Edinburgh Fringe - third day out on the streets

Working it on the Royal Mile

A typical August day at the Edinburgh Fringe seems to be slightly warm and wet but that doesn't stop those who need to sell a show on the Royal Mile from coming out and doing what they do. Not so many punters though on day 3 of our trip so we had breathing space to think about what to do next without too much bustle.

The next on our 'to-do' list was Musical Theatre as Edinburgh together brings Musical Theatre Societies from all over the country.

Members of CUMTS when not in costume...

Most are very young (students still at uni) and they bring bags of enthusiasm and energy to Edinburgh and often showcase from one of the two stages set up for the purpose on the Royal Mile. We didn't see these guys here but who can resist a Stephen Sondheim musical we asked ourselves when we came across the Cambridge University Musical Theatre's Society (CUMTS for short) production of The Assassins on the app. 

This is a bit of an odd musical, telling the story of a nine of those who across the centuries have attempted (and sometimes succeeded) in assassinating a US President. Chronologically Assassins is a bit of a mess but you can't blame the cast who not only sang their hearts out (Sondheim is challenging) but often left the stage to pick up an instrument - what an annoyingly talented bunch. It was a bit raw in places and voices not always as strong as they should be but the two girls in the cast were worthy of extra praise as they were very good indeed. Nice to hear some great music sung with gusto in the afternoon!

Following a musical theme we checked out 'looping artist' Adam Page all the way from Australia. Adam uses looping pedals to record and playback, effortlessly recording the sounds he makes or plays and layering others on top of them to create a wall of musical sound and beat. He also has an extraordinary beard which, with the use of a small microphone, he 'plays', recording the scratchy sounds and layering them into the music.
If you want to catch a bit of Adam yourself then check out the following video...




A brief stop to fill up on pizza and we were off to our third show of the day. The Peculiar Tale of Pablo Picasso and the Mona Lisa is a new piece of absurdist comedy performed by the talented Fourth Monkey Theatre Company. They have been working very hard to establish themselves on the Fringe over the past few years and I have to say this was genuinely one of the best things we saw this year.

Fourth Monkey from Colin Hattersley Photography

Taking Picasso's early life, this tells the story of an outrageous theft of the Mona Lisa and the muses who inspired the young Pablo. Using a simple white set, beautiful costume, this play brought to life the spirit of Paris in the early twentieth century. It's visually arresting and great fun with tons of artistic license and an appearance from the Desmoiselles d'Avignon to help and hinder Picasso throughout the story. It's all a bit mad, farcical and shows Picasso as the egocentric bastard that we can all imagine he was. Gertrude Stein and Georges Braque also make an appearance. We loved it for it's energy, sense of fun and absurd storyline and came out of the theatre smiling and uplifted - what more can you ask?

Final stop of the day was to This is a Damage Manual, a piece of dance with physical theatre thrown in for good measure from BONEdanse. It sounded really interesting, using vintage instruction self-help recordings from the 1950s (all on scratchy vinyl record) to explore how universally damaged we all are and how many of us simply stay that way. All with a lot of satire and wit thrown in.

   

Edinburgh Fringe - second day and things get serious

Supermen and women on The Royal Mile

It's when you wake up in the morning in Edinburgh and realise that there are far too many shows to even begin to get your head around, that you realise that just getting up and out there is the best course of action. Experience tells me that 4-5 shows in a day is hard-core but do-able. I am sure there are those who get to do more, but I find that after 4 my brain gets a bit too full.

So second day on the streets of Edinburgh and what did we see?

Well we saw lots and lots of flyer-ing on the Royal Mile - start from there to get a feel for the atmosphere and what you'd like to see.

Selling a show on the Royal Mile

We had already pre-booked theatre in the form of the world premier of An Actor's Lament by and starring Steven Berkoff after lunch, and Adam Hills in the early evening, so had plenty of hours to fill - but what to choose?

