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drinks Monday 2 June 08
DUBLIN ... Colman Higgins describes the scope and history of Dublin Gay Theatre Festival ... and reviews two of its shows ... Down Dangerous Passes Road ... Confessions of A Mormon Boy /// LONDON ... film on now ... La Question Humaine / Heartbeat Detector /// BRIGHTON ... It's on till 26 May and here's at least 20 Things you might want to know about Brighton Fringe /// PEOPLE ... Who was there at Fringe Report's First Monday 5 May - photographs & article /// CULTURE ... One Culture ... film screening 30 May booking now ... details
Playing
Verdict: Darkness in sexual fantasy
Edinburgh 04 - ClubWEST @ Drummond Community High School - 16.15 (1hr 20min)
Playing is a drama about relationships from a cast of two. It runs at 80 minutes, and is not suitable for under-18s.
When life in a relationship resorts to eating take-aways in front of the telly; when chocolate ice-cream replaces sex (but not 9½ Weeks-style) - what can a
couple do?
Lorraine and Richard embark on role-playing fantasies. Consequences are extremely funny until one fantasy goes too far and turns to reality. Fear takes hold, throwing the couple into confusion and recrimination that will affect them for the rest of their lives.
Richard (Nathan Naylor) is a morning person. His partner Lorraine (Elizabeth Bower) is not. Neither realises the need for more understanding of the other's space and idiosyncrasies.
Elizabeth Bower is wonderfully sexy as the bubbly, dirty-laughed Lorraine, who wants to romp around in the evening and watch TV in the morning. And she looks stunning in mis-matched green flowery bra and Union-Jack knickers.
Nathan Naylor is convincing as the nerdy and sensitive Richard - with his
morning routine; his evenings spent farting and slobbing-out.
The actors evoke the sense of awkwardness when their characters play games for the first time. As the characters become more confident, so does the playing.
Playing - by writer Jodi Miller - examines communication, understanding, trust, and why things go wrong when couples aren't in synch. It looks at sex and its limitations within a relationship. It's witty, thought-provoking, and ripples with insight. And when one fantasy goes too far, it becomes very dark indeed.
Cast Credits (alpha order): Elizabeth Bower - Lorraine. Nathan Naylor - Richard.
Company Credits: Writer - Jodi Miller. Director - Lisa Cagnacci. Lighting Designer - Rachel Chislett. Company - SwiftKick Theatre Company. Sponsor - Sh!Women's Erotic Emporium.
END
(c) Lea Harris 2004
reviewed Friday 13 August 04 / ClubWEST @ Drummond Community High School
Fringe Report (c) Fringe Report 2002-2008
