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Fringe 2005 Reviews (47)
Midsummer Night's Dream From
The East
Yohangza Theatre Company
C
*****
If you like Shakespeare, you'll like this. If you don't like Shakespeare,
you'll like this. You don't have to know Midsummer Night's Dream
to understand what is going on. You don't even have to speak Korean.
The company occasionally throws in an English phrase so you'll know
where you are; "I am your puppy." Not always in Shakespeare's
own words but it works very well. Even Shakespeare purists should have
nothing to complain about here.
Four mismatched lovers try to sort out their relationships while being
helped along, and mostly hindered, by the fairies in the woods. Helena
Loves Demetrius but Demetrius love Hermia and Hermia loves Lysander.
Isn't this the way it always seems to be? Hermia and Lysander must flee
to survive. Demetrius must follow Hermia and Helena must follow Demetrius.
The "Puck", one of the fairies, intervenes with a love potion,
also dosed on Titania, queen of the fairies, who becomes smitten with
Bottom, who has been turned into a pig, not the traditional donkey.
It's easy to follow as the fairies have elaborately painted faces while
the lovers don't.
This small cast rotates throught the orchestra of drums, whistles and
other percussion instruments mixed with recorded music and sound. Not
to take a way from any of this accomplished group of well directed actors,
the man playing Titania is worth the adventure.
What makes theatre for places in the East like Japan, China, and Korea
is that they seem to have sense of "total theatre" as an experience.
It doesn't hurt that they seem to be well supported allowing them athe
luxury of the time and resources to develop projects. As with the National
Shakespeare Company of Japan's production some years back, Midsummer
Night's Dream From The East is extremely polished and thoroughly
engaging.
Catherine Lamm
Telling Tales
NE66 Productions
Roman Eagle Lodge
**
Telling Tales is an adult take on some of the better-known fairy
tales and not suitable for children. Here Little Red Riding Hood is
the central character of the story with themes woven through from other
tales. The role of Red Riding Hood is passed from actor to actor, allowing
them to talke on other characters: the Woodman, Grandmother, Hansel,
Gretel, the Wolf among others. The props created to define the different
characters are retrieved from a steamer trunk that has been painted
black and white. These funny skits are imaginative and well executed
at a rapid pace. This would seem an excellent school production.
Catherine Lamm
20,000 Leagues Under The Office
By Angus Barr
Public Transport
Roman Eagle Lodge
**
Proof that having a good idea for your show doesn't mean you're going
to have a good show. That is what you'll find with 20,000 Leagues
Under The Office. Good idea? Yes! Using that idea to the best of
your .ability? No.
20,000 Leagues is about two colleagues stuck in a lift at work
that is hurtling toward the centre of the earth, hence forcing both
people to come to terms with their relationship and resolve certain
problems within their sad mundane lives, before they come crashing to
their horrible painful deaths.
This should be a great playground to get into all kinds of funny situations,
crazy dilemmas and create some good comedy. Writer Angus Barr does create
some funny situations, but they don't last and only come every once
in a while. The piece would work very well as a short sketch, but the
writer has taken that good little idea and stretched it out as much
as he can. This means leaving most of the show with holes, where the
actors are forced to use audience participation to keep them interested.
The two actors are very competent and create a multitude of convincing
characters. Both are great with the slapstick movements and use the
number of props well. It's just a shame for them that the very funny
moments are followed by unfunny time filling.
20,000 Leagues left me feeling I'd been there far longer than
I had. Shorten this to ten minutes with a few more sketches and it could
be a winner, before it is too late and the show is buried 20,000 Leagues
Under The Office.
Wayne Miller
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