The twins are at uni now, Pete's taken early retirement from the rigs, and he and Claire are moving to Tuscany. Or they would be if Claire could overcome her flying phobia. And she's trying everything to get there.
Where do phobias come from? Can they be understood? Overcome? Claire's desperate and will follow up any promises to give her the answer, no matter how dodgy their claims might sound. Pete isn't impressed and he's wondering where it's all going to end, and what it all means for his life.
It can be an easy subject to laugh at - and this play is often extremely funny, watching Claire's irrational behaviour and Pete's increasing frustration - but nevertheless does try to give the subject a more serious exploration too. There's no pretence of knowing the answers, but this is an interesting portrait of just how difficult a severe phobia makes life, not just for the sufferer but for those around them too (the twins might be away now, but their still not immune from Claire's anxieties).
Two excellent performances from Angela Darcy and David McGowan, milking the laughs from the script, but also bringing out the pain and intractability of the problem, and their relationship is both disheartening and touching. It's always good to see mental health issues getting a treatment which helps develop greater understanding, and for such a short drama From The Air does a brilliant job of doing just that.
Monday 30 October 2017
Tuesday 17 October 2017
Hysteria! (A Play, a Pie and a Pint), Traverse
A performance of many parts - cabaret, musical, polemic, consciousness raising and more - that rattles along at a rapid pace that can leave the audience behind at times.
Hysteria and hysterectomy both derive from the ancient Greek word for uterus, and the central theme here is the inherent misogyny in our culture and society, and the damage that continues to cause. From Hippocrates through the use of 'hysteria' as a medical catch-all diagnosis for women who didn't fit into the 'correct' social mould, and on into 20th century popular culture where to be female is so often to be portrayed as weak, dependent, unstable, with the example of Trump to show how little progress has been made. Included are testimonies from women who have been sexually assaulted and how their experiences, and their difficulties in finding an understanding ear, have been so injurious to their mental health. It ended on a moving performance of Milck's 'Quiet', which has been adopted as an anthem for women's empowerment.
It's a fine ensemble performance from the cast of three, Annie Grace, Maryam Hamidi and an impressively androgynous George Brennan, and they provided plenty of laughs and visual stimulation (aided by a few visual elements on the screen behind them). But the script never quite seems to know what it's trying to deliver, even if the ultimate destination is clear enough. The opening quickfire statements take a while to catch on to, the aerobics routine brings an element of farce, but there's also a solo proclamation that smacks more of the lecture hall than the stage. These swings from ephemeral to heavy handed made watching a confusing experience at times.
Despite these criticisms the show never felt like a drag and the time passed quickly, and everyone watching will have taken away something new in their thinking. It might all be a bit of a curate's egg, but it's a worthy attempt to tackle a subject that needs to be raised and raised and raised again.
Hysteria and hysterectomy both derive from the ancient Greek word for uterus, and the central theme here is the inherent misogyny in our culture and society, and the damage that continues to cause. From Hippocrates through the use of 'hysteria' as a medical catch-all diagnosis for women who didn't fit into the 'correct' social mould, and on into 20th century popular culture where to be female is so often to be portrayed as weak, dependent, unstable, with the example of Trump to show how little progress has been made. Included are testimonies from women who have been sexually assaulted and how their experiences, and their difficulties in finding an understanding ear, have been so injurious to their mental health. It ended on a moving performance of Milck's 'Quiet', which has been adopted as an anthem for women's empowerment.
It's a fine ensemble performance from the cast of three, Annie Grace, Maryam Hamidi and an impressively androgynous George Brennan, and they provided plenty of laughs and visual stimulation (aided by a few visual elements on the screen behind them). But the script never quite seems to know what it's trying to deliver, even if the ultimate destination is clear enough. The opening quickfire statements take a while to catch on to, the aerobics routine brings an element of farce, but there's also a solo proclamation that smacks more of the lecture hall than the stage. These swings from ephemeral to heavy handed made watching a confusing experience at times.
