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8–15 AUG 2013 / WEEK 2 / SPECIAL FREE EDITION

FESTIVAL

+ PHILIP GLASS DRUM STRUCK KNIGHTMARE LIVE HUMZA ARSHAD FIDELIO SMASHED PATRICK NESS ALEX HORNE DOCTOR BROWN PETER HOOK THE BOY WITH TAPE ON HIS FACE AND MANY MORE

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150+ SHOWS REVIEWED TICKET OFFERS

INSIDE

BO’S BACK AFTER A THREE YEAR HIATUS BO BURNHAM RETURNS TO EDINBURGH

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05/08/2013 11:44

BY ARRANGEMENT WITH LISA THOMAS MANAGEMENT PRESENT

CREATOR AND STAR OF BBC1'S FATHER FIGURE AS SEEN ON BBC 1'S LIVE

‘THE OUTRIGHT KING OF LIVE COMEDY’ THE TIMES

★★★★★

★★★★

MIRROR

CHORTLE

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MAIL ON SUNDAY

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2 THE LIST FESTIVAL 8–15 Aug 2013

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AT THE APOLLO, ITV'S COMEDY ANNUAL AND DAVE’S ONE NIGHT STAND

★

SEE JASON BYRNE’S SPECIAL EYE ON TOUR THIS AUTUMN: OCTOBER 2013 17 LEEDS CITY VARIETIES 18 BIRMINGHAM TOWN HALL 20 BRIGHTON DOME NOVEMBER 2013 1 LONDON BLOOMSBURY THEATRE 2 LONDON BLOOMSBURY THEATRE 8 MIDDLESBROUGH THE CRYPT 9 CARDIFF ST DAVID’S HALL

0113 243 0808 0121 345 0600 01273 709 709 0207 388 8822 0207 388 8822 01642 729 729 029 2087 8444

10 MANCHESTER APOLLO 15 DUNFERMLINE ALHAMBRA 16 GLASGOW THEATRE ROYAL 28 READING HEXAGON 29 CANTERBURY GULBENKIAN 30 NEWCASTLE TYNE THEATRE DECEMBER 2013 1 LIVERPOOL EMPIRE 8 BELFAST ULSTER HALL

08444 777 677 01383 740 384 0844 871 7647 0118 960 6060 01227 769 075 0844 493 9999 0844 871 3017 028 9033 4455 8–15 Aug 2013 THE LIST FESTIVAL 1

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2 THE LIST FESTIVAL 8â€“15 Aug 2013

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05/08/2013 15:45

FRONT

CONTENTS

Mailbox Top 20 News

FESTIVAL 2013 | ISSUE 2 | LIST.CO.UK/FESTIVAL

4 6 10

FEATURES

Bo Burnham Granta Philip Glass Knightmare Live

14 18 20 22

COVER PHOTO AND LEFT: ROBERT JOHN KLEY

FOOD & DRINK

Top 5 Festival pop-ups

BOOKS

Joe Sacco Scottish Writers Patrick Ness

27 28 30

COMEDY

Doctor Brown Humza Arshad Cariad Lloyd and Paul Foxcroft David Baddiel

DANCE

Smashed Cambuyon L.O.V.E.

58 59 60

KIDS

COVER STORY

KNIGHTMARE LIVE!

PHILIP GLASS

The cult, early-90s TV show has been revived as a Fringe stage production – we don the Helmet of Justice and enter Lord Fear’s terrifying dungeon.

Renowned composer Glass joins forces with equally iconic punk poet Patti Smith to remember and recreate the work of seminal Beat poet Allen Ginsberg.

The Magical Playroom Romeo and Juliet L’Apres-midi d’un Foehn

BO BURNHAM Following a blockbuster Fringe debut three years ago, the talented Mr Burnham returned to the US to work with Judd Apatow and create his own MTV sitcom. Now he’s ready to face the Fringe again, with a new show that aims to be more theatrical in nature, and contains what Burnham describes as ‘bombastic introspection’. Find out more on page 14.

33 34 35 42

63 65 65

MUSIC

Peter Hook 66 Swans 69 Mike Oldfield’s Tubular Bells for Two 72

THEATRE

Fight Night Nirbhaya Shawshank Redemption Banksy: The Room in the Elephant

GREAT OFFERS Win tickets to Foster’s Edinburgh Comedy Awards

Win tickets to Mary, Queen of Scots

Win tickets to Coriolanus

Win an Aperol Spritz Kit and tickets to Very Best of the Fest

Win tickets to Smashed

Win tickets to Hot Dub Time Machine

Win Drambuie prizes

Win a Day of Decadence in Leith

75 77 78 84

VISUAL ART

Franz West Leonardo da Vinci Michael Nyman

87 90 90

CLUBS

LuckyMe Fly Club presents Aus Music Showcase Justin Robertson

AROUND TOWN Turing Festival Edinburgh Art Festival Detours Summerhall Film Programme

INDEX

91 92 92

93 93 94 94

THIS WEEK ON LIST.CO.UK/FESTIVAL We’ve got extended versions of this issue’s interviews with Justin Robertson, LuckyMe’s Eclair Fifi and more, as well as dozens of Q&As with Fringe comedy debutantes; while our Top Rated page – which compiles and ranks hundreds of reviews from various publications across the Festival – is now up and running, letting you know what’s the hottest thing at the Fest.

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Festival

MAILBOX RANTING AND RAVING So apparently we’re not the only ones seeing shows at the Festival. Here are some reviews from the people this is all for – you guys.

BRUSH C Nova Really enjoyed this piece. Young cast did well and great use of audio / visual. Worth seeing. Comment posted by Kelly the ticket

GREASE! theSpace @ Venue 45 Saw a preview of Grease today at the Festival – the show was fantastic and great fun from the young cast from Portobello. Sold out on first day. They must have had a good response to their preview on the High Street. Highly recommended. Great venue and friendly helpful team at Venue 45. Comment posted by The Mother of Bono

DIDO AND AENEAS St Cecilia’s Hall Absolutely enchanting and beautifully-sung

BRIBE

CONTRIBUTORS Publisher & General Editor Robin Hodge Director Simon Dessain

production of this short opera about the fateful love between the Queen of Carthage and Aeneas. The tale has been given a contemporary twist by the spirit of Finance. Plenty to amuse and delight everyone! Comment posted by SarahT

BEFORE WONDERLAND

EDITORIAL Editor Gail Tolley Deputy Editor Claire Sawers Research Manager Kirstyn Smith Senior Researcher Jaclyn Arndt Research Alex Johnston, David Pollock, Murray Robertson, Fiona Shepherd Food & Drink Researcher Hannah Graham Editorial Assistant Katy Spry Editorial Intern Lydia Willgress

C A fabulous show! Amazing actors! Innovative characters played beautifully! Creative lighting and special effects – unbelievable! What some might not attend, thinking it is only a children’s story, turns into magic in these actors’ hands. Bravo to their director who wrote this creative piece. Johnny Depp look out! Comment posted by keriksen

SALES & MARKETING Media Sales Manager Chris Knox Senior Media Sales Executives Nicky Carter, Jude Moir Debbie Thomson Digital Sales Executive Joe McManus Digital Business Development Director Brendan Miles Partnership Director Sheri Friers

A GLEE INSPIRED: ROMEO AND JULIET C Katy Perry and William Shakespeare?! Yes, and it works! This was a super production of Romeo and Juliet. These kids can sing and they take Shakespeare seriously. They bring the story to life in a great way for kids / teens. My kids are listening to the Gleeinspired score on Spotify and still talking about the scenes. Go see it! Comment posted by Alison Mackenzie

CIRCA: WUNDERKAMMER Underbelly Bristo Square Astonishing show, completely outstanding performances from the entire cast. Had us all enthralled throughout, I found myself with my mouth hanging open in disbelief most of the time. Gravity does not seem to affect the performers as they move with the ease of Marvel comic characters. Years of CGI in movies have reduced most live performance to a pale sideshow, but Circa Wunderkammer demonstrate that nothing is quite so incredible as real people moving in an unreal way. Beautiful, sometimes understated, classy, irreverent, sexy,

EK E W E OF TH

outrageous but just simply brilliant. Best show I have ever seen. Comment posted by Andy Haldane

COMPANY MAN C Not the best advertisement for work in a Japanese corporation, but surely funny. Sleek and well executed. You’ll never utter ‘juggling emails’ again without thinking of them. Comment posted by Kakimaturi Read more public reviews (and post your own) at list.co.uk/festival.

I BELIEVE IN UNICORNS Kids’ theatre company Wizard may not have blown the budget on their bribe, but they did display an impressive level of custommade creativity. As well as a homemade pop-up unicorn (in a copy of the Michael Morpurgo book from which their show is adapted), we were given a song and short story, each written specially for List staffers. Awww. ■ I Believe in Unicorns, Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 26 Aug (not 12), 11.45am, £7–£9 (£6–£8.50). See list.co.uk/bribe for our Bribe of the Week runners-up.

If you fancy buying some great exposure for your Festival performance, send some promotional payola to Big Fat Festival Bribe, c/o Niki Boyle, The List, 14 High Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1TE.

PRODUCTION Production Director Simon Armin Senior Designer Lucy Munro DIGITAL Web Editor Hamish Brown Digital Writer Niki Boyle Assistant Web Producer Robin Ford-Coron Senior Developer Andy Carmichael Senior Designer Bruce Combe Software Developer Iain McCusker Senior DBA Andy Bowles Digital Design Associate Jen Devonshire ADMINISTRATION Accounts Manager Sarah Reddie Office Manager Amy Russell SECTION EDITORS Around Town Charlotte Runcie Books Kirsty Logan Clubs Alex Caslano Comedy Brian Donaldson Dance/Kids Kelly Apter Food & Drink Donald Reid Music Claire Sawers News Anna Millar Theatre Gareth K Vile Up Front Niki Boyle Visual Art Rhona Taylor

Published by The List Ltd HEAD OFFICE: 14 High Street, Edinburgh EH1 1TE Tel: 0131 550 3050, Fax: 0131 557 8500, list.co.uk, email editor@list.co.uk GLASGOW OFFICE: at the CCA, 350 Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow G2 3JD Tel: 0141 332 9929, glasgow@list.co.uk ISSN: 0959 - 1915 ©2013 The List Ltd. Reproduction in whole or in part is forbidden without the written permission of the publishers. The List does not accept responsibility for unsolicited material. The List provides this content in good faith but no guarantee or representation is given that the content is accurate, complete or up-to-date. Use of magazine content is at your own risk. Printed by Acorn Web Offset Ltd, W.Yorkshire. Subscriptions: 30 issues UK £30

4 THE LIST FESTIVAL 8–15 Aug 2013

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05/08/2013 18:54

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8–15 Aug 2013 THE LIST FESTIVAL 5

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Festival

TOP 20

So many venues, shows, flyers, websites to trawl through . . . Relax. We’ve boiled it right down to the top 20 things to see this week © NICK RUTTER

HENRY FUSELI THREE WEIRD SISTERS FROM MACBETH, 1785 MEZZOTINT ON PAPER © BRITISH MUSEUM

VISUAL ART

THEATRE

Witches and Wicked Bodies

Bin Laden: The One Man Show

This exhibition of witchcraft explores themes of gender, age, beauty, sexuality and death through 500 years of visual art, incorporating works by Albrecht Dürer, Francisco de Goya, William Blake, John Bellany and Alan Davie. See review, page 88. Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art Two, until 3 Nov.

While it may be tempting to assume you know exactly what this show’s going to be like, we’d advise seeing it before making your mind up – it’s highly nutritious food for thought. See review, list. co.uk C nova, until 26 Aug (not 13). JEAN LUC BEAUJAULT

PHOTO © WILLIAM BURDETT-COUTTS

PHOTO © RACHEL KING

MUSIC / SPOKEN WORD

COMEDY

THEATRE

KIDS

The Poet Speaks

Luisa Omielan

Nirbhaya

l’Apres Midi d’un Foehn

Philip Glass and Patti Smith pool their considerable talents in a celebration of Allen Ginsberg. They’re having a talk about it on the same day at The Hub too. See feature, page 20. Playhouse, 13 Aug.

The talented comedian is only asking What Would Beyonce Do? for a limited time, so make sure you catch her before she goes. See review, page 49. Gilded Balloon Teviot, until 11 Aug.

A powerful examination of attitudes to women which takes as its starting point the rape and murder of a woman in Dehli in 2012. See review, page 77. Assembly Hall, until 26 Aug (not 12, 19).

A simplistic and beautifully-executed piece of physical theatre and dance for children, starring a troupe of plastic bags. See review, page 65. Summerhall, until 25 Aug (not 11, 12, 17, 18, 22). NILS VOM LANDE

THEATRE

KIDS

CLUBS

Banksy: The Room in the Elephant

Romeo and Juliet

LuckyMe 7th Festival Party

One-man show based on the story of a man who was evicted by art collectors when Banksy decorated his makeshift home. See review, page 84. Pleasance Courtyard, until 26 Aug (not 13, 19).

Bristol Old Vic Theatre School and New Mutiny Theatre Company present a family-friendly take on Shakespeare’s love story. See our five-star review, page 65. Assembly George Square, until 18 Aug.

Rustie, Ben UFO, S-Type, Eclair Fifi and The Blessings all play LuckyMe’s annual Festival party. See preview, page 91, and win tickets at list.co.uk Sneaky Pete’s, 9 Aug.

6 THE LIST FESTIVAL 1–8 Aug 2013

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FRANZ WEST, EPIPHANIE, 2011, MICHAELA OBERMAIR ¬© FRANZ WEST PRIVATSTIFTUNG, EAF

PHOTO © EOIN CAREY

IDIL SUKAN

THEATRE

DANCE

THEATRE

VISUAL ART

The Veil

Ciara

Franz West

A none-more-Fringe slice of ‘neovaudevillian post-modern absurdity’ – at least, that’s what our reviewer says. See review, page 59. Dance Base, until 17 Aug (not 12).

An unsettling portrait of Glasgow, painted expertly by David Harrower and leading lady Blythe Duff. See review, page 76. Traverse, until 25 Aug (not 12, 19).

A major hands-on exhibition of the late artist’s work, with a focus on his collaborations and his open attitude to art. See review, page 87. Inverleith House, until 22 Sep.

The pomposity of the artist is stripped bare for all to see in this solo satirical performance by Lucy Hopkins. See review, page 76. Pleasance Dome, until 26 Aug (not 12, 19).

PHOTO © BERTRAND STOFLETH

MUSIC

COMEDY

BOOKS

Fidelio

Bo Burnham

Salman Rushdie

Political prisoner Florestan and his heroic wife, Leonore, are the two characters at the heart of Beethoven’s only opera, revived by digital artist Gary Hill. Read an interview with Hill, page 68. Festival Theatre, 10 & 12 Aug.

The YouTube wunderkind returns to the Fringe following numerous plaudits, sell-out audiences and five-star reviews in 2010. Can he repeat that success with What? See interview, page 14. Pleasance Courtyard, 9–19 Aug (not 13).

One of the world’s greatest living authors discusses his career and life, from winning the Booker of Bookers and being awarded a knighthood, to the Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini’s fatwa. Charlotte Square Gardens, 10 Aug.

DANCE

BOOKS

COMEDY

BOOKS / MUSIC

Smashed

Joe Sacco

David Baddiel

Peter Hook

An avant-garde movement-andjuggling show that will change the way you perceive gravity. See review, page 58. Assembly Hall, until 26 Aug (not 13).

The ‘graphic journalist’ has two Book Fest slots: a solo one on Tue 13 Aug and with Chris Ware on Wed 14 Aug. See preview, page 27. Charlotte Square Gardens, 13 & 14 Aug.

Baddiel ditches any clichéd ‘comeback’ material in favour of venting passionately about fame. See review, page 42. Assembly George Square, until 11 Aug.

The Joy Division bassist, turned memoir writer, spends an hour with Ian Rankin at the Book Festival. See preview, page 66. Charlotte Square Gardens, 10 Aug. 1–8 Aug 2013 THE LIST FESTIVAL 7

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05/08/2013 18:49

READER OFFERS WIN AN APEROL SPRITZ KIT AND TICKETS TO THE VERY BEST OF THE FEST

IMAGE © BLAIRS MUSEUM TRUST.

WIN TICKETS TO MARY, QUEEN OF SCOTS

Aperol Spritz garden is open on George Street Spiegelterrace. The Aperol Spritz Garden, located outside the Assembly Rooms will host a variety of unique and emerging talent performances every day on the Aperol Spritz Presents Stage. Whether you like to people watch, enjoy post work refreshments or relax and listen to live bands, there is something for everyone here. We are offering two tickets to the Very Best Of The Fest and an Aperol Spritz Kit, containing everything you need to create the perfect Aperol Spritz at home, all you need to do is answer this question. To enter, just log on to list.co.uk/offers and tell us:

Where in Edinburgh is the Aperol Spritz stage? Open to the public from Friday 2nd August until Saturday 31st August, serving daily Mondays to Saturdays 11am - 12am and 12pm - 12am on Sundays. To keep up to date with Aperol Spritz UK events, competitions and more visit facebook.com/ukaperolspritz or follow on twitter @AperolSpritzUK #321Spritz

www.aperolspritzuk.co.uk TERMS & CONDITIONS: COMPETITION CLOSES ON 14 AUG 2013. ENTRANTS MUST BE OVER 18 YEARS OF AGE. USUAL LIST RULES APPLY.

Discover the epic tale of Mary, Queen of Scots in an exclusive exhibition at the National Museum of Scotland. Showing only in Edinburgh, we have three pairs of tickets to give away.

WIN TICKETS TO SEE THE TRAGEDY OF CORIOLANUS

Mary, Queen of Scots is arguably one of the most famous and controversial figures in Scottish history. Her story arouses strong emotions: was she betrayed by those she trusted, condemned to die a Catholic martyr or was she a murdering adulteress with her husband’s blood on her hands? Created especially for the National Museum of Scotland, the exhibition provides a oncein-a-lifetime opportunity to discover much that has been written and speculated about Mary, one of the most charismatic monarchs of all time. Taking a fresh, innovative approach, using jewels, textiles, furniture, documents and portraits, Mary’s dramatic story and a fascinating period in Scottish history are explored in detail. By drawing together rare objects intimately connected with Mary Stewart, as well as key loans from public and private collections, the exhibition features an array of treasures never before seen together, alongside new research. To enter, just log on to list.co.uk/offers and tell us:

In what year was Mary, Queen of Scots born? Exhibition on until 17 November 2013 National Museum of Scotland Chambers Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1JF £9/£7.50, Child £6, Under 12s free Visit nms.ac.uk/mary for more information and to book. Sponsored by Baillie Gifford Investment Managers. TERMS & CONDITIONS: COMPETITION CLOSES 14 AUG 2013. THERE IS NO CASH ALTERNATIVE. USUAL LIST RULES APPLY. BY ENTERING THIS COMPETITION YOU AGREE TO HAVE YOUR DETAILS PASSED TO THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF SCOTLAND.

Don’t miss one of the highlights of this year’s Edinburgh International Festival, a pulsating 21st century take on Shakespeare’s classic tragedy from the Beijing People’s Art Theatre (Tue 20 & Wed 21 August). In this European premiere, General Caius Martius returns to Rome a hero after conquering Corioles and is re-named Coriolanus. He runs for Consul only to be rejected by the people and vows to destroy Rome. With over 30 extras thronging the stage, music performed live by two of China’s leading heavy metal bands – Miserable Faith and Suffocated - and Pu Cunxin, one of China’s most famous actors bringing the rebel General vividly to life, prepare for an epic night of theatre. The List and the Edinburgh International Festival are offering two lucky winners each a pair of tickets to see The Tragedy of Coriolanus on Wednesday 21 August. To enter, just log on to list.co.uk/offers and tell us:

What is the General’s name? eif.co.uk TERMS AND CONDITIONS: COMPETITION CLOSES 14 AUG 2013. THERE IS NO CASH ALTERNATIVE AND TICKETS ARE SUBJECT TO AVAILABILITY. USUAL LIST RULES APPLY.

8 THE LIST FESTIVAL 8–15 Aug 2013

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05/08/2013 17:02

READER OFFERS WIN TICKETS TO HOT DUB TIME MACHINE

WIN TICKETS TO THE FOSTER’S EDINBURGH COMEDY AWARDS

All aboard Hot Dub Time Machine, the world’s first time-travelling dance party! Travel back in time to 1954 with DJ Tom Loud, then boogie back to 2013, with a song for each year powered by your dancing! Sold out shows across the world agree: this is the Best. Party. Ever. And we have five pairs of tickets to give away. To enter, just log on to list.co.uk/offers and tell us:

Who is the DJ? hotdubtimemachine.com Underbelly Bristo Square 8-10, 15-17, 22-25 August 00.15am TERMS & CONDITIONS: COMPETITION CLOSES 14 AUG 2013. TICKETS ARE FOR FRI 16 AUG 2013. ENTRANTS MUST BE OVER 18 YEARS OF AGE. USUAL LIST RULES APPLY

WIN TICKETS AND A TEA PARTY WITH SMASHED

Gandini Juggling are taking a tea break and you are invited. You and a friend are invited to join two of the Smashed jugglers for a cup of tea and slice of apple pie at a local antique tea shop, before seeing the show that night. Keep your eye on the shop’s crockery because you never know when something is about to be smashed . . . Touring the world since 2011, London based company Gandini Juggling brings its critically acclaimed hit to Assembly Hall this August. A sensational mix of skill and theatricality inspired by the work of Pina Bausch, Smashed evokes nostalgia for a world of black and white photographs, post war romance, tense relationships and quaint afternoon tea.

The prestigious Foster’s Edinburgh Comedy Awards, the UK’s first and premier award for live comedy, are now in their 33rd year. Previous winners include Russell Kane, Adam Riches, Doctor Brown, Frank Skinner, Harry Hill and Al Murray. But who will take home the Best Comedy Award in 2013? You could be in with a chance to win a pair of tickets to see this year’s winner and nominees for Best Comedy Show on 25th August at 8:30pm at the Pleasance Grand. For one show only we bring you the stars of tomorrow. You could win tickets to the hottest gig at the festival which is a sell out every year.

‘Juggling: not just artful but art. The finale is as terrifyingly vicious as it is funny.’ ★★★★ The Guardian 2012

To enter, just log on to list.co.uk/offers and tell us:

To be in with the chance of winning, just log on to list.co.uk/offers and tell us:

Who won best newcomer at the 2012 Edinburgh Comedy Awards?

How long has Smashed been touring? Smashed Rainy Hall - Assembly Hall 6.05pm, 03 – 26 August (No show Tues 13 Aug), £12 £14 Book tickets: assemblyfestival.com, 0131 623 3030 or Assembly box offices at Assembly Hall and Assembly Roxy, Assembly George Square and Assembly Checkpoint TERMS & CONDITIONS: COMPETITION CLOSES 14 AUGUST 2013. TICKETS ARE FOR TUE 20AUG 2013. THERE IS NO CASH ALTERNATIVE.

Foster's - A Thirst For Talent! TERMS & CONDITIONS: COMPETITION CLOSES 14 AUG 2013. OPEN TO UK RESIDENTS 18 AND OVER. ONE ENTRY PER PERSON. NO TRANSPORT OR ACCOMMODATION PROVIDED. USUAL LIST RULES APPLY.

8–15 Aug 2013 THE LIST FESTIVAL 9

F13WK2-Reader Offers.indd 9

05/08/2013 17:02

FESTIVAL NEWS KRIJN DE KONING LAND 2013, CO-COMMISSIONED BY EDINBURGH COLLEGE OF ART AND EDINBURGH ART FESTIVAL PHOTO: KAT GOLLOCK.

K E E W HE T F O PIC

Fringe act Mr Twonkey has set up a daily da panic helpline for fo journalists. Patch us u through, people.

That funny lady off telly y Janeane Garofalo will appear at the Assembly Roomss ly, for four nights only, p. 20–23 Aug. Woop.

KRIJN DE KONING We’re totally smitten by this gorgeous image from the De Koning exhibition at the Edinburgh College of Art, as part of the Edinburgh Art Festival. Transforming the ECA’s Sculpture Court through installations, Dutch artist De Koning’s work is on show until the end of the month. ■ Edinburgh College of Art, 226 6558, until 1 Sep, free.

CAB GAB

The crazy photo ops available at the Drambuie stall at Underbelly.

The last train home. Noisy, drunk people.

Often the source of the best local gossip, we asked some Edinburgh taxi drivers what the hot topics are in their cabs during the festival

‘Festival or not, people want to talk about the tram situation here. The trams have actually replaced the weather as the main topic of conversation in Edinburgh. Well, until now – everyone has started complaining they are too hot at the moment!’ MARK TAYLOR (Edinburgh cabbie for 10 years)

‘People are dying to tell you about the show they have just seen, whether it was rubbish or great,

they really want to talk to someone about it. You can always tell if someone has seen a bad show because they are on a right downer.’ IAN MOFFAT (Edinburgh cabbie for 8 years)

‘Most people want to know about accommodation. One woman asked if they built Edinburgh Castle before they built the rock that it sits on!’ THOMAS COOPER (Edinburgh cabbie for 30 years)

CARBON CREATIVES SHORTLIST The List are pleased to announce the first shortlist for the Creative Carbon Awards: THE SMALLEST LIGHT THE GARDEN SWEATER CURSE: A YARN ABOUT LOVE

Last year’s Ting Thai is gone from Forest Road. Sob. But hooray for newbie Mexican food gaff Antojito. Find it by Checkpoint Assembly.

The Fringe haters. We know the city’s busy but if you don’t like it, don’t go.

GARDEN O’ DELIGHT PIGMALION ZOO

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1,000 SUNS SACRED EARTH LAST LAND THE PRICE OF EVERYTHING HOW TO OCCUPY AN OIL RIG For more information or to be considered visit

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10 THE LIST FESTIVAL 8–15 Aug 2013

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05/08/2013 15:02

For more news go to

LIST.CO.UK /NEWS

LIES, LIONS AND LAUGHTER N M U L CO

ALEX HORNE The crazy comedian talks eggs and porky pies

live in a small village on the Norfolk coast, far from the Edinburgh festival. When I told my neighbour, Eggs (real name, he insists), I was going up for the Fringe he shook his head. ‘I don’t understand young people,’ he cried. I’ll be 40 next year. People who’ve never been to the festival understandably have no idea what the festival is. Most presume you buy one ticket, like for Glastonbury, and can then stagger round, watching a load of comedians perform in a load of tents. The reality is far better. And far worse. ‘The thing is, Eggs,’ I said the following morning, ‘it’s fun. There are about a thousand comedy shows to choose from, everyone’s there: it’s mad.’ He shook his head again. ‘Listen to yourself,’ he whispered. I tried, but I had finished talking. Fortunately, I’d been recording the conversation as a voice memo so I could write a column about it for The

List and over lunch that day (eggs, coincidentally), I did indeed listen to myself. ‘A thousand comedy shows . . . everyone’s . . . mad.’ Maybe Eggs was right. What was I thinking? Why would I leave my idyllic home in a converted lighthouse, my wife and seven children, to go to Scotland and compete with a thousand other comedians for an audience? Well, the truth is I’m mainly going to Edinburgh to escape from Eggs for a month. He’s a nightmare. And his lighthouse is bigger than ours and he never turns his light off. My show this year is called Lies. In it I admit that I am, and always have been, a liar. So, in that spirit of honesty I should say that nothing in this article (except for one of the eggs) is true. Although that is also a lie. So it’s actually all true (except for one of the eggs). Alex Horne: Lies, Pleasance, until 25 Aug, 8.30pm, £8.50–£10.50.

MY EDINBURGH First time I came to Edinburgh was In 2007 when I came to the Fringe to be a street performer. I come back because I met my wife in Edinburgh and we enjoy having our anniversary during one of the biggest festivals in the world. In regards to shows, I set myself silly goals for the following year and then have to see if I can tick them off a list. Edinburgh’s unique selling point is During the festival it’s the only place in the world where you can see burlesque before breakfast, comedy for lunch and

BOY WITH TAPE ON HIS FACE

a children’s show at night. It can feel like a topsy-turvy town in which clowns have taken run of a beautiful city for the month. Most surreal festival experience In 2007 I saw a show by Dr Cocacolamcdonalds in a hot sweaty room with about 25 other people. He wore only underpants, clown makeup and sang songs on an old Casio keyboard. One of the best shows I have ever seen. My favourite place to eat is Ruan Thai just off Cockburn Street. There’s nothing better, halfway through the festival, than going to get a tom yum so hot that it clears your head and body in preparation for the next two weeks.

I am likely to be found Hanging out my flat window watching street shows. I am least likely to be found At the top of Arthur’s Seat. Every year I tell myself I will go up there but never do. Best/worst thing ever written about you? ‘The Boy With Tape On His Face would only be funnier if he set himself on fire’ – written about a YouTube video that was posted. The joys of the internet. ■ The Boy With Tape On His Face: More Tape, Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 24 Aug (not 12 & 13), 9.40pm, £12–£13.50 (£9.50–£11).

OVERHEARD IN EDINBURGH

‘He could bring the lion right out in me’ Slightly inebriated audience member enjoying a snapshot of Luke Wright’s Essex Lion Show at The List party.

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t s i L e h T

The List’s annual Festival Party is the deﬁnitive starting point for the ff iin style Edinburgh Festival and, as ever, this year’s edition kicked things off The List would like to thank all the staff at Summerhall for providing the perfect party venue for or the third thiird year ch of our 1500 running. A huge thanks to our drinks sponsors Aperol Spritz and Heverlee, who ensured each us nibbles;; an aand d guests were, ahem, suitably refreshed; also Hunt & Darton Cafe, who provided some delicious al thanks go to to LOOKLOOK photobooths, who helped make sure it was a night to remember. Extra special owarth, Kristie our amazing team: YOURgb Events, Michael Heasman, Laura Hawkins, Katy Spry, Naomi Howarth, wouldn t havee gone off with De Garis (photography) and all ourr lovely volunteers. And of course, the party wouldn’t a bang were it not for our amazing performers: A Simple Space Anatomy of the Piano Auditory Hallucinations Benefit Cosmetics Bianco Die Roten Punkte s Electro Bevvy & The Dolphin Boys Fright or Flight Funny Women Lili La Scala Long Distance Affair Luke Wright Mark Dolan Mat Ricardo Red Bastard Red Door Gallery Rhys Matthewson Saki and Flynn Sotho Sounds ThaTha Trendy Wendy Vikki Stone Vive Le Cabaret g Wellington International Ukulele Orchestra

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list.co.uk/festival

List Festival Party | F FESTIVAL FEATURE

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PHOTOS © ROBERT JOHN KLEY

14 THE LIST FESTIVAL 8–15 Aug 2013

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list.co.uk/festival

Bo Burnham | FESTIVAL FEATURES

JUST SAY BO Bo Burnham has gone from a YouTube phenomenon to the star of his own MTV sitcom. He tells Brian Donaldson that being back at the Fringe is still an intimidating prospect

here have been few Fringe comedy debuts quite like Bo Burnham’s. Back in 2010, he was widely known as the kid who performed silly songs in his bedroom to virtually patent the term ‘internet sensation’. For those who awaited his arrival in August of that year as a chance to shoot down this young pretender, Words Words Words left most onlookers speechless. One rave review after another greeted his very literate, very musical, and extremely funny hour which had him tearing up newspapers and ripping a hole in the theory that originality and wit are mutually exclusive entities. Burnham’s spectacles don’t need to be tinted with rose for him to look back on that month with extreme fondness. ‘I had no idea that was coming,’ he insists of the overwhelmingly positive reaction to his run. ‘That would be sociopathic of me to have expected it. I had all these ideas about my stand-up and about my show that I’d been working on for years, and I had never really heard anybody articulating it back to me; so I didn’t know if I was doing it right or not. Sometimes in

the US, comedy isn’t examined in the way it is in the UK, and I was blown away that people would be looking so closely at my ideas. I am hugely flattered and intimidated to be going back, but I’ve spent three years making a show that can only be disappointing. And I’m probably playing a room that is slightly too big, so I’m setting myself up for a colossal failure.’ Immediately after his 2010 Fringe glory (the judges somehow failed to adorn Burnham with the main Edinburgh Comedy Award, but instead handed him the consolation ‘panel prize’), and having just left his teenage years behind, he resumed a working relationship with Hollywood’s comedy-film behemoth, Judd Apatow. Those sessions turned out to be a profitable experience which helped Burnham grow as a writer rather than a collaboration yielding a concrete project. ‘I learned something so valuable which was how to write a script from one of the best writers around,’ Burnham concludes. ‘That was a huge gift. I’ve been working on scripts since then and if they have

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FESTIVAL FEATURES | Bo Burnham

‘I’m grateful for every stupid mistake and dumb joke’ any qualities, they come directly from the input he has given me. Hee sat across from old and talked to me when I was a 17-year-old me like an adult and gavee me respect and listened to my opinions. He treated me ally shouldn’t like an equal when he really have.’ Burnham credits that time me as being ds his first hugely beneficial towards venture into the world of TV comedy, com Zach the mockumentary sitcom ous. As star Stone is Gonna Be Famous. and co-creator of the MTV show hose only about a young man whose talent is an unquenchablee drive to achieve celebrityhood, Burnham inadvertently plundered those m his videos he uploaded from bedroom merely to make h but friends and family laugh which were then viewedd by millions. ‘Looking backk on myself then is terrifying, and I thought I had abandoned every persona I’d taken on for those YouTube videos. I was way too enthusiastic and such a ham. e, I think But in making Zach Stone, I tapped into this older version of myself and criticised it throughh the show. But even though I’m critical off it, any element taken out might not havee given me the w. I’m grateful opportunities I have now. nd dumb joke I for every stupid mistake and tried to make.’ ing the goal While he was achieving roject off the of getting his first TV project y writing the ground, Burnham was busy ds Words, in follow-up to Words Words preparation for a return to Edinburgh. our suggest Early reports of the new hour rical piece that it’s a more theatrical than his debut and whilee he had a concept firmly in mind,, Burnham knew it wasn’t somethingg he could try out in short bursts on the comedy club circuit. ‘What I’m going for is bombastic introspection,’ he insists. els intimate ‘It’s a show that I hope feels esentation. in theme, but bigger in presentation. I love Tim Minchin, Bill Bailey and m trying to Hans Teeuwen and I’m atre into my synthesise elements of theatre show a little bit more. I want it to be un to watch, surprising and rich and fun sing. It’ll be and maybe a little confusing.

very loud and very quiet and very sad an and very happy, with things that have you leaving the theatre thea going, “what . . . ”And not “what” with a qquestion mark; just “what”, period.’ A younger Bo Burnham once stated in an in interview that ‘not enough com comedy makes you feel somethin something’. He tuts like showbu a showbusiness veteran reflecting on o the raw naivety of his own youth at such rash pronounc pronouncements. ‘That sounds a lot like a 19-yearold kid who thinks he knows a lot of shit. But I do think the rules of com comedy generally lim its ability to limit be more theatrical or emotional. And yes I would like yes, people to feel something, mayb my problem is but maybe i comedy. It just calling it s puts it straight into a box wh and while this show is hopefull funny, there will hopefully be parts you can point to say “technically, is and say, this comedy?”’ com Burnh Burnham is able to look o that dazzling back on Edinbur Edinburgh debut with a critical, distanced eye, and can reassure us that he fully intends to go one bey step beyond it this year. tim in Edinburgh, ‘Last time talk I was talking from a very plac of being 19 and certain place k thinking I knew how comedy should be. T This hour is much more from a healthy confusion and an ackno acknowledgment that I don’t quite kno know the purpose of comedy. I hope iit feels a little more humble than the last one and about wrestling with ide ideas rather than just stating them. Hopef Hopefully, just watching me wrestle with thes these ideas will make you feel something.’ Bo Burnham: What, P Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, 9–19 Aug (not 13), 11.15pm, £12–£1 £12–£13.50 (£11– £12.50).

