Live Performance Review: Les Troyens: Performed by Mariinsky Opera (Edinburgh International Festival (E.I.F.) 2014), Friday 29.08.2014 17:00, The Festival Theatre, Edinburgh

Opera, as with Theatre, is a medium I feel I am just beginning to try to find my way within. This production was sung in French with English Supertitles, though it still had a very Russian feel to it. This, to me, is a long opera, which was put on in three sections and once you remove the breaks was a bit over four hours. 

I was most taken by the first section, where the staging appeared most grand and impressive. After the first section the staging became, on the whole, a lot more simplistic. Overall it feels difficult to pick fault as the singing and musicianship, to my ears, sounded fine. 

Sadly there was an element that niggled throughout most of the second and third sections. The production made very good use of screens, projections and mirrors to create the appearance of a greater and more malleable space. Though due to how the mirrors were angled, from where I was sat, you could continually see cast and stage hands doing prep in the wings. This struck as a careless oversight. I am sure there would have been enough space for these people to have stood back a bit further and therefore not have been as distracting as they were. 

The production, as a whole, did feel a bit of a trial and a bit turgid as it went on. I did have a sense of waning towards the end. I am aware that I did greatly enjoy Dido and Aeneas last year, though did not enjoy Bluebeard's Castle. I don't feel I greatly enjoyed this, though it was undoubtedly better than Bluebeard. I am undecided as to whether opera as a medium is really something I am curious enough about to continue exploring. 

Rating: 08/10.         

Live Performance Review: Ubu and the Truth Commission produced by Handspring Theatre Company (Edinburgh International Festival (E.I.F.) 2014), Thursday 28.08.2014 20:00 Royal Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh

This is a revival of an older piece by Handspring, to commemorate 20 years of democracy in South Africa. Handspring Theatre Company are the ones who went on to make Warhorse. The details recounted in the play are based on archives of testimonies given in the hearings of the South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission. 

The play follows a mixed race couple in South Africa in the lead up to and during the goings-on of the Commission. The white male of the couple has clearly kept a lot of his activities from his partner and he appears concerned at what may come out. The play follows him as details he tried to hide come out and he begins to unravel.   

This, at last, is a multi-media production that gets the balance of the differing elements correct. The production uses documentary footage and photographs grounding the play in the harsh reality of the apartheid era in South Africa. This is well balanced with simple though effective animation, which assists to convey the reality of this brutal period without overly traumatising the audience. There is also beautiful puppetry. The puppets which represent humans giving their testimonies are so captivating they further encourage the viewer to give concentrated attention to what is being conveyed.The play manages to have elements of humour without being insensitive, and I found the whole thing to be transfixing. 

In terms of 'theatre productions', I would still tend to think of myself as dipping my toes. Theatre is a medium that I feel I am still finding my way with and am not yet entirely comfortable. I strongly suspect that this is at least in part due to my strong love of film, where anything can be shown and does not need to be gestured towards. Having digressed for a moment, I wish to conclude by saying I feel this is a very well considered and balanced piece, and is the finest theatre production I have yet seen. 

Rating: 10/10.   

Live Performance Review: Patria: Performed by Paco Pena Flamenco Company (Edinburgh International Festival (E.I.F.) 2014), Wednesday 27.08.2014 20:00 The Edinburgh Playhouse, Edinburgh (WORLD PREMIERE)

In terms of the music, singing and dancing, this was a mesmerising performance. As with the Kronos Quartet performance of Beyond Zero 1914 - 1918 earlier in the festival, I was not sold on the modified multimedia visual accompanyment and found this to be a distraction. I felt there was no question as to the performance being strong enough without these sorts of added media elements and therefore felt this to not be necessary. Despite this element, the performance was still absolutely first rate, another belter. 

Rating: 10/10.   

