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| Edinburgh : A&E : Festivals : Fringe reviews |
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 Musicals & Opera |
Rating Guide Annie
(Page 120)
Beauty and the Bitch. (Page 120). Drams  .Venue C o2 (Venue 202), Address Infirmary Street. Reviewer Ritchie Smith. Beauty and the Bitch are stick-thin, dressed-in-red chanteuse Katy Darby, singer and lyricist, teamed with Dave Key-Pugh, musician and stand-up, who is not stick-thin and has a very serious haircut and beard. - And for a moment I thought Katy's manically spiteful song was for real! Oxbirdge jealousy of some female friend who deserves to 'dine out on Kleenex' and receive 'anthrax in her birthday card ... I'm only happy when she fails!' Then I started to laugh, and relaxed. Here was someone genuinely witty. It's entertainment for after the pub, I'd guess - in a subterranean and atmospheric place, with a surprisingly varied audience, including some Japanese tourists who do time-delayed laughter, since they need the dirty jokes and dirty words explained. And, indeed, there are many dirty words and deeds in this hour of assured and entertaining degeneracy, with sharp-witted songs about topics like necrophilia. So, if you're in the mood for some off-beat, slightly wonky late-night cabaret, and are prepared to listen closely to lyics, Beauty and the Bitch are guaranteed to entertain you. © Ritchie Smith, 17 August 2004 - Published on www.EdinburghGuide.com Runs to August 30 at 23:00. Company Einekleine Theatre Company.
The City Club. (Page 120) Drams .
Venue Pleasance Dome. (Venue No. 23) Address 1 Bristo Square. Reviewer Vivien Devlin. Welcome to the City Club downtown somewhere in Chicago or maybe New York, late 1920s/ early 30s. The glamorous hostess Crystal shows you to your seat, order a martini, sit back and listen to Prince, the band’s smoky-voiced lead singer. At a spotlit table, debonair Chaz (a young Al Pacino), the owner, sips a glass of Moet to toast his new classy nightclub where the music is cool, the bourbon is ice-cold and the dancing girls Rose and Lily are hot, sweet and blonde. As in the Batman comics, New York by day turns to Gotham City by night and the dark mean streets are a dangerous place. Meet the smooth-talking Mr Tough, who works for the local mobster and The Lieutenant, in smart coat and spats, who both want a slice of the profits. So who can Chaz trust - Jake the Clarion reporter, Doc the barman, Parker the pianist or the sultry singer, Maddy? This new musical by Glenn M Stewart blends classic blues songs with a punchy dialogue as hardboiled as any Raymond Chandler novel. The Pleasance Dome bar creates an authentic City Club featuring a bar, terrific band, beautiful silk gowns, neat hairstyles, tables, lamps, champagne coupes etc – but a little more integrated acting/singing around the audience would enhance the mood. This is a highly professional, slick and entertaining show, with a perfectly cast ensemble. In a nutshell - The Godfather meets Sally Bowles, a sexy, sophisticated cabaret where glamorous girls and the scintillating sound of the Blues mask a world of corruption and murder. Let the Boogie Woogie Roll. ©Vivien Devlin 9 August 2004 - Published on EdinburghGuide.com Runs to 30 August at 8.30pm every day, not 17th. Company -Roll Your Own Company Website www.thecityclub.org
Cabaret (page 120) Drams 0 Presented by Deep Blue Theatre Cast Adam Perchard/Olivia Macdonald (Master of Ceremonies - "Emcee"); Saratha Rajeswaran (Sally Bowles); Tom Eyre-Maunsell (Cliff Bradshaw); Chris Heaney (Herr Schultz); Helen Stubbs (Fräulein Schneider); Shelley Crofts (Fräulein Kost); John Walton (Ernst Ludwig) Claire Hawcroft, Jennifer Harcourt; Laura Brodie; Natasha Searle; Rebecca Lowton and Sarah Rivers (Kit Kat Girls) Music John Kander Lyrics Fred Ebb Book Joe Masteroff - based on a play by John Van Druten and stories by Christopher Isherwood Musicians Joe Atkins (piano); Helen Clark (flute); Stephen Clark (reed 1); Owen Elton (reed 2); Steffan Jones/James O'Carroll (drums) Musical Director Joe Atkins Producer Judith McGowan Director Wayne Ives Choreographers Sarah Rivers and Melanie Triffitt Venue C (Venue 34) Address Chambers Street Reviewer Nick Scott