Despite these criticisms the show never felt like a drag and the time passed quickly, and everyone watching will have taken away something new in their thinking. It might all be a bit of a curate's egg, but it's a worthy attempt to tackle a subject that needs to be raised and raised and raised again.
Front Country, Traverse
The name, and the acoustic line-up (double bass, guitars, mandolin, banjo, 5 string fiddle) suggest this would be an evening of country, bluegrass, maybe some wider Americana. But they prove to be so much more than this. There are certainly country influences in there, not least in the harmony vocals, but so too are jazz, soul, gospel, classical, folk, pop and more besides. This is a band with the imagination to match their musicality and the results are often surprising.
They play a lot of their own songs, and some instrumentals, but also heavily reworked covers from an eclectic range of sources. Where else would you hear a set that included songs from Woody Guthrie, the Carter Family, Eagles - and King Crimson?
Melody Walker provides most of the lead vocals, and her powerful voice is especially suited to the gospel numbers, but excels throughout, and she's a strong rhythm guitarist. The instrumental flair comes from Adam Roszkiewicz on mandolin, Jacob Groopman's guitar, and a man who has become one of my new musical heroes, the remarkable fiddler Leif Karlstrom . All three delivered some spectacular solos, but Kalstrom was consistently unpredictable and full of surprises in his playing. Underlying all these fireworks up front is Jeremy Darrow, a solid bassist with a flair for more than just rhythm.
Songs dominated the set, but there was a brief interlude when mandolin and fiddle played an excellent duet, followed by those two plus Groopman and Darrow playing a soaring piece that was one of the highlights of the evening. (Sadly not recorded yet.)
It's good to see a band that's happy to 'magpie' from so many genres and bend that material into their own sound. File Front Country under 'Great Music'.
Front Country are touring Scotland for the remainder of this week, and definitely worth a look if they are coming to a venue near you.
They play a lot of their own songs, and some instrumentals, but also heavily reworked covers from an eclectic range of sources. Where else would you hear a set that included songs from Woody Guthrie, the Carter Family, Eagles - and King Crimson?
Melody Walker provides most of the lead vocals, and her powerful voice is especially suited to the gospel numbers, but excels throughout, and she's a strong rhythm guitarist. The instrumental flair comes from Adam Roszkiewicz on mandolin, Jacob Groopman's guitar, and a man who has become one of my new musical heroes, the remarkable fiddler Leif Karlstrom . All three delivered some spectacular solos, but Kalstrom was consistently unpredictable and full of surprises in his playing. Underlying all these fireworks up front is Jeremy Darrow, a solid bassist with a flair for more than just rhythm.
Songs dominated the set, but there was a brief interlude when mandolin and fiddle played an excellent duet, followed by those two plus Groopman and Darrow playing a soaring piece that was one of the highlights of the evening. (Sadly not recorded yet.)
It's good to see a band that's happy to 'magpie' from so many genres and bend that material into their own sound. File Front Country under 'Great Music'.
Front Country are touring Scotland for the remainder of this week, and definitely worth a look if they are coming to a venue near you.
Monday 16 October 2017
Stu and Garry's Free Improv Show, Stand
It's been well over a year since I last went to see this pairing, and I'm happy to report that everything I said about them in my first review of their show still applies, and that I emerged back into the daylight aching from laughter. The same mixture of anarchy and imagination, the same sense of unpredictability, and the knowledge that some things are going to end up being running jokes throughout the show. And plenty of variety. Not many shows give you jokes about prime numbers AND a man simulating sex with a block of cheese, plus the chance to groan at some of the lamest puns around - but it's a free show, so what more could you want for your money?
An Edinburgh institution.
An Edinburgh institution.
Loving Vincent
To decide if this is a film you want to see you need to know three things.
1. This is the first full length animation to be entirely hand painted in oils, and can be viewed as a piece of history, a landmark in animated cinema.
