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Fringe 2007 Reviews (10)
The Human Computer
Written and performed by Will Adamsdale
Traverse Drill Hall
****
After Daniel Kitson's storytelling shows of the past two years, the
Traverse is presenting another solo performer and writer. Will Adamsdale's
The Human Computer is really a mass of different ideas about
computers based on the premise that Adamsdale is a complete technophobe
with no understanding of computers and how to work them.
He begins with a stand-up routine about the way computers work—or
don't work—from the point of view of a computer innocent, then
introduces parts of the computer display, such as the mouse pointer,
hourglass and pointing hand, as characters with personalities. Here
we have the first bit of audience participation as people or groups
are given roughly-made cardboard cut-outs of these characters to operate
or sound effects to supply, leading into a mass performance of a computer
starting up. The stage then becomes a huge computer, all made from bits
of cardboard boxes roughly painted, with a blue backdrop, a menu bar,
start button, system tray and an array of strange program icons that
a man with a mouse pointer on a stick can open, prompting Adamsdale
to go into one of his routines ranging from why he hit a seven-year-old
girl to an array of bizarre random tips for life. Finally, he launches
into an adventure story in which he gets trapped inside a computer and
has to elicit the help of the characters in the machine to help him
to defeat the spider virus and escape.
There is some really funny material in this show, delivered in Adamsdale's
charming, energetic and slightly hesitant style. There were lots of
hearty laughs of recognition from computer users, with even one gag
thrown in for us Mac users. The home-made cardboard set and props are
wonderful, and the audience participation works well and is far less
embarrassing than it often can be. It seems chaotic and is a mix of
different styles, but somehow it works and forms a very funny and entertaining
show that some computer interface designers should perhaps see and take
note of.
David Chadderton
Long Time Dead
By Rona Munro
Paines Plough
Traverse 1
***
Rona Munro and Paines Plough are Traverse regulars - most memorably
they created the incredibly powerful prison drama Iron.
This year's offering is set in what looks like a capsule designed by
Miriam Buether that doubles as an icy rock face and a hospital room.
With a couple of strategically-placed Anish Kapoor style holes, it becomes
very spooky, aided by Chahine Yavroyan's effective lighting.
For two and a half hours, Long Time Dead explores death, loneliness
and ice mountaineering from the perspectives of four damaged people
and a lot of metaphor. At times, it is extremely spectacular as a trio
re-creates the perils of climbing glaciers on and above stage.
They are led by Yorkshireman Grizzly, played by Garry Cooper. He is
climbing as a homage to his dead brother and also in the hope of discovering
his body.
As the third and youngest member of the team, Lesley Hart's Gnome makes
clear, Dog played by Jon Foster, like his namesake species follows Grizzly
around with a devotion not far from love.
Climbing ice mountains is dangerous and first, Gnome almost dies. This
takes the drama into a hospital intensive care unit where her bed hangs
suspended over an abyss.
It is here that Grizzly, like some drunken bruiser meets and falls
for The Widow (Jan Pearson). She is still grieving following her husband's
inexplicable suicide and seeks comfort in the strangest ways.
The relationship is never really going anywhere though, as Grizzly
asks for (but doesn't want) commitment, while the lady is happy with
a shallow shag.
Eventually, all four achieve some kind of peace, at the cost of a few
digits and a great deal of uncomfortable self-realisation.
Philip Fisher
Damascus
By David Greig
Traverse Theatre Company
Traverse 1
****
The ridiculously prolific David Greig's play for the Traverse Company
this year (he has two others in Edinburgh this year!) has something
of the tone and themes of a Graham Greene novel.
Where, half a century ago, Greene's hapless travellers got into trouble
in Cuba or Vietnam, Paul Hartstone visits a modern day equivalent, Damascus
in Syria.
Scot Hartstone, who might be at least in part a David Greig surrogate,
is played by Paul Higgins. He was the star of last year's big hit Black
Watch and once again is immensely watchable as an accidental tourist
flung against his better judgement into a war zone and a local woman's
arms.
The drama takes place in an airy hotel reception area designed by Anthony
McIlwaine with, at its centre, a TV showing 24-hour Al Jazeera with
a concentration on ghastly wartime horrors.
A key player, especially in the dénouement, is Khalid Laith's
pushy receptionist Zakaria, a would-be novelist with a lustful respect
for Western women who spends most of the play observing from his corner
cubicle.
Hartstone is an educational author who is doing his publisher a favour
by pushing his multi-cultural English language textbook Middleton
Road to the Syrians. This is a good Greig ruse that points up cultural
differences - and gets some good laughs.
His main contact is the initially impassive Muna (Nathalie Armin).
She is soon charmed by the innocent abroad, to the extent that the two
get within an ace, or possibly an additional Indian whisky, of falling
into bed despite the happily-married Scot's qualms.
Apart from a transsexual Ukrainian, who coolly narrates the tale from
her piano, the remaining character is Wasim played by expert comic foil
Alex Elliott. He speaks no English, which makes Muna his employee, lover
and translator rolled into one.
That couple bickers a lot as the randy male politician/poet tries to
rekindle their relationship, while the lady is more interested in Paul
and the interesting possibilities of using his textbook to overcome
political indoctrination in her country.
Though it builds to a final curtain death, Damascus is a quiet
play that eschews great dramatic moments or damning political conclusions.
David Greig and his director Philip Howard prefer to use wit and subtlety
to explore an alien culture, as seen through the eyes of an ignorant
outsider who gets too involved - very Graham Greene.
Philip Fisher
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