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Fringe 2007 Reviews (26)
Turning Heads
Opera on the Run
Pleasance
***
A couple of years ago Opera on the Run produced a superb piece of theatre
celled A Comedy of Arias, a modern story told through lyrics
set to popular operatic arias, so when I saw they had returned to Edinburgh,
Turning Heads immediately went down on my list. Alas, it isn't
what I expected. There is a little bit of singing and much use of recorded
music, from G&S to Verdi and even taking in the European Anthem,
but it's actually a comedy featuring two men, one married and one not,
heading off to Amsterdam for a wild weekend, where they meet a girl
and... Well, you can guess the sorts of situations in which they find
themselves.
It's a pleasant enough piece of light entertainment, always amusing
and sometimes laugh-out-loud funny. It's well performed, with the girl
(no programme, so no names) playing a variety of parts from a harridan
of a landlady to an (off-stage) erotic dancer to the love interest.
It's fast and furious and good fun, but nothing out of the ordinary.
Peter Lathan
The Enchanted Lovers
A new version of Purcell's Dido and Aeneas, realised by Howard
Goodall with dialogue by Andrew Rissik, based on the original text by
Nahum Tate
Norfolk Youth Music Theatre
Augustine's
***
This is where the star system falls down. Under our system three stars
means "A good show of its type" and that is true of The
Enchanted Lovers, but I do feel that when a group aged between 9
and 20 is able to perform a Baroque Opera successfully (and Goodall's
version retains much of the decorative style of Purcell's music, which
is not easy to sing), then they deserve more. So imagine two further
- invisible - stars added!
There are some budding stars in this group. 20 year old Eloise Secker
makes a superb Dido and Ben Weston (the same age) as Aeneas approaches
her standard pretty closely. It was a shock to learn that the Sorceress,
Anna Thirkettle, is just 15, for she sang so maturely - and her actng
was pretty good too. And impressive amongst a good supporting cast was
9 year old Jamie Minns as the Page, who not only has a good voice but
clearly has real acting talent.
The sad thing was that there were only ten people in the audience,
but they were very appreciative, as well they should be. The production
only runs until 12th August, which is a shame for it deserves a wider
audience.
Peter Lathan
Aeneas Faversham Returns
By the Penny Dreadfuls
The Penny Dreadfuls
Smirnoff Underbelly
*****
I really don't know where to start with this review. This show was
funny. I know that's something one always hopes to hear when hearing
about sketch comedy, but it's so true in this case that it bears repeating:
Aeneas Faversham Returns was so funny I was glad I wasn't wearing
eyeliner when I went to see it, because by the end of these delightful
55 minutes it would have been smeared all over my face from tears of
laughter.
From the word go, the Penny Dreadfuls have put together a new series
of Victorian-era sketches that play on our expectations of the era to
bring genre comedy to a whole new level.
Without detracting from the surprises the Penny Dreadfuls have cooked
up, it's tough to say much about the individual sketches. Highlights
include sketches which use words such as: Susan, Creep, Invisible, Blood-spatter,
and Blood-spatter. That's about as much as I dare say for fear of detracting
from your enjoyment of the show.
Aeneas Faversham Returns is already selling out regularly. Book
your ticket and go, before you miss your chance. They are one of the
best value-for-money experiences on the Fringe and if you're a clever
person who likes clever humour, you will kick yourself for missing them.
Rachel Lynn Brody
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