So the first thing to get us in the mood was a comedy showcase Just the Tonic off the Royal Mile. We got to see 4 stand-up comedians plus compare for £5 - a pound a pop which was much cheaper than the laughs which were really rather good. Checking out new comics is best done via a showcase - then you can decide to see a fuller set by a particular comic at a later date should you choose. These showcases are often free but if you want quality then it is best to pay something, even if it's just a fiver!

Photo: Berwickshire News

Steven Berkoff's An Actor's Lament was our biggest ticket in terms of price and it was definitely an event that had to be booked way in advance. Joined on stage by actors Jay Benedict and Andree Bernard, this new play gives us an insight into the world of theatre from the point of view of an actor, director and writer.

Never one to miss the opportunity to have a pop at critics (Berkoff is well-known for his intolerance of critics) which he does vociferously in the opening speech, he also puts actors themselves under his own particular spotlight showing up their ego-centricities, vanities and of course their enormous frailty. He takes on the world of theatre but also can't resist pulling apart TV soaps and films that are churned out for the money rather than the artistic value. We see the frustrations of being a performer laid bare for all the world to see, but in my opinion the star of the show is the language itself which is both melodic and has acerbic wit but above all is really quite funny. If you get a chance to see it at a future date then grab it - a real theatrical treat is in store.

The Dance Dome

The wonderful thing about Edinburgh is that you can go and see things you wouldn't normally and it won't be a costly mistake. Our little group all like dance and physical theatre so DanceDome in particular caught our eye. This 'event' took place in a large inflatable dome at the bottom of Cowgate in Dance Base and is a 360 degree film created by an international crew based in Cardiff. Using digital technology, cinema and some great choreography the dancers leapt and wove in film above our heads while the rain absolutely bucketed down outside. There were three films in total featuring everything from contemporary dance to parkour and breakdance - and all with original music. Explore more at The Dance Dome.

The very funny Adam Hills

Adam Hills was our other hot ticket this trip with Adam Hills: Happyism at The Assembly Hall. He opens his show with an audience member joining him on stage for improvised banter which he clearly loves as much as his set. Off-the-cuff and wonderfully spontaneous, Adam Hills is obviously joyful to be alive and although he has a spring in his step his show is one of many layers covering topics from what's not acceptable in society, drawing on his own experiences on US TV, to the differences between Aussie and British culture. It is far more sophisticated than you first imagine seamlessly switching from one topic to another, but he does make an audience laugh - really laugh. He will soon be up with the greats in terms of stand-up and I'm not surprised he has packed out such a large venue for two weeks here in Edinburgh. He overran by 15 minutes - apparently this happens a lot - which isn't great if you've got another show to catch, but it was obvious that he could have gone on all night if time had allowed, we were all having so much fun.

   

Edinburgh Fringe - first day entertainment, Gretchen Frage and Henning Wehn

The real trick to booking a short break to the Edinburgh Fringe is to have one or two things planned and booked before you go up and leave the rest to chance. That way you're not too overwhelmed when you get there as you will have some structure already in place, but will still have lots of time to take in the shows that take your fancy on the Royal Mile or via the fantastic official Edinburgh Fringe app. The app gives you everything on at every time for the whole month - so if you've got a slot to fill from 3pm - 6pm that day, you simply put in the times and order your tickets directly. Of course you will still need to make sure you can collect tickets from the various Fringe box offices when needs be.

I do realise I am writing this right at the end of this year's Fringe (well there are a few days left but not many) but having made my third trip to Edinburgh I do feel that any snippets of advise I have will be just as relevant next year so get that trip planned!

We arrived (after a 7 hour drive up from London) at around 4pm and our first show, Henning Wehn's Authentic German Christmas Do wasn't until 7ish. So using our app (there's a first time for everything) we went on the hunt for something good to see. Coming across Student Medics performing A Midwife Crisis at Space at The Surgeon's Hall we went down there in the hope of buying tickets on the door. Of course it was sold out but the bright and smiley girl on the ticket office managed to sell us into Love: Gretchen Frage and we decided to take a punt on it. By the way Gretchen Frage is a play on the German 'Gretchenfrage' which means 'crucial question'.

