Marcelina Kruczyńska, Author at North West End UK

A Covert Affair – Venue 39 at theSpace on the Mile

18Aug

By Marcelina KruczyńskaNo Comments

Scotland

A Covert Affair – Venue 39 at theSpace on the Mile

A Covert Affair is brought to this year’s Edinburgh Fringe by Belvedere Productions. This new play written by Alex Macfarlane and co-written by Charlie Turner explores a potentially romantic connection between two agents from opposing states. A Covert Affair is a flirty and fantastic and very well constructed play. Before hitting the Fringe, A Covert Affair had its first run at a scratch night where the play’s first scene was performed. Now at the Fringe, Belvedere Productions have pulled all the stops to deliver a professional quality play. Great attention was put into the set, sound and lighting. The room was packed to the max which was great to see however only from the front row and from certain spaces off the sides could the full effect of the stage be appreciated. Noneth...

A Midsummer Night’s Dream – Venue 45 at theSpace

15Aug

By Marcelina KruczyńskaNo Comments

Scotland

A Midsummer Night’s Dream – Venue 45 at theSpace

Who would have thought that the modern TV show Love Island and Midsummer Night’s Dream would have anything in common. One’s a Shakespearian play that despite being a comedy still has Shakespear’s characteristically difficult lines which one could argue often deters modern audiences. While the other is a modern reality TV dating show, which features day to day lingo which makes it relatable. Naturally, one would never pair these two sources of entertainment together and yet New Stagers did just that. Not only did New Stagers connect the dots between these two vastly different means of entertainment but they also managed to mesh them together in their unique adaptation of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, the result? An overwhelmingly positive response from the audience packed theatre. The p...

A Women of No Importance – Theatre at St Ninian’s Hall

6Aug

By Marcelina KruczyńskaNo Comments

Scotland

A Women of No Importance – Theatre at St Ninian’s Hall

A Women of No Importance by Oscar Wilde, is brought to the Edinburgh Fringe by Edinburgh Theatre Acts. The play is incredibly witty and morally relevant and can be enjoyed and understood by modern audiences despite being set in 1893. The play tackles many social and moral problems that are just as much of a hot topic in today’s day and age as they were when the play first premiered in 1893. The play’s main point of discussion is the often-tender relationship between man and woman, and the large cast of thirteen managed to show this in various ways. The play commences on The Terrace at Hunstanton Chase. One noteworthy factor before the actors even grace the stage, is the beautifully designed set. Finley Black’s great attention to detail in combination with the lighting and soun...

Ensemble Teams – Scottish Storytelling Centre

28Mar

By Marcelina KruczyńskaNo Comments

Scotland

Ensemble Teams – Scottish Storytelling Centre

Throughout you could feel both Ensemble Teams slowly guide you into the unpredictable and often unhinged nature of improvisation. Coached by Deborah Tarica and Alison Thea-Skot the two teams after one day of preparation took to the stage. Both teams were comprised of eight people. Interestingly despite all eight people standing on stage throughout the performance, once the scene started, they faded into the background and only became noticeable again once they entered centre stage or wherever the main action took place. Tarica’s and Thea-Skot's influence was clear since there were similar methods employed by both groups. For example, both employed the same method to enter or finish a scene. Multiple times actors communicated through a tap on the shoulder or someone yelling “scene” which en...

Kolliflower & Stupid & Favourite Cousin – Scottish Storytelling Centre

28Mar

By Marcelina KruczyńskaNo Comments

Scotland

Kolliflower & Stupid & Favourite Cousin – Scottish Storytelling Centre

Irresistibly funny, completely bonkers and chaotically out of pocket is the best way in which Kolliflower & Stupid & Favourite Cousin can be described. The three acts playing sequentially one after the other managed to keep the audience entertained with their improvised madness. Thanks to the tiered seating the view of the stage was impeccably clear meaning the audience could dedicate more of their attention to the acts themselves rather than on trying to avoid heads that may have been obscuring the view. Kolliflower kicked off the performance in their 80s styled fits. The usual duo consists of Kimi and Holly however on this occasion Jiavani stepped in to cover for Holly. The duo interacted with the audience asking for a word and the ever so eager crowd provided them with on...

