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The
Edinburgh Fringe
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Fringe 2009 Reviews (7)The Red Room Scottish Dance Company DavidHughesDance have been suffering. They have two performers dropping missing from this production due to personal tragedies and several of the six ensemble members on show, even at the start of the run, were sporting bandages. The Red Room is loosely based on Edgar Allen Poe's The Masque of the Red Death, recently adapted at BAC by Punchdrunk. The opening is odd, to say the least, as the audience is ushered into the presence of a statue in a lavish white dress. The lady only ceases to be statuesque minutes later transformed into manic movement, in the style of one of those jerky, robotic street performers. From there, the performers, each with overtones of character somewhere in their white costumes, dance their hearts out. The accompanying music is varied from industrial white noise and club grooves to opera and chamber music. The dance styles are also diverse with a modern feel. For 55 minutes, the company conveys a dark tale in dance but also using elements of physical theatre, often for humorous effect. This is best exemplified by that staple of physical theatre, a clown who has the bouncy qualities of a rubber ball. He is one of several distinct character types, along with the noble but arrogant Prince Prospero and a nun, who seems to spend her whole life fighting sexual temptation. This all looks great and is impeccably choreographed but it would be wise to read the synopsis in advance, unless you already know Poe's short story. Philip Fisher Private Peaceful Scamp Theatre's acclaimed adaptation of children's author Michael Morpurgo's novel set in the horrors of the First World War trenches returns to Edinburgh after a successful previous run and several national tours. The story is told by Private Thomas Peaceful from, it soon becomes clear, his condemned cell as he awaits execution by firing squad. He recounts his childhood with his much-loved older brother Charlie and their friend Molly, their time at school, starting work, a falling-out over a girl, joining up to fight against 'The Hun' and the boys' experiences in the trenches in France, and finally the reason for his current situation. Peaceful is now played by Finn Hanlon, who is a worthy successor in the role with an intense, emotional and often funny performance. Although this was originally a children's book, it doesn't spare the horrific details of life and death in the trenches, which Reade's adaptation and direction brings superbly to life with a very spare, simple staging and some atmospheric background sounds from sound designer Jason Barnes, although some of these are lost in the rumble of the fans in the roof and the noise from outside the tent. While the space inside the purple cow is fine, the idea of placing a canvas theatre in a busy public square with an outdoor bar alongside it isn't a particularly sensible one. However unlike some other shows, Private Peaceful survives the transition to the bovine venue relatively unscathed, and at the reviewed performance it kept the many children in the audience silently rapt throughout and attracted a half standing ovation from the adults at the end. This charming, witty, emotional, educational and heart-rending tale is superbly staged and performed and is highly-recommended. David Chadderton The Brothers Lionheart
Two brothers – Jonathan and Karl Lion – both end up in a la land called Nangiyala, but the land is being threatened by the evil Tengil, who is killing people and invading Wild Rose Valley. Jonathan and Karl try to stop him, but in order to win, they have to make a great sacrifice. This is how they get given the name of Lionheart. This is a show about doing things that we just have to do in order to become a human being. The play moved on swiftly. It was worth watching, but different elements of the production – the costumes, actions, music and film – worked better on their own than they did when put together. The costumes were a mix of outdated and modern clothing, from medieval peasant, through the Middle Ages to modern flowing dresses and Men in Black. The actions were confusing at times, particularly in the comic scene between Karl and Mathias. The music worked best when there was no dialogue. The element of film often took away from the imagination. The depiction of the sea serpent wasn't clear by comparison with the depiction of the dove. The play would appeal most to children who like sword fighting, a lot of drama and big battle scenes. Katya Conrad (aged 10) |
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