK

COOKING WITH A CONSCIENCE Glasgow pop-up innovators Section 33 are giving the capital a taste of their wares during the festival. Louise Stoddart finds out more from owner Kyle Steel

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ollowing the enormous success of their Edinburgh Food Festival takeover, Glasgow’s Section 33 are in Edinburgh’s George Square for the entire month of August, serving Scottish food to the masses. Although their expertise lies in organising quirky, pop-up dining events – like the company’s launch where they served global tapas to hungry foodies sat in the bottom of a derelict swimming pool – owner Kyle Steel and his ambitious culinary team have more of a (semi) permanent home during this year’s Edinburgh Festival. Section 33 have taken full advantage of being part of the world’s largest arts festival by running two separate food stands, one inside George Square Gardens and one just outside. The former is easily recognisable with its ‘Pie Eyed’ mural artwork and serves up hearty Scottish grub including gourmet pies, sausage rolls and scotch eggs. The latter demonstrates their ability to cook cuisines from across the globe and offers tacos, empanadas and other South American treats. While queuing up at one of Section 33’s food stalls, you may well find yourself pondering over their name. It refers to an eviction notice given to

THE BAKED POTATO SHOP With regular queues out the door, this vegan fast food joint has been filling tatties and tums since 1983. Cockburn Street, Old Town

MOON & HARE A peppy Brunstfield café with a menu made for vegans and veggies. Bruntsfield, Southside

tenants about to lose their homes, and helping the homeless is a key theme for Steel and his team. They may offer fine dining pop-up experiences, but they also support Glasgow homeless charities by way of food donations, among other means. ‘Having been in the hospitality trade for many years, I’ve been witness to tens of thousands of pounds of food waste. I find this totally intolerable, especially with so many families struggling to feed their children in and around Glasgow,’ says Steel, adding that he’d love to do an open kitchen for homeless people in Edinburgh. Steel explains that they also make a conscious effort to make their food and events affordable, so that guests get true value for money. ‘I am passionate about great food but, like a lot of people, I hate the thought of having to get dressed up and sit in a stuffy restaurant where you can’t relax. Our events aim to create a laid-back vibe with music, DJ sets and a bar.’ If you like the sound of fine dining in a trendy, urban location, keep an eye out on Section 33’s website for other events they have in the pipeline. Find out more at section-33.com

HULA JUICE BAR AND GALLERY Grab your daily vitamins before a day of Fringe-ing at this healthy juice bar and café. West Bow, Old Town

PARADISE PALMS A retro 80s cocktail lounge that kicks off at night and serves veggie soul food during the day. Lothian Street, Old Town

TANJORE Affordable and authentic south Indian food, served in a relaxed café-style setting. Clerk Street, Southside

26 THE LIST FESTIVAL 18–29 Aug 2016

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15/08/2016 17:36

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18–29 Aug 2016 THE LIST FESTIVAL 27

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15/08/2016 15:00

DEFYING EXPECTED

Defying the norm since 1947 05 - 29 August 2016 | Tickets available at edfringe.com

28 THE LIST FESTIVAL 18â&#x20AC;&#x201C;29 Aug 2016

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15/08/2016 15:00

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UNBOUND: TONGUE FU Late night spoken word superstars light up the Book Festival One of London’s best known spoken word nights comes to Edinburgh for an evening of music, storytelling and boisterous improvised performance. Tongue Fu promises an evening of lively and provocative work courtesy of some of the UK’s top spoken word stars, including Hollie McNish (pictured), Luke Wright, Millie Naylor, Anna Freeman and a few surprise guests. Created by poet and performer Chris Redmond, Tongue Fu began as an experiment in 2007 when Chris and Riaan Vosloo of Nostalgia 77 brought together a crowd of poets and musicians with the aim of putting on a totally improvised show. What started off as a leap into the unknown soon developed into something truly special,

resulting in a regular and popular night at Shoreditch’s Rich Mix. With previous guests including Kate Tempest, Akala and Dizraeli, Tongue Fu successfully taps into the excitement and energy of spoken word, bringing live music and literature together in an electrifying partnership. As part of the free Unbound series, a looser alternative to the Book Festival’s conventional format, Tongue Fu is in good company with the likes of Liz Lochhead, Stanley Odd and Neu! Reekie! appearing in the late-night strand. So pop into the Spiegeltent, grab a beer and take your seat for an evening of unpredictable and exceptional entertainment. (Arusa Qureshi) ■ Charlotte Square Gardens, 20 Aug, 9pm, free.

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Some of the best Edinburgh International Book Festival events, as chosen by Yasmin Sulaiman

classics of that period in Hollywood. Bring your Save Ferris T-shirt. 21 Aug, 7.15pm, £12 (£10).

JAN CARSON & LARA WILLIAMS Probably the best short story collection of 2016, Lara Williams’ Treats is a witty, emotional look at growing up and facing up to adult life. Here, she appears with Belfast’s Jan Carson. 18 Aug, 8.30pm, £8 (£6)

WILKO JOHNSON Against all the odds, and the headlines, musician Wilko Johnson’s still alive. Lucky us, because he’ll be here in Edinburgh to talk to Vic Galloway about his experiences. 23 Aug, 8.15pm, £12 (£10).

HOLLIE MCNISH Spoken word is in rude health right now, and Hollie McNish is up there among the best. Catch her at her book festival event, dubbed Poetry for Parental Beginners, and Unbound the same evening. See preview, page 29. 20 Aug, 5.30pm, £12 (£10).

EULA BISS & CHITRA RAMASWAMY Local journalist Chitra Ramaswamy’s Expecting is an insightful, poetic look into the trials of pregnancy. She’s joined by On Immunity author Eula Biss. 24 Aug, 2pm, £12 (£10).

JULIET JACQUES Her Guardian column was shortlisted for the Orwell Prize. Now, Juliet Jacques heads to Edinburgh to talk about her life and her book, Trans: A Memoir. See preview, page 32. 20 Aug, 5.45pm, £12 (£10). HADLEY FREEMAN A passionate 80s movie fan – like the best of us – Freeman’s recent book Life Moves Pretty Fast takes on all the

PHOTO: PAL HANSEN

BOOKS HITLIST

Juliet Jacques

MAGGIE O’FARRELL A new novel by Maggie O’Farrell is always a joyous event. Here, she talks about her wonderful new book, This Must Be the Place. 25 Aug, 6.45pm, £12 (£10). 28 Aug, 8.15pm, £12 (£10). JONATHAN SAFRAN FOER The author of Everything is Illuminated and Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close brings some American literary glamour to the Book Festival on its final weekend. See preview, page 31.

THE VIEW FROM CASTLE ROCK Continuing with its recent forays into theatre, the Book Festival team up with the fantastic Scottish theatre company Stellar Quines for this

adaptation of Alice Munro’s stories. artSpace at StMark’s, until 29 Aug, times vary, £15 (£12). All events (except The View from Castle Rock) at Charlotte Square Gardens, 0845 373 5888.

Book tickets now! www.edbookfest.co.uk

The beautiful green space of Charlotte Square Gardens in the centre of Edinburgh is transformed into a magical village of tents and walkways, theatres, cafés, bookshops and grassy areas to sit, read and soak up the Festival atmosphere. Tickets still available for:

Jonathan Safran Foer • Eimear McBride • Erica Jong • Miranda Sawyer • Chris Brookmyre Mark Haddon • Judith Kerr • Edward Ross • Jackie Kay • Billy Letford • Packie Bonner • Janet Ellis Lemn Sissay • Kevin Barry • Val McDermid • Chris Boardman • Michel Faber • Shappi Khorsandi Irvine Welsh • Ray Mears • Geoff Dyer • Liz Lochhead • A L Kennedy… and hundreds more.

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Previews | FESTIVAL BOOKS

list.co.uk/festival

GRAEME MACRAE BURNET

MARY M AND BRYAN TALBOT

LARA WILLIAMS

Booker Prize longlister talks about his novel

Husband and wife team tackle a feminist icon

Treats author sheds poetic light on twentysomething life

His first novel was the stylish crime thriller The Disappearance of Adele Bedeau. And last year, Scottish author Graeme Macrae Burnet released His Bloody Project, a true crime novel that was awarded a place on the Man Booker Prize 2016 longlist in July (the shortlist is announced in September). While researching his family history, Macrae Burnet discovered the story of Roderick ‘Roddy’ Macrae, a 17-year-old boy from Culduie in Wester Ross who committed a brutal triple murder. This novel is the first time Roddy’s memoir, which he wrote while awaiting trial, has been printed in full. His unromanticised account of life as a crofter in 19thcentury Scotland and the events leading up to and including the crime are followed by comments from the psychiatrist who examined him, and an account of his dramatic trial using newspaper reports. It is a novel heavy with foreboding that highlights the complexity of the justice system’s task in determining whether Roddy, or any criminal, is sound of mind. He is joined at Edinburgh International Book Festival by Cecilia Ekbäck, whose book In The Month of the Midnight Sun also features a brutal triple murder. (Rowena McIntosh) ■ Charlotte Square Gardens, 0845 373 5888, 23 Aug, 2pm, £8 (£6).

An anarchist, school teacher, nurse and member of the Paris Commune in the 1800s, Louise Michel was known as ‘the Red Virgin of Montmartre’. She fought during the Siege of Paris and was transported to the South Pacific colony of New Caledonia, where she helped the indigenous people rise up against their French colonial masters, before being pardoned and returning to France. In their new graphic novel adaptation of her life The Red Virgin and the Vision of Utopia, husband and wife creative team Mary M and Bryan Talbot tell Michel’s singular story while positioning her firmly as a feminist icon. Together, the Talbots are the creators of the Costa Biography Award winning book Dottir of Her Father’s Eyes (2012), which combined Mary’s life with that of Lucia Joyce, daughter of James. While Mary’s background is in academic writing, Bryan is a celebrated comic artist whose credits stretch from Judge Dredd and Nemesis the Warlock in 2000AD in the 1980s to his own creator-owned works The Adventures of Luther Arkwright, Alice in Sunderland and Grandville. For anyone who views graphic novels as one of the 21st century’s boldest storytelling mediums, this event will be essential. (David Pollock) ■ Charlotte Square Gardens, 0845 373 5888, 27 Aug, 12.30pm, £12 (£10).

It’s always a pleasure to see a small publishing house have a big hit on its hands. That’s what happened earlier this year when Glasgow’s Freight Books published Treats by Manchester-based author Lara Williams. Her strong voice and insightful tales about twentysomething life speaks to women across the country and won an instant army of fans. Treats is a slim short story collection – if you’ve not read it yet, you should, and it won’t take you more than a couple of hours. But despite its short length, it’s jam packed with wisdom and emotional nuggets about everything from dating and sex to depression and bereavement. Williams’ voice, suffused with the chimes of 24hour digital life, might speak most directly to women who’ve left education in the last ten years but praise has come from all ages and genders and it’s also shortlisted for this year’s First Book Award at the Book Festival. In this Charlotte Square event, Williams is joined by Jan Carson, whose story collection Children’s Children focuses on the social divides of East Belfast. (Yasmin Sulaiman) ■ Charlotte Square Gardens, 0845 373 5888, 18 Aug, 8.30pm, £8 (£6).

JONATHAN SAFRAN FOER

PHOTO: JEFF MERMELSTEIN

Love-him-or-hate-him literary megastar comes to town He was just 25 when his first novel, Everything is Illuminated, was released. Ever since, Jonathan Safran Foer’s been a literary superstar, though he’s continually divided fans and critics along the way. That first book drew on two autobiographical stories: one about the shetl where his mother was born, and the other the journey of a young Jewish American (insert: Foer) to the Ukraine to search for the woman who saved his grandfather’s life. It was made into a film (starring Elijah Wood as the author character) just a few years later, and his follow-up Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close got the same big screen treatment from British director Stephen Daldry. For bookworms who remember that time vividly, it’s hard to believe it was now 11 years ago. And that’s how long it’s taken Foer to come out with his third novel, Here I Am, published in September. That’s not to say he’s been dormant since then. In 2010, Foer released Tree of Codes, more of a piece of art than a book, which took Bruno Schulz’s Street of Crocodiles and cut out words to make a new story. A year before that, he released arguably his best piece of writing: Eating Animals, a smart and engaging investigation into American factory farming and the ethical dimensions of vegetarianism. Where his novels veer into schmaltz, Eating Animals is a thoughtful, multi-dimensional portrait of one of the world’s most essential issues and a must-read, whether you eat meat or not. His new novel seems to return to the themes of his early work, focusing on an American Jewish family in a world where the Middle East is ravaged by an earthquake and Israel has been invaded. Fans (and keen haters) will be able to grab an early copy when he pops up at the Book Festival this month. (Yasmin Sulaiman) ■ Charlotte Square Gardens, 0845 373 5888, 28 Aug, 8.15pm, £12 (£10). 18–29 Aug 2016 THE LIST FESTIVAL 31

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FESTIVAL BOOKS | Previews

LGBTQIA+ VOICES AT THE BOOK FESTIVAL From literary superstars like Ali Smith and Jenni Fagan to Young Adult voices and the best in non-ﬁction, LGBTQIA+ representation weaves its way through every strand of this year’s programme. Here are the top ﬁve events tipping off our gaydar this festival

JULIET JACQUES Juliet Jacques has chronicled the trans experience through her column ‘A Transgender Journey’ for several years, and her book Trans: A Memoir brings her own experience to the fore. Expect a personal and political exploration of gender and identity today from a leading writer in the field. 20 Aug, 5.45pm, £12 (£10).

JEANETTE WINTERSON The big cheese of LGBTQIA+ writers, Jeanette Winterson brings her Shakespearean retelling, The Gap of Time, to the main stage. With luck she’ll reprise her one-woman performance that complements the novel; it’s an event you’ll not soon forget. 20 Aug, 8.15pm, £12 (£10).

SUE PERKINS Thanks to The Great British Bake Off, Scotland’s readers are big fans of Sue Perkins’ baking puns and sharp dress sense. See the woman behind the cake commentary in the main theatre, where she discusses the contents of her memoir, Spectacles. Laughs and swooning guaranteed. 21 Aug, 9.45pm, £12 (£10).

JUNO DAWSON Juno Dawson (pictured), the Young Adult author and ‘Queen of Teen’ returns to the festival with her latest guide for young people. Mind Your Head tackles mental health issues in an accessible way that keeps teenagers at the heart of the conversation. 26 Aug, 7pm, £5.

GARTH GREENWELL A searing novel about desire and consequences in post-communism Bulgaria, Garth Greenwell’s What Belongs to You is one of 2016’s hottest literary debuts. A perfect way to end your Book Festival binge. 28 Aug, 6.30pm, £8 (£6). (Sasha de Buyl) ■ All events Charlotte Square Gardens, 0845 373 5888.

PAUL MORLEY – BOWIE: LIFE OF A LEGEND Writer and broadcaster discusses the late music icon Veteran writer and broadcaster Paul Morley’s new book on David Bowie, The Age of Bowie, is a real labour of love – an exhaustive, lyrical journey through many of Bowie’s personas, genres and influences. Having tackled Joy Division, the history of pop in Words and Music and most recently the inimitable Grace Jones with I’ll Never Write My Memoirs, The Age of Bowie is arguably Morley’s most personal book to date. He was part of the creative team behind the Victoria and Albert Museum’s sell-out retrospective exhibition David Bowie Is . . . in London in 2013. When the world awoke in January to the shocking news that Bowie had died from cancer, Morley didn’t want to churn out the same trite soundbites as other cultural commentators – as a lifelong fan he was deeply affected. ‘I needed time to process this sudden information, that over the past few years, at times, seemed to be close enough to have expected such an eventuality,’ he says. Instead, his response was to write a book, examining the impact Bowie had, and continues to have, six months after his passing, in shaping the world. ‘So many Bowies: how do you keep up with them in a book, and try to keep him inside the pages as he constantly, provocatively moves somewhere else and becomes someone else?’ he asks. It is this restless, shapeshifting spirit which permeates Morley’s dazzling publication. Joining him at the Book Festival as part of the Music and Meaning events is music critic and broadcaster Vic Galloway, who will be discussing the legacy Bowie left behind, and how modern culture has been affected. After all, as Morley says, ‘He should stay with us as much as the great writers and artists do, and that means we keep telling the stories, playing the music, inventing the theories, imagining the “what ifs”.’ (Lorna Irvine) ■ Charlotte Square Gardens, 0845 373 5888, 25 Aug, 7.15pm, £12 (£10).

CARA ELLISON AND SIMON PARKIN Serial gamers ask if our obsession with video games is killing us Cara Ellison and Simon Parkin both like to play video games. They write about them and like to talk about them too. In 2014, Ellison set herself a challenge: to live with and write about some of the most interesting game developers. After documenting her journey in Embed with Games, she won the New York Games Journalism Award earlier this year. In his first non-fiction book, Death by Video Game, journalist Parkin explores the impact that video games have on our lives. He has uncovered real-life tales of obsessed gamers who go beyond their limits, those that have been all-consumed by the gaming world and die suddenly in dingy, dank internet cafés. Parkin, who is also known as ‘gaming’s Jon Ronson’ asks: ‘Why the hell do we all care about video games anyway?’ They’re two of the most informed gaming critics around and in this Book Festival event they'll be talking about all things virtual. No need to bring your controller. (Tina Koenig) ■ Charlotte Square Gardens, 0845 373 5888, 26 Aug, 8.30pm, £8 (£6).

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list.co.uk/festival

PHOTO: NIR KAFRI

Claire Flynn and Yasmin Sulaiman select highlights from the Edinburgh International Book Festival’s packed programme. All events at Charlotte Square Gardens, 0845 373 5888.

THU 18 Jack Shenker

The former Egypt correspondent for The Guardian presents his book The Egyptians, which examines what happened to social justice and democracy in the nation after the Arab Spring uprisings. 12.15pm, £12 (£10). Tim Burgess with Ian Rankin

The lead singer of iconic Britpop band the Charlatans joins one of Scotland’s most beloved crime writers to discuss their shared passion for vinyl. 8.15pm, £12 (£10). Jan Carson & Lara Williams

These two talented writers are connected by a love for short stories. Carson’s Children’s Children, is a collection looking mainly at the social divides in Northern Ireland, while Williams’ Treats explores love, sex and alienation in the modern world. 8.30pm, £8 (£6).

FRI 19 Doctor Book

Doctor Book has arrived at Charlotte Square to write prescriptions for some fantastic new books to read – literary fun for the whole family. 10.30am, free drop-in. Jenni Fagan & Andrew McMillan

Edinburgh-based writer Fagan arrives at EIBF to present The Dead Queen of Bohemia, a collection of poems from across her career, alongside McMillan, whose first poetry collection, Physical, won last year’s Guardian First Book Award. 7pm, £8 (£6). Unbound: The EVP Sessions

A collaboration between Penned in the Margins and Mercy, Electronic Voice Phenomena is looked at in this electrifying event. Featuring multimedia artist Appau Junior Boakye-Yiadom, performance poet Harry Giles, poet and musician Antosh Wocjik, and award-winning storyteller Ross Sutherland, this promises to be a memorable evening. 9pm, free drop-in.

SAT 20 Hollie McNish

The popular spoken word artist and YouTube star, who recorded an album at Abbey Road, performs from her poetry collection Nobody Told Me, which explores issues of parenthood. 5.30pm £12 (£10). Juliet Jacques

Her ‘A Transgender Journey’ Guardian column was longlisted for the Orwell Prize, and Jacques arrives at Charlotte Square to discuss the account of her life, Trans: A Memoir, and her continual campaign to combat intolerance and prejudice. 5.45pm, £12 (£10). Brix Smith Start

The former member of post-punk band the Fall (and ex-wife of its infamous leader Mark E Smith) turned fashion guru, discusses her autobiography The Rise, The Fall and the Rise. 8.45pm, £12 (£10). Unbound: Tongue Fu

An unpredictable and entertaining experiment in live literature, music and improvisation, created and hosted by poet Chris Redmond. 9pm, free drop-in.

AYELET GUNDAR-GOSHEN The award-winning Israeli writer is in Edinburgh talking about her novel, Waking Lions, which looks at the consequences of an exhausted doctor who commits a hit-and-run against a backdrop of racial and class tension. ■ Sat 20, 5pm, £8 (£6).

SUN 21 James Kelman

Scotland’s only Man Booker Prize winner has teamed up with Scottish publisher Canongate for his latest novel Dirt Road, in which a father and son head across the Atlantic for Memphis, in a tale dealing with loneliness and loss. 3.15pm, £12 (£10). Hadley Freeman

The Guardian and Vogue columnist is so obsessed with movies from the 80s that she’s actually written a book about them. Life Moves Pretty Fast features all the classics, including Ghostbusters, Back to the Future and (obviously) Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. 7.15pm, £12 (£10). Chris Brookmyre

One of Scotland’s most critically acclaimed crime writers adds a feminist edge to his latest endeavour entitled Black Widow, which takes on sexism in the workplace, revenge porn and internet trolling. 8.15pm, £12 (£10). Lemn Sissay

Sissay’s latest poetry collection, Gold from the Stone, combines new writing with some of his most popular work. Darting between the political and the personal, Sissay proves after an 18-year career that he is still an incredibly important voice on the British poetry scene. 8.45pm, £12 (£10).

Unbound: From Lewis to Lahore

The Great YA Debate

Last year, EIBF partnered with Highlight Arts to embark on a journey from Scotland to Pakistan and back again, stopping at the Lahore Literary Festival. This adventure is represented by creatives from both countries in this event, featuring storytellers, illustrators and musicians. 9pm, free drop-in.

Daniel Hahn chairs a discussion with several writers for young adults, examining the emergence of the YA genre, and whether it prevents teenagers moving onto more complex and sophisticated novels. 7.30pm, £8 (£6).

MON 22 Valerie Gillies, Martin MacIntyre & Lesley Morrison with Gavin Francis

Tools of the Trade is the name of a small poetry collection given to all new doctors in Scotland, which explores the achievements and challenges of being a junior doctor. GP Morrison and poets Gillies and MacIntyre explore what poetry can contribute to modern-day medicine. 5.45pm, £12 (£10). Jessie Burton & Susan Fletcher

Burton’s The Miniaturist was one of the best-selling debuts of the decade and she returns with The Muse, a tale about love, aspiration and identity. She is joined by Fletcher, winner of the Whitbread First Novel Award, who discusses her new novel Let Me Tell You About a Man I Knew, which offers a sensitive look at the final years of Van Gogh’s life. 7pm, £8 (6).

TUE 23 Malcolm Harvey & Michael Keating

The debate over Scottish independence has grown steadily louder in the wake of the vote for Brexit. Co-authors of Small Nations in a Big World, Harvey and Keating discuss the Nordic and Baltic states, and the lessons they offer in the decision over Scotland’s future. 4pm, £12 (£10). Meg Rosoff

Having penned great novels for teenagers, this Boston-born, Britainbased author has completed her first book for adults, Jonathan Unleashed. 7pm, £8 (£6). Unbound: Born to be Wide

Born to be Wide is a community interest company, fighting the cause for quality music, writing and storytelling. The leader ‘Olaf the Enforcer’ is joined by some of Scotland’s newest talents for an evening of stories and music. 9pm, drop-in. 18–29 Aug 2016 THE LIST FESTIVAL 33

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WED 24 Eula Biss & Chitra Ramaswamy with Gavin Francis

Eula Biss was unsure about whether to vaccinate her son – from this uncertainty came On Immunity, an examination of the myths and facts of immunisation. She is joined by journalist Ramaswamy, whose book Expecting takes readers on a physical, emotional and philosophical journey through pregnancy. 2pm, £12 (£10). Tom Gauld

Popular Guardian cartoonist Gauld comes to Charlotte Square to discuss his latest graphic novel Mooncop, a story about the personal realities that face a dying community. 3.45pm, £8 (£6). Unbound: Stanley Odd

The Scottish alternative hip hop band takes to the Spiegeltent to perform stripped-back tracks from their recent albums Reject and A Thing Brand New, and test out some brand new songs. 9pm, free drop-in.

THU 25 Maggie O’Farrell

The popular Northern Irish author’s previous work has proven her ability to write convincingly about loss and human relationships, which she looks set to further establish with This Must Be the Place, a tale of a man coming to terms with the death of a woman he loved 30 years before. 6.45pm, £12 (£10). Unbound: Imagine Better

Inspired by the latest issue of the Poetry Ireland Review, the relationships between personal and political identities and the boundaries between art and activism are explored in this event, featuring a new generation of Irish poets, as well as Kevin Barry, Canadian Madeleine Thien and Hamid Ismailov. 9pm, free drop-in.

FRI 26

IRVINE WELSH The Trainspotting author revisits the notorious character of Begbie in his latest novel, The Blade Artist, but in a very different setting – Begbie is now an artist in California. The critically lauded author discusses his latest creation with Brian Taylor. We’d expect there to be plenty of audience questions about Trainspotting 2, too. ■ Sat 27, 9.45pm, £12 (£10).

Martin Cathcart Froden & David Sanger

Both these writers’ works focus on lone characters, arriving in a new place to unexpected consequences. Froden’s Devil Take The Hindmost won the Dundee International Book Prize for its portrayal of a man who enters the realm of velodrome racing in the 1920s. While Sanger’s debut, All Their Minds in Tandem, examines the upheaval when a strange man arrives in an 1870s West Virginian village. 3.30pm, £8 (£6). Kevin Barry

Barry’s Beatlebone recently won the £10,000 Goldsmith’s Prize for ‘fiction at its most novel’. He arrives at Charlotte Square to discuss his made-up story about a post-Beatles John Lennon visiting an isle off the coast of Ireland, that the real Lennon bought in the 60s. 7pm, £8 (£6). Unbound: Neu! Reekie!

Join the vibrant poetry and music collective for another evening of . . . well . . . poetry and music, along with special guests Admiral Fallow, Salena Godden and Sarah Howe among others. 9pm, free drop-in.

Unbound: Roddy Woomble & Friends

Acclaimed singer / songwriter and Idlewild frontman Woomble takes a break from touring to celebrate his first book, which presents a collection of paintings, photographs and words that inspire his work. Fellow musicians Andrew Mitchell, Luciano Rossi and Siobhan Wilson accompany him. 9pm, free drop-in.

SUN 28 Kirsty Gunn

The New Zealand-born author comes to EIBF to discuss her latest two works. Infidelities is a collection of short stories which examines lies and deceit, while Going Bush is a short reflection on Gunn’s childhood in New Zealand. 10.15am, £12 (£10). Judith Kerr

SAT 27

The creator of beloved children’s book The Tiger Who Came to Tea, returns after a 37-year hiatus with Mister Cleghorn’s Seal, a story about a man who takes an abandoned seal pup home to look after, which doesn’t quite go to plan . . . 1.30pm, £5.

Alan Cumming

Garth Greenwell

One of the highlights of last year’s EIBF, the Good Wife actor has returned to his home nation for the festival season once again. He discusses his latest book, You Gotta Get Bigger Dreams, a gathering of his best stories and photographs. 6.45pm, £12 (£10).

Greenwell’s novel What Belongs to You is set in post-Communist Bulgaria, where homesexual love remains taboo. The author discusses the tale about a young man searching for love, described as ‘an instant classic’ by The New York Times. 6.30pm, £8 (£6).

Michel Faber

The critically acclaimed author of Under the Skin and The Book of Strange New Things reads from a beautiful collection of moving poems called Undying. Through poetry, the writer deals with the heartbreaking loss of his wife Eva, who died in 2014 after a 6-year battle with cancer. 8.45pm, £12 (£10).

to Charlotte Square to discuss globalisation and his three books, Beyond the Crash, My Scotland, Our Britain: A Future Worth Sharing and Britain: Leading, Not Leaving: The Patriotic Case for Remaining in Europe. 3.15pm, £12 (£10). Unbound: Vic Galloway and Friends

Dynamic Scottish spoken word poet Jenny Lindsay launches Flint & Pitch, which continues the cabaret-style of Rally & Broad, presenting the best of Scottish spoken word and music. The lineup features Hannah McGill, Dave Hook and Kate Ailes among others. 9pm, free drop-in.

The finale event kicks off early and brings together stories, songs, festivities and fireworks across the whole of Charlotte Square. DJ and journalist Vic Galloway has also created something special in the Spiegeltent, featuring Tom Lanoye, Anneliese Verbeke, Adam Stafford, Miracle Glass and Khartoum Heroes. 7pm, free, drop-in.

MON 29

Packie Bonner

Unbound: The Flint & Pitch Revue

Patrick deWitt & Annelies Verbeke

Man Booker nominee deWitt presents his latest novel Undermajordomo Minor, in which a young character becomes entangled in an investigation into a missing aristocrat. He is joined by Verbeke, who is regarded as a literary phenomenon in Belgium. Her novel Thirty Days features a handyman who leaves the busy city life for the quiet countryside, not realising that the area he heads for has one of the highest suicide rates in western Europe. 2pm, £8 (£6). Gordon Brown

The former prime minister is returning

Patrick ‘Packie’ Bonner played in goals for Celtic Football Club for three decades, and became known across the world when he made the famous save that took Ireland into the World Cup’s later stages for the first time. He discusses his incredible career with Gerard McDade. 8.15pm, £12 (£10). Zoë Howe

Wilko Johnson’s battle with cancer has brought legendary R&B punk band Dr Feelgood back into the public realm, but Howe believes it’s time to recognise the band’s other co-founder who died aged 41. In Lee Brilleaux: Rock’n’Roll Gentleman, she argues for an appreciation of his legacy. 8.30pm, £8 (£6).

