Review: Frisky & Mannish's School of Pop *****

As you may have gathered, I'm not really a big fan of comedy acts. I'm much more drawn to the world music, dark cabaret, neo-burlesque and experimental theatre stuff. Perhaps that means I'm a miserable ponce, but there you have it.

However, there are notable exceptions. Frisky & Mannish's School of Pop is most definitely one. Frisky (that is her name) and Mannish strut, preen and pose on stage like Lou Reed and Hazel O'Connnor's illegitimate offspring, performing one hilarious spoof pop song after another that has a delighted audience hollering and cheering from the start.

In a fabulous conceit, Headmistress Frisky leads the class / audience through a typical school day, whilst Mannish accompanies her on keyboard. We're first all encouraged to join in with the school song and then treated to such delights as Lily Allen singing Noel Coward, scarily-obsessed love songs dedicated to audience members and more clever throwaway lines than you could ever hope to pick up in one viewing.

Frisky & Mannish were born to perform, not only having obviously studied hard in music class, but having some wonderful facial expressions and perfectly-timed deadpan delivery. In fact, their School of Pop may actually have re-educated me a little...

(Actually, after last night's show, Frisky & Mannish were off, resplendent in their silver-basqued and shiny trousered finery, to perform at Ministry Of Burlesque's High Tease, so they still slot neatly into my genres of choice.)

Frisky & Mannish's School of Pop runs until August 30th (not 18th) at the Underbelly. £10.50 (£9.50 concession)

Photo of the Day - Noir by Airealism

A tender moment during Airealism's visually beautiful show Noir. Click image to view full size.

Review: The Grind Show ****

As a photographer, I have a leaning towards shows with a strong visual presence and style. There are times during The Grind Show - when the sharply-defined lighting freezes the action - that the tableaux presented by TBA Collaborative resemble panels from a graphic novel. Further parallels exist, particularly with some of the visual metaphors used - such as the show's eerily damaged ringmaster being a crippled Uncle Sam figure; or the knife-throwing twin sisters being depersonalised via the use of carnival masks.

Indeed, the plot and theme of The Grind Show could be lifted from a tale by Neil Gaiman or the like, with its use of strong, dark themes and metaphors to examine and comment on the nature of individuality, fear and obsession. The carnival sideshow performers, well portrayed by a gifted young cast, are trapped: externally, doomed to repeat their own particular acts every day; and equally by their own idiosyncracies and internal demons.

A child is thrown into this grotesque troupe, forced to discover their own act and thus become as absorbed and ensnared as the rest. Through their journey, we see each of the turns, presented in surreal fashion with some imaginative stagecraft and direction. Thanks to its lighting and wardrobe choices, the show also has a washed-out, monochromatic feel, which adds to its nightmarish atmosphere and sinister mood.

I had the advantage of reading the show's synopsis on TBA Collaborative's website but I'm not sure if the show came with a programme detailing the same. Without that, some of the plotting and themes may have been a touch oblique, though that is in part due to the show's one-hour length and a common issue with many Fringe theatre productions.

That aside, The Grind Show was a darkly beautiful and disturbingly eerie piece that successfully seared some of its unique style and vision into a deep, hidden place within my mind. TBA Collaborative should be commended for bringing such an atmospheric and unique show to the Fringe - give them your support and they should hopefully become regulars here.

The Grind Show runs until August 31st (not 17th) at C Venues. £8.50 (£7.50 concession)

Photo of the day - Metamorphosis

Performer from Metamorphosis promoting the show on the Royal Mile (click image to view full-size).

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Princess of the day - Cinderella

Another one for the set - Cinderella from the Princess Cabaret, with some adoring friends.

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It didn't rain on our parade

Ever since I was a nipper, the Edinburgh Festival Cavalcade has proudly paraded along Princes Street, Edinburgh's main thoroughfare.

This year, thanks to the controversial tram-works ripping up the city centre, it took place for the first time in the slightly less central but equally impressive Holyrood Park.

