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Fringe 2006 Reviews (24)
Aneas Faversham
The Penny Dreadfuls
Smirnoff Underbelly
*****
Aneas Faversham is one of those magical Fringe treats that sneaks
up on you from nowhere only to catapult it into your list of 'top ten
Fringe experiences ever.'
I was having a beer and catching up on some work when a frizzy-haired
blonde with heavy eye makeup came up to me and inquired if I was busy
at six. Normally, I scowl at these kinds of intrusions - after all,
I'm already booked into a half dozen shows a day and it's rare I have
the time, let alone the inclination, to add more to the schedule. But
something made me nod, and as she passed me a flyer shaped like a Victorian
playing card and explained that Aneas Faversham was a cross between
Monty Python and the League of Gentlemen, but all done
in a Victorian setting, I have to admit - I was skeptical, but sold.
So I trundled along to the press office to arrange my ticket, and twiddled
my thumbs for the hour or so till the show began. Upon entering, I decided
to throw caution to the wind and took a seat in the front row.
Aspirational as the frizzy-haired girl's classification of the show
had seemed, it soon became clear that the Penny Dreadfuls in every way
lived up to her hype. It was like watching a live-action book of short
stories by Edward Gorey and Lemony Snickett. Perfect.
The sketches, which range from secret society birthday parties to vampire
hunter lectures to not-quite-so-barren wives putting up with their repressed
husbands, never go on too long, and always hit the right comedic note.
Locals who frequent thte Stand Comedy Club may recognize Jamie Anderson,
as charming in a wasitcoat and cravat as when putting down hecklers
at a Monday night Red Raw.
I would happily have sat through another hour of these sketches, and
if there had been a DVD for sale as we left I would have snatched out
my Switch card to buy it. As it was, I proudly wore my complimentary
'not a vampire' badge for a good hour after leaving the theatre, and
explained where I'd got it to multiple staff members at the other venues
I visited over the night.
The best performances leave you wanting more, and the end of this hour
of mirth is truly a heartbreaking thing. In fact, my only complaint
about Aneas Faversham is that it ends. On a scale of one to five
stars, this show deserves at least seven. Sadly, I don't think I'm allowed
to give that many, so I'll settle for five and telling every person
I know about this hysterical and well-crafted Victorian sketch comedy.
A quick read-through of their press release informs me that the Penny
Dreadfuls have been performing Aneas Faversham for quite some
time now, and apparently already made an impression with the BBC's comedy
unit and in London. One can only hope that means we'll be seeing a lot
more of this understated, over-the-top troupe's peculiar brand of theatrical
curiosities in the years to come.
Rachel Lynn Brody
Dr Faustus
By Christopher Marlowe, adapted by Nick Warburton
Bawds
C Central
*(*)
Poor Kit Marlowe can't catch a break. Last year there was a company
from Spain commiting atrocities against The Jew of Malta, and
this year Shakespeare's contemporary is being kicked around by this
decidedly amdram production of Dr Faustus.
Given that the only real failing of Dr Faustus (the text, not
the character) is that at times it drags, this hour-long adaptation,
rid of the usual three-hour running time, should have tripped along
at a merry pace. Instead, the performances are turgid, with some members
of the company pulling so many faces on stage it makes it impossible
to concentrate on what's actually meant to be happening. Even more frustrating,
adaptor and director Nick Warburton seems to have cut the piece without
a clear idea of what he wanted to achieve, other than 'The Complete
Dr Faustus (abridged).'
The frankly childish staging of the 'temptations' Faust is subjected
to are insulting to both its audiences' sensibilities and the idea of
Marlowe's intelligent character. Nothing about this production - not
Faust's 'damnation,' not the 'lusty' appeal of Helen of Troy, and especially
not the heavy-handed staring competitions between the good and bad angels
as they 'battle' for Faust's soul - ever manages to transcend the level
of cartoon. Overall this production is a laughably one-dimensional game
of tug-of-war, with pretensions of being actual drama.
Rachel Lynne Brody
Russell Howard: Wandering
By Russell Howard
Avalon
Pleasance Upstairs
****
As the Guardian has apparently already said, Russel Howard is not the
person to look for if you want cutting edge political comedy. But Howard
himself says in his act that that's not his goal. His goal is to tell
you about the amusing things he's seen during the day, and hopefully
they'll make you giggle a little as you drift off to sleep. His comedy
is gentle and well-constructed, and Howard has an unerringly natural
performance persona. He relies on charm and wit, rather than crude jokes
(although there are a few in here, don't get me wrong). His shows are
selling out quickly, so best to book a ticket well in advance.
Rachel Lynn Brody
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