Monday, August 24

Author: Tom Scott

Bitter Lemons – Pleasance Courtyard (Beneath)
Scotland

Bitter Lemons – Pleasance Courtyard (Beneath)

Two women, both in their twenties, are high fliers in careers traditionally associated with men. One is a professional footballer, the other a banker. They are both on the cusp of even greater success. But their lives are changed for ever by something that can never happen to a man - they get pregnant. This is a wonderful new play, beautifully written by Lucy Hayes. It is transferring next month to the Bristol Old Vic. The writing is spare, often poetic, and crackles with energy.  There is gentle humour, too, especially in the descriptions of the women’s relationships with their mothers. Apart from a brief meeting at the end, the women never interact. They tell us their stories and we in the audience are their confidants. We are never told their names, but these women are spe...
The Ayes Have It, The Ayes Have It! – At Spiegeltent Palais Du Variété
Scotland

The Ayes Have It, The Ayes Have It! – At Spiegeltent Palais Du Variété

This is politics as showbiz, an entertaining canter across a lush political landscape. An hour of political debate which was thoroughly enjoyed by a packed house in a wonderful venue. The evening starts with a prerecorded video message from actor Brian Cox. In Logan Roy style, he tells us to “enjoy ourselves - or else”. This show will be different each night. A series of ten debates on a variety of topics. The first night issue is one that has divided Scotland for a long time, particularly since the 2014 Referendum: “This house believes Scotland should be Independent”. The Director, Tasmina Ahmed-Sheikh, introduces our ‘cast’ for tonight’s debate: Alex Salmond, former First Minister of Scotland, will propose the motion for the ‘Ayes’. David Davis, former Brexit Secretary, wi...
DOM – The Play – Assembly Rooms, Edinburgh
Scotland

DOM – The Play – Assembly Rooms, Edinburgh

This is a show which hits the ground running - a fast-paced production, directed by Michael Kingsbury. It’s a comedy about Boris Johnson and his erstwhile Chief Adviser, Dominic Cummings, former Director of Vote Leave, and the architect of the Johnson election victory in 2019. It tells the story of the EU Referendum Campaign and the Boris Johnson premiership from the point of view of Cummings. This show, already seen in London and Windsor, has been shortened and updated for the Festival Fringe. The author, we are told, prefers to remain anonymous prompting speculation that it is the work of a Westminster ‘insider’. The play opens with Dom speaking directly to the audience. He greets us as ‘weirdos and misfits’ - a reference to Cummings’s strange blog post in 2020 when he invite...