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If
you were ever bored by the classics and never saw the point of learning
about a lot of Gods on a mountain getting ordinary mortals to do
ridiculous things for them, then make sure you take this chance
not to let your children suffer the same experience and go and see
Odysseus and the Really Freaky Monsters!
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Odysseus
and the Really Freaky Monsters
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The
story starts as Odysseus crosses the seas of Ancient Greece
to do battle with Troy.
Ten
years later, just as everybody is getting a little bit bored,
Odysseus comes up with a cunning plan to use his faithful
(pantomime) horse, Dobbinarus, to trick the Trojans into letting
them into Troy.
This
production blends original script, music, movement and puppetry
with a liberal splash of irreverent humour to produce a magical
journey that will capture the hearts and minds of the children
and parents alike.
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For
it's not only a great title for an Edinburgh show, it's a fun romp
through Ancient Greece that brings the rich and exciting adventure
stories of Greek mythology alive for a new generation.
Devised
by the company and edited by Rebecca Russell, the story of Odysseus'
quest not only contains the kind of great colourful characters,
excellent puppets and silly jokes to keep the children enthralled,
but there's also enough to entertain the adults, without their kids
realising why they are laughing!
If
you can imagine a scenario where Troy is infiltrated with the help
of a pantomime horse, a camp Hermes whose wings are killing him
and a seven-headed Scylla monster who bears a remarkable resemblance
to a certain female Scouse entertainer, then you get the general
idea.
And
if you can chuckle at the thought of this Scylla making a none too
bright Odysseus play Blind Deity to decide which goddess will help
him on the next stage of his journey, then you will certainly enjoy
this imaginative piece.
Heroes
The original story is like one of those bad dreams where you really
can't get to where you want to go. Odysseus spends years on the
road getting diverted and distracted, and any recreation of the
tale could drag on.
But
under the skilful direction of Phillip Reardon, the plot cracks
on at a pace and our hapless heroes leap from scrape to scrape,
with the help of three arguing goddesses and a great stage boat.
Performance-wise,
many of the actors show great versatility in playing a number of
roles and it would be unfair to single anybody out for praise as
it's a great team effort.
But
I have to mention Will Franklin, whose portrayal of the none too
bright Odysseus included the kind of silliness that children love
and the charm that adults will warm to.
As
the main character he has to really keep things moving and keep
the audience interested which he manages with a lot of laughs -
and a very revealing skirt!
Different
Tidemark's second Edinburgh offering could not be more different.
A quick warning first - if you want to be truly surprised by it,
then please don't read on!
Delicates
and Smoke by Rebecca Russell are two monologues that deal with
difficult subjects and show that you can never be sure what lies
behind the eyes of seemingly ordinary people - unless of course,
you are trained to spot the signs.
And
signs are what we are given throughout the two well-crafted pieces
of writing, that expertly reveal bit by bit, the true nature of
the characters. If you spot these indicators, you will see where
they are heading. If you don't, the revelations will be more shocking.
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Delicates
and Smoke
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What
turns a doting mother or loving son into a killer? Is is genetic,
in-built, pre-determined or is there something lurking dormant
inside everyone of us waiting to be triggered by a twist of
fate?
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In
both, there are devices that lull you into a false sense of security.
The down to earth humour of a single mum in one, and a near naked
man getting ready for a day's work in the other, are ordinary people
that you can relate to, before the knife slowly twists and you realise
that something more sinister may be going on.
In
Delicates, Moira is a mother who almost loves her kids too
much and struggles to make ends meet, but her difficulties lie less
in financial constraints than a mental disorder which could be a
lethal form of child abuse.
Rosemary
Goodman has directed writer Rebecca Russell in this piece, which
I found very moving. Her transition from wonderful observational
wit to palpable pain is stark, and effectively introduces the audience
to a subject that I am now keen to find out more about - Munchausen's
Symdrome by Proxy.
In
Smoke directed by Jon Russell, Greg is a firefighter who so
regularly puts his life on the line for others that he couldn't
possible want to take life away as well - or could he?
Roger
Bartlett plays the troubled hero haunted by the demands of his late
mother, and his ability to turn from genial to sinister with just
a look in the eyes or a single word was quite frightening.
Although,
it has to be said, that once you've seen the first monologue, you
kind of know that in the second, Greg will not turn out to be all
he seems! Which is why before writing about this production I said
don't read on if you want to be surprised!
There
may be a case for showing both pieces in isolation from each other
if you want to gain the full effect of the second.
But
at the same time, putting them together shows how abuse, in whatever
form, can be a perpetual cycle, from parent to child - and so on.
And
the lessons - we all need to open our eyes to other's suffering,
but when you are specifically paid to do this, the job is difficult
and the responsibility enormous.
Are
you taking a production to Edinburgh this year? Do you want to tell
the world about it? If so, let us know by emailing threecounties@bbc.co.uk
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