2. The plot is clunky, improbable and suffers further from the distractions of the actors accents. Why does a French postmaster with a strong Irish accent have a cockney for a son? That postmaster wants to see a letter, written by the now deceased Vincent to his brother Theo, reach its destination, but so far it's been returned as address unknown. He persuades his wastrel son, Armand, to take the missive and seek out Theo. But the latter has also died, and Armand finds himself turning detective as he attempts to piece together the story of the painter's death. Did he really attempt to kill himself, as the official version of events says, or was something more sinister being covered up? Armand meets several people who knew Vincent in his final weeks, and listens to their stories, eventually returning to his father with his own version of events, and the letter delivered to somewhere where it will be appreciated. But it tells us little about Van Gogh we didn't already know, and, despite the occasional injection of excitement and mystery, is too pedestrian in the telling.
3. It's beautiful. In an extraordinary fashion. Armand's quest is painted in characteristic Van Gogh style, vibrant impressionist colours and heavy brush strokes adapted to provide movement, expression, life. The flashbacks are monochrome, with an almost photographic quality at times. Visually this is the kind of movie you could watch a dozen times over and still pick up on details you'd missed before, so rich is the texturing of the scenes. It feels strange at first to see well know faces like Chris O'Dowd and John Sessions rendered on screen in mobile oils, but you quickly get used to it. And there are frequent visual links to the works of Vincent that you get regular flashed of recognition from what's passing before you.
If you are able to accept the shortcomings in point 2, then I can strongly recommend a viewing of this gorgeous film.
1. This is the first full length animation to be entirely hand painted in oils, and can be viewed as a piece of history, a landmark in animated cinema.
2. The plot is clunky, improbable and suffers further from the distractions of the actors accents. Why does a French postmaster with a strong Irish accent have a cockney for a son? That postmaster wants to see a letter, written by the now deceased Vincent to his brother Theo, reach its destination, but so far it's been returned as address unknown. He persuades his wastrel son, Armand, to take the missive and seek out Theo. But the latter has also died, and Armand finds himself turning detective as he attempts to piece together the story of the painter's death. Did he really attempt to kill himself, as the official version of events says, or was something more sinister being covered up? Armand meets several people who knew Vincent in his final weeks, and listens to their stories, eventually returning to his father with his own version of events, and the letter delivered to somewhere where it will be appreciated. But it tells us little about Van Gogh we didn't already know, and, despite the occasional injection of excitement and mystery, is too pedestrian in the telling.
3. It's beautiful. In an extraordinary fashion. Armand's quest is painted in characteristic Van Gogh style, vibrant impressionist colours and heavy brush strokes adapted to provide movement, expression, life. The flashbacks are monochrome, with an almost photographic quality at times. Visually this is the kind of movie you could watch a dozen times over and still pick up on details you'd missed before, so rich is the texturing of the scenes. It feels strange at first to see well know faces like Chris O'Dowd and John Sessions rendered on screen in mobile oils, but you quickly get used to it. And there are frequent visual links to the works of Vincent that you get regular flashed of recognition from what's passing before you.
If you are able to accept the shortcomings in point 2, then I can strongly recommend a viewing of this gorgeous film.
Roddy Woomble, Pleasance
Support came from Kathryn Joseph (apparently). She came on, said little, never introduced herself, played and sang. A good, and distinctive, voice, decent piano playing, and the songs were pleasant enough. But I found it impossible to understand what any of them were about, and they ended up sounding all the same. It was frustrating to watch as there's clearly a good performer in there, still struggling to get out.
In the past the split between Woomble's indierock career with Idlewild, and his folkier solo albums, has been quite clearly delineated. His latest album, The Deluder, brings the two career strands closer together, and this stage line up reflects that move. Representing the folk element were regular collaborators Sorren Maclean (guitar) and Hannah Fisher, while drums, bass and fellow Idlewildian Andrew Mitchell on guitar and keyboards provided a rock heart to the sound.
