|
Fringe 2009 Reviews (28)
Morecambe
By Tim Whitnall
Assembly @ The Mound
*****
Fringe regular Guy Masterson directs Tim Whitnall's script about much-loved
British comedian Eric Morecambe in a new performance space at Assembly
on The Mound in Rainy Hall.
The play begins with the announcement of Morecambe's death before the
man himself comes through the velvet curtains and begins telling the
story of his life, from his childhood when his mother encouraged him
into show business onwards. Of course his famous partnership was with
Ernie Wise, who is represented in the play by a ventriloquist's dummy.
One-man or one-woman biographical shows are always popular at The Fringe,
but this one has a much better script than most of these. However the
production is raised to a whole new level by a stunning performance
by Bob Golding who not only gets all the gestures, voice and well-known
gags of the great man but also drops easily into many other characters
that make brief appearances in the story as Eric tells it.
This is a good if not a great play that pieces together the life story
of one of our greatest entertainers in an interesting and affectionate
portrayal with a humour of its own in addition to the comic performances
that are recreated, but Golding's performance is a real tour-de-force
that turns this into a must-see production at this year's Fringe.
David Chadderton
Iago
Bristol Shakespeare Festival Company
The Zoo
***
Martin Aukland is a masterful performer in this one man performance
of Shakespeare's Othello.
Quite simply it is Iago's soliloquies and conversations from the play,
with Aukland playing the other roles from Iago's perspective.
Aukland is perfectly suited to the part, dark and intense, making the
piece more sinster than Shakespeare's tragedy.
The interaction with the sheet on stage works very well, as if Iago
is on some giant hankerchief.
While the performance is strong the whole concept seems a little gratuitous,
in retelling Othello it doesn't really add anything.
Iago undiluted, but still no explanation of his motives.
Seth Ewin
The Bite-Size'd 'Breakfast
In Bedlam'
White Room Theatre and Film
Bedlam
***
Presenting five separate pieces in this early morning hour's slot at
Bedlam, White Room Theatre serve up some enjoyable entertainment. And
with coffee, croissants and strawberries to boot, this is a pleasing
morning's taster. Alternating between two different programmes, by show-casing
10 minute pieces, you should find something you like. For us there was
a crass audition, a suggestive radio play, a kleptomanic with a new
born baby, Jerry Springer the Vote-a-thon, and finally a surreal piece
dramatising three urinal cakes 'taking the piss' (direct quote). Light,
bite-size'd breakfast this certainly is, and without being ground-breaking,
it's still entertaining.
Sacha Voit
Next
page - - - Index
|
