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Fringe 2005 Reviews (56)
Heart of a Dog
By Rogue State Theatre Company with Michael Flexer, after Mikhail Bulgakov
Assembly Rooms
****
This version of Bulgakov's classic novel could hardly be set further
from his native, frosty Russia. Rogue State have taken the pituitary
and testicles of the story and transplanted them to Robert Mugabe's
Zimbabwe to great dramatic effect.
Suddenly, a satire of Soviet oppression becomes an allegory about life
in Zimbabwe today. The staging by Ryan Stephenson is clever, combining
physical elements with broad verbal comedy and something more sinister.
The set is minimal - two versatile screens - while props are largely
based on puppetry, especially for Scruff the dog.
In Zimbabwe, politics impinge on every aspect of life and the eminent
professor of a research establishment is less than impressed when the
Resettlement Committee tries to appropriate his land.
This latterday Frankenstein, played by Nick Ash, is experimenting by
transplanting the above-named bodily organs of a man into a dog. Much
to his surprise, Scruff becomes Armitage Shanks, an almost human trotter-out
of advertising slogans, excellently played by talented puppeteer/actor,
David Newman.
The new man is taken up by the powers that be, employed as a cat-catcher
and used as a political pawn. His nature eventually comes out much to
the distress of both a mauled doctor and his attractive wife, but a
happy ending ensues.
Heart of a Dog is an inventive production that conveys the horrors
of life in Zimbabwe within a comic framework. There is little doubt
that Bulgakov would have approved.
Philip Fisher
Chamber Made
By David Bolger and Katie Read
Traverse 6, Room 206 Caledonian Hotel
****
If you want to spend a night in Room 206 of the Caledonian Hotel at
the end of Princes Street, it will cost you £351. If you don't
mind sharing it with 25 other people, a mere £15 will get you
an hour in this suite with a great view of the castle. You will even
see some modern dance as a bonus.
Chamber Made is a witty and very sexy dance piece with a strong narrative
structure. It looks at a number of people occupying the same hotel room
at separate times, or even in different worlds.
A naked man emerges from the bathroom but can neither get to the phone
in time nor find the engagement ring that he is to hand over that night.
A chambermaid with magpie tendencies not only finds the ring but enjoys
trying on customers' expensive fashion goods.
A couple of lovers come into the room but their love/hate relationship
soon favours the latter. As these four people dance together but in
isolation, their stories develop. They also demonstrate fluid artistic
skill and agility, especially in a well-choreographed bed dance and
an even better struggle with a shared dressing gown.
The picture of two pairs of young lovers with a chambermaid clearing
up around them is suddenly invaded by a man in his seventies. He obliviously
wanders around looking lonely. The reason could be that when his wife
appears, she may well be a memory rather than the real thing.
This site-specific work features high quality modern dance from Irish
company CoisCéim to a variety of music created by The Divine
Comedy's Rory Pierce. With its careful plotting and great physical work,
it should appeal to theatre audiences as well as to dance lovers.
Philip Fisher
Macbeth The Hour
By William Shakespeare
C Chambers Street
****
Short versions of Macbeth are in vogue. This version by Cambridge
University ADC is hardly MacHomer, if only because its onstage
cast is fifteen times as large.
The students generally acquit themselves well under inventive director
Sam Yates but some obviously feel that an hour is not long enough as
they gabble words in an effort to meet their self-imposed deadline.
The opening is striking as three orgasmic witches groan and writhe
up the opening curtain. As an indication of what is to come, this is
appropriate as Yates has combined a shortened version of the text, approximately
two-thirds lopped off, with striking and memorable images. In particular,
the appearance of Banquo's ghost at the banquet is vividly and terrifyingly
realised.
One is rarely conscious of what has disappeared and the story follows
through logically, although some of the subtlety and poetry inevitably
disappears.
Benjamin Deery plays a calm Macbeth opposite his powerful wife, played
by Sophie Middlemiss. The acting more generally from this young cast
is uneven but Sam Kitchener as Ross is someone to watch out for in future.
This short Macbeth is very much to be commended, especially
for its visual riches, its feel for the original and its brevity.
Philip Fisher
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