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Fringe 2008 Reviews (12)
Mark Watson : All the Thoughts
I've Had Since I Was Born
Pleasance Grand
****
Mark Watson has never worried too much about themes, or, more probably,
he worries a lot but doesn't let on. The streams of his consciousness
amuse as much when he drifts away from, this year, de-stressing as they
do when this arch-worrier nags away at his insecurities.
Part of his attraction is the feeling of spontaneity as he bounces
ideas around with members of a Pleasance Grand audience now numbering
around 700.
After last year's successes in Edinburgh, the young comedian felt unwell
in Derby and was diagnosed as having a stress-related lung affliction,
which inevitably he has made his topic for delighted audiences in 2008.
A shabby looking fellow in a dirty vest patrols the staircases seemingly
chatting to pals as the throng assembles. Those in the know will recognise
a man who boasts of fame from Mock the Week, despite failing
to speak in eight appearances on the programme.
Watson ensures a good welcome by orchestrating it and somewhere in
his inconsequential opening chatter, he must get on to his script. This
is entirely autobiographical, majoring on the star's pessimism, which
is finally dissipating a little as he begins to believe in his own talent.
One of the would-be Welshman's endearing traits is that interaction
with the delighted punters. Where some comedians terrify, Watson charms.
On this occasion, he found a real challenge on discovering a 12-year-old
visitor. With a set that while softer than some, still contains its
fair share of bad language and sexual innuendo, he looked genuinely
bemused by the parents who brought along offspring of such a tender
age.
As always, the laughter count is very high as Watson takes us through
the theories that he has learned from a (Dale Carnegie-style) self-help
book.
There is no doubt that 700 people will have left the Grand happy and
less stressed than when they had turned up an hour before. We must pray
that the 701st person present doesn't raise his own blood pressure to
levels where doctors think live appearances unwise. Now that would be
stressful for us all.
Philip Fisher
Three Billy Goats Gruff &
Other Furry Tails
Theatre of Widdershins
Scottish Storytelling Centre
****
Theatre of Widdershins brings its furry tales to the Scottish Storytelling
Centre, all told by lively storyteller Andy Lawrence.
The audience enters to see painted hills with a castle in the background
and a signpost to the "Magical Land of Three". Then Lawrence
enters hiding behind a large sunflower to explain that the land specialises
in stories about threes, and he has taken three of the stories without
the King's permission. He places three giant threes painted with Romany-style
flowers at the front of the stage and then one at a time takes them
onto his two-wheeled cart to use them in his story.
The three 'three' stories are The Three Little Pigs, Goldilocks
and the Three Bears and The Three Billy Goats Gruff. Lawrence
tells the story, complete with all character voices, and operates simple
puppets and other props and small sets for each story. Nearly all of
the beautifully-designed items used for each story appear magically
out of the wooden three or from various doors and panels in the cart.
The stories told here are all elaborated versions of the ones we all
know, with greatly enhanced characterisations that really bring them
to life. Lawrence has a great personality and storytelling style, and
the ways he transforms the set and himself before the eyes of the audience
are often quite ingenious. The one negative is that this is advertised
as for ages three and above, but with an hour's running time many of
the youngest audience members were starting to become restless and vocal
long before the end at the reviewed performance.
Other than that, this is an inventive, lively and visually wonderful
piece of theatre for children that parents will also find very entertaining.
David Chadderton
Columbinus
Syracuse University Drama
The Quaker Meeting House
*****
On April 20th 1999 two pupils walked into Columbine High School and
killed thirteen people before shooting themselves. Columbinus
by PJ Paparelli and Stephen Karam deals with this case and looks at
what drove these two young men to commit this crime.
Straight from the outset you are made to feel uneasy, by the very nature
of the piece. By using multimedia to tell the story director Joseph
Whelan really takes the audience on a roller coaster ride of emotions
as we delve into the inner thoughts of the pupils at Columbine High
School.
Whelan's cast are simply wonderful, creating a real ensemble acting
piece. He gives scope for each actor to shine in their parts and shows
the audience what ensemble acting is all about. Each actor really engaged
with the audience and told their own story, each representing a pupil
who fitted into a group, be it Jock, Loner, Goth, Geek, Christian, Popular
etc or as a parent or teacher.
This is an emotional piece of theatre with the use of real footage
from the massacre as well as a taped 911 call from the school on that
day. By using red light to highlight certain scenes Whelan builds a
sense of urgency into the piece.
The play enables the audience to look at what happened before, during
and after the incident and leaves them asking their own questions and
why small situations can cause huge affects. One question that arose
was should the two boys be included in the memorial or were the parents
of the victims correct in removing them?
This is a truly fantastic piece of theatre from undergraduate acting
students who have dealt with, as one of the actors says, the 'scar on
America' in a truly moving, sensitive and emotional way. Theatre does
not always affect me but the themes of the play, the use of real footage
and the raw talent on stage left me speechless.
John Naples-Campbell
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