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16 THE LIST FESTIVAL 8–15 Aug 2013

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THE QUEEN’S GALLERY PALACE OF HOLYROODHOUSE

LEONARDO DA VINCI THE MECHANICS OF MAN

2 August – 10 November 2013 | Open daily from 09:30 www.royalcollection.org.uk +44 (0)131 556 5100

Enjoy free re-admission for a year if you buy your ticket directly from us. 8–15 Aug 2013 THE LIST FESTIVAL 17

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FESTIVAL FEATURES | Granta Writers

SOMETHING OLD, SOMETHING NEW E

ach decade since 1983 literary magazine, Granta, has published a list of the 20 British novelists under the age of 40 who they believe will do great things in the future. This year’s Edinburgh International Book Festival will celebrate the great and good of these lists, examining the legacies left behind and giving a chance to discover the upcoming generation. While Granta’s line-ups are undoubtedly subjective, and swayed by prevailing fashions, the list does have an impressive hit rate for identifying names for the ages. Indeed since the first list in 1983, the addition of the likes of Salman Rushdie, Monica Ali and Ian McEwan, suggests that the writers picked for 2013 are surely ones to watch, with the talents of this year’s line-up, such as Sunjeev Sahota, Adam Thirlwell, Joanna Kavenna, Steven

Hall, Tahmima Anam, Jenni Fagan, and Helen Oyeyemi, already causing a stir far beyond the page. Sunjeev Sahota one of this year’s inclusions, has revealed that previous Granta listee Rushdie has been a massive influence on his work: Midnight’s Children was the first novel that Sahota, an 18-year-old maths student ever read. ‘It’s a very complex, ebulliently written book,’ Sahota has said. ‘What kept me turning the pages was the sense of a world of stories – of being immersed into someone’s mind.’ Steven Hall, another writer featured on the 2013 list, has been just as influenced by Rushdie, albeit for different reasons – a fact perhaps not so obvious to fans of his sharp, tricksy, consummately modern 2007 debut The Raw Shark Texts, published by Edinburgh’s Canongate. A work of redoubtable and

unapologetic scale, Midnight’s Children has become important to Hall, partly for structural reasons, as he works on a second book he fondly describes as ‘a monster’. ‘Reading Midnight’s Children has been a breath of fresh air for me,’ explains Hall, ‘not least because there seems to be a preoccupation with short, tidy, fast storytelling out there at the moment. I’ve fallen in love with epics – glorious sweeping stories that roam far and wide with unpredictable episodes, mid-novel character introductions and deaths, and multi-chapter side-wanderings. ‘Midnight’s Children takes its huge, magical, magnificent time,’ Hall continues, ‘with no desire to pull itself so tight between plot points that you can see its machinery poking through. It’s a wonderful book. It makes me feel like I can breathe – and like the novel isn’t going to collapse into a 140 character singularity

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Granta Writers | FESTIVAL FEATURES

list.co.uk/festival

FIVE OF THE BEST. . . GRANTA EVENTS AT THE BOOK FEST

SALMAN RUSHDIE Provocative, unapologetic, influential – and one of the authors to be featured on Granta’s first ever Best of Young British Novelists list back in 1983, for his novel Shame. He’ll be in town, discussing his Fatwa-attracting career. ■ 10 Aug, 3pm, SOLD OUT.

AL KENNEDY Justifiably looked upon as one of Scotland’s modern-day literary treasures, the ink-black humour of the sometime stand-up comedian, AL Kennedy, weaves around unsettling real-life truths. She’ll be discussing her essay collection, On Writing. ■ 12 Aug, 11.30am, £10 (£8).

For the last 30 years, the literary journal and leading champion of new writing, Granta, has published a list of writers to watch, with literary giants including Salman Rushdie, Monica Ali and Martin Amis all making the cut. With the latest line-up recently revealed – and special events at this year’s Edinburgh International Book Festival on the horizon – Hannah McGill ﬁnds this year’s elect much-inﬂuenced by their predecessors

RACHEL CUSK, AL KENNEDY AND TOBY LITT These three all made Granta’s list of the best novelists under the age of 40, exactly one decade ago. The writers (of suburban drama, experimental sci-fi and dark short stories respectively) reflect on what’s happened to their careers since then. ■ 12 Aug, 5pm, £10 (£8).

AMY SACKVILLE AND EDIE WYLD anytime soon.’ Others from the class of 2013 have specific relationships with previous Granta listees. Joanna Kavenna, whose most recent novel is 2012’s Come to the Edge, has cited 2003 inclusion David Mitchell, not just for his own direct influence, but – appropriately for a novelist known for his intricate multi-strand plots – for the literary web of which he forms part of his narrative. For Jenni Fagan, Livingston-born author of the highly-praised 2012 debut The Panopticon, three Scottish writers – Iain Banks, listed in 1993; Alan Warner from 2003; and AL Kennedy, on the list both years and a judge in 2013 – have particular significance. ‘I saw A.L. Kennedy read when I was about nineteen and thought she was formidably talented. I’ve followed her work ever since and it has

never let me down; she is hilarious, sharp and uncomfortably intelligent,’ says Fagan. She adds: ‘Alan Warner read at the Tabernacle in West London when I lived there, and he recommended I send some poems to [Scottish journal] Gutter. His generosity as a writer isn’t just in his books – but you find that spirit in them, each and every one.’ As for the late and much-mourned Banks, Fagan just finished his final novel, The Quarry, and praises it as ‘clear, compelling and easy to read while encompassing every element that makes extraordinary writing. I am glad he left such a huge body of work to enjoy and study for many years to come.’ All Granta events take place in Charlotte Square Gardens, 0845 373 5888, 10–15 Aug. See right for more Granta event info.

Sackville’s debut novel, The Still Point, was an eerily beautiful description of an Arctic expedition. She returns with book two, Orkney, and teams up with Wyld, named one of Granta’s Best New Novelists this year for All the Birds. ■ 13 Aug, 7pm, £7 (£5).

TIBOR FISCHER, CANDIA MCWILLIAM AND ADAM MARS-JONES Three authors who all made it onto 1993’s Best Young British Novelists list (Granta publishes it once a decade) talk about what the title did for their career. (Claire Sawers) ■ 11 Aug, 5pm, £10 (£8).

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FESTIVAL FEATURES | Philip Glass

TEN THINGS YOU MIGHT NOT KNOW ABOUT . . .

PHILIP GLASS Before he performs a Ginsberg tribute with Patti Smith, and scores a black and white ﬁlm of La Belle et La Bête in the International Festival, we remind ourselves of the many reasons why we love US composer Philip Glass. Just, please, don’t call him a minimalist Words: Matt Evans

1. He was a gifted child

8. He’s no minimalist

Glass took up the violin at the age of six. At just 14 he was accepted into the University of Chicago, where he studied mathematics and philosophy – subjects that would remain at the core of his work throughout his career.

Along with Reich, Riley and Young, Glass is rightly considered one of the founders of minimalism. However, for most of his career – indeed, almost the last forty years – he has described himself as a classicist, and his music is more informed by the romanticism of Schubert and Bach than by the pared-back severity of his 1960s and early 70s experiments. This rarely stops the M-word being used as lazy shorthand.

2. He’s surprisingly handy

A former wrestler, Glass could certainly look after himself. In 1970, when the Philip Glass Ensemble performed in Amsterdam, an enthusiastic fan (or perhaps a sarcastic situationist critic) invaded the stage and tried to join in. Glass’s response? ‘I punched him, of which I’m not proud.’ Not only that, he kept playing with his non-punching hand.

9. . . . in fact, he’s written more operas than Wagner

Glass’s numerous operatic adventures include epic, impressionistic and surreal semi-b semi-biographical works about Einstein, Columbus, Gandhi, Akhenaten and the Manson Family (featuring the nontraditional tenor of one Iggy Pop), as well as a adaptations of the work o Edgar Allan Poe and of A Allen Ginsberg and a scifi tale by Doris Lessing (T (The Making of the Re Representative for Planet 8).

3. . . . but as a Buddhist, he’s unlikely to attack you

Glass became a student of Tibetan Buddhism in 1966. In the same year, he travelled thousands of miles to study with Swami Satchidananda in Sri Lanka. Upon arrival, he found a note from the guru inviting Glass to his newly opened ashram in New York. Presumably this was a valuable lesson in patience and humility. 4. He wrote music for Sesame Street

In 1979, Glass provided a creepy and spectral accompaniment to a short geometric animation for Jim Henson’s timeless, educational and occasionally psychedelic TV show. (It’s on YouTube if you want a watch.)

rocks. ‘Success hasn’t made Glass any less of a maverick,’ reads the drunken blurb. ‘But for all the traditions he breaks, there’s one he respects. At the end of the day, he enjoys a Cutty Sark.’ 7. He’s a Phil of all trades

5. . . . and Swatch

In the 1990s, Glass was commissioned to write a melody for the Swatch MusiCall wristwatch. At just four seconds long, this is by some distance his shortest-ever composition. 6. . . . and advertised whisky

A 1982 magazine ad (pictured above) features a painted and fairly louche-looking Glass gripping a handful of musical notes while a disembodied hand offers him a tumbler of Scotch on the

Even celebrated contemporary composers have to pay the rent. During much of the 70s, Glass still worked day jobs, including being a cab driver and plumber. One day, Glass was installing a dishwasher in a SoHo loft: ‘I suddenly heard a noise and looked up to find Robert Hughes, the art critic of Time magazine, staring at me in disbelief. “But you’re Philip Glass! What are you doing here?” It was obvious that I was installing his dishwasher and I told him I would soon be finished.’

10. . . . and even rec recorded a pop album. Sort of.

Glass moved away from Glas concert halls and opera houses for the oddly fascinating 1986 curio Songs for Liquid Days, which features lyrics by Suzanne Vega, Paul Simon, David Byrne and Laurie Anderson. Originally proposed by CBS in order to fund one of Glass’s operas, the album’s six tracks were just too otherworldly – not to mention too long – for the pop charts. (Matt Evans) La Belle et la Bête, Playhouse, 524 3333, 10 & 11 Aug, 8pm, £12–£35; Conversations: Philip Glass and Patti Smith, The Hub, 473 2015, 13 Aug, noon, £6; The Poet Speaks, Playhouse, 524 3333, 13 Aug, 8.30pm, £12–£35.

20 THE LIST FESTIVAL 8–15 Aug 2013

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tre presents

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G N I T A L U C L A REC

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12–26 AUG | 6.35PM (55 mins) | £8 (£7.50/£6.50 students)

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SPOTLITES @ THE MERCHANTS’ HALL Venue 278, 22 Hanover street

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FESTIVAL FEATURES | Knightmare Live! PHOTOS © SOPHIE-LOUISE BACHNICK

KNIGHT TIME Cult kids TV series Knightmare has been recreated as a live Fringe experience. Niki Boyle dons the Helmet of Justice and faces the dungeons of Lord Fear

t’s 1992, and I, a seven-year-old boy, am watching a group of slightly older, slightly more middle class, rather more English children guide one of their number round a virtual reality dungeon. The Dungeoneer – the title given to the mazewanderer, who wears the oversized Helmet of Justice that effectively renders him blind – has lingered in one particular room too long. ‘Lifeforce fading!’ booms a disembodied voice, and a computer-animated head appears on screen, lumps of flesh peeling off it as the child’s vitality is depleted. ‘Sidestep left, Nathaniel!’ squeaks a plummy Kentish accent. ‘Now walk forward three paces. And another two. Just keep walking forward.’ The Dungeoneer moves onto the next level, and I sit entranced in front of my TV, spellbound by this mix of fantasy storytelling and not-quite-cutting edge computer graphics, wondering what horrors await the intrepid Nathaniel next. Fast forward to 2013, and a goblin is advising me to remove my own (intensely sweaty) Helmet of Justice for a few precious minutes of fresh air. I’m backstage at Knightmare Live!, a Fringe production aimed at reliving the glory

days of the cult, early 90s TV series; on the other side of the plywood set, a sell-out audience of my fellow near-30-year-olds watches as their childhood memories are recreated onstage. When instructed to do so, I pull my helmet down so it obscures my view and stumble back out into the limelight, uttering my immortal refrain: ‘Where am I?’ ‘You’re in a room that looks remarkably similar to the last one,’ replies team member Matthew Highton, comedian and encyclopaedic Knightmare enthusiast. He’s joined by fellow comedian Jessica Foteskew; together, they are in charge of guiding me through a (somewhat reduced) maze in a quest for some sort of crown, encountering fellow travellers along the way and avoiding the minions of the evil Lord Fear. It’s a heart-pounding experience for me – not just because I’m genuinely scared of being clobbered by an unseen goblin, but also because the audience bellows with excitement every time a monster appears onstage, drowning out my teammates’ instructions for avoiding it. I also fear letting the paying punters down – after

all, this is an hour long show, and my death in the opening minutes would not only be an insult to their childhood memories, but also a major anticlimax and a waste of ten quid to boot. Thankfully, the creators of Knightmare Live! – performers Paul Flannery, Tom Bell and Amee Smith – have taken eventualities such as my far-too-timid side-stepping into account and, without wishing to give too much away, they’ve managed to cram some genuinely compelling narrative twists into the show alongside the standard Dungeoneering and joke-cracking. When my time as an explorer is over – when kindly dungeon-master Treguard (Flannery) has dismissed my teammates and I from the venue – I’m still buzzing with both adrenaline and the minor thrill of being a pseudo-celebrity, as some die-hard audience members inexplicably recognise my de-helmeted face. No matter what else I accomplish in my life, I know I can check this one item off my bucket list – my Knightmare experience was a dream come true. Gilded Balloon Teviot, 622 6552, until 25 Aug (not 14), 5.30pm, £10.50–£11.50, (£9.50–£10.50).

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Y O U R F E S T I VA L S T Y L E D E S T I N AT I O N ADIDAS, BENCH, FAT FACE, FOSSIL, FRED PERRY, KAREN MILLEN, KURT GEIGER, LACOSTE, LEVI’S, NIKE FACTORY STORE AND TED BAKER

livingstondesigneroutlet.com 8–15 Aug 2013 THE LIST FESTIVAL 23

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SUPPORTED BY

Festival

FOOD & DRINK

TOP 5: FESTIVAL FOOD POP-UPS Hannah Ewan recommends the best temporary food hotspots

BURGHER BURGER Last year nearly 3000 people tried to buy tickets for the posh version of this once-regular Edinburgh ‘guerrilla dining’ event. One hundred and thirty succeeded, and were rewarded with a juxtaposition of meat feast and fizz, rock soundtrack and refined Signet Library setting. £55 gets you three courses (obviously one’s a burger), half a bottle of Pommery and a cocktail. ■ The Signet Library, 12 & 13 Aug, 7.45pm, £55, jellyandgin.com/ burgher-burger-but-posh

JITTERBALL Whatever else the Festival is, it’s not always glamorous. Bank a month’s worth of vintage sophistication at a cocktail and afternoon tea-

fuelled swing-dance soirée in the breathtaking Mansfield Traquair. Dress-up is technically optional, but there’s a champagne-shaped prize for the swankiest lady and gent – so it’s not really. ■ Mansfield Traquair, 17 & 18 Aug, 5–8pm, £35 (includes afternoon tea and welcome cocktail), jellyandgin. com/jitterball

caledonianbeer.com

POMMERY CHAMPAGNE CAFÉ BAR

HUNT & DARTON Back for a second year of transforming diners into performance artists over a roast dinner sandwich, this pop-up café is actually a nonstop interactive artworld. Guest artist-waiters, activities and themed days make every visit different, and a collaboration with Buzzcut adds leotards, messy props and dance three evenings a week. ■ Pleasance Hunt & Darton Café, 07833 308121, free, until 25 Aug (not 5, 12, 19), 10am–5pm (café), 6pm– late (bar), huntanddartoncafe.com

DINNER IS SWERVED

The Beer of the Fringe

music, theatre, comedy and sculpture. ■ C nova, 0845 260 1234, until 25 Aug (not 12–14, 19–21), 11.30pm, £14.50–£16.50 (£10.50–£12.50). swerveddining.tumblr.com

New theatre collective Food for Thought have brought together a Glasgow-based dining sculptor, a Parisian actor, concert musicians and chefs from a London supper club to explore food perception and eating rituals. Their multi-sensory (meat-free) dining experience has been served up across Glasgow and London, blending experimental cuisine, live

The Signet Library’s annual champagne bar is the second of three undeniably luxe entries. It’s a rare chance to see one of Edinburgh’s hidden architectural jewels, while doing what King George IV couldn’t on his visit: tucking into afternoon tea, or a whole roast lobster. A tutored champagne tasting also takes place on 15 Aug (£50). ■ The Signet Library, until 26 Aug, 11am–late, thesignetlibrary.co.uk

24 THE LIST FESTIVAL 8–15 Aug 2013

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New. Funded*.

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08.2013 Edinburgh International Book Festival

Celebrating 30 years 10-26 August in Charlotte Square Gardens

17 days of events for adults and children featuring 800 authors including: Nate Silver, John Banville, Julia Donaldson, Philipp Meyer, Roddy Doyle, Margaret Atwood, A L Kennedy, Susan Greenﬁeld, Joe Sacco and many more… Buy tickets: 0845 373 5888 www.edbookfest.co.uk

26 THE LIST FESTIVAL 8–15 Aug 2013

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Festival

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BOOKS

LIST.CO.UK /FESTIVAL

HITLIST THE BEST BOOKS, COMICS & EVENTS

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Best of Young British Novelists 2013 at Jura Unbound Award-winning writers Jenni Fagan, Sarah Hall and Evie Wyld read from their latest books at this laid-back evening event. Edinburgh International Book Festival, Charlotte Square Gardens, 13 Aug, 9pm, free.

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Joe Sacco Sacco fuses comics and journalism in his critically-acclaimed books; his most recent project is Journalism, a hardhitting anthology touring Palestine, Iraq, India and The Hague. See preview, left. Edinburgh International Book Festival, Charlotte Square Gardens, 13 Aug, 8.30pm, £10 (£8).

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Patrick Flanery and Philipp Meyer (pictured) The darker side of the American dream emerges in these sparsely and elegantly written novels. Edinburgh International Book Festival, Charlotte Square Gardens, 10 Aug, 6.45pm, £10 (£8).

JOE SACCO Stripping it back to basics

n its championing of an entire medium within this year’s inaugural Stripped strand, there’s an implied sense that Edinburgh International Book Festival are trying to further erode the tiresome conceit that stories told with words and pictures are just for kids by placing them closer to the orbit of the festival’s discursive heart. In booking Joe Sacco for his debut visit to the Book Festival, they’ve pulled off something of a coup. In comparison to the fanboy-exciting names of previous highprofile comicworld guests like Alan Moore, Neil Gaiman and Grant Morrison, Sacco is the poster boy for graphic novels as meaty subjects of Sunday supplement analysis read by people who have never stepped into a Forbidden Planet. Born in Malta in 1960 and raised in Melbourne and then Los Angeles, Sacco earned a degree in journalism from the University of Oregon and promptly did nothing with it, instead returning to Malta to write for a guidebook publisher and become a leading light in the Maltese-

language comic industry (there were few competitors). Back in America in the mid80s he produced underground magazines and wrote for The Comics Journal, and in the early 90s combined his twin interests of comics and travel to political hotspots to create the breakthrough Palestine for publisher Fantagraphics, fusing comics and journalism to a previously unanticipated degree. He would later recreate his travels in Bosnia in Safe Area Gorazde and The Fixer and publish the acclaimed and controversial Footnotes in Gaza in 2009. This Edinburgh appearance follows the publication last year of Journalism, a typically hard-hitting anthology which tours Palestine, Iraq, India and The Hague in search of what his introduction calls ‘those who seldom get a hearing’, for ‘the comics medium . . . has forced me to make choices. In my view, that is part of its message.’ (David Pollock) Charlotte Square Gardens, 0845 373 5888, 13 Aug, 8.30pm, £10 (£8).

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Will Storr Why do we believe things without evidence? The Heretics is a journey through a complex world. Edinburgh International Book Festival, Charlotte Square Gardens, 13 Aug, 2pm, £7 (£5).

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Kate Atkinson The author of the Jackson Brodie novels discusses Life After Life, an enthralling journey through a repeatedly-lived life that explores ideas of memory, purpose and predestination. Edinburgh International Book Festival, Charlotte Square Gardens, 10 Aug, 11.30am, £10 (£8).

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BBC Edinburgh Fringe Festival Slam Heats Join exuberant compere Young Dawkins to celebrate the finest in British spoken word, including Tim Turnbull, Paula Varjack, Martin Daws, Ross Sutherland, Graeme Hawley, and Scottish makar Liz Lochead. Unmissable. BBC Festival Village, Potterrow, 12–15 August, 8pm, free.

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FESTIVAL BOOKS | Scottish Writers

NOVEL

TALENTS As Charlotte Square prepares to host an array of literary talents from around the globe, Karyn Dougan celebrates four local writers appearing at this year’s festival

s some of the world’s finest writers prepare for the Edinburgh International Book Festival, there’s ample local talent to be found as part of this year’s 30th anniversary celebrations. According to critic Tom Leonard, Allan Wilson ‘reads like the real thing’. His debut, a collection of short stories entitled Wasted In Love, was a perceptive and compassionate exploration of the human condition, using stark prose and dark humour to expose the tragedy of love. Still concerned with this theme of love and its effect on the ordinary and the mundane, Wilson admits it is the crucial inspiration behind his writing. ‘Kafka said: “there’s an infinite amount of hope in the universe, but not for us”. Hard to accept but I think it’s true. So then you say, what’s the point in my time here? And for me it comes down to relationships. There’s no hope except in each other.’ No doubt this has inspired his next novel, Meat, for which he was awarded a Dewar Arts Award in 2012. He refuses to tie himself down to one project, though – another novel, short stories, plays and a nonfiction project with his granddad are all on the horizon. Despite her uncertainty and the ‘insubstantial response to very real political problems,’ previous New Writers Award winner Krystelle Bamford found a touching universality in poetry during her time at the Reel Iraq festival. ‘You realise a country’s political problems don’t strip away the peculiar concerns that give poetry traction,’ Bamford explains. ‘They suddenly seem, in a way hard to achieve through any other medium, like something that could happen to you.’ Celebrating the culture of a country potentially obscured by media headlines, Reel Iraq’s goal is to increase communication between Iraq and countries like the UK through the arts. Bamford and three other Scottish poets met and performed with their Iraqi counterparts, translating and re-creating each other’s work – something she believes

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Scottish Writers | FESTIVAL BOOKS

list.co.uk/festival

L-R Pippa Goldschmidt, Michael Pedersen and Allan Wilson

helped to make an ‘honest poet’ out of her. Falling Sky, Edinburgh-based writer and ex-astronomer Pippa Bamford will be reading her dark and unflinching poetry as part Goldschmidt explains she always wanted to write about ‘the emotional of Unbound, a series of free evening events in the Book Festival’s life of a scientist’. Spiegeltent showcasing the best of words, comedy, music and ‘I wanted to write fiction to explore what it feels like to make a performance. discovery, to learn about new things, to make mistakes and to inhabit A lyrics writer, playwright and co-founder of multi-arts night Neu that liminal place where you’re not sure if you’re right or wrong.’ Reekie, Michael Pedersen considers himself a poet first. His talent With her novel, Goldschmidt certainly got it right. Shortlisted for the is evident in his freshly published collection Dundee International Book Prize and recently Play With Me. published by Freight, The Falling Sky is a The fascination with poetry began with stunning debut. So, will Goldschmidt be stealing collections from his mother’s dazzling us with more science? by Krystelle Bamford bookshelves. ‘Oh, yes. I’m completing a collection of ‘I liked that poetry could express things short stories inspired by different bits of Draw us a map and we will find them, very differently and I often felt – in a science, such as the erotic possibilities of those dark, sudden flowers. synesthesia type of sense – there was colour Einstein’s thought experiments, the influence in sound and sound in colour.’ of Snow White on the history of computing, Give me leave and I will go in After a pause, he adds, ‘Also, as a teenager, suffragettes bombing the Royal Observatory with waders, a spade – an orchid thief I heard it was a good way to get girls.’ in Edinburgh . . . And I’ve always wanted to Despite collaborating on numerous write a novel about quantum physics.’ piloting the mangrove, the tangled, brackish different projects – including a co-written These four writers are already the crème backwaters. I will root them all out play with Alan Bissett – and people deeming de la crème of new Scottish literature. And poetry as ‘the most niche of literary forms’ they’re only getting started. and return with just one – a perfect, Pedersen insists that poetry is an invaluable pale head, a yellow tongue. We will call Brian Kimberling & Allan Wilson, form of expression: one with a wonderfully 13 Aug, 8.30pm; Michael Pedersen cathartic effect. this thing the flower of peace, of silence, & Luke Wright, 16 Aug, 8.30pm; ‘It’s expressing yourself with a higher of leave us fucking be. Krystelle Bamford appears as part of degree of efficiency than in everyday life,’ Jura Unbound, 19 Aug, 9pm; Pippa he says. ‘If you can do that with literary ■ For three further extracts from Allan Wilson, Goldschmidt & Alice Thompson, 20 justification, you can write very good sorry Michael Pedersen and Pippa Goldschmidt see Aug, 3.30pm. All at Charlotte Square notes.’ list.co.uk Discussing the inspiration behind The Gardens, 0845 373 5888, £7 (£5).

CANCER

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FESTIVAL BOOKS | Previews

PATRICK NESS More than just young adult fiction

ELINA SIMONEN

DEBBIE SMYTH

In an interview last year, Patrick Ness spoke of the way his stories direct him rather than the other way round. Admitting that he never set out to write young adult fiction, Ness allows the ideas to suggest which direction his stories should go in. This strategy has certainly served him well. The UK-based, US-born writer (he now holds dual citizenship) has won acclaim and awards for novels such as The Knife of Never Letting Go and A Monster Calls, while his latest, The Crane Wife (Ness’ first book in a decade to be aimed specifically at an adult audience, however it may have started life), has been a soaraway success. But how does he adjust to writing for different age ranges? ‘I don’t actually see a distinction,’ he insists. ‘The story needs to be what it is, and my job is to find that. It’s the same effort and investment for both.’ The Crane Wife is the beautifully-told story of a decent man called George, who is visited in his garden one night by a magical white bird with an injured wing. The next day, a mysterious woman called Kumiko walks into George’s print shop; he is fascinated by the delicate artworks she has crafted out of feathers and the pair start up a relationship. Having been a published writer for a decade, Ness can now reflect on the progression he has made as an author. ‘The main change is probably just confidence with a small c and boldness with a small b. It’s what I want in a writer when I read, so it’s what I try to do for my readers. Make them feel they can trust where I’m going to take them. No one wants to read an apologetic book.’ (Brian Donaldson) ■ Charlotte Square Gardens, 0845 373 5888, 10 Aug, 10.15am, £10 (£8).

MULTIPLES An experiment in literary Chinese whispers

PHILIPP MEYER & PATRICK FLANERY

WILL STORR: IN SCIENCE WE TRUST? Adventures with the non-believers

The cruelty of the American dream ‘Twelve stories in eighteen languages by sixty-one authors’ boasts the cover of Multiples, a book that sets out to experiment with everything that is gained and lost in the process of translation. The project was conceived and edited by British novelist Adam Thirlwell (pictured), and he eagerly anticipates discussing it with contributors John Banville and Nadeem Aslam at this year’s Book Festival. ‘It’s definitely changed the way I think, in ways I’m still trying to process,’ Thirlwell explains. ‘Mainly, it has to do with thinking in more multiple ways about style – either questioning the usual idea that a single novelist should have a single style or, even more disturbingly, whether style in a novel is really locatable in a specific language at all. But we could talk about that for centuries.’ When asked what sort of discussions audiences should expect from the event this year, Thirlwell suggests: ‘Nervous discussions about minute linguistic problems; exuberant discussions about the joys of collective projects; utopian discussions about a future international literature.’ (Ashley Welling) ■ Charlotte Square Gardens, 0845 373 5888, 12 Aug, 3.30pm, £10 (£8).

In an event intriguingly titled As Dreams Become Nightmares, American writers Philipp Meyer (pictured) and Patrick Flanery team up to discuss their latest novels. Both books, Flanery’s Fallen Land and Meyer’s The Son, examine the American dream and its darker intricacies – a similarity that Flanery describes as only one of the reasons he feels his piece will work well in discussion alongside Meyer’s. ‘I am reading Meyer’s book at the moment and immediately see interesting ways in which The Son and Fallen Land might potentially be placed in conversation,’ says Flanery. ‘Superficially, both are concerned with land and the complex dynamics of inheritance (not only in terms of property) across generations of a single family. More interestingly from my perspective, both books are attentive to language, to the ways in which words accrue meaning over time, and in Meyer’s case, with the recuperation of language that has been forgotten.’ Book Festival director Nick Barley has highlighted Meyer as ‘one to watch’, and we predict that tickets will sell out fast. (Ashley Welling) ■ Charlotte Square Gardens, 0845 373 5888, 10 Aug, 6.45pm, £10 (£8).

For Will Storr it started with the question ‘why don’t facts work?’ The result is The Heretics, his entertaining and insightful investigation into why people hold irrational beliefs, often in the face of overwhelming evidence. ‘You go into a project like this saying “I’m going to find answers”,’ he says, ‘but you don’t really believe it.’ Over the course of his research, he met a colourful array of psychics, psychologists, scholars, healers, sceptics and scientists. He experienced past-life regression, extreme Buddhist meditation and, in an unsettling chapter that will be a focus of this event, joined a tour group of neo-Nazis led by controversial historian David Irving. ‘The holiday was extremely tense! It was exhausting pretending to be a racist for a week. The timing was especially awkward, as I came back the day before my wedding. The fiancée wasn’t pleased.’ Storr discovered that even the most ‘rational’ thinker is not immune to the trickery of their own brain. ‘The main surprise for me was that the atheistsceptical community are so often on such shaky ground. They are just as vulnerable to the processes of bias as the rest of us.’ (Ally Nicholl) ■ Charlotte Square Gardens, 0845 373 5888, 13 Aug, 2pm, £7 (£5).

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Previews | FESTIVAL BOOKS

list.co.uk/festival

Emily Berry

TOP 5 SPOKEN WORD EVENTS

EMILY BERRY, MIRIAM GAMBLE, SAM RIVIERE & JO L WALTON A new anthology announces the young voices in British poetry Want to know what’s really going on in the current UK poetry landscape? Roll up! Dear World and Everyone In It, a groundbreaking anthology which ‘attempts to define a generation’ has (re)drawn the map for you – and this event offers a guided tour. Poets Sam Riviere, Miriam Gamble, Emily Berry and Jo L Walton, and editor Nathan Hamilton, will read from and discuss this posse of over 60 of the ‘most talented and interesting young poets currently writing in the UK’. What makes this hybrid, playful, collaborative, ambitious collection tick? Hamilton points out in his introduction that ‘just being young and proficient doesn’t mean your writing is new and interesting’. David Morley in The Guardian commended Dear World’s bite and rigour, calling it ‘friendly to poetry’s inherent difficulties and demands’. He praises its voice and mannerisms – the Star Trek jokes, the chiding of an editorial old guard, the ‘electric panache’. Poems sneak onto endpapers. A scampish attitude prevails. Anthologies like this ‘provide the occasion for debate and clarification on the different possibilities available in contemporary poetry’, says Sam Riviere, who has a number of poems from his debut 81 Austerities in Dear World. Miriam Gamble, whose debut collection The Squirrels Are Dead took the Somerset Maugham Award in 2011, reminds us that poems are ‘rhythmical entities, things made of the carefully crafted interplay of sounds, tones, silences. Hearing poets read their work often brings out nuances you mightn’t have registered on the page. That can alter your sense of a poem completely. They should be heard as well as seen.’ Charm and swagger, cake and eat it: poetry fans, for new horizons and fresh vistas, set your compasses to this exciting rich mix. (Peggy Hughes) ■ Charlotte Square Gardens, 0845 373 5888, 14 Aug, 2pm, £7 (£5).

EROTIC WRITING MASTERCLASS Too hot to handle? “Oh my!” she gasped. “It’s so . . . big!” “And it’s hard. Really hard. Are you sure you can handle it?” he smirked. The woman took a deep breath. “Yes – yes, give it to me now,” she cried wildly, and with a thrust that made her inner goddess do the merengue, the librarian stamped out for her the complete works of Proust. If that titillating scene didn’t set your loins aflame, perhaps you should try writing your own. As part of the Hendricks Carnival of Knowledge events, Rowan Pelling, former editor of The Erotic Review, is hosting a masterclass on how to write sensual prose. Certainly the astonishing success of EL James’ Fifty Shades Of Grey has proved that there’s a demand for even horribly written erotica. And while many objected to a view of sexual politics straight out of the 1950s, it has sparked a revival of interest in sexy fiction for women, in particular. Pelling’s workshop promises to share some of her favourite erotic tales. (Andrea Mullaney) ■ Hendricks Carnival Of Knowledge, One Royal Circus, 226 0000, 8 Aug, 2pm, £12 (incl. cocktail).

Foreigner Go Home (With Me!) Described by critics as an ‘awkward teenager’ with ‘wisdom beyond her years’, UK Poetry Slam champion Stephanie Chan (pictured) tells of moving to London from the Far East in a quest for knowledge, power, revolution – and a damn good time. Fiddlers Elbow (downstairs), 556 9933, until 11 Aug, 1.30pm, free. LJODAHÅTT One word, folks: ‘TROLLSONG’. Which is the rough translation of the Norwegian word ljodahått. This Norwegian troupe are a musical collective who aim to give new life to a huge range of Norwegian poetry with an original live music score. Rich, dark cabaret. Charlotte Square Gardens, 0845 373 5888, 12 Aug, 9pm, free. Tongue Fu A regular spoken-word show in London combining live literature, music and improvisation. They have a reputation for sharp, slick, energetic shows, and have featured Scroobius Pip, Kate Tempest, Salena Godden, Sabrina Mahfouz, Inua Ellam . . . it’s a big sexy list of talent. It will be jazzy and warm, perfect for late-night poetry. Gilded Balloon Teviot, 622 6552, until 25 Aug (not 12, 13, 14, 17, 19, 20, 22), midnight, £11.50 (£10.50). Around The World In 8 Mistakes Illegal emigration, illegal immigration, one demonic possession, an accidental trip to a warzone, and moving for love. Sophia Walker gives us every reason never to move, from the girl who did it all, wrong. The Royal Oak, Infirmary Street, 557 2976, until 23 Aug (no weekend shows), 2pm, free. BBC Edinburgh Festival Fringe Slam Heats The BBC Slam has grown in profile and prestige over the last few years, mainly down to its indefatigable compere, Young Dawkins. Last year’s final filled the Big Tent at the BBC, with crowds watching with bated breath on the big screens outside. The heats feature, among others: Tim Turnbull, Paula Varjack, Martin Daws, Ross Sutherland, Graeme Hawley, Scottish makar Liz Lochhead and defending 2012 champion Jenny Lindsay. Absolutely a must-see. (Rachel McCrum). BBC Festival Village, Potterrow, 12–15 Aug (grand final 17 Aug, apply for tickets), 8pm, free.

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FESTIVAL BOOKS | Day Planner As the Edinburgh International Book Festival opens its doors, books editor Kirsty Logan picks the literary legends and top talks you can’t afford to miss

SATURDAY 10 Kate Atkinson In Atkinson’s newest novel Life After Life, baby Ursula lives dozens of different lives. 11.30am, £10 (£8). Salman Rushdie Despite being forced into hiding by an Iranian fatwa after the publication of The Satanic Verses, Rushdie remains one of the most influential and successful British writers alive. 3pm, £10 (£8). Grim Tales from the Brothers Grimm Witches, wolves, murder and

mutilation: discover the darker side of these classic German fairytales. 3.45pm, £12 (includes cocktail). Stevie Davies & Jess Richards

Science, spiritualism and magic collide in the novels of these two young writers. 7pm, £7 (£5). Roddy Doyle A new story set in modern-day Dublin, The Guts is a sequel to Doyle’s 1987 novel The Commitments. 8pm, £10 (£8).

SUNDAY 11 Kristen Iversen Iversen grew up in the shadow of Colorado’s secrecy-shrouded Rocky Flats nuclear facility; Full Body Burden tells her story. 11am, £10 (£8). George Monbiot Monbiot has written on chalk streams, heritage apples, Bill Hicks – and now the controversial practice of rewilding in his latest book, Feral. 3pm, £10 (£8). Jenn Ashworth & Peggy Riley

Faith and family tragedy are explored in the new novels of these exciting young writers. 3.30pm, £7 (£5). Sarah Dunant Blood and Beauty is an epic novel of the infamous, adulterous, power-hungry Borgia family – who were also patrons of the arts. 7pm, £10 (£8). Tongue Fu A riotous experiment in live music and spoken word, Tongue Fu brings their genre-hopping London show to Edinburgh. Midnight, £11.50 (£10.50).

MONDAY 12 Nadeem Aslam Twice longlisted for

the Man Booker Prize, Aslam’s new book The Blind Man’s Garden explores post-9/11 Pakistan and Afghanistan. See right. 10.15am, £10 (£8). A L Kennedy Prizewinning novelist and Guardian columnist deconstructs the creative process in On Writing. 11.30am, £10 (£8). Rodge Glass & Adam Marek Glass and Marek present their knockout short story collections: one on a theme of cheap international travel, and the other on a parent’s attempts to protect a vulnerable child. 3.30pm, £7 (£5). Ian Rankin Crime superstar Rankin resurrects anti-hero DI John Rebus in Standing in Another Man’s Grave. 6.30pm, £10 (£8). Chris Ware As part of the Stripped strand, Ware describes the ten year process of creating his multi-format masterpiece Building Stories. 8.30pm, £10 (£8).