Live Performance Review: Sweet Mambo: Performed by Tanztheater Wuppertal Pina Bausch (Edinburgh International Festival (E.I.F.) 2014), Sunday 24.08.2014 20:00 The Edinburgh Playhouse, Edinburgh

This was a hypnotic dreamlike queasy performance. There was a nightmarish oppressive quality to sections, at other times there was a cheeky-teasing playfulness that was very appealing. At times it felt mildly erotic. The fluidity with which the dancers moved from one element to another contributed considerably to the hypnotic quality. There was only one occasion where the fluidity was broken due to an abrupt change of musical styles, though otherwise the musical accompanyment was integral to the unrelenting nature of the work. 

The stage was sparse, yet the staging at times was quite dramatic due to clever use of curtains and lighting. There was fantastic use of wind machines directed towards the curtains to create fantastic billowing shapes which the dancers had to be able to work around. There was a section where an attractive female dancer was moving in a constrained fashion within an undulating curtain and due to clever use of lighting, the dancer was teasingly visible within varying degrees of shadow. 

There was only one aspect of the performance that did not sit immediately comfortably and this was the fact that several of the dancers were also speaking as they went about their movements. Some were repeating set phrases, which was easier, as this appeared at least in part to be for the rhythm of the words as they flowed. Some were expressing deliberately comedic utterances, which was also fine. Some were appearing to be doing almost mini-monologing, without purpose of humour or rhythm. This was the element I found to not sit easily, though also across the whole performance, it is a minor quibble. 

It was considerably refreshing to attend a dance performance which had such a great focus upon humour. This performance was engrossing, when it came to being aware that it was the end of the performance, there was a sense of the performance having flown by. Pina Bausch died several years ago, and there are questions as to whether this dance company can continue going. It would be a shame if they are not able to continue and the world of dance would loose this unique lighthearted approach and be poorer for it. 

Rating: 10/10.               

Live Performance Review: Concerto Italiano (Edinburgh International Festival (E.I.F.) 2014), Thursday 21.08.2014 17:45, Greyfriars Kirk (Unreserved Seating), Edinburgh

Concerto Italiano are regarded as one of Italy's finest Baroque ensembles. The performance alternated between instrumental pieces and madrigals. 

This was very pleasant performance. Although, reflecting my ignorance, while the performance was happening I did somehow come to think it was one long piece with differing passages. I was particularly impressed by the three violinists, and in terms of the vocalists I was struck by the expressiveness of the tenor, Luca Dordolo. The soprano Anna Simboli was also notable, though I feel the three vocalists were collectively let down by the second tenor, Gianluca Ferrarini.   

I feel this has addressed my curiosity in terms of Italian Baroque music. On the whole impressive, though not sure it is quite my cup of tea.  

Rating: 07/10.  

Live Performance Review: Gnosis Performed By Akram Khan Company (Edinburgh International Festival (E.I.F.) 2014), Wednesday 20.08.2014 20:00, King's Theatre, Edinburgh

Unavoidably this was a modified performance of Gnosis. Akram does the first section and last sections solo, and the middle section was to be performed by Fang-Yi Sheu, who had regrettably injured herself and was unable to perform. 

We were still treated to Akram's sections of Gnosis, and between these, we got Akram and his musicians doing a fantastic music and dance 'jam' based around 16 beat patterns. We also had a tabla solo, Akram giving a demonstration of dance which is the product of a collaboration he is doing with a flamenco artist - there are apparent shared roots to historical/classical Indian dance and flamenco & a 'battle' between the three drummers, which was a lot better than what it may sound to Western ears. 

The dancing was virtuoso, with superb accompanyment from the musicians and singer. This was also heightened by the powerful yet minimal use of lighting and Akram's colorful dress. There were passages that were sublime, awe inspiring and bordering on the transcendental. To pick out but a couple of examples; the tabla solo was staggering in it's mastery and within the flamenco flavoured section, there was a passage where due to the continuous rhythm being generated by his subtle leg movements, Akram was creating a continual yet undulating ringing of his trouser-bells, the affect of which is unlike anything I have ever come across before. 

I have no regrets about the revised nature of the performance. I at times like what can come of these mishaps. All of Akram's dancing was top-notch, though if it had not been for his co-star getting injured, we would not have had the special flamenco and tabla sections. 