34 THE LIST FESTIVAL 18–29 Aug 2016

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Festival

DANCE COMEDY

& PHYSICAL THEATRE

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AMY SCHUMER

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Dragging along a global reputation and huge comedy talent with her

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FESTIVAL COMEDY | Hitlist

COMEDY HITLIST Brian Donaldson picks out some of the best comedy as the Fringe cranks up a gear KIERAN HODGSON Another delightful show from the former Kieran and the Joes guy as he looks back on the quartet of loves who inspired the four symphonic movements he created. See review, page 46. Voodoo Rooms, 226 0000, until 28 Aug, 9.30pm, free. AMY SCHUMER Technically not quite a Fringe gig, but let’s view it as the comedic fireworks at the end of another August season. See preview, page 35. Playhouse, 0844 871 3014, 30 Aug, 7.30pm, £55–£105. AHIR SHAH He put on a great stand-up show in 2015, but this time around a level or two has been jumped up as Shah tears into politics and taps into a scary night he experienced last November in Paris. See five-star review at list.co.uk Laughing Horse at Cabaret Voltaire, 247 4704, until 28 Aug, 1.30pm, free. CHRIS GETHARD The New Jersey-born TV star and former improv king has written a show

Zoe Coombs Marr

which manages to trace his own often desperate life but crams it full of very fine jokes. See review at list.co.uk Pleasance Dome, 556 6550, until 29 Aug, 10pm, £9–£11 (£8–£10). SPENCER JONES PRESENTS THE HERBERT IN EGGY BAGEL He may look a little scary, but Mr Jones has one of the warmest hearted shows on the Fringe. His Herbert character delivers a new slice of cave-based fun with Eggy Bagel. See review, page 48. Heroes at the Hive, 226 0000, until 28 Aug, 8.50pm, £6 in advance or Pay What You Want. FERN BRADY The Scottish comic delivers a barnstorming show with a crazy finale which should upset some who are faint of heart. Read our five-star review at list.co.uk The Stand 2, 558 9005, until 28 Aug, 12.10pm, £9 (£8). PUDDLES The Pity Party goes into full sadness mode as this very tall clown towers over the rest of the pack and sings sweet songs of misery. There are some laughs to be had here, have no fear. See review at list.co.uk Assembly George Square Gardens, 623

Museum After Hours

Friday Fringe Takeover

3030, until 29 Aug (not 22), 7.25pm, £14–£16 (£13–£15). NISH KUMAR The comic with the most consistently high star ratings in the business (check the stats, people) delivers another powerfully funny hour written in the shadow of Brexit. See review, page 43. Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 28 Aug, 8pm, £9–£12 (£8–£10.50). RICHARD GADD The Scottish comic and actor gets

even more confessional with this year’s multimedia extravaganza, Monkey See Monkey Do. See review, page 47. Banshee Labyrinth, 226 0000, until 28 Aug, 9.45pm, free. ZOE COOMBS MARR This talented and provocative Australian keeps doing her postmodern thing by appearing in the award-winning Trigger Warning as both the laddish Dave and herself. See review at list.co.uk Underbelly Cowgate, 0844 545 8252, until 28 Aug, 6.50pm, £10–£11 (£9–£10).

2014

2015

Enjoy hand-picked performers, music, comedy and bars, plus exclusive access to our spectacular exhibition Celts

Friday 12, 19 & 26 August 19:30-22:30

£18/£16 Over 18s only Includes admission to Celts

www.nms.ac.uk/afterhours

36 THE LIST FESTIVAL 18–29 Aug 2016

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Reviews | FESTIVAL COMEDY

list.co.uk/festival

RICHARD BROWN: STOP, CHILDREN, WHAT’S THAT SOUND? EVERYBODY LOOK, IT’S RICHARD BROWN! A show set up to shock and appal doesn’t quite hit the mark ●●●●● Given that Richard Brown thinks it’s the height of lazy journalism to compare him with Frankie Boyle (for a shared physical appearance, nationality and offence-nudging brand of stand-up), there will be no mention of that in this review. What can be said is that the Edinburgh comic goes to such lengths to inform us that his ‘dark’ comedy will ‘split the room’, it probably feels like a defeat if no one walks out in horror. In truth, the brave souls who made it all the way through to the end would have enjoyed a comedy experience like few others on the Fringe this year. We are shown footage that can be best described as ‘when animals attack’ with bullfighting fans and zoo visitors getting roughed up, before a robot (it’s Brown) with a Foster’s box for a head performs a funny lampooning on the Live at the Apollo school of commercial comedy. There is a lot of shambolic charm about his show, but neither Brown’s satirical might nor his power to shock are as transgressive as he thinks they are. (Brian Donaldson) ■ Just the Tonic at the Caves, 0330 220 1212, until 28 Aug, 12.40pm, £5 (£4) or Pay What You Want.

LARRY DEAN: FARCISSIST Poignant and silly follow-up to his 2015 Best Newcomer-nominated hour ●●●●● Larry Dean is apparently fearless when it comes to sharing the intimate details of his life, whether it’s confessing to teenage bank fraud or the ins and outs (pardon the pun) of his (gay) sex life. It’s even more brave when you consider that he has a stutter which kicks in the more honest he is. But Dean is a charming performer of great warmth and we’re only too happy to let him divulge. Besides if we didn't, we’d have missed out on a fantastic gag about giving a fella a blowjob with a little added extra, which includes one of the best analogies heard all month. Farcissist is a tidy hour full of neat call-backs to follow up last year’s Best Newcomer-nominated show. It’s a fine mixture of the poignant parts in life – wearing his heart on his sleeve in particular when it comes to talking about his late beloved gran – to silly elements such as the unexpected result of a prostate exam. The latter area is surprisingly commonplace in stand-up now but Dean is especially amusing with it, especially given that he fainted at his. The boy will surely go far. (Marissa Burgess) ■ Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 28 Aug, 7.15pm, £10–£12 (£9–£11).

TWONKEY’S MUMBO JUMBO HOTEL An entertaining piece of nonsense ●●●●● Paul Vickers in his guise as Mr Twonkey the storyteller certainly provides the best value, pound-for-pound, of weirdness anywhere on the Fringe. His amiable whimsy, for which he has a small but devoted following, is peppered with songs about, say, Santa going on an opium binge and ending up with nothing but broken badminton racquets to give away. His tale of a hotel threatened with redevelopment is only a tiny portion of the hour and is of no real consequence. Instead, he mainly messes about in an endearingly shambolic way with The Ship’s Wheel of Psychic Knickers and a parade of nightmarish puppets. That one of these puppets can identify types of brandy by smell suggests that alcohol might be powering the show. The sort of people who like Captain Beefheart are likely to love Twonkey, and the converse is also true. It’s pretty much a load of old nonsense with props and songs, so those looking for coherence or jokes should steer well clear. Towards the end he laments, ‘we’re going to have to live with these memories for the rest of our lives’. He’s not wrong: for good or ill you won’t forget a visit to Twonkey. (Craig Naples) ■ Sweet Grassmarket, 243 3596, until 28 Aug (not 23), 9pm, £6.50 (£5).

BETH VYSE AS OLIVE HANDS IN ALL HANDS TO THE PUMP . . .

PHOTO: IDIL SUKAN / DRAW HQ

A brash celebratory spoof of daytime TV with too few jokes to truly score ●●●●● If Keith Lemon and Sam Simmons remade Noel’s House Party for ITV3, it might turn out a bit like this slice of mad but fun nonsense from Beth Vyse. Unlike her stand-up hour, As Funny As Cancer, Vyse’s Olive Hands is more of a comedy play, with a couple of other comedians in tow. Clad in leopard print, one high heel and an expletive-adorned eye mask, Olive is trying to resurrect her career as a daytime TV host by working on a cruise ship bound for her adoring fans in North Korea. When the ship goes down, we’re all ‘decanted’ to a submarine where we’re in danger of being attacked by an onboard leopard. In the meantime, her son (Ali Brice) is trying to convince her he’s not gay, as he falls in love with the daughter of Jane McDonald (in a canny nod to 1990s BBC TV doc, The Cruise), who has gone down with the ship. All of this is accompanied by a soundtrack of Ottawan’s disco hit ‘Hands Up’, which, whether you like it or not, will stay in your head for hours. Vyse is great at engaging the audience, and action takes place all over the bunker-like room in The Hive so everyone feels involved. It’s bonkers and it’s entertaining, but the jokes aren’t strong enough to carry the heady, very interactive atmosphere. Don’t try to follow the plot: as Vyse freely admits, it makes zero sense. That’s not really the point of this brash comedy, a lively celebration of the larger-than-life types of This Morning, Loose Women and the like. It’s crazy, and that’s a good thing, but her set needs better jokes to be remembered for anything other than endless inanity. (Yasmin Sulaiman) ■ Heroes at the Hive, 226 0000, until 28 Aug, 3.10pm, £5 or Pay What You Want. 18–29 Aug 2016 THE LIST FESTIVAL 37

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Reviews | FESTIVAL COMEDY

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TOMMY TIERNAN: OUT OF THE WHIRLWIND

LUCA CUPANI: THE ADMIN OF DEATH AND OTHER CONFESSIONS

JOE DEROSA: ZERO FORWARD PROGRESS

Another potent hour from the Irish master ●●●●●

Guilty pleasures abound ●●●●●

Death, anxiety and social media ●●●●●

This not only marks the first time Tommy Tiernan has performed a full August run since he won the Perrier Award, it’s also the only time he’s appeared in back-to-back Fringes since that victory in 1998. Could it be that after the relative failure of his 2015 improvisational experiment, he feels he owes it to his fans as well as himself to strike back with a storming show of scripted excellence? Unsurprisingly, this true master of stand-up delivers on that and some. Anyone familiar with the Tiernan schtick will recognise the structure: quiet bits of poetic contemplation followed by almost violent outpourings of opinionated rage, while there are silly bits, childhood memories and controversial moments where you become nervous about where it’s all headed. So, Tiernan’s take on the Irish vote for gay marriage and his reaction to being accused of racism by the traveller community are a potent mix of logic and lunacy. He may have returned feeling he had a score to settle, but after an hour of rabblerousing stand-up, Tommy Tiernan once again leaves the rest trailing far in his wake. (Brian Donaldson) ■ Gilded Balloon Teviot, 622 6552, until 28 Aug, 7.30pm, £15–£16 (£14–£15).

Poor Luca Cupani’s strict Italian-Catholic upbringing may have burdened him with a complex, multilayered stack of reasons to feel guilty on a daily basis, but it’s given him plenty material for his standup act. A glimpse inside the tortured mind of this call centre worker is a troubling thing, particularly when he is determined to convince the world that he is ‘a good guy’. The more he protests, the more suspicious it sounds, he simpers, with a slight air of despair, a bit like the vain attempts to label North Korea ‘the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea’. Not only is he distressed by ingrained dogma about not having sex before marriage, avoiding condoms and condemning trans people, he’s further beset by an inability to say no to things he doesn’t want to do for fear of seeming rude, an issue he’s discussed at length with his therapist. His polite angst makes for a well-rounded if nervous comedy persona, though, and his bumbling storytelling about botched attempts to visit an Amsterdam sex worker, or dealing with the admin of Italian mortuaries, carries his show along with awkward, original charm. (Claire Sawers) ■ Heroes at Bob’s BlundaBus, 226 0000, until 29 Aug, 5.45pm, £5 or Pay What You Want.

Therapy has helped US comic Joe DeRosa overcome crippling anxiety. It’s never made explicit but this is comedy as therapy, and DeRosa has much to get off his chest. ‘I shit on myself for a bit and then I shit on other people,’ he says. But perhaps he’s already told his therapist all there is to say about himself as there’s little biography here. He has a distinctly morbid fascination and he opens by working through his feelings about death in general and suicide in particular, as well as the tortuous necessity of the funerals which follow. His infatuation with the macabre continues with some nice material on Jeffrey Dahmer before DeRosa sets his sights on what’s really bothering him. He decries Twitter as a strange privilege that society has yet to earn and he follows up with an interesting take on how dot communism has liberated internet pornography at the critical expense of feminism. Concluding with a fine routine about the hypocrisy with which celebrities are worshipped, DeRosa has a loose but controlled style of measured rage and his ability as a writer shines through. (Murray Robertson) ■ Underbelly Cowgate, 0844 545 8252, until 28 Aug (not 22), 9pm, £10–£11 (£9–£10).

KATY BRAND: I WAS A TEENAGE CHRISTIAN

PHOTO: KARLA GOWLETT

An understated show about losing faith ●●●●● This has been quite the year for celebrity deaths. Like many of us, Katy Brand keenly felt the passing of luminaries such as Ronnie Corbett, Victoria Wood and Caroline Aherne. Unlike most of us, she inadvertently found herself on the speed dial of Sky News and was repeatedly summoned to share her grief with the wider public. As the Grim Reaper sowed its bumper harvest, Brand thought again about her past dalliance with organised religion, and I Was a Teenage Christian details her casual membership of a church group for young adults. Describing herself as an uncool child, she explains how church gave her somewhere to fit in. She was never entirely convinced by the ideology but it was a safe place to hang out and she quite fancied fellow member Ben. But a viewing of Martin Scorsese’s controversial film The Last Temptation of Christ first begat a crisis of faith. And later, when her church chose to censor the Harry Potter books, Brand experienced her own Damascene conversion. She explains that although the church was capable of raising her as a teenager, it was unable to bring her up as an adult. After leaving the young Christian group, she went on to a secular university, studied theology and left that life behind her. Brand doesn’t look entirely comfortable on stage and her yarn is neither interesting nor funny enough to fully engage. She’s chosen to tell this shaggy dog story without embellishment and it meanders with scant incident and to little consequence. There are no last-minute twists here, no great revelations or larger-thanlife characters. Unlike most long-form stories at the Fringe, it’s easy to believe that everything relayed here happened exactly as she claims, and fans of her TV show may be surprised by her understated performance. (Murray Robertson) ■ Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 29 Aug, 4.45pm, £10–£13.50 (£9–£12.50). 18–29 Aug 2016 THE LIST FESTIVAL 39

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15/08/2016 15:01

ST ANDREW

SQUARE GARDEN 5 jul - 29 aug

Returning for a third year this outdoor arena has proven to be the best and brightest new Festival hub in the city. St Andrew Square Garden will also play host to The Spiegeltent, plus the best in free outdoor entertainment, fantastic bars and mouthwatering food concessions!

www.thestand.co.uk | tickets: 0131 558 9005

www.OUTSTANDINGTICKETS.COM

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FESTIVAL COMEDY | Reviews

SOFIE HAGEN: SHIMMER SHATTER Gently powerful hour about awkwardness ●●●●●

PHOTO: KARLA GOWETT

To Sofie Hagen’s shock and bemusement she was recently nominated as Comedian of the Year in her Danish homeland, up against three acts who were established names before she’d even started in stand-up. That lavish ceremony takes place right at the end of this Fringe and given her fear of social situations (‘all people are too many people’), you wonder whether that prospect has ruined her month in Edinburgh. Being on stage is where she is at her most comfortable, and despite, or perhaps because of her softly-spoken way, there is a gentle power to much of Shimmer Shatter. The follow-up to her Best Newcomer-winning show Bubblewrap is another sombre treatise on solitude and betrayal. Last year she cursed Brian McFadden for ever leaving Westlife, and here she opens up about a father who abandoned her at an early age only to return and bolt once again at the worst possible moment. The final punchline is a withering put-down of her dad who is tracked down by the Danish press, much to the surprise of Hagen herself, annoyed that a journalist succeeded in finding a phone number for him when she had long failed. Despite the occasionally bleak subject matter (she reveals depressingly abusive behaviour within the comedy industry), her show merrily skips along aided by a willingness to open up about the sillier details that mask a sadder truth (her own early marriage to a piece of wood being a prime example). She might prefer to take refuge in the corner of any room (and she suggests you don’t invite her to a party unless you want to hear her vibe-dampening views on the patriarchy), but in the world of comedy, Sofie Hagen is deservedly centre stage. (Brian Donaldson) ■ Liquid Room Annexe, 226 0000, until 28 Aug, 7.50pm, free.

PHOTO: JO DONALDSON

SCOTT GIBSON: LIFE AFTER DEATH

BILAL ZAFAR: CAKES

Sweary humour from a rising Scottish star ●●●●●

Story about online insanity crumbles ●●●●●

A big, gallus Glaswegian, Scott Gibson demonstrates why ‘men’s first aid’ can need a wee bit of backup from the NHS where sudden headaches are concerned, especially ones that make you go blind. From his description of a proper stag do in Blackpool and the greatest hotel ever created for heavy drinkers, through some inappropriately performed shaving to a disastrous shower with nurses, he delivers constant big and hard laughs. He’s unapologetically sweary, but no more than most blokes down the pub, which is what he resembles: a born raconteur who can hold your attention for an hour without flagging. Gibson knows his material so well even a phone ringing in the front row was worked into the routine without malice. He has a swaggering confidence that’s not overbearing, but suggests he’s exactly where he wants to be (although he deserves a much bigger venue). Life After Death is definitely not for the squeamish, with one moment in particular (involving a matron and a pillow) that is swift yet chillingly clinical and grotesque. And there’s a valuable lesson about always asking the right questions when a consultant visits your bed. (Craig Naples) ■ Gilded Balloon Teviot, 622 6552, until 29 Aug, 2.45pm, £9–£10.

The use of multimedia tools has a long, proud and occasionally glitch-heavy history in Fringe comedy, and the likes of Alex Horne, Noble & Silver and Dave Gorman have elevated the form. In recent times, ambitions seem to go about as far as Bilal Zafar attempts here: collect and display a long and ever-increasingly nonsensical spat on Twitter. Rather than cultivate and produce a show, Cakes feels almost curated by Zafar. It’s a funny enough premise as a jokey online comment (that he has opened a Muslim-only cake shop in Bristol) gets completely misunderstood and escalates into a bigoted tit-for-tat with various racists (a conflict blighted by awful grammar). Zafar has an engagingly downbeat manner which contrasts neatly with the hysteria of a story that gets steadily out of control despite the clear evidence to anyone whose mind isn’t warped by hatred that the whole affair is the result of a comedian’s prank. Zafar has a winning way about him, but getting laughs from the crazy things some people say on social media, often without even passing any comment on them, is taking the biscuit. (Brian Donaldson) ■ Just the Tonic at The Mash House, 226 0000, until 28 Aug, 3.40pm, £4 or Pay What You Want.

BETHANY BLACK: (EXTRA)ORDINARY Charming, filthy idiot on brief notoriety ●●●●● In a charming – yet occasionally quite filthy – hour describing the downs and ups of her past six years, Bethany Black has plenty of clever lines that elicit marked ripples of diffused laughter, timed according to just how clued-into LGBT issues the audience is. It's a tale of drink and other drugs, heartbreak and bankruptcy (almost: apparently, being that broke is too expensive) followed by sobriety, love and minor screen stardom. It could have been milked for pathos but she has no time for self-pity or redemption, happily describing herself at any opportunity as an idiot. This is exemplified by ‘getting her priorities right’ over a broken leg. There’s a segment about her brief, accidental press notoriety in a spat with Germaine Greer, prompted by her compulsion to say exactly the wrong thing, and she’ll probably dine out for the rest of her life over her experience on the set of Doctor Who. It’s all very personable, good-natured and well-rehearsed, and builds to a quiet yet politically strong conclusion, even if it’s not ground-breaking. And you’ll never look at a Pringles tube or a Jack Russell in the same way again. (Craig Naples) ■ The Stand 2, 558 9005, until 28 Aug, 6pm, £9 (£8).

42 THE LIST FESTIVAL 18–29 Aug 2016

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Reviews | FESTIVAL COMEDY

list.co.uk/festival PHOTO: ROBYN VON SWANK

HORACE: WE ARE FAMILY

ERIN MCGATHY: LOVE YOU LOUDLY

ARI SHAFFIR: ARI S-P-E-C-T

Technical hitches and script problems ●●●●●

Repetitive musing on a disastrous love life ●●●●●

Gleeful, brutal hour of mischievous banter ●●●●●

Things go wrong all the time at the Fringe but even the most serious technical hitch can usually be overcome by a resourceful performer. As we’re ushered into We Are Family by its stars (siblings Jack and Anna Harris), we’re warned that their projector has broken down. We’re told they will struggle on regardless; the Dunkirk spirit is invoked and expectations are slightly lowered. This likeable pair have created a ramshackle sketch show based around a family wedding. From here, various characters flit around; it’s a weak excuse to gather a variety of oddballs and no one sticks out since, excepting gender, there’s almost nothing to differentiate one person from another. Occasionally, a sickly chuckle will puncture the air, mainly when the performers make reference to the blank projector screen behind them. Pity over their technical failure raises their only substantial laughs, and when two audience members are dragged on stage for an excruciating (and wholly unnecessary) finale, the look of horror on their faces is impossible to forget. Perhaps it is all the projector’s fault and Horace should be given the benefit of the doubt. The second star here is that benefit. (Murray Robertson) ■ Cowgatehead, 226 0000, until 27 Aug, 7pm, free.

While there’s little doubt that Erin McGathy has experienced a tough time in the love stakes, she hasn’t come anywhere near creating a show that makes you care a whole lot. She may have our sympathy in gently batting away the unwanted interruptions of a disappointingly drunk elderly Scot, but even if this blunts her hour’s final section, it’s fairly clear by then that Love You Loudly is not the sharpest knife in the Fringe comedy drawer. With sections informally marked by the repetitive phrase ‘and then after that, I went out with . . . ’, you feel as though you’re looking over a teenage girl’s shoulder and reading the least interesting entries in her diary. Everyone she hooks up with is either a ‘ding dong or weirdo’, and she recalls a fight she had with a boyfriend during their podcast as though it’s the most relatable thing in the world. Plus she leaves phrases like ‘I then had the opportunity to volunteer on a farm in Ireland’ hanging in the air with no awareness that it might be worthy of some context. At this Fringe, much potent comedy has been cultivated from despair. McGathy’s contribution will only irritate and bore. (Brian Donaldson) ■ Gilded Balloon at the Counting House, 622 6552, until 29 Aug, 2pm, £5 or Pay What You Want.

As Ari Shaffir notes at the top of his show, he’s here to deliver it ‘American style’, with a straightforward hour of solid gags and no theme. He certainly delivers on the gags front, but one theme does actually emerge: a vicious honesty, however close to the bone it gets. Children, and his lack of desire to have any, come in for a lot of attention. He's gleefully and hilariously brutal about orphanages and his friends’ life choices when it comes to having kids. His Jewish heritage is a source for gags too, deciding to piss all over Germany in the absence of Hitler’s grave; there’s a routine on visiting Anne Frank’s house and probably the most subtle impression of an orthodox Jew you’re likely to see. But there’s a worldly wisdom to be found here, too, and the Anne Frank house obviously moved him: how could it not, especially given that his father survived the Holocaust? And he’s obviously right about one story: you don’t wait until you’re eight and a half months pregnant to meet up with the father of your child to tell him. A savagely honest yet mischievous show. (Marissa Burgess) ■ Heroes at the Hive, 226 0000, until 28 Aug, 6.30pm, £5 or Pay What You Want.

NISH KUMAR: ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS, UNLESS YOU SHOUT THE WORDS REAL LOUD

PHOTO: IDIL SUKAN / DRAW HQ

Mr Consistency strikes again with a hilarious, insightful hour ●●●●● So many modern-day dilemmas to unravel, and only one hour to do it. And yet, Nish Kumar has done it again, with plenty big laughs in there among the enjoyably head-scratching stuff. He loves history, for example, but also loves Britain. How can both things possibly sit right with him, given that his Indian ancestors were colonised by the Empire? He was recently heckled onstage on the day of the EU referendum announcement, he explains. Someone in the crowd told him to ‘go home’, despite living just along the road in an increasingly gentrified London (the hipster effect also gets a healthy slagging from Kumar, but he clarifies that it’s important to get angry with government and policy, more than at the men with Victorian moustaches). A large chunk of his show has been duly updated with searing commentary on Brexit, from the alarming creep of overt racism to the failure of neoliberalism, and Bojo’s ‘racially not ideal’ views. It’s not as if Kumar can be accused of bandwagonjumping to get bums on seats either, as he’s been building a name as a consistently witty and wise comedian for over a decade now, deftly fusing race issues with playful bits about 90s lad culture and the Spice Girls. It’s only after a very deliberate warm-up section with chummy, self-deprecating stuff about making a tit of himself at a Prince gig that he’s relaxed the room enough to launch into his much knottier, insightful material. And then he’s off and flying. Kumar’s skill is casually shoehorning in very weighty, problematic issues to a set of memorable pub banter. A consistently class act, he’s very much at home on his comedy soapbox. (Claire Sawers) ■ Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 28 Aug, 8pm, £9–£12 (£8–£10.50). 18–29 Aug 2016 THE LIST FESTIVAL 43

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FESTIVAL COMEDY | Reviews

AL PORTER: AT LARGE An old-school act in the body of a young comic ●●●●● If anyone at the Fringe this year has that old-school star quality it’s Irishman Al Porter. In his smart suit, slicked back hair and simple but feckin’ funny gags, surely he’s going to end up with his own TV show before too long. Despite being just 23, Porter already feels like a seasoned act, blessed as he is with an apparently instinctive nose for comedy. As material goes, there’s nothing hugely ground-breaking here, as he disclaims from the off. But what is special about At Large is that every syllable is mined for laughs, though he does have some props on stage – stool, hat stand, flowers – just in case it’s not funny. ‘I can claim it was a play,’ he insists. Not that he would need to. You certainly get your money’s worth as he races through material at breakneck speed, leaving you out of breath while the next gag is on you. Breezily camp (he notes that he’s ‘1970s gay’), he likes nothing more than to provoke a bit of mild outrage, whether it be a gag about his wheelchair-using ex-boyfriend or waking up in the Canaries after a particularly heavy night out. One interesting undercurrent to the material is that often his humour is derived from trying to fit in where he feels he doesn’t belong: the working-class boy from a council estate in Dublin faced with what seems like the whole cutlery drawer laid out on the table in a posh restaurant. Or he’s the boy growing up with an air force dad pointing out attractive women to his teenage son who already realises he’s gay. With natural charm by the truck load, Al Porter will go far. (Marissa Burgess) ■ Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 28 Aug, 10.40pm, £8.50–£11 (£7.50–£10).

PHOTO: MATT CROCKETT

PHOTO: DAN BURN

MAX & IVAN: OUR STORY

DAPHNE’S SECOND SHOW

Fun, multi-character comedy ●●●●●

The true saviours of sketch? ●●●●●

This is definitely more of the same from Max & Ivan, but they do ‘the same’ so well. In Our Story, the sketchy duo take us back in time to the moment they first met as children, when Max was learning to wrestle and Ivan was a boy scout. It’s based on real stuff too. The twosome are behind occasional Fringe treat The Wrestling and fans of that show (sadly not on this year) will already know about Max’s not-so-secret history as a prowrestler and there are a couple of happy nods to those skills in this set. Cue an hour of multi-character comedy with plenty of physical gags, funny voices, a tiny bit of expertly handled audience participation, and a storyline that gently tugs at the heartstrings. It’s a formula that’s worked well for them for the last five years (particularly so in 2013’s Edinburgh Comedy Award-nominated The Reunion) so why stop now? Our Story is a reliably funny hour that’s swiftly executed and pacily structured. Scenes and characters transition every couple of minutes, with Max & Ivan making it look all too easy. Watching them would be exhausting if it wasn’t so much fun. (Yasmin Sulaiman) ■ Pleasance Dome, 556 6550, until 28 Aug, 8.20pm, £9–£12.50 (£8–£11.50).

There’s a theory that a second Fringe comedy show is far harder than your first. A debut allows you to potentially cram in all your best routines from years of work while a follow-up requires you to create something excitingly new in around 10 months. If that sounds like a credible basis to excuse failure, then the Daphne trio simply blow this notion out of the water. Phil Wang, Jason Forbes and George Fouracres are continuing to thrive with gleefully daft, gagfilled routines while refreshingly avoiding the tired old trap of having one of them play the stooge: the pendulum of power swings between them all throughout. Their love of messing around with common phrases is rife so that ‘self checkout’ and ‘black widow’ offer spot-on punchlines while you might never watch an episode of Frasier with quite the same eyes again. At the very least, Daphne have matched the inventiveness of their superb 2015 debut. In doing so, they may well have breathed life into the Fringe sketch comedy genre which has been hobbling around on its last legs in recent times. (Brian Donaldson) ■ Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 28 Aug, 5.45pm, £9.50–£12 (£8–£11).

SHAPPI KHORSANDI: OH MY COUNTRY! FROM MORRIS DANCING TO MORRISSEY Entertaining but confusing comedy ●●●●● Shappi Khorsandi felt proud to be booed at a Belfast gig. The club owner comforted her, saying they never like ‘British’ comedians. In her 16-year career, Khorsandi has covered her background in detail, fleeing Iran after her poet dad received death threats, arriving in the UK as a three-year-old refugee and settling into middle-class Kensington life. But Brexit gives her fresh impetus to discuss ‘foreignness’. Maybe she’s paving the way for future Somalian and Polish comedians, she jokes, before acting out a very funny argument between her children: a verbose, pompous little boy with RP vowels, and a melodramatic little girl who she describes as ‘a mad Middle Eastern woman’. She mentions her anti-racist activism, visits to Calais refugee camps and bumping into Jeremy Corbyn 20 years ago while campaigning for homeless people. Clearly she’s a principled woman with a strong urge to challenge society’s hypocrisies and her own contradictions, but some anecdotes sound too do-gooder or jar. An entertaining, if confusing, comedy voice. (Claire Sawers) ■ The Stand, 558 9005, until 28 Aug, 8.30pm, £12 (£10).

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The Pleasance, Nick Mohammed and United Agents present

++++

“TRULY RIDICULOUS

AND BARNSTORMINGLY GOOD FUN” THE TELEGRAPH

++++

“RICHLY FUNNY.. PURE KNOCKABOUT FUN” THE GUARDIAN

++++

JOYOUS ”

“

ANARCHY THE SUNDAY TIMES

++++ ++++ “IMMENSELY ENJOYABLE” THE TIMES

THE INDEPENDENT

++++ METRO

++++ THE LIST

++++ “EXQUISITELY SILLY…

A SENSATION” WITH DAVID ELMS & KIERAN HODGSON DIRECTED BY MATT PEOVER

19:00 3 – 28 August

pleasance.co.uk

0131 556 6550

Quotes refer to Mr. Swallow’s last show

EVENING STANDARD

18–29 Aug 2016 THE LIST FESTIVAL 45

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FESTIVAL COMEDY | Reviews

KIERAN HODGSON: MAESTRO A solo act who hits all the right comedic notes ●●●●● Last year it was Lance Armstrong, this time around Gustav Mahler. But Kieran Hodgson isn’t interested in mere hagiography. Instead, such towering cultural figures are the trigger for personal reflections on love, loneliness and a yearning for acceptance. In 2015 Hodgson got on his bike for Lance, while in Maestro, he picks up a violin in the often painful tale of how he attempted to pen a four-movement symphony (which he compares to a really big pizza) to commemorate the four main players in his love-life throughout his adolescent and adult years. Sadly, he is often just being strung along. We first meet him as the young Kieran, a prodigious and uber-swotty 11-year-old who is at school to impress teachers rather than any prospective partners, but love interests (of both genders) finally float his way. Still, despite the burgeoning passions at play, Hodgson is a sensible (and slightly uptight) middle-class lad at heart. He hosts a house party but is determined to ‘keep a lid on people’s fun’ while his unwavering sense of social responsibility becomes disastrously compromised when he rides the Paris public transport system without a valid ticket solely to impress a seductive Frenchwoman who cares not a jot for him. Mahler himself makes several appearances, though Hodgson chooses to have him voiced by actors such as David Tennant and Andrew Scott, perhaps purely as a means of showcasing his superlative powers of mimicry. Hodgson was formerly a core member of the perfectly serviceable Kieran & The Joes sketchy narrative group, but now he’s carved out a Fringe role for himself as a must-see solo act. After Maestro, it will be fascinating to see what he has up his sleeve for an encore. (Brian Donaldson) ■ Voodoo Rooms, 226 0000, until 28 Aug, 9.30pm, free.