Malvolio’s Fantasy – theSpace @ Surgeons’ Hall

23Aug

By Marcelina KruczyńskaNo Comments

Scotland

Malvolio’s Fantasy – theSpace @ Surgeons’ Hall

Malvolio’s Fantasy is a Shakespearian play with a modern twist. This funny, frivolous and energetic script was written by the Zuzabella duo or more precisely Zuza Sołtykowska and Isabella Olsen-Barone. The show was a feast for all the senses. Containing some truly eye catching make-up and hair most (notably Carmen Acoster’s pinktastic look) all these head turning designs were created by Ashley McIntosh. If that wasn’t enough the play contained some originally written music by Claire Wang and Magda Olech. Some other much loved classics were also thrown into the mix, that really managed to hype up and engage the audience even more. The play followed several characters’ stories that were all in one way or another connected to Malvolio. Overall, there was ten actors on stage, this in...

Sammy Blew Up a Toilet – theSpace @ Venue45

21Aug

By Marcelina KruczyńskaNo Comments

Scotland

Sammy Blew Up a Toilet – theSpace @ Venue45

Sammy Blew Up a Toilet playing at the Edinburgh Fringe for the first time this year was brought to the stage by the Crunch Collective. The play, being inspired by real-life, became a piece that I believe a lot of the audience could relate to, which was clear from the many ripples of laughter that circulated the room throughout the play. For the duration of the show adulthood problems were forgotten and one was transported to a simpler time. Written by Aric Hanscomb-Ryrie and directed by Aydan Macdonald, the comedic piece captured all the minuscular details one may remember from their primary school days (such as Golden time) and turned them into an entertaining play that griped your attention till the last line. The famous toilet was the main piece of staging that was strategically ...

17Aug

By Marcelina KruczyńskaNo Comments

Scotland

2 Truths, 1 Lie – Hoot 1 @The Apex

2 Truths, 1 Lie has all the best bits of stand-up comedy with a bonus in the form of an interactive gameshow. The show was created by Simon Caine and included three comedians and one host. The host was called Tattoo Dave, who managed to entertain the audience not only with his own jokes but also with some excellent crowd work. After picking his victim Tattoo Dave managed to quickly spin a regular conversation into something the whole audience could laugh at. This broke the fourth wall, easing any tension the audience might have had and prepared them for the first act. The first of the three comedians to take to the stage was the marvelous Rachel Morton-Young. Her comedy displayed how she was a traveler at heart moving all around Europe before settling in Holland. Young w...

15Aug

By Marcelina KruczyńskaNo Comments

Scotland

Malion – theSpace @ Surgeons’ Hall

The play was a sensational mix of modern and ancient theatre, transcending time and language that connects modern audiences and Greek theatre buffs alike. Speeches of Gods and Goddesses were spoken in verse. The use of verse displayed the play’s connections to traditional Greek theater. However, this was broken up with modern conversations and ideas that the everyday viewer could understand and connect with in one way or another. This in turn made the play more accessible to a wider audience. Created by Tired Horses Theatre, written by Joseph Meardon, directed by Mikael Phillips and assistant directed by Hannah MacMillan. The stage was transformed into an art studio that looked like it belonged in today’s society just as much as an ancient one. The play seemed to be along the lines ...

Until The Next Wedding – Paradise in Augustines

9Aug

By Marcelina KruczyńskaNo Comments

Scotland

Until The Next Wedding – Paradise in Augustines

Until The Next Wedding was brought to us by Under the Rug Theatre. This “not so rom com” was written by Allie Willison, directed by Niamh Mcgarvey and executive produced by Bethan Murray. This new and exciting play was first previewed in Glasgow before landing at the Edinburgh Fringe. Until The Next Wedding is a two man show featuring characters Mandy and Eliot. Mandy is performed by actor and playwright Allie Willison. The second character, Eliot, is played by actor James Crutcher. As Willison enters the stage and begins to interact with the furniture and props, and tragically fails at smoking a cigar, it becomes clear that this is some sort of in-house library near the wedding. The whole play takes place in that library creating a link between each wedding the two characters at...