Laughing Horse @ The Phoenix presents ANDY AND THE PROSTITUTES – THE MUSICAL Debut Fringe Show

“You’ll laugh, you’ll weep – the banjo musical of the century.”

Andy Riley (The Book Of Bunny Suicides)

While I am sure that Andy and the Prostitutes are very aware that there isn't that much competition for the title, the idea of "the banjo musical of the century" persuaded me to drop my wariness about musicals and take a closer look at how a band with the sort of name that really can get a blog an immense amount of hits intend to take the Fringe by storm with only a band made up of top quality musicians and a fascination with taboos and fear.

Andy McKay - cartoonist, banjo maestro and leader of The Prostitutes is determined to prove that the banjo is the right instrument to lead the assault. "The banjo is a fascinating instrument with quite young roots in modern society," he explains. "It originated in Arabia but was brought to North America by the African slaves, so, as far as taboos go, the banjo has seen it all. I personally believe there is a spirit in the soul of the banjo that has the power to break down barriers and bring light where there was once darkness." 

The banjo's soul has filled McKay with a righteous enthusiasm. "Quite simply, as Dan Ackroyd said, ‘We’re on a mission from God!’ he adds, before pointing out that he has the band to back up his claims. "I am from a bluegrass background, Richard the violinist is from a classical background and Alex, the bass player is from a punk background so it is a mixture of ideas coming together."

Indeed, Richard Moore, the youngest member of the band is "a prodigy of Nigel Kennedy. he graduated from Brit School primed and ready to rapidly ascend the showbiz ladder." For the Fringe, the band has decided to challenge itself to create the musical - a genre that McKay is quick to embrace.

"What is a musical?" he asks. "It’s a marriage of words and song and that is exactly what we are doing. There is a narrative tying the music together which takes the audience on a journey. It might not be Blood Brothers in the West End but it will entertain in a not dissimilar fashion." Concentrating on those aspects of society usually hidden away lends the gig an edge that goes beyond a series of sketches into something that can stand next to the hoards of musical hopefuls who arrive in Edinburgh.

For the Prostitutes, their name has been a blessing. "We are certainly not forgotten very quickly," McKay laughs. "However, it has been an issue in the past and venues have even changed the name to make it less provocative (we were Andy And The Pros once) but most people see the funny side of it which is what we want. In terms of climbing to stardom, we are mainly falling down drunk in the other direction so it is not too big a problem!"

Andy And The Prostitutes - The Musical

3-26 August (not 6, 13, 20)

Venue Number 146: The Phoenix , 46 Broughton Street, EH1 3SA

Free Non-ticketed

Dirty Paki Lingerie

Frankly, the less I say about Dirty Paki Lingerie the better it will be. I am so keen to be smart and clever - and irreverent - when I preview Fringe shows that I am bound to end up sounding obnoxious if I try to copy the spirit of this one woman monologue. Fortunately, Aizzah Fatima was on hand to tell me about her mixture of comedy and social commentary.


GKV: I have always been wary of the Fringe - what makes you want to bring your show here?

So I can air my dirty lingerie on another continent of course!

With the success of the play Dirty Paki Lingerie with sold out runs in New York City as well as Toronto, I want to bring the show to a wider International audience.  It's an honor to be part of the largest theater festival in the world.  

My European friends in NYC were insistent that I take the show to Europe.  They thought it was timely, and the sort of politically intelligent show audiences in Europe would just eat up.  I wanted to test out this theory, and what better way to find out then to perform for a month at the largest theater festival

in the world.

GKV: The title is pretty provocative...

The show is a whirlwind of personalities that will offend, make you laugh out loud, give you the rough stuff you want, and then finally cuddle your inner child.

GKV: And do you have a serious intent behind the headline grabbing title?

What makes this show stand out is that it transcends cultural boundaries, and allows people from all walks of life to see themselves in the specific stories of these six Pakistani American Muslim females.  In so doing, it humanizes Muslims.  

We are human after all; we only sell our second born to the devil.  It also gives a much needed voice in the arts to the female Muslim American experience.

GKV: How important is the balance between comedy and seriousness in the piece?
Being a Muslim female, I couldn’t think of a better weapon than comedy to show people the sexier side of American Muslims.  Yes, contrary to what you might believe, there is a sexier side to American Muslims. But you’ll have to come see the show to find out what it looks like.

Growing up as part of a Pakistani community in the U.S, I found it hilarious when Pakistani moms would comb through Urdu Newspaper matrimonials for their children.  Some of these moms are natural born sales people.  Yet they have never been given the opportunity to workoutside the home.  One of the characters in the show was inspired by so many older women I knew who would do this sort of thing.  You haveto be able to laugh at yourself to gain a deeper understanding, and hopefully to make a change for the better.

The challenge with writing a play that talks about politics, religion,racial profiling, bullying, sexuality, culture vs. tradition, and identity is that it can be easy to fall into the trap of sounding too preachy. The play tackles all these issues with humor, and that is what allows people to connect with the characters and makes it a successful piece.

GKV: What inspired the creation of the work?
The dirty Paki muse in her lingerie came to me and I just couldn’t say no.  Actually, I knew all these remarkable women, and felt compelled to tell their stories.  I also wanted to combat the growing Islamophobic sentiment

 in the US where people are opposing building of Islamic community centers and mosques.  

 

I thought if I can show people how similar the Muslim American community is to any other community, then it should help break down some barriers. 

The Assembly Hall - Baillie Room

1 – 26 August 2012

17:15.18:15pm (60mins)

Monster

Without wishing to trivialise the company, Out Cast Theatre are best remembered for their slightly sexual plays. The Jane Austen guide to Pornography, The Adventures of Butt Boy and Tigger - well, the titles ought to have been fair warning. So memorable are these titles, it's surprising that Out Cast have actually been away for two years, and are coming back with two new shows: Monstrous Acts and Mr Braithwaite Has a New Boy.
Artistic director ands script-writer Steven Dawson is aware of his reputation - and both shows do contain adult content warnings - but has a warm sense of humour about his work.

"In Australia I am known for my risqué comedies and disgraceful one-liners with a little willy-wobbling along the way," he admits. "However some of my more recent works have nobler aspirations with historical themes, settings and characters - Jane Austen, Michelangelo. I have also enjoyed playing with more stylised language than most of my audiences are used to. There is hardly any swearing in this one!"

There is also a considerable difference in the tones of Monstrous Acts and Mr Braithwaite. Dawson acknowledges that this might be an attempt to break out from the stereotyping of his plays. "It was noted in one of the reviews last time we hit Edinburgh that they would like to see something in my work not obsessed with sex," he remembers. "So I have given them just that. Some sex AND violence."


Monstrous Acts is a prison drama that deals with issues of faith and punishment. A two-hander, it looks at the last days of two killers - one unrepentant, the other facing execution for a crime that was more accidental than malicious. Yet in their last days, the condemned find that their redemption could be found in the other's embrace.

"I found the story fascinating and surprisingly little known. I wrote it very quickly for the actors, keeping just one scene ahead of the actors to challenge myself and them," Dawson explains. "
It is harrowing, haunting, erotic, sometimes humorous but there is a beautiful sadness that stays in the memory. Though audiences may be challenged and confronted at times by the raw sexuality and violence there are stronger themes of power, faith and violence in the work."


Out Cast Theatre is Australia’s longest running, totally self-funded LGBTIQ theatre company. In 2009, Out Cast received an Edinburgh Festival Fringe Sell Out Wreath for "Jane Austen’s Guide to Pornography", and in 2008 was nominated for a Fringe First award for "Adventures of Butt Boy and Tigger".

C aquila, venue 21, Edinburgh Festival Fringe Dates: 2–27 Aug (not 13, 20)

21:30(1hr05)

Cygnet Company presents The Taming of the Shrew … as you’ve never seen before

Working through the Fringe's programme can be dispiriting: not due to the paucity of performances, but the sheer impossibility of finding out which shows have an edge. When it comes to Shakespeare, I'm always looking for the new angle: when I came across Cygnet Company, I noticed that they were coming from  the south-west (which always wins my Wessex loyalty), had gender-reversed The Taming of the Shrew and had persuaded ManKind Initiative to support their production.

Sorrell Meechan, an actor with the company, explains how this Shrew will be different. "Shakespeare's plays are often performed and often loved, however we are using a reverse gendered cast and a modern setting, using the original Shakespearean text (albeit greatly abridged) to look at the domestic abuse and oppression of men, in a society with a growing female dominance." 

While I can't agree that the society I seem to inhabit has anything like growing female dominance - the briefest analysis of advertising on television reveals that the patriarchy is in full effect, Cygnet have found the only way that makes another production of Shakespeare bearable - the radical remix. Furthermore, Shrew, if produced according to the original casting and played straight, is little more than a hymn to domestic abuse.

But Cygnet have recognised that theatre is not just about the stage. As Meechan points out, "the production has been a great success in Exeter, with most audiences staying rooted to their seats at the end, discussing the interpretation that we have presented to them. " This interested Mankind Initiative, a national charity that provides help and support for male victims of domestic abuse and domestic violence. 

