Derby Day

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28/08/15

Gilded Balloon, Teviot, Edinburgh

The Ballard brothers have just attended the funeral of their father. What better way to celebrate the old man’s life than to head to the Oaklawn Park race track and lay down a few bets? Eldest brother, Frank (Robert M. Foster) is over from Chicago and has booked a luxury box for their private use. He’s soon joined by loose-canon middle brother Ned (Malcolm Madera) and youngest sibling, Johnny (Jake Silbermann), newly released from prison and looking to pick up the pieces of his shattered life. The trio begin to gamble, they drink alcohol and as their inhibitions break down, so the realities of their troubled upbringing start to manifest themselves. It’s no great surprise to discover that Ballard Senior wasn’t a very nice man at all. Little wonder his sons still carry the scars of unresolved issues. Meanwhile, waitress Becky (Teresa Stephenson) is charged with the thankless task of dealing with the Ballards as they hurtle towards alcohol-fuelled oblivion.

Samuel Brett Williams has written a gritty melodrama about familial love and hate and the three male leads of Camisade Theatre Company throw themselves into this powerful drama with gusto, delivering strong performances with the accent on physicality. A scene where Frank throws Johnny onto (and through) a table is shocking in its impact, though ultimately maybe there’s a little too much fighting in there for comfort – these guys seem ready to punch each other at the drop of a hat. We’re even warned as we come in to avoid sitting in the front row, in case we get caught up in the affray!

I particularly liked Silbermann’s portrayal of the not-very-bright Johnny, a man who may as well walk around with the word ‘doomed’ tattooed on his forehead, but the play doesn’t always convince us that these are real characters in a real situation. Too many of the lines seem to be addressed directly to the audience and there are places where the pre-recorded race commentary overpowers the characters’ dialogue.

However, this is a credible production that’s worth catching before it’s gone. As the story gallops into the final furlong, it’s clear this is not going to end well… and all bets are off.

3.5 stars

Philip Caveney

Charolais

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27/08/15

Spotlites, Hanover Street, Edinburgh

With such a variety of shows on offer at the Fringe, there’s inevitably a range of quality here too. Now and again, though, it’s possible to see something really rather special.

And Charolais is one such thing.

Written and performed by Noni Stapleton, this is an unlikely comedy about a young Irish woman and the jealousy she feels towards a beautiful heifer. The cow, a Charolais belonging to her farmer boyfriend, takes up far too much of his attention, and his mother, Brede, demands what’s left. Siobhan, it seems, must fight to win his love.

It’s an unusual tale, as beautifully written as it is acted. This is truly an object lesson in characterisation: a one-woman performance that not only makes us laugh and cry, but also brings to life a horny cow. Really, the episodes where Stapleton embodies ‘Charolais’ are extraordinary: she drops her jaw, lowers her stance, sticks out her backside, and becomes the cow. The lowing-singing is a lovely touch, and the French accent an added delight.

As this year’s festival heads towards its end, there are only three more chances left to see this show. Don’t miss out: get a ticket now.

5 stars

Susan Singfield

Rhys Nicholson: Forward

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27/08/15

Underbelly, George Square, Edinburgh

In what can only be described as an oblong black box on Underbelly, Rhys Nicholson introduces a welcome splash of colour. With his red hair, pale skin and flamboyant clothing, he’s keen to let us know about his unconventional life in all its endless variety. He hails from Newcastle, Australia (strangely enough the same home town as Sarah Kendall, another Aussie comedian doing well at this year’s Fringe) and at twenty five, his main preoccupations are sex, Tony Abbott and making collages. He’s quick to let us know that tonight, the conversation will be a decidedly adult one, or as he likes to call it ‘climbing aboard the filth train.’

He has a nice line in pithy, self-deprecating remarks and quickly has the audience on his side, milking the laughs skilfully. He’s consistently funny throughout, even if his material is more entertaining than challenging and he maintains a lively rapport with his punters. There’s no particular standout routine here, though his recollections of being ‘politely mugged’ raise the night’s biggest laughs. As the Fringe noses into its last few days, this show is a good bet for early evening laughs, before you descend into the madness of booze, music and fireworks.

Oh yes. He has a sideline in making novelty bow ties and sausage dog brooches, which he offers for sale after the event.

4 stars

Philip Caveney

The Missing Hancocks

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27/08/15

Assembly Rooms Music Hall, George Street, Edinburgh

There was no way I was going to miss this little treat. As a Hancock fan from way back, this was right up my street – four episodes of Hancock’s Half Hour, lost from the archives and now lovingly recreated for the Edinburgh Festival, two shows each featuring two episodes. OK, so I only had time to slot in Show A, (The Winter Holiday and New Year Resolutions) but boy am I glad I did. It only reaffirms for me that Hancock teamed with Galton and Simpson was the very definition of comedy gold.

The shows are recreated exactly as they would have been on the BBC in the 1950s. The actors stand around a couple of mics with their scripts and they read them out, complete with sound effects and musical interludes. Kevin MacNally doesn’t so much play Hancock as inhabit the very bones of him. It’s all there; the lugubrious expressions, the perfect timing and that world-weary voice. Close your eyes and you’re right back there in your parents’ living room, listening to the original shows. Likewise, Robin Sebastian’s embodiment of Kenneth Williams is absolutely spot on, as he flounces on and steals the show, as he always did, right from under Hancock’s nose.