PHOTO: BARON WALTON

PHOTO: JAKE HOPEWELL

DARREN CONNELL: TROLLEYWOOD Scot Squad star doesn’t delve deep enough

THIS GLORIOUS MONSTER: WRONG ’UNS

NAZEEM HUSSAIN: LEGALLY BROWN

●●●●●

Disappointing set of elongated sketches ●●●●●

Indignant ire and scattershot routines ●●●●●

‘Please help me. It’s six days and I can’t feel my face.’ It’s not that doing his first show at the Fringe is getting to Darren Connell (does he know that there’s two more weeks of this?), but as someone who hasn’t had a drink since mid-December, he’s clearly on edge. The comic says he gets a lot of people, mainly 80-year-old women, turning up to his show expecting his polite character, Bobby, from Scot Squad. This is a mistake. Trolleywood is 14+ for some reason and while it’s not pure filth, anybody expecting clean-cut humour will probably balk at the story about Connell getting high and inspecting his arsehole. As far as structure is concerned, there is no real narrative theme, just Connell in his naturally funny state, talking about the strange things that happen to him: taking up Bikram yoga and getting a colonic irrigation (OK, that one was for the show). At times, he hints at a darker side to his humour, particularly in a routine about his ex-girlfriend hitting him: it would have been interesting to explore this side more. As it stands, his cheery personality and sharp wit is more than enough. (Kirstyn Smith) ■ Gilded Balloon Teviot, 622 6552, until 29 Aug, 7.45pm, £10–£11 (£9–£10).

To be dubbed the ‘next League of Gentlemen’ is both a blessing and a curse. After this largely unimpressive Fringe debut, the bearded trio of This Glorious Monster (completed by a fourth non-acting member: again, very LoG) might have cause to denounce Hat Trick’s Jimmy Mulville for applying that added strain. It’s not that the show doesn’t have its pleasures, but they’re somewhat fewer and further between than anyone would like. Rather than offering up a mix of snappy skits and longer stories, they’ve plumped for routines that overstay their initial welcome. From the opening tale of a fraudulent medium going on about his third eye, to the predatory ‘human resources goddess’, it’s clear that finding a punchline is the hardest thing in This Glorious Monster’s world. Avid stand-up fans will enjoy the detailed Bill Hicks references in the ‘comedy snobs’ section, but this perfectly fine idea is wrung absolutely bone-dry by the time it’s reached an unfunny zenith. There’s clearly plenty talent floating around this gang but a trip back to the drawing board is called for. (Brian Donaldson) ■ Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 29 Aug, 4.30pm, £9–£11 (£8–£10).

The heart of Nazeem Hussain’s show is the weird and stupid way that countries like the UK, US and his native Australia conflate and confuse skin colour, religion and terrorism. He is particularly vexed at his homeland’s laughable attempts at intelligence-gathering in Muslim communities involving incompetent phone taps and fine dining. An affable, smart guy, Hussain seems most at home with routines about identity, such as his woeful Tamil, his immigrant parents’ expectations, and the way his mental integration of several cultural influences sometimes lead him to rash decisions. He indignantly mocks the sort of facile questions posed by immigration officials which, admittedly, has been well riffed-on before by others, but it’s not often you get them first-hand from a frequent guest of the authorities. Hussain is clearly righteously angry but he's careful to be, you know, not that kind of angry, which leads to some great self-correction jokes with an implicit irritation that any correction should even be needed. Outside these routines it feels a little scattershot. (Craig Naples) ■ Assembly George Square Studios, 623 3030, until 28 Aug, 8pm, £10.50–£12 (£9.50–£11).

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Reviews | FESTIVAL COMEDY

list.co.uk/festival PHOTO: DAVID HARRIS

JOHN PENDAL: INTERNATIONAL MAN OF LEATHER

SARAH KENDALL: SHAKEN

COLIN HOULT / ANNA MANN: A SKETCH SHOW FOR DEPRESSIVES

Comedy as therapy ●●●●●

An engaging story about transgression ●●●●● It’s certainly an intriguing premise for a show. A ‘shy Baptist boy’ from Watford with ‘the most conservative upbringing ever’ goes for a drink with a man, starts a relationship and finds liberation in the world of leather (not the sofa business). Not only does it help him come to terms with a path he’d been told led to damnation, it leads him, through the kind of unlikely events Hollywood movies are based on, to winning the 25th annual International Mr Leather contest. It takes him around the world and opens his eyes further to the spectrum of fetishes, but his focus on how consent is essential throughout gives the show a surprisingly wholesome twist. As well as showing photos of the outfits that won him the title, he also says his victory was judged mostly on personality, and it’s clear, from introducing himself to every audience member and his self-deprecating one-liners, how the judges would have been swayed. He’s also a confident performer, saying ‘when I do something, I really commit’. Part of a selection of shows this year focusing on religious upbringings, this is an often-amusing take on a highly improbable tale. (Emma Newlands) ■ The Stand 4, 558 9005, until 28 Aug, 4.45pm, £8 (£7).

An amusingly daft character show ●●●●● A storytelling show about the power of telling stories, Sarah Kendall’s latest long-form hour never fails to grip its audience. The Australian has truly found her comedy calling after initially thriving as a regular straight-down-the-line stand-up and it wouldn’t be an over-the-top notion to suggest that she may be in the frame for an Edinburgh Comedy Award nomination once again. The title of Shaken references the time she told a whopping great lie at school in order to make herself less unpopular and, more importantly, have her voice heard. Naturally her fib gets wildly out of control, dragging in the local press, a suspicious cop and the entire community: it’s effectively all Ferris Bueller’s fault. Kendall’s hour features a catalogue of excellent ‘characters’, from her faeces-obsessed mother to an alcoholic librarian. Most tellingly, we meet her therapist, fed up being spun exaggerations by a patient who appears to be trying out new material in their sessions. Thankfully, Kendall has found a far more appreciative audience. (Brian Donaldson). ■ Assembly George Square Studios, 623 3030, until 28 Aug, 6.45pm, £10.50–£12.50 (£9.50– £11.50).

Can Anna Mann cure depression? It’s not much of a spoiler to say she definitely can’t. She's not even clear on what it is, but there’s something charming and uplifting about this silly show that ought to cheer anyone up. Colin Hoult, who has a long Fringe history, is a talented actor, here playing a not-particularly capable actress playing character comedy parts. Or is she? It’s a rendition of amateurishness portrayed with lightly worn skill. Are we laughing at the characters or the portrayal of easily-recognised archetypes? Both, probably. It would be easy to get lost down a rabbit hole of layers of meaning, but sometimes a bloke in a dress being amusing and daft is just a bloke in a dress being amusing and daft. Hoult enjoys playing with language as he very carefully gets audience names just the right kind of wrong, messes around with ‘Willy Shakes’ Much Ado’, and delivers great snippets of showtunes from Anna’s roles in such lost classics as Aliens: The Musical. Andrew Bridge and Tom Greaves act as drama student assistants who are very much part of the whole silliness and seem to be having as much fun as Hoult is. (Craig Naples) ■ Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 28 Aug, 7pm, £7–£10 (£6.50–£9).

RICHARD GADD: MONKEY SEE MONKEY DO A potent and personal hour that is compelling and brave ●●●●● If feminism was the major theme for comedians at recent Fringes, the floodgates have truly opened for 2016 to be the year of mental health. It might be easier to find shows where depression is not tackled: and this willingness to discuss some dark areas is, undoubtedly, a positive thing. For Richard Gadd’s Monkey See Monkey Do, an appalling incident that he had buried deep inside is now being dredged up for release on stage in this wonderful multimedia hour that is part comedy, part theatre and full-on therapy. His analyst does indeed make an appearance (voiced by Justin ‘Jeremy Lion’ Edwards) with both patient and doctor as upside-down painted chins, while Gadd plays out his internal dramas by running on a treadmill for the vast majority of the show. Seasoned Fringe-watchers might think of Kim Noble due to his previous fitness-inducing antics in painfully confessional work, as will the repeated footage of Gadd throwing up (still, at least he’s aware of the link, having referred to himself in last year’s triumphant Waiting for Gaddot as ‘the shit Kim Noble’). Gadd’s early publicity shots featured ‘blood’ on his clothes or on a baseball bat. In this new set, the wounds he’s opened up are less visually apparent but run much further into his psyche as he wrestles with his own maleness. Turning to running because of a typically insensitive tweet about depression from Katie Hopkins, he’s training (with pink accessories) for the Man’s Man Final in Mansfield (hosted by Jason Manford) all the while on the run from his internal ‘monkey’ who seeks to hijack him in every social situation. This potent hour is compelling and, yes, courageous. Whether it helps Richard Gadd ease his personal trauma is one thing, but it should certainly get him in peak physical shape by the time his August run is over. (Brian Donaldson) ■ Banshee Labyrinth, 226 0000, until 28 Aug, 9.45pm, free. 18–29 Aug 2016 THE LIST FESTIVAL 47

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FESTIVAL COMEDY | Reviews

MIKE WARD: FREEDOM OF SPEECH ISN’T FREE Canadian’s shocking hour is outrageously bad ●●●●●

PHOTO: GEORGES FOK

In July, Canadian shock comic Mike Ward was fined £25,000 for repeatedly telling (since 2010) an offensive joke about a child (now an adult) with Treacher Collins Syndrome. Ward is in the process of appealing that fine but he reasons that he may as well get his money’s worth so repeats his infamous gag here while attempting to raise much-needed funds. Ward’s story is an interesting one and its consequences could have far-reaching effects throughout the industry and Canadian society, so it’s odd that he asks an audience member to recount the events rather than stating his case from the off. From there he launches into a series of obscene gags covering paedophilia, necrophilia, bestiality, domestic abuse, infanticide and incest, often combining several taboo topics at once. ‘Jesus Christ it’s quiet in here,’ he remarks at the muted response. He expects to provoke a strong reaction but this is a Fringe crowd and we’re not easily offended. Just saying outrageous things isn’t funny and the set-ups are laboriously executed before petering out with predictably ‘shocking’ punchlines. After explaining how much he hates his brother, he asks if anyone in the audience has AIDS. No one volunteers but that doesn’t stop Ward urging anyone with the disease to rape his brother and infect him with AIDS. ‘That’s a joke by the way,’ he deadpans to stunned silence. The biggest shame is that Ward seems like a nice guy. He’s evidently crestfallen by his recent financial predicament and it’s easy enough to root for him when he’s being sanguine about the future. Here in the UK he’s free to speak about whatever he wants (for now). If only he had something funny to say. (Murray Robertson) ■ Gilded Balloon Teviot, 622 6552, until 28 Aug (not 25), 8.45pm, £10–£12.

PHOTO: COLIN PAGE

SIMON MUNNERY: STANDING STILL Great gags are afoot in this anniversary bash

LANA SCHWARCZ: LOVELY LADY LUMP

SPENCER JONES PRESENTS THE HERBERT IN EGGY BAGEL

●●●●●

Australian comic tells cancer where to go ●●●●●

Charming, loveable but all too-brief ●●●●●

For 30 years now, Simon Munnery has been bamboozling us on the Fringe. Few comics could get away with arriving on stage in a suit made of cider cans and accidentally (maybe on purpose) knocking over the drinks on a front-row table. As this is an anniversary show of sorts, he dips occasionally into his back catalogue, pulling out an Alan Parker: Urban Warrior spoof of a Billy Bragg number he’s just performed straight as himself. Buckethead also makes a brief cameo but mostly it’s Munnery proving that when the mood takes him, he can be one of the finest gag-writers in the business (his line about his three daughters’ names and the real reason why his dog Leo isn’t on Facebook are corkers). His improv riffing on an audience remark about a handbag maybe doesn’t show his talents off in the best light, while his imagining of a couple discussing skiing does drift on a mite longer than sense should allow. But when it comes to logic, Simon Munnery will always refuse to play that game. And the comedy world is better for it. (Brian Donaldson) ■ The Stand, 558 9005, until 29 Aug, 4pm, £12 (£10).

This hour from the charming Lana Schwarcz is part stand-up, part group therapy as it sticks two fingers up to breast cancer. Thanks to a throwaway comment from a stranger she met while walking her dog, Aussie puppeteer Schwarcz was spurred on to get a mammogram, which revealed a malignant tumour in her left boob. Mercifully, they caught it early and she survived, with Lovely Lady Lump her go at a comical unloading of that period in her life. Schwarcz is delightful, bravely bringing the audience into her world of doctor appointments and radiation therapy, seguing between tit-baring re-enactments of hospital sessions and straight stand-up. Her jokes don’t always land, and she occasionally dips into over-explaining when lines don’t get laughs, but there are some stand-out comedic moments, including a gleefully gory take on her post-diagnosis nightmares. Schwarcz doesn’t shy away from the personal dimensions of her show, acutely aware some punters will relate to this story through first-hand experience. There’s more than a few teary eyes at the end, but plenty of smiles too. (Yasmin Sulaiman) ■ Gilded Balloon Teviot, 622 6552, until 29 Aug, 4pm, £10–£12 (£9–£11).

Only those with the stoniest of hearts could fail to fall for The Herbert. With his sunken eyes, gormless grin and awful haircut, Spencer Jones’ blindingly colourful character bemoans in a repetitive rave number that he’s ‘a dickhead’. No one of that ilk would then create a tune which politely asks that we ‘behave in my cave’ but the gentle Herbert has everyone on his side as he goes about his blundering business. As loveable a character as he is, our Eggy Bagel man often comes second to the array of props he’s assembled, from the exaggerated shoulder pads to the innovative drumsticks, toilet brushes and marginally creepy family portrait. Perhaps the late start and early finish are partly responsible, but there’s a palpable sense in the room that we would have liked more. Generally at the Fringe, people are often glad to get out of some venues on time and in one piece. At one point, Jones / Herbert shrugs his shoulders and announces, ‘it’s stupid, innit?’ Unutterably daft it may be, but refreshing and charming are far more accurate adjectives. (Brian Donaldson) ■ Heroes at the Hive, 226 0000, until 28 Aug, 8.50pm, £6 or Pay What You Want.

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Reviews at a Glance | FESTIVAL COMEDY

list.co.uk/festival

PHOTO: DAMIAN ROBERTSON

For full length versions of these reviews see list.co.uk/festival Abandoman ●●●●● The plot (for

what it’s worth) involves singer Rob Broderick going back in time in search of his lost father, a journey played out through improvised hip-hop songs fused with electronica and, remarkably, ceilidh. Life + Rhymes builds to a crescendo, Broderick ingeniously incorporates call-backs and the result is a truly joyous conclusion. (Murray Robertson) Underbelly George Square, 0844 545 8252, until 29 Aug (not 22), 8.45pm, £14.50–£15.50 (£13.50–£14.50). Alex Kealy ●●●●● Like an even floppier-haired Ivo Graham, Kealy had to swiftly rethink his poster given that both Farage and Gove (yesterday’s men) were on there. He wears his erudition less than lightly on his sleeve and you’d imagine he’s in possession of the best joke about Galileo at this year’s Fringe. (Brian Donaldson) Underbelly Med Quad, 0844 545 8252, until 29 Aug, 9.50pm, £9.50–£10.50 (£8.50–£9.50). Alfie Brown ●●●●● Brown’s less than positive attitude towards Adele rears its head again with a lengthy dismantling of any notion that she carries a lovely voice while his girlfriend (in attendance) takes a few jokey blows. It’s good to see this genuine talent back on form as he delves deeply into why men are the woefully inferior gender and has terrific gags about restraining a birth-giving woman and the sound of a baby crying. (Brian Donaldson) Laughing Horse at City Cafe, 220 0125, until 28 Aug, 3pm, free. Alice Fraser ●●●●● This JewishCatholic Aussie who was raised as a Buddhist has a delightful show (with songs) about a household featuring a selection of lodgers who, as the story unfolds, have one unlikely thing in common. And you might never think about possum skeletons in the same way again. (Brian Donaldson) Gilded Balloon Teviot, 622 6552, until 29 Aug, 8.15pm, £10–£11 (£8–£9). Alison Thea-Skot ●●●●● Showing admirable dedication to the business of batshittery, Thea-Skot tirelessly machineguns out bonkers characters, maniacally laughing to herself as she draws dafter and dafter props from her dressing-up box. Heavy drinking beforehand might enhance the enjoyment of the studenty silliness, but it’s a long haul for the sober. (Claire Sawers) Cowgatehead, 226 0000, until 27 Aug, 8.45pm, free. Andrew Doyle ●●●●● Doyle speaks so fast that he often overtakes himself and gets muddled up in a tangle of thoughts before staggering vaguely back on track. And then he loses it again. The audience seem to distract him constantly, more often than not creating a sparky frisson. It’s a typically haphazard hour from the former teacher, but there’s never a dull moment. (Murray Robertson) The Stand 6, 558 9005, until 28 Aug, 6.35pm, £10 (£9). Andrew Hunter Murray ●●●●●

A deliciously fun debut hour, the Austentatious guy’s show is set in a pub where he’s about to host his final ever pub quiz: that’s the price of love, even if it comes in the shape of his grumpy tech assistant (and scorer), Angie. A few over-the-top characters and some witty audience banter later, and Murray has served up an opening solo show which promises plenty for the future. (Brian Donaldson) Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 29 Aug, 4.15pm, £7–£9 (£6–£8.50). Andy Bridge ●●●●●We’re all going on an art journey, sorry that’s an AART journey with aartist Mikey (Andy Bridge), to discover ourselves and realise our true potential. It’s a familiar theme, and not one that’s hugely brimming with fantastic gags, but nevertheless by the end we’ve all bonded, promised we won’t lose touch and leave with smiles on our faces. (Marissa Burgess) Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 28 Aug, 4.30pm, £7.50–£10 (£6.50–£9).

Andrew Hunter Murray

Andy Field ●●●●● Field, winner of the Chortle Student Comedy Award last year (as he reminds us frequently), closes proceedings down as early as he thinks he can get away with. His reaction to subdued amusement probably means he’s used to relying on surfing slightly undeserved laughs into funnier bits. (Craig Naples) Laughing Horse at Moriarty’s, 228 5558, until 28 Aug, 8pm, free. Bounty of Beards ●●●●● The opening sketch sets out their love of pun with as many piscine double entendres you can possibly think of when the Plenty of Fish dating site is mistaken by a fish enthusiast for a fish suppliers and where ‘crabs ruining your fishnets’ could take on a whole new meaning. The follow up using Match.com is equally as well penned and stuffed with naughty gags. (Marissa Burgess) Laughing Horse at Moriarty’s, 228 5558, until 28 Aug, 5.30pm, free. Briony Redman ●●●●● Having taken up live comedy to conquer a fear of public speaking, the humiliation of one wholly unwilling audience participant makes her lack of empathy unforgivable. This is all the more terrible given that Redman seems like a decent person, but her attitude and lack of gags in her empty character-strewn show makes for a pitiful experience. (Brian Donaldson) Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 29 Aug, 1pm, £7–£9 (£6–£8). Croft & Pearce ●●●●● Fiona Croft and Hannah Pearce are Oxford-educated drama students, with a show full of the stereotypes they know those labels conjure up. They clearly have a very good ear and eye for dark details, and the result is smart and jolly funny. (Claire Sawers) Underbelly George Square, 0844 545 8252, until 28 Aug, 2.40pm, £10.50– £11.50 (£9.50–£10.50). Daniel Nils Roberts ●●●●● Roberts’ blend of character comedy and selfreflexive commentary features a lonely romantic novelist’s strained similes, some of which are brilliantly tortured. The gags are often very clever, especially the puns from a Hotpoint-sponsored Christian dietician, but they seldom seem to land properly, thanks to messy timing. (Craig Naples) Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 29 Aug, 4.45pm, £7–£9 (£6–£8). Danielle Ward ●●●●● She may not have great advice to offer the current crop of 17-year-old girls but that’s no reason to stop Ward trying as she pursues a fine anti-Tory show roughly focussing on 1996, the year when she hit that age. And

she has a rather neat twist on the rape joke incorporating a well-known teller of such gags. (Brian Donaldson) Just the Tonic at the Caves, 0330 220 1212, until 28 Aug, 2.40pm, £6. David Elms ●●●●● If you’ve spent the whole day plodding around the festival Elms is an incredibly soothing presence to end the day’s shows on. His is an incredibly measured, softly spoken delivery, which at first can appear deceptive as if nothing in particular is happening. But what emerges is a show that is far more layered than at first appears. (Marissa Burgess) Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 28 Aug, 9.30pm, £7.50–£9.50 (£6.50–£8.50) Des Clarke ●●●●● Clarke’s appearance this year comes as a trilogy: three shows, eight days each, based consecutively around love, sandwiches and the apocalypse as he fires through a whopping amount of material in an hour. Jokes about his motherland are entertaining, but he’s going to need to shake it up if he wants to draw a wider crowd. (Louise Stoddart) The Stand, 558 9005, until 28 Aug, 7pm, £12 (£10). Diane Spencer ●●●●● Recently the new mother of two step-daughters, Spencer has fun with their names and stories about dead pets. Thankfully, this domestic bliss hasn’t taken the edge from her more caustic material and there are gags about a Russian pal and Bangladeshi sweatshops which result in some audible intaking of breath. (Brian Donaldson) Gilded Balloon Teviot, 622 6552, until 29 Aug, 5.45pm, £9–£9.50 (£8–£8.50). Dick Coughlan ●●●●● Coughlan is an intense presence but it’s a shame his show is so unfocussed and scatter-shot. It’s on surer ground when he sticks to his vague internet theme but pointing out the madness that has taken over Twitter, Facebook and YouTube is like shooting fish in a barrel. (Henry Northmore) Laughing Horse at the White Horse, 557 3512, until 28 Aug, 8pm, free. Dominic Frisby ●●●●● Fix tax, and we can fix society, proclaims this libertarian comedian. The voiceover actor has also written various books and columns on finance, and wants to share his economic expertise and political views through the medium of comedy. He wavers between playful dissent, proudly holding up his ballot paper, spoiled with a scribbled cock and balls, and a deeper sense of fundamental injustice. (Claire Sawers) Gilded Balloon Teviot, 622 6552, until 28 Aug, 4pm, £8.50–£9.50 (£7.50–£8.50).

Ed Patrick ●●●●● This Junior

Optimist hour features a man who bats off suggestions that he should be choosing between medicine and comedy; Patrick has a warm stage presence which is hopefully matched by his bedside manner. Routines featuring true-life discussions he’s had about gynaecology, Harold Shipman and infection ratios should leave you feeling much better. (Brian Donaldson) Just the Tonic at the Community Project, 0330 220 1212, until 28 Aug, 6.55pm, £5–£7 (£6) or Pay What You Want. Elf Lyons ●●●●● Following her mother’s complaint that she didn’t feature prominently enough in her daughter’s comedy, Lyons decided to write a show about wanting to kill her. It might sound a malicious premise but it’s more about an excess of love rather than hate. She’s in turn endearingly awkward and delightfully silly. By the end of the run she’ll also be responsible for ruining many a pot of yogurt. (Rowena McIntosh) Voodoo Rooms, 226 0000, until 28 Aug (not 23), 7.50pm, free. Ellie Taylor ●●●●● Taylor recently got married but worries about how she’s going to stay faithful to her, albeit lovely, new husband having never had a ‘slaggy period’. Delivering a consummate hour of sharp observations, she’s deliciously visceral too, even managing to get away with a smear-test routine accompanied by a serious message. (Marissa Burgess) Just the Tonic at the Tron, 0330 220 1212, until 28 Aug, 2.20pm, £6 or Pay What You Want. Foxdog Studios ●●●●● Foxdog Studios are two very smart, nerdy guys who have wired themselves up as instruments to accompany our journey into a surreal virtual world where the acme of high living is sucking Dooley’s (a toffee cream liqueur experience) out of clothing at Leeds Ceilidh Festival. The community feeling engendered by the audience fiddling with their own smartphones to control the story’s characters is palpable. (Craig Naples) Laughing Horse at the Cellar Monkey, 221 9759, until 28 Aug, 11.15pm, free. Goodbear ●●●●● Goodbear’s sketches ebb and flow to the rhythm of a clock illuminated at the back of the stage. The pair excel at physical comedy (perhaps it’s their height difference, perhaps it’s in their genes), but the skits that rely on sound effects and body manipulation are incredible. A late-night jazz bar comes to life on stage, or a pair of Python-esque cyclists race to the top of an unseen mountain. (Kirstyn Smith) Bedlam Theatre, 629 0430, until 28 Aug, 9.30pm, £10 (£8). 18–29 Aug 2016 THE LIST FESTIVAL 49

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FESTIVAL COMEDY | Reviews at a Glance Guy Masterson ●●●●● Fringe

James Wilson-Taylor ●●●●●

Wilson-Taylor hits back at the stigma attached to his fellow gingers with a series of amiable songs, jokes and stories. There’s nothing too dark in here: he makes no serious detours and the extent of the bullying he describes is pretty slim, which makes his wordplay on topical movements such as ‘Black Lives Matter’ slightly incongruous for an otherwise breezy show. (Murray Robertson) Underbelly Cowgate, 0844 545 8252, until 28 Aug, 5pm, £9.50–£10.50 (£8.50–£9.50). Jamie MacDonald ●●●●● As you’d expect from a blind comedian there’s a fair bit about his condition in this Glaswegian’s show and provides a humorous insight into his world, divulging a bit of cheeky ‘blue badge banter’. The Aberdeenshire hotel in which he spent his honeymoon is creatively detailed and mined for laughs with its oversized key rings and Polish staff made to dress up in a preposterously Scottish manner. A performer of great warmth and

wit. (Marissa Burgess) Assembly George Square Studios, 623 3030, until 28 Aug, 9.05pm, £10–£11 (£8–£9). Jane Postlethwaite ●●●●●

Postlethwaite takes her native Cumbria as an inspiration for her debut characterfilled show, and by the looks of it there’s plenty going on: space debris, arson and attempted murder. In this pleasingly neat plot, five well rounded lives interact through a mixture of familial relations or a ménage à trois. Postlethwaite swings about conjuring each character, each one perfectly realised and with plenty of audience interaction to help. (Marissa Burgess) Sweet Grassmarket, 243 3596, until 28 Aug (not 24), 1.10pm, £8.50 (£7). John-Luke Roberts ●●●●●

Describing himself as ‘from the world of nightmares’, our host prowls the stage in a fatsuit constructed with balloons. He carries a voodoo doll of ‘John-Luke Roberts’ and explains that he’s here to cover the comedian’s set-list. A show as bafflingly stupid as this should rightly divide an audience down the middle but through some strange alchemy the crowd absolutely lap it up. (Murray Robertson) Voodoo Rooms, 226 0000, until 28 Aug (not 24), 6.55pm, free. Johnny Cochrane ●●●●● Just in case you were wondering, this is not the Johnny Cochrane who defended OJ Simpson and a screened montage sets the record straight. Close your eyes and you can almost hear Russell Brand’s voice; there’s a similarly scamp-like demeanour at play here as he delves into what makes a Fringe show. It all gets a little pedestrian by the end, but he has a neat twist to bring the curtain down on a decent debut. (Brian Donaldson) Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 28 Aug, 9.45pm, £10–£12 (£8–£10).

Njambi McGrath

Jonny Pelham ●●●●● An adorable

Low Hanging Fruit ●●●●● Based

misfit, Pelham describes himself as a ‘socially anxious man’ and details the misadventures his unease has got him into over the years. Calling to mind a young Daniel Kitson, Pelham launches into a funny tale about how he failed to thwart a robbery happening to a girl he fancied. Proceedings come to a slightly abrupt end and it feels like a more considered conclusion would have been fitting. (Murray Robertson) Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 28 Aug, 8.30pm, £8.50–£11 (£7.50–£10).

on the premise of a failed fictional sketch show, Not Quite Write bravely embraces the world of not-so-brilliant comedy, with bad jokes and cheap puns in tow. What follows is a series of random and occasionally daft sketches, eventually descending into chaos as the four writers struggle to negotiate the many awful suggestions they receive from the wider public. (Arusa Qureshi) TheSpace at Jury’s Inn, 510 2381, until 20 Aug, 8.40pm, £7.50 (£5). Matthew Highton ●●●●● Hoping that no one will blame his temporary tech for the show’s failings, Highton might want to look a little closer to home if he seeks improvement. His sub-sub Boosh antics flag badly in a tepid story about string puppets Claude and Maria, and the tedious Q&A in which every audience members probe his character (The Universe) for wisdom delivers little joy. (Brian Donaldson) Heroes at the Hive, 226 0000, until 28 Aug, 2pm, £5 or Pay What You Want. Maureen Langan ●●●●● Raised in New Jersey by a bin-man dad and an Irish immigrant mum, Langan’s still trying to square certain things with herself, like how come most people work like animals and get nowhere, while Kim Kardashian, with ‘her ass like a ski slope’ gets a book deal and is rolling in cash. Her theatrical monologue is a little stiff in places, but the overall effect is like listening to a wise, entertaining broad ruminating on life. (Claire Sawers) The Stand 5, 558 9005, until 28 Aug, 10.15pm, £9 (£8). Mavericks ●●●●● This female double act from Cambridge Footlights bill themselves as a ‘sketch show (of sorts)’. There’s a wait until we see any sketches as the pair open with a bland and low energy introduction, including a wikiHow on warming up an audience that seems to lack irony. The audience are receptive to the personable performers but it doesn’t cover the glaring gaps in a script that needs to ditch the tropes and embrace their darker, surrealist moments. (Rowena McIntosh) TheSpace at Jury’s Inn, 510 2381, until 27 Aug (not 21), 9.30pm, £5. Mawaan Rizwan ●●●●● ‘This show relies heavily on imagination’ insists our ‘gender neutral concubine pirate’ host as he manfully mugs his way through an hour of semi-torture comedy, only leavened by the energetic and occasionally winning surreal business he attends to. The ‘baby wipes’ routine and an obsession with R Kelly’s ‘Ignition’ just about save the day. (Brian Donaldson) Laughing Horse at Dropkick Murphys, 225 2002, until 28 Aug, 5.15pm, free. Michael Burgos ●●●●● Can funerals be funny? It might not seem like the most obvious premise for a comedy show but Burgos gives it his best shot as he inhabits a number of bizarre and unusual characters in this hour-long mediation on the life, death and legacy of our corpse: Thomas. Burgos is a wonderful chameleon, inhabiting their physical quirks and vocal ticks, including a particularly impressive turn as Thomas himself as a greedy young boy. (Henry Northmore) Underbelly, Cowgate, 0844 545 8252, until 28 Aug, 8pm, £9.50–£10.50 (£8.50–£9.50). The MMORPG Show ●●●●● Paul Flannery knows his audience. Only a room full of World of Warcraft and Lord of the Rings geeks would actually cheer a giant 20-sided dice. The MMORPG Show is an interactive roleplaying game as three members of the audience are plucked from obscurity and whisked to a time of myth and legend. It’s all incredibly nerdy, expect in-jokes about elves, orcs and Skyrim, but a whole lot of silly improv fun with an RPG twist. (Henry Northmore) Gilded Balloon at the Counting House, 622 6552, until 28 Aug, 9.30pm, £8 or Pay What You Want.

Ken Do’s Success For Losers ●●●●● Ken Do (Jack Kelly) clowns about in a skinny suit and obnoxiously orange tie, waving some balloons at us before he hits us with his motivational pledge. Small print was never more poetic, as Ken Do burbles on in a lovely cross between Edward Lear’s nonsense and Chaucer Middle English tales. (Marissa Burgess) Cowgatehead, 226 0000, until 27 Aug, 3pm, free. Kieran Boyd ●●●●● Once described as ‘Benedict Cumberbatch’s lesbian sister’, Boyd turns the gags on himself, mocking the silver spoon in his motivationally challenged, Southern Jessie mouth, and revealing his embarrassing tendency to faint at any sight of blood, even in a film. His impression of his blustering, rude great uncle is a definite highlight, but there’s not enough of the funny stuff to carry along his hour of sports-based jokes, Masterchef deconstruction and heavy metal appreciation. (Claire Sawers) Gilded Balloon at the Counting House, 622 6552, until 29 Aug, 4.45pm, £5 or Pay What You Want.

PHOTO: DAVE MCGRATH

legend Guy Masterson tells us that, in January this year, he didn’t have a good idea for a show. After over two decades of staging productions in Edinburgh – some award-winning, some a bit naff, many utilising his skills as the performer in one-man productions – he’d hit a bit of a dead end. As far as comedy goes, he’s lost his mojo. (Jonny Ensall) Assembly Roxy, 623 3030, until 28 Aug, 5.40pm, £10. Harriet Kemsley ●●●●● Kemsley opens with news that she got engaged on Christmas Eve. It’s a big relief as she’d been unhappily single for a long time, and she’s now very in love. It’s fantastic news for Harriet but it’s also not a thrilling premise for a megalols hour of stand-up. Whenever more thought-provoking sections crop up, the safer, smug Facebook-filler stuff returns instead. (Claire Sawers) Just the Tonic at the Caves, 0330 220 1212, until 28 Aug, 9.25pm, £5 (£3) or Pay What You Want. Jake Yapp ●●●●● Yapp’s observations and flights of fantasy veer wildly between Adam Curtis documentaries, the origins of public relations and a curious segment on PTSD sufferers from WWII. He seems to think his material needs embellishment (it does) but he achieves this by climaxing anecdotes with bizarrely obscene punchlines wholly out of kilter with what’s come before. (Murray Robertson) Underbelly George Square, 0844 545 8252, until 28 Aug, 6.50pm, £10–£11 (£9–£10). Jamali Maddix ●●●●● Maddix’s mocking banter is funny at first but soon gets repetitive as he constantly cajoles us for not laughing enough or getting into the show. Which is frustrating as the actual material is strong. Maddix philosophises on race, slavery, immigration and feminism, a couple of his points are brilliantly sharp, highlighting some uncomfortable truths from a fresh and unexpected perspective. (Henry Northmore) Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 29 Aug, 8.15pm, £8–£10 (£7–£9). James Meehan ●●●●● A failed acting audition drove Meehan to explore classism in this debut solo show. Although he’s an engaging performer, much of Class Act comes across as a diatribe against injustice rather than an hour of comedy, which he himself admits. (Murray Robertson) Just the Tonic at the Tron, 0330 220 1212, until 28 Aug, 6.20pm, £5. James Nokise ●●●●● There’s a lot to like in this clever show from Kiwi, Nokise. The version of himself that he presents when skipping on stage – wrapped in a dandyish scarf with matching pocketchief – isn’t quite the real Nokise. He lets his hair down midshow, transforming right in front of your eyes, and his anti-gangster polemic takes an unexpectedly topical turn towards the end. (Jonny Ensall) The Stand 2, 558 9005, until 28 Aug, 10.40pm, £9 (£8).

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the two CPL AND REGULAR MUSIC PRESENTS

MIKES An x-rated, lurid and boozy exposé of media excess from TalkSPORT’s odd couple, Parry and Graham.

26-28 August

Regular Music by arrangement with Searchlyte presents

RON WHITE LIVE IN SCOTCHLAND

Assembly George Square Studios One

UK DEBUT! Grammy winning, top 3 grossing comedian in the United States.

26-28 August Assembly George Square Studios One TATERSALAD.COM T/RON_WHITE f/TATERSALAD

18+ ONLY

8 - 29 AUGUST 22:30 daily www.pleasance.co.uk Tel: 0131 556 6550 18–29 Aug 2016 THE LIST FESTIVAL 51

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Reviews at a Glance | FESTIVAL COMEDY

list.co.uk/festival

Naomi Petersen ●●●●● She lives in a theatre and she’s got agoraphobia. You won’t be allowed to forget this running theme of Petersen’s debut stand-up show, a big-hearted hour of wellbeing, strength and Pizza Express. It’s ambiguous just how much of her manic, clingy persona is a character, but you’re never not on Petersen’s side, and when the earnest climax arrives you‘re happy to go with it. (Kirstyn Smith) Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 29 Aug, 3.30pm, £7.50–£9.50 (£6.50–£8.50). Nath Valvo ●●●●● Basing a show on nothing other than the hilarities of his own life, Australian comedian Valvo takes to the stage with bags of confidence. Having hit his 30s with the realisation that he is turning into his parents, Valvo reflects on watching gay porn whilst in the closet, his mum’s persistence on buying a school blazer he will grow into and accidental orgies. His reliance on cheap laughs about his naivety of what it’s like to be straight can get a tad repetitive, yet he manages to bounce back with hilarious content that continues to please. (Louise Stoddart) Gilded Balloon Teviot, 622 6552, until 28 Aug, 6.45pm, £10.50–£12 (£9.50–£11). Nick Cody ●●●●● One of the most affable comedians on the Fringe, Cody celebrates the simple joys of beer, sport and Subway sandwiches in a show that’s cleverly structured to build to an emotional crescendo before the ultimate gag descends into applause. It’s the type of show where you leave with a positive outlook, a thirst for a beer and the intention of seeing Cody again. (Rowena McIntosh) Assembly George Square Studios, 623 3030, until 28 Aug, 9.20pm, £10–£12.50 (£9–£11.50) Njambi McGrath ●●●●● Wondering whether ‘honesty might not be the best policy’, this comic discusses a brutal Kenyan upbringing at the hands of her father (who believed himself to have a touch of the Idi Amins about him) with a fearless jollity. Her family tale is mixed with withering discussion on Oxfam, Trump and, more surprisingly, Malala: ‘that bitch is fair game’. (Brian Donaldson) Laughing Horse at Espionage, 477 7007, until 27 Aug, 2.30pm, free. Orlando Baxter ●●●●● Sometimes a theme can get in the way of a corking show. US comic Baxter clearly has talent to burn as he displays in his opening and closing observational banter but the real meat of his debut revolves around his time as a high school teacher. It’s potentially fertile ground, but despite the crazy things that happened to him, there’s a flatness here in comparison to the edge he brings to more topical material. (Brian Donaldson) Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 29 Aug, 7pm, £8–£10.50 (£7–£9.50). Patrick Melton ●●●●● Melton gets off to a flying start but falters with a gag about a ‘midget’, a crude joke about Hillary Clinton and other borderline remarks. Quickly, his series of simplistic statements change the tone of the show altogether. If things weren’t tense enough, he tells the audience to ‘lighten up’, which, unsurprisingly, doesn’t sit well with an already agitated group. (Louise Stoddart) Underbelly Med Quad, 0844 545 8252, until 29 Aug, 10.50pm, £8.50–£9.50 (£7.50–£8.50). Paul McMullan ●●●●● Over the years, many stand-ups have done shows about their alcoholism and while some of his material was very familiar. What’s unusual here is that rather than focus on his drinking antics, McMullan spends a good half of his hour talking about how good sobriety can be without being preachy or self-pitying. (Craig Naples) Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 28 Aug, 9.15pm, £10–£12 (£8–£10). Pernilla Holland ●●●●● For infectious energy alone, Norway’s Holland tips the balance in her favour with a series of mainly wild characters who wear her crowd down. The biscuit-

offering church worker and manic Eurovision failure are the cream of her crop. With the aid of sharper writing, Holland could have some good places to take her madcap creations. (Brian Donaldson) Just the Tonic at the Mash House, 226 0000, until 28 Aug, 1.20pm, £8–£9 (£6–£6.50; £20 family ticket). Phil Dunning ●●●●● A collection of wigs sit poised on mannequin heads at the back of the room, ready for Dunning to work his way through his complex characters. There are some genuinely hilarious laughs to be had, including a Les Miserables striptease and some bizarre slapstick material that nobody’s quite sure what to make of. Dunning’s unique delivery and eccentric manner hasn’t yet found comfort in an entire room full of people, but his ability to switch between acts is undeniably flawless. (Louise Stoddart) Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 28 Aug, 11pm, £7–£9 (£6.50–£8.50). A Plague of Idiots ●●●●● Clowning, physical theatre and really awkward silences make up A Plague of Idiots’ show. The group pile a lot into their hour: drama, music, acrobatics and general oddballery. At times the show seems to be frantically searching for its place, but the Idiots’ ability to run with ideas that almost don’t land is a testament to their skill. (Kirstyn Smith) Gilded Balloon Teviot, 622 6552, until 29 Aug, 5pm, £10–£11 (£8–£9). Robert Newman ●●●●● Admirably full of respect for his audience’s intelligence, and refreshingly free of navel-gazer stand-up narcissism, Newman’s show is still slightly too dense, crushing in academic observations, a romantic subplot and ukulele numbers with a pair of cuddly, flashing squids. Dotted with interesting trivia, those seeking laughs may find his overambitious show doesn’t always stimulate.

Sarah Callaghan

(Claire Sawers) Summerhall, 560 1581, until 28 Aug, 7.15pm, £12.50 (£10). Rowena Hutson ●●●●● This is a show about what action heroes like Harrison Ford and Bruce Willis mean to us and how, with a massive dollop of irony, they taught Hutson both to be a man and to be a woman. Threaded through cheery placard-waving dances is the story of her life and if you don’t want to be best mates with ‘Ro’ by the end, you’re either dead inside or have passed out from the heat. (Craig Naples) Gilded Balloon at the Counting House, 622 6552, until 28 Aug, 6pm, £5 or Pay What You Want. Russ Peers ●●●●● Here is the classic example of a comic who is no doubt perfectly comfortable doing 20 minutes in a club having to double that for a Fringe show. Eminently likeable, Peers wonders whether he’s a Bad Gay? but ultimately drowns in a desire to chat with a crowd who give him very little to work with. (Brian Donaldson) Gilded Balloon at the Counting House, 622 6552, until 29 Aug, 10.30pm, £5 or Pay What You Want. Sam Campbell ●●●●● Rumour has it that James Acaster is a big fan of this shambolic young Aussie and there’s something in the delivery, manner and dress sense that hints of a mutual admiration. Tottering permanently on the verge of alienating his crowd, Campbell pulls it all back with a nervy approach and genuinely intriguing stage persona. (Brian Donaldson) Assembly Roxy, 623 30300, until 28 Aug, 8.15pm, £9–£12. Sam Savage ●●●●● Perhaps it’s a testament to Sam Savage’s power as an actress, but around 15 minutes in, she transforms herself from the Essex housewife who greeted us all to the venue and into an American motivational speaker. Sadly, that moment of intrigue buckles under the realisation that there’s barely a joke to be had in a flat show

of confusing character comedy. (Brian Donaldson) Cowgatehead, 226 0000, until 27 Aug, 5.30pm, free. Sarah Callaghan ●●●●● It’s not a show about Adele, Callaghan promises, but about the passing of time and what can be achieved in 24 hours. She zeroes in on one specific day where her boyfriend planned a surprise trip for her. As a premise, this is all fine, but Callaghan’s talents lie more in asides and one-liners than intricate storytelling. (Kirstyn Smith) Pleasance Dome, 556 6550, until 28 Aug, 8.20pm, £10–£12 (£9–£11). Scott Agnew ●●●●● Gambling, booze, sex and drugs: Agnew’s been addicted to them all. A classic case of addictive personality, every time he kicks one habit he gets sucked into another, and over the course of an hour, he goes into gloriously sordid detail to describe his extraordinary escapades. This is an unpredictable, extremely personal and passionate show, its impact heightened by the intimacy of the venue, and it leaves everyone with much to think about. (Murray Robertson) Gilded Balloon at the Counting House, 622 6552, until 29 Aug, 10pm, £5 or Pay What You Want. Susie Youssef ●●●●● A perfectly likeable act, Youssef is warmed up by her lookalike support Anya, an eastern European who can’t stop flirting with her front row. Naturally this leads to a stream of subtle insults before the main turn takes to the stage and gives us a series of rather lame sketches: she acts against the lyrics of popular songs (‘Luka’?!) while her version of a car ad has us limping from the scene. (Brian Donaldson) Assembly George Square Studios, 623 30300, until 28 Aug, 5.15pm, £10.50–£12 (£9.50–£11). Suzi Ruffell ●●●●● Rather than disingenuously ingratiating herself with a show titled Common, and occupying a niche space in an overwhelmingly middle class scene, it really feels like Ruffell is just telling her story so far, and doing it very well too. Warm, honest and plenty funny, her chatty tales of being a ‘massive gay’, getting her head round NHS cuts, and an impending wedding make her delivery anything but run of the mill. (Claire Sawers) Just the Tonic at the Mash House, 226 0000, until 28 Aug, 8.20pm, £6 (£5) or Pay What You Want. Tom Walker ●●●●● It’s a surefire sign that a Fringe performer is onto a good thing when he splits a crowd in the way Walker does. Prancing along a narrow tightrope between genius and inexcusable stupidity, he manages to persuade most of this evening’s audience to believe in his clowning, leaving just a few naysayers to mutter ‘a tenner for this?’ under their breath. (Jonny Ensall) Underbelly George Square, 0844 545 8252, until 29 Aug, 8.10pm, £9.50– £10.50 (£8.50–£9.50). The Travelling Sisters ●●●●●

Maybe it’s something they put in the water in Brisbane as this Aussie trio seem to take the notion of surrealist comedy and push it one step beyond. Surprisingly, in the main, it works creating a distinctly otherworldly vibe. We’re almost half way through before the three finally unleash their full crazy with paintings that come to life, potatoes and a giant lady. (Marissa Burgess) Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 28 Aug, 10.45pm, £7.50–£9.50 (£7–£8.50). Viv Groskop ●●●●● Groskop has set out to try and understand what it is to be middle class, a label she self-identifies with, and wants to encourage people to be the ‘good’ type of middle class, not the ‘bad’ kind who voted Leave. A difficult relationship with her Tory councillor mother is referenced but not examined on a personal level. An hour that starts well ends up feeling like we’ve essentially been read an unremarkable version of the ‘Overheard in Waitrose’ Facebook account. (Rowena McIntosh) The Stand 4, 558 9005, until 28 Aug, 5.55pm, £8 (£7). 18–29 Aug 2016 THE LIST FESTIVAL 53

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Festival

DANCE

& PHYSICAL THEATRE

For m info gootroe

LIST.CO.UK /FESTIVAL

SCOTTISH BALLET

PHOTO: ANGELA STIRLING

Diverse double-bill from acclaimed Canadian and French choreographers Although Scottish Ballet’s International Festival show will be performed by 36 very real bodies, both works were inspired by something far less human. Crystal Pite’s Emergence started life as a fascination with swarms and flocks of animals and insects in the natural world; while French choreographer Angelin Preljocaj’s MC 14 / 22 (Ceci est mon corps) is a response to his curiosity about where we’re all headed. ‘When I first created the piece in 2001, there were games on the internet, parallel lives,

people were getting alternative identities and having other lives in a virtual world,’ says Preljocaj. ‘And all that brought me to the question: how will the real body resist all this virtuality?’ Danced by twelve male performers, replicating the Last Supper, MC 14 / 22 captures some of the religious rituals that people endure, and is in stark contrast to Pite’s large-scale work. The Canadian dance maker observed the way

groups of insects and birds move as one entity, using their individual presence to create a bigger whole – and saw a parallel in ballet. ‘A dancer also contributes to the larger structure of the piece,’ says Pite, ‘and responds to local stimuli, like aligning their body to other dancers. So there are also these beautiful emergent structures that occur within ballet choreography.’ (Kelly Apter) ■ Festival Theatre, 473 2000, 18–20 Aug, 7.30pm, £12–£32 (£6–£16).

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FESTIVAL DANCE | Hitlist

Kelly Apter highlights some of the Fringe’s most unmissable dance, physical theatre and circus shows SCOTTISH BALLET Scottish Ballet is back at the Edinburgh International Festival with two very different works from two equally fine choreographers, Angelin Preljocaj and Crystal Pite. See preview, page 55. Festival Theatre, 473 2000, 18–20 Aug, 7.30pm, £12–£32 (£6–£16). OCKHAM’S RAZOR: TIPPING POINT Specially constructed posts are turned into Chinese poles, tightropes and see-saws in this new show about balance from Ockham’s Razor. See review at list.co.uk C scala, 0845 260 1234, until 25 Aug (not 23), 3pm, £14.50–£16.50 (£12.50–£14.50). ÉOWYN EMERALD & DANCERS Making a welcome return to the Fringe, this American company delivers four strong works of modern ballet. Lots of sold out shows, so get your tickets quick. See review, page 58. Greenside at

Royal Terrace, 557 2124, until 27 Aug (not 21), 1.50pm, £10 (£8).

PHOTO: KURT VAN DER ELST

DANCE HITLIST

Raw

RAW Belgian dance company Kabinet K take an unusual look at childhood resilience in this energetic Edinburgh International Festival show, populated largely by children aged 9–11. See feature at list.co.uk EICC, 473 2000, 27 Aug, 4pm & 7pm; 28 Aug, 2pm & 7pm, £20 (£10). POP-UP DUETS Popping up in among the static objects in the National Museum of Scotland, this lovely series of nine duets from Janis Claxton Dance hits you in all the right places. See review, page 58. National Museum of Scotland, 0300 123 6789, until 28 Aug (not 22 & 23), 3.30pm, free. CLOSER BY CIRCA One of Australia’s finest circus companies (and that’s a pretty crowded market) prove they can keep on delivering the goods, in this breathtaking new show. See review, page 58. Underbelly George Square, 0844 545 8252, until 29 Aug (not 23), 6.55pm, £17.50– £18.50 (£16.50–£17.50).

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Reviews | FESTIVAL DANCE

list.co.uk/festival PHOTO: JAMES TAYLOR WILSON

PHOTO: AURELIA TASSAFI

ONLY BONES

BIRD

THE TAP PACK

Acutely inventive physical tomfoolery ●●●●●

Survival tale boosted by sensory storytelling ●●●●●

Putting a tap spin on Rat Pack-style showbiz ●●●●●

Thomas Monckton demonstrated what an outstanding physical clown he is via his previous solo show, The Pianist (which is back at Assembly Roxy, until 29 Aug). This, his newest work, is more distilled and maybe even funnier. The ginger-haired, rubber-faced Monckton makes full use of his muscular, wiry, frame to induce laughs. The opening visual gag – which we won’t spoil – sets a tone that he pretty much sustains with no trouble at all. Spatially, his trajectory could hardly be simpler: he starts out sitting and ends up standing. His hands take on lives of their own, sharing a co-dependant relationship of dominance and submission. But this man can get comic mileage out of his eyelid or pinkie or, because he’s so alive to the moment, a spectator’s unexpected sneeze or an insect whizzing around in the bright light of the overhead lamp beneath which the performance occurs. There’s also an aquatic ballet, barnyard sound mash-ups, head juggling, tongue-swallowing, much gargoyle facial play and more. Monckton leaves us wanting more but in the best sense. (Donald Hutera) ■ Summerhall, 560 1581, until 28 Aug (not 22), 8.30pm, £11 (£10).

This petite, innovative piece from Sita Pieraccini might look from where you’re sitting like a solo but it is most definitely a duet. We first encounter Pieraccini marooned on a sandy island in the middle of the stage. Gradually she wakes up and begins to explore her surroundings – the soil, the quick mud, the tiny spring of water, the rubbish heap; finally, the bird that becomes her friend (of sorts). All of these physical features are brought to life in the most magnificently vivid way by David Pollock’s fantastic live sound design – the aural equivalent of master-puppetry, turning each texture, friction, breeze into sensations we can feel, smell and see. In this sense, Bird is a masterclass in sensory storytelling. Pieraccini is a beautiful movement practitioner, at times curious and cartoonish, hobbling on her tiptoes, poking things about with her stick, and at others vulnerable, such as when she is barricaded in her tent-coat against the winds. But despite the innovations, the piece is slight on narrative and progression, the tale so subtle that even though we are watching one woman pit her wits against the elements, it sometimes doesn’t feel like much is at stake. (Lucy Ribchester) ■ Dance Base, 225 5525, until 28 Aug (not 22), 6.30pm, £12 (£10).

This Australian song and (especially) dance show loosely models itself after the legendary Rat Pack. The premise is not without its cheesy side. We’re introduced to five guys whose worst character traits range from smarmy to stupid. They’re not impersonating any of the Rat Packers, but instead playing sketched-in showbiz buddies in under-shaped scenes meant to set up their wisecracking camaraderie and mildly conflicted relationships. Little of this amounts to much as theatre. Several exchanges of dialogue feel forced while supposed attempts at humour fall flat. There are also some unnecessary and frankly pretty pathetic attempts at magic and juggling. What saves the performance, and helps turn it into semi-engaging entertainment, is sheer talent. Two of the five sing, one better than passably once he drops the Sinatra-style crooning. And all of them are good – and at least two very good – at hoofing. After a blistering solo or two, and a few firecracker group unison routines, the gentlemen relax, wax spontaneously and hit a collective stride that would’ve more usefully been present at the start if artifice hadn’t gotten in the way. (Donald Hutera) ■ Assembly George Square Theatre, 623 3030, until 29 Aug, 7pm, £15 (£12).

PSS PSS Heart-stealing classic clowning from Swiss company Baccalà ●●●●●

If you’re a proficient acrobat and aerialist – as Camilla Pessi and Simone Fassari who make up Swiss company Baccalà so clearly are – surely one of the most humbling, selfless things you can do is use your skills to make yourself look incompetent, in the hope of revealing some truth about human nature, and along the way making people laugh. Such is the beauty of the clown, and here are two clowns at the very top of their game. Pessi and Fassari seem like the innocent love children of Fellini and Mr Bean, their woeful, simple, timeless vagabondry a canvas on which they paint marvellous details. That they can draw so many facial expressions and laughs out of the act of sharing an apple – or not, as is the case in the mean world of clowns – is a mark of the clown’s power to both charm and humble an audience into being able to see our own foibles. Emotions are distilled down to their basest levels – covetousness, gluttony, the need for attention – and problems are solved in the most irrational way; look out for the ladder if you’re in the bottom half of the theatre. Fassari’s posturing as he tries to sex up a diablo act reveals the gulf between fantasy and reality – what we think we look like when we’re trying to be cool, and the cruel reality. Pessi meanwhile can tease out a string of laughs just by pompously hogging the limelight with an accordion. But it’s the pair’s aerial skills – or apparent lack thereof – that are the grubby cherries on this glorious cake. Clambering, slipping, stomping, they demonstrate the sort of strength most acrobats would expect a round of applause for rather than a laugh – happily they receive both. (Lucy Ribchester) ■ Assembly Roxy, 623 3030, until 29 Aug, 4pm, £12–£14 (£11–£13). 18–29 Aug 2016 THE LIST FESTIVAL 57

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FESTIVAL DANCE | Reviews

ÉOWYN EMERALD & DANCERS Choreographer presents emotionally charged dance gems ●●●●●

PHOTO: DAVID KREBS

Trinary, the first segment in Éowyn Emerald’s seven-piece dance programme, is full of tiny revelations. Three dancers start out in boiler suits, wiggling to techno pulses then sprawling into hip hop formations and sharp angles. But before long, one of the trio is kidnapped, decked in a red hat, and stripped of her boiler suit. What emerges is an elfin ice-skater, slowly curling in graceful turns. More of these smurf-like creatures join her, but keep your eye on their costumes as – through magic lighting – their colours change. Other metamorphoses take place before the piece is out, from a glowing ball appearing to the dynamic subtly shifting as partners swap. There are greater transformations at play too, developing as the show progresses. Duets make up the middle section, and see a pattern of relationship shifts. Emerald is bewitching as she struggles to connect with Josh Murry in blurred. In spite of his tender support, her pain is palpable through long craving arcs, whiplash arms, and her reluctance to look at him. This is counterpointed by Balloon, a harmonious follow-up of playful mirroring games between Holly Shaw and Joel Walker, before the true couples of our quartet emerge: two same-sex pairings, the women simmering in muscular, electric duet Mine/ Ours, the men weightless and graceful to elegiac string music in aka: how many more. By the time the whole ensemble reconnects, it’s as if a layer of skin has been stripped from them. The quirky, inquisitive motion of the opening is replaced by open-souled expression, rich in stretching, yearning curves. Emerald has become a buzz name on the Fringe dance scene since her last visit, and from this it’s clear why. (Lucy Ribchester) ■ Greenside at Royal Terrace, 557 2124, until 27 Aug (not 21), 1.50pm, £10 (£8).

PHOTO: LUKE MACGREGOR

PHOTO: ROY CAMPBELL-MOORE

CLOSER BY CIRCA

POP-UP DUETS

SCARY SHIT

An infectiously fun, and funny, show ●●●●●

High quality dance brings museum to life ●●●●●

Bizarre exploration of the fears women face ●●●●●

Circa consistently shine bright as one of the best circus acts around. They’ve had three consecutive years of great shows at the Fringe – Wunderkammer, Beyond and 2015’s Close Up – and Closer is, yet again, wonderful stuff from the remarkable Aussie company. The five performers here are all dressed in black, with a chair each for props on an otherwise bare stage. It seems like a sober start, but the grins on their faces already tell us this is going to be an infectiously fun hour. It begins with a spellbinding rope routine that instantly has the audience in awe, and that rapture builds with every sequence. When a hula hoop comes out you fear Closer has strayed into the staid, but the segment builds up gloriously until the performer’s wearing a stack of them like jingling bangles across her body. Yes, it’s packed with astounding feats and breathtaking acrobatics. But what makes Closer truly special is its sense of camaraderie. That these wonderful performers can move with such fluid precision is one thing. But to laugh while doing it? That’s magic. (Yasmin Sulaiman) ■ Underbelly George Square, 0844 545 8252, until 29 Aug (not 23), 6.55pm, £17.50–£18.50 (£16.50–£17.50).

Edinburgh-based choreographer Janis Claxton wanted to ‘bring high-quality dance to public places for unsuspecting audiences’. So POP-UP Duets is a free performance, staged in the grand surrounds of the National Museum of Scotland, adapted to gel with the hard marble and sandstone of the walls and floor, and work around the busy crowds moving through its Grand Gallery. Nine duets take place, beginning in the Hawthornden Gallery and moving, with their mobile crowd in tow, next door into the main building. Four dancers do a beautiful job of shifting gender roles, moving between driver, passenger and co-pilot in a series of tender, combative, flirtatious and energetic vignettes. Dressed in plain clothes, intertwining limbs with athletic grace, they blend in with the audience, who behave differently from the usual seated crowd, angling smartphones at the dancers, shifting around to get different views from staircases and letting babies wander towards the dancers. The non-heteronormative role play is especially good, with the girls lifting and dipping the boys, supporting and twisting around each other in an unmacho blur. (Claire Sawers) ■ National Museum of Scotland, until 28 Aug (not 22 & 23), 3.30pm, free.

There are some who will feel on entering the theatre that this show has already lived up to its title. A huge pink fluffy heart is pinned to the back wall of the stage, hairy toys and lurid polythene abound, and on a plastic-covered couch Rhiannon Faith sits breathing through a pink and silver oxygen mask pumped by Maddy Morgan, like some daytime disco version of Dennis Hopper in Blue Velvet. The reason for the fluffery – both comforting and menacing – soon becomes clear as Faith and Morgan begin by detailing their motivation for creating the show: a therapeutic experiment in facing their fears. Some of these anxieties will be toothless, and responded to with appropriate silliness, like the imaginary lion attacking Faith’s right breast (the larger one), or the telephone that once signalled her being dumped. But there is a bomb dropped about three quarters of the way in, which makes clear the difference between neurotic phobia and real fear. This show won’t be for everyone, and the wackiness feels a little forced at times, but for all its buffoonery, brash provocative feminism and fey surrealism, there is an honest heart to this scary shit. (Lucy Ribchester) ■ Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 29 Aug (not 22), 1.45pm, £7.50–£10 (£6.50–£9).

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VENUE 26

FESTIVAL PROGRAMME 2016

" Summerhall has bagged half the Fringe First awards given out by the Scotsman newspaper in the first week of the Edinburgh Fringe." The Stage August 2016

SEE THE BEST OF THE

FRINGE AT SUMMERHALL 3 FRINGE FIRSTS Heads Up + Counting Sheep + World Without Us Plus latest reviews

FASLANE, Jenna Watt The Telegraph THE LOUNGE, Inspector Sands The Stage BEYOND PRICE, Jack Klaff The Times DENTON & ME, Sam Rowe Theatre The Times CAMILLE, Kamila Klamut The Stage DON'T PANIC! IT'S CHALLENGE ANNEKA, on the button The Scotsman ...and many more to come...

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Festival

MUSIC KIDS

For m info gootroe

LIST.CO.UK /FESTIVAL For m info gootroe

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THE MANY DOORS OF FRANK FEELBAD ABOREHENAT DOLUM

A beautiful, fun play about bereavement for children and parents The doors to the foyer crash open and two men in

PHOTO:: ALEX BRENNER AND BOOTWORKS THEATRE

stockroom coats stand before us. These are Id qui berum fugita sa nonseriam fugiature vereritisi dolum ius molobrown the ‘Locators’, Barry and Garry, and they task us (or all Toriame que volo magnate molorum quoditatis moluptas et aut expeliquisit aut ex es ipicabo reictatur, tenis eturio dit escitae pel maximusant fuga. Tioreriatur si occus sendae. Oditatem quoditat fuga. Os aut ex elesequid ut delici aciassincit ea si aces etur, quod maximet aut erita cus.Rem faccum ex ea que plandem ex evendigendel eiur?Ommoloratia acesendis ipidellendi quo mo occupta tincto is molora nimagniet is elignam, oditistor ab illecto essintenis apelest arion essiti quoditi ossitati ut latqui corem non por anihil ilibeate nus. Busdande que voluptu reperis inihit aborporrum ium quis es aut pra net, sam restia volore, sum, que etur sitio molores nis untio con est omnissi modita veliquis aut officiur ad

endae. Ut quia parchit, venis quae maion estthe children in the group, now made official Locators aperit acesto excesciatque voluptatet, iusci themselves) with finding the puzzle pieces around the con porectem ex et que volesse quiamus, room. sunt fuga. Im imil mod que pore, tet debis Then they guide us into Lucy Lose-a-Lot’s Lose-oaudis velecat dolescipiet fugit, simusandi Porium, where lost things are found. Yet Frank, a little doloratur, seque dende inum quamus exerum, puppet boy, is hard to help; he’s lost his mum and he velesequas voloreperum qui si archil mo te doesn’t know where to find her. His dad is too sad and doluptatur?Evenda inum sitis mil eic tem. no use at all, so it’s up to us. Pudignis dolo consed et autas seque estissi From Bootworks Theatre, the same company that ommolor ectio. Orest earuptasita voles brought Oliver Jeffers’ The Incredible Book-Eating Boy necerum fugit offictem et, omnim dia doluptat to the stage, this is a beautiful part-promenade, part-site faccum eat. specific piece which speaks to small children about Temos ex et harum quid et re, sequo et, bereavement, and it’s a stunning piece of work. sequae peliqua eriamusapedi ate volumquis It’s funny – characters like Sir Dancalot, the raving eosRorrorent ut que esequos quassitate knight, and the feathery chicken and his independent parumquam illiciant acesequam rem reperume butcher raise a lot of laughs – while the versatile set and the interactivity is pitch perfect. Adults beware, though; when the emotional sucker punch comes at the end, the happy tears will be all yours. (David Pollock) ■ Pleasance Kids at EICC, 556 6550, until 28 Aug (not 22), noon, £8.50 (£6). ●●●●●

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FESTIVAL KIDS | Hitlist

KIDS HITLIST Kelly Apter picks out some of the best shows for young ones in the last two weeks of the Fringe THE STORY OF MR B Shake Shake Theatre use engaging puppetry to tell this tale of love and forgiveness featuring Mr Bumblegrum, who lives alone in the forest. See our five star review, page 63. Institut français d’Écosse, 225 5366, until 28 Aug (not 22), 11.15am and 2.30pm, £8 (£6). THE MANY DOORS OF FRANK FEELBAD This clever, funny and touching five star show by the acclaimed Bootworks Theatre will have everyone laughing and parents moist in the eyes. See review, page 61. Pleasance Kids @ EICC, 556 6550, until 28 Aug (not 22), noon, £8.50 (£6). HEAD IN THE CLOUDS A sheepdog is distracted by the clouds in Ipdip Theatre’s clever and accomplished show for very young audiences. See review, page 63. Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, John Hope Gateway, 226 0000, until 27 Aug (not 24), 11am,

The Story of Mr B

1.30pm and 3pm, £5. MOLLY WHUPPIE Licketyspit re-work an old Scottish folk tale in this energetic and interactive show about a brave girl who meets a gentle giant and greedy king, featuring live music. See review, page 64. Assembly Roxy, 623 3030, until 28 Aug (not 24), 10.30am, £12 (£9). THE SNOW QUEEN The versatile cast from Shanghaibased theatre company Theatre Anon turn Hans Christian Andersen’s tale into a high quality stage musical. See review, page 63. Gilded Balloon at the Museum, until 29 Aug, 1pm, £9–£10 (£7–£8). CAPTAIN FLINN AND THE PIRATE DINOSAURS 2 Theatre company Les Petits adapt Giles Andreae and Russell Ayto’s popular children’s book and fill it with lively song, dance and fighting. See review at list.co.uk Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 29 Aug, 10.30am, £9–£12 (£7.50–£10.50). CHILDREN ARE STINKY Hosts Jason and Kylie start this

fun show stating children are unimaginative, lazy and stinky – but soon have to re-asses in the face of audience interaction. See

review, page 63. Assembly George Square Gardens, 623 3030, until 29 Aug (not 24), 11am and 12.35pm, £6–£8.

“She wants to know k why!”

A PLAY FOR ALL AGES The Pleasance Courtyard Box Office: 0131 556 6550 www.mermalade.org

Anatomy of the Piano Will Pickvance’s

(for begginnners)

Scottish Storytelling Centre £9/£7 (£28 family of 4) 13:00 (55 mins) 4th – 28th August For ages 6+

- EdFringe Review 2015

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Reviews | FESTIVAL KIDS

list.co.uk/festival PHOTO: NICK RUTTER

THE SNOW QUEEN

HEAD IN THE CLOUDS

CHILDREN ARE STINKY

Hans Christian Andersen tale brought to life ●●●●●

A hands-on early-years tale ●●●●●

Acrobatics and banter as Jason and Kylie ponder whether kids really are stinky ●●●●●

Hans Christian Andersen’s tale gets a musical, child-friendly adaptation from Shanghai-based theatre company, Theatre Anon. Like the original fairytale, where a boy gets a shard of glass from a magic mirror in his heart, and becomes cold and nasty overnight, the story revolves around that very old chestnut: the battle between good and evil. But as well known as the fairytale and that age-old struggle is, the skilled company (directed by Arran R Hawkins who brought the Nina Simone-inspired Black is the Color of My Voice to the Fringe last year) create something fresh and entertaining. When Kay disappears with the Snow Queen, his friend Gerda becomes obsessed with finding him, and thawing out his frozen heart again. On her journey she bumps into squawking foreign language ravens, an enchanted bunch of flowers, a princess who rings loud bells of Miranda Richardson’s Queen in Blackadder, and a streetwise robber girl, who loans Gerda her pet reindeer to travel to Lapland. Watching the versatile cast morph from grumpy Americans to cosseting old Scandinavian women is good fun, and the live music makes for a nicely rounded, high quality show. (Claire Sawers) ■ Gilded Balloon at the Museum, 622 6552, until 29 Aug, 1pm, £9–£10 (£7–£8).

Cirrus the dog has a serious job to do in Ipdip’s clever early-years show, minding the sheep of his flock. An easy job, given that there are only three of them. Easy, that is, until Yan, Tan and Tethera decide to float away to play among the clouds. Euan Cuthbertson and Sophie Rose McCabe tell Cirrus’ story with a lilting poetic script. Their audience of babies – and parents – sit right up to the edge of the grass mat of the performance space so they can come round, introducing the four inchhigh Cirrus to his newly adoring public and giving him the most natural of mannerisms as he sniffs and lopes among them. It is a touch which is only surpassed by the way the escaped sheep magically float – tethered like a baby’s take on a Pink Floyd album cover. All the while, Cuthbertson and McCabe hand round toys that illustrate the sheep’s day – the wind, sounds and smells which regale them. And afterwards, everyone can crawl onto the mat to play with the props – and learn how to carry on telling the story long after the play is finished. Clever, accomplished and engaging. (Thom Dibdin) ■ Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, John Hope Gateway, 226 0000, until 27 Aug (not 24), 11am, 1.30pm & 3pm, £5.

This is a show that has it all: acrobatics, humour, juggling, dance, word play and audience participation. Oh, and hula hoops too. Jason and Kylie start off the show claiming children are unimaginative, uncoordinated, lazy and, above all, ‘stinky’. A child’s voice from the audience disagrees with this assessment, shouting: ‘No we’re not!’. As the show progresses, kids are brought forward to participate in some of the acrobatics and Jason and Kylie are forced to reconsider their list. Popular hits from the last two decades bring about spontaneous clapping in time from the crowd, to tracks such as Black Box’s ‘Ride on Time’ and Reel 2 Real’s ‘I Like to Move it’ from Madagascar. A section where Jason piles one chair on top of another, then climbs athletically on top of all five of them is nail-biting, but happily no children are involved in this particular stunt. Kylie and Jason are a likeable pair and it’s hard not to feel worried as they – quite literally – put their lives in each other’s hands. But if you want to find out whether kids really are stinky, you’ll need to go and see the show. (Helen Fowler) ■ Assembly George Square Gardens, 623 3030, until 29 Aug (not 24), 12.35pm, £6–£8.

THE STORY OF MR B A tiny tale, told with love in a giant pop-up book ●●●●● Brave, tragic, compassionate and hilarious by turns, Shake Shake Theatre’s The Story of Mr B lifts its audience into its heart and holds them there. With great humour and a real sense of how the minds of youngsters over about three years old work – while making sure any younger siblings won’t be bored – it tells of life, love, forgiveness and regret. Mr B is Mr Bumblegrum, a wonderfully dumpy puppet of an old man who lives alone, deep in the forest. Not even the mushrooms are his friends and he spurns the birds’ beauty. His job is to count the trees, and that is what he does. But where did he come from? And how did the once-friendly waiter in the restaurant car of a local train arrive in this lonely place? If grown-ups will admire the daring with which The Story of Mr B addresses the big issues in life – just as any great theatre show should, whatever age it is aimed at – everyone will be fascinated by the intricate, cleverly constructed book through which the story is told. Open it up and it becomes a forest where Bumblegrum’s house pops up. Turn a page and a tiny train puffs over distant mountains then out onto the stage, big enough for young Mr B to climb aboard. Windows open to reveal his adventures told in crisp, precisely illuminated shadow puppets. Above, a giant parasol sun twirls in anticipation, singing to Mr B in a vain attempt to cheer him up. It is the telling, though, which is so engaging. Puppeteers Jessica Nicholls and Pierre Filliez have a natural rapport which makes the theatre itself an easy place to be as their audience arrive – before they gently take them into their world and reveal the many splendid things which happen there. (Thom Dibdin) ■ Institute Français d’Écosse, 225 5366, until 28 Aug (not 22), 11.15am & 2.30pm, £8 (£6). 18–29 Aug 2016 THE LIST FESTIVAL 63

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FESTIVAL KIDS | Reviews

MOLLY WHUPPIE Scottish folk tale brought to glorious life ●●●●●

PHOTO: DUNCAN MCGLYNN

When the house lights go down at the start of any children’s show, a small voice can often be heard protesting the darkness – the theatre can feel like a strange, alien place to a child more used to the bright glare of a TV screen. Edinburgh-based theatre company Licketyspit head that feeling off at the pass, by setting the scene nice and early. Actors Amy McGregor and Virginia Radcliffe introduce themselves at the very beginning, explaining what theatre is and the parts they’ll play. It’s a gentle, reassuring approach that settles everyone down for the story about to unfold. Licketyspit first introduced the bold character of Molly Whuppie in 2001, long before Brave’s Merida came on the scene. Whuppie is the original strong Scottish heroine, who takes on a huge giant and mean-spirited king to ensure her family has food for the winter feast. Her tale is told with as much physicality and dynamism as McGregor and Radcliffe can muster – which is a lot. Swinging over two horizontal bars, they dart around the stage as Molly and her sister, balance precariously on the ‘bridge of one hair’, or lumber across the giant’s bounteous garden wearing enormous feet. Based on a Scottish folk tale, the narrative follows Molly on her quest to secure food and drink from the king, who languishes in his high castle with plenty of both to spare. Along the way she meets a giant who, unbeknownst to her, is as scared of Molly as she is of him. So many messages are gently shared here – about friendship, caring, doing the right thing – and throughout the show, the audience is encouraged, and heartily agrees, to join in with songs and noises, accompanied by the beautiful sound of live harp and fiddle. (Kelly Apter) ■ Assembly Roxy, 623 3030, until 28 Aug (not 24), 10.30am, £12 (£9).

PHOTO: JEREMY ABRAHAMS

PHOTO: MR SUAVE

THE MAN WHO KNOWS EVERYTHING

HOW TO BE A ROCK STAR

MIKEY AND ADDIE

High-energy dance workout with life lessons ●●●●●

Friendship forged through bittersweet tale ●●●●●

Australian comedian Tessa Waters has clearly been backstage snorting lines of sugar before her rock masterclass for children kicks off. She’s outside the tent giving high fives as the crowd files in, then kneeling to bond with two-year-olds as they complain about the traffic on the way here. Her interactive show is an opportunity for shy children to show off and hyper ones to burn off energy, as she dishes out instructions on how to do power poses or create a signature dance move. Parents and carers (or ‘security’ as she’s calling them) can get involved or gaze lovingly from their seats, depending on their energy levels, but the majority can’t resist the draw of Phil Collins, Queen and Corona, and fill the dancefloor. Her body positive message is subtle, fun and welcome, as is her advice for young fans on how to deal with embarrassing situations. She clicks fast with the children, dishing out encouragement to the aspiring rockers as they practice fierce faces: ‘a couple of teeth missing, I love it.’ Describing Coldplay and Radiohead as ‘rock’ is maybe open to debate, but that’s hair-splitting in an otherwise infectiously fun show. (Claire Sawers) ■ Assembly George Square Gardens, 623 3030, until 29 Aug, 3.15pm, £8–£6.

Mikey hasn’t seen his dad for years, Addie wants to be the best playground monitor ever. They’re two 10-year-olds who, at the start of this engaging solo show, have yet to interact. But as Mikey’s long-held belief that his father is in outer space working for NASA starts to crumble, and Addie realises she was the one who planted the seed of doubt, the two strike up an unlikely but heart-warming friendship. Actor Andy Manley walks and talks us through their story, stopping occasionally by one of the large, black plinths that surround him to swap the item on top as the story unfolds. Gradually, as Mikey learns the truth, the space paraphernalia is replaced by more everyday items. It’s a gentle, bittersweet coming of age tale about the lies grown-ups tell children in a well-meaning bid to protect them – and a child’s determination to see past it. Manley does a fine job of switching between the two protagonists, giving them clear voices and mannerisms so there’s no doubt who he’s being. There’s an awful lot of text to take in, however, and a little more physicality in the direction would help keep the target audience of 9 to 12-year-olds suitably stimulated. (Kelly Apter) ■ Summerhall, 560 1581, until 28 Aug (not 22), 11.25am, £9 (£7.50).

Comedy, clowning and real character ●●●●● It’s a shame to see this fun and beautifully well-executed comedy show crammed into a Grassmarket hotel’s meeting room which fits a couple of dozen at a very large push, because it’s most certainly worthy of a larger stage. A simple, silly two-hander, it features mime artist and clown Jack Stark as the title character, a man who tells us he knows everything – which is fine when he’s dashing off the number of months in a year, but not so much when an audience member asks how many trees there are in the world. Stark’s role is incredibly physical, playing alongside Anna Larkin in an equal – and equally demanding – part as his foil. The pair work well together, building a rapport with spark, very visual action and a bunch of fun props and audience interactions when The Man decides to tell us one of his many parable-like short stories. It’s unlikely you’ll feel particularly educated after being asked whether you’d rather know a fact about ‘insurance or bogies’, but amid all the excitement lies a nice message for young ones about what knowledge really is. (David Pollock) ■ Sweet Grassmarket, 243 3596, until 28 Aug, 11.30m, £7 (£5). 64 THE LIST FESTIVAL 18–29 Aug 2016

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STARMAN

PHOTO: HANNEKE WETZER

Sven Ratzke leads a ﬁtting tribute to Bowie Sven Ratzke stalks the stage, flirts shamelessly with the men in the audience and weaves the tale of a time traveller who is dropped from a white hole in space and tasked with finding his place in the world. The between-songs chat is kitschy and tongue-in-cheek: the protagonist (who may or may not be you or Ratzke or someone entirely different) wakes up naked in Central Park, flees to the Chelsea Hotel with Andy Warhol and lounges by the Hollywood Hills with Elizabeth Taylor. This fantastical story is buoyed up by the use of the correct David Bowie soundtrack to match each situation. Taking on the songs is where Ratzke shines.

His voice is amazing and in a certain light there’s almost a look of Bowie about him too. From an androgynous ‘Rebel Rebel’ to a raunched-up ‘Time’, he’s got the Bowie sound locked down and the audience in the palm of his hand. The in-between chatter could be sacrificed to allow more time to appreciate a really fabulous tribute. ‘Space Oddity’ and ‘Life on Mars?’ mark the show’s zenith and the audience is let go with a renewed reminder of the incredible legacy Bowie left behind. (Kirstyn Smith) ■ Assembly George Square Gardens, 623 3030, until 28 Aug (not 22), 8.45pm, £15–£16 (£13–£14). ●●●●●

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FESTIVAL MUSIC | Hitlist PHOTO: JANNICA HONEY

MUSIC HITLIST August’s most unmissable gigs and musical events, as chosen by Kirstyn Smith CAMILLE O’SULLIVAN: THE CARNY DREAM The ‘Queen of the Fringe’ is as enthralling as ever. See review, page 71. Underbelly’s Circus Hub, 0844 545 8252, until 22 Aug, 8.30pm, £18–£20 (£17–£19). SAGE FRANCIS AND B DOLAN The brothers in beards bring a taste of New York’s spoken word scene to St Andrew Square. See review at list. co.uk Stand in the Square, 558 9005, until 27 Aug (not 22), 1.40pm, £14. COSI FAN TUTTE Mozart’s opera of lust and fidelity is given an updated, seductive makeover by director Christophe Honoré. See preview, page 68. Festival Theatre, 473 2000, 25, 28 Aug, 7.15pm, 27 Aug, 5pm, £20–£95. EMMA POLLOCK The wonderful ex-Delgados singer is joined by music pals, including the Cairn String Quartet, Bdy_Prts and RM Hubbert. The Hub, 473 2000, 25 Aug, 7pm, £20–£25.

AWESOME TAPES FROM AFRICA Club night curated by Brian Shimkovitz featuring the best of music from across the continent. Think unexpected pop, hip hop gems and dancefloor bangers. Summerhall, 560 1581, 25 Aug, 11pm, £10. KING CREOSOTE KC, aka Kenny Anderson, brings an eight-piece band to the Fringe for one night only, playing songs from upcoming album Astronaut Meets Appleman. See preview, page 68. The Queen’s Hall, 668 2019, 25 Aug, 8pm, £20. ESKA Experimental jazz from the Zimbabwe-born and London-raised composer and singer, performing as part of Summerhall’s Nothing Ever Happens Here series. Summerhall, 560 1581, 26 Aug, 7pm, £14. MOGWAI & MARK COUSINS Mogwai provide a live soundtrack to Cousins’ documentary Atomic: Living in Dread and Promise, at the Edinburgh International Festival. See preview, page 71. Playhouse, 473 2000, 27 & 28 Aug, 9pm, £20–£30.

Emma Pollock

WITHERED HAND Witty, outsider folk from Withered Hand, playing as part of Summerhall’s Nothing Ever Happens Here strand. With support from Chris T-T. Summerhall, 560 1581, 27 Aug, 7pm, £14.

NITEWORKS Skye-bred techno / Celtic fusion of bagpipes, whistles, Gaelic vocals and live electronics. See feature, page 67. The Queen’s Hall, 668 2019, 28 Aug, 8pm, £15.

Art Late Enjoy our programme by night, featuring exclusive performances, artist talks, tours and live music in galleries across the city

SOLD OUT

18 August Starting at The Fruitmarket Gallery and including Jonnie Common at the Scottish National Portrait Gallery. 25 August Starting at the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, finishing with The Van T’s at Jupiter Artland.

Festival Endnote Lecture with Alfredo Jaar 26 August A highlight of the final weekend of the 2016 festival, the internationally renowned artist, architect and film maker will present a special lecture. BOOK NOW edinburghartfestival.com | @edartfest | #EdArtFest

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Niteworks | FESTIVAL MUSIC

list.co.uk/festival

PHOTO: CALLUM WOO DBRIDGE

NITE FEVER Blending electronic sounds and traditional folk, Niteworks are gearing up for one of their biggest shows to date. They tell Sam Bradley about the struggle to keep Gaelic culture alive

iteworks’ debut album NW, which came out late last year, featured danceable club tracks set against bagpipes and powerful Gaelic singing, a deft crossover of genres and musical traditions that produced fascinating results. When asked how they have managed to weld such disparate genres, band members Ruairidh Graham and Innes Strachan insist it was a natural outgrowth of their musical milieu. ‘We didn’t really set out to try and put those two things together, it just kind of happened,’ says Graham. ‘We’ve always just framed it as a natural output of growing up where we did, growing up playing traditional instruments, then discovering new forms of music as adults and bringing those seemingly opposite worlds together.’ The combination works remarkably well, with tracks like ‘Beul na h-Oidhche’ mixing club grooves with mesmerising pipe melodies. ‘We used to play traditional stuff growing up’ he says, ‘and we were involved in the fèis movement [summer schools specialising in Gaelic and music education]. So we have the traditional side of things from there, and after we went to school and uni I think we all discovered new forms of music through clubbing. And then we started producing music and experimenting with synths and stuff and it just started happening from there.’ Strachan suggests that traditional music has a lot more in common with electronic genres than many listeners realise. He says: ‘There’s a

lot of repetition in traditional music and Gaelic songs, so I could say there’s similarities there with electronic music. I think there’s similarities in the walking tunes – old songs that used to be sung when people were on the move – they have this really hypnotic feel. I think a lot of Gaelic melodies are quite hypnotic too. They’re often quite dark melodies as well – there are lots of songs written about death. I suppose some of the darker and techier numbers on the record take something from that.’ Using the Gaelic language on an electronic track has become something of a calling card for Niteworks, all Gaelic speakers themselves. ‘We grew up with it, both our mothers speak it and we use it all the time to speak to each other,’ says Graham. Their deference for Gaelic shows in their music, which uses the language as an instrument in its own right, fitting electronic instrumentation around the natural melodies of the songs, as on tracks like ‘Maraiche’, which features a gorgeous Gaelic hook, or sampling it for effect, as on ‘Obair Oidhche’. ‘We try not to take away from it as well, to try to give the songs the respect they deserve,’ says Strachan. Recalling the clubbier moments of Hot Chip or Delphic, NW sounds, on first hearing, like a pop record. Listen closer though, and there are some powerful messages lurking beneath. ‘Somhairle’, an ambient album highlight, samples the legendary Gaelic poet Sorley MacLean holding forth on the struggle to keep Gaelic culture alive in the face of language death, and the impact of historic depopulation on the Highlands and

Islands. Graham insists this political edge in their music would not be lost on non-Gaelic speakers: ‘What ‘Somhairle’ is saying, I think people from outside the Gaelic world can relate to. It talks broadly about historical injustices, the effects of colonialism. People can relate to that in all sorts of different ways . . . people who were effed over post-Thatcher in de-industrialised towns or forced by economics to migrate to somewhere else. It’s a pretty powerful piece.’ Speaking about their upcoming gig at the Queen’s Hall, both Graham and Strachan sound excited. ‘We’ve been playing a summer festival set throughout this season, but we’ll be bringing in a few special guests and extra musicians,’ says Strachan. ‘This is quite a big show for us, definitely the biggest show we’ve done to date in Edinburgh.’ Niteworks’ shows have gathered serious acclaim from gig-goers, and with a full complement of special guests and instrumentalists to join them on stage, their festival-closing show promises to be one to remember. ‘We’ve got a full lineup for the Queen’s Hall show. It’ll be a busy stage, but good fun. The songs you hear live will be different to how they sound on the album because of a different arrangement. ‘It can be quite a challenge sometimes working instruments into a set, using them to the best of their ability, but I think it works in our favour,’ says Strachan. The Queen’s Hall, 668 2019, 28 Aug, 8pm, £15. 18–29 Aug 2016THE LIST FESTIVAL 67

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FESTIVAL MUSIC | Previews

KING CREOSOTE Fringe regular brings his band to Edinburgh for one night ‘If it’s shunky at the Fringe, it’s cos it’s my fault.’ Kenny Anderson, aka indie folk heartbreaker King Creosote, has pulled together a bunch of pals for a show on 25 Aug. The eight-piece band, featuring the musicians he worked with on upcoming album Astronaut Meets Appleman, will take up residence in the Queen’s Hall – Anderson’s regular Fringe shack-up. ‘We never rehearse,’ he says. ‘We only play live shows. The songs I like with this band are the ones that don’t have fixed arrangements and they just go off in the distance and play.’ As such, even the songs from the new album have already wandered off in new directions. Anderson is open to improvisation, welcoming the band’s sonic experimentation. ‘I step out of it most of the time. I’m the worst musician in the band, so I tend to not ruin it for everybody.’ This self-deprecation is typical of Anderson, but undeserved. Last year’s From Scotland with Love soundtrack ticked all the critical boxes and Anderson himself is a gentle juggernaut, always moving forwards, always working on some wee adventure. His Fringe show, he thinks, is a by-product of the lack of label support afforded to bands, meaning touring has changed, for him at least. ‘People know they’re going to get a show that never travels to their town,’ he says, ‘I do tour, but it’s me on my own or me with one or two others. To see KC at the Fringe, I’m going to have my own band cos my band all live nearby. But to see KC in, say, Norwich, you’re not going to get that eight-piece band. ‘It’ll be a brand new set of songs from the new record and quite light on the From Scotland with Love front. Between that and this record. I’ve actually put out a couple of sneaky little things on Fence, so there’ll be songs from those too.’ (Kirstyn Smith) ■ The Queen's Hall, 668 2019, 25 Aug, 8pm, £20.

PHOTO: P.VICTORARTCOMART

PHOTO: YOURI LENQUETTE

EDINBURGH METAL PARTY 2016

YOUSSOU N’DOUR

COSI FAN TUTTE

Japanese metallers Crossfaith headline

Senegalese superstar makes his EIF debut

Updated version of Mozart's opera

Edinburgh in August is overflowing with music these days, but there’s one genre that's overlooked. Edinburgh Metal Party are back to stand up and represent the heaviest riffs on the Fringe. An 11hour celebration of hard rock, starting with a gig from 6–11pm, followed by comedy, DJs and music until 5am, this year's lineup features djent / metal / hip hop hybrid Hacktivist, thrashers Certain Death and melodic hardcore from Dead Lies. Taking the headline slot are ‘five ninjas mashing up metal and electronic sounds with high energy’: aka Crossfaith (pictured), a Japanese five-piece fusing metal and hardcore electronics. They started as a nu metal tribute act covering tracks by Limp Bizkit, Slipknot and Linkin Park before piling on the beats and developing their own distinct sound. ‘We always share music when we’re hanging out,’ explains bassist Hiroki Ikegawa, ‘so we listen to [everything from] jazz to psychedelic, rock to hip hop, and so many others.’ Crossfaith are connecting with the British metal scene with high profile slots at Reading and Leeds before they hit Edinburgh. ‘They just loved how we put the energy on the stage. It cross[ed] the border of language.’ (Henry Northmore) ■ Studio 24, 558 3758, 29 Aug, 6pm, £17.50.

To the vast majority of western audiences, Youssou N’Dour is recognised for one thing alone: his smooth, soulful duet with Neneh Cherry on the huge 1994 hit single ‘7 Seconds’. Yet to many more in his native Senegal and with a wider appreciation of world music, the towering influence of his wider life and career is more well known. Active since the late 1970s in his home city of Dakar with the afroLatin group Etoile de Dakar (now the Super Etoile), he first came to the attention of the west with an appearance on Peter Gabriel’s So album in 1986. Since then, both his rich and resonantly skilled tenor voice and his status as one of the African continent’s most recognisable singers has brought N’Dour wide attention. From an upbringing in Dakar’s tough Medina district, he has collaborated with Paul Simon, Bruce Springsteen, Lou Reed and Ryuichi Sakamoto; written Africa Opera for the Paris Opera in 1993; appeared in Michael Apted’s 2006 drama about slavery Amazing Grace; and won the Polar Music Prize in 2013. An active participant in Senegal’s political as well as cultural scene, he has also held posts as the country’s Minister of Culture and Tourism since 2012. (David Pollock) ■ Usher Hall, 473 2000, 24 Aug, 8pm, £15–£34 (£7.50–£17).

Hot from the Festival d’Aix-en-Provence in the south of France is this brand new production of Mozart’s greatly loved comic opera Cosi Fan Tutte at the EIF. With much of the usual operatic antics of disguise and deception, love and lovers, this Cosi is, however, not so usual in that the small print advises it contains ‘adult themes and nudity’. The director is the oft-controversial Christophe Honoré, who takes the opera and ‘unflinchingly examines the power relationships between the opera’s characters’. That’s one way of putting it. Often referred to in its rough translation of the title, ‘Women are like that’, about the supposed fickleness of women, this production is far removed from librettist Lorenzo da Ponte’s intended setting of 18th-century Naples. Instead, Honoré takes it to 1930s Eritrea, at that time an Italian colony, and the sexual tensions of the piece add a new layer of dark and violent racial tension. The two engaged couples at its centre, with each of the men trying to seduce the other’s partner, become so much more sinister as the two young army officers disguise themselves as African mercenaries and the two sisters enter the taboo world of inter-racial sex. (Carol Main) ■ Festival Theatre, 473 2000, 25 & 28 Aug, 7.15pm, 27 Aug, 5pm, £20–£95 (£10–£47.50).

