In recent years the International Festivals brochure has included little to interest me. However, the moment I read about this concept I was tempted but I didn't book up until we arrived in Edinburgh and realised this was arguably the event of this year's festival.
Despite coming to 14 festivals over 26 years I have never yet climbed Arthur's Seat and so we chose to end this week's madness up this peak over-looking Scotland's capital. Naturally we took a chance on the weather and despite torrential rain the night before we picked a gloroius night to start our ascent.
We were warned that some parts would be strenuous and although I thought this was over-cautious Health and Safety speak, they were right. But armed with our light-sticks we headed ever upwards leaving the noisy chaos of a Friday festival night far beneath us.
This piece is several shows for the price of one. Firstly, it is an impressive work-out and after a week of indulgence ( including eating our weight in Indian food and downing a couple of bottles of wine just beforehand ) we felt we needed to. Secondly, with dusk falling the landscape was glorious and as we rose further the views of Edinburgh and beyond were spectacular.
Then there was the artisitic element of this show. The light stick was kept alight by the energy provided by previous walkers and runners and the flickering element at the top was generated by your own movements. Similarly, each stick was primed to release its own noise relating to your particular walking style and the resonances you created.
All this still isn't enough. As you walk along trying not to slip or slide off the path your eyes are constantly distracted by runners moving along the countryside wearing their own body lights. Whether you think they are ghostly figures, occasionally noisy as they cheer along, mad joggers or magical representations of the outdoor life etc you can make up your own mind.
Ulitmately, though this is a totally unique event especially as it was designed purely for Arthur's Seat as part of the 2012 Olympiad. I gather there are discussions with Rio De Janiero to adapt this spectacular for the 2016 Olympics. Let's hope they succeed.
For us, this was the perfect end to another astonishing festival.
Thanks to all concerned especially the group leader who always appeared just when I was about to experience problems and ensured I returned safely. Always a bonus at the end of a hectic week.
Sunday, 26 August 2012
Hi-Kick -17th August 2012
Every year we try to see as many diverse shows as possible in our Edinburgh itinerary. We always like to select a dance piece but it is never easy knowing what to pick. So, for once I took the lead from the reviews and after seeing 5 stars scattered around I chose Seol and Co's "Hi-Kick" for our penultimate show.
This was billed as featuring "stunning dance and football" and it fully ticked both boxes. We meet some keen yet less than prolific footbalers having a gentle kick-around until they are out-played and outmuscled by a self-confident group of bully boys. Gradually, our underdogs improve their technique and have a final showdown against their less than gracious opponents. You don't have to be John Motson to guess how this ends.
This is an enjoyable show but at an hour it does outstay its welcome. The ability to control a football and invent rhythmic movement was impressive but there was only so much they could do with this format. They did, however, successfully connect with the audience ( today featuring a lot of children) getting them to clap along and even getting a couple of volunteers onstage to play keepy-uppy.
So far so predictable but I didn't expect this show to pull an emotional punch. So, when a female character ( whose catch-phrase had been " I love fotball") remonstrated that "fighting not football! I got unexpectedly choked up as this seemed to encapsualte why I have fallen out of love with the game at the top level.
A great way to enliven a festival goers week!
This was billed as featuring "stunning dance and football" and it fully ticked both boxes. We meet some keen yet less than prolific footbalers having a gentle kick-around until they are out-played and outmuscled by a self-confident group of bully boys. Gradually, our underdogs improve their technique and have a final showdown against their less than gracious opponents. You don't have to be John Motson to guess how this ends.
This is an enjoyable show but at an hour it does outstay its welcome. The ability to control a football and invent rhythmic movement was impressive but there was only so much they could do with this format. They did, however, successfully connect with the audience ( today featuring a lot of children) getting them to clap along and even getting a couple of volunteers onstage to play keepy-uppy.
So far so predictable but I didn't expect this show to pull an emotional punch. So, when a female character ( whose catch-phrase had been " I love fotball") remonstrated that "fighting not football! I got unexpectedly choked up as this seemed to encapsualte why I have fallen out of love with the game at the top level.
A great way to enliven a festival goers week!
Saturday, 25 August 2012
SADFACES REMEMBER IT DIFFERENTLY - 17TH AUGUST 2012
After the strangeness of yesterday's shows ( see Thursdays reviews) it was surprisingly refreshing to return to watching comedy.