I won’t pretend that this is for everyone. There are plenty of people who simply don’t ‘get’ Hancock, who can’t see anything remotely funny in his work and for them, this would doubtless be akin to some kind of aural torture. But the packed seats of the Assembly Music Hall testify to the fact that there’s a lot of fans out there who are delighted to have the opportunity to enjoy these vintage episodes once again. Priceless.

4.5 stars

Philip Caveney

It Started With Jason Donovan

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26/08/15

New Town Theatre, George Street, Edinburgh

It started with Jason Donovan is an odd little show – amusing, sweet, ridiculous and fun. It’s essentially a monologue, interspersed with dance and song, where ‘shaker, movement-maker’ Sarah Blanc reveals the story of her troubled love life.

The premise is this: an early crush on Jason Donovan meant that Blanc formed an unrealistic view of what to expect from relationships, based on JD’s cheesy song lyrics and the “perfect” Scott-Charlene marriage.

Blanc presents this as a self-help lecture, illustrated with tales from her own dating disasters, all charmingly and self-deprecatingly told.

She’s an engaging performer, and the audience tonight is most definitely on her side, willingly participating in a range of scenes. It’s a little ramshackle, but Blanc works this to her advantage, and the show certainly succeeds in making us laugh.

OK, so there’s not a lot of substance here. Most of the humour comes from deliberately dodgy dancing (though there’s clearly a ‘proper’ dancer behind those funny moves) and over- frequent costume changes; it’s a bit like a Cosmo article: ‘Seven Ways to Keep Your Man.’ It’s fluffy, whimsical stuff – but, you know what, Kylie? I liked it.

3.2 stars

Susan Singfield

Chris Dugdale: Sleightly Dishonest

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26/08/15

Assembly George Square Studio 2, Edinburgh

There’s something distinctly old school about magician Chris Dugdale: the sharp suit, the comic patter, the cheeky persona… and many of his tricks are well-worn too. The opening routine where he swallows razorblades was popularised by Harry Houdini, while the bullet-catch is the same one that so tragically finished the career of Chung Ling Soo (William Ellsworth Robinson) in 1918, even if Dugdale has adapted it slightly, substituting a paintball gun for a revolver. But actually it’s great to see these classic routines done with such style and aplomb.

However, it’s his sleight-of-hand routines with playing cards that are (if you’ll forgive the pun) his strongest suit. These are conducted at a small table with a member of the audience sitting right beside him and a video camera projecting the whole thing onto a big screen behind. As you watch mesmerised, the cards appear to change suit every time he turns them over. It’s an accomplished piece of close up magic, one of the best I’ve seen.

Another routine, which he spins out through the show has a jaw-dropping payoff as Dugdale appears to undo all traces of everything we’ve seen during his act; and there’s a ‘mind-reading’ trick that had us wracking our brains in a ‘how did he do that?’ sort of way. It’s accomplished stuff, and his invitation to play cards for money with anyone from the audience later on is wisely ignored.

Maybe he might think of doing something bigger, more flamboyant next time out, but for now, this will do nicely. Oh yes, I just remembered. The trick with the Rubik’s cube. How on earth did he do that?

4 stars

Philip Caveney

Acts of Redemption

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26/08/15

Underbelly, Cowgate, Edinburgh

Ken Jaworowski’s Acts of Redemption is a series of six disparate monologues, presented with pleasing simplicity by director James Wren.

First, in Never Smile, Never Wave, we meet a spoilt little rich girl: self-satisfied, judgemental and very privileged indeed. But, when a stranger in a bar tells her she looks sad, her vulnerability is revealed, and we are left wishing that we could find out more. This is, I think, the strongest of the set, exquisitely performed by Akila Cristiano, who manages to make us root for someone quite unlikeable.

Next comes Pulse, where three separate stories are interwoven. They’re loosely linked, each dealing with familial love, and this is another success. A young man (James Huntington) comes out to his father; a man (Dan Lees) teaches his little boy to fight the bullies who are hurting him; a young woman (Amee Smith) sacrifices her dreams to care for her ailing dad. All three pieces are well-crafted, and the acting powerful.

The last two monologues are perhaps the weakest. In Luck of the Draw, Rachel Parris plays a miserable woman, who dreams of winning the lottery and leaving home. The character is interesting, and there are a few nice twists, but it feels a little under-developed, and perhaps a tad cliched. Timberwood Drive, performed by Joe Wreddon, is the slightest of all, telling the rather far-fetched tale of a hapless womaniser whose wife and mistress co-own the same dog. It’s a little bit silly, and doesn’t connect with the audience in the way the others do.

All in all, this is a decent production, and I certainly enjoyed the hour spent watching it. I couldn’t help but wish, however, that the pieces were more unified, and that there were something more to hold them together than the tenuous idea of ‘redemption’ (especially as they’re not all redeemed).

An interesting – if mixed – show, with some genuine talent on display.

