Triumphant performance as the Blind leads festival field; Edinburgh

The Blind Festival Theatre, until August 30 HHHHH Maurice Maeterlinck's extraordinary fable, as vividly reimagined by Montreal's Theatre Ubu, is an expedition of the limits and possibilities of theatre, as well as an emotional and intellectual tour de force.

Six blind men and six blind women sit waiting for a priest who will return them home. He never arrives: he has died amongst them. The text evokes the desperate search for meaning in a world passed over to Godlessness. Director Denis Marleau emphasises this theme by withdrawing live actors; instead, we see disembodied faces, floating in the dark. Initially this achievement is merely impressive; quickly it becomes thrilling. Stunningly modern and breathtakingly powerful, this is the kind of work the International Festival should be dedicated to.

Dan Bye Rock Stars: Boom Chicago Pleasance, until August 26 Fringe brochure p49 HHHH Boom Chicago take improv comedy one stage further by improvising not just sketches, but an entire musical. They improvise rap, rock and acoustic around key words and nonsense phrases. Rock Stars is a multi-media event with technical dexterity and wit. Boom Chicago are defiantly entertaining.

Iain Macwhirter The Play O' The Wather Smirnoff Underbelly, ends today Fringe brochure p143 HHH - this Scots translation of John Heywood's 16th-century morality play, the characters have lost none of their earthiness as they petition the god Jupiter to tailor the weather to their own particular needs. Jupiter's lascivious and greedy gatekeeper is a reminder of the corruption that can riddle the political process.

Juliette Garside Quasi-Murder The Garage, ends today Fringe brochure p144 HHH Antihero Epiphany Otos is the ugliest man in the world. He falls for a beautiful actress and gains access to a successful modelling career, but alas her amorous desires, like his, are driven by physical beauty.

Patrick Goddard gives a hugely energetic performance as Epiphany. But although his adaptation is brisk and pungent with raw sexual imagery, his performance is a little too strident.

Andrew Burnet The Straight Man Pleasance, until August 26 Fringe brochure p152 HHHH Comedy double-act Drumney and Kier are playing to another half-empty house. But in the audience is a big-shot TV producer, who makes them an offer. It's a ticket to stardom - but for only one. This bittersweet, excellently scripted play is thoroughly enjoyable.

Sheena Macrae

Copyright 2002
Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All rights Reserved.