As well as the change of venue, a couple of other things were threatening to dampen this event: one, literally, as the sky was black and it poured for 10 minutes shortly before the cavalcade was due to start. Also, it was reported that this year's parade was going to be shorter, with less floats and acts as in previous years.

We needn't have worried. This year's cavalcade seemed to be as big and bold as ever, and was such a well-attended success that I wouldn't be surprised if it ends up permanently based here in years to come. The sun even came out (and not just the one on legs pictured above).

It was led off by the traditional ride-past of over 150 motorbikes, filling the air with fumes and engine noise, before the entire cast of the Edinburgh Military Tattoo marched past. Then, a mixture of Fringe performers and local community groups followed, each trying to outdo each other in terms of decoration, colour and music. The Ladyboys of Bangkok, another Edinburgh Festival fixture, as ever proved hard to beat on that score, but some of the community floats were also excellent.

Local pipe and marching bands from the Lothians then paraded along the road towards Meadowbank stadium where the parade ended this year, Holyrood Park and Arthur's Seat providing an impressive backdrop to proceedings whichever side of the road you watched it from.

Another predicted blow to the Fringe was the lack of Fringe Sunday this year, due to lack of sponsorship. To somewhat make up for that, a kind of mini Fringe Sunday took place during and after the cavalcade in the park and car park outside Holyrood Palace. Fringe performers such as the Tao Drummers turned up, and street entertainers welcomed the chance to pitch up somewhere different from the Royal Mile for a change.

Overall, a great success in a well-suited new venue. In fact, it may actually be preferable to Princes Street: for once, I'm possibly even grateful for the tram-works.

Photo of the day - Dr Faustus

Three of the Sins from Dr Faustus by Zig-Zag Creations.

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The World Festival at St George's West

Last year, The World Festival at St George’s West was an absolute highlight of the Fringe. The brainchild of Toby Gough, it brought an eclectic fusion of top-quality world music to Edinburgh in an explosion of colour, energy and sheer unbridled joie de vivre.

Winning last year’s Scotsman’s Spirit of the Fringe award, The World Festival is back with an equally varied and entertaining cocktail of voices, rhythms and atmosphere rarely seen in Edinburgh – even during Festival time.

Last night’s press preview treated us to short excerpts from all the acts' shows, giving a tantalising taster of the full programme set to run at the beautiful and atmospheric St George’s West venue throughout August.

First up were the the beguiling rhythms and sounds of A Town Called Addis, an Ethiopian ensemble that bring the pumping sounds of Addis Ababa music halls and nightclubs to Edinburgh’s rather more austeure and hallowed halls. Some great sounds from this charismatic nine-piece band definintely made me look forward to seeing the full show next week.

Based on last night’s snippet, Mercy Madonna of Malawi looks set to be the funniest thing at the Fringe this year, bar none. A “black musical comedy” (sic), this is based on Madonna’s much-publicised adoption of Malawian orphans, and not only explores that episode but also the ethical and moral dilemmas and issues behind it. Already stirring up controversy in the national press, this is definitely one to catch.

So what’s funny about it? Well, the loose lyrical interpretations of songs such as “Like A Prayer”, the adult cast dressed in nappies and ‘adopt me’ t-shirts, and Madonna being played by a six-foot tall Malawian male in a blonde wig – and that’s just for starters. Apparently, The World Festival have offered Madonna free tickets to this show, but it has yet to be confirmed if she will attend…

The Creole Choir of Cuba are a 14-strong troupe of Haitian immigrants living in Cuba, who bring their colourful costumes and spellbinding harmonies to Edinburgh after making a big impression at this year’s WOMAD and Big Tent festivals. Drawing on Haitian customs, rituals, religion and culture, the Creole Choir of Cuba must have been working their magic on the hairs on the back of my neck at one point. Stunning stuff.

The young Sri Lankan dancers of Ranganika – Island of Dance stormed the stage next in a riot of colour, percussion and movement. In fact, I don’t think they stood still for one second of their set, faces rapt with joy as they treated us to their cultural music and dance in a display of colour and happiness.

