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Fringe 2005 Reviews (61)
Seb Lime
NUTS
C Chambers Street
****
An indie-chic romp through the love life of charmer Seb Lime as he
cheats on his girlfriend, learns of her death, and brings about her
resurrection - but at what cost?
With costumes lifted from the pages of NME, the perfectly-coiffed cast
could have walked straight out of a club like Trash or Stay Beautiful.
The success of the show depends more on their likeability and audience
members' ability to recollect mates and moments that echo the play's
interpersonal relationships than on a tight script.
Characters are little more than scenester stereotypes, and the fifty-minute
runtime doesn't really allow them to grow beyond these original outlines.
The play briefly attempts to raise serious issues regarding the effect
of quality of life on a person's right to die, but undercuts this seriousness
with a 'hero' who isn't at all changed by his experiences. Fair enough,
as it's more interesting to watch Lime retain his Alfie-like qualities
than become reformed.
Production values are high, though at times the story drags. Overall,
the tunes and pop-culture touch points, as well as the characters' moral
attitudes and personal foibles, are spot-on.
A word to the wise, if the show continues beyond the Fringe - if there's
a bleach-blonde-and-spiky-haired bloke taking photos with a digital
camera bang in the middle of the front row, don't bother politely asking
him to cut it out. No matter how much it distracts from the story, or
how rude it would be considered for a typical audience member to engage
in this sort of behavior, where Seb Lime is concerned it's clearly
the Director's prerogative.
Rachel Lynn Brody
The Threepenny Opera
By Berthold Brecht
The Cambridge University Broadway Savoyards
C Too
****
From the moment they step out of the theatre to serenade waiting audience
members with an accordion and an off-the-cuff tap dance, the company
does its best to submerge us in the world of Brecht's Threepenny
Opera. They are largely successful, thanks to strong voices (Thomas
Kohut, who one only wishes had more than the opening number in which
to show off, and Jacky Evans as Mrs. Peachum, are especially fine examples)
and an enticing script.
There are one or two instances when the layout of the space, and director
Alexandra Spencer-Jones' blocking (she also took over the role of Polly
Peachum on the night in question) means those sitting on the sides may
miss a bit of action, but it's hard to see how this could be avoided
in a space like C Too.
The aforementioned Evans steals the show on more than one occasion,
as the scheming and forceful mother-in-law of London criminal Mack the
Knife (Rob Heaps). Heaps himself takes a leaf from the American Psycho
book of "How To Be A Nutcase Without Really Trying," and certainly
comes off as a loose cannon; however, the violent undercurrent to this
supposed psychopathic killer never really delivers on its promise.
Costumes and design seem to take heavy inspiration from Chicago,
and it's easy to see that the cast delights in the underlying mercilessness
of Brecht's lyrics and lines.
Rachel Lynn Brody
Evidence for the Existence
of Borrowers
Kazuka Hohki
Theatre Workshop
*****
Kazuko Hohki, founder of the eighties group Frank Chickens, is utterly
believable in this astonishing drama-installation. She leads her audiences
of fifteen to twenty through the backrooms and workrooms of Edinburgh's
Theatre Workshop and displays the results of her research into Borrower's
culture. (Borrowers, the 'fictional' (?) small creatures who live under
our floorboards, first described by Mary Norton). A story unfolds, Ms
Hohki lost her highly paid drugs research job and she knows why: Borrowers
were running off with the happiness 'Zenpils.' And so on.
The installations are hosted by Ms Hohki, founder member of BIN (Borrowers
International Network), Mr Andy, BIN Treasurer (musician Andy Cox) and
Dr Mervyn, who is obviously the 'brainy' one (Mervyn Millar).
We are shown artefacts and interactive displays; we are given mini-lectures,
songs, audiovisual performance in a filing cabinet and - wondrous this!
- a performance of genuine, traditional Borrower music on reproduction
Borrower's instruments (Binstruments). Mr Andy also plays some early
Borrower Delta Blues (on the teaspoon guitar) and gives a thankfully
brief taste of the modern musical deviation, heavy metal. There are
passing references to New Age Borrowers, the threat to the continued
existence of Borrower culture and the fact that BobB501, an internet
using Borrower, is now forging links between Human Beans and Borrowers
and......
The whole show is an existential paradox. An unbelievable barminess
is presented with such quiet, joyful, intelligent intensity that not
only is the audience left bemused and delighted - we are also moved.
And we are convinced! Not of the existence of Borrowers, but the existence
of BIN. As the BIN people say - 'Happiness For Everyone.' For me this
was easily the best show in town.
Ray Brown
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