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NEWSREVUE
Verdict: News comedy cabaret: Christmas/New Year Special
London - Canal Café Theatre - Dec 02/Jan 03
Run of December 02 to January 03
NewsRevue parodies current affairs. It's written by a team of about 30 writers. There are four actors, a musical director (arranger/pianist) and a director who change every 6 weeks. The current run is a pick of 2002 Christmas/New Year Special.
The present cast are (alpha order) Lise Cervi, Gareth Kane, Alun Maxwell, and Beth Vyse. Musical Director Matt Shaw. Director Alex Woodhall.
This highly gifted cast presents an excellent run of NewsRevue that's topical and funny. It's full of very dirty jokes mixed into high-class satirical writing. It's up-to-date, at the same time summarising the top (and bottom) news items that have stood out in 2002.
Individual performances are superb, examples from each performer (alpha order): Lise Cervi's an excellent President Saddam Hussein (and risqué prostitute teacher); Gareth Kane's a superb Prime Minister Blair, dripping with smarm and oozing plausibility; Alun Maxwell's a gloriously idiotic and wholly convincing President Bush; Beth Vyse writes and performs unforgettably (with Alun Maxwell) her hilarious and original Kate/George Bush spoof.
Highlight of the show, of many excellent sketches, is the chilling ensemble finale Tomorrow Belongs To Me by Alex Woodhall. It parodies President Bush's determination for war, and its horrifying consequences. There's an illusion of humour, which fades - this is a dark piece indeed - climaxing in a fine vignette of dramatic theatre.
Alex Woodhall directs this run of NewsRevue with punchy and envigorating élan.
Production Credits. Technical Manager - Jacob Wiltshire - Jake Wiltshire provides exact sound and superbly-designed lighting for the 50-odd sketches: his set-piece finale for 'Tomorrow Belongs to Me' is a masterpiece of dramatic lighting. Box Office/Administration- Louis Brownhill. Producer - Emma Taylor.
Topics covered tonight include (approximately in order): the Euro, Cherie Blair's cosmetic anthrax scare, Rupert Murdoch, TV dumbing down, Halle Berry's acceptance speech, transplanted pigs' hearts, Prince Harry's father, Frank Sinatra from down below, Afghanistan news burial, Roy Keane, Israeli air strikes, Queen Mother's resurrection, Queen Mother as a Super Trouper, Prince Philip as stand-up, Queen Mother 2-minute silence, South West Trains, Stephen Byers's difficulty with the truth, Dr Harold Shipman, Diana a misunderstood slapper? - Jennie Bond asks Prince Charles, vocational exams, repossession of farms with foot-and-mouth, Prime Minister Blair up President Bush's bottom, President Bush and the Earth Summit, Jean-Marie Le Pen, Prime Minister Blair's sale of jets to India, Israeli ethnic cleansing, Sven-Goran Eriksson, Argentinian Whine tasting, digital v analogue TV, Israelis as EastEnders - Sharon's Bar, Angus Deaton, Rik Waller's size, Her Majesty's prayer re Prince Charles, IRA apology, paedophile police investigating paedophile murders, Prime Minister Blair's foreign adventures, George Bush as Kate Bush hero, PM Blair's committment to Cabinet democracy, political Toys 'R' Us, low pay for teachers and extended exams for special needs pupils, Michael Barrymore, Iain Duncan Smith addresses the Conservative Conference, Lady Thatcher's stroke, Palestinian dream: 'If I Were Israeli', fire brigade strike and the Royal Society For The Protection of Birds, 11 September silence, John Leslie, Tammy Tourette and her syndrome, UN weapons inspection of Iraq, Chechen theatre critics, Heather McCartney, President Bush makes a speech, Tomorrow Belongs To Me.
Recent writers of the show include: (alpha order) Odette Abbott, Caroline Adams, Geoff Aymer, Matt Bates, Martin Baum, Stephen Bessant, Marc Blakewill, Patrick Bland, Tom Bodell, Howard Boswell, Christopher Bryant, Andrew Byron, Andrew Camichel, The Cast, Lise Cervi, Noel Christopher, John Cowen, Alex Dower, Barry Dunstall, Terry Franks-Newman, Thomas Garvey, Jeff Halls, James Harris, Keith Henderson, John Hodiak, Matt Malone, Jonny Hurst, Tracy Ingham, Paul Jones, Rupert Keenlyside, Frances May, Alun Maxwell, Nick Murphy, Simon Ounsworth, Stuart Piper, John Random, Andrea Sadler, Alex Silverman, Alan Stafford, Colin Stutt, Mike Tier, Tanya Tier, Uncredited, Beth Vyse, Rupert Wainwright, Ron Winkworth, Alex Woodhall, Sarah-Louise Young.
END
John Park
reviewed Thursday 5 December 02 (week 2 of current run) / Canal Café Theatre
Further information on this show - Producer Emma Taylor tells us that NewsRevue welcomes new writers - contact her on 020 7289 6056 or email mail@newsrevue.com.
Fringe Report (c) Fringe Report 2002-2008
