Dylan Mooney, Author at North West End UK

27Oct

By Dylan MooneyNo Comments

Scotland

So Young – Traverse Theatre

Off the back of its Edinburgh Fringe run, Douglas Maxwell’s So Young returns to the Traverse Theatre, directed by Artistic Director, Gareth Nicholls. Milo (Robert Jack) is in his forties and has recently lost his wife, Helen. Struck down with grief, he invites his friends, married couple Liane (Lucianne McEvoy) and Davie (Andy Clark) for an evening of food, drinks and reminiscing. However, he also invited his new partner, Greta (Yana Harris), who is 20 years younger than him. It isn’t long before tensions rise, and feelings are made known between these life-long friends. So, Young explores the different ways in which grief affects people as well as the struggles of getting older. Maxwell approaches his themes with his notorious wit, providing the audience with many laughs throughout ...

26Sep

By Dylan MooneyNo Comments

Scotland

Man’s Best Friend – Traverse Theatre

The acclaimed Douglas Maxwell’s new play, Man’s Best Friend, opened at the Traverse Theatre having previously played at the Tron in Glasgow. Directed by the Tron’s Artistic Director, Jemima Levick, and starring Jordan Young, a rising star in Edinburgh’s famous panto, this play is both laugh-out-loud hilarious and also beautifully emotive. Ronnie (Young) is a dog walker tasked with walking his neighbor’s beloved pooches. However, when the belt holding their leads breaks, the dogs are left running free into the woodlands of the local park. Alone, Ronnie is left with his thoughts as he navigates through the trees, searching for the runaway canines. And his mind begins to wander, perhaps it's answers and understanding he’s looking for also. From the outset, Young crafts a natural and...

10Sep

By Dylan MooneyNo Comments

Scotland

Fiddler on the Roof – Festival Theatre

Fresh from its critically claimed performance at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre, Joseph Stein’s golden age musical, Fiddler on the Roof, raised the roof of Edinburgh’s Festival Theatre as part of its UK and Ireland tour. This new production, directed by Jordan Fein, keeps the charm of 1960s musical theatre while providing some more contemporary elements for modern audiences. Based on the short stories of Sholem Aleichem, Fiddler on the Roof follows Jewish milkman, Tevye (Matthew Woodyatt), in the small village of Anatevka under the rule of the Russian Tsar. With five daughters at home, and little money coming into the family, Tevye relies on the old tradition of the ‘matchmaker’ to find rich suitors for his daughters. However, when his daughters begin to challenge these age-old beliefs,...

8Aug

By Dylan MooneyNo Comments

Scotland

1984 – Pleasance Courtyard

It was an overcast morning in August, and the clocks were striking 11:25am for Box Tale Soup’s adaptation of !984, the classic novel by George Orwell. Winston Smith works within the outer layer of ‘the Party’ as he begins to desire change and rebellion. In a world where simple things such as thoughts become crimes, Winston must navigate his hope without getting caught while also finding others who share his dreams and want to launch a rebellion. This is never going to be easy as, of course, Big Brother is always watching. On arrival into the theatre, the first striking detail of this piece is its set. Surrounded by wooden pillars, boxes and an ominous, white, tent-like structure, the space has been filled well. Moreover, all of these set pieces are used in very practical ways. Set p...

8Aug

By Dylan MooneyNo Comments

Scotland

R/Conspiracy – Gilded Balloon

Merging the real world with the realms of the world wide web, R/Conspiracy - written and performed by Ella Hällgren, directed by Emma Ruse - sees Alex, a young girl in her twenties become fascinated by a thread on Reddit suggesting a man with machete has been spotted in the local area. Clearly distracting herself from problems in her life, she becomes obsessed with investigating the so-called ‘machete man’ leading her further and further into the online mystery. Hällgren, who plays Alex, has a lovely brightness to her performance. It is clear to the audience that she’s really enjoying being on stage and speaking the words she has written. However, R/Conspiracy suffers from a big issue in regard to pacing. There is a lot of rise and fall in the piece’s energy levels, so much so that ...

