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The
Edinburgh Fringe
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Fringe 2004 Reviews (17)The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and
Mr Hyde Adam Brace has created an extraordinary evening from Robert Louis Stevenson's short chiller. He has deconstructed the novel and adapted it for the stage with an eye out both for every opportunity to amuse and also to maintain the drama of the story. While there are only two, barefooted actors on stage, they are supplemented by a pair of top-hatted musicians who create a wonderful atmosphere using percussion, Mike Collins and electronic wizardry, Paul Rains. Director, Thom Rains has a wicked and puckish sense of humour that ensures that the pair of actors, he and Tom Stuart get lots of laughs from both the physical and the verbal wit. By the end, the piece manages the tricky combination of telling the tragic story of a man transformed into a monster by drugs, the quasi detective story of the lawyer Utterson on his tail and the comedy. Great fun Philip Fisher Playing It Cool It might be sensible to declare an interest, as Rachel Lynn Brody is BTG's resident Edinburgh reviewer. That makes it an even greater pleasure when her play, albeit on a small scale, turns out to be so good. Would be Valley Girl Beth has returned to wet Buffalo to chill after three years away. Her neighbour at an LA ad agency has freaked out and sensible Beth has escaped while she still has her wits. Her best friend prior to departure is the insecure, wisecracking Sam. Where Beth is driven, Sam is biding his time managing a Starbucks. He is delighted to have her back for friendship and perhaps something more. The interaction between actors Melinda Wright and Stephen Stocking is good, especially as they are still University students. It helps them that the characters are well drawn and that they have an experienced director, Joyce Stilson. In particular, Miss Wright is utterly convincing when Beth needs to bring Sam down after a big disappointment. Playing it Cool may not be the most ambitious play, addressing only a single issue. However, it contains much humour and is very well written. It will be very interesting to see a longer and more intricate play from the very promising Rachel Lynn Brody, at some time soon. Philip Fisher Fuse Andrew Buckland's last play in Traverse 2, the remarkably exuberant The Well Being, was a real joy. Fuse is more thoughtful but equally funny, with the dual capacity to move and amuse its audience. If his prediction is right, life in 2136 could be pretty terrifying unless you happen to be a microbe. The first few minutes of Fuse present physical theatre as funny as anything in Edinburgh this year. Phil, played by the writer, is an autistic scientist who is trying to teach his laboratory rats Pi and prime numbers. His morning ablutions as presented by Buckland together with Mongi Mthomberni and Daniel Buckland leave the audience rolling in the aisles in response to human mirrors and showers, beds and alarm clocks. This is only topped by the knuckle sandwich and the effort that the poor man goes through to cross a doorway. The science fiction element of the plot develops as two microbes invade Phil and help him to wipe out mankind. It is only with the help of his best friends, 6 and 40, the labrats, that everything comes right at the last. In order to get there, they have to clone and train up a human being. Even Darwin might have appreciated this reversal of the principles of evolution. This play has it all. Wonderful physical theatre, a political dimension and great comedy. The whole is cleverly directed by another member of the Buckland clan, Janet, and features good performances from the two supports and an outstanding one from the writer. Philip Fisher |
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