Ross Mackie, Author at North West End UK

The Great Shakespeare Showdown – theSpace @ Surgeons’ Hall

21Aug

By Ross MackieNo Comments

Scotland

The Great Shakespeare Showdown – theSpace @ Surgeons’ Hall

The Great Shakespeare Showdown is a brisk, crowd-pleasing slice of Fringe theatre that knows exactly what it is: a daft, affectionate celebration of Shakespeare, showmanship and frontier bravado. Set in Leadville, Colorado, in 1882, Dennis Elkins’ comedy imagines a town so besotted with the Bard that its silver miners can quote him as readily as they can swing a pickaxe. It is a wonderfully odd premise, and the production leans into that oddness with infectious confidence. The show’s central contest pits English thespian Sir Charles GoodKnight (Dan Morrison) against American stage star Harriet Twelvetrees (Kate Poling) in a verbal shoot-out of quotations, insults and theatrical one-upmanship. Around them, Billy (Mel Schaffer) acts as master of ceremonies, inviting the audience to cheer,...

Sarah Hester Ross: Serving C*nt – The Den at Gilded Balloon Teviot

11Aug

By Ross MackieNo Comments

Scotland

Sarah Hester Ross: Serving C*nt – The Den at Gilded Balloon Teviot

Sarah Hester Ross – Serving C*nt is bold, raw, gloriously unapologetic, and exactly the kind of show that thrives at the Edinburgh Fringe. From the moment Sarah steps into the room, she makes it clear that this is not going to be a quiet or cautious hour. Instead, she serves up a sharp, musical, and fiercely funny performance that celebrates confidence, womanhood, and the power of saying exactly what you mean. This is refreshing, but I have to say that I was feeling a little exposed as a man, I needn’t have, as Sarah put it, I was welcome if I was well behaved. I was. Playing at The Den at Gilded Balloon Teviot, the show has the feel of an intimate cabaret gig mixed with stand-up comedy and musical theatre. Sarah moves between comic songs, hilarious audience engagement, and punch...

Safety – Daisy at Underbelly, Bristo Square

11Aug

By Ross MackieNo Comments

Scotland

Safety – Daisy at Underbelly, Bristo Square

Safety, the debut production from new Scottish theatre company Light Mends Carefully, is a darkly comic and quietly unnerving solo play about care, control and the stories we choose to believe. Written by Michael Reid, it follows Adam, a psychotherapist whose concern for a former client, Bill , draws him back into a relationship that should have remained firmly in the past. What begins as professional compassion gradually curdles into something far more complicated, as boundaries blur and power shifts in ways both subtle and alarming. Reid’s premise is immediately gripping because it resists easy moral certainty. Adam is not presented as a simple villain, nor as an uncomplicated victim of circumstance. Instead, Safety asks the audience to sit inside his version of events and notice,...

Chris Forbes: Father Christmas – Monkey Barrel Comedy at Monkey Barrel 2

7Aug

By Ross MackieNo Comments

Scotland

Chris Forbes: Father Christmas – Monkey Barrel Comedy at Monkey Barrel 2

Was I surprised at the festive atmosphere inside the room at Monkey Barrel? A bit, with its dual screens with roaring log fires on both. Creating a feel of being inside an Alpine lodge and not a darkened room in Edinburgh. Especially when outside was a cloudy, grey afternoon, albeit tepid for August. And then entered Chris Forbes in full winter technical gear wishing us a Merry Christmas. The audience’ minds were screaming no; this is not right but were quickly lulled into that warm fuzzy space that is Christmas. As Chris was shedding a layer of blizzard proof garments we heartly sang Jingle Bells with all our might and the atmosphere was that of Christmas eve. Was I disappointed it was Christmas? Absolutely not, what followed was a soulful journey through the yuletide period ...

Pirates: You Wouldn’t Steal a Boat – Gilded Balloon Patter House

7Aug

By Ross MackieNo Comments

Scotland

Pirates: You Wouldn’t Steal a Boat – Gilded Balloon Patter House

Pirates: You Wouldn't Steal a Boat is a fast-paced comedy that embraces piracy on the high seas from the start and never comes in to port. A production from Spruce Moose Comedy, the show takes audiences on an “action-packed” pirate adventure. There is “nautical nonsense” galore. The journey is filled with treasure hunts, intriguing characters, and a Caribbean storm full of pirate genre. While the story itself is well trodden, a betrayed pirate setting out to reclaim treasure from his former captain, the production takes this repetition and turns it into something unique and magical. The story follows Sharkbait Mulligan and his loyal intern Louie after they are betrayed by the double-crossing Captain Codpiece. Sharkbait and Louie set out beat their former captain to the valuabl...