For the last few years 4 Sad Faces have been plying their sketch comedy trade in the Free Fringe. This year they have changed tack, dropping 4 from their name, adding Rosie Fletcher to their gang, moving to a paid venue (the Underbelly) and I think, most importantly, leaving the unconnected sketch comedy format behind.
Sad Faces " Remember It Differently" does what it says on the tin. It takes one narrative story but we see it from each of the performers perspectives. This allows for a lot of silliness, ridiculous accents and props and unexpected plot variations. Each of the talented performers is allowed their moment in the spotlight, but it is Jack Bernhardt with his boyish, confused optimism (often misplaced) and Rosie Fletcher's assertive, self-confident (often misplaced) personas that steal the show.
The only suggestion I would make for future improvement would be more audience involvement. The show we watched was quieter than the quality of the material deserved but getting a rapport with (at least) one member of the audience should immediately get them on the performers side and therefore more vocal.
This was my 27th show of this year's festival and naturally shows are beginning to overlap with each other. But, one of my over-ridding memories of the entire week was " The profit of Poundland" sequence. Comedy gold.
Well done to all involved, you have found your true niche.
For the last few years 4 Sad Faces have been plying their sketch comedy trade in the Free Fringe. This year they have changed tack, dropping 4 from their name, adding Rosie Fletcher to their gang, moving to a paid venue (the Underbelly) and I think, most importantly, leaving the unconnected sketch comedy format behind.
Sad Faces " Remember It Differently" does what it says on the tin. It takes one narrative story but we see it from each of the performers perspectives. This allows for a lot of silliness, ridiculous accents and props and unexpected plot variations. Each of the talented performers is allowed their moment in the spotlight, but it is Jack Bernhardt with his boyish, confused optimism (often misplaced) and Rosie Fletcher's assertive, self-confident (often misplaced) personas that steal the show.
The only suggestion I would make for future improvement would be more audience involvement. The show we watched was quieter than the quality of the material deserved but getting a rapport with (at least) one member of the audience should immediately get them on the performers side and therefore more vocal.
This was my 27th show of this year's festival and naturally shows are beginning to overlap with each other. But, one of my over-ridding memories of the entire week was " The profit of Poundland" sequence. Comedy gold.
Well done to all involved, you have found your true niche.
The Blind - 16th August 2012
A children's show about a huge vegetable, an acapella modern opera about a dying boy falling in love with the Moon, how on earth could I follow that? Well, how about an open-air virtually unspoken Polish dance show ending in a mini monsoon.
A few years ago we were impressed by a very physical Polish "Coriolanus" here and tonight we weren't disappointed. Although you can never take the Edinburgh weather for granted it is normally trying some site specific open-air performances.
Our first realisation that the show had started occurred when various performers rushed from the audience and began Central American style dancing. The tone of the piece soon changed following the intervention of military force and the use of tear gas. From here on the performers were generally restricted to moving either with white sticks or on hospital beds. This may sound odd, and indeed it was. What it never was, however, was dull!
The events may not have been easy to watch but it was always interesting and often beautiful. As it ended I stated I didn't really understand what was happening but I still loved it. A loud and ryhthmic soundtrack always gave something for your ears to feast upon while your eyes followed what was on show in front of them.
The performers were extraordinarily vibrant throughout the show and a cloudburst towards the end may have dampened the bodies of audience and artistes alike , but never their (or our) spirits. This is an outstanding antidote to being boiled alive in stuffy, sweaty, claustrophobic venues.
A few years ago we were impressed by a very physical Polish "Coriolanus" here and tonight we weren't disappointed. Although you can never take the Edinburgh weather for granted it is normally trying some site specific open-air performances.
Our first realisation that the show had started occurred when various performers rushed from the audience and began Central American style dancing. The tone of the piece soon changed following the intervention of military force and the use of tear gas. From here on the performers were generally restricted to moving either with white sticks or on hospital beds. This may sound odd, and indeed it was. What it never was, however, was dull!
The events may not have been easy to watch but it was always interesting and often beautiful. As it ended I stated I didn't really understand what was happening but I still loved it. A loud and ryhthmic soundtrack always gave something for your ears to feast upon while your eyes followed what was on show in front of them.
