Wendy McEwan, Author at North West End UK

27Aug

By Wendy McEwanNo Comments

Scotland

Bad Habit – theSpace @ Surgeons’ Hall

Dionne (Molly Geddes) and Eilidh (Molly Jayne-Graham) want to take a selfie in front of the Hollywood sign, so they go on a retreat in a California convent. But the nuns won’t let them leave the building. On their last night, the resourceful teens make one last attempt to escape and go clubbing. Instead, they get trapped in the basement with cantankerous Sister Stacey (Emma Gray) and accident-prone Sister Grace (Olaya Ciccarelli-Bermudez). Meanwhile, the second coming is imminent, and cringingly cool Father James (James Crutcher) is skateboarding along the freeway in search of the baby Jesus. The script, by Emma Gray and Molly Geddes, is light-hearted and full of surprises. The cast dance to a techno “remix” of “Let There Be Light”, with the Voice of God supplied by Peter McCormi...

Take Me to Your Leader – theSpace on the Mile

23Aug

By Wendy McEwanNo Comments

Scotland

Take Me to Your Leader – theSpace on the Mile

Deep in the basement of Nebula Inc, a team of intrepid astrogeologists spot some weird rock markings on an alien world. Could this be evidence of life beyond our planet – or is it just another hoax? The interns are on strike, and they are torn between fighting for better pay and conditions and researching the discovery of a lifetime. Student Mae (Kikelomo Hassan) isn’t being paid at all, and she is really struggling to make ends meet. Billionaire man-baby Armie (Ewan Little) sends his assistant, the meticulous Johnson (Emily Mahi’ai) to bust the strike by any means necessary. Lex Davies’s script is lighthearted and very funny. It’s packed with references to sci-fi favourites like War of the Worlds and the works of Douglas Adams. The performers have a whale of a time playing the l...

Things Between Heaven and Earth – Underbelly Bristo Square

23Aug

By Wendy McEwanNo Comments

Scotland

Things Between Heaven and Earth – Underbelly Bristo Square

Eric (Jun Noh) has changed since May (Marina Hata) last saw him. He’s a successful author, dressed in a snazzy suit at the suggestion of his publisher. His books seem to describe people and events from May and Eric’s real lives, including the death of May’s husband. But does Eric know more about the accident than he is letting on? Billed as a psychological thriller, the staging echoes film noir, with asymmetrical composition and lots of pacing. But this production – which I would describe as a melodrama – takes itself far too seriously. Eric enjoys intellectual discussion, but his philosophical musings distract from the story. I did enjoy Hata’s performance as May, and the references to the Roman Catholic concept of purgatory. The idea has potential, and the visuals provide added...

What The F*ck Happened to Love and Hope? – theSpace on the Mile

23Aug

By Wendy McEwanNo Comments

Scotland

What The F*ck Happened to Love and Hope? – theSpace on the Mile

Nina (Olivia McGeachy) is trying to play it cool. She’s on the school bus, finding the courage to ask out a boy she fancies. Finally, she blurts it out, laughing off her nerves with her quirky persona. Nina and Faye (Heidi Steel) are in the classroom, giggling at explicit pictures sent by a boy they know. They’re both sixteen. Faye, a young carer, comes across as self-assured, but she is hiding a world inside. The friends go out clubbing, and the atmosphere is lively as they drink and dance together. Then Nina starts to feel woozy. Her drink has been spiked. Meanwhile, Faye has sex with a boy who removes his condom without her consent. Both girls describe their rapes and the aftermath, still in shock but determined to tell their stories. This is an astonishing debut from ei...

Shakespeare’s Mothello and Other Parodies – theSpace on the Mile

23Aug

By Wendy McEwanNo Comments

Scotland

Shakespeare’s Mothello and Other Parodies – theSpace on the Mile

The stars of this hilarious show are sixth-formers from King Edward VI School in Stratford - otherwise known as Shakespeare’s School after its most famous alumnus. The performance, devised by the company, features a series of sketches reimagining Shakespeare’s characters in different situations. Conceited Lady Macbeth (Ella McGovern) is a hot-shot influencer, flogging makeup on You Tube with the assistance of the hapless Macbeth (Eilis Biden). Ophelia (Elizabeth Muldoon) celebrates her one-week dead anniversary, while Hamlet (Cameron Spruce) treats us to a hilarious rendition of his most famous monologue, accompanied by a creepy doll he stole from Macbeth. Romeo (Jay Ballinger) and Juliet (Esme Cornish) take off their rose-tinted glasses and fight about coffee on live TV. Mothell...