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Will Pickvance’s

(for beginners)

- EdFringe Review 2015

Scottish Storytelling Centre £9/£7 (£28 family of 4) 13:00 (55 mins) 4th – 28th August For ages 6+

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ENJOY A COORS LIGHT During The Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2016

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Previews & Reviews | FESTIVAL MUSIC

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Five reasons to see

LIZA PULMAN: EVERYTHING’S COMING UP ROSES

CAMILLE O’SULLIVAN: THE CARNY DREAM Queen of the Fringe returns with a seductive new show ●●●●●

As part of comedy-cabaret trio Fascinating Aïda, Liza Pulman has been entertaining audiences for over a decade with her powerful soprano voice and outrageously witty banter. With three Olivier Award nominations, as well as countless others in the bag and a successful solo career presently in the works, Pulman has proven herself worthy as a seasoned performer.

Camille O’Sullivan is no stranger to Edinburgh, and there’s a reason why she’s often labelled ‘Queen of the Fringe’. In The Carny Dream, O’Sullivan’s performance and stage presence are as strong as ever. Her ability to command a crowd, with every bat of her eyelashes and flick of her wrist, remains unparalleled. In her gravelly voice, she delivers an eclectic mix of emotionally charged covers, from Radiohead to Peggy Lee, while wearing an array of sparkling costumes. As always, it’s never just about the music, but about creating a thick atmosphere of theatre and entertainment, of cabaret, and her unyielding sense of charisma is matched only by her adorably self-deprecating nature. Storytelling is also an integral aspect of her routine and her enchanting tales are delivered with such charm, gripping the crowd as every word is embellished with wonderfully whimsical sound effects. There’s no doubt O’Sullivan has a way with the audience. She gives the show a warmth and intimacy, as if she were playing in an old jazz bar to happy, drunken friends. But her commitment to remaining true to the art of performance is equally enthralling. She’s a woman of many hats (both literally and figuratively), transforming from vulnerable, weeping songstress, through theatrical mad woman, to full-on rock goddess, sometimes encompassing all three simultaneously. But no matter what she’s singing, O’Sullivan always pays her own special kind of tribute, taking the essence of a song and creating something truly original and giving it a whole new meaning: there are many tributes to Bowie and Prince this year, but none quite like hers. Because of this, the audience is left in anticipation of what’s to come and, whether rehearsed or not, the whole show comes off as effortlessly improvised. (Nina Glencross) ■ Underbelly's Circus Hub, 0844 545 8252, until 22 Aug, 8.30pm, £18–£20 (£17–£19).

Two of Scotland's biggest creative forces band together for live documentary performance For the premiere live performances of the new documentary film Atomic: Living in Dread and Promise, it’s fair to say that two of Scotland’s most significant creative forces have been brought together. The film was directed by the Edinburghbased critic, writer and filmmaker Mark Cousins, whose past credits include the epic, 15-hour The Story of Film: An Odyssey (2011) and his homage to his home city I Am Belfast (2015). More seasoned readers may also recall him as the host of BBC2’s cult film strand Moviedrome in the 1990s. The soundtrack to the film has been composed by Glasgow group Mogwai. After a two-decade career as composers of highly emotive guitar rock music with a recent bent towards the electronic, they were the perfect choice to score the film, and they will perform live here at the International Festival. These will be the first live score performances of Atomic in the UK and the only ones in Scotland this year, offering audiences the opportunity to experience

her chance to truly shine without the accompaniment of her Fascinating Aïda co-stars. It’s an hour-long foray into a range of classics, and a tribute to her music and comedy roots, traversing a diverse range of songs with laughter, emotion and endless charm.

3 The name of the game is all things

PHOTO: BRIAN SWEENEY

MOGWAI AND MARK COUSINS

2 Everything’s Coming up Roses is

Cousins’ well-researched piece about the filmed history of nuclear energy, for good and bad, as it’s meant to be seen and heard. (David Pollock) ■ Playhouse, 27 & 28 Aug, 9pm, £20–£30 (£10–£15).

green. Taking inspiration from the botanical world, each song in the show has a connection to greenery, including flowers, plants and gardens. Not a theme ripe for hilarity, but Pulman makes it work.

4 Accompanied by Joseph Atkins on the piano, Pulman takes on a number of songs, from ‘Tiptoe Through the Tulips’ to Neil Diamond’s ‘You Don’t Bring Me Flowers’, blending her quirky and satirical humour with her sharp musical talent as a soprano singer.

5 Also performing with Fascinating Aïda in a separate greatest hits-themed show, Pulman will be doing two performances a day for a week, something that takes a lot of energy and expertise to pull off without total chaos. But there’s no doubt that she’ll do just that, with huge amounts of sass along the way. (Arusa Qureshi) ■ Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, 22–29 Aug, 2.30pm, £10–£13 (£8.50–£11.50).

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List Co-Promotion

Russian Standard Vodka has torn up the rule book and taken Edinburgh Festival Fringe by storm, presenting two of the UK’s most loved experiences to The Fringe for the first time. Already establishing themselves as the not to be missed late night events on at Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Rebel Bingo and PingTron continue to bring their high octane shows to the Fringe audience for the last two weeks of the festival. Performed exclusively at Russian Standard Vodka’s House of DAVAI at Assembly George Square Gardens and Gilded Ballon Teviot until 28th August, these are shows not to be missed. The Russian Standard Vodka House of DAVAI, meaning “let’s go” has certainly cemented itself as the place to be at this year’s Edinburgh Festival Fringe, with plenty of Russian Mule cocktails on hand to enhance the fun.

MUNGO PARK

THEATRE

“Hilarious & radical” Politiken (Danish national newspaper)

”Accessible, political and unashamedly emotional” The Herald (on The Tailor of Inverness)

Russian Standard Vodka House Of DAVAI presents Rebel Bingo at Assembly George Square Gardens 4–28 Aug, Tickets from £8 rebelbingo.com

PREM IERE

T R AV E L S I N T H E I N T E R I O R O F A F R I C A CAST

MATTHEW Z AJAC, ANDERS BUDDE CHRISTENSEN & KINGSLEY AMADI MARTIN LYNGBO BY MARTIN LYNGBO & THOR BJORN KREBS PALLE STEEN CHRISTENSEN C O M P O SE R MARCUS AURELIUS HJELMBORG LI GH T I N G JACOB H. S. RASMUSSEN/ADALSTEINN STEFANSSON SO UN D R AS M U S OV E R GA A R D H A N S E N / M O G E N S L AU RS E N E N GLI SH V E RSI O N JONATHAN SYDENHAM

DI R ECTOR D ESI GN E R

SUITABLE FOR: 10+ (contains some strong language)

Russian Standard Vodka House Of DAVAI presents PingTron at Gilded Balloon Teviot 4–28 Aug, Tickets from £5 pingtron.com

WED 03 AUG - SUN 27 AUG

Box Office:

Venue 26 Summerhall, Edinburgh Festival Fringe 0131 560 1581 summerhall.co.uk / 0131 226 0000 edfringe.co.uk Signed performance 17 August at 8.45pm

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THE GLASS MENAGERIE

PHOTO: MICHAEL J LUTCH

John Tiffany’s slick and moving revival of the Tennessee Williams classic Often overshadowed by his more dramatic offerings A Streetcar Named Desire and Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, The Glass Menagerie is Tennessee Williams’ most autobiographical – and probably his most powerful – play. But thanks to John Tiffany’s celebrated Broadway revival in 2013, it’s had something of a reawakening. This revival of that revival brings back Cherry Jones as overbearing mother and faded Southern beauty Amanda Wingfield, who lives in St Louis with her dreamer son Tom (Michael

Esper) and delicate daughter Laura (Kate O’Flynn). She’s desperate for Laura to find a husband, and when Tom brings a gentleman caller (Seth Numrich) home, things come to a head. Since his Fringe success with Black Watch back in 2006, Tiffany’s had some phenomenal worldwide hits, from Once to this year’s Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. And his Glass Menagerie is as slick as you’d expect, with an evocative set design from Bob Crowley and exquisite movement choreographed by

longtime collaborator Steven Hoggett. But it’s the cast that really bring this fourhander to life. Jones is by turns stately and vulnerable as the damaged Wingfield, and Esper is an engaging Tom. Yet it’s O’Flynn and Numrich who really shine the brightest, and their lively, intimate encounter towards the end of the play is one of the most moving renditions you’ll ever see of this famous Williams scene. (Yasmin Sulaiman) ■ King’s Theatre, 473 2000, until 21 Aug, times vary, £14–£38. ●●●●●

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THEATRE HITLIST Gareth K Vile rounds up the best theatre to check out in week three of the festival THE EMPIRE BUILDERS A Turkish company perform a French absurdist classic. A family attempts to escape an unidentified horror by climbing higher, only to gradually lose everything that gives their lives meaning, hope or purpose. See review, page 88. Institut français d’Écosse, 225 5366, until 21 Aug, 6.30pm, £12 (£10). ANYTHING THAT GIVES OFF LIGHT New York’s fabulous The TEAM have won several Fringe Firsts for pioneering works like 2008’s Architecting and 2011’s Mission Drift. This year, they make their Edinburgh International Festival debut with a show about a road trip through the Highlands. Expect the usual weird and wonderful antics. See feature at list.co.uk EICC, 473 2000, until 26 Aug (not 21), times vary, £25 (£12.50). PARTIAL NUDITY Stripping has become a perennial Fringe subject: this play stands out for presenting both male and female

The Empire Builders

experiences and avoiding the usual tales of woe, preferring to exorcise the hypocrisy and double standards that surround the action. See review, page 86. ZOO, 662 6892, until 27 Aug, 7.55pm, £9 (£7). COUNTING SHEEP Offering food and dancing, Counting Sheep is an immersive, award-winning journey to the Revolution of Dignity. See feature, page 19. Summerhall @ The King’s Hall, 560 1581, until 28 Aug (not 22), times vary, £13–£20 (£12–£18). US / THEM Quietly harrowing but even-handed show on terrorism and young people takes a theme usually avoided and gives it a thoughtful context. See review at list.co.uk Summerhall, 560 1581, until 28 Aug (not 22), 10am, £10 (£8). ANGEL Henry Naylor offers his third visit to the Middle East, and strikes hard with this monologue that excavates the complexities of the conflict. A stunning performance by Filipa Bragança combines with a rare insight into the battles behind the headlines. See review, page 88. Gilded Balloon

Teviot, 622 6552, until 29 Aug, 4.30pm, £10.50–£12.50 (£9.50– £11.50). HESS Hess was the last of the Nazi prisoners in Spandau to die, but Derek Crawford’s tour-de-force performance brings him back to problematic life. See review, page 88. Gilded Balloon Teviot, 622 6552, until 29 Aug (not 23), 3pm, £10–£12 (£9–£11).

LIFE ACCORDING TO SAKI Caught up in WWI, Saki tries to escape the horror of the trenches through his rich fantasy life. Melancholic yet offering hope through the transcendence of art, this witty compilation of Saki’s story from acclaimed author Katherine Rundell is a life-affirming meditation on death. See review, page 81. C, 0845 260 1234, until 29 Aug, 2.15pm, £8.50–£10.50 (£6.50–£8.50).

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Sh!t Theatre | FESTIVAL THEATRE

list.co.uk/festival

RETURN TO SENDER

Gareth K Vile looks at a funny yet ﬁerce cabaret-inﬂected piece of performance art from Sh!t Theatre which delves into the nation’s housing crisis

f the Fringe has become more of an arts market than a celebration of alternative performance – with well-recognised companies vying for attention alongside plucky outsiders and students – Sh!t Theatre is an example of the more experimental edge that still maintains a strong presence. Having become a fixture at Summerhall, and sitting comfortably within the venue’s mix of British and European avantgarde shows, the duo from London fly the flag for accessible, witty yet challenging performance art. Letters to Windsor House takes the recognisable Sh!t Theatre style and applies it to a subject that was inspired by a familiar, yet rarely explored, phenomena. ‘We, like many renters, kept receiving letters to previous tenants,’ say Louise Mothersole and Becca Biscuit. ‘We got loads. We got attached to them. When we moved flat we brought them with us. We collected them, we separated them out by name and started trying to guess the lives of the people.’ From this unlikely genesis, they began to develop a show. Through a series of workshops with homeless groups, the obsession with other people’s mail evolved into a more political concern. ‘One of the underlying themes of the show is the housing crisis and instability,’ they continue. This reflection on current issues is a hallmark of their work, as other shows have tackled women’s status in society, drug testing and life on the dole, all given the particular Sh!t Theatre slant. In Letters, they take their starting point from found objects and allow them to guide their process. ‘In our flat a Windsor House, we also started receiving strange-shaped packages,’ they explain. ‘We became obsessed. We decided to open the mail and piece the previous tenants’ lives together.’ This obsessiveness informs a righteous anger at the heart of Letters: despite the royal associations of the house’s name, it’s in a run-down estate and their deliberately amateur video footage reveals scenes of urban decay. Their on-stage banter may be funny, but the fantasy lives they invent for the previous tenants paint a picture of a nation in which financial hardship is too easily imagined.

The uneasy mixture of hard facts and surreal silliness is partially why Sh!t Theatre remains in the margins of mainstream theatre. ‘We like to consider our work within the performance art tradition,’ they say. ‘Our work also fits within the tradition of DIY performance. ‘We both went to Queen Mary University of London where any love of conventional theatre was beaten out of us. The void was then filled with performance art,’ they explain. Performance art is not always associated with fun or accessibility, yet the playfulness of the pair has attracted comparisons with British vaudeville’s knockabout humour and cabaret routines. However, their influences include Taylor Mac, an American performer who is equally at home messing around with classic songs and writing scripts on a massive scale. Although there is little obvious in their approach that echoes Mac, the sense of fun, of audience engagement and, perhaps crucially, the seriousness of popular culture suggests a similar aesthetic. Another influence – also from the queer schools of performance – is Split Britches. This New York group insist on drawing stories from everyday life, then filtering them through their distinctive combination of subversive stage strategies and distorted traditional structures. While Letters is not as explicitly feminist as earlier work Women’s Hour, which parodied the genteel ideals of Radio 4’s feminine programming, the very appearance of Sh!t Theatre reveals their roots in this provocative approach. Despite this pedigree, their aims are immediate. ‘We hope the audience will laugh, get angry, feel nostalgia and be generally informed and entertained,’ they conclude. By finding the social implications in letters that usually end up in landfill or recycling, and bringing their episodic wit and intelligence into play, Sh!t Theatre makes a deeper point about how politics is not just for elections, but threads through even the most trivial aspects of daily life. Summerhall, 560 1581, until 28 Aug (not 22), 1.35pm, £6. 18–29 Aug 2016 THE LIST FESTIVAL 75

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FESTIVAL THEATRE | Reviews

THE DUKE Immediately likeable storytelling from Shôn Dale-Jones ●●●●●

PHOTO: BRIAN ROBERTS

How much are good manners worth? Shôn Dale-Jones’ manners would be quite valuable. After plenty of ‘welcomes’ and ‘thankyou-for-comings’, his etiquette even extends to sincerely thanking the one audience member who (foolishly) chose to slip out of his one-man show The Duke early. This amiable atmosphere is essential for the type of storytelling that Dale-Jones excels at: a radio-like hour of pure text and homespun sound effects. In 1974, Dale-Jones’ father bought a porcelain figure of the Duke of Wellington for £750. It would be worth a pretty penny in today’s money, save for the fact his widowed mother has just knocked it off the mantelpiece. She relays this news to her son over the phone while he is listening to a radio report about the refugee crisis, and also trying to face up to the umpteenth rewrite of a potentially lucrative film script ten years in the making. The subsequent narrative is engaging and complex, existing somewhere between truth and fiction, drama and radio, fantasy and reality. Dale-Jones is a natural and immediately likeable storyteller, knowing exactly which details to embellish and which to gloss over. He returns frequently to the idea of value: how much is a complete set of porcelain figures worth? Or a film script that is by now only vaguely familiar to him? Or a refugee’s seat on a boat across the Aegean Sea? This whole show is Dale-Jones’ way of doing something concrete and useful to aid those in need. Of course, he could have charged a tenner a ticket and given it all to his chosen charity, Save the Children. Instead, he prefers to stand outside the venue with a bucket, looking you square in the eye as he politely shakes your hand and asks you to dig deep. Very valuable manners indeed. (Irina Glinski) ■ Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 29 Aug, 3.30pm, free but ticketed.

Punchy bilingual coming-of-age drama ●●●●●

PHOTO: RUSS ROWLAND

PHOTO: AENNE PALLASCA

A GOOD CLEAN HEART

PLEASE EXCUSE MY DEAR AUNT SALLY

A BOY NAMED SUE Intelligent, powerful plea for tolerance ●●●●●

Illicit student-teacher affair told via texts ●●●●● Hefin is 18 when his parents – his adoptive parents, it turns out – tell him he has a brother. And that he’s been sending letters for years, which they’ve concealed. After an accidental online encounter, the young man flees smalltown Wales to head to London and his unseen sibling – where he gets a few unexpected insights into the darker sides of contemporary life. It seems churlish to call it a gimmick, but A Good Clean Heart’s distinguishing feature is that it’s in both Welsh and English, with each language subtitled in the other. But, in the end, Alun Saunders’ script hardly delves into language differences, certainly not as an embodiment of the two men’s contrasting backgrounds. Instead, A Good Clean Heart is a punchy comingof-age story, with brotherly affection battling against the darker impulses of growing up, and it deals with the inevitable disappointments of adult reality nimbly. James Ifan and Oliver Wellington give very strong, considered performances as the brotherly double act, and Zakk Hein’s video design manages to be both stylish and instructional. It’s a fine achievement – with or without language issues. (David Kettle) ■ Underbelly Cowgate, 0844 545 8252, until 28 Aug (not 22), £10–£11 (£9–£10).

You’d be forgiven for thinking Please Excuse My Dear Aunt Sally is a raucous farce about the family drunk. And at times it is – but these are light relief moments from a play about an illicit student-teacher love affair, staged experimentally by New York-based theatre ensemble 59E59. Having opened in New York in 2015, the company travelled to the Fringe this year where they heard audiences would be a good fit. Compared to the production though, the plot is rather plain, as Red McCray and his algebra teacher fall for each other. The six-strong ensemble recount the affair in texts – ‘the antsy Morse code of Red’s fingers typing’ and the ‘buzz buzzes’ of night-time meet-ups. These fragments of dialogue are paired with a physical production. Blots of colour (like Red’s red jacket) distinguish individual characters in tides of choreographed movement, and props are integrated for more dramatic moments (like night-time car rides). It is a touching piece, but the trouble is plays like Mark Ravenhill’s pool (no water) get one up on it with a more inventive plot and tighter, more expansive choreography to tell it with. (Adam Bloodworth) ■ Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 28 Aug (not 22), £9–£12 (£8–£11).

Britain is crumbling, and the struggle for survival is gathering pace. As another gay club shuts down, young men’s lives overlap in unexpected ways. Writer Bertie Darrell’s blistering monologues trace the zig-zagging paths of bolshy Ian (Oseloka Obi), vulnerable runaway Louie (Charlie James), and flamboyant Sid (Jack Harrold), aka Sue, who has retreated into his house. The stories converge as a triangle of need and aggression; all three men mask their pain through sex and the desire to be loved. The cyclical dialogue of scrubbing skin clean, ritual and sacrifice suggests a search for spirituality in an uncaring world. All three performances are beautifully directed by Claudia Lee, who brings out complexities from each – none are victims but instead full of focus and self-determination. Harrold in particular is superb. His Sue is a wisp, yet so very present, always one raised eyebrow away from imploding. Nothing is soft soaped, no answers are proffered, but the tentative resolutions each character undergoes suggest a future. Visceral and thoughtful, this is a sharply intelligent play which peels away the veneers of social respectability, revealing the humanity. (Lorna Irvine) ■ C nova, 0845 260 1234, until 29 Aug, 6.25pm, £8.50–£10.50 (£6.50–£8.50).

76 THE LIST FESTIVAL 18–29 Aug 2016

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15/08/2016 16:42

Reviews | FESTIVAL THEATRE

list.co.uk/festival

PHOTO: MICHELLE WORMLEIGHTON

THE LOUNGE

ONE DAY MOKO

LUCY, LUCY AND LUCY BARFIELD

A gentle comedy about waiting to die ●●●●●

Homeless man’s experiences condensed ●●●●●

Bittersweet tribute to treasured muse ●●●●●

In a dingy care home somewhere off the A1, a 97-year-old woman narrates her last day. She performs her last actions, some of them real, some taking place in her mind, sometimes interacting with the daytime television personalities that soundtrack her life. But as her day progresses, the characters in the home become embroiled in a fantastic plot that takes off from mundane beginnings to reach surreal heights. Inspector Sands’ darkly comic production sees three actors switching comfortably between playing staff and patients. It might not immediately seem to set the scene for comedy, but the play nimbly toes the line between tragedy and humour with sensitivity and warmth. The action is timed to perfection – a resentful glance here, a mumbled repetition there, reminding the audience fondly of elderly relatives and their idiosyncrasies. There are moments of poignancy – to be expected considering the subject matter – and these simply highlight the message of the play: to examine with compassion and warmth how loved ones spend their final days. (Jessica Rodgers) ■ Summerhall, 560 1581, until 27 Aug, 3.25pm, £15 (£12).

Tim Carlsen’s one-man show takes inspiration both from clowning and the lives of the homeless: in One Day Moko, he presents a series of episodes, games and stories that span Moko’s daily routines, challenges and enthusiasms. Chatting to the audience from the start, and carefully avoiding panhandling clichés, he attempts to create a character more unfamiliar than the typical tales of anguish. Unfortunately, the uneven structure of the piece undermines its focus. Moko’s lies give way to a serialised story about a couple in the throes of relationship turmoil. It’s never quite clear what their relationship to Moko might be, and the sudden shift in tone from street survival to middle-class anguish detracts from the depiction of Moko’s life. Since Moko is based on Carlsen’s own experiences with homeless people, there are telling details: the relationship with the police and local fast food vendors reveal a man claiming his dignity. Yet Moko’s character is obscured by the meandering episodes. Finally, when Carlsen admits that he finds endings hard, it is difficult to know whether he is speaking in character or observing a weakness in this play. (Gareth K Vile) ■ Gilded Balloon Teviot, 622 6552, until 29 Aug (not 22), 3.45pm, £12.50–£13.50 (£10.50–£11.50).

Lucy Grace was 26 when she had an epiphany on the edge of Brockwell Lido and realised that Narnia didn’t exist. From the age of ten she had believed that not only was she connected to The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe’s central character Lucy Pevensie by virtue of name-sharing, but that she was one day destined to head through a portal and discover CS Lewis’ fantasy land. Her revelation, and its knock-on existential crisis, led her to a new quest to fill the imaginative void vacated by Narnia. The resulting show tracks her progress as she goes in search instead of the real Lucy Barfield, to whom Lewis dedicated his book. Lucy Barfield, however, is something of a mystery, one which deepens the more Grace learns about her. At heart, this quiet, velvet-gloved punch of a piece unfolds into a meditation on the nature of fantasy versus reality and the power of imaginary landscapes to broaden, enrich and become part of our lived existence. Grace’s delivery brims with effusive energy, and despite the gut-wrenching curveballs her journey throws at her, there is a bittersweet triumph in finally honouring one of children’s fiction’s most treasured muses. (Lucy Ribchester) ■ Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 29 Aug (not 22), 3.30pm, £7.50–£10 (£6.50–£9).

MOUSE – THE PERSISTENCE OF AN UNLIKELY THOUGHT

PHOTO: GAVIN OBSBORN

Daniel Kitson triumphs again, to devastating effect ●●●●● Ever since his first forays into drama, Daniel Kitson has consistently shown that he has one of the most exciting minds in British theatre. During one of the interludes in Mouse, the awardwinning performer – still better known to many for his stand-up – remarks that he ought to tailor his ambitions to his ability: yet it is the match of his skills and the structure of the play that makes it such a remarkable journey. Kitson’s familiar themes are all present. The protagonist is a lonely, aging man who longs for more, and struggles with creativity. The fourth wall is regularly broken, and Kitson becomes himself, explaining the background to the plot and chatting amiably with the audience. There’s the gradual revelation of tragedy, the use of familiar tropes and the selfdeprecating humour. It is a mark of his talent that he reworks these themes into something startling and emotive. The plot is simple. A man receives a phone call, supposedly a wrong number. He spends the night chatting to the stranger, sharing intimate details. There is a moment of revelation, which the audience works out long before the character in a moment of dramatic irony. Whether Kitson is merely exercising a midlife male crisis or hinting at the deeper pain of the human condition, his apparently ramshackle presence hides a serious awareness of the stage’s potential to probe emotional anguish. The show’s Edinburgh run is sold out, so too few people will experience the magic of Mouse. Compassionate, funny, charming and bracing, it showcases Kitson’s genius without ever letting it get in the way of the story or melancholic message. (Gareth K Vile) ■ Traverse, 228 1404, until 28 Aug (not 22), 10pm, £12. Sold out. 18–29 Aug 2016 THE LIST FESTIVAL 77

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FESTIVAL THEATRE | Reviews

CUNCRETE Satirical punk-gig theatre attacks predictable targets ●●●●●

PHOTO: RACHAEL CLERKE

Even at a venue as eclectic as Summerhall, explicitly identifying as ‘performance art’ is a brave move. Unfairly condemned as self-indulgent, the fluidity of the form challenges audiences and refuses an easy sell. Rachael Clerke and the Great White Males, however, are fearless in a show that matches rudimentary musical skills with a single-minded satire on alpha-male masculinity and architecture. Cuncrete struggles to escape the pull of one strong idea: a caricature of an entrepreneur condemns his own aspirational philosophy by being an obsessive idiot. Clerke’s Archibald Tactful bangs on about the wonders of brutalist architecture, snorts some concrete and rocks out to the growling punk of his band. There’s a righteous rage at the housing market and profiteering landlords beneath the bellowing, but that is sometimes lost in the noise and repetition. Clerke has a point: contemporary capitalists have been playing the fool at the expense of the population for the past 30 years, but the combination of scrappy punk and hectoring rhetoric betrays a limited response to the situation. Evoking punk rock by featuring a band who have only recently picked up the instruments – even though Little Keith rocks it hard and tight on the drums – recalls bands like Bikini Kill who used the same aesthetic. Equally, the drag king is a fine way to mock masculine stereotypes, but it has been used to more incisive effect by Diane Torr. Going for laughs with the bad moustache and suit (the patriarchy has long since changed its look) makes the revolutionary impulse seem nostalgic for a time when the enemy identified itself clearly. Still, Cuncrete is punchy and begins an argument about a serious social ill. (Gareth K Vile) ■ Summerhall, 560 1581, until 26 Aug (not 22), 10pm, £10 (£8).

FRANKENSTEIN

DEAL WITH THE DRAGON

A tense, atmospheric production of a classic ●●●●●

Fairytale and gay confessional collide ●●●●●

Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein has found its way to the stage several times, not to mention its many film interpretations. This production by Canny Creatures Scotland is lifted above the majority thanks to fine ensemble performances and an atmospheric soundscape. Emphasising the plot over the motivations of the famous mad scientist, Canny Creatures conjure a dynamic variation on the theme of human hubris. Victor Frankenstein has created a monster; casting the poor creature out, his creation drives him to the brink of madness. With the play beginning with the monster already being created, the story dives into the action a little quickly with limited explanation, ignoring the novel’s philosophical pondering. But, with effective sound producing a brooding sense of doom, the story is framed by a dark and sinister atmosphere. As with Canny Creature’s sister show, The Elephant Man, the star turn here is by Michael Roy Andrew as the tortured Dr Frankenstein, though the entire cast are strong. Exposing the sadness at the heart of the horror, there is also a sense of joy within the tragedy that comes from the creepy, unnatural air and the direction’s tense and exciting pacing. (Alex Eades) ■ Gilded Balloon Teviot, 622 6552, until 29 Aug, 2.30pm, £10.50–£13 (£8–£10).

Couldn’t we all do with a gay German shapeshifting dragon to help us out in those sticky moments? That’s the unlikely beast who has aided Hunter to achieve his so-far limited success as a visual artist. But when a prestigious appointment appears to be within reach – for which he battles fellow artist Gandhi, who has more than enough problems of his own – both man and dragon are forced to reconsider their fiery relationship. Blending and wittily subverting fairytale, comingout story and sordid confessional, San Francisco actor / writer Kevin Rolston’s brilliant solo show is a sophisticated piece of work, full of belly laughs but with serious themes of addiction, dependence and delusion at its heart. His commanding performance propels us through all the magic realism and gay sex (not much of that, admittedly). His comic – and often tragic – timing is faultless, in a hugely energetic, finely detailed performance that never shies away from unpicking gay stereotypes, and never gives us tidy answers. It’s a play that builds in ambition and complexity, until its riches have been fully unfurled in a surprising but inevitable conclusion. (David Kettle) ■ C nova, 0845 260 1234, until 29 Aug, £9.50–£10.50 (£7.50–£8.50).

PETER AND BAMBI HEAVEN: THE MAGIC INSIDE Careering from family-friendly to X-rated ●●●●● Shows about putting on shows are hot property. Michael Frayn’s Noises Off proved years ago that audiences like to see backstage. This outrageous comedy duo base their cabaret on a similar premise. Peter and Bambi Heaven are cheesy cruise shipstyle entertainers – and Australian actors Asher Treleaven and Gypsy Wood are a real-life couple. Their show lovingly mocks the pearly white smiles and glistening catsuits of the variety shows of yesteryear with intentionally dubious magic tricks and lukewarm routines. The pair have seemingly limitless energy, lending the show a boundless, nostalgic fun. Treleaven opens by leaping about the audience, flirting outrageously. The skits that follow career from X-rated to family-friendly. In the shocking finale, it’s Bambi's time of the month and blood gushes everywhere in a surreal and gruesome ballet dancing sketch that gets the biggest laugh. For Bambi, who used to be a cage dancer, old habits also die hard and she never resists the temptation to undress. Seeing this show is like accelerating at full speed with the car roof down. (Adam Bloodworth) ■ Assembly George Square Gardens, 623 3030, until 28 Aug, 10.30pm, £12–£13 (£10–£11).

