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Fringe 2010 Reviews (32)
The Terrible Tales of the Midnight Chorus
By Edward Wren
The River People
Bedlam Theatre.
****
This superb show is a captivating cacophonous cabaret, a fusion of puppets and actors in what is a series of macabre tales told by these versatile performers.
Edward Wren, who both wrote the story and composed the atmospheric musical score, beautifully plays the banjo backed by a three-piece band of guitars (Jerome Cross, Ben Roe) and violin (Caroline Vale). He is our narrator as the dark stories are slowly revealed in a music hall variety style.
We learn about The Vanishing Boy, The Boy who became the Willow and The Ordinaries, each tale becoming darker as they evolve before us. The little boy loses his voice and chases after a tiny light that represents it. There is the Rogue who throws girls from a cliff and becomes the willow and the sad tale of Sarah who is created from a patchwork of cloth and has her clothing ripped apart by her wolf-boy brother.
The puppetry is superb, beautifully crafted by Claire Harvey, and the characters are brought realistically to ‘life’ by Kate Hadley, Mandy Travis, and Amy Tweed all dressed in shabby burlesque costumes who both delightfully sing and play a variety of instruments
This was a master class in storytelling, with first-rate performances throughout.
Robin Strapp
A Brief History of Scotland - We Done Loads
DBS Productions
Sweet Grassmarket.
***
“Our father, who art in heaven; Connery be thy name.” So you know what you are in store for. We’ve already heard the voice of “God” and, yes, he sounded enough like Connery that the audience does not need this accreditation. We get a wee bit of a naked Adam (a.k.a. Rob), Eve and the “worm” who provides apple pie and cider. After getting Genesis sorted out there is a quick segue past the ice age and dinosaurs to modern times.
The one thing that the Scots are better at than making fun or the French and Americans is making fun of themselves. This is more of a “comedy” or more accurately a “review” than a “play”; it survives the style. Most skill of the merry makers and of the writing brings howls of laughter.
Catherine Lamm
10 Dates With Mad Mary
By Yasmine Akram
Calipo Theatre Company (Ireland)
Pleasance Dome.
*****
Mary McArtleneeds a date to Charlene’s wedding. She doesn’t want a friend or a set-up for her “plus one”. She tries an on-line dating service that promises to find her the life partner in 10 dates. Mary is more than a little sceptical.
This is the perfect example of a one-person show. From the very first moment, Caoilfhionn Dunne is utterly convincing; tough, funny and vulnerable. She has the perfect balance between comfort and communication with the audience. She wrings ever ounce of humour and vulnerability out of Yasmin Akram’s script without being self-conscious.
Derek Thorton’s direction is immaculate; there is not one false note in the play or production.
Catherine Lamm
Gutted
Assembly & Marshall Cordell by Arrangement With Ward & White
Assembly.
**(*)
The premise of this musical is revenge; death by marriage. The new bride has married in order to kill her groom and his family because he killer her family 17 years earlier. Our bride has the assistance of three ghosts who manage to bring humour and energy to the production.
The reality musical of the Hair era gave way to the cynicism or the Rocky Horror Show and, more recently, Bat Boy with as many successes as failures. Gutted has the potential of being successful.
This talented cast had difficulty engaging the audience in the beginning but, when well into, they seemed to have found the comfort level to provide the energy and self-reflective humour essential to make this a success.
Catherine Lamm
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