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Fringe 2006 Reviews (42)
My Name Is Rachel Corrie
Royal Court Theatre
Pleasance Grand
***
Rachel Corrie was one of the league of privileged young who abandon
the secure lifestyle to see how the third world lives. She didn't know
what she wanted to do with her life but, charged with naivety, she packed
up her diary and idealism and headed to the heart of the war. She saw
much and reported back while trying to contribute.
Her diary has been edited and scripted for this beautifully and simply
written, acted, and directed production. Josephine Taylor plays Rachel
Corrie and Alan Rickman directs. His passion for the material is very
evident. Mr. Rickman's concept never lowers itself to self-pity or bias.
Ms. Taylor's performance is immediate and never wanders from the diary
of Ms. Corrie. (Might one observe that her story would be just one more
of the thousands had she not been killed so sensely?) Any attention
paid is valuable but here we are served it as a bit of rain in the desert
of war.
Catherine Lamm
For Every Passion Something
Davidson College
Rocket@Demarco Roxy Art House
**
Yet another fresh idea - using Shakespeare's text to show off the training
of a group of young actors, these from Davidson College. This production
is set in a contemporary America: indeed we seen Antonio from Measure
for Measure in an orange prison jumpsuit. They provide a slide show
to segue between scenes which could have been better used. We get scenes
from Romeo and Juliet, Twelfth Night, the Henrys
(IV), and A Midsummer Night's Dream.
This American company with the assistance of RSC Learning seem comfortable
with the text while missing their mark over and over. It is either contemporary
or not. It takes more than modern dress to make this overused concept
work, although at times succeeds. The acting quality is uneven but never
bad. Another weakness is that their voices are not well trained for
these characters, these situations, or this venue. Too often their voices
seem tinny and shrill. There is a lot of yelling and crying - lots of
"acting" going on here!
Surviving well enough are David McClay as Romeo and Henry Percy/Hotspur
and Kelsey Formost as Juliet. The one that comes out on top, and possibly
because "acting" is required here is Bryant Kirkland as Bottom.
The actors are expertly backed by a band of merry musicians, almost
out of sight, who could have been better used. Fight choreographer,
Scott Ripley, has utilized the various talents well.
Catherine Lamm
Dusty Limits is Heartless
Quick-Naughty Productions
C Central
***
Is he?
Dusty Limits is the comedian/cabaret artist whose feet are firmly planted,
one in each world. He is gay and makes a lot of it but apologizes for
none. In his act he cover a lot of ground, mostly from a gay male perspective
(of course): love, "lifestyle", religion, and politics. As
for most comedians this year, the Americans are an easy target; from
our critics to our politics. He makes side trips into music accompanied
by Michael Ralston with songs rewritten to accommodate his own point
of view like Cole Porter's "Let's Fall In Love" and Dr. Doolittle's
"If We Could Talk To Republicans".
And on a serious note, he mellows a medley of songs in which he has
discovered himself.
Although Mr. Limits is extremely comfortable in this environment, adjusting
to the audience, his evening should be a little less scattered with
songs better suited to his voice. He has a decent voice - which wouldn't
support a lone cabaret act - but his voice and pitch is not strong enough
to open the show with the balad "Eleanor Rigby."
Catherine Lamm
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