Among yesterday’s front pages was a data visualisation which, at first glance, was one of the most effective I’ve ever seen: the Independent had made an infographic showing yesterday’s £6bn budget cuts in context - as a fraction of a debt mountain.
Then I looked closer - and something’s very, very wrong.
Can you tell what it […]
The
5th-27th August, 5pm
Rating: 
The Oxford Revue’s new lineup arrived at the Fringe this year with much to prove after a string of disappointing reviews last year. While this year’s production was certainly much improved, they did not quite achieve the dramatic come-back they might have desired.
The show was rather thin on the ground as far as good gags were concerned with the first half proving particularly lacklustre, provoking laughs mainly from the student contingent who appeared to have come along to support friends. The writing at its best was winsome and clever, rather than belly-laugh funny. The smattering of (reasonably good) in-jokes throughout the performance were unfortunately lost on the majority of the somewhat unenthusiastic audience.
The show was redeemed somewhat by a couple of sharp sketches towards the end, particularly an entertaining mockery of improv comedy and an excellent musical homage to Condoleezza Rice.
The cast certainly worked hard, particular credit due to Kieran Hodgson and Joe Markham for solid performances but on the whole the writing was somewhat predictable. An improvement on last year, but sadly the Oxford Revue still have a long way to go before they can compete with the cream of student comedy on offer at the fringe.
The Liars, Icarus Theatre @ C SoCo
4th-26th August (even dates only), 10:30pm
Rating: 
‘The Liars’ is set in a world in which heterosexuality is taboo, reviled as the source of war, famine and irrationality. Jonathan is a young man growing up in this world, and the play tracks a few days through his life, as he is made to confront his sexuality.
Though the premise is intentionally bizarre, ‘The Liars’ presents its world with competence and a degree of flair. Acting is good, with Jennifer Thomas’s performance as Ms Longley, a McCarthyian headmistress with a hint of dominatrix particularly fine, netting most of the audience’s laughs.
Ultimately, though, ‘The liars’ fails to satisfy. Having created its dystopia, ‘The Liars’ seems unsure what to do with it. As the curtain fell after fifty minutes, I was left feeling as if this should represent the end of an act - not the play. ‘The liars’ offers a slightly disjointed but competent exposition, but leaves you waiting for the action to start.
James Ball, The Oxford Forum
Silent Disco, McEwan Hall, 10th-19th August, 10pm-3am, £10
Rating:
Attended the excellent ‘Silent Disco‘ last night, and as we shall be featuring it as part of the forthcoming Oxford Forum music special (which will of course be online at www.theoxfordforum.com) I can’t really say too much more.
Until then, I wish only to say that if you can possibly make it to the Silent Disco, do so. The music’s hugely eclectic, with live performance being mixed with dance’s finest before progressing to 1930s swing.
The headphones allow the venue to showcase two DJs at once (a great innovation for fussy listeners like me), and the visuals are surreal but excellent, switching from fruit machines, to old men, to country houses and more.
The real clincher though is taking off your headphones and watching everyone’s surreal, silent, gyrations. Fantastic.
If you can’t get up to the Festival, Silent Disco will be at Leeds and Reading festivals (24th-26th August)
James Ball, The Oxford Forum
I spent a significant chunk of yesterday evening scribbling away in C’s bar (largely because C have absolutely fantastic and friendly staff), and hunger drove me to a try one of their pizzas.
Their base is puff pastry. It’s certainly novel, but I’m not sure I’d recommend it - the overall effect is akin to a mozzarella
“Well, you’ve had more experience of police holding cells than I have”
-One thesp to another in Mamma Mia’s pizzeria
Heroes and Villains, Guy Incognito @ C baraka
1-27th August (not 13th), 3pm (50 mins)
Rating:
“In a world that needs a hero now more than ever, two men will boldly sit around talking about stuff.” So says ‘Heroes and Villains’ promotional flyer, and the production does exactly what it says on the tin, albeit with warmth, dexterity and sharp observational humour.
‘Heroes and Villains’ tracks an evening in the life of Michael and Jonathan, two twenty-something misfits. Michael believes his luck’s finally turned a corner following a successful job interview and lottery win, while the more-rounded Jonathan is going to a fancy dress party with his girlfriend. Not everything goes according to plan.
The play is well-paced, varied and constantly witty. Interplay between the two cast members is superb, and Tom Fitton’s (Jonathan) turn as Indy Jones is magnificent. The writing is warm, even sentimental, but never descends into mawkishness, despite the odd close shave.
Having seen Guy Incognito’s work before, the main source of disappointment for me was that this year’s production is astonishingly similar to last year’s offering (Other People), and indeed shares the same characters.
For those new to Guy Incognito, though, ‘Heroes and Villains’ offers an hour’s solid comedy based around male friendship and its accompanying swelter of poo jokes, Nazi-ism, and good-natured abuse, with human frailty thrown in for good measure. Methinks I sense a sitcom in the making.
James Ball, The Oxford Forum
Etiquette, Rotozaza @ Aurora Nove Café
2-27th August
Rating:
Bored with staring at players on improvised stages around
It’s certainly excellent fun, with detailed stage directions absorbing your full attention for the full thirty minutes; there’s barely time to wonder what the tree, blood, blue tack, droppers and other provided props are for. Thumping the table, standing up and raising your voice around the café’s regular punters means Etiquette may not be for the shy.
Rotozaza’s concept is immensely clever – but perhaps the company are too aware of this. The play leads you through a study of language, words and script. Linking the subject matter and method of delivery could be a masterstroke, but feels (dare I say it?) pretentious.
However, if you can overcome the pretension, Etiquette is a refreshing and original concept, thoroughly entertaining, and deserving of the applause you’ll be instructed to offer yourself.
James Ball, The Oxford Forum
Flyering down the Royal Mile hit an all-time low today, as I was forced to accost flyer-ers to get leaflets for their performances, let alone any details on the plot.
I actually miss the days of not being able to get ten paces without a leaflet in the face (or down the pants, in one off-putting incident). Having to pester the promoters is just unsettling.
The Last, Fenced Eden @ The Vault
6-27th August (not 13th or 20th)
Rating:
A disappointingly unbelievable pre-armageddon dinner party production sees a novel concept demolished by one-dimensional characters and a string of unfunny gags.
Partial redemption came from Nicholas Bowyer’s excellent turn as face-stroking urine soaked Norman, the play’s only empathetic character, but this and respectable performances from the remainder of the cast are not enough to compensate for “The Last’s” uninspired script.
James Ball, The Oxford Forum
Shackled, SeVeN DwArVeS @ Euroscot
3rd-27th August (not 15th)
Rating:
Two men awake, naked and shackled together after a heavy night out. Predictably, hilarity ensues. But only for a time, as Fergus Ford’s darkly comedic venture takes a series of dark and shocking turns.
The production cleverly contrasts a light and unchallenging exposition with its grimly realistic violent and tumultuous climax.
The writing is well-paced, though with an occasionally over-heavy touch when hammering in some of the play’s themes. The performance of the two leads, both engagingly multi-faceted but largely unsympathetic characters, is of a consistently high standard, with Brian Hook particularly charismatic.
‘Shackled’ ultimately leads its flawed protagonists and their audience through an exploration of sexuality and vengeance. And if nothing else, will leave the latter with a pathological mistrust of knitting needles.
James Ball, The Oxford Forum