It was left to last year’s hit act, Capoeira Knights: Boys From Brazil to end proceedings. The blend of martial-arts, dancing and uplifting pumping live music creates a show that is unmissable and breathtaking in its feats of stunning acrobatics and muscular energy. Deserving and more than capable of taking their show on a world tour or similar, Capoeria Knights are the jewel in The World Festival’s already studded crown.

As a finale, all the acts got up on stage together, in a routine that summed up and demonstrated that The World Festival is aptly-named. Seeing dancers from Sri Lanka gleefully moving to music from Brazil as Malawian artistes danced together with colourfully-attired Cuban singers was an emotionally uplifting sight that brought shivers to my spine, even more so when the entire troupe spilled out of the venue to startle, bemuse and ultimately entertain unwitting passers by on Shandwick Place.

I love the World Festival: it encapsulates everything that is wonderful about the Fringe – and the world itself, given freedom to express itself and its many and varied cultures.

My advice? Go to all the shows. Go to some of them twice. Just make sure you go.

Review: Noir ****

Down-at-heel hardboiled hero? Check. Glamourous love interest? Check. Seductive femme fatale? Check. Shady criminal villains with evil intent? Yes, all the classic film noir archetypes are here, fear not.

But you will never have seen them portrayed like this. Airealism, an international troupe of aerial circus performance artistes, bring these characters to life in a unique and rather spellbinding way. Ropes, nets, curtains and trapezes hang from the set, and the cast make full use of them, whether swinging from the high-wire or spinning seductively in suspended hoops. Or, in one particular scene, playing a hand of poker whilst suspended upside down on a vertical-hanging net.

Noir is full of superb imagery and some wonderfully choreographed vignettes. One stand out was the hero’s chloroform-induced dream sequence, with the entire cast - dressed in white - spinning, climbing and swinging as he hung suspended and motionless from the trapeze. This, like many parts of the show, was one of those rare stage scenes where there is so much going on you struggle to take it all in.

The soundtrack is filled with music from the 40s and 50s, although at some points more modern dance / techno tracks accompany the action, which I found a little anachronistic to the overall mood of the piece.

Performed with no dialogue, Noir relies on the cast’s skill and grace alone to tell the tale, ably helped by good lighting and stylishly simple costumes.

Airealism are only here for a short while (their runs finish on the 16th), so I’d encourage you to catch this – or their other show, Tales of The Apocalypse, which I’ll review soon – before they coil up their ropes and rigging and depart, off to spin their aerial magic elsewhere.

Highlight #15 - Camille O'Sullivan: The Dark Angel

Arguably, I’ve saved the best til last. Over the past 2 years, Camille O’Sullivan has seductively slipped her way into the upper reaches of the Edinburgh Fringe hierarchy, first appearing at the Spiegeltent in 2007, then with a sell-out run at the Queen’s Hall in 2008.

This year, Camille brings her Dark Angel show back to the larger and even higher profile venue of the Assembly Hall, where she will once again bewitch, beguile and bemuse with her heady and addictive blend of talent and charm.

Although perfectly able to pick up the mantle of Piaf, Dietrich and other stellar cabaret chanteuses, Irish-French Camille has a style all of her own and a voice capable of whispering gently in your ear one minute, then ripping your heart out through your ribcage the next.

Her set consists of classics of the genre, with a heavy leaning towards the canon of Jacques Brel, Nick Cave and Tom Waits. Recently, she has also begun to introduce her take on more modern and mainstream gems by Bowie and Radiohead, meaning a Camille show moves gracefully through a set studded with some gems from the last 40 years.

Backed by an excellent live band and with a fantastic line in between-song banter and audience rapport, by the end of the evening Camille will have you in the palm of her hand (or beneath her sparkly red stilettos). It will also be an evening in which you will have been moved, entertained, and left stunned by the range and talent of one of the Fringe’s absolute and well-deserved stars.

Camille O’Sullivan: The Dark Angel runs from 6th to 31st August (not Tuesdays) at the Assembly Hall. Price £15.