NADEEM ASLAM The Pakistan-born author moved to the UK aged 14 when his Communist father fled President Zia’s regime – and at that point, Aslam had already published his first short story. His latest novel, The Blind Man’s Garden, explores interconnected lives in post-9/11 Afghanistan and Pakistan. (Kirsty Logan) ■ Mon 12 Aug, 10.15am, £10 (£8).

WEDNESDAY 14

TUESDAY 13

Herbert drive the written word in new directions. 3.30pm, £7 (£5). The Independence Debate with

John Burnside Novelist, poet and

Will Storr Have you met UFO spotters,

Kirsty Wark Confused about Scottish independence? This debate brings together academic experts to debunk the myths and false statements from both sides of the referendum debate. 4.30pm, £10 (£8).

short story writer Burnside presents his latest collection, Something Like Happy. 10.15am, £10 (£8). Walking with Poets Celebrating a series of guided walks exploring poetry’s relationship with landscape, the Scottish Poetry Library present this reading workshop. Poems provided. 11am, £7 (£5). Maj Sjöwall The inspiration for Stieg Larsson and Henning Mankell, Swedish

Holocaust deniers, or extreme Buddhist meditators? Will Storr has, and he wants to tell you about it. 2pm, £7 (£5). Sing It Loud, Sing It Proud In her book Hook, Line and Singer, Catatonia frontwoman Cerys Matthews explains why everyone can – and should – sing. 3pm, £10 (£8). Gökçenur Ç & W N Herbert

Maverick poets Gökçenur Ç & W N

Best of Young British Novelists 2013 at Jura Unbound Jenni Fagan,

Sarah Hall and Evie Wyld read from their latest books at this relaxed evening event. 9pm, free.

crime novelist Sjöwall makes her first visit to EIBF. 1.30pm, £10 (£8). Ruby Wax The outspoken comedian helps us to find calm in a frantic world. 4.30pm, £10 (£8). Ron Rash & Manuel Rivas The New York Times called Rivas ‘one of the best American novelists of his day’. Here he launches his new novel, All is Silence. 8.30pm, £10 (£8). All of the above events are at Charlotte Square Gardens, 0845 373 5888, 10–26 Aug, edbookfest.co.uk

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For m re info gooto

COMEDY

LIST.CO.UK /FESTIVAL

HITLIST THE BEST COMEDY EVENTS

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Bo Burnham After storming the city as a teenager in 2010, big Bo (above) is back with What. See interview, page 14. Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, 9–19 Aug (not 13), 11.15pm, £12–£13.50 (£11–£12.50).

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Pajama Men The New Mexico duo deliver another intoxicatingly brilliant masterwork of physical fun. See review, page 53. Assembly Roxy, 623 3030, until 26 Aug (not 12, 19), 9pm, £13–£15 (£12–£14).

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Nadia Kamil The Welsh-Iraqi comic delivers a passionate and darned funny show slaughtering some misogynistic beasts. See review, page 36. The Stand III & IV, 558 7272, until 25 Aug (not 12), 3.30pm, £7 (£6).

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DOCTOR BROWN Award-winning bexperimenter knocks Edinburgh’s socks off

omedy industry types have been rubbing their hands with glee ever since Doctor Brown was awarded last year’s Foster’s Comedy Award. Not simply because they were delighted for the absurdist American clown who has spread his palette to entertain the kids as well, but because they relished the prospect of witnessing this good Doctor performing the traditional ritual of handing over the gong to his successor. The shortlisted acts will be trembling in their shoes, almost praying that they don’t win: we can picture it now. As for the paying public, a real treat is in store with Phil Burgers (as his family know him), dipping deep into his back catalogue. For six late-night shows, he will perform from

his three Fringe solo hours, including the award-winning Befrdfgth (no, we still don’t know how to pronounce it either, we just call it his award-winning show). And on the 13th (falling on a Tuesday this year, you lucky people), he gives 50-minute performances starting on the hour which build in elements from each prior show to create a blockbuster event at 7pm. Bexperiments by name, bexperimentation by nature. (Brian Donaldson) Bexperiments, Underbelly, Cowgate, 0844 545 8252, 13 Aug, hourly from noon–7pm, £7; Because / Becaves / Befrdfgth, Underbelly, Bristo Square, 15–20 Aug, 11.30pm, £15 (£14).

James Acaster The drily brilliant comic cuts down the competition with his Lawnmower. See review, page 41. Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 25 Aug, 7pm, £9–£12 (£8–£10.50).

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Doctor Brown You wouldn’t want him working on a bleeding ulcer, but we’re happy seeing him do his clowning thing. See preview and show details, left.

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Jenny Éclair Proving she still has it, the Perrier winner of yore is Éclairious. See review, page 44. Gilded Balloon Teviot, 622 6552, til 17 Aug, 7.30pm, £13.50–

14.50 (£12.50-£13).

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David Baddiel Just a few days left to see him discuss Fame and Misfortune. See review, page 42. Assembly George Square, 623 3030, until 11 Aug, 7.30pm, £15–£17.50.

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FESTIVAL COMEDY | Humza Arshad

BADMAN FOREVER 34 THE LIST FESTIVAL 8–15 Aug 2013

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Cariad & Paul | FESTIVAL COMEDY

list.co.uk/festival

Humza Arshad is an internet phenomenon making a spectacular arrival onto the Fringe stage. He talks to David Pollock about success, TV, Londoners and being nice to your mum

early 50 million YouTube hits, two sell-out stand-up tours and now a debut run at the Edinburgh Fringe with a fortnight’s worth of tickets all booked in advance. What does Streatham born-and-raised British-Pakistani comedian Humza Arshad attribute his success to? ‘Genuinely, I think it’s my looks,’ he blusters, slipping into the slightly too high sing-song with which he delivers his hugely successful online sitcom Diary of a Badman. ‘Why are you laughing? If it’s not my looks, it’s my talent. Humble, I’m very humble as well, don’t get it twisted.’ Arshad’s success is actually down to getting out there armed with ideas, willingness and a talent he has spent time crafting to create his own world from scratch. The 28-year-old describes his lead Badman character as ‘a confused young individual who gets himself into certain situations’, which is another way of saying he’s an ordinary if dim-witted young Asian-Brit whose adventures don’t shy away from controversy. A bedroom diary affair with plenty of ambitious location shooting, the show’s two series since 2010 have freely discussed subjects like arranged marriage, racism and attitudes to women. ‘I was just bored one day and I always wanted to be a comedian,’ says Arshad casually of his calling, with a vocal similarity to Badman which suggests some of his answers might be just a little tongue-in-cheek. ‘I didn’t want to do anything that involves real work, so I just thought “yeah, let me make my own videos because obviously I have what it takes to be a celebrity and now I’m a big deal”. Well, not really, but I just like saying it out loud. To be honest, I became a comedian because I was crap at everything else. I didn’t have many options, but I was good at making a fool out of myself and making other people laugh.’ In reality, it was more of a vocation than that. After-school drama classes led on to a GNVQ at Croydon College, a BTEC NC at Kingston College and finally an intensive year at Richmond Drama School. Arshad’s parents were both born in Pakistan (‘they probably started off as illegal immigrants but I think they’re legal now,’ he jokes) and he says they’ve been supportive of his choices for one reason or another. ‘Being a comedian’s not a typical Asian thing. There are good Asian comedians, but there aren’t many. My dad probably genuinely didn’t think I would succeed, but he thought it would mean I was out of his hair. My mum thought that I’d eventually come back

‘He always finds a way to get beaten up by girls’ and work in my dad’s shop for free. But it did well on YouTube and it’s succeeded as a career, and so my parents think Humza plus famous equals money. No, they’re actually very supportive.’ On this relative lack of good Asian comedians, Arshad goes further to reflect on a whole swathe of British culture that isn’t being reflected within mainstream UK television comedy. ‘There are so many Asians in the United Kingdom, but they haven’t really got anything to watch and relate to. Goodness Gracious Me was amazing, but that was like 12 years ago, and since then we’ve not had much. Maybe The Kumars, and now Citizen Khan is cool. But there’s not much.’ Arshad doesn’t exactly have a masterplan to reverse this. But the success of Badman proves that he knows how to write and perform a funny and visually inventive show, even if it’s a little raw round the edges given that he shot it all himself with a camera he worked a whole summer to buy. ‘It’s cheaper that way: I don’t really employ anyone. It’s the Pakistani way, to do everything yourself.’ He also puts much of its appeal down to the fact that each episode has a very specific moral edge that everyone can relate to. ‘Things like respecting your mum, treat women with respect, violence is wrong. The character represents a lot of the younger generation in London, an over-exaggerated stereotype not just of young British Pakistanis, but young Londoners. He tries to be something he’s not, he tries to be cool, he tries to be gangsta, but in essence he always finds a way to get beaten up by girls.’ Arshad’s entire Fringe run is sold out, which is a measure of just how much his character has caught the public imagination, particularly of young Asians. He’ll be bringing an in-character stand-up performance with him: ‘I couldn’t really do a play or anything; a lot of the people in it are just friends I’ve blackmailed or forced to act in it.’ And there are whispers of a future television show. At the moment, though, he has no plans to step away from YouTube. ‘Why is Badman so popular?’ he wonders. ‘I really don’t know, but I’ve put all my effort and energy into it, and I’ve worked really hard. I think that’s comedy, it’s universal and if it’s good it’ll be appreciated. Fifty million views later I’m now doing stand-up, so it’s great.’

IMPRO CHUMS Cariad Lloyd tells Marissa Burgess about the joys of making it up on the spot

here’s something about improvised comedy that conjures the level of devotion in its performers that the vampire works of Stephenie Meyer inspire in teenage girls. Cariad Lloyd is no exception. ‘I’m obsessed with it. So many comedians have their background in it; people keep coming back to it – they genuinely love it. They’re not in it for the money.’ She laughs. ‘There’s no money in impro.’ It’s that sense of unpredictability that makes it fun to perform as well as to watch. ‘I’ve always loved it when people make stuff up on stage: my favourite thing to watch when I was a kid was always the out-takes, when things go wrong.’ Having performed two solo shows to critical success at the Fringe, this year Lloyd is performing in two impro shows: with Austentatious who create a Jane Austeninspired full-length show, and in A Two-Player Adventure with Paul Foxcroft who she’s known and worked with for years. Of course, impro isn’t as easy as some troupes make it look and truly awful impro is often due to a lack of team dynamics – something that Lloyd and Foxcroft don’t have a problem with. ‘Paul is one of my favourite people to do impro with; I love being on stage with him. We complement each other.’ Like Austentatious, Cariad & Paul use the lesser-known long-form impro where a whole show stems from a oneword suggestion from the audience at the top of the show. All that thinking on your feet must be exhausting, but for now, Lloyd is happy not to be performing on script: ‘It’s much more relaxing knowing you’ve not got a show to write.’ Cariad & Paul: A Two-Player Adventure, Pleasance Dome, 556 6550, 14 & 15, 20–22 Aug, 11pm, £9–£9.50 (£8–£8.50).

Humza Arshad Presents Diary of a Badman, Gilded Balloon Teviot, 622 6552, 11–25 Aug, 10.45pm, £11–£12 (£10–£11). 8–15 Aug 2013 THE LIST FESTIVAL 35

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FESTIVAL COMEDY | Reviews

NADIA KAMIL A funny and literate assault on oppression ●●●●●

FRANZCESCO KANGARIS

Wide Open Beavers! is a surprise from minute one. Whether you’re expecting a rodent dissection or a peek at lady parts, the reality is far from either, and far better. One of a deluge of young women seeking to reclaim, redefine and defend feminism from its detractors as being outdated, unfunny or (in many of its current guises) ironic, Kamil espouses an unabashed and literate response to the ongoing tragedy of female oppression. Featuring an arsenal of references including burlesque, victimblaming, gender stereotyping and Georgia O’Keeffe, with a military strategy honed using contemporary gender theory, and a quiver full of comedy talent, she presents a two-pronged attack: feminism and whimsy (shall we call it feminimsy? Perhaps not). Kamil brings together the kind of unapologetic political rants one expects of Mark Thomas, but with a sweet and cuddly kookiness that can all-too-easily be dismissed as ‘girly’. The two are presented as opposites, the whimsy included to counteract the seriousness of the feminist message. What cleverly emerges is the crossover between the two prongs with the best segments combining both. During the mental assault of Kamil’s whirlwind show, she collapses the dichotomy, demonstrating how feminist jokes can be farcical, whimsical material can be subversive and have political bite, and that both approaches needn’t be one thing and not the other. The show relies on the element of surprise so, without revealing too much, expect a comedy onslaught that doesn’t let up for a moment. Between the inventive audience interaction, a brilliant rapport with her sound tech and the astounding musical numbers, the 60 minutes feel more like 20. Kamil gives a face and a voice (a Welsh-Iraqi one, another dichotomy) to contemporary feminism. (Suzanne Black) ■ The Stand III & IV, 558 7272, until 25 Aug (not 12), 3.30pm, £7 (£6).

DOES MY FACE LOOK BIG IN THIS?

TONY JAMESON

CATRIONA KNOX

A football show of two unequal halves ●●●●●

Boom Jennie becomes a genuine player ●●●●●

You don’t have to have played Football Manager nor be a fan of the Beautful Game to enjoy Tony Jameson’s show, but it most definitely helps. For the uninitiated, Jameson carefully explains the ups and downs of the enormously popular game series before detailing exactly how it has variously enriched and destroyed his life. Establishing from the off that much of his audience are already converts to the cause, Jameson thrives on the atmosphere generated by a like-minded crowd. Some of his references may leave pockets of the room cold but he tries hard to make his material as inclusive as possible. Even if you haven’t the faintest clue who Emile Heskey is, by the end of the hour you’ll certainly be in no doubt as to just why Jameson finds him quite so annoying, thanks to an expert manipulation of the player’s career statistics. Things do peter out towards the end, though, and Jameson struggles to definitively wrap things up. But he’s a charming performer with enthusiasm and energy to spare. (Murray Robertson) ■ The Stand III & IV, 558 7272, until 25 Aug (not 12), 2.20pm, £7 (£6).

This was very close to being a peerless character show from someone who has clearly been working hard on her craft, but it’s only let down by a rather weak finale. One third of the Boom Jennies, Catriona Knox is revelling in her solo status with a couple of Fringe hours behind her now. This multi-character set, Player, thrives on fine writing and a fantastic performance, while Knox is not afraid to mix it with her crowd when the occasion arises. Opening with a horsey woman bellowing down her mobile at various lackeys, she moves on to perhaps her sharpest creation: the pub landlady whispering mortal vengeance upon a Judas within the room (it literally becomes a lock-in). A bonneted Jane Austen-type throws out some well-constructed vulgarities and a desperate French oral examiner lets her mask drop. The only bum note is the closing number where her Latin Strictly-type simply dances and dances and dances with the man who has been the chosen one for all her interactive requirements today. But that mild letdown aside, Knox has picked her show title well. (Brian Donaldson) ■ Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 26 Aug (not 13), 3.15pm, £7.50–£10 (£6.50–£9).

Boundless energy buoys character show ●●●●●

Caroline Hardie’s show is all about the daily grind and what you can try to do in order to fend off its creeping drudgery. Given the vast amount of clothes she flings around during the hour in a desperate attempt to try and find something to wear (a frantic search for appropriate interview clobber is one of the highlights of Does My Face Look Big in This?), laundry might well be one of her regular August pursuits. She dips in and out of characters, alternately playing at being herself (or more likely portraying a slightly exaggerated version) while also giving us a portraits of others, including the Queen as you have never seen her before and a forthright Australian orthodox feminist comedian. Hardie has a seemingly bottomless pit of energy reserves to draw upon and it’s this resource, rather than great writing, which keeps her and the show afloat. It also features a climactic reference – one of two so far this Fringe – to Michael Jackson’s ‘Earth Song’ video. Curious. (Brian Donaldson) ■ Underbelly, Bristo Square, 0844 545 8252, until 26 Aug (not 19), 1.40pm, £8–£9 (£7–£8). 36 THE LIST FESTIVAL 8–15 Aug 2013

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Gordon Sixpence +H ,V 0XVLF

Truly Magniﬁcent! Ronald Scrimshaw, Nelson Mail, NZ, 2013

1-16 August, The Scotsman Hotel, Edinburgh - The MacLaren Suite Tickets available from The Edinburgh Fringe Website www.edfringe.com and the Fringe Box Ofﬁce

Sharon Burgess Productions presents

hilariously absurd comedy

Two brothers with a passion for dance and a dream to be the greatest celebrities the world has ever seen – their biggest challenge; not to screw it up!

“A delightfully unpredictable glam culture parody” Adelaide Now

19:30 (1hr) | 1-22 August (previews 1-2 Aug) Assembly George Square | George Square EH8 9LH | 0131 623 3030 | assemblyfestival.com

LordsofStrut.com

LordsofStrut

8–15 Aug 2013 THE LIST FESTIVAL 37

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38 THE LIST FESTIVAL 8–15 Aug 2013

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THE ASSEMBLYROOMS

FRINGE MUSIC 2013 MARTHA REEVES & THE VANDELLAS

AUG

7th

AUG

RODDY WOOMBLE

7th

AUG

11th

DOOGIE PAUL MEMORIAL

AUG

with James Yorkston, Mogwai, King Creosote and friends

8th

AUG

11th

AUG

8th 9th

AUG

9th

AUG

10th

AUG

10th

AUG

12th

AUG

PORTICO QUARTET

15th

HUE AND CRY

16th

DOUGIE MACLEAN

19th

SONGS OF STRUGGLE

24th

AUG

54 George Street Edinburgh, EH2 2LR 0844 693 3008 www.arfringe.com

RODDY HART & THE LONESOME FIRE PEATBOG FAERIES

MERRYMOUTH (Ft Simon Fowler)

ROSS AINSLIE AND JARLATH HENDERSON DIGI-BHANG LIVE BREABACH

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FESTIVAL COMEDY | Reviews

ROMESH RANGANATHAN Talented newcomer springs a leak ●●●●● Word is clearly spreading about Romesh Ranganathan. Among the crowd at this particular performance is Josh Widdicombe who is sat beside an e-fag-puffing Seann Walsh. In the row down from them is an impressed-sounding Hardeep Singh Kohli, while that looks an awful lot like Al Murray near the back. The reputation of this talented newcomer is blossoming and while debut hour, Rom Com, is a jovial enough affair, there’s a slight lack of true grit to push him over the top. Ranganathan is keen to tell us how terrible he is at things. He was a ‘really bad’ maths teacher at the school where he met his wife (a ‘really good’ teacher), he doesn’t rate his qualities as a dad of two (‘they’re mixed race so it’s time for them to pick a side’) and he’s not an especially good vegan, having just graduated from vegetarianism but preparing to lapse at any second. His summation: ‘I’m a tubby vegan sociopath’. What he definitely has going for him is a solid comedy presence with fine turns of phrase and a compelling rhythm when he gets into his stride (he could do with cutting down on the number of times he says ‘prick’ though: not for prudish reasons, just to limit the repetition). None of the ‘celebs’ in the crowd were disruptive; that was left to a bladder-troubled front-row couple who chose to nip out very indiscreetly. Ranganathan dealt with the interruption of his own particular flow adeptly, mock-accusing them of picking the moment he began to discuss Sri Lanka as their cue to make a toilet stop. Bright things are clearly ahead for Romesh Ranganathan and once the Fringe gets motoring, and more word gets round, he can probably expect further packed houses comprising both the famous and us mere mortals. (Brian Donaldson) ■ Underbelly, Bristo Square, 0844 545 8252, until 25 Aug, 6.50pm, £9.50–£10.50 (£8.50–£9.50).

DON’T DROP THE EGG

THAT PAIR

GYLES BRANDRETH

Rugger chaps try hard but don’t pass muster

Putting the fun back in funeral ●●●●●

Happy talk from boundless raconteur ●●●●●

You can’t buy the kind of natural chemistry and comic timing that Kathryn Bond and Lorna Shaw have got going on. These Essex girls make it all look very easy, which is usually a sign that a massive amount of work has gone on to make their new hour as polished and slick as possible. We find ourselves attending a funeral (or a ‘too-soon-eral’) for Leanne, the agent, manager and friend of That Pair as a variety of acquaintances perform songs and routines which generally veer towards the highly inappropriate or just plain wrong. The show’s title, Never Liked Her Anyway, hints that all might not have been rosy in the showbiz garden between That Pair and their ‘friend’ and a fairly simple reveal leads to mayhem at the ceremony’s finale. The seemingly effortless chatter of Bond and Shaw (it won’t be, it takes plenty practice) keeps the fun flowing and the funeral set-up is a cleverly constructed arena to platform a variety of characters ranging from the gently amusing to downright hilarious. (Brian Donaldson) ■ Just the Tonic at The Caves, 556 5375, until 23 Aug (not 13), 3.40pm, £8 (£7).

In his first Fringe show since 2010, Gyles Brandreth is on the search for happiness. Not necessarily for himself, as he seems quite content. That’s particularly evident as he’s happy to take to the stage wearing a jester’s costume: he’s clearly not left his TV days spent wearing novelty jumpers too far behind. Nevertheless, he’s keen to get to the bottom of his issue, dropping in on Jung and Freud’s theories as well as plundering the royal family and his own parents for inspiration. A presenter, producer and former Conservative MP for Chester, it’s no surprise that Brandreth is such a skilled raconteur. He’s stuffed with anecdotes and even derives a big laugh from Thatcher’s funeral. For any younger audience members (of which there are some), the stories are engaging and elaborated on sufficiently that it doesn’t matter if you’re not entirely sure who they’re about. In addition, there’s a few hoary old gags thrown in, a bit of dancing and even space for a poignant moment remembering his schoolfriend, the actor Simon Cadell, who died too young. (Marissa Burgess) ■ Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 26 Aug (not 14), 4.20pm, £13–£17 (£11–£15).

●●●●●

Rather than being a school sports day pep talk, the titular egg refers to the oddly-shaped rugby ball. Archie and Ollie are proud members of the Clapham Falcons rugby team. Having roped in their reluctant mate Freddie to play a match when team numbers are down, the love triangle between Freddie, Archie and his girlfriend Ellie unfurls. This began life as a mockumentary short film but, unfortunately, its transition to Fringe show isn’t a particularly successful one. The group does excel when it comes to audience interaction, with manchild Ollie stripping off to greet the audience as we stroll in, and the recruitment of extra players from the crowd creates a sense of energy in the room. However, a lacklustre script hands all the best dialogue to Ollie, leaving the other two wading gamely through the sub-soap plot. There’s a chance it may get slicker as the month progresses, but sadly it feels like a wasted opportunity to do something a lot sharper and more akin to their much snappier film version. (Marissa Burgess) ■ Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 26 Aug (not 12), 3.30pm, £7.50–£9.50 (£6.50–£9). 40 THE LIST FESTIVAL 8–15 Aug 2013

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Reviews | FESTIVAL COMEDY

STEVE ULLATHORNE

GEORGIA LAUGHTON, LOGICBUNNY PHOTOGRAPHY

list.co.uk/festival

FANFICTION COMEDY

TAMAR BROADBENT

LADYBONER

Headache-inducing journey into fictional worlds

Musical comedy falls a bit flat ●●●●●

Winsome goth comic lacks bite ●●●●●

This pocket dynamo of a performer, Tamar Broadbent, remains something of a mystery once her debut hour is over. Apologising for the slight delay in the show starting as her family has got itself stuck in traffic on the way in (plausible), we soon meet her ‘dad’ via a framed photograph that should be captioned ‘psycho builder’. Illusion kicked firmly into touch, she still opts to make a couple of fleeting references to her clan’s tardiness. Music-wise, she clearly has a bit of talent and can definitely sing, though it’s wasted here on a dodgy rap and a song about maths. It all ends with a Skype call to an industry player: her audition goes horribly wrong then predictably right again, thanks to the by-now all-too-familiar celebrity endorsement. If this is a character creation, it just doesn’t really push the boat out far enough to be convincing. If she is genuinely trying to make it in the music industry, she should probably cut out the fairly lame comedy and get in that X Factor queue. Almost Epic isn’t quite there. (Brian Donaldson) ■ Underbelly, Cowgate, 0844 545 8252, until 25 Aug (not 13), 4.45pm, £9–£10.50 (£8–£9.50).

You might well have no idea what a ‘ladyboner’ is, but kinky Aussie comic Lisa-Skye is on a mission to find out what gives you one. She introduces herself as a goth, constantly at war with hipsters who are hellbent on trampling her with their car – despite being under the protection of the green man – and confessing that lurking in the shadows may be the best place from which to pounce on a potential lover. Skye zips between segues with guile, from impudent BDSM and ‘consensual’ rape jokes, to transcribed accounts of sexually frustrated men who call dating lines. These finely polished asides are explicit to the point of plain terrifying but are soothed by Skye’s winsomeness and gaiety. However, limits and taboos are never quite stretched and instead rely on quick, wispy payoffs which don’t pack the same punch as the build-up. Her performance is far from that of the gruesomely funny Loretta Maine and an overreliance on clips and slides ruins the flow. Only on occasion does Skye really nail a joke, something that leaves an awkward frustration in the air. (Andrew Latimer) ■ C nova, 0845 260 1234, until 26 Aug (not 12), 4.50pm, £8.50–£10.50 (£6.50–£8.50).

●●●●●

There are two main ways to tackle a comedy show about fanfiction (for the uninitiated, that’s the writing of unauthorised stories set in established fictional universes or about celebrities). The first points and laughs at the whole premise, especially its more risqué, outré or poorly-written incarnations, while the second utilises the potential for comedy within the medium itself. This show does both. The former, presented here by compere Joseph Harper, comes across as mean-spirited. The bulk of Fanfiction Comedy comes from the latter with a revolving roster of Kiwi comics, plus guests, reading out their own self-penned fanfictions, in which outlandish scenarios are proposed and then skilfully mined for comedy or pathos. The show’s been appearing at comedy festivals since 2011 and has attracted some interesting names: check out David O’Doherty’s contributions on YouTube. Despite several problems – the unnecessary ridiculing of the weirder offerings, critique segments falling slightly flat, and headacheinducing onstage lighting – the brilliance of the stories themselves saves the show. (Suzanne Black) ■ Assembly George Square, 623 3030, until 25 Aug (not 13), 4.40pm, £8–£10.

JAMES ACASTER A unique comedy voice worth shouting about ●●●●● James Acaster is swiftly becoming one of the Fringe’s safe bets, which is quite a feat given the potentially ‘difficult’ style he has chosen to adopt. Not for this Kettering-born comic the jogging from side to side or the shouty approach or the overly warm welcome to one and all. His is a stand-offish and often awkward metier heightened by looking like a young man in middle-aged clothing: he blames his head-to-toe M&S look on that retailer’s uncanny ability to provide a consumer such as him with irresistible sweeties. In his third full show (he should be in the running already for a second successive spot on the Foster’s shortlist), Acaster admits from the off that he has just one mission: to resurrect the reputation of Yoko Ono. Fair enough, this could yield a joke or two, you think. What you will not be able to conjure is the many minutes of low-level hysteria he gets out of quoting from and then re-imagining the conversations that three-quarters of the Beatles had as they plotted against John Lennon’s partner. But he has an even wilder scheme afoot, as he wants to show the world that Ono is not someone capable of ruining a band. As if that wasn’t enough, this set piece ties in another recurring thread (the band that went down with the Titanic) while another highlight is his unlikely analysis of why America is quite simply far better than Britain. Acaster’s countrified burr and ability to slow it right down with each quasi-absurdist routine, might sound as though he is another of those young comics far too influenced by Stewart Lee. But Acaster is doing something wholly different and has quickly found his own comedy voice. It’s one that we should all be shouting about from the rooftops. (Brian Donaldson) ■ Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 25 Aug, 7pm, £9–£12 (£8–£10.50). 8–15 Aug 2013 THE LIST FESTIVAL 41

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FESTIVAL COMEDY | Reviews

DAVID BADDIEL A perceptive and funny take on fame ●●●●●

MONICA SABLONE

It’s been 15 years since his last stand-up shows proper, but David Baddiel cuts a natural and confident figure on the wide open George Square Theatre stage. This comeback isn’t about boosting his pension fund (the books, radio and film work have already built him a pleasant enough nest egg, thanks), but instead he wants to get a few things off his chest about fame. The concept of celebrityhood is far removed from what it was back when he and Rob Newman were rollerskating around Wembley Arena: chances are he wouldn’t have gone home after that gig to find an insulting message on his Twitter feed posted by a complete stranger (what with social networking not even a glimmer in Tim Berners-Lee’s eye in the early 90s). While Baddiel insists that he’s not especially famous anymore (his finest moments here are about being mistaken for someone else, even when they have unhappy consequences), he analyses the various levels of celebrity and how it affects both the famous and those looking in from the outside. The internet may have helped artificially close the gap between the two, but to Baddiel, it’s not beneficial for either party. While some comics return after an extended break and just cobble a show together (usually vaguely something about growing older), Baddiel rigidly and passionately pursues his theme. Yes, there’s a bit about air travel, but it’s there to highlight the topic, as do his reflections on Auschwitz, Julie Burchill’s caustic journalism, the tube, and his participation in Russell Brand’s wedding. A more than slight return, then, for an accomplished, affable comic who really deserves not to be mistaken for other beardy, bespectacled personalities. (Brian Donaldson) ■ Assembly George Square, 623 3030, until 11 Aug, 7.30pm, £15–£17.50.

REAL MACGUFFINS

WILL FRANKEN

KEITH FARNAN

Magnificent hats and oddball songs ●●●●●

Lukewarm satire and little laughs ●●●●●

An astute analysis of fear ●●●●●

Dan, Matt and Jim, AKA sketch trio Real MacGuffins, are back for another hour-long pick’n’mix of sweet, heartwarming goodness. With little more than a keyboard, bargain basement costume tat and bags of enthusiasm and energy, they tackle skits involving a diverse range of characters. Some of the rolling cast are more memorable than others, but it’d take a jaw of girder not to be tickled by a prim minister and his wife organising ‘Club 18-30’ or the Victorian class system reimagined, overseen by a magnificently behatted Isambard Kingdom Brunel. There’s much to enjoy here: the twisty wordplay, double entendres and versatility of the lads, the palpable, sweaty thrill of their own tomfoolery. Talented singers of oddball songs, the group are also deft at rehashing and mashing up scenes to comic effect, while their camaraderie and equally warm manner and collusion with the audience are happy things to watch. Randomness is this show’s gain: stir in imagination and graft and you’ve got a refreshing cocktail of jolliment, shenanigans and good oldfashioned joie de vivre. (Peggy Hughes) ■ Underbelly, Cowgate, 0844 545 8252, until 25 Aug (not 12), 5pm, £9–£10 (£8–£9).

Will Franken has been compared to a oneman Monty Python. On the evidence of this lukewarm follow-up to his acclaimed Things We Did Before Reality, he is in danger of becoming an ex-character comic. The scenarios are either not funny enough (or at all) or just played out to snapping point. In particular, the fire brigade scene where the chief officer is too busy espousing their values while a family fries in another part of town gets to its punchline early but hangs around way too long past its welcome. Dubbed a master of American satire, there is little sign of that on display here unless a ropey impersonation of Al Gore is where we’re at with the lampooning business. The title is definitely a doozy (Concert to Benefit the Victims of My Father) but for wry smile-inducing, it’s not matched across this slow hour. There’s some stuff about visiting Wales (where the locals talk like Americans), hateful taxi drivers and a skit about Daniel Day-Lewis and cerebral palsy: hotshot satire there about a movie from 1989. (Brian Donaldson) ■ Pleasance Dome, 556 6550, until 26 Aug (not 14), 5.40pm, £8.50–£10 (£7.50–£9).

Keith Farnan’s tack is to take on big, serious topics and sieve out the comedy. In past years, he’s looked at economic crisis, sex trafficking, racism and the death penalty. For 2013, he takes on a more abstract foe: fear. Without specific institutions or individuals to rail against, his inquiry turns inwards and we are treated to his critique of how fear informs life choices, from parenting to copulation and even how we measure our self-worth in the face of fear. Farnan does not let up, and for the entire hour, he riffs on his theme. With ease and confidence the Irishman works his crowd, making sure to take every single person in the room with him as he whips himself into a beardy, whirling dervish of comedy. Fear becomes a lens through which to examine events in his own life and some of the most genuine and insightful moments occur when Farnan veers into personal territory. The only aspect of his performance that feels lacking is the trajectory of the narrative: there’s no big pay-off. But perhaps that just serves to illustrate a fear of endings. (Suzanne Black) ■ Underbelly, Cowgate, 0844 545 8252, until 25 Aug (not 13), 6.20pm, £9–£10.50 (£8–£9.50).

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Craig Hill – Ta rt

al nal Festiv io t a N ’s y Paisle

ber 2013 10–20 Octo e-up visit: For a full lin ee.co.uk

www.thespr

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WINNER: COMIC ORIGINALIT Y M A L C O L M

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W I N N E R : B E S T M U S I C A L C O M E DY A C T C

David Johnson, John Mackay & Soho Theatre present

R U B B E R BA N D I TS D I R E C T

F R O M

L I M E R I C K !

‘Daily Mail’s nightmare of a feral underclass...’

‘Subversive genius... a big phat funny hour’

‘Comedy riotously of the moment’

Guardian

Scotsman

Metro

GUILDED BALLOON-TEVIOT 31 JULY – 25 AUG (NOT 12, 19) 10.40PM 0131 622 6552 / GILDEDBALLOON.CO.UK RUBBERBANDITS.COM

buy your tickets from: edfringe.com or tel: 0131 226 0000 facebook.com/edfringe or the official app for iPhone and Android Fringe Box Office, 180 High Street, Edinburgh Virgin Money Half Price Hut, Mound Precinct Glasgow Box Office at ScotRail’s Queen Street Station.

collect your tickets from: Fringe Box Office, 180 High Street, Edinburgh The University of Edinburgh Visitor Centre, 2 Charles Street, EH8 9AD Glasgow Box Office at ScotRail’s Queen Street Station Virgin Money Half Price Hut, Mound Precinct 22 Fringe venues across the City. See edfringe.com/boxoffice for full information, including detailed opening hours and a list of collection venues.

8–15 Aug 2013 THE LIST FESTIVAL 43

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FESTIVAL COMEDY | Reviews

JENNY ÉCLAIR Growing older disgracefully and hilariously ●●●●●

STEVE ULLATHORNE

The majority of tonight’s audience is made up of ladies (and some men) of a certain age and though there are youngsters here, many of them are their offspring. It’s good to see the kids as there’s a great deal to learn from Jenny Éclair, and some things that you probably wouldn’t want to ever have to think about again. The floral armchair on the stage is hugely deceptive: Éclair may be 53 now but she hasn’t changed a bit. Within a couple of minutes of bounding onto the stage Éclair has mentioned bras and tampons and made her first of several fart gags. Of course, it’s this kind of revelling in all things toilet that Éclair is wellknown for, but her peculiarly feminine / feminist spin on all that grubbiness was recognised by the Perrier panel back in 1995, making her the first solo woman to win the award. Unashamed to verbally let it all hang out, there’s no line Éclair won’t cross. She’s thoroughly unabashed about the workings of the female body and mind, and thoroughly potty-mouthed in her delivery of her findings. These days, the comic’s concerns are a lack of sex (a relief to her ‘wanking biceps’), the onset of the menopause, the amount of 50th birthdays she’s now having to attend and the disgraceful behaviour she’s forced to adopt for them. 50 Shades of Grey gets an inevitable mention, with a huge eff-off to its simpering submissiveness. But it’s never just been shock value with Éclair: behind all the filth is some sharp gag-writing and a lovely way with words (unsurprising, given that she’s been writing novels for a while now). Éclairious is riotously good fun and a glorious celebration of what it means to be a disrespectful woman. (Marissa Burgess) ■ Gilded Balloon Teviot, 622 6552, until 17 Aug, 7.30pm, £13.50– £14.50 (£12.50–£13).

THE APPALLING CARLY SMALLMAN

LOST VOICE GUY

SUZY BENNETT

Vaguely narcissistic debut hour ●●●●●

Fatty script yields slim pickings ●●●●●

Too much information in a packed debut ●●●●●

With this title, has Carly Smallman failed to be ironic? This debut set starts stonkingly well with a song about brotherly incest, but degenerates into twee compositions and skits about the comedian’s six-year-old niece. A chance one-liner elicits the best response of the evening, but given the opening, her audience might have been left expecting something a little more risqué. The end result is rather sweet and endearing and totally at odds with the initial shock. There’s a healthy dose of good guitar playing and wry wit from this likeable comic, but Smallman’s act is perhaps better suited to a casual gathering in the local pub among friends. Much of the camaraderie flowing from the stage is direct at the female members of the crowd which may well leave the male members of the audience feeling a little alienated. Besides which, it might be tricky for many to connect with Carly Smallman’s slightly narcissistic music, given that this hour includes a love song about herself. A show with a rather narrow focus, though not wholly without broader potential. (Miriam Sturdee) ■ Gilded Balloon Teviot, 622 6552, until 25 Aug (not 13), 7.30pm, £8–£10 (£6–£8).

