In an attempt to broaden my experience I went, around midday, to an Edwardian styled building on George Street, just yards from the Assembly Rooms mega-venue, to see some Dostoyevsky. The so-called "New Theatre" was actually a temporarily converted Masonic Lodge (fab sinks in the loos!) but had the air of a proper theatre about it within the performance space in which "Cry From Underground" was delivered.
My own notes use words like "Scandanavian angst introduced" (the writer and lead was, I think, Norwegian), "overwrought delivery in first act" and "seedy bleakness well interpreted". Not a barrel of laughs then, but it would be churlish not to acknowledge the intensity of the performances in this two hander.
Where else but Edinburgh could one drop in to a pre-prandial slice of Russian soul searching? "The Scotsman" newspaper's reviews are rightly regarded as the bellweather of the fringe every year, and their account of this play could not be bettered by my less well informed drivel:
http://thescotsman.scotsman.com/7100/Theatre-review-Cry-from-underground.5570438.jp
janetweightreed
I had to laugh as I read the Scotsman review....'existential anguish' was mentioned, and currently painting a portrait of an existential therapist, I understand oh too well how significant that discription is!
There's no question that 'Scandanavian angst' is a very real thing.
Another informative post. As I read each one, I realise that I would like to visit the Fringe at least once before I depart this zone.