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NewsRevue - 25th Anniversary Edition
Verdict: Guinness World Record show
Review of NewsRevue's simultaneous London run
A Guinness World Record has been awarded to NewsRevue as the world's longest running comedy. Details of the award and presentation on the show's 25th anniversary - 18 August 04 in Edinburgh and London are here.
NewsRevue parodies news and current events, often via the medium of knob gags. It's on weekly at London's Canal Café Theatre, and annually at the Edinburgh Fringe. So during August, two separate shows run simultaneously, 400 miles apart.
The Edinburgh show features four of NewsRevue's best actors: Gunnar Cauthery (the slim actor with reddish hair), Marcus Garvey (the tall actor), Beth Vyse (the actress with dark brown hair) - just returned from a year with the Royal Shakespeare Company, Lorna Watson (the actress with tumbling brown curls) - Edinburgh University graduate and star of The Lost Word.
It's directed by experienced comedy actress Katy Bartrop who directed perhaps NewsRevue's best London run over the last year (review). Pianist/Musical Director is the sublime Pete Smith - FR Awards 04 - Best Musical Director.
Highlights tonight include: Beth Vyse dancing and singing blissfully as Kate Bush in 'George Bush' - a sketch she also wrote. Lorna Watson impishly severe as a po-faced teacher in '10 in a bed', parodying footballing gang-rape. Marcus Garvey striking as President Bush in a superb anti-Iraq war sketch (which he wrote). Gunnar Cauthery superb as Michael Jackson in a song-and-dance parody, complete with top-hat.
Pete Smith delivers masterful piano, a performance of delight and inspiration. Jake Wiltshire produces dramatic and intriguing lighting. Katy Bartrop provides exact, creative and imaginative direction, with a fine sense for the comedic essence of each sketch, joke and song.
Tonight's show (contents vary) also includes satire on railways (Shitty Shitty Railways), Prime Minister Blair & Chancellor Brown, Robbie Williams, Michael Jackson, Trevor McDonald, Lady Thatcher (I Was Always Undermined), John Major, IDS, William Hague, President Bush, Abu Hamza ('Ranting In The Street'), Moira Stewart, 25 Years of the Royal Family, Turner Prize, tv dumbing down ('Dumb Down'), Lindy England, British athletes ('Chariots of Fire'), Kirsty Wark, President Clinton & Monica Lewinsky, Charles Kennedy ('Five Hundred Malts'), Jeremy Beadle, gay bishops ('Bishops in the Night'), police preferences ('I'm Dreaming of a White Police Force'), Greg Rusedski, the Vagina Monologues, Hugh Edwards, the IRA ('Real IRA' to 'YMCA').
Writers: NewsRevue writers over the last year include (alpha order): Alan Stafford, Albert Black, Alex Constantine, Alex Dower, Alex Silverman, Alex Woodhall, Alun Maxwell, Andi Osho, Andrea Sadler, Andrew Byron, Andrew Camichel, Andy Fleming, Antonina Lewis, Barney Power, Barry Dunstall, Barry Grossman, Ben Pheazey, Ben Wright, Beth Vyse, Carol Kentish, Caroline Adams, Caroline Bainbridge, Chandrika Chevli, Chloe Summerskill, Christopher Bryant, Christopher Hale, Chris Petrus, Colin Stutt, Damian Kell, Dan Davies, Darren Lee, David French, Derek Thompson, Director and Cast, Elizabeth Bower, Emma Bentley, Emma Leon, Frances May, Geoff Aymer, Gunnar Cauthery, Halli Cauthery, Howard Boswell, Jake Wilson, James G Fain, James Harris, James Lamont, James Marson, Jason Oscar, Jason Peck, Jason Smart, Jeff Halls, Jeremy Rommer, John Cowan, John Hodiak, John Random, Jon Dixon, Jon Kirk, Jonny Hurst, Josie Melia, Julian Caddy, Katy Bartrop, Keith Henderson, Laura Solon, Lise Cervi, Liz Bower, Lorna Watson, Marc Blakewill, Marcus Garvey, Martin Baum, Matt Bates, Matt Malone, Menno Kuijper, Michael Schipper, Mike Tier, Neill Ellis Roy, Nick Murphy, Nicola Willett, Noel Christopher, Odette Abbott, Patrick Bland, Paul Jones, Paul Millard, Peter Styles, Philip Lunn, Rich Hough, Rick Edwards, Ron Winkworth, Rupert Keenlyside, Rupert Wainwright, Sara Cogan, Sarah-Louise Young, Sean McSweeney, Schipper, Simon Balcon, Simon Carter, Simon Ounsworth, Stephen Bessant, Stuart Piper, Subvertigo, Tanya Tier, Terry Newman, Thomas Garvey, Tom Bodell, Tracy Ingham, Uncredited, and many others.
Cast Credits (alpha order): Gunnar Cauthery, Marcus Garvey, Beth Vyse, Lorna Watson. Musical Director (MD)/pianist - Pete Smith.
Company Credits: Script Editors - Marc Blakewill, James Harris. Director - Katy Bartrop. Technical Director - Jake Wiltshire. Technical Manager - Rebecca Malby, Ross McGivern. Acting Artistic Director - Louis Brownhill. Artistic Director - Emma Taylor.
END
John Park
reviewed 15 July 04 / Edinburgh Show / Canal Café Theatre
Fringe Report (c) Fringe Report 2002-2009