The set was a mix of old and new from across his four solo albums, the powerhouse rhythm section giving a cohesion to the varied material. They're a tight unit, and Woomble lets himself fade into the background when the musicians get to show what they can do. Roddy doesn't say a lot, but his self deprecating style is the antithesis of the stereotypical rock singer and this gives him a stronger stage presence than any amount of physical antics ever could. His singing remains of the highest quality, phrasing and timing immaculate, and immediately identifiable, while the lyrics throughout are poetic, teasing, intriguing.
Strong performances from all the band, both Mitchell and Maclean getting the chance to show of their guitar prowess, but Fisher was a real star, bending her fiddle playing across genres (and what a joy to hear some rock fiddle once again), and lending an ethereal quality to the beautiful Remember to Breathe. Her vocals were a strong part of the overall package.
Woomble is generous to his audience, and clearly loves performing, but also gives the impression he'd be just as happy singing to an empty room, such is his love for his craft. And what could be more joyful that that to watch?
Oh, and this being Edinburgh there was only ever one song he could possibly end the night on. Waverley Steps remains a thing of great beauty, and Hannah was the perfect counterpoint to the Woomble vocals.
In the past the split between Woomble's indierock career with Idlewild, and his folkier solo albums, has been quite clearly delineated. His latest album, The Deluder, brings the two career strands closer together, and this stage line up reflects that move. Representing the folk element were regular collaborators Sorren Maclean (guitar) and Hannah Fisher, while drums, bass and fellow Idlewildian Andrew Mitchell on guitar and keyboards provided a rock heart to the sound.
The set was a mix of old and new from across his four solo albums, the powerhouse rhythm section giving a cohesion to the varied material. They're a tight unit, and Woomble lets himself fade into the background when the musicians get to show what they can do. Roddy doesn't say a lot, but his self deprecating style is the antithesis of the stereotypical rock singer and this gives him a stronger stage presence than any amount of physical antics ever could. His singing remains of the highest quality, phrasing and timing immaculate, and immediately identifiable, while the lyrics throughout are poetic, teasing, intriguing.
Strong performances from all the band, both Mitchell and Maclean getting the chance to show of their guitar prowess, but Fisher was a real star, bending her fiddle playing across genres (and what a joy to hear some rock fiddle once again), and lending an ethereal quality to the beautiful Remember to Breathe. Her vocals were a strong part of the overall package.
Woomble is generous to his audience, and clearly loves performing, but also gives the impression he'd be just as happy singing to an empty room, such is his love for his craft. And what could be more joyful that that to watch?
Oh, and this being Edinburgh there was only ever one song he could possibly end the night on. Waverley Steps remains a thing of great beauty, and Hannah was the perfect counterpoint to the Woomble vocals.
Love and Death in Govan and Hyndland (A Play, a Pie and a Pint), Traverse
"Christ. Shit. Fuck." *bangs head on desk*
An opening that gives a fair indication of what's to come, as funny meets frustration. Ivan is a successful writer, but he's got the dreaded writer's block, so instead of sitting at his desk he'll tell us a story. Of his mum who died ten years ago today, and her death from lung cancer. Of the gap that had opened up between them as he progressed from working class Govan to middle class Hyndland, and left his past behind.
It's about how we deal with death, and dying, and the knowledge that we can never know the mind of the person who's dealing with the end of their life. About how little we tend to recognise the real person underlying the persona we've grown to expect of a parent, the difficulty in seeing the young person they once were. Plus a bit of sibling rivalry thrown in.
There's a cracking, crackling script from Ian Pattison, consistently hilarious yet still able to peer into the fears and resentments and vexations that are a part of the people we become, and offering a moment of genuine pathos. Stephen Clyde's solo performance is superb, milking the laughs but still giving Ivan an irascible humanity, and well delineated impressions of Ivan's mother, aunt, brother and others.
A brilliant demonstration of what can be achieved with a fifty minute drama.