I have given this some thought, and even given the ad-hoc nature of the performance, I genuinely feel to give a score is not enough. (Thinking back on performances where I have felt it to be inappropriate to give a score, the element that they all shared is some kind of transcendental nature. So far that is again two such performances during the Edinburgh Festival period in 2014, just like in 2012. Life does not get better than these experiences.) The performance could in ways be seen as profound. It was certainly a privilege.    

Live Performance Review: Kronos Quartet (Edinburgh International Festival (E.I.F.) 2014), Tuesday 19.08.2014 20:00, The Usher Hall, Edinburgh 

This was largely a very enjoyable performance. There was a good range of pieces being performed, including pieces by Philip Glass, Laurie Anderson & Clint Mansell, as well as pieces by composers from Syria, Mali, Canada & elsewhere.

The only piece I was not keen on was the final one, I found this to be too heavy on the sampled contributions to the piece. I also found it disrupting that there was a passage in the middle of the piece where the quartet had no contribution to make. It was an interlude of war sounds.

I was particularly taken with the first piece, which had some electronica elements, and the Clint Mansell pieces from the films 'Requiem for a Dream' (2000) & 'The Fountain' (2006) (Both directed by Darren Aronofsky). The pieces which come from film work felt to be the most dramatic along with the Syrian piece which I also particularly liked.

I have no criticism, though I did not feel this to be outstanding.

Rating: 09/10.     

Live Performance Review: Beyond Zero: 1914 - 1918: Performed by Kronos Quartet (Edinburgh International Festival (E.I.F.) 2014), Monday 18.08.2014 20:00, The Festival Theatre, Edinburgh 

Sadly this was a bit frustrating.

The quartet started and all was going lovely, I was enjoying the music, though I was distracted by the thoughts of 'when are the other multi-media elements going to kick in'.

Every now and again there were sounds or other music coming in along side the live music from the quartet, that was okay. When the screen finally got going, I felt there was far too much  damaged elements of photos/film, rather than focusing upon stuff that you could actually see what was happening, which sadly was just a fraction of what was being displayed. I had expected for the music being played to try to have some synchronicity with what was happening on the screen, this may be my ineptitude though I was struggling to see that (if it was there).

Truth be told, I though that what the quartet were playing from the off, was actually managing to convey elements of conflict and battle. This is not the sort of thing I would usually pick up upon, though I vividly recall being struck by how skilled they were at getting that across. I felt the other multi-media elements actually got in the way. Once I realised these other parts were a distraction, I closed my eyes and just enjoyed the quartet. Had it just been the quartet, I suspect I would be giving top marks, though as it was compromised...

Rating: 08/10.

- Happily, I get to see them again tomorrow night without distractions.
We'll see if they pull it out the bag tomorrow eve.    

Live Performance Review: Polish Radio Choir (Edinburgh International Festival (E.I.F.) 2014), Monday 18.08.2014 17:45, Greyfriars Kirk (Unreserved Seating), Edinburgh

This was a very enjoyable performance with flawless togetherness between the singers. The coral pieces being done reminded me of the sort of music we used to do in the church choir when I was a child. There was a comforting familiarity in the work. 

Although it was very impressive and there is nothing wrong with that, I don't feel it was perfect. This is not due to any particular flaw or deficit. There was never any error which gave a jolt, though also there was no je nais se quoi. In very simple terms; a perfectly capable perfunctory choir, very nice to listen to, though by no means in the same bracket as the 'Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir'.

Rating: 08/10.    

Live Performance Review: The James Plays: Performed by National Theatre of Scotland & National Theatre of Great Britain (Edinburgh International Festival (E.I.F.) 2014), Sunday 17.08.2014 12:00 - James I: The Key Will Keep The Lock, 16:00 - James II: Day of the Innocents & 20:15 - James III: The True Mirror, The Festival Theatre, Edinburgh (WORLD PREMIERE)

Now straight off the bat, I did think it foolish to go to see all of these in one day, though I only thought this after I got the tickets. I wondered whether I would be able to endure, and I also thought it would have to be very good performance to keep me going for the advertised 7 & 1/2 Hours + Breaks. 

