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Fringe 2007 Reviews (75)
Longwave
By Chris Goode, Tom Lyall and Jamie Wood
The Corn Exchange Newbury & Signal to Noise
Cow Barn, Udderbelly Pasture
***
The undoubted star of this physical theatre piece is designer Janet
Bird. Her attention to detail and marvellously constructed log cabin
set are combined wonders and allow the actors to get laughs that should
really be hers.
Chris Goode's other Edinburgh show has nothing but words while Longwave,
which he has helped to devise, does without them completely, if you
ignore the radio. It features two research scientists in some mythical
land that might be part Scotland, part frozen waste and significantly
mythical.
These heavily bearded chaps are the means by which Longwave
explores loneliness, routine and companionship. They work together but
seemingly never speak. The odd couple might be highly intelligent but
life is a drudge on the edge of the world.
The first part of the morning sees them go through a fascinating and
amusing routine of inspecting an object that they have brought in wearing
the protective gear. This appears to be a nuclear haggis. Every property
is tested before they finally sit down to a canned meal, cue for more
silent comedy.
Longwave is primarily a physical show that explores isolation
to good comic effect, thanks to the efforts of the team that devised
and perform/direct it but primarily to the stupendous Miss Bird who
must take an age setting up the cabin every morning.
Philip Fisher
Eirlys Bellin : Reality-Check
Holyrood Too @ Faith
***
There is something rather odd in spending a lunchtime in a largely
silent night-club. However in the persona of Rhian Davies, Eirlys Bellin
does a good job of entertaining her guests and bringing it to life.
Reality-Check is a low budget multimedia cross between comedy
and a play. Miss Bellin works from the simple premise that we all want
to be famous; and creates a character who is more determined to get
there than most.
Rhian dresses garishly and has a four part programme that she offers
us, with the knowledge that if we follow it carefully enough, we, like
her, will soon become household names.
The first half of the 50 minutes is spent watching her efforts to get
on to Big Brother. This Welsh heroine travels up from Cardiff
to stand in a queue for seven hours and makes the most of her meetings
with other wannabe superstars, some of which are shown on video.
For some reason, Rhian is not yet in Elstree like her heroine Jade
Goody but it can only be a matter of time. If that doesn't happen, she
is at least practically a footballer's WAG. The techniques for getting
into those night-clubs frequented by the Premier League stars work a
treat and before the end, she had snagged her dream man. Are St Albans
Youth team in the Premier League yet?
Eirlys Bellin : Reality-Check is a welcome dose of good-natured
fun and a good advert for Welsh comedy, even if there may be too much
Bros for some tastes.
Philip Fisher
Bed and Breakfast
Erica Fee Productions
By Jennie Coles
Underbelly
*
Occasionally in Edinburgh one fears that someone is playing a terrible
joke.
This appears to be a play about a man and a woman in a B & B who
talk and behave illogically and say nothing of moment but appear romantically
connected. Then the woman's father dies and there is hope of a happy
future. Nothing more or less.
Both the message or the purpose sadly passed this critic by. However,
on the plus side the title is witty, since the first scene takes place
in a bedroom and the second a kitchen.
Sorry!
Philip Fisher
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