Jessie Nixon: Don’t make me regret this! – The Crate, Assembly George Square

24Aug

By Ross MackieNo Comments

Scotland

Jessie Nixon: Don’t make me regret this! – The Crate, Assembly George Square

"Jessie Nixon's 'Don't Make Me Regret This' is a masterclass in comedic storytelling. This is her debut fringe show, and Jessie was making the most of this opportunity. From the moment she burst onto the stage, Nixon had the audience captivated with her razor-sharp wit and unapologetic humour. Her relatable anecdotes and clever observations, occasionally dark ones, on everyday life had the audience nodding in agreement. One of the standout aspects of Nixon's show is her ability to tackle sensitive topics with ease and abandonment. She fearlessly addresses topics like relationships on social media, body image, and aging, making light of the struggles and absurdities that come with each. Her confidence and charisma on stage are infectious, and she has a way of making everyone fe...

A Shoddy Detective and the art of deception – Gilded Balloon

24Aug

By Ross MackieNo Comments

Scotland

A Shoddy Detective and the art of deception – Gilded Balloon

In A Shoddy Detective and the Art of Deception, Mitch Donaldson and Becky Bartram masterfully weave a tangled web of intrigue, deception, and physical comedy, creating a farcical play that will leave audiences guffawing long after they leave the theatre. A testament to its impact was the audience members recounting their favourite lines and gags on the way out. This riotous romp follows the misadventures of the hapless Detective Pidcock, a man so inept he is more likely to solve a puzzle by accident than by design—or so the writers would like you to believe. For fans of The Play That Goes Wrong and Noises Off, this play will feel instantly familiar, yet A Shoddy Detective brings its own unique style and charm. From the moment you enter the theatre space, you’re transported back t...

2 Muslim 2 Furious 2: Go Halal or Go Home – Laughing Horse @ Bar 50

24Aug

By Ross MackieNo Comments

Scotland

2 Muslim 2 Furious 2: Go Halal or Go Home – Laughing Horse @ Bar 50

As the free sticker at the end of the show claimed, “First I was afraid, now I’m Islamified.” I wasn’t afraid but I was curious as what to expect and was pleasantly surprised, also glad I managed to take in this gem of a show. It was a Halal feast of comedy. The Garden room at Bar 50 is a tight squeeze and has a basic set up but the comedy duo used the space as best they could. They fulfilled roles as ticket sales, ushers, tech and performers, which is all part of the fringe experience. Once they started the surroundings were unimportant. What followed was clever and beautifully written insight. "2 Muslim 2 Furious 2: Go Halal or Go Home" explores the nuances of Muslim identity, culture, and experiences. The show's title itself, being a clever play on words, referencing the...

Erin McKinnie: Deep Heat – Hoots @ The Apex

12Aug

By Ross MackieNo Comments

Scotland

Erin McKinnie: Deep Heat – Hoots @ The Apex

What do a pussy loving granny, a swearing parrot and a sugar daddy have in common? They all feature in the wonderful stories told by Erin McKinnie as part of her work in progress show, Deep Heat. She embodies all that is good in Scottish comedy with a flavour of a young Victoria Wood. A blend of stand up, amazing singing and poetry, and I hear she can dance a step or two. This multi-talented Scottish lass weaves it all together to provide nonstop laughter that does not disappoint. Erin disembarked from her cruise life direct to the Edinburgh fringe. Greeted at the door by the enthusiastic comedian herself, you felt welcomed like a long-lost friend, into her comedy family. It was hosted in a conference room with a stage set up, with a lone microphone and chair. This was s...

100 Things You’re Overthinking – Alchemist Edinburgh

5Aug

By Ross MackieNo Comments

Scotland

100 Things You’re Overthinking – Alchemist Edinburgh

I had the pleasure of watching "100 Things You're Overthinking" at the Edinburgh Fringe, and I'm still grinning from ear to ear. In its 6th appearance at the fringe, you can appreciate why it has sold out in previous years. Ori Halevy and his merry bunch of standup comedians give a masterclass in taking the mundane and amplifying it to absurd proportions. They all tackled the intricacies of life and burning issues with a refreshing blend of humour and relatability. With immersive participation from the start, audience members write down the questions they are overthinking, anonymously, on pieces of paper. The comics then create a set on the spot, tailored to the audience, pure genius! From the moment they stepped onto the stage, it was clear that they were on a mission to skewe...