Struck with cerebral palsy at the age of six months, losing muscle strength and his voice, Lee Ridley turned to stand-up as a way to recover what had been taken from him. His prosthetic digital voice, courtesy of an iPad, delivers a pre-programmed show, with the most charming moments coming from Ridley’s unscripted reactions to his own material. Curiously, the plodding delivering of Ridley’s digital voice supplies both truly awful and rather superb comedic timing, especially in his recollection of the Spice Girls-inspired gang names he and his disabled schoolmates cooked up. Playing off the techie advantages of his voice makes for a series of amusing impressions (Stephen Hawking, natch), while his nouveau ventriloquist act with the Clint Eastwood-voiced ego of his iPad is a nice bit of (potentially unintended) throwback kitsch. These moments, however, are rather buried within a fatty script, the bulk of A Voice of Choice comprising instead a biographical narrative more suited to a TED talk than the spotlight of the Edinburgh Fringe. (Jaclyn Arndt) ■ The Stand III & IV, 558 7272, until 25 Aug (not 12, 19), 8.10pm, £8 (£7).

Suzy Bennett’s debut solo show is a sweet and rather tragic affair. Bubbly and endearing, she’s a dab hand at getting the audience onside with some preposterous self-lampoonery, and it’s genuinely impossible to know how much of her dignity-free tale – from DIY vajazzles to sex-addiction rehab – is true: if all of it, then she’s remarkably chipper. Complete with illustrative slides, Bennett charts her obsession with figure skaters Torvill and Dean alongside her catastrophe-prone quest to become famous enough to appear on Dancing on Ice and be mentored by her heroes. A natural entertainer (she was once a Butlins Redcoat, no less), Bennett is at ease in front of an audience and when the material falls short there’s always her manner to enjoy; although, at times she seems to have too much to say and loses comic timing in the rush. Dancing on Thin Ice may or may not be a poignant and desperate story, but it pushes at the boundaries of credibility enough to allow you to keep laughing at the tragedy without feeling downright mean. One to avoid if you can’t hack oversharing, but worth a try if you appreciate a good bit of self-ridicule. (Laura Ennor) ■ Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 25 Aug, 8.15pm, £8.50–£11.50 (£7–£10).

44 THE LIST FESTIVAL 8–15 Aug 2013

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8–15 Aug 2013 THE LIST FESTIVAL 45

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05/08/2013 15:48

SEE FRESH COMEDY TALENT HERE BEFORE YOU SEE THEM ABSOLUTELY EVERYWHERE.

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46 THE LIST FESTIVAL 8â€“15 Aug 2013

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03/07/2012 29/07/2013 05/08/2013 09:45 10:19 15:48

Reviews | FESTIVAL COMEDY

STEVE ULLATHORNE

list.co.uk/festival

TOM ROSENTHAL

CHRISTIAN O’CONNELL

ANDREW LAWRENCE

A memorable, self-mocking return ●●●●●

Thirteen turns out to be this DJ’s lucky number

Nihilism made big, clever and funny ●●●●●

●●●●●

Two years ago, Tom Rosenthal made an impressive Fringe debut with Child of Privilege. About halfway through that hour, he deliberately broke the show’s natural flow with a sequence which could best be described as ‘interior darts monologue’. For his return (the title translates as ‘thank you’ in Bulgarian and given that the Fringe office nearly broke the internet when trying to find the correct characters, we’ll leave it at that), he pulls off a similar trick with a bit that could cautiously be dubbed ‘gargoyle’. The self-deprecatory Rosenthal (given what he has to say about his own nose and voice, it’s a wonder he manages to get up in the morning), delivers a show about his mildly worrying adventures in Eastern Europe while filming ITV2 sitcom Plebs (again, he takes a swipe at himself for being on that channel). Like a young Mark Watson, he packs in a very high degree of laughs per minute whether it’s about the perils of playing Football Manager or the later career of the person who came up with calzone. (Brian Donaldson) ■ Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 25 Aug, 8.15pm, £9–£12 (£8–£10.50).

Debuts are always uncharted waters, so you’d be forgiven for approaching radio DJ Christian O’Connell’s show with trepidation. The format of This is 13 suggests a Dave Gorman-style romp through a self-imposed deadline, but the result frequently but happily wanders off at a tangent without compromising the flow. The Absolute Radio breakfast darling manages to be funny, endearing, slightly rude and entertaining: certainly not a multiple-watch-checking mistake. Highlights include a fast-paced ‘things to do by the time I’m 40’ segment featuring a fight with Darth Vader. An over-enthusiastic audience and the spirit of Fringe entertainment carry this story through to its conclusion: a short movie outlining his successes and failures at completing his list. Moments of genius, interspersed with unplanned psychic ability and equipment malfunction (if it wasn’t planned, it should be) were handled with aplomb and it’ll be interestng to see how he develops over the month. O’Connell’s show is middle-of-the-road humour, but with great potential for a follow-up. (Miriam Sturdee) ■ Underbelly, Bristo Square, 0844 545 8252, until 20 Aug, 8.40pm, £12.50–£13.50 (£11.50–£12.50).

There was a time when Andrew Lawrence could split a room. A special joy was to be had in watching a crowd’s reaction as his gags ventured into darker and darker territory; some shifted uncomfortably in their seats while others gleefully lapped it up. As Lawrence himself points out, if you’re offended then it’s your own fault: he’s ten years into his stand-up career, and there are plenty clips of him online you could have checked out before buying your ticket. It’s this off-hand, apparently ambivalent persona that the comic has evolved into in There Is No Escape: all nihilism and misanthropy. And it makes for a delicious hour of comedy. For someone who purports not to be bothered, an admirable amount of work has gone into honing his jokes for maximum laughs. Here, life is analogous to an unwanted and unasked-for puppy. He’s keen to remind us that he’s been nominated for most comedy awards but never won one, so there are obviously many better comedians. We beg to differ. Go see him, but whatever you do, just don’t ask him how he is . . . (Marissa Burgess) ■ Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 25 Aug, 8.50pm, £9.50–£13.50 (£8–£12).

BOBBY MAIR A talent that gets ragged around the edges ●●●●● If anyone thinks that the comedy of Bobby Mair is going to bring people together in arm-locking community harmony, they don’t have a grip on their own mind. The Canadian-born, UK-based comic divides rooms and opinions with his brand of dark humour. He doesn’t see his comedy as especially bleak, and when put up beside the work of Jerry Sadowitz and Doug Stanhope (two comedians he’s been the support act for), Mair can sometimes seem about as dangerous as Adam Hills. Stanhope, though, is an instructive comparison, as he made his first in-roads on British audiences upon the same stage at The Tron. But while the American got through his gigs with a skinful of liquor and hops, Mair rides it out by working on his nerves. At times, he seems to be having a great time, enjoying the awkward silences as much as he laps up the scattered laughter; at others, it looks like he might dash for the nearest emergency exit. A lukewarm crowd doesn’t help and it’s unclear how many would have filled out the form handed out at the beginning in which Mair offers himself up to perform at your home for friends and family. If you go a bundle on revenge fantasies from beyond the grave, stories about trying to surreptitiously masturbate in the same bed as a sleeping parent and various death / rape / enslavement routines, then stockpile those nachos now. There’s no doubt Mair has qualities that could see him propelled to the top of whatever comedy tree he fancies climbing. This Fringe might not be his breakthrough moment but you pray that he isn’t taken under the wing of anyone who might try to smooth off those rougher edges. Without them, Bobby Mair would just be another regular comedy joe. And that would be a genuine tragedy. (Brian Donaldson) ■ Just the Tonic at The Tron, 556 5375, until 25 Aug (not 13), 7.40pm, £8.50–£10. 8–15 Aug 2013 THE LIST FESTIVAL 47

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Deuchars IPA and the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, two of the best acts in town, both showing at venues throughout Edinburgh.

caledonianbeer.com 48 THE LIST FESTIVAL 8â€“15 Aug 2013

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Reviews | FESTIVAL COMEDY

RACHEL KING

list.co.uk/festival

DIE ROTEN PUNKTE

EASTEND CABARET

LUISA OMIELAN

Endearing Teutonic ‘sibling’ act ●●●●●

Dirty talk and outrageous songs ●●●●●

Former Free Fringe diva done good ●●●●●

Whether they are a real sister / brother duo from Berlin is ultimately moot. Drummer Astrid (who brings her own bright red backdrop) is quite magnificent at commanding the stage, while Otto wins the heartstring-tugging vote. They engage us with rock’n’roll comedy, oozing talent and charm – ‘Bananenhaus’, for example, tells us that you just cannot rush the consumption of that famous yellow fruit. The ongoing sibling rivalry and petty bickering break up the musical focus in the best possible way, and the duo are bizarrely believable, managing to buffoon their way through a set list celebrating everything from vegetarian dinosaurs to their own story as orphaned runaways. These loveable rogues make apt use of the loop pedal in their avant-garde ‘art rock’, though it isn’t just the instruments that get an outing: if you’re not rushing home to brush a pineapple then you just weren’t paying attention. Die Roten Punkte deliver a pleasant mix of tight lyrics and harmonies, combined with slapstick and something that, in another life, might pass for burlesque. (Miriam Sturdee) ■ Assembly George Square, 623 3030, until 25 Aug (not 12, 19), 8.55pm, £9.50–£12 (£8–£10.50).

The dark, debauched Bernadette Byrne and ambiguous, obsessive Victor / Victoria make up EastEnd Cabaret’s all-singing, all-sexy double act. ‘It’s all about getting nice and intimate with each other’, Byrne begins, and she doesn’t take long to straddle the audience and sex up the room. The pair’s songs are outrageous and veer perilously close to the wrong side of innuendo. Byrne (think Jessie J meets Marlene Dietrich) mixes charm with pure filth, while Victor / Victoria flits around, an overly devoted sidekick, as they purr through near-the-knuckle ditties about accidental anal sex and the dream Byrne once had about a 1980s pop star orgy on Mars. No one in the audience is safe from Byrne’s roving eye and unsuspecting punters are ‘volunteered’ to act as her Man Beast (a two-headed creature she rides across the stage). The duo are wonderfully eccentric and painfully sharp despite Victor / Victoria’s knack with Rohypnol. Each song in Dirty Talk brings about a new wave of outrageous lyricism (think Roald Dahl on Viagra) for an exciting, if sexually confusing, evening of cabaret. (Kirstyn Smith) ■ Underbelly, Cowgate, 0844 545 8252, until 25 Aug (not 13), 9.10pm, £10–£11 (£9–£10).

On paper, this should be horrific: girl laments failed relationship, inability to stop eating sandwiches, roundness of own bottom; seeks comfort in wisdom of Beyoncé. And yet Luisa Omielan has so much talent and unborrowed style (plus excellent borrowed styles from Jamaican dancefloor boglers, wannabe mixed-race London girls, her RP-talking Polish mum) that she spins her cray-cray material into gold (probably American Apparel latex, accessorised by New Look). She begins with fierce, mock self-belief (‘I have the opposite of body dysmorphia: I look in the mirror and I’m like, “DAYUM”!’), bursting into Destiny’s Child ‘Independent Women’ before mumbling that, actually, she lives at home, paying no rent. Much like Destiny’s Child, her feminism has its wobbles, but she knows that. Omielan (to quote Queen B, and she regularly does) ‘keeps it real’, admitting her daddy issues, relationship cravings, and abandonment of sense when she’s, ahem, ‘Crazy in Love’. Those who cringe at forced singalongs beware: the title What Would Beyoncé Do?! attracts screamy fans, fingers aloft for the ‘Single Ladies’ bit. (Claire Sawers) ■ Gilded Balloon Teviot, 622 6552, until 11 Aug, 9.15pm, £12–£13 (£11–£12).

AIRNADETTE Singing into a hairbrush goes Gallic-galactic ●●●●● Imagine Woody Woodpecker, Samantha Fox and Celine Dion are thrown in a dressing-up trunk of glitter, then doused in vodka that’s been pinched from a backstage tour rider. Bill and Ted, Eminem and Britney Spears are chucked in there too, and the lid is left locked for a few hours. Airnadette is that moment when the lid is lifted and the Spandexed stars pop out: adrenal, multi-coloured, high-kicking and screaming silently at the crowd, through the magic of lip-sync. The French sextet call themselves ‘the biggest airband in the galaxy’ and take turns air drumming, air guitaring and flawlessly mouthing lyrics in time to a frantic soundtrack of fused snippets from TV shows, films and pop songs. The pace is greasedbreakneck, with the booming voiceover sometimes skilfully switching to fast forward or skipping, without any of the singer / dancers missing a single shimmy or side-slide along the way. As expert as they are at pulling cartoon grimaces, and morphing between rock, hip hop and saccharine-ballad music styles, the daftness, mock fist-fights and constant out-looning of one another becomes hard to stomach at times. Although it’s fun to spot lines from classic movies like Spinal Tap, Monty Python and the Holy Grail or Pretty Woman, the fart gags, Carly Rae Jepsen clips and Disney romance plot seem to be targeting an audience growing up in what the group describe as ‘a time of zapping’. Airnadette’s gold body-socked character Gunther Love is a highlight as the Freddie Mercury-obsessed, circus gymnast of the bunch. The band’s mission statement is ‘we will dub you’, but if you have a cheese intolerance, there’s a danger they might just end up bugging you. (Claire Sawers) ■ Underbelly, Bristo Square, 0844 545 8252, until 26 Aug (not 13, 19), 8.50pm, £15.50–£16.50 (£14.50–£15.50). 8–15 Aug 2013 THE LIST FESTIVAL 49

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: H T I E L E G D E H T I W H G R U B EDIN LE S

W YN D

BALTIC STREET

STRE ET

WATE RS TR EE T

H OR E PLA C E

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Have you hit all the sell out shows, been pulled out of the crowd to join the street performers & exhausted every well worn tourist trail? Then you have done well so far on your Festival sojourn, but no trip to our fair city could be complete without a wander down to the shores of Leith; the culinary heartland of Edinburgh. Hop on the 22 bus from Princes St and you will be in Leith in about 10 minutes. In conjunction with the Williams Bros. Brewing Co. here is a guide to some of the best bars, restaurants & coffee shops that ‘The Port’ has to offer. Furthermore we are offering up the chance for one lucky Festival goer to win a day of decadence for two, touring the award winning establishments and enjoying their specialities.

SHOR E

COM MER CIA L ST REE T

ST RE ET

CHA RLO TTE ST

R ST

CO NS TIT

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TI NC JU

QUE EN

LS TR EE

LEITH LINKS

NK S

PL AC E

To enter, just log on list.co.uk/offers and tell us:

What bus takes you to Leith?

YOUR DAY OF DECADENCE

1ST STOP

PRINTWORKS COFFEE

2 x Monmouth Coffees & 2 x Pastries 42 Constitution Street, Edinburgh, EH6 6RS 0131 555 7070

COCKTAIL HOUR

BOND NO 9

2 x Bond No 9 Cocktails 84 Commercial Street, Edinburgh, EH6 6LL 0131 555 5578 bondno9.co.uk

PIT STOP

THE VINTAGE

PICK ME UP

THE ROSELEAF

2 x Schooners of Williams Draught and a sharing board of Charcuterie (4 Items)

2 x Jonny Nova – non alcoholic, reenergizing & refreshing, blended fruit juices

60 Henderson Street, Edinburgh, EH6 6DE 0131 563 5293 thevintageleith.co.uk

23/24 Sandport Place, Edinburgh, EH6 6EW 0131 476 5268 roseleaf.co.uk

THE SWEET SPOT

NOBLES

ONE FOR THE ROAD

WILLIAMS BROS BREWING CO

End your day on a sweet note, with desserts for two plus wine to match. Rest your weary legs and enjoy our lovely music into the late night

Mixed Case of Williams Bros Beer to take back home to keep the party going

44a Constitution Street, Edinburgh, EH6 6RS 0131 629 7215 noblesbarleith.co.uk

See The Vintage williamsbrosbrew.com

Collectable from the Vintage

TERMS & CONDITIONS Competition closes 14 Aug 2013. Entrants must be 18 years of age or over. Usual List rules apply.

50 THE LIST FESTIVAL 8–15 Aug 2013

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Reviews | FESTIVAL COMEDY

IDIL SUKAN

STEVE ULLATHORNE

list.co.uk/festival

HOWARD READ

JOHN ROBINS

CAREY MARX

Innovative animation doesn’t quite pay off

Wonderful portrait of ageing and anxiety

A hilarious musing on his brush with death

●●●●●

Howard Read is no stranger to experimentation: the first to use animation in live comedy, his conceit is to perform stand-up as a cartoon character – like puppetry but with cartoons. And a ukulele. An animator as well as comedian, Read presents ‘all of human evolution on one stand-up bill’ including a mouthy pigeon, chickens, a smiting God and longstanding showbusiness partner Little Howard, all manipulated by way of whizz-bang gadgetry. A tantalising and innovative idea is let down by its constituent parts, however. The cartoons lack appeal; impressionistic narration (Davids Attenborough and Cameron make cameo appearances) is inauthentic, and Read’s patter is patchy and strained. Centre-staging such lacklustre graphic stars both sidelines Read and distances the house. Separate clips are presented without comment and add little. But with more shows under his belt over the month to increase confidence and verve, Read should become less at sea with his grownup audiences and do justice to his imaginative concept. (Peggy Hughes) ■ Gilded Balloon Teviot, 622 6552, until 26 Aug (not 12), 9.30pm, £10–£12 (£9–£11).

Do you remember the happiest day of your life? John Robins does. The problem is that it came 12 years ago and as that occasion drifts further into history, the more idealised the memory becomes and more irritating the trials and tribulations of life as a 30-year-old get. Where is My Mind? is a glorious look at the emotional anxiety of adolescence, the physical awkwardness of ageing and the dangers of getting stuck in the past. Robins is an extremely confident performer and moves from self-awareness and self-deprecation to Partridge-esque levels of incredulity and indignation as he moves from tales of teenage club nights to discovering he has gout. Even when jokes don’t quite work he is quick enough to realise and run with it (a gag about arthritis becomes funny because he has to explain it). This is an honest, poignant and very funny hour, whose only problem is structure. He doesn’t always get the flow right, but that’s a minor criticism of an otherwise excellent outing from a comedian we should be seeing a lot more of. (Gordon Eldrett) ■ Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 25 Aug, 9.30pm, £8.50–£11.50 (£7–£10).

Carey Marx would have performed his ninth Fringe show last August, except he had a heart attack (actually several of them) that almost killed him. On the strength of his triumphant return to Edinburgh this year, having a near-death experience has turned out to be a boon for him. The blackly comic, deeply personal story about his brush with mortality has provided Marx with material which perfectly suits his line in smart, shocking humour. One has to wonder who other than Marx would find it quite so funny that a man could pleasure himself instead of calling an ambulance in that deathly scenario. Nearly being caught by the hotel staff after having almost tossed himself off to death is only the beginning of Marx’s hilariously self-coruscating rewind through what might have been his last moments. His recounting of what did happen to him is funny enough. But it’s when Marx lets his imagination extrapolate what might have happened (and might yet still happen to him), that Intensive Carey really soars. (Miles Fielder) ■ Gilded Balloon Teviot, 622 6552, until 25 Aug (not 12), 10pm, £8.50–£9.50 (£7.50–£8.50).

JOSH WIDDICOMBE A skilful rant at trivial pursuits ●●●●● Josh Widdicombe has come a long way fast since his first solo Fringe show in 2011. He’s since tucked under his belt a plethora of TV appearances including Mock the Week, The Last Leg, and as a regular panellist on Stand up for the Week. Confidently playing to a sell-out crowd at one of the Fringe’s larger venues, it’s easy to forget just how fresh he is to comedy. He’s certainly unperturbed on this night despite a drunken crowd’s deliberate efforts to put him off his stride, and he demonstrates the diplomacy of a saint as he defuses a potentially fractious stand-off. Sharing the stage with Widdicombe is a table with a seemingly random assortment of items. There’s an old analogue phone, a packet of Love Hearts, a set of passport photos and other brica-brac. He explains that this collection of trinkets just happened to be sat on his coffee table when his father recently turned up at his flat, causing his old man to point at the items and profoundly exclaim, ‘so, that’s what your life’s like?’ In a novel conceit, Widdicombe leaps from one item to the next, spinning off with various rants and observations. Most of the objects carry no personal significance which is a shame as he’s at his best when he has a proper story to tell. However, most of Widdicombe’s concerns are fleeting and trivial, and he sets out his stall at the top of the show by declaring he’s ‘not a big issues comedian’. As Incidentally continues, he gets more and more irritated by problems which are strictly First World concerns, and his habit of raising his inflection over and over in exasperation is at odds with the stunningly inconsequential nature of his ire. Nevertheless, tonight’s crowd lap it up and he holds the stage with the skill of a seasoned pro. (Murray Robertson) ■ Assembly George Square, 623 3030, until 15 Aug (not 9, 14), 9pm, £12–£13 (£11–£12). 8–15 Aug 2013 THE LIST FESTIVAL 51

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52 THE LIST FESTIVAL 8–15 Aug 2013

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Reviews | FESTIVAL COMEDY

list.co.uk/festival

BENNY DAVIS

WIL HODGSON

BJORN GUSTAFSSON

Technically supreme renditions of hits

Curious spectacle from a Swedish celebrity

●●●●●

So-so trip down memory lane from Chippenham’s finest ●●●●●

Benny Davis asks how many people in the crowd have seen him as one third of Axis of Awesome, announcing ‘if you haven’t heard “Four Chords” where’ve you been?’ Now going out on his own to display some fiercely virtuosic piano skills, the technically supreme The Human Jukebox still feels a little bare. Davis travels through the ages of pop, rock and dance, identifying tunes from Snap! to Alice Deejay and Spice Girls. Mixing in slight comedy about busking in Sydney, Davis’ years of studying music have clearly paid dividends in a show that’s hard not to smile at. Some classic rock hits are mashed with themes tunes and TV adverts, while he asks the audience to throw up requests: ‘if I’ve heard it, I can play it’, he assures. Not without its flaws and limitations, Davis’ hour of definitive recitals from across the decades is plenty of fun and promises a blissful rekindling of deconstructed music. The comedy and narrative that Davis tries to force just aren’t there, however, and it’s better when he simply sticks to playing. (Andrew Latimer) ■ Gilded Balloon Teviot, 622 6552, until 25 Aug (not 12), 10.45pm, £9.50–£10.50 (£8.50–£9.50).

There was a time when Wil Hodgson seemed destined to be the future of British comedy. An hour in his company is still a pleasing experience, but he appears to have dropped his mojo somewhere down the line. Certainly, he couldn’t have kept going on forever with shows about growing up in Chippenham, skinheads, ‘real women’, wrestling, My Little Pony etc, but even he admits that his current show is rather lightweight and just a ‘nostalgia fest’. Leave the Landing Light On does concern more childhood memories, but rather than opening up unfamiliar worlds, it’ll be easy for more people to connect with his recollections of being a British comics geek. He moves on to stuff that genuinely terrified him growing up, such as public information films and Willy Wonka (the Gene Wilder interpretation) while actual nuclear threat had little impact and the Universal horror films had scary monsters he simply related to as an outsider. It’s all perfectly fun, but fritters away to very little, leaving Hodgson buffs misty-eyed for the heavyweight sets of his past. (Brian Donaldson) ■ The Stand III & IV, 558 7272, until 25 Aug (not 12), 11.40pm, £8 (£7).

Before the show begins there’s some crackly mic problems. We think they’re unintentional, but judging from the rest of the show you can’t really be sure what’s meant and what isn’t. Björn Gustafsson has been famous in his Swedish homeland since he was 20 (he’s now 27) but his debut at the Fringe is one of the most curious this year. Eventually, a tall blonde sporting a suit in IKEA colours is shoved onto the stage. Offstage, a voice berates us as we applaud: ‘that’s not even me, it’s my brother’. The show is an exquisitely peculiar spectacle of comedy and music that harbours a Pythonic quality, yet there are also shades of oldschool British comedy too. Where the pair work together to undermine each other’s endeavours is reminiscent of Morecambe and Wise, and elsewhere they perform deliberately out-of-tune numbers in the Les Dawson vein. The show runs somewhat under the advertised hour, although, to be honest, after 45 minutes your brain is so befuddled anyway. Regardless, you’ll still be laughing on the way home. (Marissa Burgess) ■ Gilded Balloon Teviot, 622 6552, until 12 Aug, 11.59pm, £9.50–£10.50 (£8.50–£9.50).

●●●●●

PAJAMA MEN A physical romp through an ocean of characters ●●●●● For some acts, the breakdown of their technology is a disaster akin to temporarily losing a limb. When microphones malfunction on three separate occasions, Mark Chavez and Shenoah Allen simply wait for their techies to sort the problem, making comedy hay from the predicament. Of course, we don’t know what gruesome consequences might take place behind closed doors afterwards, but onstage, the Pajama Men are the picture of restraint, riffing on their hushed circumstances, musing on what life is like when everyone at the back of a very large, sold-out room can hear each utterance with clarity. For those familiar with the Pajamas physical / characterled thing, Just the Two of Each of Us won’t hold too many surprises. The pair roar, bellow and whisper their way through various duos (jealous lovers, old men, newsreaders, a medieval king and his Igor-like servant, a cop riding a motorcycle) as a complicated story of an ancient quest somehow touches everyone in their tale. It’s easy to simply sit back and wonder at the inventiveness of the Pajama Men (their only props are two chairs while the now established third member, Kevin Hume, provides a musical backdrop to proceedings) and it’s just as much fun to watch them enjoy themselves. Possibly the larks they are having sometimes go too far, the giggling a little obtrusive, but being able to laugh at your work is surely one of life’s joys. The secret of their success stems from an ability to just about do the lot: they are naturally funny, brilliant mimics and can vividly portray any number of people or things (here, an arcade machine or a human-eating monster). No wonder they’re having the last laugh. (Brian Donaldson) ■ Assembly Roxy, 623 3030, until 26 Aug (not 12, 19), 9pm, £13–£15 (£12–£14). 8–15 Aug 2013 THE LIST FESTIVAL 53

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FESTIVAL COMEDY | Reviews at a Glance For full length versions of these reviews see list.co.uk/festival

Greg Proops

Abandoman ●●●●● Like the comedy hip-hop act’s previous Fringe trips, this is a musical story that unfolds based on audience input (wear a distinctive hat at your peril). The twists this year are the addition of two members to form a full band, and a futuristic, space-age theme: you or your neighbour might end up on stage as a space pirate, rebel warrior or king of the moon. (Charlotte Runcie) Underbelly, Bristo Square, 08445 458252, until 26 Aug (not 12, 19), 8.45pm, £13.50–£14.50 (£12.50– £13.50). Adam Hess and David Elms ●●●●● Elms, softly-spoken and understated, peddles a nice line in subversive love songs but there just aren’t enough big-hitting punchlines to keep the laughter going for 25 minutes. Hess scores a higher hit rate with a more energetic performance. Taking aim at his ex-girlfriend (the break-up wasn’t mutual), he darts down tangents in a rambling series of semi-autobiographical anecdotes. (Suzanne Black) Heroes @ The Hive, 226 0000, until 25 Aug, 6pm, £5 in advance or pay what you want. Andrew Maxwell ●●●●● Banana Kingdom puts Scottish politics at its heart, flanked by brilliant flights of anecdote and witty home truths. It navigates big topics – the Catholic Church, America’s gun culture and sectarianism – with the same admirable conviction and lightness of touch lent to the enthusiastic praise of cop shows and Lederhosen. Simultaneous nourishment for the brain and laughter-glands this way lie. (Peggy Hughes) Underbelly, Bristo Square, 0844 545 8252, until 26 Aug (not 12), 7.15pm, £13.50–£15 (£12–£14). Benny Boot ●●●●● Boot’s schtick is an attempted mix of subverting the comedy form underpinned by a stream of semi-surrealist gags which Mitch Hedberg would have ditched the moment they arrived in his head. The key word here is ‘attempted’, as Boot simply fails to pull it off no matter how hard he tries. (Brian Donaldson) Underbelly, Bristo Square, 0844 545 8252, until 26 Aug (not 12), 5.30pm, £10–£11 (£9–£10). Ben Van der Velde ●●●●● In our increasingly digital-dependant society, Ben has made it his mission to try and save the handwritten letter for future generations. He soon proves himself to be a perfectly amiable host who is genuinely invested in the subject matter but he could stand to take a few more risks with his material. (Katy Spry) Underbelly, Bristo Square, 0844 545 8252, until 26 Aug (not 12), 4.10pm, £10–£11 (£9–£10). Ben Verth ●●●●● Verth’s show is loosely themed around preconceived perceptions of people. Being a ‘hairy fat bloke’, he has found himself on the receiving end of a good many examples of this, but takes the abuse in his stride and turns it into a series of comic monologues delivered in lively if easygoing manner. (Miles Fielder) Beehive Inn, 225 7171, until 25 Aug (not 15), 4pm, £5. The Beta Males ●●●●● In this well-crafted superheroic sketch comedy, the five-piece start as they mean to go on, with confidence, charm and silliness in equal measure. There’s a particularly well-executed Noo Yoik gangster skit, and a dastardly scheme from a notunfamiliar German villain plus some wry audience interaction. There is room to add depth to jokes, which are sometimes in danger of being vacuous and selling the audience short. (Rebecca Ross) Pleasance Dome, 556 6550, until 26 Aug (not 13), 7pm, £9–£11.50 (£8–£10.50).

Carl Hutchinson ●●●●●

Hutchinson’s show is about stomachturning, eyeball-twitching, blood-boiling, rage. However the general premise, that he’ll be taking us through the moments in his life where he experienced magnificent, uncontrollable indignity, is defused by each of these moments

being not particularly rageworthy. Warming up in the latter half of the show, Hutchinson tells a cracking account of accidental train-based racism but it feels a bit too little too late. (Kirstyn Smith) Underbelly, Bristo Square, 0844 545 8252, until 25 Aug, 9.30pm, £8.50–£10 (£7–£9). Chris Fitchew ●●●●● Trashier than the trash TV it heavy-handedly mocks, this one-man cavalcade of awfulness gives camp comedy a bad name. Fitchew lamely parodies a series of telly and celebrity types, and rolls each sketch out for twice as long as necessary. He seems to expect that the mere sight of a man in drag will sustain the laughter until the next tired cliché. (Laura Ennor) Gilded Balloon Teviot, 622 6552, until 26 Aug (not 14), 3.45pm, £10–£11 (£8.50–£10). Chris Stokes ●●●●● Stokes opens a cagey set with the declaration that he’s become disillusioned with performing stand-up comedy. It makes for an unsettling start and his laidback, conversational style can’t quite paper over the unease that creeps across the room as he focuses on those irritating folk who feel they have to ‘tell it how it is’, proffering insults and character assassination under the guise of refreshing honesty. (Murray Robertson) Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 25 Aug (not 12), 7pm, £7–£9 (£6–£8). The Colour Ham ●●●●● This energetic, elastic-faced Scottish sketch trio treat us to a series of magic tricks and Irish dancing. Colin McLeod continuously wows the crowd with his spot-on mind reading skills as fellow group members, Gavin Oattes and Kevin McMahon regularly gate-crash his Derren Brown-esque attempts much to everyone’s delight and complete silliness ensues. (Katy Spry) Just the Tonic at The Caves, 556 5375, until 24 Aug (not 12–15, 19–22), 7.45pm, £8–£11 (£7–£10). Craig Campbell ●●●●● ‘Me falling off a log – you can’t get more Canadian than that,’ says Campbell of an illfated kayaking trip, just one of many similarly cursed escapades he relates in a roundly entertaining hour of jovial observational anecdotes. Eminently likeable, he is an old master at building rapport with the audience, managing to

work crowd contributions seamlessly into a freewheeling narrative about all the injuries he’s sustained during various outdoor adventures. (Laura Ennor) Assembly Rooms, 0844 693 3008, until 25 Aug (not 12), 8.45pm, £10 (£9). Davey Connor ●●●●● This debut solo Fringe hour, Live! But Not in Your Living Room, features some pleasing chatter about young folks and their conflicting attitudes to technology and safe domestic fare about salt and binbags. It does feels somewhat inconsequential, and while the title is revealed as being more than the sum of its words, the twist is hardly of the Sixth Sense variety. (Brian Donaldson) Gilded Balloon Teviot, 622 6552, until 26 Aug (not 12), 10.15pm, £9.50 (£8.50). David Morgan ●●●●● After a confidence-shaking encounter Morgan found himself re-examining his estimation of his own beauty and that examination takes the form of an hour of jokes and anecdotes. He uses this as a very loose structure to talk about the ins and outs of gay romance and marriage. There is searching societal critique to be gleaned from his topic, but he doesn’t draw it out, preferring to remain autobiographical. (Suzanne Black) Underbelly, Bristo Square, 0844 545 8252, until 25 Aug, 7pm, £9–£10 (£8–£9). David Quirk ●●●●● This Australian comic’s hour is a reflective but largely gag-free tale of the consequences of him cheating on the woman he thought might have been the love of his life. Admittedly, the atmosphere for an hour of confessional storytelling wasn’t exactly aided by a disruptive back row but it would be quite a stretch to point the finger of blame for a lacklustre show solely towards some bored, whispering irritants. (Brian Donaldson) Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 25 Aug (not 12), 9.45pm, £8–£10.50 (£7–£9.50). Diane Spencer ●●●●● With a giddy honesty, Spencer tells us of her family home in Dorset with its sanctuary-supplying rooftop and about the burgeoning relationship with her boyfriend. In someone else’s hands it could be pedestrian stuff but Spencer invests it with wonderful turns of phrase, killer punchlines and a gleeful delight in continually over-stepping the

taste barrier. (Marissa Burgess) Gilded Balloon Teviot, 622 6552, until 25 Aug (not 13), 5.45pm, £9–£9.50 (£8–£8.50). Farce Noir ●●●●● This delightful film noir parody features a quartet of comic performers on top form. Over a breathy hour, the ridiculous plot covers the genre archetypes and clichés: the femme fatale, the maguffin, the incessant rain. The production fearlessly scales up for its absurd action scenes and, rather than stifling their invention, the cast adapt to its restrictions brilliantly. (Murray Robertson) Underbelly, Bristo Square, 0844 545 8252, until 26 Aug (not 13), 4.05pm, £9–£10 (£8–£9). Gareth Richards ●●●●● It’s tough to discover a Fringe comedian who integrates nostalgia into their set. Usually the hook is something unconsidered and straightforward, pinned to the themes of being socially awkward or rejoicing in isolation. Gareth Richards does rely on these formulas, but synthesises a smart, robust commentary on the nature of becoming a performer and what fame means to us. (Andrew Latimer) Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 25 Aug, 8.15pm; 9 & 10, 16 & 17, 23 & 24 Aug, 9.30pm, £8.50–£10 (£7–£9). Gary Delaney ●●●●● Delaney will make you laugh when you don’t even want to. There’s nothing big and not much clever about his lowbrow oneliners, but through groans and cringes aplenty, he’ll get you in the end. He makes a virtue of naffness and could outawkward any embarrassing dad, snorting and giggling at his own jokes and playfully deconstructing the comedian’s artillery of crowd-appeasement techniques. (Laura Ennor) Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 25 Aug (not 12), 9.45pm, £8–£12 (£7–£10). Giraffe ●●●●● There’s a strong tendency among contemporary sketch groups to plunder heavily from popular culture. How many times have you seen a sketch about Harry Potter or Twilight? Well, if not, don’t worry; Giraffe have got skits about both. The trio have much more joy in examples of domestic strife such as the woman being uncomfortable with her brother-in-law mooching around the house. (Brian Donaldson) Underbelly, Cowgate, 0844 545 8252, until 25 Aug (not 12), 1pm, £8.50–£9.50 (£7.50–£8.50). God, Greed and Football ●●●●●

From the moment Simon Lilley walks on stage and falteringly attempts a satirical assault on the estate agents of the world, it’s clear that we’re all in trouble. Lilley has little or nothing to say about the three core elements of his very long hour and anything approaching a decent gag or a pithy argument have been said before and better. (Brian Donaldson) Just the Tonic at The Tron, 556 5375, until 25 Aug (not 13, 19), 2.20pm, £5–£6. Greg Proops ●●●●● Proops definitely does not want you to shout out during his show. When an unsuspecting punter tries to join in, the American comic hammers down the miscreant with a rabid, unsettling and wholly brilliant put-down. Having resolutely taken command of his space, Proops bounds from one topic to the next with little regard to structure or pace. Subjects could be randomly cascading from his subconscious but, no matter what he plucks at, it’s always funny. (Murray Robertson) Gilded Balloon Teviot, 622 6552, until 14 Aug, 9pm, £13.50–£14.50 (£12.50–£13.50). How Do I Get Up There? ●●●●●

Besides intricate wordplay and bellowed singing, there’s also prop-based gooning around (a bag of rice as love interest, a pink balloon for a face) and physical theatre (human wheelbarrows, a largeboned man being lifted and so on). In the hands of lesser talents, these absurd snippets would be achingly hard to watch, but boosted by a strand of affectionate cruelty, Chris Forbes, James Kirk and Kevin Mains prove to be irresistible lords of the douche. (Claire Sawers) Assembly Rooms, 0844 693 3008, until 25 Aug (not 12), 4pm, £10 (£9).