The performers were extraordinarily vibrant throughout the show and a cloudburst towards the end may have dampened the bodies of audience and artistes alike , but never their (or our) spirits. This is an outstanding antidote to being boiled alive in stuffy, sweaty, claustrophobic venues.
Moon - 16th August 2012
Well, what a truly Edinburgh day. After spending the afternoon trying to entertain lively three year old twins (including watching my first children's show) it was time to rush to another production.
Feeling hungry and thirsty we were surprised (to put it mildly) to be approached on the steps to the venue and asked if we were prepared to be on fire extinguisher duty for the evening. We are nothing if not game and armed with a carton of juice ( to quence my thirst and not to be used in case of fire)and a muffin we headed into the auditorium.
This being Edinburgh they were still tearing down the set of the previous show as we entered, naturally passing a perspriring Liza Minelli look-alike. After receiving our fire-fighting instructions my wife and I were duly placed at opposite ends of the theatre and despite this being a large and plush venue the first other audience member demanded to sit next to me in case she needed a quick exit. Later, I discovered in the kerfuffle that I had inadvertently knocked over my drink, not only causing a nice puddle of liquid to ooze from under my seat but ensuring that if any fire broke out ( it didn't) my area was already protected.
So, once my pre-show activities were complete I could finally concentrate upon the matter in hand. "Moon" is a modern piece of music by Gordon Hamilton, using a poem by Venero Armanno and sung by The Australian Voices, a group of male and female singers. Together they tell the story of Sam, a sickly boy, dying in his bedroom,but Diana, the Moon, sees him and falls in love. The ending could be sad yet somehow, here is uplifting as he finds peace, happiness and love.
At festival time Edinburgh as a 100 miles an hour city which never seems to sleep. As I know from experience it is easy to get caught up in the frenetic lifestyle. "Moon" is an increasing rarity, an oasis of calm and beauty amongst an increasingly noisy and mad world outside.
To be honest I am not a great fan of choral music but the sound they made, individually and collectively was truly wonderous to hear. They were helped by the musicality of the score but I must stress this wasn't just a treat for the ears. Sam's story was enhanced by screen projection and although most of the words was easy to follow, the visibility of the lyrics was a bonus.
The liveliness of the piece was also helped by placing the conductor in an aisle so his enthusiastic, physical presence was a additional piece of theatricality. The choir wasn't just restricted to static singing, using their bodies they helped to explain the action by movement, swaying, lying down and even writhing on the ground when the situation needed it.
The fringe is about taking chances. This one more than repaid our gamble. Even if you miss this performance in Edinburgh check their website as they are about to embark on a tour of the Kingdom, singing a mainly classical repertoire. I hope to catch them in October in Cardiff.
Feeling hungry and thirsty we were surprised (to put it mildly) to be approached on the steps to the venue and asked if we were prepared to be on fire extinguisher duty for the evening. We are nothing if not game and armed with a carton of juice ( to quence my thirst and not to be used in case of fire)and a muffin we headed into the auditorium.
This being Edinburgh they were still tearing down the set of the previous show as we entered, naturally passing a perspriring Liza Minelli look-alike. After receiving our fire-fighting instructions my wife and I were duly placed at opposite ends of the theatre and despite this being a large and plush venue the first other audience member demanded to sit next to me in case she needed a quick exit. Later, I discovered in the kerfuffle that I had inadvertently knocked over my drink, not only causing a nice puddle of liquid to ooze from under my seat but ensuring that if any fire broke out ( it didn't) my area was already protected.
So, once my pre-show activities were complete I could finally concentrate upon the matter in hand. "Moon" is a modern piece of music by Gordon Hamilton, using a poem by Venero Armanno and sung by The Australian Voices, a group of male and female singers. Together they tell the story of Sam, a sickly boy, dying in his bedroom,but Diana, the Moon, sees him and falls in love. The ending could be sad yet somehow, here is uplifting as he finds peace, happiness and love.
At festival time Edinburgh as a 100 miles an hour city which never seems to sleep. As I know from experience it is easy to get caught up in the frenetic lifestyle. "Moon" is an increasing rarity, an oasis of calm and beauty amongst an increasingly noisy and mad world outside.
To be honest I am not a great fan of choral music but the sound they made, individually and collectively was truly wonderous to hear. They were helped by the musicality of the score but I must stress this wasn't just a treat for the ears. Sam's story was enhanced by screen projection and although most of the words was easy to follow, the visibility of the lyrics was a bonus.
