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Latest items? Unedited? Fringe Report Uncut
DIRECTING SHOWCASE
Verdict: 8 entertaining mini-dramas
Edinburgh - Scotsman Hotel - August 02
DIRECTING SHOWCASE is a collection of 8 pieces by 7 directors,
enacted by casts drawn from a 24-strong company of actors:
BONNIE AND CLYDE
Director MARIE PARKER SHAW takes on the challenge of presenting a
high-speed car chase. It's effectively done, using
vibrating dummy cars, and stylised lighting to eavesdrop on the
conversations in each car. It's the pursuit and shoot-out ending
of Bonnie and Clyde. Cast of 9.
IT STARTED WITH A KISS
Director BEVERLEY HATWELL narrates a cautionary tale about a
different kind of liposuction. The music-over is 'It Started With
A Kiss', changing to 'Stuck On You', as a snogging teenage couple
become permanently attached at the mouth. It's funny and cleverly
acted. Cast of 11.
THE MOTHER
Director WILLIAM RIBO assembles a cunning set hinting at 4 rooms, a
garden, and a staircase, in a remarkably small area, to tell a story
of destructive mother-love. There are a lot of hot Spanish senoritas
in this one, some elegant dance, and crimes of passion lurking past
and present. Cast of 11. Original music composed by Matt Cooper and
arranged by William Ribo.
LE DÉJEUNER DES CANOTIERS
Director BEVERLEY HATWELL has a lot of fun with this animation of
Auguste Renoir's 1881 painting (The Luncheon of the Boating Party).
She choreographs a cast of 14 with wit and visual delight. Finally
we get to hear what those cunning Frenchies mutter when they're
sur la mer, and it's not 'Hello Sailor'.
WORLD'S STRONGEST MAN
There's a nice double-act here between two all-American starlets
guarding the curtains to the 'screen' which director JENNIFER MUSHUMANI
creates onstage for this spoof television sports programme. She uses
gauze and some interesting lighting to create a 'tv' image of the strongest
men at work. There's a witty script (bitchy starlet to starlet with
blonde plaits: 'Go back to Switzerland, Heidi'). Cast of 9.
IN AN ELEVATOR
Director VERITY BELL presents an entertaining and intricate mini-drama
of what can happen in a jammed lift when office lust erupts. She creates
a convincing set out of simple elements, and uses her coming-and-going
cast of 8 on several apparent floors. There's a real sense of travelling
the shaft (no pun intended) of a large building - a superb feat of
imagination from the director, and fine acting.
SHOESHINE
Director ANTHONY WHITFIELD takes the risk of blacking-up two white actors to play
shoeshine boys in America (by coincidence, George Mitchell - founder of the Black
and White Minstrel Show - died a few days after this piece was performed). There's a smart interplay between the two men themselves - one young, one old - and between them and their white customers. The attitudes revealed are by no means entirely stereotypical. There's an interesting
2-level set and some sharp dialogue in this witty and intricate piece. Cast of 6.
WHISKEY IN THE JAR
Director CHRISTINA ANTHONY-COLLINS is kept fully occupied with this collection of stage-Irish
drinkers roused to rebel song before one of them bites the bullet of a wicked English soldier.
She has a lot of actors (15) to distribute around a small stage and manages it elegantly. There are some highly unlikely Irish accents at work here, but it's acted with lively aplomb by a fine cast,
and the song makes an effective closer.
THE DIRECTING SHOWCASE
Each piece is reviewed above, mainly in terms of the individual director. Common to each is a selection from a pool of fine individual actors. Each plays a variety of different roles, often involving rapid changes of style and vocabulary. Most of the directors are included in the cast. It's a fine ensemble theatre production.
Cast credits (alpha order):
Etta Bell, Verity Bell, David Bark-Jones, Rachel Bark-Jones, Russell Collins, Simon Connolly,
Matt Cooper, Audrey David, Sacha Grimsditch, Beverley Hatwell, Adrian Lloyd, Lizeth Meazza,
Jennifer Mushumani, Eileen Nicholas, Nick O'Brien, Heather Painter, Claire Randall, Steve Randall,
William Ribo, Jatinder Sahi, Angus Scott, Kate Sellers, Hannah Turkaslan, Nick West.
Stage manager - Nick West. Assistant stage manager - David Bark-Jones. Lighting operator -
Elizabeth Bowe. Sound operator - Anthony Whitfield. Producer - Sofa Productions.
END
John Park
reviewed Thursday 22 August 02 / Scotsman Hotel
reference site - Le Déjeuner des Canotiers
reference site (alternative) - Le Déjeuner des Canotiers
Fringe Report (c) Fringe Report 2002-2012
www.fringereport.com