Seeing that we were one of about a dozen audience members, and understanding that this was the opening show, we were a bit apprehensive as to what we would find. Well, let's just say any visit to the Edinburgh fringe when you take a blind punt is always a bit risky, and it wasn't awful. But it wasn't great either. Billed as 'Gretchen Frage is on a quest: to unravel the conundrum that is love in the time of capitalism. A confessional, eclectic and whimsical journey interlacing performance art and folk music by sibling duo Lex and Lian' we were quite excited to see what this was going to turn out like. What it turned out to be was a girl with a very sweet voice and songs she had penned herself, accompanying herself on the lute and being accompanied by her brother on box/guitar/harmonica - or did I dream that. There were a couple of actors supporting the thin narrative who needed a hell of a lot more rehearsal than was evident. We did get to make paper airplanes and play sweet whistles, but I wasn't sure why her clothes were cut off at one point leaving her centre stage in a body stocking that left nothing to the imagination. Hey ho the joys of the fringe - it was only about £6 so can't really complain and it did fill an hour nicely.

The Surgeon's Hall, Edinburgh

This did, however, whet our appetites for something really good, and something really good was what we got. Henning Wehn is 'that German comic' off the telly and radio. And he is very, very funny. We caught his show in London and seeing he had something new to offer decided to book for his Christmas spectacular while up at the Fringe. We weren't let down. He's comical, sharp, has an incredible understanding of the British vernacular and even though we were in the Caves (a large cellar underneath the street) and it was rather hot, the hour absolutely flew. I am sure he will be touring with this show nearer Christmas so I highly recommend booking tickets should it come to a town near you. His whole premise is how our Christmas drags on from January through to the following January whereas the Germans are far more ordered in their Christmas festivities which last a whole two days. The Germans obviously know how to do Christmas properly (well Christmas and a whole lot of other things as well). This show has been reprised from one he did a few years ago which I didn't see, but I can only agree that singing German Christmas carols in August somehow didn't feel wrong in a basement in Edinburgh because of the charm of our host, and the fact that you never know what stereotype he's going to tear to shreds next. I hope we see more of him on our mainstream media as he should be encouraged!

   

The Pride theatre review - London West End

Last night, to get me in the mood for a trip to the Edinburgh Festival (in all it's guises) next week, I went along to the Trafalgar Studios off Trafalgar Square to attend the opening night of The Pride, a play written by Alexi Kaye Campbell and set in both 1958 and the present day.

This often hilarious but also very touching piece of theatre explores themes of honesty and openness in relationships and centres around 3 main characters who are involved in a love triangle. Themes of homosexual behaviour and society's take on what is and isn't permissible are explored through the time shift which is cleverly portrayed both in the performances and the staging.

Given the recent law in Russia forbidding the promotion of homosexuality to anyone under the age of 18, this play is very contemporary and absolutely right for now. The cast even came on stage after the first curtain call with placards stating 'To Russia With Love', a reminder that in some parts of the world the movement for equality and recognition is still as it was here in the UK in 1958.

Image from The Evening Standard

Philip, Oliver and Sylvia are played by Al Weaver as Oliver, Hayley Atwell as Sylvia and Harry Hadden-Paton as Philip. Comic relief was brought by Mathew Horne who made the audience laugh out loud with his characterful portrayal of a role-playing rent boy - this particular role requiring a Nazi military costume, and the effusive editor of a men's magazine (thinks Nuts not Esquire).

All four actors were highly believable and the play itself well-written and thought provoking. Catch it while you can as it is on a limited run until November 9.

The Pride is at The Trafalgar Studios, London.





 

The Book Of Mormon - what a blast!

Last night along with a  friend and my daughter, I went along to see The Book of Mormon at the Prince of Wales Theatre, Piccadilly. It was a long awaited treat - I'd booked the tickets months ago as they'd virtually sold out the minute this 'hot ticket' show hit the box office. And I can see why. If you ask me 'are you a fan of musicals?' I will always say 'no'. It's not top of my list for an expensive theatrical night out, although if I'm really honest I have enjoyed all of the musicals I've seen recently, so maybe I'm a closet musical fan after all.