Highlight #14 - Picaresque

One of the beauties of the Fringe is that it allows companies who may not otherwise have had the chance to treat a captive and eager audience to their own particular vision.

Eyes Open theatre company, a young and ambitious group of recent graduates, have grabbed that chance with both hands and premiere their madcap globespanning comic adventure Picaresque in Edinburgh this season.

Written by Jack Sanderson-Thwaite, Picaresque sees Elijah and Nathaniel, two roguish rakes, attempting to cross continents from opposite sides of the globe to attend their annual reunion. Needless to say, obstacles both varied and bizarre fight against them every step of the way. Will they make it in time? Will the world's slowest train ever get to its destination? And how on earth are Eyes Open going to portray the moose-wrestling bit?

All these burning questions and more will be answered this year during the course of Picaresque, the kind of show the Fringe embraces to its heart.

Picaresque runs at the Sweet Heart (2 India Buildings) from 6th - 30th August (not 17th). Various from £5.

Highlight #13 - Stitches

Stitches is an original piece of theatre from the pen of young and critically-acclaimed writer Claire Urwin. Urwin, a graduate from Manchester University currently undertaking a Masters in Martin Amis' Creative Writing course, specialises in dark works blending fantasy and reality, her previous work No Wonder having made an impact at the National Student Drama Festival.

Stitches spins an Orwellian take on a mysterious post-apocalyptic future, its characters forced into working for the Department of Flora & Fauna, researching lost wildlife for the State. Into the midst of a group of conscripts, a new girl arrives, setting the events of the play in motion.

Urwin's words are brought to life by the University of Manchester Drama Society and the Scratch That theatre company, and Stitches is directed by the award-winning Rajiv Nathwani.

With such a mix of emerging, young and acclaimed talent behind it, the production looks to be one for anyone who appreciates new and original works of theatre to add to their Fringe diaries.

Stitches runs from 17th-29th August (not 23rd) at The Spaces @ The Radisson. £7 (£5 concession).

Edinburgh takes a deep breath...

It's almost upon us. The wonderul, colourful craziness that is the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and all it associated frantic magic really kicks off tomorrow, with many shows doing preview runs on Wednesday and Thursday before it all officially starts on Friday.

Since the vibrant razzmatazz of the Jazz & Blues Festival events at the weekend, the city is taking a brief pause to itself before rushing headlong into the thick of things.

But don't be fooled into thinking nothing's afoot. Performers have been steadily arriving using any means of transport available to them; tech checks have been going on long into the early hours; venues are being hastily assembled out of MDF, glitter and blu-tac - there's a mountain of activity going on in preparation for hundreds of curtains about to rise.

But for now, relax. Take a deep breath, count to 10, visualise your special place. For, from tomorrow, there's no rest til September...

Highlight #11 - Time Out Of Joint

Whilst we're (loosely) on the topic of Shakespeare, Not/Applicable & Heart Productions' Time Out Of Joint looks an interesting one.

A play set whilst Shakespeare is penning Hamlet, it aims to explore his inner mind and outer turmoil, focusing not only on his motivation and inspiration for the themes underlying the Prince of Denmark's struggle, but also the external influences of his twin muses and lovers. The Dark Lady from his sonnets, a mysterious svengali's machinations and Ophelia herself weave an intricate tapestry around Shakespeare as he puts quill to parchment and unfolds one of the world's greatest dramas.

Equally, the team behind Time Out Critics Choice award-winner Shooting Clouds - writer Frank Bramwell and director Arnaud Mugglestone - toy with the notions of what is real and what is imagined in a play that looks set to collide in an exploration of love, drama and intrigue.

Time Out Of Joint is also central to an interesting promotional initiative running at this year's Fringe. Shakespeare At The Fringe aims to collate and publicise all 39 shows this year which feature The Bard in one shape or form, and are arranging several events as a result (the Where's Willy? competition sounds particularly interesting...) Check out the site for more details and updated news.

Time Out Of Joint runs from 5th to 31st August at C Soco. Prices various from £8.50.

