home
|
about
|
news
|
contents
|
gossip
|
photographs
|
venues
|
brighton
|
dublin
|
edinburgh
|
film
|
features
|
interviews
|
awards
|
fashion
|
recipes
|
no more drinks
|
newsletter
|
links
|
contact
Latest items? Unedited? Fringe Report Uncut
The Reduced Edinburgh Fringe Impro Show
Verdict: Fast, plenty of laughs
Edinburgh 06 - Pleasance Dome - 6-28 August 06 - 21:40 (1:00)
This show guarantees to provide a version of anything from the Fringe Programme - as picked by the audience. The Reduced Edinburgh Fringe Impro Show is performed by improvisation company Scratch.
1930s homosexuality, communism and class epic Another Country emerges in song. Ruth Bratt's matron keeps schoolboy Gareth Kane factually accurate. Her close eye for detail picks up the others on historical points and what they're supposedly wearing. Another Country promises to return in two more parts.
There's comedy show Spank, Top Gun ('Can you reach me that one?'), Batboy, the Musical. Moths Ate My Doctor Who Scarf has geeks discussing memorabilia, in a nerd's equivalent of dogging. Another Country develops - will the new-boy get the girl, before bully Dan March does something nasty?
A film director has to guess where he reset which film, starring whom, based on the cast acting out the audience’s earlier suggestions - great cheers when he works it out. An assassins sketch falls a bit flat. Six-foot-something Gareth Kane explaining a show called Painters to Pippa Evans - with barely-five-foot Ruth Bratt providing the arms - is wonderfully funny.
The finale of Another Country has the bully poisoning the girl - and the hero rescuing her (complete with her audience-suggested glass eye). It's happy-ever-after as matron reflects that - while she may not get this particular boy - she's free to molest the 10-year-olds.
The ending is slightly disappointing: good lines, but drawn out into song. This format also under-uses pianist Phil Lunn. Overall, the hour passes very fast, with plenty of laughs.
Cast Credits: (alpha order): Ruth Bratt. Pippa Evans. Gareth Kane. Steve Keyworth (not performing tonight). Dan March. Alex Norris. Phil Lunn - Musical Director (pianist).
Company Credits: Director - John Mawer. Technician - Sophie Bishop. Company - Scratch. Website - www.scratchimpro.com.
END
(c) Gill Smith 2006
reviewed Wednesday 23 August 06 / Pleasance Dome
Fringe Report (c) Fringe Report 2002-2012
