About Me
This play as become an obsession...to tell a story.
Nico Paffgen was a woman who occupied a man's life. accused of theft, violence and racism. She sang like the angel that was banished to hell, she could never stop performing because she had no money and didnt know what else to do.Spending the last 8 years of her life in Manchester and touring the toilets of the world. we follow some of her less well known adventures. From dancing with Allen Ginsberg to pissing in sinks. A proper rock and roll adventure.Reveiwed by Kevin Bourke M E N ' Many years ago, I found myself in a South Manchester flat, not far from Southern Cemetery, attempting to interveiw the singer Nico.
it was a strange afternoon, not at least for the sheer incongruity of finding the former top model, Warhol 'superstar' living a hand to mouth existencein the dark days of the mid eighties.
Former Intastella singer Stella Grundy has now been inspired by that intriguing footnote to pop culture history to come up with this tremendously inventive and entertaining new play.Although it's endorsed by Nico's son Ari, this is far from being a bland hagiography, with the drug-addicted sqular of Nico's later years and the rueful reporting of disastrous tours and off-message petulance playing as much of a part in the story as the superficial glamour of the Warhol years. Grundy, who plays the former Christa Paffgen herself, has crafted an ingenious narrative that strikingly blends theatre with live music and film.including an improbable appearance from Arthur Browne and other local luminaries. It's compelling story, featuring the lkes of Lou Reed, Andy Warhol and Allen Ginsberg along with the irrepressable Alan Wise. Although there are some grotesque goings on and the music can be dangerously convincing as a realistic representation of a shambolic live performances, this is a play
that boasts great copassion as well as searing honesty, despite it's non-naturalistic approach.
sporting a variety of wigs and making a pretty decent stab at Nico's teutonic tones, Grundy is utterly engaging and convincing as the iconic singer and the rest of the cast are also exellent. NICO ICON PLAY is highly recommended.From New York and Andy Warhol sequences on film, Noco Icon Play veers over to Salford via live tracks and drawling yank Velvet Underground musos who, with a flick of the hair and tongue, turn Manc wasters. As the action prigresses a cavalcade of local characters enter the scene, from Factory's Alan Wise, whose spirit is portrayed to perfection, to an addled John Cale, to Terry Christian on radio who asks nico why she is here...'because of the drugs...' she pouts.
Part film, part play, part zeitgeist capturing, squeezebox squeezing, guitar frenzying, pill popping, needle smacking, torch song dropping drama of the highest calibre. Nico Icon Play is not to be missed.I edited my profile with Thomas' Myspace Editor V4.4body{
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