3.3 stars

Susan Singfield

Sophie Pelham: Country Files

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25/08/15

Pleasance Courtyard, Edinburgh

Down the stairs in the cellar of the Pleasance Courtyard, Ms Vanessa Bluwer is waiting to greet you with a glass of cheap sherry and a miniature sausage roll. It’s a wonderfully informal start to this affectionate slice of character comedy. Ms Bluwer is, of course, just one of several people played by Sophie Pelham, all of them from rural Wiltshire and all doubtless based on observation of real people – or at least, so it seems. The characters include retired model-turned-Mum, Sulky Waterboat, the lecherous Lord Ponsonby and a pony-mad eight year old girl addicted to biscuits. There’s even a couple of animal characters thrown in for good measure, a relocated urban fox and a rapping badger (yes, really!)

There’s a meagre crowd for this event, which is a great shame because this charmingly ramshackle show is all based around Pelham’s hilarious exchanges with the audience and in the intimate confines of the cellar, this would have worked a whole lot better if there’d been more people for her to talk to. Her characters are nicely drawn and there are some genuinely funny lines in there, but it’s by no means perfect. She needs to find a way to streamline the proceedings and give us something more to do during her many costume changes, but overall there’s loads of potential here and I rather enjoyed the performance (even the bit where Ms Bluwer chose me as an assistant with whom to demonstrate mouth-to-mouth resuscitation!)

If you’re looking for something quirky and eccentric, this could be just the thing. And if you’ve a taste for sherry and sausage rolls… this line is made for you!

3.5 stars

Philip Caveney

old man’s Gift

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25/08/15

Venue 13, Lochend Close, Edinburgh

old man’s Gift (capitalisation theirs) is billed as a dark comedy. It tells the tale of four friends, using a birthday celebration to seek vengeance on the ‘old man’ who abused them in the past. It’s a student production, featuring four under-graduates from Trinity Saint David University in Carmarthen, and it’s clear that they’ve worked very hard to bring this drama to the fringe.

Sadly, however, it doesn’t really work. There are issues with all aspects of the production, from the script to the set design, from the direction to the performance style. None of it is quite convincing, and it doesn’t hang together well.

Let’s start with the set. It’s supposed to be a garden, or a patio, I think: the grounds of the old man’s house. There are chairs and a table, and – for some unfathomable reason – a fence. The fence stretches across the front of the stage, creating a barrier between the audience and the performers, which seems an odd thing to do in such a venue, where intimacy is perhaps the biggest selling point. It blocks a lot of the upstage action too, so that we cannot see the actors’ faces during several crucial scenes.

The script is problematic too. It’s not funny enough to work as a comedy, and there’s a strange intensity to the whole thing – a kind of teenage-angsty-melodrama vibe, where the emotions are cranked up to full volume throughout, with all four characters  yelling, hyperventilating and flouncing off the stage at every opportunity. Despite all the histrionics, it’s a curiously empty play, and none of the heartbreak feels even remotely real. The characters’ motivations are spurious (really – why does Liz swallow the condom instead of just hiding it in her hand?) and their relationships are somehow ‘off.’

The direction is also weak. There are so many exits and entrances that it’s almost like a farce – but without the precision and humour that a farce demands. The constant traffic isn’t helped by the fact that the stage is a wooden box, and the actors all wear ‘solid’ shoes, meaning that the sound reverberates around the room. The performances look like acting, with none of the natural ease that makes a drama good.

All in all, this play just didn’t work for us. It’s an ambitious project, but one that – this time – hasn’t quite paid off.

1.5 stars

Susan Singfield and Philip Caveney

Tom Neenan: The Andromeda Paradox

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24/08/15

Pleasance Dome, Edinburgh

Professor Bernard Andromeda has devoted his life to researching strange phenomena – so when a mysterious prehistoric artefact is discovered in a disused London tube station, his curiosity is immediately aroused – especially when said artefact is inscribed with his name. He sets about trying to discover its origins and finds himself embroiled in a mystery that will challenge his scientific beliefs to the core, one that leads to the realisation that alien forces are at work. Soon much of the population of London has been turned into hordes of zombies all chanting his name and he is the only man who can avert disaster…

Tom Neenan has written a wonderfully affectionate parody of Nigel Kneale’s landmark sci-fi tale, The Quatermass Experiment, in which he plays all the characters – from a strange German professor who has taken his experiments with flowers a bit too far, to Andromeda’s adoring female assistant who is prepared to use her feminine charms to help him solve the mystery. Neenan is an expert story teller and he milks the comic potential of the 50s setting with great skill, aided and abetted by a script that is laugh-out-loud funny – the scene where one of Neenan’s hands transforms into an adorable alien creature… ‘no bigger than my hand,’ is a particular delight. There’s wonderful stagecraft here too. A whole range of locations are evoked simply by the positioning of a table and chair and Neenan’s sweet posh-boy persona is exploited to the hilt.

The performance is peppered with plenty of in-jokes but you don’t need to be familiar with the original material in order to enjoy this deliciously silly slice of nonsense, which is designed to appeal to people of all ages. Fabulous stuff, I urge you to catch it.

4.5 stars

Philip Caveney