As it turns out I needn't have worried, the plays were very well staged and acted, and I was particularly pleased to have had to opportunity to see Sofie Grabol give a good performance. I would consider the original Danish version of 'The Killing' (Forbrydelsen) (2007 - 2012) to be my favorite T.V. series, so to get the opportunity to see her perform, was a draw I was not going to miss. 

Now sadly to my more negative comments. It struck me that the show was at times actively being played for laughs; this is something quite different to there being naturally occurring funny moments. I don't know if this struck as odd simply as I was not expecting it. I am not suggesting that the presentation of history needs to be dour faced, though these are not happy periods of Scotland's history that are being depicted. 

It irritated me early on that colloquialisms being used were, to my knowledge, too modern for times being set within. Though by the end of the third and final play it was clear that the producers of the work were not bothered by such considerations as historical accuracy. 

By the end of the third play, King James III was dressed in a see through black top with red velour trousers on and his tattoos still clearly showing through the top; there having been no attempt to cover these up during the performance.

By the third play several cast members were dressed in Kilts of the modern form. Kilts in their modern form did not exist until the Victorian era, when an English factory owner in Inverness had them designed as the work uniforms for his Scottish workforce. Hence why I refer to them as a symbol of Scottish servitude, and for this & other reasons I prefer a skirt (I don't even feel Scottish!). 

It may well be clear, that the conceiving of this triptych of plays was entirely separate to the development of the referendum on Scottish Independence, though sadly the authors politics are not hard to guess at. There was a section towards the end of the final play that felt a tad hectoring and soap-boxy. Though I did appreciate that they did not try to paint an overly rose tinted view of the past, and they gave voice to the idea that Scotland does not really have much except attitude, and that's not much to brag about.

It could encourage people to engage with their own politics, though presently in Scotland this is not much of an issue. I also hasten to think that most, if not all people in attendance, by the very act of purchasing the tickets and being there are likely to already be engaged. Possibly a case of preaching to the choir.  

I appreciated that the three plays act as a reminder, that historical development towards any moderately enlightened culture has had (many) periods of bitter jealous rivalry within greater periods of barbaric and brutal feudalism. It reminds that all power can corrupt and cause apparent instantaneous blindness to what able to see before. It also serves as a reminder that the history, that the Scots in particular are guilty of romanticising, is the last thing we can benefit from looking back at reverentially. The times depicted today, I am glad are times that I should never have to endure.           

Rating: 08/10. 

Live Performance Review: I AM: Performed by MAU (Edinburgh International Festival (E.I.F.) 2014), Saturday 16.08.2014 20:00 The Edinburgh Playhouse, Edinburgh

There was an odd start to this performance. I entered the venue to go to the row where my seat should be and the entire row was missing. I informed the usherette, who after initially trying to pretend Row N was Row M, sent for the manager. The manager came and confirmed I had no seat and said he would just get one for me. Now to give them their dues, I was expecting a shitey wee plastic affair, though the manager came back carrying a correct theatre seat and installed the single seat for me. I was a wee wobbly mind. I don't know why they bothered, as it turned out there was plenty of spare seats round about (and more became available as the performance wore on). Not that I was going to try and get to a seat with a better view, after I had my very own installed. 

The performance is classed under dance. I think it is more apt to call this music & movement, sadly of the worst kind. Or should that be noise & movement, there was no music just industrial noise mixed in with other sound elements. 

Now the terms 'noise' and 'music & movement', I don't automatically use these terms in a derisory fashion, just here. I termed 'Hora' (2012) by the Batshiva dance company as 'music & movement' yet I could not have been more complementary. Industrial noise is an element I enjoy about some other performances and mediums as well as classing myself as a fan of David Lynch's work. So in the broadest possible terms, this could have worked for me. 

In terms of describing the piece itself, while watching it I thought of David Lynch and in particular his films 'Eraserhead' (1977) & 'Mullholland Drive' (2001), both in terms of movement and roles within performance and in terms of the soundscape. Sadly the entire piece felt very austere and abrasive. There was nothing lush to counterbalance the severity, a trick that Mr. Lynch always used so well. 

