|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Edinburgh |
|
The Ballad of Crazy Paola
Playwright - Arne Sierens, adapted by Stephen Greenhorn comissioned as part of the Playwrights in Partnership Scheme partnering Scottish Playwright's with their international counterparts. Company - Traverse Theatre Company Director - Philip Howard Designer - Mark Leese Lighting Design - Maria Bechaalani Composer - Paddy Cunneen Venue - Traverse Theatre Cambridge Street, EH1 2ED. 0131 228 1404 then touring Dates - Runs at Traverse until 20th October at 8pm (9pm). Tickets £9 (£4.50) Post show discussion with Stephen Greenhorn on 18th Oct. On tour until 10th November. Reviewer - Daniel Winterstein Serge was the passion of Paola's life. A drummer, whose career took a cocaine nosedive. Many years later his younger brother Raymond - also a drummer - enters her life. Raymond has a chip on his shoulder. He wants to exhume the past and cut it to pieces. The result is a battle over the true version of Serge and Paola's relationship. The Ballad of Crazy Paola is infused with drumming - with scenes mixing music and text to great dramatic effect. So it is strange that, as a whole, the play has no sense of rhythm. the script is stylized one moment and natural the next. The inconsistent tone, with jarring jumps of style lacks the usual quality of a Traverse developed script. As Raymond and Paola's conversations swing from banal to heavy handed and back, the play becomes disjointed, never really going anywhere. The production however is good. A stylishly minimal set, based on a sumo wrestling ring, gives the freedom of movement the play demands. Kathryn Howden and Billy Boyd bring to life as much of the script as they can, and make the rest bearable. And when the drumming and the text work together - well it has its moments. © Daniel Winterstein, 9th October 2001   The Ballad of Crazy Paola Traverse Theatre Company production Billy Boyd as Raymond and Kathryn Howden as Paola © Kevin Low 2001
|
|
|
|
|||
|
Edinburgh Film | Edinburgh Theatre | Edinburgh Festival | Edinburgh Venues | Photos |
|||