19Aug

By Wendy McEwanNo Comments

Scotland

Deadheads – Assembly George Square

Miriam (Maria Pointer) hasn’t seen her sister, Jade (Gráinne Dromgoole) for two years. Their mum is about to remarry, and the sisters awkwardly reconnect while sorting through boxes of memories in the loft. The conversation is interwoven with scenes from their childhood. The sisters have a five-year age gap, and nearly-four-and-a-half-year-old Jade looks up to big sister Miriam. Miriam nurtures Jade and gives her advice. Sometimes she messes with her, like when they play hide-and-seek and Miriam pretends that Jade is invisible. As they get older, Miriam becomes the rock of the family, supporting their mum when times get tough. She’s strong in public, but vulnerable deep down. No wonder she moves away to focus on her career. When the sisters reunite, Miriam is outwardly more successf...

Showstopper! The Improvised Musical – Pleasance Courtyard

17Aug

By Wendy McEwanNo Comments

Scotland

Showstopper! The Improvised Musical – Pleasance Courtyard

Every night, the Showstoppers improvise a brand-new musical, based on a suggestion from the audience. It’s different every time. Tonight’s title is Blood Is Thicker Than Oil, and it is the story of a family-run oil rig. The opening number introduces the characters. The cast creates a catchy chorus that will be repeated later on and provide each other with backing vocals. The oil rig characters are in the middle of the stage: to one side is the band, and on the other, The Writer, who introduces the show and occasionally shakes things up if the rest of the cast are getting a bit comfortable. The Writer, the band, and the technician form a triangle, with clear lines of sight allowing nonverbal communication. Job ads often ask for candidates who can work individually and as part of a...

Stepping Out – Inverleith St Serf’s Church Centre

15Aug

By Wendy McEwanNo Comments

Scotland

Stepping Out – Inverleith St Serf’s Church Centre

Mavis (Sophie Williamson) teaches a weekly tap class in a church hall. Most students are rather uncoordinated, but they have fun anyway. Then they are invited to perform at a local gala. Will they be ready in time for the big day? Stepping Out, written by Richard Harris, has a lot going for it as a community theatre production. It has a mostly female ensemble cast and is, itself, about a community group preparing for a performance. The excellent cast have some great lines to play with, but I think the script does have some flaws. There are some hilarious moments, with one liners such as a pointed “You know, I used to be fat…” and “Just pretend. Like you do with your husband.” It feels a lot like an old-fashioned sitcom. I enjoyed the build-up to the final dance scene, where the c...

Gwyneth Goes Skiing – Pleasance Courtyard

14Aug

By Wendy McEwanNo Comments

Scotland

Gwyneth Goes Skiing – Pleasance Courtyard

One day in 2016, Gwyneth Paltrow went skiing. The Hollywood starlet and celebrity sex toy saleswoman collided on the slopes with retired optometrist Terry Sanderson. A high-profile lawsuit soon followed. On the day of the collision, Sanderson claims to have suffered life-changing injuries. Gwyneth, meanwhile, lost half a day’s skiing. And Awkward Productions gained the inspiration for this hilarious fringe show. I think I know who the real winners were. Paltrow (Linus Karp) and Sanderson (Joseph Martin) are as different as can be. He likes boiled eggs for breakfast. Gwyneth prefers jade eggs. But they both like skiing. Sanderson falls and is rescued by our angelic Gwynfluencer. She takes him to her chalet for a pep talk and some bone broth. Sadly, things sour between them, and then ...

An Asian Queer Story: Coming Out to Dead People – Assembly Roxy

10Aug

By Wendy McEwanNo Comments

Scotland

An Asian Queer Story: Coming Out to Dead People – Assembly Roxy

Ricky Sim is a gifted storyteller. He talks beautifully about the complexities of coming out as gay to his Malaysian family, and his grief following the death of his beloved mother. He also tells a lot of dick jokes. Sim engages energetically with the crowd as he introduces us to the intricacies of “Gaysian” culture and the accompanying slang. Do you know why Sim decided not to major in computer science? Go to his show and you will find out. Just when Sim was preparing to come out to his mom, she was diagnosed with terminal cancer. He was afraid that he might break her heart. He wished that there was a gay Asian role model he could point to, so that she would know he could be happy. Sim fills our hearts with memories and little details about his mother. