Sunday, December 22

Author: Beth Eltringham

Shirley Valentine – Royal Lyceum Theatre
15Jun By Beth EltringhamNo Comments
Scotland

Shirley Valentine – Royal Lyceum Theatre

It’s easy to get stuck in life's daily routine, to lose all excitement in life due to duty and obligation. Shirley is a mother whose kids have grown up and left home, a wife to a man who still requires babying and all in all a shell of her former lively self. For Shirely life's about making her husband’s dinner and talking to the kitchen wall, a life unsatisfied and without risk or excitement, that is until her friend hands her a ticket to Greece. 2 Weeks abroad without the husband or kids… or at least that was the plan, now she’s met a man and discovered the true Shirley Valentine once more. Shirley Valentine is a brilliantly written one woman play that really makes you think about life and how it shapes us. It makes you think about who you are, how you got to where you are and reminds...
Read More
MacBeth (An Undoing) – Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh
16May By Beth EltringhamNo Comments
Scotland

MacBeth (An Undoing) – Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh

Macbeth is often one of the first Shakespeare stories that we think of, it's known for: its scottish setting, it's themes of betrayal and manipulation and of course for its gory and dramatic ending. The tale is often told in the same manner time and time again, the tale of a man being told by a group of witches that he will be king, a manipulative wife who convinces him to murder the current monarch and the insanity and guilt that rips the married couple apart until ultimately, she commits suicide, and he is slain by a former friend. Whilst the original story exists within Macbeth An Undoing, writer Zinnie Harris has turned the tale on its head, asking what would happen if it were Lady Macbeth who took control? What if she had not gone crazy and instead Macbeth himself was the one takin...
Read More
Disney’s Aladdin – Edinburgh Playhouse
3Nov By Beth EltringhamNo Comments
Scotland

Disney’s Aladdin – Edinburgh Playhouse

As a childhood favourite movie for a lot of people, Disney had a lot of work cut out for them to translate the magical animated masterpiece onto the live stage. Whilst they have some fantastic cast members and wonderful costumes, I’m sad to say the magic fell a little short. One cannot deny that the casting choices of the production team are impeccable: Gavin Adams plays the perfect cheeky thief Aladdin. His vocals never waver along with his energy. Our Princess Jasmine (Desmonda Cathabel) is head strong, witty and regal; she makes the perfect Princess Jasmine, bringing the animated beauty to life. Also true to the movie our villain Jafar (Adam Strong) has nailed the voice made famous by Jonathan Freeman and of course the laugh. Beside him Angelo Paragoso makes a hilarious Iago (huma...
Read More
2:22 A Ghost Story – Festival Theatre Edinburgh
27Sep By Beth EltringhamNo Comments
Scotland

2:22 A Ghost Story – Festival Theatre Edinburgh

2:22 A Ghost Story hits a little different to all the other ghost related plays you see on stage these days, there no Victorian costumes or creepy lantern lit faces in the darkness, instead just 4 people in an ordinary looking house and a baby monitor. Instead of giving us an eerie back story of lost lovers or vengeful spirits we are left with a scenario that’s even more terrifying, something that could happen in our very own homes. With an incredibly well written script 2:22 offers its audience the thrills and jump scares that they seek, but also incredible logic on ghost stories themselves. When Jenny (Louisa Lytton) becomes fearful of her new house, husband Sam (Nathaniel Curtis) is far from the comforting type insisting there is no such thing as ghosts. In a bid to make him believe ...
Read More
Dee Christopher The Psychic Vampire – Frankenstein & Bier Keller
24Aug By Beth EltringhamNo Comments
Scotland

Dee Christopher The Psychic Vampire – Frankenstein & Bier Keller

In the dark depths of the spookiest pub in Edinburgh you can find yourself a magic act like non other. Dee Christopher takes you on a journey to prove both his legitimacy as a real life vampire and his skill as a magician using the mediums of storytelling, humour and some seriously impressive tricks. The best way to describe Dee Christopher as a performer would be a man with the essence of an old Hollywood rock star, he is like Johnny Depp if they had let him play a cool vampire instead of the strange thing from Dark Shadows. His voice is somewhat calming but at the same time you feel as though you’re watching some mysterious stranger in a bar who’s stories you could listen to all night. Not only are we given magic, but through audience choices we are told stories of this vampire...
Read More
Drag Queens Vs Vampires  – Underbelly, Cowgate
18Aug By Beth EltringhamNo Comments
Scotland