The far greater issue I have with the entire piece is the pace. the entire piece felt overly stretched. There were passages where some performers were moving to a more upbeat tempo, yet though-out the whole piece there was always one or more performers going at a painfully slow rate across the stage; this secondary permanent slow tempo was more or less maintained across the entire show. I have not the scoobiest as to what the slow pace was meant to represent, though it is this element that caused it to be a relief when the whole piece was done. I know it is not as straightforward as to say, why could they not have just gone twice the rate and be done in half the time. Though surely they could have 'represented' something by mixing up the tempo somewhat. Mixed within the performances were passages where an artiste was, for one example, doing a slow version of what appeared to be the New Zealand Haka. I feel the likes of this would also have benefited from a greater mix of tempos.

This one I will mark up to experience and it does get some points as I did like the overall tone and sounds. Just know when to gie it a rest.

Rating: 04/10.        

Live Performance Review: Britten's War Requiem Performed By Philharmonia Orchestra (Edinburgh International Festival (E.I.F.) 2014), Thursday 14.08.2014 20:00, Usher Hall, Edinburgh 

This is a piece that I am not aware of having heard before. To my knowledge the only work of Britten's that I know a version of is Corpus Christi Carol due to Jeff Buckley having having released a version of it on his 1994 album 'Grace'. So this was really a punt.

What a belter it turned out to be. A fantastically complex and rich piece with wonderfully dramatic changes and passages. Not a single weak element within the musicians in the orchestra or the singers be they choir or soloists. A tremendous performance, Marvelous.

Rating: 10/10.
  

Live Performance Review: Sister Marie Keyrouz L'Ensemble De La Paix (Edinburgh International Festival (E.I.F.) 2014), Wednesday 13.08.2014 17:45, Greyfriars Kirk (Unreserved Seating), Edinburgh 

This Lebanese nun/church-singer/musicologist performed with the accompanyment of six male backing singers and no instrumentation. 

The performance was based upon Oriental Christian Chant; to my cloth ears, I could easily detect similarities with plain chant. Towards the beginning of the performance I did consider for a short period that there felt to be too much vibrato for my comfort, though this sense dissipated. I could also detect similarities with what 'Dead Can Dance' had concentrated on in their album 'Aion' (1990). 

Sister Marie's backing singers were very impressive and able to give very sympathetic musical support to her. It is though Sister Marie's voice that is easily the most impressive element of this. Staggering in it's control and stunning in it's beauty. There is no way to possibly begin to find fault with a performance like this. A remarkable privilege.   

It was both too good to give a rating to, and also it would be inappropriate due to the nature of the music.  

Live Performance Review: Inala: Performed by Ladysmith Black Mambazo & Dancers from Rambert & The Royal Ballet (Edinburgh International Festival (E.I.F.) 2014), Sunday 10.08.2014 20:00 The Edinburgh Playhouse, Edinburgh (WORLD PREMIERE)

This was being advertised as a Zulu ballet. As well as dancers from Rambert & The Royal Ballet, there were other freelance dancers. The music was provided by Ladysmith Black Mambazo plus several musicians giving an instrument backing to Ladysmith... This is one element it took me a wee while to get into. Having heard Ladysmith... perform just the night previous, as they should be heard, i.e. a cappella, I found it took some adjusting. 

There were impressive leather costumes with head-gear for the male dancers and graceful floaty dress for the females. All of the dancers appeared to be well matched in terms of physicality and fluidity. There were some interesting moves which I assume may well be based within African dance.

An element I particularly liked was that the professional dancers where quite often 'mixin'-it-up' with the men of Ladysmith. I found it refreshing that there was this explicit collaboration between the precise and the funky. This appeared to be a very successful fusion of the classical/trained and the tribal/traditional. This is also the element that I feel worked best and felt to be genuinely groundbreaking. 

By the end, the entire performance felt to have worked well and I felt the entire piece was enjoyable. I am aware this may read as damming with faint praise. I did genuinely enjoy the whole experience, though in terms of dance, it was not up there with the very best I've seen within the International Festival, which to me are 'Groupo Corpo' (2010) & the 'Batsheva Dance Company' (2012). These are the two dance performances that I found to cause use of a string of superlatives. 

