Profesional Reviews... Profesional Musicians...

by alex

I dont know if any of you have found your way onto the Edfringe site. It is a little disapointing. My father has had really good things to say to Tyler and I about how we should react to the type of attitudes that the peer and viewer remarks express. We, as a cast are just ignoring them. The 4 profesional reviewer that have come to see our shows have given us two 5 stars and 2 four stars. Our producer is a little bothered at the 4 stars, but i see no shame in them. Considering the number of 1 and 2 star plays running around Edinburgh I am very very pleased with a 4.5 average for our professional audiences. And considering how many more people are reading the hard printed articles our sales are incredible. I think i have already mentioned that there were some box office mixhapps. Their computer was saying we were sold out 10 tickets before we were actually full. This is nothing in a 200, or 300 seat black box, but with our 63 seat theatre, it is a lot of bums in seats (as emma says). So that is sorted and we have properly sold out the last 3 days, with people turned away, or buying tickets in advance. C Venues (our mother ship) clearly treats you different based upon your presales and reviews. If they think they can make some money off of you, you are their blessed little child, and now that we are "the best selling show at C Central", we are truly loved. :)

I wanted to put the four reviews here for all of you to read. We have two more that we are waiting on, (one of them is in the theatre right now, and the other will be comming the end of the run for complex reasons) from The List and The Gaurdian.

METRO
How I Learned to Drive * * * *
Ostensibly about the cheery subjects of peadophilia and incest in the American deep south of four decades ago, How I Learned to Drive manages to transcend such weighty matters and create a Tennessee Williams-like world that touches upon the likes of death, family, memory and even - aginst all odds - love.
Writen by Pulitzer Prize winner Paula Vogel, this production of How I Learned to Drive is staged by England's Collapsible Theatre Company. It's clearly a show on a bugdet - a couple of chairs and tables account for the set - but its real riches are in the truly stunning performances. Tyler Caffall throws out the greasy steriotype and portrays Uncle Peck as an elloquent charming, yet deely troibled southern gent, while Elizabeth Donnelly as the object of his unnatural affection, his niece Li'l Bit though ages 11 to 18, is simply astonishing. By turns naive, sexy, anguished, and ecstatic its not exaggeration to say her performance is surely an unhearlded gem o the festival.


EDINBURGH GUIDE
How I Learned to Drive. * * * * *
Venue C Central (Venue No 54)
Reviewer Ed Thornton.

A young girl learns to drive sitting on her uncle’s knee. On that day her childhood ends. .

Living in a family whose nicknames are all derived from different words for genitals, Lil ‘Bit is used to people wearing their sexualities on their sleeves. Her sexual awakening at the hands of her uncle Peck however stains her perception of the world, of herself and of men forever.

Paula Vogel’s lyrical writing and the sing-song intonation of some impeccable accents will transport you to the southern states you may never have seen. Jumping through episodes of their lives together, what at first appears to be a grotesque one-sided relationship between an older man and a young child becomes less clear. At times an innocent kid and at others a sultry temptress Lil Bit gives physicality to her uncle’s torment.

This play achieves everything in one short hour that Nicole Kassell's film The Woodsman didn’t. Vogel has not been afraid to delve deep inside Uncle Peck’s head, and while never endorsing his actions, managing to evoke a real empathy for the internal disorder of a man tormented by the girl he cannot live without. The harrowing subject is treated with such sensitivity it is impossible not to be affected; it’s distressing but not revolting. A deserved winner of the prestigious Pulitzer prize this is perhaps one of the most powerful pieces of writing around.
Runs to August 29 at 16.30.
Company Collapsible Theatre Company.