78 THE LIST FESTIVAL 18–29 Aug 2016

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All the King’s Men: The 11 Tour

3 – 29 Aug 15.15 C nova

3 – 29 Aug 17.55 C scala

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ACJ Productions

Tomorrow, Maybe

Asleik & Jon (Norway) Aladdin and His Magical Europe Refugee Tour 2016 3 – 29 Aug 17.30 C nova

Two Thirds Comedy 23, Please: The Sketch Show That Never Was 3 – 29 Aug 20.35 C nova

Gavin Lind

Sue Production

John Henry Blackwood

Committed to Mediocrity

A Boy Named Sue

Misterious Moments of Magic

3–29 Aug 21.50 C nova

3 – 29 Aug 19.30 C nova

3– 29 Aug 18.25 C nova

3 – 29 Aug 19.30 C nova

Theatre BreadHit & Samuel Baguette

Turtle Key Arts

The So and So Arts Club

EM-Lou Productions

The Song of Beast (after Hamlet)

Ockham’s Razor: Tipping Point

The Marvellous Adventures of Mary Seacole

5 Guys Chillin’

4 – 29 Aug 17.15 C south

3 – 25 Aug 15.00 C scala

3 – 29 Aug 18.10 C nova

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Triple Entendre: Love Life and Other Stuff

Triple Entendre

With more than 200 shows and events across our venues in the heart of Edinburgh, we celebrate our 25th Fringe with an inspiring international programme of cabaret, comedy, circus, dance, musicals, theatre and family shows. See it all with C venues.

Ad pages WK3.indd 79

15/08/2016 15:03

#EDINTFEST

THE TOA D K NE W

JAMES THIERRÉE / COMPAGNIE DU HANNETON

‘FLAMBOYANT, HALLUCINATORY AND RAVISHINGLY BEAUTIFUL’

24–28 AUGUST BOOK NOW EIF.CO.UK 0131 473 2000 Ad pages WK3.indd 80

PERFORMERS JAMES THIERRÉE, VALÉRIE DOUCET, SAMUEL DUTERTRE, MARIAMA, YANN NÉDÉLEC, THI MAI NGUYEN

Funded by Sir Ewan and Lady Brown through the Edinburgh International Festival Commissioning Fund

Photo Richard Haughton | Charity No SC004694

THE GUARDIAN

15/08/2016 15:04

Reviews | FESTIVAL THEATRE

list.co.uk/festival PHOTO: TOM SCURR

PHOTO: GEERT DE VLEESSCHAUWER

LAST CALL

ZERO DOWN

SHAKESPEARE FOR BREAKFAST

Live graphic novel struggles to engage ●●●●●

Tense drama about care home workers ●●●●●

Pastries, pop culture and A Midsummer Night’s Dream ●●●●●

Sultry, sophisticated and unutterably cool, Flemish theatre group Het nieuwstedelijk’s graphic novelcum-gig Last Call also takes a bit of getting your head around. Based on Belgian graphic novelist Philip Parquet’s book Dansen Drinken Betalen, it imagines a brooding spoken monologue for teenage misfit Sara, the novel’s leading character, and adds to it a moody, trippy live score for electronics and jazz piano. With its big-screen projections and throbbing beats, it’s hard not to compare the show with last year’s quite similar The Great Downhill Journey of Little Tommy. But whereas that show was all unbridled energy, raw and unrestrained, Last Call works hard at its determinedly unimpressed coolness – from Sara Vertongen’s wonderfully sarcastic narration to its storyline of casual crime and a waif abandoned in the big city. It’s a seductive show, carried off brilliantly by Vertongen with Joris Caluwaerts on propulsive piano. But ultimately the story doesn’t amount to much, simply a succession of bizarre episodes. Last Call is a superb imaginative and musical achievement, but one that struggles to fully engage. (David Kettle ) ■ Summerhall, 560 1581, until 28 Aug (not 19, 22), 10.40pm, £10 (£8).

Student Erin has recently joined Layla and Benni as a zero hours worker in a care home. Intermittently, a voiceover calls ‘a worker to room x’ and one of the women clocks in before leaving to help the residents. In between they wait, unpaid, folding bedding to pass the time. Nasty Benni opens the play with expletives and bigotry, Layla is a shade too simple for comfort and Erin is a naive student with war correspondent ambitions. It is a deftly written and incredibly well-paced script. In a style akin to genuine conversation, we learn more about the women as their shift progresses in one unbroken scene, their hopes for the future and glimmers of their past. The actors bring depth and subtlety to their roles, emerging as complex women, flawed and human. As events in the care home spiral out of control and emotions flare, the tension in the room is palpable. The script mentions that stories of poor conditions in care homes are old news and people don’t take notice. Zero Down looks behind the soundbites of ‘cruel staff’ to examine a corrupt system pushing people to their limits in a play that forces you to take notice. (Rowena McIntosh) ■ Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 29 Aug (not 18), 1pm, £8.50–£9.50 (£7.50–£8.50).

Now in its 25th year, Shakespeare for Breakfast is a modern retelling of a Shakespeare play – this year A Midsummer Night’s Dream – with complimentary coffee and croissants. Five actors leap between a range of selfie-obsessed characters, who mix prose with iambic pentameter in an intricate storyline which leans heavily on pop culture references. The script is updated to incorporate quick jokes, Jedi fights and Taylor Swift lyrics, and audience participation is skilfully encouraged. The precise choreography – the cast use four exit points and occasionally deliver lines in the middle of the audience – successfully builds a boisterous and immersive atmosphere, though the storylines become increasingly confusing. Social media references become a bit too repetitive, but the writing remains clever and engaging throughout. Ultimately the strength of Shakespeare for Breakfast lies in the actors’ energetic delivery and the writing’s comedic tone. It succeeds in being an irreverent and consistently entertaining show. (Adeline Amar) ■ C, 0845 260 1234, until 29 Aug, 10am, £7.50–£9.50 (£5.50–£7.50).

LIFE ACCORDING TO SAKI

PHOTO: ALEX BRENNER

Debut play infuses unbridled joy with a hint of melancholy ●●●●● Born Hector Hugh Munro on 18 September 1870, the writer better known as Saki plays both storyteller and subject in Life According to Saki. Speaking from a trench on the Western Front, where he was stationed in 1916, David Paisley’s warmly charismatic Saki takes the audience on a grand tour of the human condition via his witty, surreal, and emphatically human stories. Saki’s work infuses farcical social situations with a macabre twist: a haughty socialite tangles with an infirm tiger in an attempt to impress her neighbour, an unfortunate incident with a hyena leads to an opportunity for extortion, and that classic Edwardian antagonist, the fearsome aunt, meets a grisly end at the claws of a sacred ferret. But the production never fails to qualify this dizzying absurdity with a sobering dose of reality. For Saki, his stories kept him from dwelling on the enormity of life on the front, and after each venture into his whimsical world, the action always returns to the trench. In these scenes, there is an encroaching feeling of discomfort, a sense that, despite his warmth and stoic humour, the horrors of trench warfare are not far away. Through his tales of the everyday absurdities of Edwardian society, Saki constructs a refuge from the horror of life on the front. Deftly blending joyful surrealism with existential pause, this is a sunny yet poignant celebration of a man who made a fine art of taking the light seriously and the serious lightly. On top of a sharp script, pacy narrative, and a slew of impressively dynamic performances, the production gives the feeling that Hector Hugh Munro, on top of being a keen social commentator, a brave soldier, and a dab hand with a pen, was an all-round lovely chap. (Jordan Shaw) ■ C, 0845 260 1234, until 29 Aug, 2.15pm, £8.50–£10.50 (£6.50–£8.50). 18–29 Aug 2016 THE LIST FESTIVAL 81

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E15 Outspoken theatre on the housing crisis packs a punch ●●●●●

PHOTO: COLIN HATTERSLEY

David Cameron’s bedroom tax proved to be one of the most divisive policies in recent British politics. Lung Theatre’s verbatim show deals with the fallout, and the marginalised in society, focusing on a group of single mothers from Newham who fought against their eviction from social housing. The Focus E15 campaign hit the headlines in 2014, with even Russell Brand speaking up for them as they took their protest to Westminster. This goes beyond the red tabloid headlines, to individual testimonies: a Nigerian teenager was forced to marry a man in his 40s, and so fled the family; one ‘worked for Primark and ended up earning as much as on benefits’; another was attacked by her boyfriend. There are no absolutes presented, no heroics – just ordinary voices. The nuances of the debate are tackled, the young people recognising when they were unreasonable. Across the board, the performances are excellent, full of sass, anger and hurt. Occasionally, it’s delivered with sledgehammer unsubtlety, as with the worst excesses of Ken Loach’s filmmaking, but ultimately there is enormous compassion, a great deal of humour and some heartbreaking performances – particularly a vulnerable yet impish Bianca Stephens. This story is one that needs to be heard. (Lorna Irvine) ■ Northern Stage at Summerhall, 560 1581, until 27 Aug (not 24), 6.30pm, £11 (£9).

PHOTO: MICHAEL BURKE

PHOTO: THE OTHER RICHARD

GIANT

TRUMPAGEDDON

Growing-up tale brims with exuberance ●●●●●

Donald Trump in all of his terrible glory ●●●●●

The Human Zoo had a festival hit last year with the warped and wonderful, vaudeville-inspired fable The Girl Who Fell in Love with the Moon. Their new show Giant retains the company’s trademark theatrical exuberance that surprises and delights at every turn, but it’s a far more ambitious creation too. Tommy (a wonderfully wide-eyed Freddie Crossley) is 22, still lives with his family, and is in a dilemma as to whether he should abandon his dreams in favour of a mundane job and seeming security. Sound familiar? But rather than simply wallowing in postuniversity twentysomething angst, Giant fascinatingly charts how Tommy got there, who the people are who made him – and whether the mysterious noises from the attic have anything to do with it. It’s impossible not to be swept along by the company’s hectic, endlessly inventive theatricality – a lengthy opening sequence charting several decades through non-stop music, movement and magical transformations is especially impressive and moving. But there’s also a sense that they may be trying to shoehorn too much in – a trio of cabaret interludes end up detracting from the show’s narrative. Nevertheless, it’s a fine achievement. (David Kettle) ■ Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 29 Aug, 3.40pm, £8.50–£11 (£7.50–£10).

Think you’ve seen enough of Donald Trump? Well think again, as he invades the Fringe in this hysterical one-man show by satirist Simon Jay that will provoke both fits of laughter and furious debate. So, pretty much business as usual then. Trump is here to tell us about who he is, what he thinks and what he will do when he becomes President of the United States. You may not agree with everything he says and you may have one or two questions to ask about his orange face and inexplicable hair, but be warned, things are going to get interesting. Though the show can be quite confrontational at times, with Trump demanding questions from members of the audience, there is no doubting the humour and wit of the piece, which rolls along at breakneck speed from beginning to end. It reveals a man so ridiculous and so frightening that it is hard not to get caught up in the unfolding madness. The American accent isn’t particularly strong, but Jay’s central performance is energetic and engaging, bringing a larger than life character to the stage with confidence, and doing a great job of both entertaining and terrifying. (Alex Eades) ■ Sweet Grassmarket, 243 3596, until 28 Aug (not 23), 1.05pm, £8.50 (£6.50).

TWO KITTENS AND A KID (A GAY MAN RAISING HIS INNER DIVA) One-man cabaret of a gay foster dad ●●●●● Christopher Wilson’s autobiographical one-man cabaret is about a gay, white, suburban man fostering a black, teenage girl. Through his songs he explores questions of cultural understanding, unconditional love and compassion, while also expressing his love for Whitney Houston. Wilson is a true musical performer, with a rich voice and warm presence that fill the stage. Challenges – learning to deal with ethnic hairdos, teenage angst and menstruation – are expressed through witty songs and monologues. The performance is impressively smooth, even to the point of slickness. This is forgivable thanks to Wilson’s impeccable storytelling skills, which allow him to combine light-hearted memories with emotional depth. Issues of mental health and addiction, for instance, are brought about in an unexpected way that is all the more impactful. Two Kittens and a Kid is a powerful performance that manages to be both entertaining and poignant, and demonstrates the ability of clever storytelling and cabaret to be funny, moving and deeply personal. (Adeline Amar) ■ theSpace on the Mile, 510 2382, until 20 Aug, 7.30pm, £8–£10 (£7–£9).

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PACHAMAMA PRODUCTIONS, NATIONAL THEATRE OF SCOTLAND, THEATRE ROYAL STRATFORD EAST & REGULAR MUSIC PRESENT

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‘Awe inspiring’ ‘A blazingly empassioned TIME OUT and humbling show’ HERALD

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‘The most politically engaged and enraged British musical since Blood Brothers’ EXPRESS

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‘True raw power’ METRO

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‘A signiﬁcant milestone in Scottish musical theatre’

‘The kind of explosion of great popular theatre that every city and every nation needs’

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FESTIVAL THEATRE | Reviews

YOKES NIGHT Fictional Dublin tale hits hard, but never leaves a bruise ●●●●● It’s 11 March 2015 in Ireland. Harry (writer and performer Scott Lyons) is a typically feckless, horny working-class teenager who has just learned that tonight all drugs are legal, and everything permissible. When he meets the enigmatic, seductive Saoirse (Zoe Forrester) in a seedy club, it’s not just the pills that make his heart race. But she’s damaged and what initially attracts him proves to be his downfall. There’s a lot of superb writing here, reminiscent of Enda Walsh’s Disco Pigs. The set’s simple building blocks, which act as a bed, club podium or statue of James Joyce, are a fine choice of prop, restating the feeling of role play and naiveté between the young lovers. Lyons and Forrester as Saoirse and Harry have real chemistry, and some hilarious and touching scenes, but underneath the issues of abortion, rape and diatribes on taxavoiding politicians, there is a sense of little more than an Adam and Eve for the post-rave generation, and a clichéd warning to avoid the temptress. The volte-face feels a little forced and paints the duo’s respective denouements into a corner. Nonetheless, Yokes Night is a seething play with two superbly judged performances, and a lot of style. (Lorna Irvine) ■ Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 29 Aug, 2.15 pm, £7.50–£10 (£6.50–£9).

PHOTO: GRAEME BRAIDWOOD

PHOTO: ANDERS WOTZKE

DROPPED

THE ROAD TO HUNTSVILLE

Motherhood fixation leaves a sour taste ●●●●●

Frustratingly light tale of death row love ●●●●●

Katy Warner wrote this two-hander in response to the Australian government’s decision to allow women to fight on the frontline by 2016. And perhaps the price to pay for reacting fictionally before the policy is fully implemented is that there might not be enough material available on which to base her story. Instead, Warner has imagined a pressure-cooker tale of two abandoned soldiers, with nods to Beckett and Stoppard in its circles of boredom, manic anecdotes and absurdist non-sequiturs. As savage reality encroaches, however, there emerges a distinct, persistent feminine focus to their mental disintegration – babies. Women swapping making babies for killing babies, in Warner’s world, is a state of affairs doomed to end in horror of the most appalling Sarah Kane-esque style. This lazy motif unfortunately dominates a script that is otherwise peppered with vicious poetry and interesting images of femininity. Despite strong performances from Sarah Cullinan and Natalia Sledz, the relentless association of women, motherhood and mental breakdown leaves a sour taste in a piece purporting to deal with women escaping the confines of gender. (Lucy Ribchester) ■ Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 28 Aug, 1pm, £7.50–£10 (£6.50–£9).

Why do certain women fall in love with prisoners on death row? With men who are sometimes multiple rapists or serial killers, often travelling thousands of miles to marry them behind bars? Is it – a theory Stephanie Ridings contemptuously dismisses in her appealing, engaging show – because these men represent the ultimate alpha male, who will protect and provide for them? Or is it simply because they think they can save them? Sadly, none of those questions are answered, or even properly addressed, in the frustratingly lightweight The Road to Huntsville. Indeed, the show’s first-person tale of a woman researching the subject for a theatre piece, then inadvertently finding herself in too deep, suggests that it’s simply because she’s too dippy to realise the implications of what she’s doing. It’s doubly frustrating because the show’s theatrical practicalities – its inventive staging, slick pacing, gradually unfolding structure, as well as Ridings’ oblivious protagonist – are well-nigh faultless. There’s so much potential in it. But the show needs its issues brought far more strongly to the surface if it’s to convey much of real substance. (David Kettle) ■ Summerhall, 560 1581, until 28 Aug (not 22), 8.45pm, £10 (£8).

JONAS MÜLLER REGRETS WRITING THIS F*CKING MASTERPIECE Poetic show about the struggle to engage ●●●●● The guy on stage shouldn’t even be here. It’s not his story. He’s simply reading the script that Jonas left, showing us the photos that Jonas prepared, and asking us the odd question, presumably to make sure we’re still involved. And that script tells us the story of his (or Jonas’?) years-long affection for childhood friend Lise, and his inability to do much about it, or anything much in his life. Until he takes four years out to write the masterpiece of the show’s title, that is. Dutch-born writer / performer Tim Honnef’s endearingly ramshackle show works on many levels: as a sweet, touching story of unrequited love; as a dark confessional on obsession and an inability to deal with contemporary life; and as an elusive reflection on authorship and identity. By constantly shifting between his themes, testing our patience with long, repetitive explanations and sticking to his homespun delivery, he sets us the challenge of not giving in to the kind of disinterest he’s describing. They give his show its distinctive character, but ultimately undermine much that it’s trying to say. Nevertheless, it’s a warm-hearted, poetic hour, fragile and poignant. (David Kettle) ■ Underbelly Cowgate, 0844 545 8252, until 28 Aug (not 22), noon, £9.50–£10.50 (£8.50–£9.50).

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Reviews | FESTIVAL THEATRE

list.co.uk/festival

PHOTO: DELIA OLAM

PHOTO: IONA FIROUZABADI

DIARY OF A MADMAN

TANK

Inventive yet flawed take on Gogol’s story ●●●●●

Audacious and expertly conceived ●●●●●

Pop Sheeran, a South Queensferry native, is a likeable, dedicated worker whose family has painted the Forth Rail Bridge for generations. When a visiting student from an English university shows up with a new and highly durable brand of paint, Pop begins questioning his value, his heritage and, ultimately, his own sanity. Driven by a series of short, energetic scenes and musical interludes, Al Smith’s script paints a picture of the community’s history, before following Pop’s descent into insanity, in this Gate production directed by Christopher Haydon. Liam Brennan’s performance as Pop is impressively nuanced, capturing his doubt and, memorably, a final outburst of physical anger. Yet the attempt to present Pop as a symbol of Scotland’s loss of identity falls flat. However, the strong cast and the attention to geographical detail bring out the script’s tragedy of a man finding himself undermined by modern technology. Perhaps over-ambitious in its scope, Diary of a Madman is nevertheless an intriguing transfer of a Russian classic into a recognisable Scottish milieu. (Graeme McNee) ■ Traverse, 228 1404, until 28 Aug (not 22), times vary, £18.50 (£13.50).

If you’ve ever wondered what happens when you inject a dolphin with LSD, this is the show for you. But however sensationalist that might sound, the audacious, expertly conceived and often very funny Tank from Breach is about far more: inter-species communication, the unavoidable need for love and, most importantly, the theatrical process itself. It’s based on the story of Margaret (human) and Peter (dolphin), who lived together in a flooded office for ten weeks as part of a NASA-funded project to teach cetaceans to speak English. Just a few tape fragments from the project remain so they’ve had to fill in the gaps with their own ideas. And alongside tortuous, endless language lessons – delivered with actor Joe Boylan squawking dolphinlike noises into a microphone – those ideas include a growing affection between dolphin and human, leading to an icky but inevitable conclusion. The cast can never quite agree on their interpretation, leading to very funny contradictions and corrections about the tale flying across the space between them – and to the big question of how much of any of this we can believe. It’s a highly intelligent, provocative show that also manages to be wildly entertaining. (David Kettle) ■ Pleasance Dome, 556 6550, until 20 Aug, 10.30am, £9–£10 (£8–£9).

JUST LET THE WIND UNTIE MY PERFUMED HAIR . . . OR WHO IS TÁHIRIH? Portrayal of Persian suffragette martyr ●●●●● An Edinburgh University lecture theatre seems an especially pertinent place to set this play about a 19th-century Persian poet and later female suffrage martyr. Decades before western suffragettes, the unusually highly educated Táhirih died for equality. A devout practitioner of the Bábí faith, she believed in equality and unity despite religion and gender. Writer and performer Delia Olam plays Táhirih, Táhirih’s mother, and even her executioner in this powerful and dramatic ode to the suffragette. Olam also composed the captivating live music. She plays the cello and Appalachian dulcimer while she reads Táhirih’s poetry, which lifts the weight of the words and further dramatises this storytelling as live theatre. Táhirih’s nearest and dearest frame her liberal thoughts in a sobering wash of reality. Her own mother offers no pardon. She wonders if her daughter is dead yet, and wishes she’d remembered her true role as a woman. Olam interracts with the audience in lighter moments, and ultimately offers up a set of convincing performances through her precise verbal delivery and beautiful singing. (Adam Bloodworth) ■ Assembly George Square Studios, 623 3030, until 29 Aug, 12.35pm, £11–£13 (£9–£11).

OUT OF OUR FATHER’S HOUSE The history of America through the story of its women ●●●●● Red Compass Productions have made an active commitment to supporting women in all aspects of the theatre-making process. It naturally follows that their production of Out of Our Father’s House has a clear focus on excluded female voices. Taking the stories of seven women from the past 300 years, the four-strong ensemble summon up lost episodes and heroines from American history. Directed by Marya Mazor, and adapted from Eve Merriam’s book Growing Up Female in America by the author, Paula Wagner, and Jack Hofsiss, it draws on diaries, letters, and historical documents. At times, the rapid barrage of characters and exposition can confuse, with only prop and costume motifs identifying changes of character, as each cast member takes on multiple roles. Fortunately, however, they all excel and shift nimbly from ensemble to leading roles. The intelligent structure – which provides a context for each character, and introduces them with a wash of folk music – combines with interludes of singing, bringing history to vivid life. Short vignettes, like when Maria Mitchell, America’s first professional female astronomer, watches a glowing firmament of fairy light stars and spies the comet that will come to bear her name, are illuminated by arresting imagery. But the more expansive scenes are profound and resonant: from a mop-and-bucket-wielding army of women jeering off the defectors from the labour movement, to a spinechilling moment of pure theatricality conjuring an overnight stagecoach journey. As a piece of historical and political theatre, Out of Our Father’s House triumphs in preserving the significance of its inspirational figures. (Elliot Roberts) ■ Gilded Balloon Teviot, 622 6552, until 28 Aug, 12.15pm, £10–£12. 18–29 Aug 2016 THE LIST FESTIVAL 85

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FESTIVAL THEATRE | Reviews

PARTIAL NUDITY Thoughtful comedy about stripping ●●●●● Darren (Joe Layton) is a Magic Mike wannabe from Bolton with his pitiful posing pouch and bravado. When he accidentally encounters hard-bitten professional American stripper Nina (Kate Franz), his attitude towards women and the industry he wants to be part of are tested. Emily Layton’s writing is harsh and hilarious, and the script neatly exposes the double standards around public nudity for men and women. By contrasting two genders, Layton can be more even-handed and there is plenty of hypocrisy on both sides. Nina is supposed to be fearless, yet cannot pluck up the courage to tell her mother how she is funding her way through university; Darren is both aroused and repulsed by Nina’s sexual confidence. Even the complexities of sex industry nomenclature are handled in grand style. Darren speaks disparagingly of the women who his male stripper friends have had in toilets. Nina’s speech about how she isn’t a sex worker is chilling; yet she is acutely aware of how she facilitates and manufactures lust in these men with her act. Partial Nudity avoids rehashing the predictable stories for something more personal and idiosyncratic. With the recent controversy about strip club licences in Edinburgh and London, this play is timely, tense and poignant, with two excellent performances which are both soulful and smart. Unexpectedly lovely. (Lorna Irvine) ■ ZOO, 662 6892, until 27 Aug, 7.55pm, £9 (£7).

PHOTO: PAMELA RAITH

PHOTO: MATHIEU DOYON

I USED TO HEAR FOOTSTEPS

UBU ON THE TABLE

FABRIC

Evocative late-night ghost stories might just get under your skin ●●●●●

Anarchic classic with puppets ●●●●●

Powerful performance but weak script ●●●●●

Having performed Ubu on the Table in French and Spanish over 800 times around the world, theatre company La Pire Espèce made an English adaptation their next challenge. The play is a twist on Alfred Jarry’s Ubu roi, an outrageous parody of Shakespeare’s Macbeth. The play arguably gave birth to modernism, and its zany aesthetic acted as a precursor to surrealist theatre. La Pire Espèce reimagine Ubu by performing the show with puppets around a small table – and kitchen utensils are the leading actors. Confused? Ubu on the Table is a deft and high-octane puppet show. The props – or cast – are well chosen: an upturned teapot proves particularly effective as the murdered king. It’s full of Fringe frivolity, descending into the spectacle of two men flinging lumps of baguette around, conveying warfare with childlike zeal. Unfortunately, the work put in by the two puppeteers often feels unequal to the laughs returned. It’s an energetic show with clever puppeteering, but the tray of foodie ammunition stage left is a foreshadowing too far and the food fight finale becomes overlong. (Adam Bloodworth) ■ Summerhall, 560 1581, until 28 Aug (not 22), 2.35pm, £12 (£10).

Gauche, gushy shop worker Leah (Nancy Sullivan) isn’t terribly clever, but well-meaning and cheeky, the kind of ‘girl’ found twirling her hair and drinking Cherry Lambrini with her bessie mates in karaoke bars in any given city centre on a Saturday night. Into this young woman’s life smarms rich, attractive Ben, seducing her with his charm and money, then abusing her through his sexual demands. Sullivan’s emotive performance is undeniably superb, as she endures horrific trauma after marrying the controlling Ben, but playwright Abi Zakarian’s characterisation is baffling. Leah moves unsteadily from ridiculously awkward and submissive (strange, a 30-year-old modern woman being so naive, and expecting a Prince Charming), to articulate and strong-willed. It doesn’t quite ring true and feels inconsistent. The threads of sexual violence being pulled apart are effective and this is obviously an important issue which needs to be raised in a dramatic context. But the end result is a queasy, heavy-handed play which rather paints working-class Leah as a victim rather than survivor, with very little agency in her life, though the wonderful Nancy Sullivan is clearly a major talent. (Lorna Irvine) ■ Underbelly Cowgate, 0844 545 8252, until 28 Aug, 11.55am £9–£10 (£8–£9).

In many ways, Jack Britton’s one-man ghost story / family drama is just as fragile and elusive as the events he’s trying to describe. It’s a thoughtful investigation into a house in Beeston where he once lived, and the strange noises and inexplicable activities he just about remembers. The more he investigates, the more evidence he turns up – and the more logical he attempts to be about his facts, organising them into nice, neat columns on Summerhall’s anatomy lecture theatre blackboard until the bizarre goings-on defy his systems and chaos threatens to take over. Although it ultimately feels like quite a slight show, Britton has come up with a quietly powerful format for his spooky tales. He almost distracts us with the processes of information sifting and scientific theories explaining coincidence, while still managing to conjure up some truly chilling moments – which are all the more potent for being unexpected. For a late-night chiller, it probably won’t have you leaving the light on when you go to bed, but its uncanny, understated creepiness might just get under your skin. (David Kettle) ■ Summerhall, 560 1581, until 27 Aug (not 18, 20, 22, 24, 26), 10pm, £8 (£6). 86 THE LIST FESTIVAL 18–29 Aug 2016

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FESTIVAL THEATRE | Reviews at a Glance On Ego by Mick Gordon ●●●●●

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

For a Fringe debut, York-based Mind Over Matter theatre company’s beautifully delivered show is a bold achievement – not least because they dare to be calm, considered and reflective. Anna Mawn and Will Heyes’ strikingly simple, elegant design gives the show a gently futuristic, plastic feel that lodges in the memory. (David Kettle) ZOO, 662 6892, until 20 Aug, 2pm, £10 (£8).

Amelia Ryan: Lady Liberty ●●●●●

Ryan is wheeled into Assembly’s The Box on a metal goods carrier. It sets the tone for a constantly surprising show that’s coloured by Ryan’s neverdiminishing energy levels. It tells the story of the Lady Liberty within us all. For Ryan, her Lady Liberty moment was moving from Adelaide. (Adam Bloodworth) Assembly George Square Theatre, 623 3030, until 28 Aug, (not 22) £10–£12.

Ruby and the Vinyl ●●●●●

The production by the John Godber Company pairs legendary writer John Godber with his daughter Elizabeth. In classic Godber style, the script contains plenty of true-to-life dialogue and a handful of pithy chuckles in between the bright, foot-tapping musical numbers. The tone of youthful earnest awkwardness dominates the piece leaving little room for much development of the characters. (Elliot Roberts) Underbelly Cowgate, 0844 545 8252, until 28 Aug, 7.10pm, £9–£10.50 (£8–£9.50).

Angel by Henry Naylor ●●●●●

For the third year, Henry Naylor returns to the Gilded Balloon with a serious play based on current issues in the Middle East, and for the second year running his female performer is the magnetic and versatile Filipa Bragança. Both of his previous pieces earned him a Fringe First, and Angel has repeated that feat. (David Pollock) Gilded Balloon Teviot, 622 6552, until 29 Aug, 4.30pm, £10.50–£12.50 (£9.50–£11.50).

Sacré Blue ●●●●●

Once a vital tool for survival, anxiety has become symptomatic of the human experience. Sacré Blue packs a multitude of material into a gig-style setlist structure. With so much material on display, particular attention is drawn to the less focused moments, where unnecessary repetition or a lack of immediacy threatens to dissipate the energy stimulated in the more engaging moments. (Elliot Roberts) Northern Stage at Summerhall, run ended.

Blood will have Blood ●●●●●

Caught between post-visual and immersive theatre modes, Blood Will Have Blood never hits its stride. The new perspective on Macbeth is welcome, but the company are trying to find their voice: the seeds of future greatness may be there, but this hour is confusing and uncomfortable. (Gareth K Vile) C nova, 0845 260 1234, until 29 Aug, 2.15pm & 9.15pm, £11.50– £13.50 (£9.50–£11.50)

Shake ●●●●●

Blush ●●●●●

The collision of French physical comedy and the intricate plot of Twelfth Night does not always cohere, but the finale resolves the tension into a sequence of witty set pieces that allow the actors to show off their skills and finish the evening with some broad laughter. (Gareth K Vile) Lyceum, run ended.

Scripted as a series of first person monologues, Blush addresses the contemporary topic of revenge porn. The two-strong cast play a wide range of characters and are adept at switching between the roles. They succeed in creating a thought provoking drama exploring the complex issues surrounding shared nudity without ever having to resort to explicitly showing it. (Rowena McIntosh) Underbelly Cowgate, 0844 545 8252, until 28 Aug, 6pm, £10–£11 (£9–£10).

