Issy Cory
Be transported back to the Second Summer of Love in 1989, where illegal raves were ALL the rave, and acid house was all that was played. Kirk Field was in the middle of it all, and lives to tell the tale.
After the successful release of his book ‘Rave New World: Acid House Cabaret’ last year, Field has descended on the Edinburgh Fringe to bring the book to life. Tales about running a mobile bar and writing for MIX magazine abound, paired with violin covers of iconic acid house tunes. Mixed with a few rave-themed games and excerpts from the book, Field takes us to his ‘Rave New World’.
The archival material used in Field’s presentation is fascinating. He provides a unique perspective into the real world of acid house ravers, contrary to what the media at the time wanted the public to believe.
Slides work with Field’s speech rather well. Each visual representation helps to provide a more detailed insight into the narration, and makes the audience really feel like they’re taking a peek behind-the-scenes.
The story, however, is largely unclear. Field’s reasoning behind taking us back to the halcyon raving days seems a little hollow, as it comes across as pure promotion for his recently released book. Especially as he assures us that the book is still worth purchasing, as he only speaks about the first three chapters in the show.
Frequent references to his publisher – what they want and why they liked the book so much – feel a bit vain. If this was show-and-tell, Field would be winning in the ‘tell’ category. This feels disappointing seeing as the aesthetic elements of the production are the most appealing.
Rave-themed games riffing off ‘Have I Got News for You’ and ‘Family Fortunes’ are a clever concept, however their delivery is undoubtedly tacky. Field’s delivery on the whole could afford to be more polished, as he consistently tripped over his words, pulling us out of the moment.
Overall, the show-cum-book presentation lacked structure. Time-keeping was evidently an issue, as we skipped through multiple slides as Field neared the end of his slot. The final outcome felt rushed, and ultimately unprepared, despite the obvious research that had gone into the book, and therefore the show.
Recommended Drink: Ribena.
You can catch Rave New World: Acid House Cabaret at Gilded Balloon Patter Hoose – Other Yin from Aug 23-25 at 19:30. Tickets are available through the EdFringe Box Office,
Phoebe Bakker
Jake Mace