THREE WEEKS
How I Learned to Drive* * * * *
Collapsible Theatre Company
‘That was the last day I lived in my body’, she eerily recalls. The focus is on the complex issue of child abuse, as ‘Li’l Bit’, now an adult, takes the audience on a trip down memory lane. Set in America during the sixties, ‘Li’l Bit’ is trying to escape her daily troubles and finds that source of comfort with her ‘sweet talking’ uncle Peck. It allows the audience a rare insight into the troubled mind of a child and an adult, unfolding into a complex, yet tragic, ‘love’ story. The small cast present a breathtaking performance, captivating the audience throughout. Filled with heartfelt emotion, humour and tragedy, this show cannot be missed!

ONE FOR REVIEW EDINBURGH
How I Learned to Drive * * * *

How I learned to Drive was written by the critically acclaimed Paula Vogel tackles head-on the controversial subject of paedophilia, with a touch of near incest thrown in as a side order.
Set in the States during the late 60’s it major’s on the ‘relationship’ of L’il’ Bit, Elizabeth Donnelly with her uncle by marriage Uncle Peck, Tyler Caffall. Although initially the relationship is build on friendship, it is patently obvious that there is a sexual interest from the uncle to his niece, and even through all this he is portrayed as genuinely loving her, albeit forbidden love.
The story progresses through a variety of flashbacks intertwined with current events with a supporting cast of three, Aaron Costa Ganis, Emma Jenkinson and Lotte Wakeham playing a variety of other, mainly family, roles.
Director James Bounds drew fine performances from especially Ms Donnelly and Mr Caffall and tackled a difficult subject matter with a fine balance to get the message across.
Not the easiest play to watch, given the subject matter, but one well worth checking out for the performances given by the entire company.



So there they are. I do have to say, that to Tyler relief all of the people that shredded the show on EdFringe really respected and in come cases enjoyed his performance. But, on the other hand, it is fortionate that people are talking about the play. I think it is good. A lot of shows just come and go, evoke nothing and never even get reviewed anywhere for weeks and weeks. We had people dig in early. We have 13 more shows to keep everything fresh for.

Tyler and I have also made some interesting contacts. We hit it right off with a group from NYU that were incredibly intelegent and wonderful people. Three of them were already thinking of moving to Portland so they are going to come out sometime this year. We are already schemeing with them and others about comming back next year with a little different production arrangement. I like what we have processed so far and hope that things can keep on developing.

Tyler is working on a resume to send to RADA (Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts). They have people here in Edinburgh, but do not consider comming to your show without a CV. He has never made one so we are racking our brains trying to think of all of the playwrights and characters and years and abilities. What a wonderful problem to have.

Oh, and exciting things for me. Last night the Jazz Bar (creative name i know ...) had an open Jam. We had been in a time before and I spoke with the house drummer, Bill, about sitting in. And last night I did just that. It was wonderful. It was so smoky and full. It was quite funny though because I got up there and the sax's that we were playing with had a little song they wanted to play and when he explained the song to me my nervousness turned to panic (good thing I got down a gin and tonic before playing though, i stayed relativly calm). The leader turns to me and says in a thick Scotish accent, "Ok, it is going to just be AA BB AA and then we will repeat the whole form and stay in BB untill one A at the end." No problem I thought, but he went on. "The A's are going to be in 3/4, and the B's will be in 6/8 with a 2/4 feel... the first time. But when we do the second A's we may play in cut time ourselves, dont follow us, just stay in the 3/4." ... ... ... I was a little scared... to say the least. But Dr. Plies taught me 3/4 well and and i tore that set apart. Except, i had to really work hard to lay off the bass drum foot in the 2/4 sections. I admit, I played a modified 3 swing the whole time though... but I think that is what they wanted because I got my new most favorite thing at the end of the songs ... a Euro Cheek-Cheek kiss from the sax and an invite to return later this week at Midnight on wednesday and play again. :) No photos though... because tyler filmed the whole thing on the camera. I wont be watching it, but you all can when we get home.

Alright, well love you all and I will write again soon. They are doing the play right now, so i have to scamper back stage again to pack everything up. The stinking theatre only gives us 5 damn minutes to get in and out of the venue... nearly impossible.

Im off!

Alex