Highlight #10 - The Scottish Falsetto Sock Puppet Theatre Goes To Hollywood

Altogether now: "I'm a sock, I'm a sock, you wear me on your feet not on your co..."

Ahem. Now, where were we?

The Scottish Falsetto Sock Puppet Theatre are an Edinburgh Fringe (and UK comedy circuit) institution. At first glance, the amateurish-looking puppet booth and mangy-looking socks with google eyes and lolling tongues may lead you to believe this show would be best suited for the under-fives. Give it five seconds however, and you'll quickly realise that this one-man / two-sock outfit actually offers some of the funniest, fastest-paced and smartest comedy appearing at the Fringe.

TSFSPT is the brainchild of Kev Sutherland, who quickly realised the comedy potential of sock puppets. With Scottish accents. Speaking and singing in falsetto voices. What's not to like?

Especially when the comedy is equal parts ad-lib, improv, rude, corny and (in what may be the biggest surprise to the uninitiated) extremely clever. TSFSPT's shows always contain at least one longish parody of a famous movie or a Shakespeare play, and here the literary in-jokes and puns fly fast, proving that Sutherland is a smart writer as well as an energetic and accomplished performer. With this year's show title being The Scottish Falsetto Sock Puppet Theatre Goes To Hollywood, expect some razor-sharp spoofing of some celluloid classic or other (although secretly, I'm hoping for another Shakespeare rip-off...)

Appearing again in the sweatbox that is the Gilded Balloon Teviot, expect to be fooled by the conceit that you are watching two daft socks quipping and snipping at each other; until the very end, when a drenched and scarlet Sutherland will likely emerge, deserving of the applause you'll surely give him.

The Scottish Falsetto Sock Puppet Theatre Goes To Hollywood runs from 5th to 30th August at Gilded Balloon Teviot. Prices from £9.

Highlight #9 - The Overcoat by Gecko Theatre

An award-winning and accomplished young theatre group from the UK, Gecko return to the Edinburgh Fringe with The Overcoat, a piece inspired by a short story by Russian novelist Gogol.

With what promises to be visually compelling staging and a style reminiscent of a silent movie, The Overcoat tells the tale of young office worker Akakki as he persues his twin desires - a female colleague he is infatuated with and a brown overcoat that seems to possess almost magical qualities...

With little in the way of coherent dialogue (the cast speak in a variety of languages), The Overcoat is not so much a straightforward storytelling piece, but instead looks to be a tour de force of imagery and movement, with comic interludes and a beguiling style. Imaginative use of sets and lighting, coupled with a cast that have backgrounds in dance as well as acting, look set to ensure The Overcoat lives up to expectations as a powerful piece of physical theatre.

The Overcoat runs from the 13th to 29th (not 18th or 25th) August in the Pleasance Courtyard. Prices various from £7.

Review to follow on 21st August,

Highlight #8 - Socially Retarded by Tomfoolery

We humans can be a cruel bunch. Often, we love nothing more than revelling in people's misfortunes, whilst at other times we seem fascinated by the ineptitudes and embarassing failures of others. As long as it's not happening to us, it's funny, right?

Thomas and Thomas of Tomfoolery understand this, and selflessly exploit it for our entertainment and enjoyment with Socially Retarded - The Fringe Cringe Comedy, in which they parade a series of increasingly desperate and toecurling characters in a fast-paced sketch show that's already becoming one to look out for.

Morris dancers, men in y-fronts, gangsta wannabes and builders struggling with their feminine sides - all these and more are here for your voyeuristic amusement, portrayed with some cutting observational comedy and (intentionally) cringeworthy moments which you may have to watch from behind your fingers.

With their infectious enthusiasm (at least one Thomas has been known to yelp like a girl) and affable personalities, Tomfoolery will be hard to miss this year: whether they're flyering on the Royal Mile, tweeting incessantly about their show (but hey, we're all guilty of that...) or just genuinely enjoying the fact they're here in Edinburgh with everything it has to offer at this time of year.