54 THE LIST FESTIVAL 8–15 Aug 2013

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w FESTIVAL COMEDY | Reviews at a Glance Iain Stirling ●●●●● Twenty-five-

Max and Ivan

DAN BURN-FORTI

year-old Stirling is having a mini identity crisis: he’s from Edinburgh originally, but has lived in London for years, so he drops in lots of ‘wicked’, ‘my man’ and ‘su’hin’, but also gets big laughs from localisms like ‘barry’ (from the Scots for excellent). Openly touting for telly work, he’s gifted enough in the gab department to stand a good chance of getting on there more. (Claire Sawers) Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 25 Aug, 7.30pm, £8.50– £10 (£7–£9); Underbelly, Bristo Square, 0844 545 8252, 9, 15 & 16, 22 & 23 Aug, 11.20pm, £8.50–£10 (£7–£9). It’s Me Dayne ●●●●● Socially awkward Dayne takes us on a journey into the ridiculous, often venturing into quite unnerving territory. From his own brand of twisted poetry and sordid storytelling to his disastrous childhood memories, we are able to gain a slightly uncomfortable yet amusing insight into the inner workings of this peculiar individual. Fear not though, as he comes equipped with a catalogue of feel good sing-a-long songs to help lighten the mood. (Katy Spry) Gilded Balloon Teviot, 622 6552, until 26 Aug (not 12, 19), 7.45pm, £8. Joey Page ●●●●● Here is a rare beast on the comedy circuit, a unique presence in a world packed with observational comics who are failing to keep it real, what with all those jokes they keep telling. Page comes on dressed in a gaudy suit, a montage of many test cards and a painful hour snails by. (Brian Donaldson) Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 26 Aug (not 13), 8.30pm, £8–£9.50 (£7.50–£8.50). KelFi & FiKel ●●●●● It all starts rather promisingly with the bawdy Australian duo sitting by the stage discussing their script as we take our seats. But they succeeded in undercutting a promising start by resorting to tedious repetition of all the bad words you can think of, with little rhyme, reason or point. A real shame given that the pair have a decent chemistry and are good performers. (Brian Donaldson) Gilded Balloon Teviot, 622 6552, until 25 Aug (not 12), 9.30pm, £9.50–£10.50 (£8.50–£9.50). Mark Dolan ●●●●● Dolan is an optimist and thinks that a lot of things in life are ‘awesome’ and he wants to enrich our lives by going through them with us in the hope we will leave uplifted. The majority of this show is him reading out from a list with little or no exploration of the themes and ideas. Whilst never actually being terrible it also never manages to be very good. (Gordon Eldrett) Gilded Balloon Teviot, 622 6552, until 25 Aug (not 12), 7.45pm, £9–£10 (£7.50–£8.50). Mary Bourke ●●●●● Bourke confronts misogyny and uses her anger to fuel a thought-provoking hour. Mixing polemic with humour, she steers clear of stereotypes like dour dungaree-wearers and, without sacrificing her message, makes sure the laughs outweigh the rants. A couple of conceits ensure that those in the audience who aren’t card-carrying feminists are not left out. (Suzanne Black) The Stand III & IV, 558 7272, until 25 Aug (not 12), 5.50pm, £8 (£7). Max and Ivan ●●●●● In this sketch parody of a college reunion, the duo play a whole host of roles at the same time in this quick-fire performance. Like herring vodka, some of the characters in this sketch are an acquired taste, and the show begins to drag from the middle, with the same characters recurring, often bringing the same gags with them. (Rebecca Ross) Pleasance Dome, 556 6550, until 25 Aug (not 13), 8.20pm, £9–£12.50 (£8–£10). Michael J Dolan ●●●●● What’s billed as a no-nonsense dose of misanthropy turns out to be merely a vacillating moan, its light tone and stumbling dialogue making you feel that even Dolan isn’t convinced by his peevish persona. Despite his lack of resolve, Dolan is certainly a likeable and

endearing nihilist. Perhaps he should give positivity a go. (Rebecca Ross) Gilded Balloon Teviot, 622 6552, until 25 Aug (not 12), 4pm, £8–£9 (£7–£8). Mikey Avern ●●●●● This is a fastpaced educational hour where Avern shares his political views, focusing mainly on the state of financiallyimpaired modern-day Britain and what the future holds for us. Unfortunately, his quick delivery means it’s easy to miss parts. Avern is like a passionate and slightly nutty Professor giving a lecture with the help of his trusty PowerPoint presentation featuring some intentionally naff slides. (Katy Spry) Just the Tonic at Bristo Square, 556 5375, until 17 Aug (not 13), 9.30pm, £4–£5. Milton Jones ●●●●● If you think that stand-up should have some proper, actual jokes in it, then Jones is for you. A stream of quality one-liners can potentially be a bit wearing after a full hour, and occasional forays into observational humour are not the show’s strongest moments. The wild-haired Jones is actually at his best when straying into surreal asides and bizarrely original vignettes: bamboo is a recurring theme, and there’s an inspired sequence with an overhead projector. (Charlotte Runcie) Assembly Hall, 623 3030, until 14 Aug, 7.30pm, £16.50. Miracles Etc ●●●●● At the top of the show, Pete Heat jigs into the room, ties us up in red wool and declares the creation of Peteopia - a new land with a skinny dictator at its helm. His magic tricks are polished while his presentation has a nervy, goofy edge. Tidied up a bit, it could well become his gimmick rather than giving the feeling that he hasn’t got as much confidence in his tricks as we have. (Marissa Burgess) Gilded Balloon Teviot, 622 6552, until 26 Aug, 8.15pm, £10–£12 (£8.50–£10). The Noise Next Door ●●●●● The five-man improv juggernaut host, look after and perform at a haphazard variety club called the Soundhouse. The staff are obsessed with elephants or halfwoman, half-buffalo creations while the performers – sex-obsessed hypnotist, Australian explorer, Blazin’ Squadesque boyband – flit from act to act with unrelenting energy. The Noise Next Door are so sharp that it is actually tough to keep up. (Kirstyn Smith) Pleasance

Dome, 556 6550, until 26 Aug (not 14), 7pm, £11–£14 (£9–£12). Paul Currie ●●●●● From the Tony Law school of unhinged nonsense comes Currie, dressed in a natty three-piece suit and tottering about in sweltering latenight conditions before a bamboozled but amused crowd. You have a choice: go with the flow or sit in agony as the clock staggers round to the finishing post. The vast majority in attendance are well up for it, and wails of appreciative delirium greet each ludicrous twist and fantastical turn. (Brian Donaldson) Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 26 Aug (not 13), 11pm, £8–£9.50 (£7.50–£8). Paul Zerdin ●●●●● Zerdin’s foils, a foul-mouthed perverted old man and a foul-mouthed, perverted school boy are fairly standard ventriloquist fare, but his interactions with them, and other off-stage characters, bring to light some seriously impressive moments. Zerdin throws his voice all over the room, leaving it increasingly difficult to bear in the mind that he is essentially having a four-way conversation with himself. Good fun and charming. (Kirstyn Smith) Gilded Balloon Teviot, 622 6552, until 25 Aug (not 12), 8pm, £10.50–£12.50 (£9.50–£11). Rhys Nicholson ●●●●● Nicholson argues anything can be funny. It’s all up for grabs. Stay well clear if you’re easily offended as Nicholson’s full-frontal assault on awkward sexual happenstances, gay relationships and inner-anxiety is wickedly racy. He’s reintroduced and recycled jokes from 2009 onwards to trim what is now an almost perfectly timed routine, reeling against the anti-gay religious zealots who have condemned his sexuality. (Andrew Latimer) Gilded Balloon Teviot, 622 6552, until 26 Aug (not 13), 10.45pm, £10.50–£11.50 (£9.50–£10.50). Rod Woodward ●●●●● No matter how hilarious your ‘funny mate down the pub’ is, would you want to sit and listen to them solidly for an entire hour? This is quite close to the feeling you have when Woodward approaches the end of his set and for all the chatty bantering he has had with the party of Bulgarians and the sports fans in the crowd, it’s all been a rather empty experience. (Brian Donaldson) Just the Tonic at The Caves,

556 5375, until 25 Aug (not 13), 6.20pm, £7–£8. Russ Powell ●●●●● Powell is blokey, but not laddy, so he orders his crowd to ‘strap in’, ‘do it’, and ‘get on it’ a few times in the show. He refers to his ‘missus’ and ask things like, ‘am I right lads?’ Whether it’s conscious or not, it’s hard to turn a deaf ear to the very Gervaisian delivery to a lot of Powell’s lines, which detracts from his otherwise confident and pally style. (Claire Sawers) Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 26 Aug, 10.45pm, £7.50–£9.50 (£6.50–£9). Sam Lloyd ●●●●● Running at 90 minutes, Fully Committed is a gentle comedy at a gentle pace, but it’s testament to Lloyd’s natural comedic verve that it still holds the attention throughout. In this one-man play, Sam plays Sam, the put-upon reservations clerk at an exclusive New York restaurant and all of his ridiculous callers. It’s an astonishingly intensive performance, as he snaps between personas and juggles imaginary phone lines without missing a beat. (Laura Ennor) Gilded Balloon Teviot, 622 6552, until 25 Aug (not 13), 5.45pm, £11–£12.50 (£10–£11). Scott Agnew ●●●●● Dealing with his drink-happy crowd, Agnew explores why he’s such a luckless bastard, questioning why, unlike his mate Kevin Bridges, he’s not on telly. By posing such a question you leave yourself wide open to insult, but here it’s a fair point. Agnew is a hugely likeable host and the hour is full of engaging anecdotes about his love life and being a gay man in Glasgow. (Marissa Burgess) The Stand III & IV, 558 7272, until 25 Aug (not 12), 10.30pm, £8 (£7). Shane Mauss ●●●●● After a meandering opening about subways in Japan and toilets in Scotland, Mauss gets into his stride with some insightful material about the gender divide and pushes all the right buttons with his slaughtering of homophobia and misogyny. The more laddish aspects of himself have fun with routines about female genitalia and evolution, but his heart and conscience are always deep in the right place. (Brian Donaldson) Assembly George Square, 623 3030, until 25 Aug (not 12), 10.30pm, £11–£12 (£9.50–£10.50). Stephen Carlin ●●●●● Carlin’s slightly mumbling, hesitant delivery is part of his schtick as a surly, dysfunctional Scotsman, but often in this show the hesitations just feel downright awkward as he visibly aches for a reaction beyond polite laughter. His show is ostensibly about being an incorrigible gambler and starts with the massive odds against any of us being born, and from there meanders disjointedly through some vignettes of boyhood obsessions with sweeties, to oblique references to the financial wrack and ruin caused by hardcore gambling. (Laura Ennor) Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 26 Aug (not 14), 6pm, £9–£12 (£7–£10). The Thinking Drinker’s Guide to Alcohol ●●●●● Opening your set by

handing out bottles of beer seems a surefire way to end up with a certain type of audience. A dash of absurdity mixed with a splash of puns and a handful of cracking ones buoy up the multitude of alcohol factoids the Thinking duo spool off in some sort of QI-inspired drinking game. (Jaclyn Arndt) Assembly Rooms, 0844 693 3008, until 25 Aug (not 12), 6.30pm, £10 (£9). When I Grow Up ●●●●● Juliette Burton asks the question of how our chosen professions contribute to our identities in this one-woman show about her notalways-successful career aspirations. Taking us back to her childhood with an aura of Crayola whimsy she walks us through her early plans to become a ballerina, which works in counterpoint to her grimmer struggles later in life. Burton gets the job done, with plenty chuckles along the way. (Suzanne Black) Gilded Balloon Teviot, 622 6552, until 26 Aug (not 13), 1.15pm, £8–£9 (£7–£8).

56 THE LIST FESTIVAL 8–15 Aug 2013

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Circa: Wunderkammer Back at the Fringe, following on from their 2009 debut show Circa, the latest offering from the unconventional Australian circus troupe looks better than ever. Underbelly, 0844 545 8252, until 26 Aug (not 7, 13, 20), 5pm, £16.50– £18.50 (£15.50–£17.50).

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Smashed Gandini Juggling go from calm poise to fruit-smashing chaos in this lively tribute to Pina Bausch. See review, left. Assembly Hall, 623 3030, until 26 Aug (not 13), 6.05pm, £12–£14 (£11–£13).

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SMASHED Avant-garde juggling upsets the apple cart

he opening minutes of Smashed seem, at first, to set the tone for what’s about to follow: a very polished, über-sophisticated display of debonair juggling – in a string of complicated, gracefully choreographed configurations. The Gandini Juggling ensemble dress in smart suits and cocktail dresses and specialise in what it calls ‘virtuoso juggling’. Even with eyes closed, during a flawlessly synchronised Mexican wave, or with several performers interlocking tango dance legs and arms while they throw and catch, no one ever drops the ball – or the apple in their case. Little vignettes – flirty men trying to distract a coy girl from her apple juggling for example, display the London company’s jaw-dropping skills, in what, on the surface, is a polite, neatly groomed production. It’s only when the two females start crawling on all fours before the men, with apples in their mouths, to the tune of ‘Stand By Your Man’,

that the show’s demure façade begins to slip, and things get more interesting. Inspired by the work of German-born dancer/choreographer Pina Bausch, Smashed pushes juggling past the boundaries of straightforward circus show-offery into something altogether darker – and funnier. Humiliation, romance, gender politics, relationship dynamics and, er, tea drinking are all explored with an unexpected, and impish sense of humour, and the show’s satisfying unravelling into puréed apple and broken crockery chaos is as impressive as the juggling itself. A forced-eccentric interlude of dialogue about tea in the middle seems unnecessary; it’s the wordless apple chucking, fancy moves and subtle facial storytelling that really does the talking. (Claire Sawers) Smashed, Assembly Hall, 623 3030, until 26 Aug (not 13), 6.05pm, £12–£14 (£11–£13). ●●●●●

Cambuyón Percussive music, dance and humour combine in this entertaining, upbeat, yet intricate show from Spain. See review, page 59. Assembly Roxy, 623 3030, until 26 Aug (not 13), 6pm, £15–£17.

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XD Prepare for the unexpected, the funny and the downright bonkers, in this engaging work from experiental Italian company, CollettivO CineticO. See review, page 59. Dance Base, 225 5525, until 17 Aug (not 12), times vary, £8.

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Squish Hip hop/contemporary dancer Tony Mills explores our work/life balance in this thought-provoking new show. Dance Base, 225 5525, until 17 Aug (not 12), times vary, £8.

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S/He is Nancy Joe A powerful look at the torment and social isolation of being born with a sexual identity that doesn’t fit who you really are. Zoo Southside, 662 6892, until 18 Aug (not 12 & 13), 1.30pm, £9–£11 (£9).

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Reviews | FESTIVAL DANCE

list.co.uk/festival

THATHA

MURLEYDANCE DOUBLE BILL

Absurdist Italian performance art works a treat

Pure happiness delivered in dance and song

Lunchtime balleticism needs more seasoning

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The programme at Dance Base is never short of odd but welcome surprises, and 2013 is no exception. The biggest one this Fringe is this delightfully deadpan dose of neo-vaudevillian postmodern absurdity from the young experimental Italian company CollettivO CineticO. The title, XD, is derived from the widely used smiley-face emoticon. Loaded with pop-culture references, everything in the piece – from a buck-naked Spider-Man impersonator, a dentalconscious yoga practitioner and a laughing lambin-a-bag to some self-bursting balloon heads, a toothpaste-squirting competition and much more – occurs within a variety of square frames. This gimmick never loses its kick, mainly because the cast (one female, three males) execute their bonkers, prop-heavy tasks with a rib-tickling combination of purposeful concentration and crack comic timing. The quartet may not actually dance all that much, but their highly fit, exposed bodies are no little compensation. Their off-thewall collective brain might be just about as attractive. A smartly silly show, ideal for anyone happy to be amused but also bemused. (Donald Hutera) ■ Dance Base, 225 5525, until 17 Aug (not 12), times vary, £8.

If there is such a thing as a recipe for pure happiness in a Fringe show, the Siyaya theatre company has found it in ThaTha. From start to finish, this celebration of southern African dance and song is driven by an energy that never lets up, from gumboot dances to rain-bringing rituals to the gorgeous harmonies of Zimbabwean reggae. The show title translates as ‘please take’ and the whole cast give their all, as they beat out the pulse of the songs with hands and feet and sing as if they are filling the Usher Hall. If there is one performer who stands out it’s Makhula Moyo, a dynamo of joy, leaping around the marimba and stamping through traditional dance fusion in jeans and t-shirt. Benhilda Ngwenya shines too – the perfect diva, slicing her hips through twists and radiating attitude in beads the colour of the Zimbabwean flag that fly when she moves. It’s not too different from other African dance and music extravaganzas the Fringe has seen in previous years but it is definitely a rainy day show if ever there was. (Lucy Ribchester) ■ Assembly George Square, 623 3030, until 26 Aug (not 12), 4.25pm, £12–£14 (£10–£12).

Classical dance (served here with an occasional arch twist) is a rarity on the Fringe, so it’s a pity this ambitious, rather Matthew Bourne-ish programme doesn’t provide as much pleasure as it promises. Not that there aren’t notable moments – or dancers – in each piece. Inspired by famous art works, company namesake David Murley’s four-part La Peau (French for ‘skin’) features selfabsorbed versions of Raphael’s Three Graces, awkwardly stylised sex via Ingres’ La Grande Odalisque, Botticelli’s Zimmer-framed Venus pining for former glory and Michelangelo’s Dying Slave stripping off on a symbolic stepladder. Ultimately the four vignettes are less than the sum of their parts, but they do function as a showcase for some flexible young dance talent. Based loosely upon Alan (Six Feet Under) Ball’s play of the same name, Gwyn Emberton’s Five Women Wearing the Same Dress is a somewhat confusing scenario pegged on domestic abuse, cross-dressing and, essentially, difference. The cast doesn’t lack technique but, like the choreography, traces of callowness are visible. The whole enterprise is a little uneasily pitched between high art and tongue-in-cheek camp. (Donald Hutera) ■ Greenside, 557 2124, until 24 Aug (not 11,18), 12.30pm, £12 (£6.50–£8).

CAMBUYÓN Rhythms of an old-world trading port ●●●●● In case you were wondering about the meaning of this show’s mysterious title, a giant picture of a ship bearing the words ‘come buy on’, (an invitation from English-speaking merchants to step aboard and trade) appears as part of a montage of seafaring footage at the start. Bathed in vintage-feel burnt copper lighting and set around sea trade ports, this exuberant (sometimes jaw-droppingly so) show has rhythm beating through its heart at every turn. Tap dancers pummel the boards of wooden crates; sailors chink and chime hanging green bottles; and vocal riffs are built up by idling traders, each singing a component part. Perhaps it’s not surprising that the Catalan and Canarian company hails from regions of the same country that gave us flamenco; the cast are not oblivious to this comparison and take care to point it out during an intricate display of clapping. ‘Flamenco’, says one man, ‘Espanisha’, before another breaks into a virtuosic display of body percussion flourishing up and down his limbs. It’s this balance of wry humour and breathtaking skill that ripples throughout Cambuyón and leaves you grinning in childlike wonder at each new innovation. Usually showstoppers are huge and outlandish but here Néstor Busquets playing the drums on a matchbox then striking his tiny sticks alight is a moment of pure originality. Other highlights include Raúl Cabrera’s a capella vocalisations of a muted trumpet, and Berta and Clara Pons’ simmering duet of liquid body-popping moves with a North African flavour. But there are also quieter moments that stand out. The simple beauty of salt being poured in a spotlight followed by a mournful ballad demonstrate that the troupe is just as capable of bringing the dynamic down as stirring it up. (Lucy Ribchester) ■ Assembly Roxy, 623 3030, until 26 Aug (not 13), 6pm, £15–£17. 8–15 Aug 2013 THE LIST FESTIVAL 59

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FESTIVAL DANCE | Reviews

BE CAPTIVATED Young talent on the rise ●●●●●

PHOTO © BALLET CENTRAL

Ballet school may give you the foundation on which to build a career but live performance provides the tools of the trade. Which is exactly why Central School of Ballet sends its finalyear students on the road, under the banner of Ballet Central. From an audience point of view, it’s a chance to see emerging young talent, brimming with energy and enthusiasm. Be Captivated also gives dancers and audience a chance to experience five very different choreographic styles. Opening work, Signature 30/31, created by Northern Ballet’s Kenneth Tindall, has a sharp, neo-classical feel. An opportunity to show off flexibility and timing, the dancers attack it with style – but it’s technique, rather than feeling, that wins out. Christopher Gable’s Fireside Pas de Deux from Cinderella cranks the emotional quotient up a notch, with a touching, wholly believable display of young love. Unlike Stacey Haynes’ Love on Top, which feels all wrong (through no fault of the choreographer). Haynes’ moves to Beyonce are sassy and strong – but these are ballet not commercial dancers, and they just don’t have the swagger to carry it off. Mapping #3 by Darshan Singh Bhuller features some playful video trickery that has the crowd in raptures. But it is Christopher Marney’s anon. that steals the show. A fun, lighthearted narrative ballet reminiscent of Matthew Bourne’s work, it gives the dancers a real chance to show off their characterisation. Like any student company, the dancers in Ballet Central have lessons to learn – in this instance, to feel as much as they’re thinking, and to know what’s right for them – but with anon. in particular, they already know how to entertain a crowd. (Kelly Apter) ■ New Town Theatre, 220 0143, until 12 Aug, 8.05pm, £14 (£12).

TANGRAM

L.O.V.E.

DIEGO Y ULISES

Juggling and dance create harmony ●●●●●

The greatest passion can soon turn sour ●●●●●

Masculinity in confined quarters ●●●●●

This choreographic take on a developing relationship eloquently combines dance and juggling. However, like many examples of its subject matter, it takes a while to get going. Using Cristiana Casadio’s expressive ballet style, and Stefan Sing’s juggling skills, the duo (also a couple) craft a slowly evolving picture of two individuals coming into harmony. At first boundaries are drawn, white balls marking a divide down the stage’s centre. Later, when they venture into each other’s realms, it’s interesting to see Casadio’s freedom and enthusiasm while Sing sits awkwardly in the corner. Though some of Tangram feels as if it could be edited down, there are lots of intelligent and sensitive ideas that bloom into life as the show progresses. Playful passages where they swoop and chase each other, or where Sing discovers that human limbs are not as easy to juggle as rubber balls, show the most panache. But the complex intimacy that comes later, while not as exciting, is perhaps a more lyrical and sincere expression of the piece’s heart. (Lucy Ribchester) ■ Pleasance Dome, 556 6550, until 25 Aug (not 7, 14, 21), 11.40am, £9–£11 (£7–£9).

Directed by the late Nigel Charnock – a founding father of contemporary British physical theatre – L.O.V.E. grapples with the most famous literary ménage a trois in Shakespeare’s sonnets. Divided between recitations of the texts and choreographed illustrations of the strange and familiar passions, it interprets the Bard’s words of love in bracing ways, lending new perspectives to the well-worn lyricism. The cast members are clearly defined as the poet, the mistress and the young man who becomes their mutual fascination, and all three get their own readings of diverse sonnets. But Charnock’s vision is harsh: by the finale, the three are caught in a hostage situation – the certainty of early passion replaced by jealousy and doubt. There’s a sense of repetition – the mood of the sonnets is filtered through the same dark lens: even the playful lines become ominous, and the lack of variation in tone unfortunately allows the show to drag. But Charnock’s intensity and imagination guides the three talented performers through a tempest of sex and despair. (Gareth K Vile) ■ Assembly Roxy, 623 3030, until 25 Aug (not 12, 19), 11.15am, £10–£12 (£8–£10).

Regular Fringe-goers will be used to sitting in shows where the performers outnumber the audience. But this new venue reduces it right down to just you, on your own, in a booth. Curtains drawn, headphones in place – and then the light comes on. Inside the three metre-squared peep show space, two men appear. Casually dressed, they chat amiably, occasionally bursting into moments of synchronised action. So far, so pleasant – especially when Arvo Part’s emotive Spiegel im Spiegel starts filtering through the headphones. Then the mood turns sour, testosterone and adrenalin levels start to rise and an aggressive wrestling match replaces the hip hop / capoeira / contemporary moves that went before. Argentinean duo Diego y Ulises have much to offer as dancers, and this self-titled piece is an interesting experiment in intimacy and male relationships. It’s a very private affair, however, especially at the start when they talk inaudibly to each other, effectively locking us out from their exchange. But the quirkiness of the venue makes up for the lack of emotional connection. (Kelly Apter) ■ PEEP @ Assembly George Square, 623 3030, until 26 Aug (not 13), 1pm & 2pm, £6.

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ONE PERFORMANCE ONLY

nominated

BEST SOLO PERFORMANCE THE STAGE EDINBURGH 2011

LAST FEW TICKETS LEFT !

“An exceptional piece of theatre. Everyone should see it!” (Independent on Sunday)

+++++

written & directed by

Gareth Armstrong ONE PERFORMANCE ONLY! Monday, August 12, 2013

15:00 (16:30) Tickets: £15 (£12)

2 – 17 Aug (times vary) All tickets £8 (First look: 2, 3, 4 Aug £6) Rosie Kay / Guilherme Miotto / Louis Price Sluts of Possession Room 2 Manoeuvre Squish Avatâra Ayuso, Giorgia Nardin, and Aoife McAtamney / DISH Dance Unholy Trinity Maria Nilsson Waller and Fabrizio Favale Last Land and Il gioco del gregge di capre Mad Dogs Dance Theatre and Simona Bertozzi Missing and Bird’s Eye View Ramona Nagabczynski New (Dis)Order Emma Jayne Park and Jackin’ the Box Status Anxiety and Piece of Mind CollettivO CineticO XD

19 – 25 Aug (times vary) Coreo Cymru / URRL The Dance Dome Elena Molinaro In-be-tween Dan Canham/Still House/MAYK/Bristol/Ferment/Escalator East to Edinburgh Ours was the Fen Country Tom Dale Company Refugees of the Septic Heart Billy Cowie Stereoscopic Trilogy 2 And more… Heads Up showcase Daily classes Workshops for everyone Cinema Paradiso Exhibition: Yosifu

14 –16 Grassmarket Edinburgh EH1 2JU

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31 JULY - 26 AUGUST 2013

62 THE LIST FESTIVAL 8–15 Aug 2013

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HITLIST THE BEST KIDS STUFF

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Romeo and Juliet Looking to introduce your offspring to the Bard while being thoroughly entertained yourself? This superb new production has it all – laughter, tears and absolute clarity. See review, page 65. Assembly George Square, 623 3030, until 18 Aug, 11.20am, £9–£10 (£7–£8).

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l’Apres-midi d’un Foehn Prepare to be captivated as this beautiful show from France turns the humble carrier bag into a dancing star. See review, page 65. Summerhall, 0845 874 3001, until 25 Aug (not 11, 12, 17, 18, 22), 2pm & 5pm, £10 (£7).

GERAINT LEWIS

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THE MAGICAL PLAYROOM Charming story from children’s TV presenter

o the uninitiated, Cerrie Burnell is the woman from CBeebies whose disabled arm caused a stir in 2009. She is also possibly the perfect children’s presenter. It’s difficult to think of anyone currently on TV more capable of creating wonder and enchantment through nothing more than personality and a love of what they are doing. In keeping with her BBC roots, this is less a show and more a Jackanory-style exercise in storytelling, with a simplistic set of a child’s bedroom, stuffed toys and a single prop to indicate each different character (a scarf for the mother, a pair of sunglasses for the gran). The story itself, written by Burnell, is an autobiographical tale of a young girl who wants to play and be a ballet dancer like her mother, but without wearing the prosthetic arm that her family and doctor want. One

night in hospital, she finds a key to the magical playroom. To begin with, this is about addressing head-on the issues of physical disability. A child’s voice asks the most obvious questions: Why is your arm like that? How do you get dressed? By the time the toys come to life, however, and tell their parables, it has become much more universal in its themes and is about having the courage to stand up for who you are. While lacking the pomp that characterises so many children’s shows, this is a golden opportunity for kids to spend an enchanting and heartfelt hour with a real TV star. (Gordon Eldrett) Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 18 Aug (not 14), 11am, £9.50. ●●●●●

Titus Great acting with a poignant and funny storyline, this tale of hope in difficult circumstances will capture older children and adults in equal measure. See review, page 65. Summerhall, 0845 874 3000, until 25 Aug (not 16, 19), 12.10pm, £8 (£6).

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Handmade Tales Energetic storytelling with live music from this impressive young company that entertains grown-ups as much as children. See review, page 64. Zoo Southside, 662 6892, until 26 Aug (not 14), 11.50am, £8 (£6).

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The I Hate Children how w It’s It’s Children’s Show h more, magic and so much athan, courtesy of Paul Nathan, the meanest man on the Fringe (with a heart of gold). See review, page 64. rd, 556 Pleasance Courtyard, 6550, until 26 Aug, 11.50am, £8–£10 (£7–£9).

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FESTIVAL KIDS | Reviews

CAPTAIN FLINN AND THE PIRATE DINOSAURS Swashbuckling adventure on a puppet-filled sea ●●●●● On a ramshackle pirate ship in the centre of a silken blue sea, big kid Flinn – a boy who loves drawing, dinosaurs and jumping on trampolines – embarks on an adventure that tests his mettle to the limit. Along with vivacious sidekicks, loudmouth Pearl and well-spoken Tom, Flinn persuades his giant, blue-haired teacher Miss Pie to set a treasure hunt, during which he discovers a depressed pirate who has lost his ship and needs some help getting it back. This is company Les Petits’ first show as a children’s theatre group, and there’s much in this production – an adaptation of Giles Andreae and Russell Ayto’s book – to show how carefully it has been thought through. Choosing a story set around the sea gives potential for strange and wonderful puppets – seagulls, a shimmering jellyfish – to pop up at any moment. Practical considerations have been made, such as creating a double height stage with better visibility for wee ones; and the delicate balance between menacing and softie is perfectly judged in the key villain, a colossal Tyrannosaurus rex who wears a dressing gown and really really likes tomato ketchup. Nick Blakeley (Flinn) plays his childlike role with bags of verve and conviction, dashing about on his scooter, disposing of the baddie dinosaurs with nets. But tricks are missed, too. There’s very little interaction, which could have drawn watching children further into the piece and made them feel more closely invested in the stakes. A glorious opportunity presents itself in the repetition of the three pirate attributes – eye patch, hook and ‘arrrr’ – but the kids are never invited to copy. Nevertheless, gentle songs and a swashbuckling plot make for a good colourful hour. (Lucy Ribchester) ■ Underbelly Bristo Square, 0844 545 8252, until 26 Aug (not 12, 22), 3pm (extra show 17 Aug 11am), £11–£12 (£10–£11).

THE I HATE CHILDREN CHILDREN’S SHOW

THE MAHARAJAH AND THE KOHINOOR

HANDMADE TALES

Nasty but nice magic show ●●●●●

Home truths about the British empire ●●●●●

Young company excels at storytelling enchantment ●●●●●

Don’t let the title fool you. Magician Paul Nathan may pull mean faces, grab kids by the collar, withhold sweets and generally ridicule his young audience. But if Nathan really hated children, this show would be a fraction as good as it is. Magic is the main focus of this entertaining hour, and Nathan has a remarkable sleight of hand, but it’s the man himself who makes this show unique. His between-trick banter has us all – grown-ups very much included – laughing out loud, while his quest to ensure every child who wants to come on stage and help gets a chance to do so, indicates just how much Nathan cares about his audience. The tricks are fairly old school – disappearing scarves, card tricks, cut ribbons that miraculously re-bond, mind-reading – but all done with an impressive ease that leaves you baffled. Having guitarist John Anaya on stage, providing riffs from ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’ and the like, is further testament to Nathan’s desire to deviate from the norm. Prepare to have your child hated in the best possible way. (Kelly Apter) ■ Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 26 Aug, 11.50am, £8–£10 (£7–£9).

If you’re not already familiar with Britain’s behaviour towards India during the Victorian era, then prepare to come out of the theatre with any sense of national pride a little bruised. This is a story that deserves to be told; a piece of history lost to modern generations for whom the word ‘colony’ means little more than a family of ants. Just six years old when the prestigious, yet weighty, title of Maharaja is bestowed upon him, Duleep Singh is too young to recognise the injustice done to him, and the rest of the Punjab, by the British crown and government. The Kohinoor of the show’s title – one of the world’s most precious diamonds – is taken from him and placed in Queen Victoria’s crown jewels, never to be returned. Performed by two actors, who ably portray a wide cast of characters, the show is a valuable history lesson for both adults and children. But without some kind of pre-show school project to set the scene, there’s just too much here for younger children to take in. (Kelly Apter) ■ Assembly George Square, 623 3030, until 26 Aug (not 6, 13), 10am, £8–£9 (£5–£6).

Tap Tap Theatre sprung into existence last year, created by University of Bristol students, and has quickly garnered an enviable repuation. This year they have three shows at the Fringe: Captain Morgan and the Sands of Time, Men and Handmade Tales, an enchanting feat of storytelling that displays the transformative power of words. The show cycles through five stories, running the gammut from courtly love to the 21st century family. Each is heralded by the introduction of a minimalist prop and, within moments, the energetic and vastly talented actors conjure a fully-formed world. The action is rife with physicality and, along with live musical accompaniment, is wholly absorbing. Underpinning the spellbinding peformances is a wondrous script by young writers Tash Dummelow and Miriam Battye, who create whole new fairytales and then deftly tie them all together. Though billed as a children’s show, the sophistication of the storytelling renders it suitable for all ages, with a cornucopia of references (perhaps just slightly too many for younger children) designed to entertain adults. (Suzanne Black) ■ Zoo Southside, 662 6892, until 26 Aug (not 14), 11.50am, £8 (£6).

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Reviews | FESTIVAL KIDS

list.co.uk/festival

WAR OF THE WORMS

L’APRES-MIDI D’UN FOEHN

TITUS

Sing-a-long storytelling that falls foul of fact

Plastic fantastic as tiny dancers bag some air time ●●●●●

Hopeful play about a lost boy ●●●●●

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Father and daughter team Richard and Rosie Digance narrate and sing their way through a tale of the humble worm and its role in nature – with an emphasis on the smelly. With Richard on guitar duty, and Rosie reading the story, they make for amiable hosts and give the show a lo-fi Jackanory quality. The bare staging sets them at a disadvantage, however, when it comes to clarity of storytelling. The non-linear timeline and mixture of fiction and scientific fact becomes confusing at times and the introduction of illustration or animation could enhance the flow of the story. Also, for a show putatively about evolution, one side-step into the church hymnal strikes an odd note. Such concerns are unlikely to trouble the intended audience of 6–11 year olds. Richard has a long musical history and plumbs this for the catchiest, most interactive tunes. This, and the copious references to all substances icky, sticky and smelly, provide moments of fun and War of the Worms is best taken as a piece of storytelling rather than a learning experience. (Suzanne Black) ■ New Town Theatre, 220 0143, until 25 Aug (not 9, 10, 20), 10.30am, £8 (£7).

If you loved the floating bag in American Beauty, then you’re in for a real treat. As we troop into Summerhall’s Old Lab, an austere-looking gent in a winter coat is methodically taping together pieces of plastic. The circular area he works in is surrounded by electric fans, and as he switches them on, his creation becomes a scene-stealing ‘dancer’ accompanied by the gentle strains of the show’s titular piece by Debussy. This soloist is joined by other already-completed carrier bags and a colourful spectacle fills the room. Company Non Nova’s show is a jaw-dropping, gravity-defying joy for little ones. The grown-ups can also wonder at the science of it all while pondering the narrative’s power relations. With the tiny dancers emerging from humble beginnings to become an avian menace, their creator and controller throws himself into a destructive rage. Over the course of less than 30 minutes, you’ll discover a spectacle of beauty that will stay with you for years to come. (Brian Donaldson) ■ Summerhall, 0845 874 3001, until 25 Aug (not 11,12, 17, 18, 22), 2pm & 5pm, £10 (£7).

There are unlikely to be many more expressive faces appearing in kids theatre this Fringe than Joseph Arkley’s. Throughout Titus, the RSAMD-trained actor stretches every muscle, with eyes either piercing or full of despair, and his mouth shaping a sly conspiratorial grin or widening to yell the pain of his character’s situation. Making a fidgety entrance from the back of the room and through the audience at this compact venue, Arkley brilliantly performs most of the 50 minutes perched on a table to represent the rooftop edge where Titus’ young, disturbed life has brought him. Now motherless and with an emotionally-drained butcher father, this vegetarian boy almost finds salvation in a girl called Tina. But with family, friends and medical professionals appearing to be of no help whatsoever, all his dreams seem to be impossible ones. The play ends with a symbol of hope which manages to be both funny and dramatic. Sensitive but not sentimental, the script and performance carry this lost boy off into a potentially better future. (Brian Donaldson) ■ Summerhall, 0845 874 3001, until 25 Aug (not 16, 19), 12.10pm, £8 (£6).

