MUST : Peggy Shaw and Clod Ensemble: Edinburgh Fringe to 31st August

Edinburgh.

MUST
by Peggy Shaw and The Clod Ensemble, produced by Fuel.

Anatomy Lecture Theatre, Doorway 3, Medical School, Edinburgh (venue 295) To 31 August 2009.
Runs 50min No interval.

TICKETS: 0131 556 6550.
www.pleasance.co.uk
Review: Mark Courtice 25 August.

A body of poetry.
You enter the auditorium - a steeply raked lecture theatre in which it seems entirely likely that Burke and Hare's victims were originally displayed (it is after all the Anatomy Lecture Theatre we are in) - by passing between two elephant skeletons.

What happens next is an anatomy lecture on a life - Peggy Shaw's life which encompasses lust, love birth and death, and a great many medical emergencies in between. The skeleton is the woman, the flesh her writing.

She prowls round the lecture area, with beautiful images of bones and flesh often providing the light on her. She climbs right to the top of the hall, and lurks in corners. All the while she tells of her life and those of friends, family, lovers in terms of crunching bones, smooth skin and flesh. These are wonderful poems brought to vigorous, flashing life by a performer both brave and sophisticated.

This is accompanied by a sinuous, winding music score beautifully played live by musicians who understand poetry too.

It's erotic, tender, vainglorious and astonishing in it's candour. Its also performance made with casual skill but of a very high order. This is an expert at work.

Performer: Peggy Shaw.
Musicians: Calina de la Mare, Lucy Shaw, Paul Glandy.

Director: Suzy Willson.
Designer: Sarah Blenkinsop.
Lighting: Hansjörg Schmidt.

2009-08-27 13:41:44