In terms of being honest, I also have to say that Ladysmith..., they were very good and I have not an iota of an issue with their performance, though again it is impossible not to be aware of that niggling thought that I wish they could have sung more a cappella. - This causes even greater appreciation for having seen them the night before doing what they do best. 

I certainly would have no hesitation in recommending to people who enjoy vibrant, colourful displays. This was upbeat feelgood - loose though cohesive, as opposed to stunned by brilliance, though that does not make it any less impressive.

Rating: 10/10.     

Live Performance Review: Ganesh Versus The Third Reich produced by Back To Back Theatre (Edinburgh International Festival (E.I.F.) 2014), Sunday 10.08.2014 14:30 Royal Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh

The basic premise of this performance that Ganesh goes to Germany during the time of the Third Reich to reclaim the Swastika from its corruption by the Nazi's. I was expecting something interesting to be done around this idea...

Sadly there was a convoluted presentation where the audience were shown the actors doing their performances and also showed the actors as actors doing 'prep' for the production. Regrettably this device appears to have not been used in any creative manner. I suspect this may have been an attempt to be 'post-modern-archly-ironic'. These labels tend to only get applied to a performance when there is a clear attempt to do something with this sort of 'deconstructionist' approach. Sadly when a production, like this one, appears to be very muddled as to what it is doing, it tends to only get very negative labels attached.  

The actor playing the director of the group (also the only one involved who did not appear to have a mild learning disability) was at times speaking directly to the audience and in a very un-subtle way was telling the audience what they should be thinking of the show and it's purpose. That same character goes on to bully another participant. I did wonder whether this was a very cack-handed way of trying to draw parallels with the Nazi's. I can't see any other rationale, though if this is the reasoning, clearly I was not impressed by the heavy handed nature of this element. Clearly someone who is a fascist may well bully, though I feel it is impossible to say that someone who bullies is a fascist; this is too great a jump. 

Sadly the whole production felt am-dram in the worst possible way; there was one actor who on more than one occasion appeared to forget his lines only to be loudly prompted to be able to continue. There was crass jokes that trivialized elements of Jewish history; which resulted in me trying to chew my fist off. The entire performance felt stilted, staid & staged, there was no flow. This was not like seeing a local community panto where you accept small blips in the rustic charm of people putting on a performance with a sense of fun. This was people out of their depth, trying to tackle a subject which deserved a more creative and sensitive approach.  

I waited until the end just in case I was to slam this and then people were to say 'ah but you did not get to the twist at the end'. I was hoping there was going to be a twist to hopefully make me feel silly for having got my dander up. Sadly not, it was just an angering, bordering on the offensive waste of my time. - I suspect those involved feel there is a purpose to all this (I bet they would struggle to spell it out). It is not even good enough to be able to be controversial. 

This is quite seriously one of the worst live performances I have ever seen, professional or otherwise. I don't want to start doing negative scores, although I feel this does warrant it. 

Rating: 00/00.

The one good thing about the performance was the supertitles. The performance was done in English, German & Sanskrit. This is the first time I have seen Supertitles well positioned so I did not have to take my eye of what was happening to see the text. A further shame, when considering the rest of the comments I have felt to be necessary. 

Live Performance Review: Ladysmith Black Mambazo (Edinburgh International Festival (E.I.F.) 2014), Saturday 09.08.2014 20:00 The Edinburgh Playhouse, Edinburgh 

I'm going to do something I don't often do, and that is assume people know who Ladysmith... are. I, like many ignorant western whities, became aware of them when they were the best thing about Paul Simon's 'Graceland' album in 1986 when I was 10 years old. 

From start to finish this was an utter joyous delight of perfect singing and harmonising with some funky moves and amusing larking about. Several of the songs caused waves of joy resulting in water leaving my body with disturbing regularity. When they sang 'Homeless', the best piece from the 'Graceland' album, it was all too much. A wondrous night. 

Tomorrow night I get to see Ladysmith... provide the music for the Zulu ballet Inala, I anticipate that this should be a blast. 

Rating: 10/10.