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Fringe 2008 Reviews (42)
Please Don't Feed the Models
Neapolitan Theatre
Baby Belly
**
In a soggy chamber of the Underbelly's Baby Belly, former model Sara
Standring offers a glimpse into life in a model's apartment. Light hearted
yet sinister this show teases at the common stereotype of the 'bimbo'
model.
Set in Tokyo the humour seems to depend on a Japanese accent and a
shuffling walk, although to be fair, a few jokes roused a laugh from
the ten-strong audience.
This show does boast some commendable acting and Standring portrays
the characters throughout with only some minor slips in accent. Although
half way through I did suddenly realise I was minus a character!
Nevertheless the piece tugged at some hidden morals as Vodka Tits stumbled
to a fro across the stage and Debbie shook like a leaf awaiting her
latest delivery of drugs-stuffed teddy bears.
Of course the weight issue crops up throughout, becoming a focal point,
softly mocking those who conform to size zero, while acknowledging that
those who do not are on the next plane home.
Worth seeing if you are in the mood for a harmless piece of light comedy.
Alison Burns
Bale de Rua
Assembly Hall
****(*)
Bale de Rua at the Assembly on the Mound relies on so many dance genres
that it is sure to please everyone. Even the kids. There's the requisite
Brazilian music and dance; what is thought of as South American or Latin.
There's acrobatics to dazzle. A little flavour of musical theatre/jazz.
There seems to be an homage to Alvin Alley and Busby Berkley and Hip
Hop. There is also a feel of the Harlem Globetrotters in the ease and
individuality.
This is a large company, although only one woman, with powerful dance
and athletic skills. We are introduced to the company all wearing white
suits and hats. This speaks to their Brazilian influences. We quite
quickly get a history of their African heritage, all told through dance
and movement and music. Some of the music is recorded but the percussion
is there in front of us.
The dancers are incredibly powerful, graceful, skilled and individual.
You'll be hard-pressed to find more beautify bodies. The choreographer
is precise enough for this to look very ensemble while allowing for
individual skills and personalities. The costumes, and sometimes brevity
of, are beautiful in their simplicity and utility. The sole woman in
the group is never an extra or a tool for the men; she holds her own
very well.
There are a few props, sometimes cluttering and pulling focus. The
production does not need the gimmicks. The lighting is at times subtle,
sometimes intrusive. The hand-held light near the end blinds the audience.
As the dancers, musician and choreographer get further into the story
or history, the group engages the audience more.
You'll be hard-pressed to find more beautify bodies, more engaging
dancers, or cleaner choreography. The audience never seems to be taken
for granted or left out. This is a real audience pleaser.
Catherine Lamm
The Tailor of Inverness
Dogstar
By Matthew Zajac
Assembly Rooms.
***
The Tailor of Inverness, which has won a coveted opening week
Fringe First, is part detective story, part eulogy and part biography.
With support from a folk violinist, Matthew Zajac, under the direction
of Grid Iron's Ben Harrison, both becomes his own father and explores
the mystery of the Pole's life during the war, long before the writer/performer
was born.
The first phase shows us the British part of Matheusz Zadac's life,
though some of the speech is in Polish. This is presented with pace
and wit, showing a tailor with a gift for organisation and management
making good in his adoptive country. He finally lands up in Inverness,
sporting a delightful two-toned accent.
The play then moves on to tell us the "official" version
of the older Zajac's war. This involved an awful lot of travel, taking
in Italy, Persia and Egypt as well as Eastern Europe.
Just when we seem to have ended our journey and his, most of what we
have been told is thrown into doubt after Matthew takes his genealogical
efforts a little further.
In a third phase, he acts like a fully-fledged investigative journalist
making several uncomfortable discoveries but in doing so gaining a much
fuller understanding of his father than had been the case during his
lifetime.
With songs to create atmosphere added to low tech film and maps projected
onto a screen of bleached clothes, The Tailor of Inverness draws
its audience into the story of a seemingly ordinary man with more of
a history than even his family could possibly imagine.
Philip Fisher
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