Float – Gilded Balloon Patter House, Other Yin

2Aug

By Dylan MooneyNo Comments

Scotland

Float – Gilded Balloon Patter House, Other Yin

Intelligently immersive and creative from the opening, Float landed into Gilded Balloon’s Patter House but there is certainly nothing alien about this production - it is unbelievably human and full of heart. Co-directed by Cora Bissett and Niloo-Far Khan, created and performed by Indra Wilson, Float explores pregnancy loss and its lasting effect through the metaphor of space travel. With delightful use of props, set, colour and sound, Float is sure to have audiences laughing at one moment and crying the next. In this autobiographical play, Indra Wilson, who plays a version of themself, dreams of becoming an astronaut. When their dream comes true, their life skyrockets to infinity and beyond. Wilson’s entire stage presence is electrifying, carrying the entire show themself is no mean...

A Cold Day in Hell – Greenside @ George Street

2Aug

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Scotland

A Cold Day in Hell – Greenside @ George Street

A Cold Day in Hell is brought to Edinburgh from Armenia by the Armenian State Song Theatre. Written by Jan Quackenbush and directed by Hrach Keshisyan, this emotional one-man show tells the story of Charlie, whose wife was involved in a car accident, placing her into a coma. The story picks up 6 months after the event as we see Charlie navigate his grief and anger at the world. He turns on a video camera, intending to confess to a final act - switching off his wife’s life support machine and then ending his own life. However, with so many thoughts and complications in his head, will he ever go through with it? Nerses Avetisyan plays Charlie with fantastic, never-failing energy throughout the play’s entirety. From a powerful movement sequence at the show’s opening to gritty text, del...

Krapp’s Last Tape – Greenside @ George Street

2Aug

By Dylan MooneyNo Comments

Scotland

Krapp’s Last Tape – Greenside @ George Street

Samuel Beckett’s one-act play Krapp’s Last Tape is brought to life by Shortcut Productions at this year's Edinburgh Fringe Festival. This solo show follows the titular character, Krapp, as he listens to a tape from 30 years ago, reflecting on who he was back then and the man he has become now. His younger self was an idealist, and perhaps somewhat naive, while in the present Krapp is clearly a very troubled and lonely man. Krapp is played by Kevin Short, billed as a Fringe veteran. From the outset, Short does a good job of inhabiting the character. He has implemented an abundance of mannerisms into his performance that showcase his skilled acting technique. This is particularly present through his use of breath, constant and unpredictable, giving the feeling that Krapp is never sett...

26Jun

By Dylan MooneyNo Comments

Scotland

The Croft – Festival Theatre

Returning to the stage after Covid-19 prematurely ended its original run, The Croft, directed by Alastair Whatley and written by Ali Milles provided many a fright when it opened in Edinburgh’s Festival Theatre. Set in a former crofters hut in a remote area of the Scottish Highlands, this production sees Laura (Gracie Follows) and Suzanne (Caroline Harker) arrive for what is meant to be a relaxed weekend trip. It isn’t long before the place’s centuries of history weaves itself into the women’s present. With no phone signal available and only the mysterious David (Gray O’Brien) for company, this thrilling piece of theatre connects past and present as the real truth of The Croft slowly unravels. The whole pace of the show is fantastic. Running at 2 hours, including the interval, audienc...

Seven Drunken Nights: The Story of the Dubliners – Usher Hall

18Mar

By Dylan MooneyNo Comments

Scotland

Seven Drunken Nights: The Story of the Dubliners – Usher Hall

Perfectly timed for St Patrick’s Day, ‘Seven Drunken Nights: The Story of the Dubliners’ stopped off at the Usher Hall on their 2025 UK Tour. As the name suggests, this concert-style show tells the story of Ireland’s famous folk group, the Dubliners, with songs such as ‘The Irish Rover’, ‘Tell Me Ma’ and ‘Dirty Old Town’. The show was created with O’Donoghue’s pub where the original group used to perform. The performance is made up of a talented group of musicians who bring the Dubliners’ greatest hits to life while also serving as narrators, teaching the lively audience how the group started out 50 years ago. The stage makes use of three different locations - a traditional Irish pub, a recording studio set and a section at the front left clear for the performers to come closer to the a...