Hopefully they remember to actually turn up and perform their show...

Socially Retarded runs from 7th - 22nd August (not Sundays) at the Spaces @ Royal College of Surgeons, price £7

Highlight #7 - The Grind Show

In a way, The Grind Show was born here. Founder members of the TBA Collaborative, filled with a desire to create original, compelling drama, visited the Edinburgh Fringe in 2007. They left, inspired by what they had seen and went home to work on creating The Grind Show, a startling and innovative piece of contemporary physical theatre which receives its world premiere at this year's Edinburgh Fringe.

Featuring a driven and motivated ensemble of current and postgraduate students from the University of Washington, The Grind Show takes place on the peripherary of a strange, freakish circus, amongst its constantly 'grinding' sideshow acts. An innocent child adrift finds himself in the midst of this surreal, nightmarish troupe and is forced to make a decision that will impact the rest of his life.

Physical and visually arresting, The Grind Show takes its cues from a variety of commendable inpirational sources, with the spirits of Tim Burton, David Lynch and Neil Gaiman watching from the ringside. However, it is to TBA Collaborative's credit that their show looks unmistakably their own and promises to be a uniquely memorable experience that encapsulates the true feeling of Fringe theatre.

In a programme that's increasingly becoming full of big-name comedy acts and easy crowd-pullers, it's reassuring to know that there are groups like TBA Collaborative with a vision and passion that is driven by artistic expression. For that alone, they deserve your attention - the fact they are bringing a work as original and interesting as The Grind Show is almost a bonus.

So - what circus act would you perform for eternity?

The Grind Show runs from 5th to 31st August (not 17th) at the C Venues, Chambers Street, various prices from £7.50.

Review to follow on 14th August.

Highlight #6 - Venus and Mars and Other Myths of Mr and Ms

From ancient times to the present, the differences between man and woman have long fascinated and inspired poets and playwrights, who have employed their artistry to weave timeless, emotion-drenched portrayals of the human condition.

To my knowledge, none of them have so far done so using the medium of comedy aprons.

Fortunately, that gap is admirably addressed by Venus and Mars and Other Myths of Mr and Ms, a 50-minute whirlwind tour of some of history and literature's greatest couples, wardrobe changes being limited to one swift swapping of aprons after another.

Swoon as Romeo and Juliet express their emotions for each other wearing novelty aprons with pictures of boobs & willies on them. Gasp as Anthony & Cleopatra spiral towards their fates with only plastic household apparel for protection. And shudder as Lord and Lady Macbeth (pictured - although which one is Lord and which one is Lady is up for some debate here) try to extricate themselves from their self-spun web of greed, deceit and pvc prints of sexy underwear.

Featuring two young actors with obvious energy and chemistry and some pithy writing & direction, Venus and Mars and Other Myths of Mr and Ms has been generating some great preview run feedback and looks set to be a fast-paced and funny romp through familiar territory everyone can relate to. And it must've been a blast buying the costumes.

Venus and Mars and Other Myths of Mr and Ms runs from 7th-29th August (not Sundays) at The Spaces on The Mile, various prices from £6.

There's a kind of buzz all over the town

Although it doesn't all really kick off until next week (apart from the Jazz Festival, which starts on Friday), there is a tangible sense of expectancy and industrious preparation about central Edinburgh at the moment.

The legendary purple upside-down cow of the Udderbelly (pictured) has its torso in place, and lighting and banners are being hoisted up on the surrounding venues of The Gilded Balloon and the Pleasance Dome. Not long before this area is jam-packed with punters, performers and princesses (see previous post) and transformed into one of the places to be during the Festival.

Elsewhere, the much anticipated Hullaballoo is being erected in George Street Gardens, the C Urban Socco is again making use of the derelict burnt-out area in the Cowgate and the grass of Charlotte Square Gardens is freshly mown in readiness for the Book Festival tents.

1001 other preparations will be going on behind the closed doors of other venues as well, all working hard to ensure Edinburgh is dressed in its finest Festival best. And it's looking damn good already...