Ives' production - far removed from the usual interpretation, presents the "story" as a "play within a play". Traditionally, the plot takes the form of "episodes" interfused with scenes set in the Kit-Kat Klub. But in Ives' production, the plot is presented as the "cabaret" itself. In addition, the characters are given "new" identities; and this complete "inversion" of the play from its usual interpretation, serves to sharpen the plot and give it more credence. The Emcee is constantly visible to the audience; and acts as an observer of the "play within" - his facial and physical reactions plain for the audience to see. With the entire show set in the Kit-Kat Klub it falls on the Cabaret girls to change the set and props around as the plot demands - thus heightening the "play within a play" concept. The role of Emcee was shared between Adam Perchard and Olivia Macdonald; but it was the former, who commanded more authority. Saratha Rajeswaran gave a dazzling performance as Sally Bowles with a magnificent singing voice to match - as in the title-song and the rousing ensemble number, Don't Tell Mama. Suitably matched with the expressive, lyrical voice of Tom Eyre-Maunsell (Cliff Bradshaw), the pair gave a particularly pleasing performance of the duet, Perfectly Marvellous. The orchestra provided the ideal accompaniment with a convincing period-style backing. This is an impressive and inspired production - and for this, Deep Blue Theatre has to be commended. © Nick Scott 17 August 2004. Published on www.edinburghguide.co.uk Run 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20 ,22, 24, 26, 28, 30, August (18.00)
An evening with Beatrice Lillie (page 121) Drams 0 Music Rodgers & Hart: Rhythm; Grand: I always say hello to a flower; Fletcher: The fan; Schubert: Serenade; Solman, McGee and Benedik: Mine; Wright & Phipps: The yodelling goldfish; Parr-Davis, Gordon, Thomas: Wind 'round my heart; Phipps, M. Lillie: Maude; McCreery: Guess who was there; Porter, various arr. Littlepage: Swell Party Medley; Lehmann, Fyleman: There are fairies at the bottom of our garden; Hoffman, Goodman, Nelson: I Apologise Cast Layne Littlepage (Beatrice Lillie); Barney Hulse (Miss Lillie's Accompanist); Renata Yundt (Miss Lillie's Maid) Musical Director Barney Hulse Venue C central (Venue 54) Address Carlton Hotel, North Bridge Reviewer Nick Scott
For the next hour, we were transfixed as Ms Littlepage enthralled the audience with her portrayal of Canadian born actress and comedienne, Beatrice Lillie. Billed as the 'funniest woman in the world', Lillie worked on both sides of the Atlantic with some of the greatest names in entertainment - eventually settling in the UK, where she died in 1989 at the age of 94. The show is interspersed with biographical facts and amusing anecdotes; but for the larger part, the evening is dedicated to Lillie's unique comedic skills and vocal prowess. And Ms Littlepage's characterisation of Beatrice Lillie is so uncannily convincing, she gives the illusion that one is actually in the presence of the great woman herself!
Pianist and Musical Director, Barney Hulse combines the roles of accompanist and actor with aplomb - joining Ms Littlepage with some stunning verbal gymnastics, as in the sketch, 'Double Damask Dinner Napkins'; and as a waiter in 'Milady Dines Alone'. The show is slick, cleverly and lovingly crafted - and above all, highly entertaining. This Fringe run marks the show's European Premier - the musical having already been hailed with great acclaim in America. © Nick Scott. 23 August 2004. Published on www.edinburghguide.com See also www.laynelittlepage.com Images © Layne Littlepage Run 15 - 30 August (20.30)
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