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Fringe 2007 Reviews (29)
Darkness Within
Outside In Theatre
C Central
*(*)
The title of this play from Outside In refers to the darkness within
each of us, presumably. It's a pedantic and somewhat obvious play, comprising
a series of vignettes showing the less savoury side of life. The three
leads - a whore, a rent-boy drug addict and a reclusive mute murderer
- tell us stories and reveal their mindset as they trudge through situations
as banal as they are tragic.
The actors obviously struggle to give lines convincingly and the play
feels more like an exercise in amateur high school drama work than a
fringe piece.
Graeme Strachan
Trumptonshire Tales
Phill Jupitus and Brian Cant
Pleasance Courtyard
****
Trumptonshire Tales marks the fortieth anniversary of classic
British children's TV programme Camberwick Green, Trumpton
and Chigley, all set in the fictional county of Trumptonshire,
with a discussion between Trumptonshire fan and comedian Phill Jupitus
and the man who provided all the voices, Brian Cant. Cant was recently
voted the best-loved voice in children's television, beating Oliver
Postgate (Bagpuss and Ivor the Engine) and David Jason
(Dangermouse) into second and third place.
The show is a roughly-ordered chat about various aspects of the making
of the shows and their appeal, interspersed with film clips on a big
screen of interviews with the shows' creator Gordon Murray and excerpts
from the shows put together by Aardman Animation. There are chances
to sing along with some of the songs from the show, written by Freddie
Phillips, after Cant warms up the audience with his favourite pantomime
community song, 'The Three Cornered Hat'. The audience is tested on
its knowledge of the names of the Trumpton firemen, there is a discussion
about Windy Miller and his cider drinking, a question and answer session
and a chance for the audience to vote to see a programme from one of
the three series in its entirety.
The presentation isn't particularly well-organised and there were some
technical problems, but Jupitus is not one to be phased by such things
and keeps the show moving through some fascinating facts for anyone
whose childhood was influenced by the 39 episodes of these three programmes,
or by the man in the other chair who voiced every one as well as appearing
in Play School for 18 of its 21 years, and hosting Play Away.
Jupitus pokes gentle fun at the programmes but with great affection,
and the show kept the whole audience riveted and entertained, from middle-aged
children of the sixties who saw them the first time around, to young
children of today who were watching them for the first time. For many
of us who grew up watching or listening to Brian Cant on television,
it is wonderful to have the opportunity to see him in person.
David Chadderton
Sting for Nolte
By Tom W Lister
Campaign for Sting for Nolte
Gilded Balloon Teviot
**
Dr Allen Malcolm is a self-proclaimed genius who lives in a cupboard.
That means that Sting for Nolte requires a gigantic suspension
of disbelief, despite a stand-out performance from Daniel Pirrie in
the main role.
The doctor is a successful philosophy professor at Edinburgh University
who is about to deliver a paper offering a Cartesian proof that anything
conceivable is possible. The paper has taken three months of hard work,
supported selflessly by Allen's pretty Finnish-Swiss fiancée,
Bessie, played by Italian trained actress Kati Markkanen.
In the small hours of the night before Allen's birthday, when he must
deliver the final text of the lecture, the professor deletes the paper,
deciding that the cause of philosophy and his research will be advanced
by persuading Sting, whom he detests, to remake all of Nick Nolte's
60-plus movies. Neither Bessie nor this reviewer ever works out why.
The reminder of the play consists of Dr Malcolm's efforts to snare
Sting, first by using a terminally ill child and then violence.
This is the stuff of unlikely TV sitcom and will only have appeal for
those who are able to accept its initial premise. Mind you, it could
be worth the entrance money to say that you have seen Daniel Pirrie,
a real star in the making with both the looks and the talent to have
a big career.
Philip Fisher
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