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Fringe 2008 Reviews (111)
Fast and Furious or Soft and
Slow
Pink Space Theatre Company and Real Woman Ltd
Rocket @ DeMarco Roxy Art House
***
Feeling more like an entertaining radio documentary than a traditional
play - it even has its own title song and credits sequence - Fast
and Furious has an oddly old-fashioned message and a witty eye for
female fantasy. Three gospel singers burst into scraps of appropriate
pop songs while two energetic presenters reveal the secrets of real
women's sexual fantasies in a non-threatening manner. Somehow avoiding
sensationalism or moralising, the company offer a heart-felt plea for
us all to accept our awkward desires.
Even if the list of contents suggests a dirty hour of unwholesome fun,
the presenters keep everything tasteful, even fantasies about prisoners
- sound tracked by the theme tune to Prisoner Cell Block H, naturally.
They have the enthusiasm of children's TV, which renders the most difficult
subjects innocent. Even if there is little surprising revealed in the
actual fantasies, it is heart-warming to hear sexuality discussed with
some warmth and compassion.
The gospel singers, apart from being note perfect and forceful, inject
more humour into the proceedings. Britney Spears, Salt'n'Pepa and original
music by Nik Haley all interrupt the stories, perhaps hinting at the
hidden lusts beneath the innocent tunes. The intention is polemical
sex is nothing to fear, we all have desires - but comforting. It does
feel rather old fashioned, but in a charming way. In an age when sexuality
is hyped and sanctified, sold and consumed, and the myth of sexual liberty
is an almost unspoken assumption, it is delightful to find such a resolute
and sensible engagement.
Gareth K Vile
Nina Conti - Evolution
Nina Conti
Pleasance
****
Some say that ventriloquism is a dying art, but when the person saying
it is a ten-inch puppet monkey on the arm of Nina Conti, it makes you
consider the level of self-mockery she's going to in her new show. While
her usual act has always used the puppet Monk to show the darker side
of her id compared to her own timid and polite stage persona, here she
has instead chosen to break the 4th wall in true and inimiable style,
by not playing with the concept of ventriloquism but reversing the roles
of the puppet and master.
The show is brilliantly funny with Conti's wit and inventiveness showing
through in every way, making no attempt to salvage any dignity in favour
of a laugh. While the quick-firing jibes of Monk do sometimes threaten
to overpower the show, and indeed get laughs even when the the show
threatened to get so carried away that it was completely lost. Of course
it never was, and that was the beauty of it. A brilliant performance
all round proving that the art of ventriloquism is very much alive,
and in hands of a nice young lady with a small manic puppet.
Graeme Strachan
Club Noir
EICC
**
While being able to claim the title of the worlds biggest burlesque
club, Club Noir really needs to learn that biggest doesn't always mean
best. Having moved to the fairly bland and businesslike location of
the Edinburgh Internatinal Conference Centre, it managed to rob itself
of much of the ambience that should have attnded such an event. The
music was bland and uninspiring during the evening. The compere Daddy
Single did a half-hearted job of introducting the acts, only getting
up some steam to trade insults with a grumbling critic from the stageside
tables. Which was curious in itself, considering the acts were about
the only good part of the evening. with decent turns from Lou Hickey,
and Arthur Entwhistle providing musical numbers and some classic burlesque
teasing from Afro Disiac Chelsea Dagger and Wanda Blonde among others.
The problem being that the venue was hardly suited for the occasion,
meaning the majority of the audience couldn't see the acts other than
on the poorly filmed display screens. The lack of atmosphere also failed
to invigorate the charm that the club has managed before in smaller
venues. Perhaps they should stick to smaller and more intimate venues
where the performances can be enjoyed as an art form rather than a money-grabbing
piece of exhibitionism.
Graeme Strachan
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