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The
Edinburgh Fringe
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Fringe 2004 Reviews (18)The Duchess of Malfi How often does one see an advertisement for a play or film that promises an exciting experience, only to be disappointed? Often enough so that when a production does carry through on the hint of adventure offered by its publicity material, it's worth taking note. Alone, the red and black set, shared costumes, white face paint (with black deformities sketched over the face of each player), effective blood-and-gore effects, antiquated recordings and puppetry would make for a production more exciting than most. But when one adds to this the pitch-perfect musical interludes (sung acapella by members of the company), good knowledge of their text, chilling interchanges between characters, and flawless comic timing, The Duchess of Malfi becomes a must-see show. Throughout the show, each member of the cast takes a turn in several roles; each player is able to exhibit their strengths and generally their performances are stronger in one character than another, but the actors are all well beyond competent. Substance-wise, the company is dealing with a classic script, although they have cut a good deal out to fit into their time slot. There are one or two points, mostly revolving around the murders in the latter half of the play, where the action takes place so quickly that it becomes difficult to follow, but by this point audience members will be so captivated by what they're witnessing that they very likely won't care. The play is not only double-cast, with each character signified by a particular costume so that the actors playing them can be distinguished in each character (and trust me, it's not as confusing to watch as it is when explained on paper), but also cast with an eye toward having some of the characters - a ladies' maid (Mark Edel-Hunt) and the duchess' brother the Cardinal (Rachel King & Ros Steele) played by actors of the opposite gender. Most of the time this is done in innocuous ways - Edel-Hunt's turn as the Duchess' trusted confidant, for example - but at other times, for instance during scenes between Rachel King's Cardinal and Benedict Hitchins as the wanton Julia, turn bizarre, with gender roles switched so the audience watches a woman played by a man being sexually abused by a man played by a woman. (Again, I assure you, it's not as complicated as this makes it sound.) In fact, the only real complaint I have against this performance is
that because of its length and the necessity of getting out to make
room for the next production in the space, there isn't time enough for
the audience to leave the room before the actors and crew members rush
back onto stage to clean up the mess they've just made (after all, folks,
it's a tragedy). I had been so engrossed in the world the production
had created that it was disappointing to have such an obvious reminder
that this was, after all, only theatre. Rachel Lynn Brody NewsRevue It's probably obvious that a show that's been running for 25 years isn't going to be a complete stinker. But after few lacklustre shows one starts to wonder when something will come along that lives up to the hype. NewsRevue lives up to the hype and more with this assortment of sketch comedies ranging from the politically charged to the inane. The strongest sketches are the political ones, which castigate Bush and Blair for both idiocy and optimism. "I Need A Euro," which segues into "I'm So Excited," kicks off the show, and by the time that had ended most audience members were laughing uproariously - and some (myself, for example) were in tears. The middle of the show took a comparative downturn, though sketches about TFL and the Royals still got solid laughs (then again, late trains and the antics of the Windsors seem pretty much guaranteed to garner positive responses from the audience). By the time the cast finished with a reworking of "Bohemian Rhapsody" the audience was nearly in fits. While I didn't catch every reference (I'm afraid the sketch about the line of Conservative leaders between Margaret Thatcher and Michael Howard was more or less lost on this American student, and there was a sketch about wankers that was giggle-worthy until I realized I had no idea what they were spoofing) there was more than enough on stage at NewsRevue to give me no compunctions about recommending this show to others in search of somewhere where they can laugh till their stomach hurts and tears are making their eyeliner run down their cheeks. Rachel Lynn Brody A Paradise It Seems Wordshed Productions is an American Company that has the formula exactly right. Clever adaptations of three witty and ironic short stories by John Cheever and some very good acting. After a mimed prologue, it is straight into the stories of life in Shady Hills, a town that could as easily have been invented by the great Canadian, Stephen Leacock. The first story, O Youth and Beauty, tells of drunken Cash Bentley's attempts to beat time much to the anguish of his wide-eyed over burdened wife. Matthew Spangler does well as Cash and Hannah Blevins better as Louise, who gets the last laugh. Number two, The Wrysons, looks underneath the facade put forward by a seemingly very happy couple. Their secrets are not only hidden from their friends but also each other. The craggy Donald (Jordan Smith) is a mummy's boy who bakes for relief while the younger Irene (Maria Chrysanthou) is mentally preparing to kill the family when the nuclear bomb strikes. The last story is the best. The Swimmer features the excellent Chris Chiron as Neddy Merrill, another man just past his best. At a dull party, he decides to prove himself by swimming several miles home across the swimming pools of the town. The journey is hilarious and along the way, Neddy finds out more about his own life and status than he could ever have wishes to. The highest compliment that can be paid to Wordshed is that A Paradise
it Seems makes you want to read Cheever's short stories (called
Oh What a Paradise it Seems over here) at the earliest opportunity. Philip Fisher |
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