The Book of Mormon will be going near to the top of my most favourite musicals next to The Producers and The Lion King. Okay it's a bit blasphemous and you could throw the race book at it if you so desired but you would really be missing the point, and if it put you off going altogether then you'd certainly be missing out. Remember the first time you saw The Life of Brian? Shocked a lot of people at the time, but it's now considered a classic and this show, I'm sure, will be exactly the same. If you're a fan or are aware of South Park, created by the same writing team, then you really shouldn't be shocked at the edgy language and occasional lapse into extreme bad taste - it's all par for the course.

And how easily offended are you really? Let's put it this way, there were two Mormon missionaries in the row in front of us (distinctive haircuts, pink shirts and clean faces) who seemed to find it thigh-slappingly funny. It is sweary - not many would break that comedy taboo of mixing the 'C' word happily with the 'G' word (and by that I mean God) and setting it to music. There are jokes about female genital mutilation, not a subject for comedy surely, but in this context it worked. But if you're easily offended then stay away.

If however, you want to breath in the sheer joy of great performance and learn a little about Mormons, then this really is worth the wait and the ticket price.

I loved every brilliantly slick, perfectly timed, anarchically written, creatively choreographed second from the moment the curtain rose to the moment it fell.

The cast were wonderful - the all American style boys playing the Mormons were all white toothy grins and exaggerated mannerisms. While the cast playing the villagers and illegal army in Uganda were loud, strong and owned the stage with their song and dance.

Musically they've stolen from many a standard musical and sent it up. The set switches from the USA to mud huts in Uganda with ease, but what impressed me most was the feeling of absolute joy that you come away with for hours afterwards.

Taking away the songs about everyone having AIDS or maggoty scrotums for a moment (and to be honest it's not overwhelmingly like this, being more sweet than sinful) and you have a lot of food for thought. The underlying messages and debate that this brings to the surface are those that have been going on for decades at least.  The premise that all religions are made up of stories and legends and change over time, becoming relevant for the people wanting to take part is the overarching theme. The fact that religions give hope and structure and meaning is a strong storyline. The fact that the downside of religion can be where it becomes over-controlling and replaces free thought is also referred to. I did laugh, a lot, but couldn't sleep for looking at the bigger picture and the points being made through swearing and song.

It's also a little bit bonkers which you'd expect from this comedy writing team. Darth Vader, Hitler, The Devil, a flight deck member of Star Trek and even Yoda all make an appearance even if only in the background but they all easily add to the theme of myths, legends and culture without just being there to be silly.

Don't dismiss The Book of Mormon, it's a love story and a story of human endeavour - go and see it to join in the debate. If the Mormons themselves laugh along then what's to stop you?

The Book of Mormon, Prince of Wales Theatre, Coventry Street, London.

Ballet Revolucion!

It's a real shame but tonight is the last performance at the Peacock Theatre of Ballet Revolucion, but it's well worth a mention as they will be back and if you get a chance to see them where you live then grasp it firmly with both hands!

I went along on Tuesday and I can honestly say it is one of the most athletic dance experiences I have ever seen. These Cuban's sure know how to dance, both classical ballet and contemporary with a bit of street thrown in for good measure. It should be really cheesy dancing to music by everyone from Prince to Shakira but the band are so tight and the dancers so utterly superb that you are quite mesmerized for the full two hours.

It's also great to see a dance troupe where the sexes get equal billing. The girls take as much of the centre stage as the boys and are just as important to the whole rhythm and colour of the spectacle.

Purists have said they only come into their own when dancing to Latin beats and it's fair to say that this really is their strength, but the less up tempo and more classic numbers do hold their own and showcase variety which is always a good thing in my book.

Experience a bit here for yourself and as I say grab a ticket if you see them return to the UK. Viva La Revolucion!

Fuerzabruta, Roundhouse - well worth a look.