An opening that gives a fair indication of what's to come, as funny meets frustration. Ivan is a successful writer, but he's got the dreaded writer's block, so instead of sitting at his desk he'll tell us a story. Of his mum who died ten years ago today, and her death from lung cancer. Of the gap that had opened up between them as he progressed from working class Govan to middle class Hyndland, and left his past behind.
It's about how we deal with death, and dying, and the knowledge that we can never know the mind of the person who's dealing with the end of their life. About how little we tend to recognise the real person underlying the persona we've grown to expect of a parent, the difficulty in seeing the young person they once were. Plus a bit of sibling rivalry thrown in.
There's a cracking, crackling script from Ian Pattison, consistently hilarious yet still able to peer into the fears and resentments and vexations that are a part of the people we become, and offering a moment of genuine pathos. Stephen Clyde's solo performance is superb, milking the laughs but still giving Ivan an irascible humanity, and well delineated impressions of Ivan's mother, aunt, brother and others.
A brilliant demonstration of what can be achieved with a fifty minute drama.
Wednesday 11 October 2017
Leveret, Traverse
Three of England's finest traditional musicians playing a mix of the old, with some of their tunes dating back to the sixteenth century, and new, their own compositions. Rob Harbron (concertina), Sam Sweeney (fiddles) and Andy Cutting (melodeons, and one of nicest people you could ever wish to meet) meld together intuitively to produce a sound that, like the tunes themselves, combines the ancient and modern. Often quite simple melodies subjected to seemingly endless variations that added depth and understanding to the original. The sound is almost ecclesiastical at times, the concertina and melodeon combining to deliver a richness of tone that could rival a cathedral organ.
They can be verbally entertaining too, with some amusing stories about the origins of their sets. It was an enjoyable, admirable gig to be at, but lacked the spark needed to get the crowd involved and something a bit more up tempo would have been welcome to bring a bit of excitement and wildness into the proceedings. But that's not to detract from the beauty of the music. Leveret are masters of the trad arts and well worth a listen.
They can be verbally entertaining too, with some amusing stories about the origins of their sets. It was an enjoyable, admirable gig to be at, but lacked the spark needed to get the crowd involved and something a bit more up tempo would have been welcome to bring a bit of excitement and wildness into the proceedings. But that's not to detract from the beauty of the music. Leveret are masters of the trad arts and well worth a listen.
Pleading (A Play, a Pie and a Pint), Traverse
On their gap year after school, Freya and Michael are travelling the world. Or were, for they now find themselves in a Middle Eastern jail with nobody to turn to. Three weeks into their incarceration they are once again sharing a room, this time with bars on the windows, and sounding frightened, uncertain.
Cue Amelia, a defence lawyer appointed by the court, who explains the seriousness of the charges against them, and the consequences of being found guilty. And that she can perhaps get their sentence mitigated of they plead guilty. But are they responsible for their fate, or pawns in someone else's game? And when they are confronted with the starkest of choices, can they reach agreement on the way forward?
Through conversations between the couple, and their gradually evolving statements to the lawyer, the guilty party is eventually revealed, with a few red herrings along the way. Kim Allan's Freya is a volatile mix of innocence, calculation, exploitation and faith, while Daniel Cameron as Michael is aggrieved, petulant, defensive, accusing. Both are excellent, although I was less convinced by Nicole Cooper's Amelia, who lacked the sense of professionalism you'd expect from her character. The script has a few clunky moments as well, but overall this is an interesting take on an awkward subject, and how people can be manipulated.
Cue Amelia, a defence lawyer appointed by the court, who explains the seriousness of the charges against them, and the consequences of being found guilty. And that she can perhaps get their sentence mitigated of they plead guilty. But are they responsible for their fate, or pawns in someone else's game? And when they are confronted with the starkest of choices, can they reach agreement on the way forward?