PHOTO © GRAHAM BURKE

ROMEO AND JULIET Star-crossed lovers never looked so good ●●●●● Any company staging Romeo and Juliet for younger audiences has two hurdles to overcome: make it clear enough for children to understand, yet fresh and interesting enough for the adult sitting next to them, who knows the story inside out. This energetic production from Bristol Old Vic Theatre School and New Mutiny Theatre Company clears both with ease. It also manages to make the audience laugh out loud then reduce them to tears in the space of an hour. Admittedly, they’ve got a great story to play with, and despite culling a few major characters, they stay pretty faithful to Shakespeare’s original. The frame they place around it, however, is a stroke of genius. Feeling the sting of her parent’s recent divorce, young girl Emily tries to settle into her new bedroom at dad’s house. Looking for love in every book she picks up, she happens upon Romeo and Juliet, and assumes a fairytale happy ending is on the cards. The six performers who suddenly appear to act out the play have other ideas, of course. Shifting between modern dialect and Shakespearean prose, Emily forms the perfect bridge between the audience and the Montague and Capulet clans. Clarity is paramount, the pacing is spot on, and the laughs come thick and fast – until the death tally starts rising, then it’s time to reach for your tissues. Whether they’re singing, playing instruments or acting with a comic timing and emotional passion that belies their age, this talented cast holds you in its sway throughout. Romeo and Juliet may be in the Children’s section – and it’s certainly a great introduction to Shakespeare – but this superb production is every bit as entertaining for adults as it is for kids. (Kelly Apter) ■ Assembly George Square, until 18 Aug, 11.20am, £9–£10 (£7–£8). 8–15 Aug 2013 THE LIST FESTIVAL 65

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Festival

For m re info gooto

MUSIC

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HITLIST THE BEST ROCK, POP, JAZZ & FOLK

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Doogie Paul Memorial Concert Mogwai (above) headline this charity fundraiser in memory of bassist Doogie Paul. King Creosote and Paul’s ex bandmate James Yorkston are also on the bill, with Ian Rankin covering MC duties. Assembly Rooms, 8 Aug, 9pm, £18.

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La Belle et La Bete/ The Poet Speaks Phillip Glass presents his classical soundtrack to Jean Cocteau’s black and white film, La Belle et La Bete, then performs a night of music and poetry with Patti Smith in tribute to Allen Ginsberg. See feature, page 20. La Belle et la Bête, Playhouse, 524 3333, 10–11 Aug, 8pm, £12–£35; Conversations: Philip Glass and Patti Smith, The Hub, 473 2015, 13 Aug, 12pm, £6; The Poet Speaks, Playhouse, 524 3333, 13 Aug, 8.30pm, £12–£35.

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Sparrow & the Workshop Glasgow folk rockers (right), with support from Siobhan Wilson and the Rosy Crucifixion. Henry’s, 10 Aug, 7pm, £5.

PETER HOOK

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The Joy Division and New Order bassist shares some Unknown Pleasures

Festival Record Fair A vinyl sale – with treasure from the 1950s til now. Trawl jazz, folk, punk and rock records, plus a special bargain section. Roxburghe Hotel, Charlotte Square, 9 Aug, 11am, 10–13 Aug, 10am.

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ooky has, of late, reinvented himself as the Stephen Fry of British postpunk. From behind his low-slung bass guitar, he has seen it all, buried the bodies and collected endless warrior tales about the hairier moments, from the industrial grimness and existential malaise of Joy Division and Factory Records, through the acid upsurge and global renown of New Order, to a third act as DJ, indie statesman and scandalising raconteur of no mean ability. In the typical Hook anecdote Bowie and Iggy Pop might run into Johnny Rotten on the set of Coronation Street. Dysfunction, treachery and madness abound in his accounts of nearly four decades at the pointy end of popular music, each one

being a condition the plain-spoken Hook rarely shies from describing in lurid detail. Now estranged from his former New Order bandmates and entrenched firmly in the heritage racket, Hook, more than ever, is a loose cannon, blowing a hole in the carefullymaintained facade of British pop with a certain Saxon brutality. In discussion with fan and contemporary Ian Rankin, this should be a masterclass in power, corruption and lies, Hooky-style. (Allan Brown) Peter Hook appears as part of Edinburgh International Book Festival, to discuss his book, Unknown Pleasures: Inside Joy Division, 10 Aug, 8.30pm.

Mitsuko Uchida Often referred to as a ‘poet of the piano’, Japanese pianist Uchida plays two EIF concerts. Read a review next week on list.co.uk. Usher Hall, 13 Aug, 8pm, £12–£34; with the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, 11 Aug, 7.30pm, £12–£42.

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Swans Ecstatic rockers, Swans, fronted by Michael Gira. See preview, page 69. Liquid Rooms, Tues 13 Aug, 7pm, £22.50.

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Saint Seven Daniel Padden’s One Ensemble perform a dramatic blend of folk, chamber and experimental music. See Vimeo for a taster. Summerhall, 14 & 15 Aug, 10pm, £9 (£7).

66 THE LIST FESTIVAL 8–15 Aug 2013

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AT THE FRINGE

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FESTIVAL MUSIC | Fidelio

BRAVE NEW WORLD David Kettle ﬁnds media artist Gary Hill preparing to put a space-age spin on Beethoven’s Fidelio

eethoven has been sent to outer space. This version of his Fidelio sees singers on Segways, wearing gleaming metallic spacesuits, while intricate 3D animations swirl across the stage. Could this be the future of opera? American media artist Gary Hill (above, right) seems to think so, and his hi-tech, spaceage production for Opéra de Lyon of the great German composer’s only opera, touches down for two performances as part of the Edinburgh International Festival. Respected worldwide for his interactive sound and video installations, Hill is nevertheless a self-confessed opera novice. ‘I’d seen one or two operas in my life, and I didn’t know Fidelio – I’m not a great expert on Beethoven, although I love his music.’ Certainly, Beethoven’s great operatic ode to liberty and truth, in which the ever-faithful Leonore rescues her husband Florestan from torture and starvation as a political prisoner under a brutal regime, is hardly the easiest place to start your career in directing opera. But that fresh perspective might have paid off. Hill has hit upon a startlingly radical idea for his production, melding Beethoven’s score with a classic work of sci-fi literature – Swedish

Nobel laureate Harry Martinson’s Aniara from 1956. ‘It’s a mash-up between the two,’ explains Hill. So how exactly did he come up with such an unlikely combination? ‘It was a subconscious thing – I picked up the Aniara book one day and it came to me in a flash. I liked the idea of juxtaposing Fidelio and its heroic notions of love and freedom with the existential issues in Aniara, which has humanity on a spaceship hurtling towards oblivion. It’s a situation not unlike the one we’re in now – we’re all on spaceship Earth, and we’re all going to die. There’s no getting away from it. But it was a way of getting people to look inside themselves and consciously face death, in order to live a more conscious life.’ And that’s how Martinson’s dark themes tie back in with Fidelio’s glowing optimism and faith in humanity. Not that this is an opera production in the traditional sense. The third component in Hill’s multi-century collaborative rethinking of Fidelio is his own computer-animated trickery, which uses multiple layers of screens to give the illusion of objects dancing in 3D animated space. Digitally created soldiers march in perfect time to Beethoven’s music; eagles emerge from huge gold coins; texts slide across the stage, fragment and tumble into space. ‘If someone leaves the

stage and is doing something offstage,’ Hill adds, ‘you’ll see them in the computer simulation as a computer-generated image, with their faces texture-mapped. ‘Probably the biggest challenge was producing those two to three hours of computer-generated images in just a couple of months,’ he continues. ‘And originally, I wanted to push things even further. I wanted almost no acting, and for the power of the singing to do the work, letting the digital images push the story through.’ He limits movement, though, placing his singers on two-wheeled Segway buggies that carry out an elegant choreography throughout the show: ‘It makes it all like a kind of dance.’ Hill admits that he wasn’t able to go quite as far as he wanted in his bold reimagining of the opera. ‘I spent a lot of time trying to make things happen, but it’s a very conservative world. Nevertheless, the premiere was very well received.’ Edinburgh audiences get the chance to decide for themselves in the next week whether Hill’s hi-tech Beethoven mash-up could point towards the future of opera. Fidelio, Festival Theatre, 473 2000, 10 & 12 Aug, 7.15pm, £16–£68.

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list.co.uk/festival

Previews | FESTIVAL MUSIC

RISE KAGONA & THE JIT JIVE BAND The Bhundu Boy talks jive Zimbabwean group The Bhundu Boys stormed the world music scene in the 80s, drawing praise from Elvis Costello and supporting Madonna at Wembley, but the subsequent story of fall-outs, death and trouble with the law is one of music’s sadder falls What is jit jive? ‘Jiti (spelled in Shona, our language) is a traditional dance music played by younger generations. Under the moonlight, boys and girls beat hand drums, play shakers, sing, clap and dance. The Bhundu Boys transformed that style with modern instruments.’ What was your high point with the band? ‘Coming out of Harare ghettos just five years after independence to become the first African band to conquer Europe with our music, something we never thought could happen to people like us who grew up in Apartheid.’ What do you miss about it? ‘I miss the brotherhood. Although we had our differences, when it came to performances we were like children of the same family.’ Why did you move to Edinburgh to live? ‘Only God knows why I’m here. It’s a secret I don’t know, time will tell.’ You’ve got a new band together now? ‘Yes. We’ll play new songs and old Bhundu Boys songs.’ (David Pollock) ■ Jazz Bar, 226 0000, 10 & 14 Aug, 10pm, £10 (£8).

CUT HANDS Afro-noise explorer William Bennett, now making music under the name Cut Hands, chats to Claire Sawers In your days with 80s extreme electronic noiseniks Whitehouse, you wanted ‘a sound that could bludgeon an audience into submission’. When you started Cut Hands what did you hope it would sound like? ’Until I began learning about my collection of Ghanaian percussion instruments, I was never really sure how it would sound. Only that the Haitian musicians I’d seen were making some of the most mindblowingly intense music I’d ever experienced, with almost none of the electronic technology I felt that I’d become addicted to using.’ What’s the plan for Summerhall – will there be any visuals from past live shows? (with African subtitles, voodoo symbols, monochrome scribbles etc) Oh yes! Lots of new stuff has been added to those themes and best of all is the exciting transition to full colour. Last year’s Black Mamba was a very full-on, beautiful, polyrhythmic exploration of drums, ritualism and darkness. How did it differ from your first CH record? Afro Noise I was more eclectic, with more abrasive noise elements, probably because it was recorded over 8 years, partly during the Whitehouse years. ■ Read a longer version at list.co.uk. Summerhall, 8 Aug, 8pm, £6 (£5).

SWANS The return of the angry birds Since they were mostly reviled in their earliest incarnations, the revival of Swans was never liable to be a cosy nostalgia trip. Michael Gira’s fierce vision, too heady and intense even in the glory days of post-punk, may pursue an orchestrated majesty in this comeback, but the shuddering brutality of their first recordings is still audible beneath the complexity. If Gira’s original version of Swans matured from a grinding, loud monotony into the more textured melodies of the 1990s, his influence is clear on the generation of post-rock bands, like Mogwai, who sprung up while Gira developed other projects. Yet the unexpected reformation of The Swans – and their two startlingly coherent albums – has Gira chasing a sophisticated ecstasy. Denying that the music points to any spirituality other than itself, he nevertheless encourages an immersion in sound, skilfully manipulating dynamics. Although there are occasional nods to the past – some early tracks are revisited, Gira continues to follow a new muse. Elements of American folk and even funky repetition are filtered through an epic vision. Extending songs over instrumental work-outs that are taut and groove heavy, Swans in 2013 are heading towards a bracing fusion of psychedelic ferocity and minimalist compulsion. (Gareth K Vile) ■ The Liquid Room, 225 2564, 13 Aug, 7pm, £22.50 (£20). 8–15 Aug 2013 THE LIST FESTIVAL 69

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FESTIVAL MUSIC | Previews

PAM BERRY

TWONKEY’S BLUE CADABRA Ivor Cutlerian nonsense from the warped and wonky mind of Vickers

WITHERED HAND Father / label boss / alt-rock-pop-folk ‘cult’ songwriter Dan Willson fields some questions from The List Who / what is Withered Hand? I am. And if I play with friends, we are. As a musician, do you have an ‘ethos’? Somewhere between ‘be as truthful as you can’ and ‘cut your coat according to your cloth’. I like to see an underdog bare it’s teeth. What’s the plan for your Queen’s Hall show? I revamped the band early this summer. It meant saying farewell to two good, old friends and hello to a couple more. This is my third festival show at the Queen’s Hall and each has been quite special – I try to invite guests I’d like to see or pay respect to. This year I invited Eugene Kelly and The Second Hand Marching Band, and there will be a few other surprises, including some new WH songs. You have two kids – what do they make of their dad’s music? Haha, they know my songs better than I do sometimes. We’ve had some interesting discussions about the more colourful lyrics. I can rely on them to give the most honest reviews. You also run your own label, Brother & Dad – how important is it to be independent and have creative control over your work? Although I didn’t set out to run my own label, I found it made sense quite quickly. I can say what I want and dance to my own tune, even if sometimes it’s like nobody is listening. The trade-off is you stay ‘cult’ and resign yourself to a very modest level of what most people would call success. You’ve been busy recording this summer. When can we expect to hear the fruits of your labour? Yes I finally recorded my second album with producer Tony Doogan in Glasgow earlier this year. Unless anything changes, I’ll release it on my own label in early 2014. This sequence of songs is about love I suppose. It’s a defiant, joyful record. This time it’s not all about the sadness. (Nina Glencross)

■ Queen’s Hall, 668 2019, 10 Aug, 8pm, £12.

Tell us, Mr Twonkey, what’s a Blue Cadabra? ‘It’s an enchanted cloth and known aphrodisiac from Casablanca.’ And what’s its story? ‘First we learn about a planet populated entirely by jockeys, which leads to a horse race and some high jinx. Next up we hear about the talking oven as the clock strikes afraid o’clock. Soon I am procrastinating about Stan Laurel’s road to sexual ecstasy and what it means to a sleepy Cumbrian backwater. The show features songs and puppets and some mind reading.’ Well done if you’re still with us on your first journey into the world of Twonkey, the continuing adventure from Edinburgh storyteller and musician Paul Vickers, an artist who probably gets away with being described as ‘madcap’. ‘My main skill is my imagination. I could win a war with it,’ says the former singer with John Peel-cherished, NME Brat Award-nominated Dawn of the Replicants and current mastermind of the cataclysmic Paul Vickers and the Leg. ‘I have always wanted to try every single area of the arts before I die. Life is too short to spend it just singing in an indie rock band.’ These sweet, surreal, sometimes action-packed fairytales are certainly a volte face. ‘People that enjoy warped storytelling in the vein of Ivor Cutler,’ he says when asked who his target audience comprises. ‘People of all ages seem to enjoy my show from about 18 to 75 but it’s all about letting go and floating down a strange river. If you don’t want to get wet and see the blood red turtle fish don’t come.’ Fraught Fringe reviewers also take heed: Mr Twonkey’s Daily Helpline for Journalists (dailypanichelplineforjournalists.blogspot.co.uk) will be active throughout August. Seek professional help now. (David Pollock) ■ Laughing Horse @ Espionage, 477 7001, until 25 Aug (not 20), 7.30pm, free.

ADMIRAL FALLOW Flautist Sarah Haynes from Glasgow’s chamber pop quintet and recent SAY Award nominees, Admiral Fallow talks to The List Congratulations on your SAY nomination! It was an honour. The nomination was also special as the SAY places emphasis on ‘The Album’ as a cohesive whole – that means a lot to us as a band. What’s planned for your Queen’s Hall show? That’d be telling! Actually, additional musicians, songs we don’t often perform, and reworking an oldie or two. AF recently announced a special concert at Paisley Abbey with the Twilight Sad and the RSNO. How did that come about? That’s a very special event indeed. It was the brainchild of Ally McCrae (of Radio One and Detour fame), to get these bands collaborating with the RSNO, in this beautiful setting. It’ll be something totally different for us; a unique opportunity to make the songs bigger, and experiment with the many colours and textures that a full orchestra can bring. Tell us about your solo project . . . I recently self-released a 4-track EP of traditional music, a mix of tunes old and new. I’ve loved folk music from a young age.The EP is more a first footing than a grand entrance; but I’m really enjoying playing solo again. It can be tricky juggling it all, but I like to think they inform each other. (Nina Glencross) ■ See list.co.uk for a longer version of this interview. Queen’s Hall,13 Aug, 8pm, £14.

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FESTIVAL MUSIC | Reviews

MIKE OLDFIELD’S TUBULAR BELLS ‘FOR TWO’ Musicians on a mission to recreate a prog masterwork ●●●●●

JAMES PAUL GOMES

There’s a full band’s worth of kit and more onstage, and only two young guys dressed all in black in charge of it. That’s in contrast to their audience, silver-haired ladies and gentlemen (mostly gentlemen) of a certain age, waiting expectantly for a return to their prog youth via the medium of an album whose reputation has persevered through the decades since its 1973 release. As the familiar opening notes of the Exorcistsoundtracking ‘Tubular Bells Part One’ kick in, there are early indications they won’t be disappointed by this sonic recreation. Australians Daniel Holdsworth and Aidan Roberts have created what is on one level an accurate tribute act representation of a most unusual subject and on another a work of pure theatre. They play guitars and plenty of them; keyboards; a kazoo; a drumkit at one poundingly atmospheric point late in ‘Part Two’; and, of course, a bank of tubular bells standing TARDIS-like and bathed in blue light in the background. It’s a set of analogue immediacy, startlingly fluid musicianship and perhaps most importantly, real dramatic tension as they race to meet each new musical cue. The fact they pause for breath and to ‘turn the record over’ midway through the show will doubtless charm their vinyl enthusiast target audience even more. (David Pollock) ■ Underbelly Bristo Square, 0844 545 8252, until 26 Aug (not 12, 19), 5.45pm, £15–£13 (£13–£11).

WORBEY AND FARRELL

DRUM STRUCK

ANATOMY OF THE PIANO

Polite piano duets à la Classic FM ●●●●●

Interactive drum thumping family fun ●●●●●

Ivory tinkling with obsessed piano-man ●●●●●

En route to the Assembly Rooms, a retired chap in all-terrain sandals describes walking out of a comedy show once the farting competition began. If only he had chosen Worbey and Farrell instead: two polite, well-mannered fellows in waistcoats playing duets on a grand piano: cross Daniel O’Donnell with Classic FM and you are smelling the Persil from the audience’s well-pressed slacks already. Bona fide concert pianists, they initially keep their virtuosity quiet with showy party pieces, funny faces and endearingly lame patter. There is an educational bit where marbles on piano strings recreate film soundtracks. It stays on the right side of gimmicky. When the overhead camera comes on though, and we watch their four hands scooting over the keys, it becomes clear that it’s ferociously difficult to make complex duets sound this effortless. Their own composition, ‘Deviations on Paganini’s Caprice’, is a hugely accomplished, technically eye-dropping piece of manual choreography. Kevin Farrell has to blink sweat from his eyes as he plays. A highlight is their version of Coldplay’s ‘Every Teardrop Is A Waterfall’. It sounds so much better without the whiny nasal vocal. (Anna Burnside) ■ The Assembly Rooms, 0844 693 3008, until 15 Aug, 2.45pm, £9–£10.

Even before we enter the room, the ingredients are in place to make this show by South African drumming group Drum Café one of the sleeper family hits of this year’s festival. The premise is simple – there are lots of drummers onstage and everyone in the audience has their own drum waiting on their chair when they arrive. As the show progresses, we get to join in with a thundering rhythmic chorus or a soft percussive patter with the musicians before us. It’s great fun, and the two leads directing us (the ‘Drummaker’ and the ‘Ubuntu Queen’) build a perfectly accepting environment in which we all learn some rhythmic basics just by watching and repeating, while at the same time avoiding the feeling of self-consciousness caused by being rubbish at playing when the sounds we’re making join into one thrilling whole. The visual settings are a little trite, from tribespeople in the desert to an urban street crew, but the very simple message of community and helping each other to become more than we’re individually capable of, summed up by the word ‘Ubuntu’, is beautifully, resonantly realised. (David Pollock) ■ Assembly Hall, 623 3030, until 26 Aug (not 12), 6pm, £16–£14 (£14–£12).

Summerhall’s Anatomy Lecture Theatre is an apt venue for Will Pickvance’s one-man show. Perhaps it was even written with it in mind, as the hour-long entertainment of part lecture, part recital, part taking a piano to bits has broad similarities with what the Victorian circular teaching space was designed for. Pickvance is an incredibly versatile musician. In the form of a personal meandering narrative, his piano journey goes from wanting to be a spaceman – cue twinkling stars in the top register and dreamy, other worldly improvisation – to the implications of dating a piano with its chubby cheeks and prominent teeth. It’s a lot of fun, underpinned by a serious talent that just keeps on playing the notes, whether in the style of Beethoven, Brahms or Victoria Wood. Witty drawings by Tim Vincent-Smith are also projected onto the theatre’s whiteboard, illustrating Pickvance’s various ponderings. For instance, what happens when an upright and a grand piano get together to mate? They make a baby grand, of course. And there’s even some gentle audience participation, joining Will in his signature tune, ‘Most Entertaining’. Sums it up really. (Carol Main) ■ Summerhall, 0845 874 3001, until 25 Aug, 10.50pm, £10 (£6).

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Wed – Mon 8pm Sat 2:30 & 8pm Wed 2:30 & 8pm £18 (£16)

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NOODLES 2 - 25 AUGUST

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Festival

For m re info gooto

THEATRE

LIST.CO.UK /FESTIVAL

HITLIST

THE BEST THEATRE & DANCE

✽

The Veil Mocking and well-crafted, the veil falls back to reveal the conflicting identities of the true artist. See review, page 76. Pleasance Dome, 556 6550, until 26 Aug (not 12,19), 4.20pm, £8–£11 (£7.50–£10). PHOTO © WILLIAM BURDETT-COUTTS

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Nirbhaya Heavy duty analysis of a crime that shocked the world. See review, page 77. Assembly Hall, 623 3030, until 26 Aug (not 12, 19), 4pm, £14–£16 (£13–£15).

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Banksy: The Room in the Elephant Explosive story about how Banksy inadvertantly caused a man to become homeless. Starring Gary Beadle. See review, page 84. Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550 until 26 Aug (not 13, 19), 1pm, £9–£12 (£8–£11).

FIGHT NIGHT

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Roughs Beckett receives a modern, political updating. See review, list.co.uk Zoo Southside, 662 6892, until 26 Aug, 4.35pm, £9 (£7).

Ontroerend Goed returns with another bold political production ight Night follows Belgian company Ontroerend Goed’s previous look at the complicity of the bystander, Audience, by again making the spectator get involved. The set-up is simple: there are a series of voting rounds with each stage allowing the candidates to explain a little about themselves. Although it is possible that the entire process has been rigged, the appearance of a free vote is maintained throughout. By focusing on the mechanics of the voting process, and stripping away any political platforms, Goed exposes the limitations of elections. Here it is shown that the democratic process is inevitably doomed to destroy choice. The final result of their electoral process is disturbing: one candidate is rejected by the audience because he is clearly most like them, reflecting their uncertainty

and self-loathing. Another candidate tries to buck the system, and effectively removes the participation of those questioning the process. Fight Night is bold, and obnoxious. It mocks liberal assumptions about goodwill and democracy. The final revelation – a silent screen projecting the identity of the most powerful being in the room – is nihilistic while the disruption of true democracy is littered with uneasy alliances and ironic results. The final revelation becomes the naming of the beast, the individual who holds the power in democracy and effectively destroys it through their ubiquity. True to form, Ontroerend Goed offer no escape. Traverse, until 25 Aug (not 5, 12, 19), times vary, £17–£19 (£12–£14). ●●●●●

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Bin Laden: The One Man Show As likely to cause offence as laughter, this solo show is an example of how to explore ideas from a different angle. See review online. C nova, 0845 260 1234, until 26 Aug (not 13), 7.35pm, £9.50– £11.50 (£7.50–£9.50).

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Grounded A mother and pilot looks at the path that led her to her current situation, in a twist on the normal tales of male warriors. See review, list.co.uk Traverse, 228 1404, until 25 Aug (not 12,19), times vary, £17–£19 (£6–£14).

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FESTIVAL THEATRE | Reviews

CIARA A powerful portrait of Glasgow from David Harrower ●●●●●

IDIL SUKAN

Glasgow: famous for its art, infamous for its criminality. A cliché, perhaps, but one rendered with a compelling combination of insightful poetics, sharp humour and nauseating veracity in David Harrower’s excellent one-woman play. Blythe Duff is totally captivating as Ciara, the gangster’s daughter and gallery owner for whom a proximity to art is a supposedly civilising influence. From the outset of this Traverse production, directed with lovely fluidity by Orla O’Loughlin, there is a discernible and disconcerting incongruity between Duff’s costume (a kind of overwrought Attic chic) and designer Anthony Lamble’s superb set; a bleak, premonitory brick warehouse, with a single mattress and a sinister metal chain suspended from the ceiling. As Duff begins to speak – describing a painting, in which a giantess appears to sleep behind the city of Glasgow – one is lulled, briefly, into a false sense of security. Ciara’s sense of the picture, and of the city, contrasts with her husband’s lumpen crudeness (the painting should, he says, be called Attack of the 50-Foot Weegie). We are in comfortable territory, the aesthete and her philistine spouse. However, the narrative that follows is an unsettling reminder of Harrower’s extraordinary ability to unfurl, from a single character, a drama of universal pertinence. Ciara’s life (in which crime is the only negation of poverty, violence and intimidation the stock-in-trade) is like a Pandora’s box. Harrower lifts the lid, and Duff gives brilliant, lyrical, sardonic, agonised expression to a Glasgow of well-heeled, ignorant art investors, vengeful, honourseeking drug barons and darkly comic, enduring religious sectarianism. There are other Glasgows, of course, but there is a resonating truth in this one. (Mark Brown) ■ Traverse, 228 1404, until 25 Aug (not 12, 19), times vary, £18–£20 (£13–£15).

THE VEIL (LE FOULARD)

DARK VANILLA JUNGLE

Yes, but is it art? ●●●●●

Powerfully unsettling story of a girl’s descent into horror ●●●●●

Her training in French mime – and having won Best Performer at Adelaide Fringe 2013 – gives Lucy Hopkins the perfect position to deconstruct the pomposity of the contemporary artist. With only a scarf, and a range of personalities fighting for attention, Hopkins ponders the potential of physical performance to be self indulgent. Both an analysis of the subconscious disguised as slapstick comedy, and a terse satire on selfindulgence, The Veil allows Hopkins to showcase precise physical and vocal skills. Spinning between three main characters, she pictures an individual in crisis, tottering on the brink of mental collapse while maintaining moral superiority to those in the audience. Hopkins parodies the exaggerated mannerisms of much physical theatre, yet her own control is astonishing: the veil becomes a tool to mark shifts of mood and personality. Witty and daring, Hopkins’ interaction with the audience and revelation of her vulnerability are hilarious and poignant – The Veil represents a beautiful synthesis of intelligent experimental theatre and physical craft, even as it mocks its excesses. (Gareth K Vile) ■ Pleasance Dome, 556 6550, until 26 Aug (not 12, 19), 4.20pm, £8.50–£11 (£7.50–£10).

Fifteen-year-old Andrea has been failed by the people she trusts most: her parents, her best friend, her first love. She, too, has done terrible things – but she’s not ashamed. This one-woman show is a furious story about a girl condemned to society’s dirtiest, most forgotten corners, and the effect that her deteriorating life has on her psyche. But what makes Andrea herself so interesting is that she’s no down-on-her-luck Annie: she’s vulnerable and abused, yes, but – or perhaps as a result – she can also be funny, offensive, sick and even, at times, culpable. She’s difficult to like, and harder to understand. Philip Ridley’s complex and disturbing script would be too much for a lesser actor, but Gemma Whelan (unrecognisable from her recent role in Game of Thrones) is astonishing. She has absolute command of time – flitting between childhood recollection, trauma and sudden rage – and mesmerising ownership of her character. Don’t see this show expecting to feel sorry for an abused schoolgirl: it’s a lurid, unsettling horror story, told with breathtaking power. (Charlotte Runcie) ■ Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 26 Aug (not 13), 3pm, £9–£11 (£7.50–£10).

SOMNAMBULES AND THE 7 DEADLY SINS Eye-catching physical theatre from Karavan Ensemble ●●●●● It starts in dramatic fashion: a scientist in a lab coat, singularly lit at the side of the stage and hunched over a desk, begins twitching violently. It’s the first clue that we are entering the realm of the subconscious, as our somnambulist of the title slips into a trance-like state. Soon the white-coated character finds a patient and the two are drawn into a surreal world. Award-winning performers Tanya Khabarova (from Russian physical theatre company Derevo) and Yael Karavan effectively evoke the sensation of being immersed in an unsettling dream in this visually captivating show. Simple props, such as swathes of white cloth and a large circular mirror are used imaginatively and numerous scenes stand out for their originality. But beneath the aesthetics it’s difficult to find something to grasp onto, meaning that as this strange, abstract journey hurtles towards its apocalyptic ending, it doesn’t quite succeed in taking the audience along with it. (Gail Tolley) ■ Summerhall, 0845 874 3001, until 25 Aug (not 12,19), £11 (£9).

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Reviews | FESTIVAL THEATRE

list.co.uk/festival

ON THE BEACH

AUSTEN’S WOMEN

MAKING NEWS

Quiet and thoughtful monologue reflecting on the British seaside ●●●●●

Bringing Jane Austen’s heroines to life ●●●●●

Decent take on BBC news ●●●●●

A one-woman show bringing to life Jane Austen’s heroines might sound like heritage theatre of the most staid kind. It should therefore be a truth universally acknowledged that Austen’s Women turns out considerably livelier than anyone might expect, largely due to a stellar turn from Rebecca Vaughan, reprising her own 2009 show under the direction of Guy Masterton. It’s a measure of the affection that festival audiences have for the author that a packed house could be heard to audibly gasp as Vaughan announced each of the names of the thirteen characters she brought to the stage. Recent films and adaptations of Austen have treated the writer as some kind of Mills and Boon romanticist, but, like Edith Wharton, her intent is frequently a satirical attack on social graces. Vaughan extracts plenty of comedy from the likes of Mansfield Park’s Mrs Norris, or Emma’s Mrs Bates, while also embodying the more conventional virtues of Elizabeth Bennett from Pride and Prejudice. The result is a lively greatest hits package for Austen fans, and a useful introduction for new admirers. (Eddie Harrison) ■ Assembly George Square, 623 3030, until 25 Aug (not 12, 13, 19), 11.40am, £12–£13 (£11–£12).

To say it’s been a bad year for the BBC is to note that Edinburgh gets a bit busy over the festival. So the inspiration for Making News couldn’t be clearer. That it was penned by the scribes behind Coalition, last year’s smart take on the government, sets expectations higher still for a satire full of steam and savvy. For the most part, after a slow start, Making News delivers. Suki Webster plays follower-of–the-rules and newly appointed Acting Head of News, who discovers that the BBC’s Director General has been funding a bonkers cult from the public purse. Cue a string of jibes about being packed off to the ‘salt mines of Salford’, the Beeb’s ever-changing homepage, Radio 4 ‘going rogue’ and ‘him that won’t be spoken of’ (an unnamed Savile), while touching on what becomes of a news organisation ultimately forced to report on its own failings. Webster comes into her own as she flails between taking on the establishment or toeing the company line, while some decent support from Sara Pascoe, Dan Starkey, Hal Cruttenden and Phil Jupitus, as Director General, helps elevate a script that, while funny, doesn’t always quite hit the heady stride the subject matter promises. (Anna Millar) ■ Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 25 Aug (not 12), 1pm, £12–£15 (£11–£14).

This love letter to the British seaside from John Osborne, creator of previous Fringe success John Peel’s Shed, is an hour of spoken word theatre meditating on the romantic and sometimes melancholy relationship we have with our beaches. Accompanied by bursts of seaside music and projections (waves, boats and black-and-white footage of pleasure beach rollercoasters, ice cream cones and glam girls in 1950s swimsuits), the monologue leads us along Weymouth’s seafront during a very British heatwave, peppered with family cricket matches, love notes scrawled into the sand and shops selling footballs in string bags. ‘Some people choose churches to have these big thoughts,’ says Osborne, but beaches are also places of memorial and contemplation, sites of plaques commemorating loved ones who liked to sit and watch the tides. This thoughtful reflection on summer is not powerful theatre, but it might make you think differently about times in your life when you’ve felt pebbly sand under your toes, run screaming into freezing water or had your dad tell you to ‘stop ruining this holiday for everyone’. We’ve all been there. (Charlotte Runcie) ■ Pleasance Dome, 556 6550, until 26 Aug (not 12), 3pm, £7.50–£11 (£6–£10).

NIRBHAYA Challenging and inspiring drama about gender-based violence ●●●●●

At the start of Yael Farber’s unflinching account of last year’s horrific rape and murder of a young woman on a Delhi bus, five women come on stage each with one hand held aloft. Alongside one male actor they re-enact the vicious attack of last December and also tell their own stories of sexual abuse. Those raised hands – repeated again at the end of the performance – signify their desire to speak out, to be included as one of a silent number of women who’ve suffered gender-based violence. To tell the story of Nirbhaya (translated as ‘fearless one’, the name given to the victim before her identity was confirmed) the cast simplistically, yet effectively evoke the atmosphere of Delhi, through jostling bodies and the buzz of electricity wires. In particular the inside of the city’s buses is recreated as a hostile place of groping hands and invading body parts. But Nirbhaya’s story isn’t the only one here and seeing these women recall their own experiences, of child abuse, gang rape and attempted murder, is just as harrowing. Farber is true to the material, eschewing sentimentality and making no concessions for the audience’s comfort. By sharing these stories, Farber reflects something of the real-life reaction to Nirbhaya’s murder, which triggered protests across India as women stood up and took to the streets, refusing to stay silent about the abuse they had been through. More than this though, Nirbhaya challenges a bigger, more universal issue concerning sexual violence: that of the shame and secrecy that surrounds it and so often allows it to go unchallenged. Yael Farber’s intelligent, defiant and uncompromising production says simply, ‘this is happening and it can’t be ignored’. (Gail Tolley) ■ Assembly Hall, 623 3030, until 26 Aug (not 12, 19), 4pm, £14–£16 (£13–£15). 8–15 Aug 2013 THE LIST FESTIVAL 77

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FESTIVAL THEATRE | Reviews

OMEGA Russian carnivalesque curiosity ●●●●● Fringe First and Total Theatre Award winners blackSKYwhite promised that Omega would take the audience into a twilight world of the circus side show. Russian physical theatre has a reputation, thanks to the likes of Derevo, for stretching the possibilities of both the body and imagination. Unfortunately, Omega is overambitious in scale, but under-ambitious in depth. A series of variable routines – some astounding, like the apparently mechanical Moongirl, others predictable – are strung together across a vague narrative that suggests a bold look at the dark heart of human nature. When the physical theatre takes control, the effect is disorientating and forceful. Unfortunately, the interludes between the routines degenerate into obscure bellowing about occult cosmology: moments of sinister suggestion are frequent but lost in the mix. blackSKYwhite obviously have the famed skill of Russian physical theatre, and most of these scenes would be outstanding – and fearsome – in a more general cabaret. Yet the attempt to lend each act power through a dystopian narrative is well worn. The music owes as much to Tom Waits as to proto-industrial electronica and frequently overwhelms the performances: the spurious weight added to admittedly impressive acrobatics undermines the sheer skill by loading it with portentous meaning. Omega is perhaps all the more disappointing because of this disjuncture between the artists’ brilliance and its failure to plunge the emotional depths that it promises. While there are unforgettable moments – the spiders that weave reality, the manic energy of the two chorus girls and the final image of a lurking, sinister entity beyond human – the show drags at over an hour and slips into incoherence. (Gareth K Vile) ■ Assembly Rooms, 0844 693 3008, until 25 Aug (not 12, 19), £15 (£12).

THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION Stephen King tale hits the stage ●●●●● Given the warmth felt for the film adaptation of Stephen King’s prison-based novella, it’s little surprise that The Shawshank Redemption is one of the hottest tickets at this year’s Fringe. A tale of friendship and hope in the face of adversity, King’s tale – here adapted for the stage by Owen O’Neill and Dave Johns – tells the story of banker Andy Dufresne and his incarceration at the ’Shank for the murder of his wife and her lover. While fans of the film will miss some of the movie’s more cinematic moments, director Lucy PitmanWallace creates enough drama within the prison walls to build an effective backdrop to this ultimate tale of friendship and salvation. Omid Djalili is a sound choice as Red, the man who can get anyone anything except himself parole. While as the wronged Dufresne, US actor Kyle Secor brings a determined humility and a quiet reflection to the role. Certain things niggle, the passing of time doesn’t quite ring true and the reveal of the hole behind the poster is a little rushed, as is Red’s touching finale monologue, but this is a solid 90 minutes of theatre nonetheless. (Anna Millar) ■ Assembly Rooms, 0844 693 3008, until 25 Aug (not 12), 4.50pm, £16 (£12).

CHOOSE YOUR OWN DOCUMENTARY BY NATHAN PENLINGTON Funny and nostalgic interactive show based on cult 80s books ●●●●● The Choose Your Own Adventure books were a publishing phenomenon, offering re-readable stories with multiple outcomes and potential death or glory at every page-turn. Writer and performer Nathan Penlington mines a rich vein of pre-internet nostalgia in this interactive show about his CYOA obsession and there’s a childlike thrill to voting on the course of his story using your own personal remote control. But this is not improv; every possible story-route involves video clips and sound cues, and much like in the books, there is a ‘best route’ that an audience can take, while some decisions can lead to whole story strands being cut off abruptly. That also results in the interactive element of the show being noticeably lessened in the second half, giving the feeling that Penlington hasn’t fully integrated the show’s form with his storytelling intentions. The show is best entered without knowing specifics. After a very funny context-setting introduction, Penlington heads in a more substantial and engaging direction, taking us on an adventure that is personal and gently moving. (Paul Gallagher) ■ Gilded Balloon Teviot, 622 6552, until 26 Aug (not 14), 1.30pm, £9–£11 (£8–£9).

HIGH PLAINS (A WESTERN MYTH) Drifting through the secrets of the past ●●●●● He’s had a few drinks, young drifter Jake explains to us at the start of Brian Watkins’s quietly gripping solo play – but he needs them to recount what he’s about to tell. What begins as bar room recollections about growing up in the prairies of Colorado – why he lives in a town that’s an acronym, how he found his first love – soon moves into darker territory as Jake picks apart his fractured relationship with his unstable brother. A seemingly insignificant prank has profound consequences – and an unsettling retribution. Watkins’s writing manages to be lucid and disorientating, an ideal combination in a play that hints at the paranormal yet remains enigmatic. His evocation of the brutal yet devoted brotherly relationship is compelling, and his steady control of growing tension is remarkably effective. Ben Newman as Jake is the show’s real draw: he’s a thoroughly convincing study in uncertainty and guilt, giving a high-definition performance that brings his every stumbling thought to the fore. It’s a slight tale in some ways, but the sheer passion of Newman’s delivery makes its mysterious theme unforgettable. (David Kettle) ■ Underbelly, Cowgate, 0844 545 8252, until 25 Aug (not 12), £9–£11 (£8–£10).

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by arrangement with ELAINE MURPHY ASSOCIATES present

WINNIE McGOOGAN FROM MRS BROWN’S BOYS

“Eilish’s mantra of ‘Live Love Laugh’ not only highlights her attitude to life but describes the spirit of the show itself”

“Heartwarming, funny and thought provoking. Eilish O’Carroll is a tour de force”

The Corkman

Cork Echo

2.45

31 July - 24 Aug (except 14)

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Previews: 31 July, 1 & 2 Aug WWW.BOUNDANDGAGGEDCOMEDY.COM

2 - 26 Aug (not 12) 1pm (80 mins)

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AFGHAN DAYS BABYLON NIGHTS

ONE OF THE TOP TEN MOST CREATIVE SHOWS TO SEE ON THE FRINGE - Huffington Post 2012 ‘Spare, Shocking, beautiful’

‘A great work This was perfection!’

‘Very fine! I was moved many times’

Anne Brown Director Voices of War

Major Peter Watson M.C. Scilla Ellworthy Black Watch (Rtd.) Nobel Peace Prize Nominee

ROYAL SCOTS CLUB

29-31 ABERCROMBY PLACE. EH3 6QE 3.00p.m. 6-10 & 12–17 August Tickets £10(£8) BOX OFFICE: 0131 226 0000

FRINGE VENUE

241

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Reviews | FESTIVAL THEATRE

list.co.uk/festival

THE BLOODY BALLAD

HOW TO BE A MODERN MARVEL

THE EVENTS

Foot-stompin’ gig with dramatic interludes ●●●●●

A vintage Tupperware party ●●●●●

A look at the aftermath of an atrocity ●●●●●

A redneck, rockabilly gig-cum-musical, The Bloody Ballad tells the story of Mary (Lucy Rivers), a Southern gal whose upbringing has left her with scars both physical and emotional. Salvation seems to arrive in the form of Connor, a swaggering young chap whose family have just moved into the neighbourhood, but just as the couple’s happiness seems assured, a series of events drenched in blood and moonshine put paid to their plans. Rivers and her band are fantastic musical performers, and while their acting skills are perhaps less refined, the format of the production – almost a straight-up gig, with dramatic interludes – lends itself well to their skill set. The plot hares along for the most part, and despite some close-to-the-bone songs such as ‘What My Daddy Done (in A Minor)’, you’ll sometimes find yourself wishing for something that lives up to the high standard set by Nick Cave, who pretty much cornered the market on murder ballads. Still, these are minor quibbles in a show that abounds with verve and character. Bear in mind though – despite its foot-stompin’ soundtrack, some scenes make for uncomfortable viewing. You’ve been warned. (Niki Boyle) ■ Assembly Roxy, 623 3030, until 25 Aug (not 12, 19), 7.45pm, £12–£14 (£10–£12).

There’s something rather charming about How To Be a Modern Marvel. On the surface, the audience are treated to a sales pitch that could have escaped from a 1960s time capsule, complete with three beautifully mannered, idealised women. Things aren’t quite as they appear, with status turmoil between the three women who begin to come across more like sisters of The Stepford Wives. If the play lacks plot, all three women are a pleasure to spend time with. Technically, the audience are watching a 45-minute live advert for imaginary ‘Marvel’ products, while the aspects of the women’s true characters only emerge in occasional fragments. But their beautiful outfits and overly sincere manners take the audience back into a nostalgic mist that only slowly evaporates with slight discussions about the conflict between the old and the new. Maybe the production would have benefited from a sharper script that explored women’s place in political and working society after the second world war, especially in the light of feminism’s advances in subsequent decades. However, what’s on show is a pleasant enough experience with three delightful performances. (Michael Cox) ■ Institut francais d’Ecosse, 225 5366, until Aug 26 (not 12, 19), 4.30pm, £10 (£8).

Claire is a priest who leads a choir that welcomes vulnerable individuals. One eventful day a gunman bursts in during practice and kills several of the group. In the aftermath Claire attempts to understand what has happened. In David Greig’s latest work for the stage he deftly brings a local choir into the performance, weaving their songs between scenes which explore Claire’s anger, confusion and grief. The Events is technically accomplished, with excellent performances from its two leads. Rudi Dharmalingham, in particular, is convincing playing the culprit, Claire’s psychologist and a local politician to name a few, opposite Neve McIntosh’s traumatised priest. The choir, whose repertoire ranges from traditional hymns to a rendition of Dizzee Rascal’s ‘Bonkers’, adds emotion and at times a much-needed delicacy to the play. But overall Greig finds little new ground here, posing the same questions so many artists and writers have explored before, yet struggling to find new emotional or intellectual insight. This isn’t helped by the tragicomic tone which, instead of adding poignancy, here appears to prevent the piece ever reaching it. (Gail Tolley) ■ Traverse, 228 1404, until 25 Aug (not 12, 19), times vary, £18–£20 (£6–£15).

THE EPICENE BUTCHER AND OTHER STORIES FOR CONSENTING ADULTS Lo-fi, high-concept Japanese storytelling ●●●●● ‘Before Pokemon, before Manga, before Hentai, there was . . .’ are the words written up on a blackboard at the start of this unusual show, correctly described in its press release as an ‘oddity’. Kamishibai is a form of lo-fi 1930s street entertainment from Japan; the word means ‘paper play’. Alongside her comely schoolgirl assistant, the colourful figure of Jemma Khan arrives on stage armed with a set of simple cardboard images which she displays through a wooden box, entertaining the audience with a frame-by-frame comic strip. And entertaining it certainly is, but not for kids: cannibalism is the subject of the titular story The Epicene Butcher, which is about a chef whose taste for the finest choices of meat drives him to seek out cuisine involving human flesh. Unfortunately, the chef falls for the girl he hopes to cook, leading to a grisly but satisfying finale. The other stories deal with pornography, what cats dream about when they’re in heat, the devastation after the nuclear explosion at Fukushima and all number of other surprising subjects. One is billed as ‘for perverts’ and has highly explicit content, but the show doesn’t rely on sex as a selling point, instead conveying an off-kilter energy in a Twilight Zone-meets-Studio Ghibli fashion. The final story is related in Japanese, yet somehow still gets the message across. The stories, by Gwydion Beynon, often have a classical feel, like Zen master parables but interpreted through the mind of a teenager hopped-up on Manga cartoons. The result is weird, but also rather wonderful to behold. Not for everyone, but a fresh and decidedly original addition to the Fringe’s outer-limits. (Eddie Harrison) ■ Assembly George Square, 623 3030, until 26 Aug, (not 12) 7.20pm, £12–£13 (£11–£12). 8–15 Aug 2013 THE LIST FESTIVAL 81

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FESTIVAL THEATRE | Reviews

THE BUNKER TRILOGY: MACBETH Challenging adaptation of The Scottish Play set during World War I ●●●●●

LISA FLEMING

The set is clearly the centerpiece of The Bunker Trilogy. Rows of benches two deep line the walls of the venue, creating a miniscule in-the-round stage with audience and cast sheltered inside a recreation WWI bunker – timbre walls, tin roof and dirt floors included. It’s from here – with plenty of theatrical smoke – that a twisted, 20th century Macbeth reenacts his bloody ploys for power in the guise of a British officer, surrounded by a cast of minions dressed up like S&M gimps in their black plastic gas masks. By far the most experimental Bunker play, Jethro Compton (formerly of Belt Up, the company who famously turned C venues into a site specific treat in recent years) reshapes the familiar story like some sort of mustard gas-induced hallucinogenic trip. 20th century soldiers speak in 17th century iambs, and the audience is asked to actively piece together key scenes amid loud bangs, flashing lights and aggressive actor-audience eye contact – an often arduous task. Just four players make up the cast (who appear in all three parts of the trilogy), with the drama zeroed in on Macbeth and his Lady’s evil machinations. As their actions damage their psyches, it’s like watching a power-crazed Hitler pace out his final hours in his bunker as Macbeth realises the jig is up. The intimacy of the bunker makes the tension claustrophobic - more than one member of the audience sat slumped in chin-in-hands positions, perhaps having expected something more in the style of Baz Luhrmann’s Romeo + Juliet. (Jaclyn Arndt) ■ C nova, 0845 260 1234, until 26 Aug, 10pm, £11.50–£13.50 (£7.50–£11.50).

THE BUNKER TRILOGY: AGAMEMNON Unexpected perspective on a wartime relationship ●●●●● For the second chapter of The Bunker Trilogy, the ancient Greek legend of Agamemnon gets translated to a WWI setting, putting the titular character overseas in Germany while his wife, Clytemnestra, languishes at home in England. Squeezing out all the romance retrospectively assigned to wartime sweethearts, Agamemnon explores the disintegration of a marriage, asking what happens when the woman left behind longs for the death – rather than safe return – of her soldier husband. The play’s strength rests on the unreservedly cruel, but pitiable, characters it puts forth: however, the play struggles to fit so much drama and tragedy into one hour (even eliciting a laugh when Clytemnestra abruptly asks new love Aegisthus to help ensure her husband’s death). The middle part of Bunker is the soggiest, but it lends an unexpected, feminine perspective on the most machismo of genres, unsettling notions of hero soldiers and selfless war brides, courtesy of an engaging troupe of actors. (Jaclyn Arndt) ■ C nova, 0845 260 1234, until 26 Aug, 8.30pm, £11.50–£13.50 (£7.50–£11.50).

THE BUNKER TRILOGY: MORGANA

LAQUEARIA

Claustrophobic drama of three friends trapped in a bunker ●●●●●

Verbose performance that lacks theatricality

All the elements fall into place in the first of The Bunker Trilogy. The recreation WWI bunker that provides the series’ tiny stage is used to full effect, its claustrophobic confines reflected in the story of three school chums who find themselves trapped together under its low tin ceiling. Though planted amid falling bombs and sniper fire, Arthur, Lance and Gawain – upper-class captains straight out of a Gilbert & Sullivan musical – find their army life dominated by the songs, whispers, and spectres of women. While Arthur and Lance bicker over Gwen, naive, sensitive Gawain gets ensnared by the charms of Morgana Le Fey. James Marlowe’s Gawain is the most accomplished of the trio, with a nuanced performance that plays to the up-close-andpersonal stage design. Borrowing bits of Arthurian legend and following a standard narrative, Morgana is not a challenging play, but an enchanting sketch of the limits of childhood fantasy in the face of devastating reality, placing the audience in the blurred line between the two. (Jaclyn Arndt) ■ C nova, 0845 260 1234, until 26 Aug, 5.45pm, £11.50–£13.50 (£7.50–£11.50).

It’s unlikely that there is a more cerebral event at this year’s Fringe than Laquearia. Based on the ideas of Marcel Duchamp, John Cage, and Samuel Beckett, it follows a chess game based on one played within Beckett’s novel Murphy. Victoria Miguel uses this meeting to investigate Beckett’s use of the philosopher Spinoza and Cage’s interest in conceptual composition: her script compares ideas of freedom that inspired them. While Cage and Beckett ponder moments from their works, a narrator draws comparisons between them. While connections are well made, there is little acknowledgement of theatricality. The script is solid, but the recitation of academic theories is no substitute for drama. The narrator’s need for the book, and occasional fluffed lines, are disappointing. As artists, Beckett and Cage were aware of the importance of interaction between performer and audience. The script is encumbered by the weight of ideas and the minimal production – including the atmospheric but ambient score – does little to bring the profound ideas to life. (Gareth K Vile) ■ Summerhall, 0845 874 3001, until 9 Aug, 6pm, £10 (£8).

●●●●●

82 THE LIST FESTIVAL 8–15 Aug 2013

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“If you’re not spending at least 60% of your August at Summerhall, you’re doing it wrong.” Kirsten Innes, Fest Magazine 2013

EDINBURGH FESTIVAL 2013 A SELECTION OF UK AND INTERNATIONAL PREMIÈRES AT SUMMERHALL THIS FESTIVAL:

2ND -25TH

The Red Bike

AUGUST

YURTAKIDS!

THE VANITY PRESS

ONE HUNDRED MULTIPLES

Offering the best children's and family theatre - all under one tent! Children's Programme

Fiona Banner Visual Arts

Lawrence Weiner Visual Arts

THE TIN RING

THIS SIDE OF PARADISE

L'APRES-MIDI D'UN FOEHN VERSION 1

Human Remain Theatre

Dudendance Theatre/Dance

“Prepare to be blown away.”

“I am particularly fond of single-actor performances and Jane Arnfield's exemplified the best of that.”

“Riveting, meticulously detailed, morphing… thrillingly well done.”

The New York Times

Ruth Rendell

Crying Out Loud in Partnership with Summerhall presents Company Non Nova Children's Programme

Box Office: 0845 874 3001 General Enquiries: 0845 874 3000 Email: info@summerhall.co.uk 1 Summerhall Edinburgh EH9 1PL

Mary Brennan, The Herald (on Spaceman)

VENUE www.summerhall.co.uk 8–15 Aug 2013 THE LIST FESTIVAL 83

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FESTIVAL THEATRE | Reviews

BANKSY: THE ROOM IN THE ELEPHANT How art made a man homeless ●●●●●

JACO MARAIS

‘I guess y’all wanna hear about Banksy,’ says Titus Covington (Eastenders’ Gary Beadle). It’s a reasonable assumption – the artist’s name is, after all, in the show’s title, and anything he touches is guaranteed to generate fervent interest from his many adoring fans. The skilful manoeuvre Tom Wainwright has pulled off with his script for The Room in the Elephant is making this adoration the focal point of the story, staging Covington’s tale while simultaneously asking why it’s being watched, and why it was even written in the first place. Covington is an LA native who lived on the fringes of Tinseltown. He had been living in a repurposed water tank for seven years when Banksy arrived on his doorstep, asking if he could decorate the tank with the words, ‘This looks a bit like an elephant’. Covington agreed, unaware that his home would become an object of desire for art collectors. In short, the tank was purchased and moved to a storage warehouse; Covington was left homeless, living out of urban caves and wheeling his life around in a shopping trolley. Beadle’s performance is, to use a word from one of his coruscating soliloquies, ‘volcanic’. At times told in the style of a YouTube confessional, at others in the rhythmic incantation of a street rapper-turned-ghetto prophet, his emotions burst forth in a flurry of one-two punches: bravado, then shock; despair, then rebellion; delight, then bemusement; confusion, then rage. It’s a performance so involving that we’re prevented from seeing the subtext until director Emma Callander puts it right in front of us: that we’re once again appreciating an artistic construct in place of real life; that, as Covington says, we want a story, not the truth. (Niki Boyle) ■ Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 26 Aug, 1pm, £9–£12 (£8–£11).

ANNA A brutal tour de force ●●●●●

YOU ALL KNOW ME – I’M JACK RUBY!

THE THREE LITTLE PIGS Study of South African police corruption ●●●●●

Killer portrait of a murderer ●●●●● A lift opens and we step inside. Emerging moments later, a stark, sterile basement corridor lies before us. Bright strip lights buzz overhead, as we’re ushered to stand against the walls. And so it begins: Badac Theatre Company’s harrowing, brutal and at times deeply affecting production, the story of the life, work and eventual assassination of Russian journalist Anna Politkovskaya. Having previously explored domestic violence and the Holocaust, Badac are no cosy documentarians; this latest project is no less demanding. Marnie Baxter is utterly compelling as the increasingly desperate and determined Anna, while the rest of the cast, particularly Saskia Schuck as The Witness, are relentless in their endeavour to show the full horrors of a terrifying autocracy. Although the events are very much Anna’s experiences – and those brave enough to tell her their stories – Badac speaks directly to journalists around the world, and the truth-tellers and whistleblowers silenced and ignored. This is gruelling, powerful theatre that demands we, the public, listen. Apathy is not an option here. (Anna Millar) ■ Summerhall, 0845 874 3001, until 25 Aug (not 12), 8.30pm, £10 (£8).

Do we really know the man who shot the man who shot President Kennedy? Was the eponymous Dallas nightclub-owner part of a Mafia-organised plot to whack Lee Harvey Oswald, as history generally credits him to be, or was Ruby acting under other impulses? This cleverly conceived and smartly executed one-man show proposes an answer to the second question that suggests history has done Ruby a disservice. The portrait presented – sleazy, violent, uneducated, emotionally unstable – certainly doesn’t show him in a flattering light. But it is rounded enough to also reveal him as principled, loyal, foolish and unlucky. The result is a pleasingly complex dramatic study that’s in turn funny, abhorrent and poignant. Writer-performer Clifford Barry’s portrayal of Ruby is absolutely terrific. Barry’s short, stocky build, and bullish voice convince on a physical level, and contrast effectively with the quieter, more emotional moments Ruby experiences. By being as much about the man as the conspiracy theories, the show both provokes and engages. (Miles Fielder) ■ theSpace @ Surgeon’s Hall, 510 2384, until 24 Aug (not 11, 18), 2pm, £7 (£6).

Orwellian is a word usually used to describe dystopian scenarios, but dark satire The Three Little Pigs takes a tip from Animal Farm by reimagining the inhabitants of a police interrogation room as a selection of animals. Two brother pigs have been killed, and a goat and a chicken interrogate the one remaining brother. Weaving a complex story of corruption, with cats, rats and various other creatures offering their selfserving opinions, the narrative points towards the involvement of a criminal mastermind known as the Big Bad Wolf. Part of the Assembly’s South African season, director Tara Notcutt has created this adult fairy tale with her three actors (Rob van Vuuren, James Cairns, Albert Pretorius), and the result is a spare but ultimately strong hour of theatre. The grotesque characters reflect the internecine goings-on in a country where, as one character says, ‘murder is a national pastime’. It’s tough going at times, and the animal metaphor gets a bit strained, but The Three Little Pigs is an absorbing hour of theatre. (Eddie Harrison) ■ Assembly George Square, 623 3030, until 26 Aug (not 12), 5.45pm, £14–£15 (£12–£13).

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Reviews | FESTIVAL THEATRE

ANTHONY WOODS

RICHARD JEFFERSON, PERTH THEATRE COMPANY

list.co.uk/festival

CLOWN FOR HIRE

QUIETLY

IT’S DARK OUTSIDE

The tears of a clown ●●●●●

Tough drama about two men with a violent past ●●●●●

Mesmerising adventures in a surreal shadow world ●●●●●

Owen McCafferty’s new play Quietly relies on silence and tension and very little fuss to present heartbreaking personal dramas in an intimate but public setting. Set in a nondescript Belfast pub over the course of a football match, Jamie and Ian meet to battle their way through an event that took place 36 years earlier. The two men weave their tales, dancing around one another as they reveal their stories to a non-judgmental bar keeper – and the audience. Patrick O’Kane as Jimmy is intensely watchable, his silences frequently revealing more than any dialogue could as he struggles to come to terms with the actions of a 16-year-old boy who now stands before him as a man. The hope of forgiveness for the stupidity of youth and sectarian tensions loom large throughout and the pain of reconciliation for both men is uncomfortably and unambiguously displayed in the way they stalk the stage and each other. Quietly is tough and moving: its themes still able to ring true as much now as at the height of the Troubles. (Kirstyn Smith) ■ Traverse, 228 1404, until 25 Aug (not 12, 19), times vary, £17–£19 (£6–£14).

Perth Theatre Company, the team behind the award-winning Alvin Sputnik: Deep Sea Explorer present another dark theatrical adventure. Comprised of animation, dance, live action, shadows and puppetry, It’s Dark Outside takes the audience on a mesmerising story with a spaghetti western twist. Written and performed by Tim Watts, Arielle Gray and Chris Isaacs, the piece begins when an old man, under cover of night, leaves his home, comes across a trusty steed in the form of a tent and sets off on a wild journey, followed by a sinister and fast tracker. Taking place in a surreal and dark world of shadow and memory, It’s Dark Outside chronicles a man trying to leave his old life behind, only to be haunted by regret and lost time. The talented cast have combined to create a simply beautiful play that is as visually stunning as it is emotionally breathtaking. A poignant piece of new writing that represents some of the very best aspects of Fringe theatre. (Amy Taylor) ■ Underbelly, Bristo Square, 0844 545 8252, until 26 Aug (not 13), 5.30pm, £12.50–£14.50 (£11–£13).

When a Fringe show goes wrong, it’s an absolute car crash, and Clown for Hire serves up a five lane-pile up. Armed with a bucket, a wheelie bin and a clown outfit, Julius (Batsile Rakgantsho Ramasodi) springs onto the stage with a series of half-baked pratfalls which mystify his audience, many of whom ran for the exits during a lengthy sequence in which he put a bucket on his head. Julius’ grandly announced backstory turns out to be a traditional ‘tears of a clown’ routine: abandoned as a baby in Johannesburg, Julius formed an unlikely dream to become a circus clown. Having failed to earn laughs by pretending there’s excrement in his bucket or licking water from a bowl like a dog, his attempts to wring pathos from his lament prove equally misguided. This is part of the Assembly’s South African season, and there’s presumably a political meaning intended here, but the broadness of the show dulls any subtext. That two volunteers plucked from the audience turned out to get more laughs than Julius did in 45 minutes demonstrates that this clown doesn’t work. (Eddie Harrison) ■ Assembly George Square, 623 3030, until 26 Aug (not 12), 2pm, £12–£13, (£11–£12).

MISSING Gecko’s spectacular dance theatre tale explores the depths of memory and childhood ●●●●● With single-actor shows and zero props becoming increasingly popular in recession-era Fringe performances, it’s refreshing to see a play that’s technically ambitious, beautiful to look at and expansively original – especially when pulled off with as much panache as Gecko’s Missing. Against intricate sets and beautiful visual set-ups, Lily – all nervy English manners – is stumbling through life. She parties with friends, goes to work and walks down the aisle at her wedding. But something is wrong: at every milestone she seems uncomfortable and afraid. Through flashbacks, we see troubling moments from her past, told in muffled Spanish and German and the hazy recollection of childhood memories. Aided by a mysterious Italian guide, we excavate Lily’s early life. But the story is not the most vital part of this show. Ostensibly we see a complex and diverse dramatisation of the inner workings of Lily’s own personal therapy. More importantly, it’s a spectacular experiment in on-stage communication. Through physical theatre and dialogue in a range of untranslated European languages, the play develops a deep, ranging exploration of the stories we all tell ourselves about our own existence. Originality pulses through every scene, producing an electrifying combination of physicality, visual poetry and technical magic. The result is a gorgeously hypnotic, impressionistic vindication of personal identity, as well as a stunning version of the messy social dance that we all do to understand and accept ourselves around other people. (Charlotte Runcie) ■ Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 25 Aug (not 7, 18), times vary, £11.50–£15 (£10–£13.50). 8–15 Aug 2013 THE LIST FESTIVAL 85

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FESTIVAL THEATRE | Reviews at a Glance For longer versions of these reviews see list.co.uk/festival

Bin Laden: The One Man Show

Avenue Q ●●●●● Filthy, furry and fun, not

for nothing has this Tony award-winning show titillated the musical-going masses since it hit Broadway in 2003. This Royal Conservatoire of Scotland production is smart and slick, the cast are roundly excellent, with Conor Scully excelling as hapless hero Princeton in search of his ‘purpose’. (Anna Millar) Assembly Hall, 623 3030, until 26 Aug (not 13, 20), noon, £12–£13 (£10–£11). Adam Smith, Le Grand Tour ●●●●● Performed with finesse, what this production is trying to accomplish is mysterious: it’s too serious to be a work of comedic absurdity and too disjointed to be a history lesson. It’s also too smart and has too many good ideas to be considered a flop: but as a theatrical work it is a noble fail. (Michael Cox) Institut Francais d’Ecosse, 225 5366, until 26 Aug (not 12, 19), 3pm, £10 (£8).

Bin Laden: The One Man Show ●●●●● Wherever you think this play is going, it quickly goes elsewhere: a clever mixture of political theatre and historical insight, told with a cheeky sense of humour. The result is a production that will infuriate as many as it impresses. It might make some go and research more about the infamous man while others are compelled to storm out of the theatre. (Michael Cox) C Nova, 0845 260 1234, until 26 Aug (not 13), 7.35pm, £9.50–£11.50 (£7.50–£9.50).

The Confessions of Gordon Brown ●●●●● Fans of Brown’s hapless charms – with an interest in his rise and fall from power – will doubtless enjoy this well-written one-man piece, played with serious panache by leading man Ian Grieve. The show never quite delivers the revelations, the ‘confessions’ its title alludes to – ultimately challenged, perhaps, to make only a mildly fascinating man’s life truly engaging. (Anna Millar) Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 26 Aug, 1.45pm, £9.50– £12.50 (£8.50–£11.50). Dirty Water ●●●●● Lewd, crude and very broad comedy set in an unnamed Glasgow housing scheme: a whole pile of misogyny, a hefty splat of homophobia and a good dollop of toilet humour. The cast make a good job of bringing their characters to life, and they make the most of playwright John Stuart’s string of selfconsciously dirty monologues and bad taste jokes. (Miles Fielder) theSpace @ Surgeon’s Hall, 510 2384, until 24 Aug (not 11, 12, 18), 8.10pm, £8 (£6). Everyman ●●●●● God may give the audience a sharp telling off; there may be singing and dancing. A journey through the life of the eponymous Everyman, who represents all of mankind, the show takes the audience on a wildly entertaining, yet emotional journey through the contradictions, wants and failures of man, creating a piece that is a joyous celebration of humanity and a triumph of physical theatre. (Amy Taylor) Underbelly, Bristo Square, 0844 545 8252, until 25 Aug (not 12), 10.50am, £9–£10 (£8–£9). Grounded ●●●●● Snared in a murky glass cage in the middle of the room, a pilot / mother / wife soars through a compelling monologue of how she ended up in her grey, concrete trap. Themes of excessive surveillance and modern warfare are on-topic and Grounded delivers a punch to the gut as our role of confidant is turned, guiltily, on its head. (Kirstyn Smith) Traverse, 228 1404, until 25 Aug (not 12, 19), times vary, £17–£19 (£6–£14). Have I No Mouth ●●●●● Have I No Mouth features real-life mother and son Ann and Feidlim Cannon and their real-life psychotherapist. It muddies the distinction between reality and memory as the trio argue about the details of Feidlim’s father’s preventable death. Equal parts macabre, disturbing and bleakly witty, the warmth between the trio lends heartwarming overtones to a

difficult but evocative piece. (Kirstyn Smith) Traverse, 228 1404, until 25 Aug (not 12, 19), times vary, £17–£19 (£6–£14). Higgs ●●●●● The lecture falls between two stalls – it reflects more a general excitement about what humanity might be about to learn than much about the nature of that knowledge. Ironically, it is a perfect snapshot of the response of many artists to science’s advances: something is happening here, it is beautiful, exciting but mysterious. (Gareth K Vile) Summerhall, 0845 874 3001, until 17 Aug (not 12), 8.20pm, £10 (£8). Hooked ●●●●● Hooked is a memorable, thoughtful performance. Based on the narrative poems of Canadian writer Carolyn Smart, the show’s loose theme is that of women enthralled by men who are not good for them: Nicky Guadagni’s portrayals are haunting. It’s not always easy to watch, or to empathise, but this is a show that tackles difficult themes without flinching. Highly recommended. (Kirsty Logan) Sweet Grassmarket, 243 3596, until 25 Aug (not 7, 14, 21), 10.30pm, £8. How To Make A Killing in Bollywood ●●●●● Glasgow theatre

company NLP disappoint with this poorly scripted show that starts out as a fun musical-comedy but comes unstuck as it attempts to develop more serious themes. The highlights by far are the joyous song and dance sequences that appear out of nowhere in authentic Bollywood style, but these become fewer and briefer as the show progresses. (Paul Gallagher) Gilded Balloon Teviot, 622 6552, until 26 Aug (not 10, 11), 3pm, £10.50–£11.50 (£9.50–£10.50). Kiss Me Honey, Honey! ●●●●●

Andy Gray and Grant Stott must have jumped at the chance to play the multiple roles in this new play from Philip Meeks (last year’s Murder, Marple and Me).The script successfully dances from riotous cross-dressing slapstick to poignant reflection and back, and both actors pitch their performances perfectly, milking the big laughs but playing the serious moments with understatement. (Paul Gallagher) Gilded Balloon Teviot, 622 6552, until 26 Aug (not 12), 6.45pm, £12.50–£13.50 (£11.50–£12.50). Measure for Measure ●●●●●

Theatre Oikos’ take on one of the densest of Shakespeare’s works is vibrant and zippy, if a little uneven. A bold

decision indeed turning Shakespeare into a gangster tale, and the fresh-faced ensemble have energy and sass to spare – with Arctic Monkeys, a pinch of street slang and sovereign rings too. (Lorna Irvine) Zoo Southside, 662 6892, until 10 Aug, 5.50pm, £7.50 (£5). Men ●●●●● The complexities of the human condition and the real cost of abuse, Men presents the story of a man regularly emotionally abused by his partner Syrus (Tom Rawlinson). An unflinching look at abuse and human nature, Miriam Battye’s script presents a number of interesting points about self-help and self-sabotage. Hardhitting, tense, strong piece from a promising young company. (Amy Taylor) Underbelly, Bristo Square, 0844 545 8252, until 26 Aug (not 14), 12.05pm, £9 –£10 (£8–£9). Mercy Killers ●●●●● This searing one-man show manages to make politics personal, largely thanks to a heartbreaking performance from leading man, Broadway actor Michael Milligan. What could have been painfully simplistic or horribly over-played, is executed with considered pace here, as all its devastating detail unfolds. (Anna Millar) Assembly Hall, 623 3030, until 26 Aug, 2.45pm, £8–£10 (£7–£9). One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest ●●●●● This adaptation occupies new territory, an almost complete gender reversal of the cast: all but a few ancillary characters are played by women, lending a new dynamic. Fourth Monkey should be commended for putting forth a version of Cuckoo’s Nest that attempts to hold its own against more familiar predecessors, but ultimately this production stumbles. (Niki Boyle) theSpace on Niddry Street, 510 2383, until 24 Aug, 8.20pm, £11 (£8.50). Roughs ●●●●● This is Samuel Beckett like no other – completely apposite for our troubled nation. D’Animate’s fresh approach to theatre proves that Beckett can still startle and captivate – and with the controversial bedroom tax looming large, his dark political motifs sadly remain pertinent. Roughs is no easy ride, yet is utterly humane. (Lorna Irvine) Zoo Southside 662 6892, until 26 Aug, 4.35pm, £9 (£7). Sandpits Avenue ●●●●● Boneyard Theatre’s debut production examines the impact of war on a soldier returning home, through folk songs, beat-boxing

and jagged choreography. Wounded soldier Will is the focal point, but the ensemble work best as one amorphous mass – whether depicting a hedonistic rave scene that descends into a farcical nightmare, or curling around each other for protection. (Lorna Irvine) Zoo Southside, 662 6892 until 26 Aug (not 20), 2.20pm, £8 (£7). Seven Ages ●●●●● This theatrical improvisation from Kevin Tomlinson is a series of scenes inspired by each of the seven ages of man, as defined by Shakespeare. It is, basically, a chance to see Tomlinson dress up in daft outfits and have a bit of fun. Some well-worn improv structures notwithstanding, this is a lively family show that promises especially big laughs for kids. (Charlotte Runcie) Just the Tonic at The Caves, 556 5375, until 25 Aug (not 13), 3pm, £10 (£7). The Tin Ring ●●●●● The intention of The Tin Ring is to interpret Zdenka Fantlova’s story as a testimony: there is a depth to this witnessing of the Holocaust that is neither the emotive shock of familiar images nor the dry analysis of history. The refusal of provocative melodrama is refreshing and allows the experiences to speak for themselves. (Gareth K Vile) Summerhall, 0845 874 3001, until 25 Aug, 8pm, £14 (£12). 33 ●●●●● Pena is one of the 33 miners who survived a major cave-in for 69 days in a Chilean copper mine in 2010 and who became their mouthpiece. The Wardrobe Ensemble’s musical multimedia play scrutinises the incident. The cast, some of whom play a gorgeous score, are relentless and their witty choreography plays with notions of survival instinct, press prurience and the corrosive effects of fame. (Lorna Irvine) Zoo, 662 6892, until Aug 17, 9.30pm £9 (£8). Undone ●●●●● Appearing as part of the Assembly’s South African season, writer / director and performer Wessel Pretorius is an actor with a commanding stage presence, all the more for being introduced stark naked, lying in a tin bath. As an actor’s piece, it’s a breathtaking show of strength, but pitched too high for most audiences; it’s too close to personal therapy for the actor to fully engage with the viewers. (Eddie Harrison) Assembly George Square, 623 3030, until 26 Aug (not 12), 4.10pm, £12–£13.

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VISUAL ART

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HITLIST

MARKUS ROESSLE

THE BEST EXHIBITIONS

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Mostly West: Franz West and Artist Collaborations Fascinating exhibition full of collaborations with some of the most compelling modern artists of our time in this wonderland of a show. See review, left. Inverleith House, 248 2971, until 1 Sep (not Mon), free.

Leonardo da Vinci: The Mechanics of Man Extraordinary Edinburgh International Festival show that fuses art and medical science, highlighting how Leonardo’s work achieved astonishing scientific accuracy. See preview, page 90. The Queen’s Gallery, Palace of Holyroodhouse, 473 2000, until 10 Nov, £6.25 (£5.70).

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Witches and Wicked Bodies Diverse collection of more than 80 works exploring witchcraft as well as gender, age, beauty, sexuality and death as portrayed by artists over the past 500 years. See review, page 88. Modern Two, Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, 624 6200, until 3 Nov, £7 (£5).