The interpretation came from a casual conversation. "Our concept for the reverse-gendered cast and dark take on this usual comedy, came out of a night in the pub, a bottle of wine, and some good creative chat amongst friends - aren't most good ideas born in this way?" laughs Meechan. Then the hard work began. "In most years Cygnet has  taken shows to the Fringe: however this year the funding wasn't available, the students therefore took it upon themselves to raise the funds, choose and direct the show and take an entirely student-led production to the Fringe. We have been busily beavering away, standing in the rain at 6am in a charity car park, and, more glamourously, putting on shows with monologues and songs and auctions, all to raise money to bring the show to Edinburgh, so we can participate in the biggest performance festival in the UK." 

Although the script may be old, the inspirations are not.  Meechan continues "Our Director Louisa Wilde is mainly influenced by the theatre director Rupert Goode for his ability to add extra depth and inject new life into classical texts. Our Petruchio is inspired by Sell A Door Theatre Company, for their multi-dimensional characters and the world that they create and take you into."

And while the Fringe may often be a low budget delight, Cygnet have got an expanded cast. "With thirteen members of the cast and crew," Meechan boasts, "we have a number of influences between us which combine to produce a multi-layered production."

Shakespeare's usual length presented a further problem - in addition defining English theatre as based in the script, he likes the extended meditation over the brevity demanded by the Fringe's busy schedule. "Our Director then spent hours upon hours editing the text, cutting a long play down to an hour was no mean feat, Meechan remembers. "Teaching all the girls to walk in heels however, well that was like climbing Mount Everest."

 

Sweet Venues, Grassmarket, International 1, Fringe venue 18

13^th-24^th August (not 18^th)

Tit for Tat Theatre

"Life would be a lot simpler if people would only stop doing stupid shit," begins the press release for Tit for Tat Theatre's Three Cities.  Given the amount of stupid shit I get through on a daily basis, I had to find out more about the performance. Lisa Carroll kindly agreed to explain it all to me...

Why the fringe?

The Edinburgh Fringe Festival is unmatched by any other large scale arts event in terms of audiences, atmosphere, and of course, its range of wonderful shows. This makes it the perfect place to air a new, exciting and vibrant piece of writing to an international audience. The opportunity for emerging artists to be immersed in a culture of experimentation and expression is one not to be missed, especially with a play which speaks to such a diverse audience with its coverage of topical issues as well as comedic moments.

What will make Three Cities stand out this year?

Three Cities stands out simply for being a piece of engaging, witty and contemporary new writing performed by three talented actresses.

Three Cities invites audiences to explore the worlds of three women, each based in Dublin, London and New York. With its intimate staging, the show stands out for its comical treatment of issues which are pertinent to every one of us, offering a fresh perspective and a chance for audiences to laugh at themselves.

Where did the inspiration come from?

Three Cities began with the characters: each with elements drawn from the people that playwright, Lisa Carroll, has encountered when living in each city. Three Cities is permeated by media and current affairs as Lisa seeks to explore through these three loveable characters the extent to which we are shaped by our political surroundings as much as our relationships and experiences.

Do you see the production sitting in any particular tradition or style of theatre?

Three Cities draws upon elements of traditional theatre while seeking to address a contemporary audience. The play is structured by interlinking monologues, a technique often used in theatre which allows characters to confess, reflect and dream whilst simultaneously directly engaging their audience. Three Cities uses this technique to also explore what is said between the lines, with the overlap or disparity between each woman’s stories highlighting the malleability of narrative, the inconstancy of memory and the nature of perception.

Is there still a place for the script in the age of diverse theatre practices?

Theatre relies upon an interlinking chain of contributors, and the playwright has just as much as place in that chain as any director, designer or actor. Theatre is an expression, a response to what is happening around us, to other people – that can be pushed and experimented with just as much through language on a page as it can a devising theatre company or contemporary dance.

Playwrights understand the necessity and simultaneous difficulty of translating ideas into language as a blueprint for a number of artists to then interpret and transmit their meaning.

Look at Beckett: with his scripts he was not only more experimental, but more successful than a vast number of practitioners who would do away with scripted theatre or purport that it no longer has a place. Beckett’s work still has a profound impact on audiences and continues to be revived across the world.

Without tradition there would be no possibility for experimentation, whether on the page or off. Each style of theatre has its own merits but relies upon its opposite, or counterparts in order to operate, communicate with, and define itself in relation to these.

So, yes, the script still very much deserves its place in an age of diverse theatre practices.

Sweet Grassmarket, Apex International Hotel, Venue 18

13^th- 17^th, 19^th-24^th, 26^th August

19.30 – 20.30

£8.00 (£7.00)