Through conversations between the couple, and their gradually evolving statements to the lawyer, the guilty party is eventually revealed, with a few red herrings along the way. Kim Allan's Freya is a volatile mix of innocence, calculation, exploitation and faith, while Daniel Cameron as Michael is aggrieved, petulant, defensive, accusing. Both are excellent, although I was less convinced by Nicole Cooper's Amelia, who lacked the sense of professionalism you'd expect from her character. The script has a few clunky moments as well, but overall this is an interesting take on an awkward subject, and how people can be manipulated.
Damned Rebel Bitches, Traverse
A thriller, mystery and love story with 2 octogenarians at the heart of the action is an unusual mix, but Sandy Thompson has written a story that flits across the years and serves a reminder that the person behind the wrinkles is a reservoir of knowledge and experiences, not be lightly dismissed as the older generation so often is.
Before the actors take the stage it's the set that immediately fascinates. It's a chaotic jumble of seemingly random items - a wheelchair,a guitar, a pith helmet, lots of cardboard boxes and old chairs, stepladder, UPVC window, goldfish bowl, washing line, the list goes on and on. And every item will find a role in the drama as the set proves it's flexibility and constantly changes shape, time and place, the actors themselves moving the pieces around the board, and making their costume changes in among the jumble.
Ella's grandson Cameron has disappeared. In New York. So she sets off from Glasgow with older sister Irene, and together the too of them set about tracking him down. Early on in the tale we discover that an adventurous Ella manages to save him from the full force of Hurricane Sandy, and the play. But from then on the story unfolds through flashbacks, going right back to the sisters' childhood in wartime, and through various stages of their (primarily Ella's) lives. Her life is one of ups and downs that toughen her up into a woman who isn't going to be phased by a mere storm, and she can still teach the youngsters some lessons.
Throughout the action comprises short scenes, time and place announced by one or other cast member, with the four actors playing a wide range of characters and/or ages. Occasionally this can become confusing, the direction not quite taught enough to hold the timeline together, but the essentials are easy enough to follow. All four of the cast are excellent, but it's the seventy something Tina Gray as Ella who stands out - she can still do a wonderful nine year old. And all four get plenty of laughs, amidst all the traumas of war, bereavement, the big events in people's lives across eight decades.
Ella is an embodiment of the need to change with the times as life moves on, and not get stuck in a past that becomes fictionalised in memory. A lesson a lot of people could do with in current times....
Before the actors take the stage it's the set that immediately fascinates. It's a chaotic jumble of seemingly random items - a wheelchair,a guitar, a pith helmet, lots of cardboard boxes and old chairs, stepladder, UPVC window, goldfish bowl, washing line, the list goes on and on. And every item will find a role in the drama as the set proves it's flexibility and constantly changes shape, time and place, the actors themselves moving the pieces around the board, and making their costume changes in among the jumble.
Ella's grandson Cameron has disappeared. In New York. So she sets off from Glasgow with older sister Irene, and together the too of them set about tracking him down. Early on in the tale we discover that an adventurous Ella manages to save him from the full force of Hurricane Sandy, and the play. But from then on the story unfolds through flashbacks, going right back to the sisters' childhood in wartime, and through various stages of their (primarily Ella's) lives. Her life is one of ups and downs that toughen her up into a woman who isn't going to be phased by a mere storm, and she can still teach the youngsters some lessons.
Throughout the action comprises short scenes, time and place announced by one or other cast member, with the four actors playing a wide range of characters and/or ages. Occasionally this can become confusing, the direction not quite taught enough to hold the timeline together, but the essentials are easy enough to follow. All four of the cast are excellent, but it's the seventy something Tina Gray as Ella who stands out - she can still do a wonderful nine year old. And all four get plenty of laughs, amidst all the traumas of war, bereavement, the big events in people's lives across eight decades.
Ella is an embodiment of the need to change with the times as life moves on, and not get stuck in a past that becomes fictionalised in memory. A lesson a lot of people could do with in current times....
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