The liveliness of the piece was also helped by placing the conductor in an aisle so his enthusiastic, physical presence was a additional piece of theatricality. The choir wasn't just restricted to static singing, using their bodies they helped to explain the action by movement, swaying, lying down and even writhing on the ground when the situation needed it.
The fringe is about taking chances. This one more than repaid our gamble. Even if you miss this performance in Edinburgh check their website as they are about to embark on a tour of the Kingdom, singing a mainly classical repertoire. I hope to catch them in October in Cardiff.
Friday, 24 August 2012
THE MILLER'S TALE - 15TH AUGUST 2012
Having watched a lot of comedy in the early part of the week it was time to look for some unusual drama. And shows don't come much odder than a Nigerian version of Geoffrey Chaucer's " The Miller's Tale", from his epic "The Canterbury Tales".
Classic drama transcends time and culture and, amazingly, this unlikely mix works incredibly well. African theatre is generally lively and their natural exuberance perfectly fits this 14th century morality tale of laziness, infidelity, the perils of marrying a young wife etc. This isn't a production where you can hear every word but this doesn't matter. You can easily follow the plot and most importantly, get carried away with the liveliness of the performers.
It disappoints me that each year people increasingly feel Edinburgh is just a comedy festival. This was a highly enjoyable show with 8 in the cast and (on the day I went) just 12 in the audience. So, if people want to experience something different to generic stand-up and experience what the real fringe festival is about head to C on Chambers street.
PS. I would love to see Overo Productions tackle another of Chaucer's tales next year.
Classic drama transcends time and culture and, amazingly, this unlikely mix works incredibly well. African theatre is generally lively and their natural exuberance perfectly fits this 14th century morality tale of laziness, infidelity, the perils of marrying a young wife etc. This isn't a production where you can hear every word but this doesn't matter. You can easily follow the plot and most importantly, get carried away with the liveliness of the performers.
It disappoints me that each year people increasingly feel Edinburgh is just a comedy festival. This was a highly enjoyable show with 8 in the cast and (on the day I went) just 12 in the audience. So, if people want to experience something different to generic stand-up and experience what the real fringe festival is about head to C on Chambers street.
PS. I would love to see Overo Productions tackle another of Chaucer's tales next year.
Thursday, 23 August 2012
Tales From Edgar Allan Poe- 14th August 2012
Today was a true Edinburgh festival day. After walking a long way to see a disappointing free show I then saw two successive five star shows. Whatever came next had some hard acts to follow and Backhand Theatre's " Tales from Edgar Allan Poe" wasn't up to it.
It didn't help that we walked straight past the venue and arrived a few minutes late. I suspect we didn't miss much as a doctor was still showing a sanitorium inspector around his mental asylum. This was their premise for the show with each inmate relating a well-know Poe story. "The Raven" had the bonus of a good performance from Sally Preston, the voice of a famous Shakespearean actor but the disadvantage of a ridiculously amateurish (and huge) paper-mache Raven ( which oddly was partially obscured to anyone sitting to the right of the audience). "The Pit and the Pendulum" was well performed by Gavin Maxwell but the advertised "daring circus" generally involved wobbling in, out and around a hoop.
There was another goor perfomance by Davey Kelleher but unfortunately the play also featured the worst acting I have seen at this festival. The idea itself was fine but the execution needed tightening, the ending was predictable and sadly, the show was boring.
It didn't help that we walked straight past the venue and arrived a few minutes late. I suspect we didn't miss much as a doctor was still showing a sanitorium inspector around his mental asylum. This was their premise for the show with each inmate relating a well-know Poe story. "The Raven" had the bonus of a good performance from Sally Preston, the voice of a famous Shakespearean actor but the disadvantage of a ridiculously amateurish (and huge) paper-mache Raven ( which oddly was partially obscured to anyone sitting to the right of the audience). "The Pit and the Pendulum" was well performed by Gavin Maxwell but the advertised "daring circus" generally involved wobbling in, out and around a hoop.
There was another goor perfomance by Davey Kelleher but unfortunately the play also featured the worst acting I have seen at this festival. The idea itself was fine but the execution needed tightening, the ending was predictable and sadly, the show was boring.
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