Drag Queens Vs Vampires  – Underbelly, Cowgate

Back from their award winning show Drag Queens Vs Zombies at last year’s fringe, the Haus Of Dench return with their new must see show: Drag Queens Vs Vampires. Join drag stars Kate Butch and Crudi Dench as they prepare to take to the stage in Romania for Eurovision, but it’s not only nerves they are having to fight off. Booking an Airbnb in the spookiest of places: Transylvania, a new obstacle faces the two when their host happens to be non-other than Dracula himself, and he’s got his sights set on Kate. Between the competition and the ancient evil vampire, can these friends stay together or will they be torn apart in this blood drinking, vampire staking, weird but catchy song singing extravaganza? Drag Queens Vs Vampires is a hilarious show that fills it’s dark and dingy ven...
Read More
High School Fangsical – the Space@ Surgeons Hall
17Aug By Beth EltringhamNo Comments
Scotland

High School Fangsical – the Space@ Surgeons Hall

A coming-of-age story about a queer vampire and his efforts to find himself in the modern world, orchestrated of course to the soundtrack of the High School Musical Movies. This show is a musical that’s so weird its brilliant. Vlad is a young teen bullied at school for being different, that is until he discovers through the power of the internet that he’s actually a vampire. We follow Vladiqueer on his journey of self-discovery in this blood sucking comedy which will make you wish Troy Bolton had been a vampire all along from the interesting and cleaver High School Musical lyric changes. Eleanor Barr-Sim has endless bounds of energy and fangtastic stage presence, taking what could be a very cringy show and turning it into something quite special and fun. Their energy keeps the au...
Read More
A Highly Suspect Murder On The Disorient Express – the Space @ Surgeons Hall
17Aug By Beth EltringhamNo Comments
Scotland

A Highly Suspect Murder On The Disorient Express – the Space @ Surgeons Hall

A fan of puzzles? How about murders? Do you fancy yourself quite the detective? Well let’s hope so as the real detective has been murdered and it’s up to you the crack the case and find out who did it in this fun and challenging murder mystery brought to you be Highly Suspect UK. A journey on the Orient Express, what could possibly go wrong? Well another murder has occurred and this time it’s the detective that’s met his horrible end, but who could be responsible? Could it be Agar Thachristie (Michael Spencer) the dutch writer and former assistant to the late detective ,Ray Alwaycarriage (Joe Desborough) the lovable conductor, Dr Phil Steamahead (Seb Coombe) the doctor with a secret, the highly mysterious man from room 13 or Traynton Ells (Alice Woodsworth) the woman who owes the detect...
Read More
The Stand-Up Horror Show – Just the Tonic at The Caves
17Aug By Beth EltringhamNo Comments
Scotland

The Stand-Up Horror Show – Just the Tonic at The Caves

A cabaret of Horror goes horribly wrong when the intended act performing dies in a freak nail gun accident, with an eagerly awaiting audience the understudy is thrown on in a truly “the show must go on” moment of panic. Whilst this is the plot to the show it’s also very much how the show felt overall, under prepared and unrehearsed. Starting us off with a cheesy yet spooky voice over and an over dramatic mime on stage, one would think this show to be a silly: so bad it’s good performance, which I do think was the intention. For the first few moments of Tom Short’s set this idea is presented well, showing a nervous understudy who clearly is a little flustered and unprepared, played up for comedic value but unfortunately this one note is continued throughout. Whilst there are some funny m...
Read More
Tartan Table Top in a Dungeons and Dragon’s Comedy: The Never-Ending Quest – Gilded Balloon, Patter Hoose
12Aug By Beth EltringhamNo Comments
Scotland

Tartan Table Top in a Dungeons and Dragon’s Comedy: The Never-Ending Quest – Gilded Balloon, Patter Hoose

Are you a fan of Dungeons and Dragons? Ever shown an interest in the game just never had a team to play with? Or just fancy a silly early evening show at the fringe that doesn’t require having to think too much? If so, this may just be the show for you. Tartan Table Top in a Dungeons and Dragon’s Comedy: The never-Ending Quest brings the beloved role-playing game of Dungeons and Dragons to this year’s fringe, playing a fringe long game in which, you can either come for one sitting or join them for the whole journey every day of the fringe (excluding 16th.) Josh Aitken takes the role of Dungeon Master being incredibly likeable and witty, controlling the session and interacting the most with the audience. Our team of adventurers is made up of: Borogorn who is a character based off of 2...
Read More