The Festival Cafe - 18/08/2010

Caracas born Edicson Ruiz is living proof of the success of Venezuela's world famous "El Sistema" scheme. His life might have been very different without the opportunities offered by this musical social project to his country's most underprivileged children. Now, aged just 25, he's established himself as a master of the double bass setting the classical musical world alight on an international scale. Hear his inspirational story - and playing! Tim Crouch's new play The Author is a story of hope, exploitation, togetherness and abuse carried out in the name of the spectator. Breaking down traditional theatrical conventions he challenges the audiences' responsibilities as spectators and talks about the shockwaves created by this controversial production. Better known as an impersonator of dead comedians, writer and performer David Benson, takes on an entirely different challenge by staging one man play, Lockerbie: Unfinished Business. He reveals how his relationship with the father of one of the victim's resulted in this powerful, topical and very personal monologue. Mind blowing "mentalist", Marc Salem, is a world expert on non-verbal communication. Using psychological techniques, a sharp eye and even sharper wit, he plays "Mind Games" with his audience with his ability to read their thoughts. . Impressed? The CIA were as he's worked with them too. And - Mozart meets the Marx Brothers with the world's funniest string trio Pluck. From Bach to the Beatles they wreak havoc in a raucous revamp of their original hit show they return with Pluck - Musical Arson Reignited!