Fuerzabruta at the Roundhouse, Chalk Farm

Last night we had our annual family outing to a show. Would that it were more often than this, but we're not always in the same city at the same time, so it's not always easy. Fuerzabruta caught our eye as it looked completely different from anything else and was more affordable than the West End. And none of us had been to the Roundhouse in London's Chalk Farm since it's been refurbished, which is shocking as it's been open at least 6 years.

Fuerzabruta (which means Brute Force) was actually the show that re-opened the Roundhouse in 2006 and is now here until 26th Jan - so there is still time to go if it grabs your interest any.

So what is Fuerzabruta exactly? I did lie awake this morning trying to figure out how I was going to describe a performance that is neither one thing nor another and have come to the following conclusion.

It's not dance. It's not really theatre. It's not circus. What it is, is a performance pulling together all three into a show that never really lets up in terms of surprise and is enormously entertaining. Is it performance art then? Well nearly, but I'll come on to that...

The Roundhouse is the perfect venue as you stand in a space with the action taking place above head height. There are moving walls, a perspex (or something similar) box suspended above your head filled with water where nymphs play, loud bangs, a live drum orchestra, cardboard, wind, water, tissue paper by the load and lots of trapeze.

It isn't as acrobatic as something like Cirque du Soleil so comparison isn't fair. And to describe it as performance art comes close but it really isn't anywhere near as pretentious as this so often can be. My daughter is studying Theatre and Performance which should make her err towards being a bit pretentious herself, but strangely if anything, it has just heightened her 'bullshit radar' - and she loved it.

Crashing through cardboard walls, Fuerzabruta

This is not a show for those who can't stand for an hour or those who don't like being in close proximity to others. If you like a bit of a rave you'll love the music - lots of the younger audience members (and there were many) joined in with signature hand-waving and air-punching in time to the beat.

It is sexy - but not in an overtly sexual way. Interestingly the male performers remain fully clothed in suits throughout whereas the females get down to luminous pants and not much else. But even the ardent feminist in me who still surfaces occasionally wasn't put off by this obvious inequality.

The performers defy gravity, make us look at things through a lob-sided world and throw themselves in with great abandon. 

The Telegraph newspaper gave it rave reviews back in 2006 and it looks to be the same show. It's an hour which is long enough and is great value for money - it's from Argentina (Buenos Aires to be exact) and has sold out in New York. Catch it while you can... you certainly won't catch them!

Fuerzabruta, The Roundhouse, Chalk Farm, London. 

check out this trailer

and here is a scene from the watergirls section

Jumpy - Duke of York's Theatre review

I was lucky enough to be given a preview ticket for the new and soon to be a hit comedy, Jumpy, at The Duke of York's Theatre last week. This fabulous play by April de Angelis stars Tamsin Greig (you'll know her from Green Wing and Episodes) who plays a 50 year old mum of a 17 year old teenage girl. It's a play that will strike a chord with all those with teenage children and I found myself squirming at quite how accurate a portrayal it is.

April de Angelis really gets inside of the head of a middle-aged mum. I saw myself reflected more than once in the behaviour of mother towards her daughter. Who hasn't sat slumped after a hard day at work only to immediately brighten in tone and body language when a child comes through the front door. This is made all the more poignant and real by the subsequent, grumpy toned 'Alright' as she breezily asks 'How was school today?'. Often with a glass of wine in hand, mum Hilary is frustrated by the lack of impact she has on those around her and looks back on her youth (she was a Greenham Common protester) and the fact that once she was relevant.

It's a mid-life crisis comedy and has all the usual suspects, a hankering after a lost youth, a lack of passion in a marriage, a best friend who refuses to grow up and still believes she is sexy, and of course, a teenage girl of foul disposition but amazing frailty.

Don't let this put you off. Far from being cliched the writing and the acting transcends the mundane and obvious subject matter. We really feel for these characters and the smaller characters who weave in and out of the story-line. Tamsin Greig is superb but so is her best friend played by Doon Mackichan (Smack the Pony) and her daughter, Bel Powley, who plays moody then clingy with real belief.

Anyone who grew up in the 80's will recognise the soundtrack which includes music from The Clash, Dexy's Midnight Runners and Adam and the Ants - all giving us an insight into the mother's background and experiences. The staging too is very clever. All white with minimalist furniture it switches from a living room, to a bedroom to a beach scene easily and credibly.