MOSTLY WEST First exhibition by the late Franz West of his collaborations with other leading visual artists

tribute that wasn’t meant to be, Mostly West was conceived in 2011, before the Austrian artist Franz West died last year. In its finished form it feels not so much like the high-concept 30-year retrospective that it is, as a fusillade of commemorations in the form of ideas. Rather than a eulogy or an inscription in a book, it’s as if some of the most compelling modern artists of our time have chosen to pay their respects by allowing their legacies to intertwine with West’s. Numerous works are memorable, including the simple Every, little made with Douglas Gordon, a pair of usable divan chairs under the comfort-deadening stencilled motto ‘Every time you think of me, we die, a little’, and the very amusing Essenz with Heimo Zobernig, ten white chairs assembled in prime position to view

a plain white box. Spiegel in Kabine mit Passtücken is a conceptual minefield, four apparently for-use abstract clubs placed outside an enclosed white cube whose interior walls are plastered with the local newspaper. There’s a room of fantastical abstract sculptures and wall decoration, all created with Anselm Reyle, and a simple, impenetrable bag of coal presented with a soft sheet of red fabric, a collaboration with Jannis Kounellis. The brilliant Talk Without Words (Marina Faust) and the amusing Bateau Imaginaire (also with Zobernig) provide further fascination in this wonderland of a show. (David Pollock) Inverleith House, 248 2971, until 22 Sep, free. ●●●●●

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Michael Nyman A series of ten remakes of Dziga Vertov’s pioneering 1929 film Man With a Movie Camera makes up the installation that forms Nyman’s first ever exhibition in Scotland. See preview, page 90. Summerhall, 560 1590, until 31 Aug, free.

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Rachel Maclean: I HEART SCOTLAND Solo exhibition by the Glasgow-based artist featuring a new video and series of screenprints exploring national identity in the context of next year’s Scottish independence referendum. Edinburgh Printmakers, 557 2479, until 7 Sep (not Mon), free.

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Gregor Schneider: Süßer Duft Edinburgh 2013 Installation by the controversial German artist in three rooms of the basement of Summerhall – expect a powerful, intense and challenging piece of work that is open only to those aged 18 and over. Summerhall, 560 1590, until Sat 31 Aug, free.

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FESTIVAL VISUAL ART | Previews and Reviews

REVIEW ROBERT MONTGOMERY: EDINBURGH FIRE POEM Blazing start to EAF ●●●●● The new Edinburgh Art Festival commission by Prestwickraised artist Robert Montgomery has happened. You missed it. It occurred on a warm August night as people stood in the middle of the road on the Mound and the last of the sun bled away. Or is it still happening? You can go and see it and gaze upon the words he sculpted in oak and set light to that night. The flames have gone, the words remain. Is his art within the words, or the fact they once burned and people saw this and felt the experience enliven their soul in some way? By his own admission, Montgomery works in ‘a poetic and melancholic post-Situationist tradition’ (see his installation Echoes of Voices in the High Towers, left) , and what he calls his ‘fire poems’ are certainly exercises in hard-bitten conceptual contemplation of the spectacle. They speak of lived experience versus learned information, of the tension between a thing happening and the knowledge that a thing has happened. How does one experience inform the other? Can the sensation of witnessing it be recreated by putting yourself in the same location after the fact and imagining it? Maybe most people will walk or drive past, or look out of their bus window and simply see a burnt-oak motto which reads: ‘Rather the rain on the window of the castle than the castle itself. Rather the flight of the bird, rather burned than captured.’ But these sentences have been put there and burnt and left for a reason, even if that reason’s merely the one our own imagination ascribes, and Montgomery’s words seem to speak keenly of hard meaning being pinned down falling secondary to the soaring possibility of our mind to free-associate a narrative of our own. (David Pollock) ■ The Mound, until 1 Sep, free.

PREVIEW SARA BARKER: PATTERNS

REVIEW WITCHES AND WICKED BODIES

REVIEW BOBBY NIVEN: PALM OF THE HAND

Ambitious sculpture enclosed in a glass pavilion

Diverse exploration of witchcraft over the past 500 years ●●●●●

Collision of physical and manufactured in exhibition of sculpture ●●●●●

There’s much more to this fascinating exhibition than sorcery and witchcraft. Rather, a diverse collection of more than 80 works explores themes of gender, age, beauty, sexuality and death as portrayed by artists over the past 500 years, from the Renaissance right up to the present. From Goya’s grotesque, sexually indeterminate hags to William Blake’s bewitching and seductive whore, the exhibition explores the fearful fascination society has long had with witches, and the enduring myths that surround them of unsettling evil practices and sexual deviancy. Curated under six themes, Witches and Wicked Bodies explores the subject matter against a broader backdrop of the ways in which women have been – and still are – treated and depicted in society as a whole. The show is brought up to date by way of the symbolists and surrealism to more recent work including Cindy Sherman’s postmodern self-portrait that questions and subverts classic ideas of female beauty. (Rhona Taylor) ■ Modern Two, Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, 624 6200, until 3 Nov, £7 (£5).

The physical and the manufactured collide in this new exhibition from young Glasgow School of Arteducated sculptor Bobby Niven. Anthropomorphic elements haunt Hands, a pair of four-fingered carved wooden spears jutting from the wall, or Leg Platter, an assemblage of found wooden shapes in the image of a small podium perched upon a pair of legs. Three pieces of varying size in the People series resemble hoops of wooden fat hanging low from a thin, leg-like frame. The effect is playful and uncanny. There’s a certain dynamism to them, and the fact Niven tends to work with lighter woods and brighter colours where necessary gives them a cheery patina. Yet the rough-carved wooden stumps of his Garden Party diptych are at once like abstract garden ornaments and unyielding cemetery monoliths, while his Flowers subvert the still-life repose of a similarly ambivalent image such as Van Gogh’s fruit. Cast in concrete and quick-setting foam, they lend a sense of below-the-surface strangeness which pervades all of his work. (David Pollock) ■ Old Ambulance Depot, 558 5400, until 1 Sep, free.

The skeletal quality of Sara Barker’s work acts almost like a frame or window, drawing attention to the openness of her sculptures and the space that fills and surrounds them. Her most recent work, Patterns, has been produced for Parley – an Edinburgh Art Festival programme that commissions publicly sited artistic projects most likely to generate dialogue and debate. Her contribution, and first outdoor exhibition, is an ambitious and thought-provoking structure of brass, aluminium and steel enclosed within a glass pavilion in the sculpture gardens of Jupiter Artland. Constructed in situ, Barker’s structure incorporates the natural effects of light, and the weather and temperature of the surrounding area. This is a deliberate and crucial feature of Barker’s work, and due to the mutable nature of environmental factors one viewer’s experience may be completely different from the next – the likelihood of this increases enormously when staging an outdoor event in Scotland, so there’s an extra element of surprise thrown in here. (Rachel Craig) ■ Jupiter Artland, 01506 889 900, until 15 Sep, £8.50 (£4.50) or free entry with free shuttlebus from city centre (booking essential). 88 THE LIST FESTIVAL 8–15 Aug 2013

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Holiday time means taxi time! For fantastic rates on airport transfers visit

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3d/2d’s West End Fair 2013 Free admission event

Sat 3 to Sun 25 August 100s of makers, artists and designers.

EDINBURGH’S FAMOUS FOSSIL SHOP

Open 11am to 6pm.

5 Cowgatehead Grassmarket Edinburgh EH1 1JY

Find us in the grounds of St Johns, corner of Lothian Rd and Princes St, Edinburgh. More information: www.westendfair.co.uk 0131 661 6600 www.3d2d.co.uk

0131 220 1344

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The UK’s largest annual festival of visual art, presenting work by the best contemporary, modern and historic artists. Pick up your free artist designed map at participating galleries.

1 August – 1 September 2013

www.edinburghartfestival.com @EdArtFest

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FESTIVAL VISUAL ART | Previews

PREVIEW LEONARDO DA VINCI: THE MECHANICS OF MAN Extraordinary fusion of art and science

STUART ARMITT

EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL

The fusion of art and medical science is presented in an extraordinary collection of work in Leonardo da Vinci: The Mechanics of Man, as part of the Edinburgh International Festival. Thirty sheets of multi-layered anatomical drawings, on loan from the Queen’s Royal Collection, show the artist’s exceptional grasp of recently discovered perspective, and for the first time these illustrations are displayed alongside CT and MRI scans, computer simulations and 3D films of the body in order to show the level of artistic skill and scientific accuracy achieved by one of the most advanced minds of the Italian Renaissance. Leonardo’s scientific investigation of the human form spanned some 25 years and his meticulous drawings – from skeletal structures and musculature to the cardiovascular system, principal organs and a foetus in the womb – would not look out of place in a contemporary medical textbook. Initially, his investigations were intended to form a treatise on anatomy, but for a number of reasons this did not come to fruition and his drawings remained largely unknown until around 1900. The illustrations are accompanied by extensive explanatory notes and memorandums in Leonardo’s distinctive mirrorhandwriting, filling every free space on the paper and giving us some insight into his thought processes at the time of this work. A catalogue and iPad app accompany the exhibition and offer translations of his text. The more medically savvy reader will be able to determine the accuracy of these notes, but if you are unlikely to be performing any autopsies in the near future you will have to take Leonardo’s words at face value. (Rachel Craig) ■ The Queen’s Gallery, Palace of Holyroodhouse, 473 2000, until 10 Nov, £6.25 (£5.70).

PREVIEW PETER LIVERSIDGE: DOPPELGÄNGER

PREVIEW PAUL ROONEY AND LEEDS UNITED

PREVIEW MICHAEL NYMAN: MAN WITH A MOVIE CAMERA

Exhibition based on the etchings of 19th century Austrian artist

Video and text works that blur boundaries

Installation of remakes by filmmaker and composer

Fetishism, symbolism and ideal wish-fulfilment all come to the fore in Peter Liversidge’s Edinburgh Art Festival exhibition concerning the etchings of late-19th century German artist, Max Klinger. Klinger was adept at demonstrating how you could take a small idea and turn it into a physical reality that would, in essence, live on in the minds of future viewers long after the creator had expired. Here, Klinger’s ten prints – all hatched from his dreams – focus on a glove he found at an iceskating rink. The glove within these dramatic plates would appear to represent Klinger’s suppressed romantic yearnings for a woman whose face we never see. Clearly, the glove has an independent life of its own, and it lives on today, albeit as a piece of marble on the floor of the Ingleby Gallery. Every element of Liversidge’s work begins at the kitchen table before making its way to the typewriter, the subsequent page, then into the minds of readers who may realise his influence as a future thing (object) or event (happening). (Barry Gordon) ■ Ingleby Gallery, Edinburgh, 556 4441, until 21 Sep, free.

If ever there was a match made in northern English heaven, it’s this one between Liverpool-born polymath Paul Rooney and arts collective Leeds United. While Rooney has plundered pop culture to create a series of fantastical parallel universes featuring the likes of open-top bus tours, 1960s counter-cultural icon Jeff Nuttall, and a sprite trapped in a 12” vinyl record called Lucy Over Lancashire, the pseudonymously inclined Leeds United appropriate other artists’ work for their own ends. As Rooney returns to his alma mater mobhanded, he and Leeds United sniff each other out in a series of mutual homages, mythologies and make-believe histories that break cover with a project begun in 2011 that blurs the boundaries of who exactly did what. Such death-of-the-author tactics include a new video and text-based works, including a video that attempts to claim the Loch Ness monster for the Museum of Modern Art and a bleak little film about Yorkshire rhubarb sheds. Wearing their roots on their sleeves, this is the sight and sounds of the north rising again in a notso-grim exchange of ideas. (Neil Cooper) ■ Edinburgh College of Art, 651 5800, until 1 Sep, free.

Michael Nyman is best known for his work as a contemporary composer who has soundtracked myriad films, including several directed by the painterly Peter Greenaway, as well as scoring mainstream success for his work on Jane Campion’s The Piano. Such visual motifs date right back to Nyman’s work on early Greenaway oddities such as A Walk Through H. All this is compounded in the series of ten remakes of Dziga Vertov’s pioneering 1929 film, Man With A Movie Camera, to make up the installation that forms Nyman’s first ever exhibition in Scotland. Nyman’s original score for Vertov’s experimental exploration of cinematic techniques, by way of studies of Soviet urban life, was first performed by his band in 2002. And Vertov’s original film will be shown alongside Nyman’s remakes in such a way that will allow viewers to walk through the gallery space and watch all films or one. While Nyman mixes and matches his own footage, the aim of the collected works is to capture the essence of Vertov’s spirit, but to make something that plays very much for today. (Neil Cooper) ■ Summerhall, 0845 874 3001, until 31 Aug, free.

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CLUBS

LIST.CO.UK /FESTIVAL

HITLIST THE BEST DANCEFLOOR ACTION

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Gasoline Dance Machine Since launching in 2011, ‘mutant disco’ night GDM has quickly become one of Edinburgh’s favourite new nights. They’ve invited dance label French Express’ star, Moon Boots, to kick off their festival on Sunday night. Cabaret Voltaire, 247 4704, 11 & 24 Aug, 11pm, £7 (£5).

✽ NILS VOM LANDE

LuckyMe – 7th Festival Party The collective descend on Sneaky Pete’s for their seventh annual festival party with a roadblock lineup that includes Rustie, Ben UFO, Éclair Fifi and S-Type. This will be a sellout, so get down early. See interview, left, and win tickets at list.co.uk. Sneaky Pete’s, 225 1757, 9 Aug, 11pm, £16.50 (£15).

LUCKYME Éclair Fiﬁ on LuckyMe and the rise of their now globally-famous collective

‘T

he term “underground” is quite blurred these days I think. I personally don’t see LuckyMe as mainstream, but we’ve always had interest from Radio 1 DJs and other establishments’. Having just landed a coveted slot on the station’s ‘In New DJs We Trust’ show, you could argue that LuckyMe’s Éclair Fifi is one step away from being a household name. Lining up to play Sneaky’s next to turbocharged Glaswegian, Rustie, as well as Ben UFO, S-Type and the Blessings this month, the label’s seventh Festival Party is definitely shaping up to be something special. Founded in 2007, LuckyMe has quickly grown to become one of the leading labels for forward-thinking electronic music, recently releasing game-changing EPs from Baauer, Jacques Greene & TNGHT (Hudson Mohawke’s earth-trembling collaboration with Lunice). From hybrid sounds such as trap to futuristic R&B, the collective are always keen to push the freshest talent and most exciting new music, something which has attracted an enthusiastic and rapidly

expanding fan base. ‘Lately there seems to be more recognition,’ says Éclair, ‘and it’s great because I truly think this music deserves to crossover to the wider audience. In our eyes we release pop music, rap, R&B, classical, house, jazz etc – all of these genres have made the charts at some point in history!’ With thousands of people tuning in to hear her Radio 1 show, Éclair (real name Clair Stirling) is in a prime position to make that happen, fully aware of the label’s influence and reputation. From humble beginnings to globally recognised party collective, LuckyMe have always been at the cutting edge, building success on passion and a curious ear for the future. Ironically, luck hasn’t had much to do with it. (Alex Caslano) Éclair Fifi joins Rustie, Ben UFO, S-Type & The Blessings at Sneaky Pete’s, 225 1757, 9 Aug, 11pm, £16.50 (£15). For a longer verison of this interview, and the chance to win a pair of tickets, see list.co.uk

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iAM A true stalwart of British dance music, Justin Robertson has done it all and is one of the UK’s most celebrated DJs. Making a highly anticipated appearance at iAM, expect to experience a range of sounds all designed to move your feet. See preview, page 92. Cabaret Voltaire, 247 4704, 8 Aug, 11pm, £4 (£2–£3), free with festival wristband.

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Joey Negro Presented by Heavy Gossip and Ultragroove, highly respected house maestro, and founder of Rough Trade’s dance off-shoot, Demix, Joey Negro makes a long-overdue appearance in Edinburgh, getting sample heavy. Entry is gratis too. 99 Hanover Street, 225 8200, 8 Aug, 9pm, free.

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Fly Club present AUS Label Showcase With recent releases from the likes of Dusky and Bicep, Will Saul’s London label AUS Music is doing some serious damage in the clubs. Catch deep dub / house producer Will and underground star in the making, Midland, at this essential party. See preview, page 92. Cabaret Voltaire, 247 4704, 9 Aug, 11pm, £12 (£10).

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FESTIVAL CLUBS | Previews

GO SOBA Who’d have thought you’d find some very excellent late night DJ sets, in a noodle restaurant? There’s plenty happening on George Street this August, with both 99 Hanover Street and Bar Soba booking some tremendous DJs. Here are four who’ll be making the most of the 3am licences at cocktail bar and Asian restaurant, Soba (the old Amore Dogs) Al Doyle (Hot Chip), 8 Aug Guitarist and multi-instrumentalist in Hot Chip; percussionist with the late, lamented LCD Soundsystem before they passed on; half of esoteric funk-pop outfit New Build with the Chip’s Felix Martin; and described by website Fuck Yeah Al Doyle! as ‘The Whitest Boy Alive with more funk.’ This ought to be fun. Daddy G (Massive Attack), 15 Aug (pictured, above) A member of the UK’s esoteric electronic rock royalty through his membership of Massive Attack (the only remaining member alongside Robert ‘3D’ Del Naja), Grantley Marshall’s 2004 DJ Kicks compilation suggests he’ll be playing a deep mix of reggae, soul and old-school trip-hop. Artful (Artful Dodger), 22 Aug One half of the team who inflicted Craig David on us with his debut appearance on Artful Dodger’s hit ‘Re-Rewind’? Or one of the authentic originators of the UK garage and 2-step styles? Mark Hill’s been doing a great job of casting himself as the latter lately, with high-profile sets as Artful and remix collaborations with Disclosure. Jerry Dammers (The Specials), 29 Aug One for the old school here – Dammers was the keyboard player and songwriter with 2-tone icons The Specials, and is currently a hard-working and defiantly knowledgeable reggae and ska DJ. (David Pollock) ■ See Bar Soba’s Facebook page for more info.

FINN TAYLOR

REASONS TO . . .

FLY CLUB PRESENTS AUS MUSIC SHOWCASE London label brings a house music takeover Over the last few years a vast wealth of new talent has come to define British house music. From producers like George FitzGerald and Dusky to the likes of Bicep, Midland and Glimpse, the focus has returned squarely to the UK and what seems like a real renaissance of the underground. Enter AUS Music, one of the most exciting house labels of 2013. Home to all the aforementioned artists and some of the biggest club tracks of the last twelve months, it really is on another level. But what makes AUS worth the hype? It could be the label’s desire to keep things constantly moving – head honcho Will Saul explains. ‘To be honest, I really hope the label isn’t getting recognised for a particular sound as this means we become predictable and in turn, boring. I try to approach A&R-ing by focusing on working with artists that have something that I feel is special and unique. I then let the artists lead the “sound of the label”.’ Playing alongside Midland at an exclusive showcase for Fly Club, Saul is also a prolific producer in his own right and recently released a hotly anticipated album under his new persona, CLOSE. Having presented the project with a live AV show earlier this year, while also holding down sister label ‘Simple Records’, he’s a busy man. ‘I do all the A&R and in fact everything else for the labels as I run them on my own, with a little help from my wife. I look for something unique and fresh from an artist and we aim to release cutting edge electronic music that will blow people off their feet on the dancefloor’. Mission accomplished. (Alex Caslano) ■ Cabaret Voltaire, 247 4704, 9 Aug, 11pm, £10–£12 (£8). For a longer version of this interview visit list.co.uk

IAM PRESENTS JUSTIN ROBERTSON Balearic, oddball disco, EDM, acid – this man’s all over it ‘I love primitive, visceral music,’ says sometime Lionrocker, high-profile remix capo and gentleman of the old school, way back to the Hacienda in the early 90s, Justin Robertson. ‘It’s what comes naturally; I’m not one for over-thinking or rehashing. I like to capture a mood and a moment. If it ain’t working I bin it, or come back to it with fresh ears.’ He’s talking about the production of his first album in 12 years, The Pilgrim’s Ghost (under the alias Deadstock 33s), but he could well be talking about his attitude to a favoured and distinctive collision of the analogue and the electronic in general. He describes 2013 as ‘in many ways a Golden Age for dance,’ but he also hears ‘a lot of balls and nonsense. The music I’m playing now is mindblowing; it takes the best of the past and puts it in a 21st century context. It’s just good to be playing great music to people who dig it and get it.’ (David Pollock) ■ Cabaret Voltaire, 247 4704, 8 Aug, 11pm, £3–4. For a longer version of this interview see list.co.uk

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AROUND TOWN

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HITLIST THE BEST FILMS, FESTS & FOOD

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Whisky Fringe This much anticipated whisky event features around over 200 whiskies to sample each day. Sláinte! Mansfield Traquair, 524 9380, 9–11 Aug, 2–6pm, £24 plus booking fee (includes free snifter glass).

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Exhibition of Sci-fi Poems In honour of Iain M Banks, the SPL displays its collection of sci-fi poetry. Scottish Poetry Library, 557 2876, until 31 Aug (not Sun or Mon), times vary.

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Fair Trade on the Fringe A nine-day sale of wares from around the world, all ethically traded, and with promises of free tastings, inspiration and education. Castle Street, 07914 254334, Sat 10 Aug–Sun 18 Aug, 10am–6pm.

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TURING FRINGE Escape from arts and culture and dip a toe into the tech world

f you’re more a fan of dotcom startups than verbatim theatre, Edinburgh’s Turing Festival has, for the last two years, provided a welcome digital alternative to the world’s largest arts festival in August. But events at the two-day tech extravaganza can be a tad niche for your average algorithm amateur (think sessions on digital distribution models and online business marketing techniques), so this year the organisers are branching out with an expanded fringe programme aimed at a wider audience. The half a dozen Turing Fringe events during August include a tech jobs recruitment fair, an appearance from game designer Jesse Schell, and an event about online gaming and entrepreneurship with Bet365, as well as more crossover gaming and arts events still being finalised. These fringe events are all about ‘creating a Turing Festival community beyond just those two or three days [of the festival itself]’,

according to Festival Manager Francesca Ziolkowska. ‘The overarching theme for the Turing Festival, and our partnership with the International Festival this year, is arts and digital. Our focus on gaming industries ties into that because it’s the cutting edge,’ says Ziolkowska. ‘[Gaming is] very well established and it continues to be a pioneer, and to serve as a great model for other industries like theatre, music and dance.’ The programme is designed simply for ‘anybody who’s interested . . . yes it is techiefocused, and that’s a really broad and allencompassing community. ‘We attract speakers from all over the world and we have audiences from all over the world, and we’re delighted that it contines to grow.’ (Charlotte Runcie) Various venues, until 24 Aug, times and prices vary, see turingfestival.com

Foodies Festival Star chefs and local producers strut their stuff at this festival dedicated to epicureans. Inverleith Park, 0845 995 1111, 9–11 Aug, 10am–8pm, day pass £12 (£10), festival pass £18 (£15), VIP tickets £38, accompanied under 12s free.

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Conversations: Philip Glass and Patti Smith Philip Glass and Patti Smith discuss their artistic collaboration. The Hub, Castlehill, Royal Mile, 0131 473 2000, 13 Aug, 12pm, £6.

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LUGG Billed as the ‘Swedish alternative to the Edinburgh Fringe’, the folks who run Edinburgh’s stylish network of Swedish bars host a month of art, music and themed parties worth dipping into for a snaps or two. Boda Bar, Hemma, Victoria’s, Sofi’s and Joseph Pearce’s, bodabar.com, 8–14 Aug, times and prices vary.

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FESTIVAL AROUND TOWN | Previews

5 THINGS TO SEE AT . . . HENDRICK’S CARNIVAL OF KNOWLEDGE 1 Quintessential Anthology Of Gin If you’re going to have a weekend-long branded excursion into curious discussion and entertainments, you’d be better off doing it right, not to mention with a drink in hand. Among a number of events offering what we take to be a thoughtful and engaging perspective on the sponsors’ signature drink, this one stands out. Hendrick’s British Ambassador Duncan McRae (what a job title) will be offering ‘history, anecdotes and mythology’, as well as tasting samples (11 Aug, 2.30pm, £15).

SUMMERHALL FILM EVENTS Film performances that confront the original and mysterious Summerhall are embracing challenging visuals, sonic landscapes and innovative filmmakers in their programme of film events for this year’s Fringe, showcasing a style of cinema a world away from the multiplex. One highlight is In Conversation with The Brothers Quay. If you’ve not heard of them, think slightly dark, twisted stop-motion animation, in the realm of Jan Svankmajer or even Jim Henson’s The Storyteller series. This is an incredibly rare chance to hear them speak about their influences and their work, and if daring animation is your thing then you won’t want to miss it. Speaking of dark cinema, Pumajaw’s innovative Song Noir show is another standout for film lovers. The experimental art duo, made up of sound designer and instrumentalist John Wills and vocalist Pinkie Maclure, combine bewitching vocals and innovative arrangements of songs from across the spectrum of film noir. Explaining how the visual elements of the show – experimental projections and visual collages that sync with the performance – combine with the music, Maclure says: ‘The films create environments and atmospheres to enhance the music. There’s no explicit narrative there, rather a theme running through them of mystery and suspense.’ Mystery and suspense – that’s as good a definition of ‘noir’ as we can get. If you want a clearer understanding, go check out the show. Sven Werner’s Tales of Magical Realism is another blend of film and music that looks set to mesmerise: an immersive installation based on Werner’s film Oculista, in which a lone traveller meets a beautiful mysterious girl at a train station. The show sold out during its initial run at Sonica 2012, so advance booking is a no-brainer. (Harry Harris) ■ In Conversation with The Brothers Quay, 12 Aug, 8.30pm, £10 (£8); Song Noir, until 25 Aug (not 12, 19), 9.45pm, £9 (£7); Tales of Magical Realism, 12–25 Aug (not 14, 21), times vary, £14 (£9). All events at Summerhall, 0845 874 3001.

2 How To Read A Story Outside the confines of the Book Festival, the Carnival of Knowledge whets our bookish appetites with some literary events presented by Granta. First we think you should learn how to promote your own, as comedian Viv Groskop, Literary Death Match’s Suzanne Azzopardi and Granta’s Saskia Vogel discuss the art of short story reading in public (9 Aug, 7.30pm, £12). 3 Alasdair Gray In Conversation The author of Lanark is, of course, one of Scotland’s greatest living novelists. What will he end up discussing with the BBC’s Head of the Arts for the UK, Jonty Claypole? His writing? His art? His nation, with the independence referendum growing ever-closer? Hopefully all of the above and more besides (10 Aug, 5pm, £12). 4 The Architecture Of Our Dreams Historian and presenter Dan Cruickshank is famed for his television shows Around the World in 80 Treasures and What the Industrial Revolution Did For Us. With his appearance inside the Carnival of Knowledge he explores, and we quote, ‘the world’s greatest cities, buildings and monuments’. All in an hour, so he’d better talk fast (10 Aug, 2.30pm, £12).

DETOURS Intimate shows at the Art Festival

■ Hendrick’s Carnival of Knowledge is at One Royal Circus from 8–11 Aug. See hendricksgin.com/carnivalofknowledge for more on these and other events.

5 Literary Salon Raised in Newarthill, Lanarkshire, writer, journalist and ‘salonniere’ Damian Barr now lives in Brighton, hosts the literary salon at Shoreditch House and has written the well-received book of memoirs Maggie & Me. Here, he brings his salon experience to Edinburgh in the company of writers including Janice Galloway and Maggie O’Farrell (8 Aug, 8.30pm, £12). (David Pollock)

Detours is a series of intimate live performances, running as part of Edinburgh Art Festival and dipping in and out of different genres, blurring the lines between art forms for both artist and audience. ‘I think the opportunity to experience visual art alongside other art forms will inevitably open up different perspectives,’ says Sorcha Carey, director of Edinburgh Art Festival. Exploring how different genres can both conflict and complement, highlights include Billy Letford – poet and roofer – performing in the Conde Nast Coming Into Fashion show at City Art Centre. Meanwhile, Roddy Woomble’s (pictured) set at the Dovecot Studios’ Following a Thread exhibition showcases two very different art forms – folk music and contemporary art – coming together in an unexpected place. ‘I hope the audiences will come away feeling that they have been opened up to something new,’ adds Carey, ‘having experienced the gallery spaces in a way they don’t normally see.’ (Kirstyn Smith) ■ Festival Detours, until 29 Aug. See edinburghartfestival.com for more information.

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8–15 Aug 2013 THE LIST FESTIVAL 95

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FESTIVAL INDEX

Festival INDEX 33 86 Abandoman 54 Adam Hess and David Elms 54 Adam Mars-Jones 19 Adam Smith: Le Grand Tour 86 Adam Thirlwell 30 Admiral Fallow 70 Airnadette 49 Al Doyle 92 AL Kennedy 19, 32 Alasdair Gray in Conversation 94 Alex Horne 11 Allan Wilson 28 Anatomy of the Piano 12, 72 Andrew Lawrence 47 Andrew Maxwell 54 Anna 84 The Appalling Carly Smallman 44 The Architecture of our Dreams 94 Around the World in 8 Mistakes 31 Artful 92 Auditory Hallucinations 12 Austen’s Women 77 Avenue Q 86 Banksy: The Room in the Elephant 84 BBC Edinburgh Festival Fringe Slam Heats 31 Be Captivated 60 Before Wonderland 4 Ben Ufo 91 Ben Van der Velde 54 Ben Verth 54 Benny Boot 54 Benny Davis 53 Best of Young British Novelists 2013 at Jura Unbound 32 The Beta Males 54 Bianco 12 Billy Letford 94 Bin Laden: The One Man Show 86 Bjorn Gustafsson 53 The Blessings 91 The Bloody Ballad 81 Bo Burnham 14 Bobby Mair 47 Bobby Niven: Palm of the Hand 88 The Boy with Tape on his Face 11 Brush 4 The Bunker Trilogy: Agamemnon 82 The Bunker Trilogy: Macbeth 82 Burgher Burger 24 Cambuyon 59 Candia McWilliam 19 Captain Flinn and The Pirate Dinosaurs 64 Carey Marx 51 Cariad & Paul: A Two-Player Adventure 35 Carl Hutchinson 54 Catriona Knox 36 Cerys Matthews 32 Choose Your Own Documentary by Nathan Penlington 78 Chris Fitchew 54 Chris Stokes 54 Chris Ware 32 Christian O’Connell 47 Ciara 76 Circa: Wunderkammer 4 Clown for Hire 85 The Colour Ham 54 Company Man 4 The Confessions of Gordon Brown 86 Craig Campbell 54 Cut Hands 69 Daddy G 92 Dark Vanilla Jungle 76 Davey Connor 54 David Baddiel 42 David Morgan 54 David Quirk 54

Detours 94 Diane Spencer 54 Dido and Aeneas 4 Die Roten Punkte 12, 49 Diego y Ulises 60 Dinner is Swerved 24 Dirty Water 86 Doctor Brown 33 Does my Face Look Big in This? 36 Don’t Drop the Egg 40 Doppelganger 90 Drum Struck 72 Eastend Cabaret 49 Eclair Fifi 91 Electro Bevvy and the Dolphin Boys 12 Emily Berry 31 The Epicene Butcher and Other Stories for Consenting Adults 81 Erotic Writing Masterpiece 31 The Events 81 Everyman 86 Evie Wyld 32 Fanfiction Comedy 41 Farce Noir 54 Fidelio 68 Fly Club Presents AUS Music Showcase 92 Fright or Flight 12 Funny Women 12 Gareth Richards 54 Gary Delaney 54 George Monbiot 32 Giraffe 54 A Glee-Inspired: Rome and Juliet 4 God, Greed and Football 54 Gokcenur C 32 Grease 4 Greg Proops 54 Grim Tales from the Brothers Grimm 32 Grounded 86 Gyles Brandreth 40 Handmade Tales 64 Have I No Mouth 86 Hendrick’s Carnival of Knowledge 31, 94 Higgs 86 High Plains (A Western Myth) 78 Hooked 86 How Do I Get Up There? 54 How to be a Modern Marvel 81 How to Make a Killing in Bollywood 86 How to Read a Story 94 Howard Read 51 Humza Arshad 34 Hunt & Darton 24 I Believe in Unicorns 4 The I Hate Children Children’s Show 64 Iain Stirling 56 Ian Rankin 32 In Conversation with the Brothers Quay 94 The Independence Debate with Kirsty Wark 32 It’s Dark Outside 85 It’s Me Dwayne 56 James Acaster 41 Janeane Garofalo 10 Jen Ashworth 32 Jenni Fagan 18, 32 Jenny Eclair 44 Jerry Dammers 92 Jess Richards 32 Jessie Schell 93 Jitterball 24 Jo L Walton 31 Joanna Kavenna 18 Joe Sacco 27 Joey Page 56 John Burnside 32

Need help navigating your way around our Festival coverage? We’ve made a neat list of all the Festival shows covered in this issue right here. We’ll leave you to add your own highlighter pen notes or Biro scribbles around it, as you wish John Robins 51 Josh Widdicombe 51 Kate Atkinson 32 Keith Farnan 42 KelFi & Fi Kel 56 Kiss Me Honey, Honey! 86 Knightmare Live 22 Krijn de Koning 10 Kristen Iversen 32 Krystelle Bamford 29 L.O.V.E. 60 L’Apres-midi d’un Foehn 65 Ladyboner 41 Laquearia 82 La Belle et La Bete 20 Leonardo da Vinci: The Mechanics of Man 90 Lili La Scala 12 Literary Salon 94 LJODAHATT 31 Long Distance Affair 12 Lost Voice Guy 44 LuckyMe 91 Luisa Omielan 49 Luke Wright 12 The Magical Playroom 63 The Maharajah and the Kohinoor 64 Maj Sjowall 32 Making News 77 Manuel Rivas 32 Mark Dolan 12, 56 Mary Bourke 56 Mat Ricardo 12 Max and Ivan 56 Measure for Measure 86 Men 86 Mercy Killers 86 Michael J Dolan 56 Michael Nyman: Man with a Movie Camera 90 Michael Pederson 28 Mike Oldfield’s Tubular Bells for Two 72 Mikey Avern 56 Milton Jones 56 Miracles Etc 56 Miriam Gamble 31 Missing (by Gecko) 85 Morgana 82 Mostly West: Franz West and Artist Collaborations 87 Murleydance Double Bill 59 Nadeem Aslam 32 Nadia Kamil: Wide Open Beavers 36 Nirbhaya 77 The Noise Next Door 56 Omega 78 On the Beach 77 One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest 86 Pajama Men 53 Patrick Flanery 30 Patrick Ness 30 Patti Smith 20 Paul Currie 56 Paul Rooney and Leeds United 90 Paul Zerdin 56 Peggy Riley 32 Peter Hook 66 Peter Liversidge 90 Philip Glass 20 Philipp Meyer 30 Pippa Goldschmidt 28 The Poet Speaks 20 Pommery Champagne Cafe Bar 24 Quietly 85 Quintessential Anthology of Gin 94 Rachel Cusk 19 Real MacGuffins 42 Red Bastard 12 Rhys Matthewson 12 Rhys Nicholson 56

Rise Kagona & The Jit Jive Band 69 Robert Montgomery: Edinburgh Fire Poem 88 Rod Woodward 56 Roddy Doyle 32 Roddy Woomble 94 Rodge Glass & Adam Marek 32 Romeo and Juliet 65 Romesh Ranganathan 40 Ron Rash 32 Roughs 86 Rowan Pelling 31 Ruby Wax 32 Russ Powell 56 Rustie 91 S-Type 91 Saki and Flynn 12 Salman Rushdie 18, 19, 32 Sam Lloyd 56 Sam Riviere 31 Sandpit Avenue 86 Sarah Dunant 32 Sarah Hall 32 Sara Barker: Patterns 88 Scott Agnew 56 Seven Ages 86 Shane Mauss 56 The Shawshank Redemption 78 A Simple Space 12 Sing it Loud, Sing it Proud 32 Smashed 58 Somnambules & the 7 Deadly Sins 76 Song Noir 94 Sotho Sounds 12 Stephanie Chan: Foreigner Go Home (with me!) 31 Stephen Carlin 56 Steven Hall 18 Stevie Davies 32 Sunjeev Sahota 18 Suzy Bennett 44 Swans 69 Tales of Magical Realism 94 Tamar Broadbent 41 Tangram 60 That Pair 40 ThaTha 12, 59 The Thinking Drinker’s Guide to Alcohol 56 The Three Little Pigs 84 Tibor Fischer 19 The Tin Ring 86 Titus 65 Toby Litt 19 Tom Rosenthal 47 Tongue Fu 31, 32 Tony Jameson 36 Trendy Wendy 12 Turing Festival 93 Twonkey’s Blue Cadabra 10, 70 Undone 86 The Veil (Le Foulard) 76 Vikki Stone 12 Vive le Cabaret 12 Walking with Poets 32 War of the Worms 65 Wellington International Ukelele Orchestra 12 When I Grow Up 56 Wil Hodgson 53 Will Franken 42 Will Saul 92 Will Storr 30, 32 Witches and Wicked Bodies 88 Withered Hand 70 WN Herbert 32 Worbey & Farrell 72 XD 59 You All Know Me – I’m Jack Ruby 84

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8–15 Aug 2013 THE LIST FESTIVAL 3

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4 THE LIST FESTIVAL 8–15 Aug 2013

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