Plus One Podcast: The Stefan Golaszewski Plays
In which I discuss Stefan Golaszewski’s double-bill at the Bush Theatre with aspiring digital PR Reda Haq.
Belt Up, Tim Crouch and breach of contract
Does Crouch’s The Author breach its own unspoken actor/audience contract?
Un/Familiar Fringe: Un/Afraid
In part 3 of my Fringe round-up for the London Theatre Blog, I look at the relationship between physical theatre and technology, highlighting anomie by Precarious and Borges and I by Idle Motion.
Un/Familiar Fringe: Un/Seated
Belt Up Theatre, Tickled Pig and Ontroerend Goed are busy blurring the actor/audience divide at this year’s Edinburgh Fringe. What techniques to they use and how do they compare?
Traverse Theatre sweeps first week awards
Traverse productions took three Fringe Firsts and three Herald Angels.
A Tribute – Gielgud’s Ages of Man ***
Billed at two hours, George Innes rushes to complete his tribute to Gielgud on time, losing several impatient people halfway through.
Me Too – A Sideshow ***
While it’s impossible to forget that Quade’s sister is a puppet, their rapport never falls short of totally believable.
Power Plant – A Sound and Light Experience *****
A visit to the glasshouses is transportative even in broad daylight; but after nightfall, full of stage smoke, humming and pealing with the alien sounds of the installation’s various objets d’art, the experience is nothing short of otherworldly.
anomie ***
Unlike Precarious’ masterpiece The Factory, anomie – which follows six social misfits living in the same apartment building – lacks strong thematic justification for its technical wizardry, so while the integration of screen and performer is an undeniable triumph of pinpoint timing and rehearsal, it can also feel like a gimmick, style divorced from content.
Parents’ Evening ***
This interactive show works best in its first five minutes. Brief one-on-one encounters with the staff of Aultyme High easily recreate the dread of parents’ evening. Group activities follow, and while fun, these never achieve the same kind of genuine emotional response.