I won't give too much of the story away here - safe to say it is instantly recognisable, very funny and in parts will reduce you to tears. Go see it while you can, it's one of the best things I've seen in the West End in quite a while.

Jumpy, The Duke of York's Theatre, St Martin's Lane, London WC2N 4BG. 16th August - 3rd November 2012. Tickets from £15-£75.

Get into London Theatre ticket offer

I love the theatre but it is a once every so often treat purely because it really is too expensive! So I'm always on the look out for cheap ticket deals and this one is well worth checking out. Get into London Theatre, the popular theatrical ticket promotion is back and from 21st June until 9th September 2012 you can book a wide range of musicals, plays, dance and entertainment with tickets priced at £10, £20, £30 and £40 with no additional booking or postage fees.

Tickets from £10 include the Olivier Award nominated shows One Man, Two Guvnors and the stage adaptation of the children’s book, The Tiger Who Came To Tea.
There are more than 40 shows available and there really is something for everyone, all the big musicals and plays - from English National Ballet's Swan Lake to the RSC's Julius Caesar and Disney's The Lion King. Maybe now I'll finally get to see The Woman In Black!

Visit the Get into London Theatre website  or call the 24hr ticket hotline on 0844 412 2703 for further information. Tickets must be booked by 31 May and there are no booking or postage fees. The website also has a whole host of travel advice and restaurant & hotel offers.

Get Into London Theatre summer 2012 is just one of many initiatives the Society of London Theatre (SOLT) has put together to help audiences make the most of the Olympic summer. Visit Official London Theatre’s Theatre 2012 section for helpful tips on travel, a list of all the shows running over the Olympic period and the Don’t Miss The Real Show theatrical trailer.

SOLT (Society of London Theatres) has worked with Transport for London to produce an Olympic-period-specific ‘theatre travel guide’ enabling visitors to plan and make the most of their trips to the theatre during the games.  A PDF of the guide can be downloaded from Official London Theatre's dedicated 2012 section

The Master and Margarita - Complicite at The Barbican

Where do I start with this? The Master and Margarita has always been one of my favourite books. It was recommended to me by my mother when I was about 20, I read it, couldn't put it down and it's been on my bookshelf ever since.

It was written by Russian writer Mikhail Bulgakov in 1939 but, due to the political control over literary publications at the time, it wasn't published until 1966 long after his death in 1940. To say it's a complex novel is something of an understatement.  It's magical, thought provoking and highly complicated. The main story is about the Devil and his entourage (including a talking cat) arriving in Moscow and creating havoc. It's also a take on organised religion and how it's lost it's way, and is about self-sacrifice, love, revenge, guilt, actually I could go on and on with a list of topics featured in this novel.
It travels from Moscow to Jerusalem, bringing in Pontius Pilate condemning Jesus to death, alongside parties in hell and literary meetings in Moscow.  It's the story of a novelist stuck in a lunatic asylum and his mistress and the question of whether everything is really preordained.

It's complex, skips hither and thither through time and storylines and yet is a wonderfully compulsive read that you remember long after the final page. No-one has successfully turned it into a play or film though some have considered it seriously (including Andrew Lloyd-Webber who looked at doing a musical version). Complicite and it's director Simon McBurney have met the challenge head on and using the huge theatre space at London's Barbican Theatre, have produced a work that is heart stopping in its visual impact, and takes you through the story at quite a pace. The music ranges from Shostakovich to The Rolling Stones giving added drama and rhythm to the movement of the ensemble. Three hours is a long time to sit through a play and I must admit the first half of an hour and 45 mins did leave me a bit numb with a desire to walk around for the full interval. The second half brings everything together and from the moment the actors appear back on the stage they've got you on the edge of your seat until the end.

Sadly it's now unlikely you'll get a ticket although it is running to April 7th but I would queue all night for returns. If you like physical theatre and especially if the book is on your favourites list then you mustn't miss this treat.