Swivelhead ●●●●●

Bricking It ●●●●●

Joanna Griffin and her father Pat have swapped places. But this is no mere exercise in role play theatre as comedic conceit: having lost their wife and mother recently, Joanna and Pat make her presence felt. The show is never ‘drilled’ to perfection, but what it lacks in slickness it makes up for in emotional articulacy. (Lorna Irvine) Underbelly Cowgate, 0844 545 8252, until 28 Aug, 5.30 pm, £9.50–£10.50 (£8.50–£9.50). The Convolution of Pip and Twig ●●●●●

The storytelling at points risks selling the story short, with a prevalence of pre-recorded sound effects and repetitive action as the piece nears the end. The Convolution of Pip and Twig makes vivid work of its characters, but less striking are the twists and turns of the journey it sends them on. (Elliot Roberts) SpaceTriplex, 510 2395, until 27 Aug (not 21), 6.40pm, £8 (£6) Dublin Oldschool ●●●●●

You can feel the seething energy in Emmet Kirwan’s hectic, frantic, chemically enhanced trip through the Irish capital. His wild linguistic exuberance makes the show spellbinding, as two men slip in and out of rap and speech, sparking off each other magnificently. It’s not always easy to follow, but keep up and it’s an unforgettable switchback journey. (David Kettle) Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 28 Aug (not 22), 1pm, £7.50–£10 (£6.50–£9). The Empire Builders ●●●●●

The power of the play is in the clarity of the production, which reduces bourgeois optimism to a small space, bounded by tape and doubt. Strong performances and an increasingly

In Tents and Purposes

desperate atmosphere ensure that the absurdist vision is evident even to the vicious end. (Gareth K Vile) Institut français d’Écosse, 225 5366, until 21 Aug, 6.30pm, £12 (£10) F*cking Men ●●●●●

It is superb how writer Joe Dipietro involves so many characters – all with their own unique stories – but doesn’t allow this to interfere with a strong, clear narrative. Dipietro’s play presents a deep study of the three central men when it could have easily been a weaker, more general, ensemble piece. (Adam Bloodworth) Assembly George Square Studios, 623 3030, until 29 Aug (not 23), 3.55pm, £13–£15 (£11–£13). Hess ●●●●●

Derek Crawford Munn brings to life Rudolph Hess, the last Nazi prisoner to die in Spandau. The actor plays the war leader with gentle force and exacting bite. It’s a tour-de-force performance that serves to make his situation pitiful, rather than sympathetic. (Adam Bloodworth) Gilded Balloon Teviot, 622 6552, until 29 Aug (not 23), £10–£12 (£9–£11). In Tents and Purposes ●●●●●

The play examines what might happen if we could alter incidents from our past that define us. The duo’s comedic work is magnificently sparky as they competitively put each other down in the meta moments, then act out edits in the script to benefit the characters. (Adam Bloodworth) Assembly George Square Studios, 623 3030, until 29 Aug (not 22), £9–£11 (£8–£10). Jules Verne’s Extraordinary Voyages: The Lighthouse at the

End of the World ●●●●●

Ben Dyson as Paddy has plenty of memorable one-liners, while still convincingly charting his character’s descent into despair. Juliet Welch is tender as his sister Hattie, and Lewis Howard gives a superbly nuanced, considered performance as young recruit Callum. This is serious, thoughtprovoking stuff that sets its sights high, and scores a direct hit. (David Kettle) Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 29 Aug, 3.10pm, £8–£10 (£7–£9).

The naked and unchanging set on which the drama happens creates frequent ambiguity about the action’s setting that the excessively wordy script fails to illuminate. What might, in more seasoned hands, have been a thrilling tale of adventure, piracy, and hiding from bad guys, unfortunately disappoints as a dull, uninspired skeleton of a show. (Jordan Shaw) C nova, until 29 Aug, 4.45pm, £8.50–£10.50 (£6.50–£8.50).

The Vaudevillains ●●●●●

Love for Sale ●●●●●

We Live By the Sea ●●●●●

There are many parallels drawn here between the Weimar Republic and contemporary austerity-marked Britain, where radical theatre provides an alternative to reality by alluding to the human condition with a weary smile and a knowing wink. Burke and Atkins ultimately succeed in a heartfelt and stylish show which is as intelligent as it is decadent. (Lorna Irvine) Assembly Hall, 623 3030, until 29 Aug, 5.45pm £11–£12 (£10–£11).

Patch of Blue theatre company have something quite special going on, as they’ve proved with several big-hearted Fringe shows in recent years combining touching, poignant stories with exuberant theatricality. And We Live By the Sea is no exception – a show that can bring a tear to the eye while wowing with its homespun stage inventiveness. (David Kettle) Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 29 Aug, 4.30pm, £7–£9 (£6–£8).

Nel ●●●●●

World Without Us ●●●●●

Multi-tasking between acting, singing, puppetry and succulent sound effects, the four-strong cast throw everything they have into the show, and the result is a high-energy, entertaining, laugh-outloud hour of touching whimsy, even if its structure could do with tightening, and its themes clarifying. Nevertheless, Nel must have the most charming, humorous outro anywhere on the Fringe. (David Kettle) Pleasance Dome, 556 6550, until 29 Aug, 3pm, £8.50–£10 (£7.50–£9).

This latest work from Ontroerend Goed – the ever-inventive Belgian company behind legendary Fringe shows Internal and Audience – is a lengthy narrative poem about a world devoid of human life. The narrator, today performed by Valentijn Dhaenens, delivers an impressive performance, but the show’s drawn-out length and lack of visual stimulation may be too much for some. (Yasmin Sulaiman) Summerhall, 560 1581, until 28 Aug (not 22), 11.30am, £12 (£10).

The individual routines vary in quality, but the overall narrative is a little slim, serving more to hold the action together. Yet the range of skills within the cast is impressive and the ensemble have a distinctive dynamism: the songs lack enough identity to make this a memorable musical. (Gareth K Vile) Assembly George Square, until 28 Aug, 10.10pm, £14–£16 (£12.50–£14.50).

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Festival

VISUAL ART

For m info gootroe

LIST.CO.UK /FESTIVAL

ALICE NEEL: THE SUBJECT AND ME

PHOTO: THE ESTATE OF ALICE NEEL

An extraordinary ﬁgurative painter with a distinctive and sometimes disturbing style Alice Neel doesn’t sit comfortably in the art history books. While her peers were making conceptual art, she made expressive figurative paintings. For today’s gallery-goers, her work will come as a shock to the system: not just oil paintings but oil paintings of people. If an artist today had made them, they would struggle to be taken seriously without inventing a conceptual slant to justify it. No doubt there are Alice Neels working this century who will wait a long time before receiving recognition. Neel was an extraordinary painter with a troubled psyche, yet her paintings aren’t entirely pessimistic. There is a feeling that her portraits were an attempt to accept her subjects –

or have her subjects accept themselves. Occasionally they feel more morose, often downright disturbing. In the case of ‘The Family’ (1980), a young mother is surrounded by children who stare back at us with naturalistic faces. The mother’s face, by contrast, is completely distorted as if her selfhood has been robbed by her status as a mother. Though her paintings are distinctive – her sitters are often attributed caricature features and are usually heavily outlined in blue – there are definite touches of Gauguin and Van Gogh: the thickly applied paint, the contrasting colours, and the dreaminess of her flowing lines. The best thing about this show though is

the large display of drawings that tell us so much about her life and what informed her final paintings. Most people would assume that something darker lurks beneath her brightly coloured canvases, but you wouldn’t expect this to be proven so dramatically in her sketches and watercolours. Black ink drawings of skulls and troubled-looking children reveal the artist’s angst around the time she was receiving therapy. Painting wasn’t merely a choice for Neel, but something on which she depended to work through the darkest chapters of her life. (Laura Campbell) ■ Talbot Rice Gallery, 650 2210, until 8 Oct, free. ●●●●●

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FESTIVAL VISUAL ART | Hitlist

ART HITLIST Rachael Cloughton highlights some of the best visual art to check out in week three of the festival BANI ABIDI: MEMORIAL TO LOST WORDS New sound installation warms the austere Old Royal High School’s debating chamber with the poignant letters and songs of Indian WWI soldiers and their families. Old Royal High School, 226 6558, until 28 Aug, free. SALLY HACKETT: THE FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH A brilliant birthday cake-shaped fountain that celebrates life and youth, while mischievously sprinkling water over unsuspecting tourists visiting the Museum of Edinburgh. See reivew, page 93. Museum of Edinburgh, Rear Courtyard, until 28 Aug, free. BARBARA RAE: RETURN JOURNEY A journey through the prolific practice of this brilliant Scottish landscape painter. Why hasn’t there been a solo exhibition of Rae’s work in a public gallery before? See review, page 93. Open Eye Gallery, 557 1020, until 31 Aug, free.

ALICE NEEL: THE SUBJECT AND ME A retrospective exhibition of drawings and late paintings by the groundbreaking American figurative painter, which focuses as much on the turbulent events that shaped her life as her candid and striking portraits. See reivew, page 89. Talbot Rice Gallery, 650 2210 until 8 Oct, free. KENNY HUNTER: REPRODUCTIVE! Solo exhibition by leading Scottish sculptor which embraces ‘the copy’, suggesting through a series of new works that reproduction is an ongoing creative process. See review, page 93. Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop, 551 4490, until 24 Sep, free. ARTIST ROOMS – JOSEPH BEUYS: A LANGUAGE OF DRAWING Captivating exhibition of more than 130 drawings by the legendary German artist, taken from the touring ARTIST ROOMS collection, and a display exploring his unique collaborative relationship with Richard Demarco. See feature, page 91. Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, 624 6200, until 30 Oct, free.

Joseph Beuys

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Joseph Beuys | FESTIVAL VISUAL ART

list.co.uk/festival

‘He wasn’t an artist. He was my friend’

PHOTO: DACS 2016

Arts patron Richard Demarco guides David Pollock through the work of the late Joseph Beuys, his long-time friend and one of the most essential artists of the late 20th century

‘T

his is one of the most important pieces, look at this,’ says Richard Demarco, pacing the length of one of the upper rooms of Modern Two (formerly the Dean Gallery) at the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art . He’s just shown us Joseph Beuys’ ‘Naturgeschichte (Natural History)’, a relief piece of painted board inspired by the work of Max Ernst, which he calls ‘the most exceptional concept of a drawing’. Now we’re pacing over to a large photograph of Beuys, sombre and vaguely Bowie-ish in trilby and long fur coat, pictured with one of the sledges he used in ‘The Pack’, from his 1970 Edinburgh debut show Strategy Get Arts. ‘I brought Beuys to Edinburgh because I wanted the Festival to be taken seriously,’ says Demarco. ‘This (‘The Pack’) is about global warming. This,’ he points to the sledges, ‘is what the human race will have to get used to in a world of no sunlight. This is all we’ll have when cars are gone, and it’s what the Edinburgh Festival will have to face up to. I find these pieces so beautiful, so touching.’ Demarco and the late Beuys, of course, had a singular history together, and with the former’s home city of Edinburgh. Demarco, now an intense and curious 86, co-founded the original Traverse Theatre in 1963 and left for his own Demarco Gallery three years later. It survived until 1992, despite funding cuts, which he agrees may have been down to his presentation of a controversial

work about the IRA hunger striker Bobby Sands in 1980. Beuys, meanwhile, was arguably the most important artist of the late 20th century, a German former Luftwaffe pilot (‘he joined up because he loved flying,’ explains Demarco, ‘and he was mortified when he looked back on what had been done’) who was instrumental in the Fluxus movement. In Demarco’s words, Dada was a nonsensical post-WWI reaction to the madness of war, while Fluxus was a reaction to the darkness of a war which contained Auschwitz. He presented Beuys’ work eight times in Edinburgh between 1970 and Beuys’ death in 1986, although Demarco believes that everything Beuys created was a part of one single larger work. Demarco is no lover of the contemporary art world, but he’s here in Modern Two to discuss two concurrent exhibitions which celebrate both Beuys’ work and his relationship with Demarco and Edinburgh. He greets gallery assistants and visitors, asking them to sign their name and their thoughts in the red book he carries with him, laughing that no contemporary curator would do such a thing. ‘The scientist’s job is to discover something which already exists, and the artist’s is to create something which does not,’ he says, ‘that’s why the artist is more important, I believe.’ ‘Come downstairs, I’d like to show you something,’ he says after almost an hour. It

turns out that ‘something’ is a car ride away across the city at Summerhall in the shape of his own essential Beuys exhibition from his own archive, and a performance piece entitled ‘Emballage’, which responds to his archive and the work of Beuys, Marina Abramovic, Rose Finn-Kelcey, Bobby Baker, Tadeusz Kantor, and others contained therein. ‘Two weeks before he died, we spoke for the last time on the phone,’ says Demarco in the car. ‘He told me he was going to turn my gallery into a work of art so I could sell it and escape the art world. The last words he said were, “goodbye Richard, I love you”. And I said them back. Now, what curator would say that to an artist these days? But he wasn’t an artist. He was my friend.’ Joseph Beuys: A Language of Drawing, Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, Modern Two, 624 6200, until 30 Oct, free. Richard Demarco and Joseph Beuys: A Unique Partnership, Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, Modern Two, 624 6200, until 16 Oct, free. Joseph Beuys x 1000, Summerhall, 560 1580, until 30 Sep, free. Emballage, Summerhall, 560 1580, until 20 Aug, 2.15pm, £8 (£6). 18–29 Aug 2016THE LIST FESTIVAL 91

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Reviews | FESTIVAL VISUAL ART

list.co.uk/festival PHOTO: GRAEME YULE

BARBARA RAE: RETURN JOURNEY

KENNY HUNTER: REPRODUCTIVE!

Welcome retrospective of Scottish artist ●●●●●

Sculptor questions the role of ‘the copy’ ●●●●●

It could feel like a risk for a private gallery to devote its entire space for the month of the Edinburgh Festival to a single artist. This exhibition feels like a no-brainer. After several rooms of paintings spanning 50 years of Barbara Rae’s career, you’re left chiefly with one question: why is there not a bigger retrospective in a public institution? A scattering of early works from the 1960s and 1970s show flashes of colour emerging from dark backgrounds. By the late 1980s, colour is everywhere, strong, saturated shades, adeptly placed to riff off one another. Rae moves fluidly between painting and printmaking, and combines the two. Forms that could be dismissed as simple gradually yield up more and more detail. Almost always, the starting point lies in landscape. The palette will vary depending on the location and the time of day. Sometimes Rae seems to combine in a single canvas the sense of looking across a landscape and looking down from an aerial perspective. At other times she seems to cut a plane through the land itself. Complex and bold and dancing on the edge of abstraction, Rae’s paintings leave us in no doubt that we are in the presence of a major artist. (Susan Mansfield) ■ Open Eye Gallery, 557 1020, until 31 Aug, free.

Artists have been questioning the role of the copy in contemporary art for decades. In this solo exhibition, Kenny Hunter opens up the debate in relation to contemporary sculpture, arguing that reproduction is an ongoing creative process rather than a series of meaningless repetitions without the ‘aura’ of an original. Hunter argues that sculpture’s production of models and casts lends itself readily to the creation of multiples and blurs the distinction between original and copy. He says, ‘within the field of sculpture reproduction has always been present and key to its development’. His work, ‘Two Identical Forms, 2016’ fits neatly with this argument, where a white plaster cast and a bronze sculpture of the same model sit side by side. Hunter also explores the possibilities of digital processes. In ‘Migration of the Aura (Endless Edition)’, he has created a small and unassuming sculpture of a nuclear mushroom cloud, which is also available as a free download. He thereby opens his image up for reuse; a democratic approach to the sharing of imagery which is so prevalent in today’s culture. (Rosie Lesso) ■ Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop, 551 4490, until 24 Sep, free.

DONOVAN & SIEGEL: HISTORY MACHINES UK premiere of work by Toronto artists ●●●●● Contemporary art often seems to have an uneasy relationship with printmaking, but Canadian artists Matt Donovan and Hallie Siegel are entirely comfortable, both in using it as their medium, and pulling it apart to look at what it does. Some works in this Edinburgh Printmakers show engage with historic processes, such as the ‘SelfPrinting Book’, with its brass typeset pages. Text works on the walls appear much more modern, showing a sustained interest in typography. There is such a range of work, even in this comparatively small space, that it’s hard at times to work out the focus of their concerns. They playfully fuse ancient and modern with the ‘Haikube’ – a kind of Rubik’s cube for the making of haiku poetry, and the ‘Portrait project’, a wheel which prints out a looping text by Canadian poet Christian Bok. Other works ask questions of the digital, such as ‘Alias’, which uses embossed squares to mirror and magnify the effect of pixellation. While it sets out to show the frustration of trying to render a perfect curve, it becomes a beautiful abstract work in itself. (Susan Mansfield) ■ Edinburgh Printmakers, 557 2479, until 22 Oct, free.

SALLY HACKETT: THE FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH

PHOTO: ROSS FRASER MCLEAN

Irreverent monument dedicated to youth ●●●●● There is something audacious about plonking an enormous birthday cake-shaped fountain slap-bang in the middle of the courtyard belonging to the Museum of Edinburgh. It’s immediately obvious what the title of the work is: gaudy gold letters like birthday candles protrude from the ‘cake’s’ baby-blue icing to proclaim ‘The Fountain of Youth’. Against the backdrop of a historical building, with its grey stonework and austere relics from 16th-century Edinburgh, Sally Hackett’s monument to youth is both brilliant and faintly ridiculous. Each tier is lavishly decorated with ceramics glazed by children from Tollcross Primary School. Hackett’s work often adopts a faux-naïve aesthetic, so contributions by children don’t look out of place. Though the many head-shaped ceramics were clearly designed to contain the children’s self-portraits, a large proportion seem to have diverged from the plan. Among the blobby faces are paintings of trees, trucks and people dancing. The best one is mostly blank with a tiny drawing of a cat floating in the middle. Despite its apparent frivolity, The Fountain of Youth is supposed to draw our attention to more serious issues around representation and the veneration of youth. Edinburgh is a city stuffed with monuments in commemoration of (mostly deserving) older men, but women and young people are almost absent. However, it’s hard to dwell too long on such matters in the presence of such a brazenly optimistic-looking fountain: it’s much easier to watch its jets of water spit merrily over the tiers to hit disgruntled tourists in search of historical artefacts. While hardly groundbreaking, this is a joyous and delightfully irreverent artwork. It seems to suggest that we ought to spend less time commemorating the dead and more time living in the moment: a sentiment no one can really dispute. (Laura Campbell) ■ Museum of Edinburgh, Rear Courtyard, until 28 Aug, free. 18–29 Aug 2016 THE LIST FESTIVAL 93

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THE LIST EVENTS

The List

EVENTS

ART LATE: THE VAN T’S

Highlights from our packed festival events programme

EVENTS CALENDAR

Glasgow four-piece take on Jupiter Artland

roviding an alternative view of the city’s art scene, Edinburgh Art Festival’s Art Late programme has been satisfying creative cravings throughout the Fringe. The series has offered a detour away from festival madness, taking attendees to various venues, from the National Museum of Scotland on Chambers Street to the amazing Leith Theatre. And on Thursday 25 August, the Van T’s will perform at Jupiter Artland, where the series will end its season in one of the art festival's best venues. The Glasgow quartet borrow sounds from several decades to mould their hazy surf-rock style, as showcased on their debut EP Laguna Babe. Their bold combination of 60s pop and 90s grunge offers a nostalgic trip, with plenty of noise thrown in for good measure. The band is fast becoming the latest of Scotland’s ‘ones to watch’, playing recent support slots with Honeyblood and Yuck, as well as sets at T in the Park, Electric Fields and the Wide Days convention. Their position is further cemented by their latest EP A Coming of Age, which provides a potential taster of what is yet to come from their debut album. Revellers will start at the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art (Modern Two), then head over to Donovan & Siegel’s ‘Rust Garden’ outdoor installation at Castle Mill Works. You’ll then be transported to Jupiter Artland, the picturesque art and sculpture park just 10 miles outside of Edinburgh, where the Van T’s will play the final gig in this year’s series of art-gig-party mash-ups. (Arusa Qureshi) Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art (Modern Two), 624 6200, 25 Aug, 5.45pm.

ART LATE 4 See preview left. Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art (Modern Two), 624 6200, 25 Aug, 5.45pm. SOLD OUT.

MUSEUM AFTER HOURS Enjoy a host of international Fringe acts over the final two Fridays of the festival, as they perform across three stages in the National Museum of Scotland. From comedy to dance and everything in between, expect some incredible entertainment, accompanied by bars and street food, with free entry to the museum’s Celts exhibition. National Museum of Scotland, 0300 123 6789, 19, 26 Aug, 7.30pm, £18 (£16).

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FESTIVAL INDEX

Festival INDEX A Boy Named Sue .............................76 A Good Clean Heart ..........................76 Abandoman ......................................49 After Hours.........................................94 Ahir Shah .......................................5, 36 Al Porter ............................................44 Alan Cumming ...................................34 Alex Kealy .........................................49 Alfie Brown ........................................49 Alice Fraser .......................................49 Alice Neel .................................5, 89, 90 Alison Thea-Skot ..............................49 Amelia Ryan ......................................88 Amy Schumer ...................................36 Andrew Doyle ...................................49 Andrew Hunter Murray .....................49 Andy Bridge .......................................49 Andy Field .........................................49 Angel ............................................74, 88 Anything That Gives Off Light .......5, 74 Ari Shaffir ...........................................43 Art Late ..............................................94 Awesome Tapes from Africa .............66 Ayelet Gunder-Goshan ......................33 Bani Abidi...........................................90 Barbara Rae .................................90, 93 Beth Vyse ..........................................37 Bethany Black ...................................42 Bilal Zafar ...........................................42 Bird .....................................................57 Blood Will Have Blood ......................88 Blush ..................................................88 Bounty of Beards...............................49 Bricking It ...........................................88 Briony Redman ..................................49 Camille O’Sullivan........................66, 71 Captain Flinn and the Pirate Dinosaurs 2 .............................62 Cara Ellison & Simon Parkin .............31 Children are Stinky ......................62, 63 Chris Gethard ....................................36 Christeene......................................4, 17 Closer by Circa ........................5, 56, 58 Colin Hoult ........................................47 Cosi fan Tutte...........................5, 66, 68 Counting Sheep ...................1, 4, 19, 74 Croft & Pearce ..................................49 Cuncrete ............................................78 Daniel Kitson............................5, 77, 96 Daniel Nils Roberts ...........................49 Danielle Ward ....................................49 Daphne ..............................................44 Darren Connell ..................................46 David Elms .........................................49 Deal With the Dragon ........................78 Des Clarke ........................................49 Diane Spencer ..................................49 Diary of a Madman ...........................85 Dick Coughlan ..................................49 Dominic Frisby ...................................49 Donovan and Siegel ..........................93 Dropped .............................................84 Dublin Oldschool ...............................88 E15 .....................................................82 Ed Patrick .........................................49 Edinburgh Metal Party ......................68 Elf Lyons ...........................................49 Ellie Taylor .........................................49

Emma Pollock ....................................66 Éowyn Emerald & Dancers..........56, 58 Erin McGathy ....................................43 Eska ...................................................66 Eula Biss & Chitra Ramaswamy with Gavin Francis .......................30, 34 Fabric .................................................86 Fern Brady .....................................4, 36 Finding Joy ........................................88 Forest Fringe........................................9 Foxdog Studios ................................49 Frankenstein ......................................78 Fringe First ...........................................8 F*cking Men ...................................8, 88 Garth Greenwell ...........................32, 34 Giant ...................................................82 Goodbear ..........................................49 Gordon Brown ...................................34 Graeme Macrae Burnet .....................31 Grandaddy ...........................................5 Guy Masterson .................................50 Hadley Freeman ................................30 Harriet Kemsley .................................50 Head in the Clouds ......................62, 63 Hess .............................................74, 88 Hollie McNish.....................................30 Horace................................................43 How to be a Rockstar........................64 I Used to Hear Footsteps .................86 Imagine Better ...................................34 In Tents and Purposes.......................88 Infinity Pool: a Modern Retelling of Madame Bovary................. Irvine Welsh .......................................34 Jake Yapp .........................................50 Jamali Maddix ..................................50 James Meehan .................................50 James Nokise ...................................50 James Wilson-Taylor .........................50 Jamie MacDonald .............................50 Jan Carson and Lara Williams ..........30 Jane Postlethwaite ...........................50 Jeanette Winterson ...........................32 Joe DeRosa .......................................39 John-Luke Roberts ............................50 John Pendal .......................................47 Johnny Cochrane ..............................50 Jonas Muller Regrets Writing This F*cking Masterpiece..................84 Jonathan Safran Foer ..............5, 30, 31 Jonny Pelham ...................................50 Joseph Beuys ....................................90 Judith Kerr .........................................34 Juliet Jacques..............................30, 32 Juno Dawson .....................................32 Just Let The Wind Untie My Perfumed Hair..............................85 Katy Brand .........................................39 Ken Do’s Success for Losers ............50 Kenny Hunter ...............................90, 93 Kevin Barry ........................................34 Kieran Boyd ......................................50 Kieran Hodgson .......................4, 36, 46 King Creosote ..............................66, 68 Kirsty Gunn ........................................34 Krapp 39 ............................................88 Lady Rizo ...................................1, 4, 10 Lana Schwarcz .................................48

Need help navigating your way around our Festival coverage? We’ve made a neat list of all the Festival shows covered in this issue right here. We’ll leave you to add your own highlighter pen notes or Biro scribbles around it, as you wish

Lara Williams ...............................30, 31 Larry Dean .........................................37 Last Call .............................................81 Letters to Windsor House .................75 Life According to Saki .................74, 81 Liza Pulman .......................................71 Local Heroes ..................................4, 14 Love for Sale .....................................88 Low Hanging Fruit ............................50 Luca Cupani.......................................39 Lucy, Lucy and Lucy Barfield ...........77 Maggie O’Farrell ..........................30, 34 Martin Cathcart Froden & David Sanger .....................................34 Mary M and Bryan Talbot ..................31 Matthew Highton ..............................50 Maureen Langan ...............................50 Mavericks ..........................................50 Mawaan Rizwan ...............................50 Max & Ivan ........................................44 Michael Burgos..................................50 Michel Faber ......................................34 Mike Ward .........................................48 Mikey and Addie ................................64 Mogwai and Mark Cousins .....5, 66, 71 Molly Whuppie .............................62, 64 Mouse ......................................5, 77, 96 Museum After Hours .........................94 Naomi Petersen ................................53 Nath Valvo .........................................53 Nazeem Hussain ...............................46 Nel ......................................................88 Neu! Reekie!.......................................34 Nick Cody .........................................53 Nish Kumar ..................................36, 43 Niteworks .....................................66, 67 Njambi McGrath ................................53 Ockham’s Razor ................................56 On Ego ...............................................88 One Day Moko ...................................77 Only Bones ........................................57 Orlando Baxter ..................................53 Out of Our Father’s House ................85 Packie Bonner ...................................34 Partial Nudity ..............................74, 86 Patrick deWitt & Annelies Verbeke ...............................34 Patrick Melton ..................................53 Paul McMullan ...................................53 Paul Morley ........................................31 Pernilla Holland ................................53 Peter and Bambi Heaven ..................78 Phil Dunning .....................................53 Plague of Idiots .................................53 Please Excuse My Dear Aunt Sally .................................76 POP-UP Duets .............................56, 58 Pss Pss ..............................................57 Puddles ..............................................36 Raw ....................................................56 Richard Brown ...................................37 Richard Demarco...............................37 Richard Gadd...........................5, 36, 47 Robert Newman.................................53 Roddy Woomble & Friends ...............34 Rowena Hutson ................................53 Ruby and the Vinyl ............................88 Russ Peers ........................................53

Sacré Blue..........................................88 Sage Francis and B Dolan ................66 Sally Hackett ................................90, 93 Sam Campbell ...................................53 Sam Savage .......................................53 Sarah Callaghan ................................53 Sarah Kendall ....................................47 Scary Shit...........................................58 Scott Agnew ......................................53 Scott Gibson ......................................42 Scottish Ballet .........................5, 55, 56 Section 33 ..........................................26 Shake .................................................88 Shakespeare for Breakfast................81 Shappi Khorsandi ..............................44 Simon Munnery .................................48 Sofie Hagen .......................................42 Spencer Jones ............................36, 48 Stacey Hunter ....................................14 Stanley Odd .......................................34 Starman..............................................65 Sue Perkins ........................................32 Susie Youssef ....................................53 Suzi Ruffell .........................................53 Swivelhead.........................................88 Tank ....................................................85 Tap Pack ............................................57 The Convolution of Pip and Twig ......88 The Duke ............................................76 The Empire Builders ....................74, 88 The Flint & Pitch Revue .....................34 The Glass Menagerie .......................73 The Lighthouse at the End of the World ................................88 The Lounge ........................................77 The Man Who Knows Everything......64 The Many Doors of Frank Feelbad .....................5, 61, 62 The MMORPG Show .........................50 The Road to Huntsville ......................84 The Snow Queen .........................62, 63 The Story of Mr B ....................4, 62, 63 The Tap Pack .....................................57 The Van T’s.........................................94 The Vaudevillains ...............................88 The View from Castle Rock ...............30 This Glorious Monster ......................46 Tom Gauld ..........................................34 Tom Walker .......................................53 Tommy Tiernan ..................................39 Tongue Fu ..........................................29 Travelling Sisters ..............................53 Trumpageddon .................................82 Two Kittens and a Kid .......................82 Twonkey’s Mumbo Jumbo Hotel .....37 Ubu on the Table ..............................86 Us / Them ..........................................74 Vic Galloway and Friends..............4, 34 Viv Groskop ......................................53 We Live by the Sea ............................88 Wilko Johnson ...................................30 Withered Hand ...................................66 Yokes Night ........................................84 Youssou N’Dour .................................68 Zero Down .........................................81 Zoe Coombs Marr .............................36 Zoë Howe...........................................34 Zoom Club .........................................22 18–29 Aug 2016 THE LIST FESTIVAL 95

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MOUSE

Comic

REVIEW As the clock creeps towards midnight, Daniel Kitson owns the Traverse. But is Mouse a tragedy hidden in a comedy, or another exercise in middle-aged white male angst? We dissect the show in pictures (left) and words (see review, page 77). Traverse, 228 1404, until 28 Aug (not 22), 10pm, £12. Sold out.

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