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The
Edinburgh Fringe
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Fringe 2002 Reviews (11)A Midsummer Night's Dream In the Fringe programme this is listed under Musicals and Opera, presumably because it accompanied by live music. There is certainly no singing: the fairies' song is actually omitted. This is - so it seems from their programme - a youth theatre company. Youth theatres should be adventurous and choose shows which challenge them. Schhh!, however, have bitten off more than they can chew here: they have enthusiasm and ideas, energy and attack, but technique is sadly lacking. Lines are gabbled, words slur into each other, and the verse is either ignored or sing-song. True, the audience clearly enjoyed it. The humour came over well, but the production was very broad and all the subtlety of the text was lost - and the Pyramus and Thisbe performance - a gift to young actors - was played out at breakneck speed in dumb show. The cutting (necessary because of Fringe time constraints) was unusual - imagine a Dream without Theseus and Hippolyta! Peter Lathan Goering's Defence Inevitably - Guy Masterson even mentions it in the programme - this play invites comparison with Pip Utton's Adolf, a play which has had enormous success and which is still touring. One could almost say that they complement each other: Utton's piece unveils so effectively the racist in us all and this play, which is based on the things Goering actually said at his trial, shows us why so many Germans supported him and willingly gave up their freedom. He makes it clear that the main cause of the rise of Hitler and the Nazis was the treaty of Versailles: were it not for the effects of that - ity has to be admitted - inequitable treaty, the German people would not have felt the need for strong leadership. Goering presents himself as the reasonable man: he was not a Jew hater and the invsion of Poland was wrong. But he undermines himself immediately: the invasions of Austria and the Sudentenland were right; Britain was to blame for the war by sticking to its treating with Poland. He made no attempt to excuse himself, to wriggle out of responsibility. He would tell the truth, for, he says, "truth is power". In any case, he knew that his fate was already decided: "This kangaroo court is not about establishing our guilt," he says at one point. It is chilling to hear the horrors of Nazi-ism, especially the concentration camps and death camps, described simply as instruments of policy - "The Jews I know were not the parasites sucking our blood", but of course he did now about the death camps ("How could I not?") but they were "Himmler's death camps", as if that excused him. It is a gripping piece, but lacks that little extra that Adolf has, that gut-wrenching moment when we realise that we have been drawn in and are beginning to think the unthinkable. Here we are outside all the time: our attitudes may shift slightly, but Goering remains what he was, one of the prime movers of one of the most evil regimes of modern times. Peter Lathan Taboo Comedy? Theatre? A bit of both? Neither? God knows: I don't. Trevor Stuart asks us to examine the taboos of our society. He enters in a strait-jacket, pouring out a string of very wordy invective while dragging a skateboard tied by a string to his penis. It can only get better, can't it? Well, he does get dressed. Otherwise he throws at us a whole series of jokes, images, comments, demands, all intended to shock, horrify, break taboos. They might have done, if he was playing to a WI somewhere in middle England, but to a late night audience on the Fringe? Not a chance. Good taboo-breaking theatre always gets an audience at the Fringe: here the house was a third full at best, in spite of at least one review which said something along the lines of "Oo! Shocking! Very funny!" I give it five bollocks. Peter Lathan Sweetness Follows This is an exceedingly powerful play that addresses uncomfortable issues that society would rather ignore. Claire and Dan meet at their parents' house following a car crash that has wiped out both parents. The play starts with Claire, played by Camilla Pettit, frying up bacon and eggs on stage, no mean feat at the Edinburgh Fringe. Initially, as well as sadness, there is a great rivalry between the two. In part, this is the result of their childhood in which Claire was daddy's little girl and Callum O'Neill's Dan was deeply jealous. It soon becomes apparent that he was the lucky one, though. They both have real trouble with relationships. Claire's Mark is very dul,l as she immediately acknowledges, and Dan's main love is a trout called Annabel. After their first jousts, they create a mini-wake and sink half a bottle of vodka between them. This loosens their tongues and releases very raw emotions. They realise that behind the voluble rivalry lies a deep affection and worse, love. There is then a scene of incredible power as they try to resist the urge to fall on each other. They even discuss the possibility of running off and living as man and wife. Neil Sheppeck has written a really serious and shocking drama about love and is exceptionally well supported by both members of his cast. The audience cannot help but be shaken. Philip Fisher |
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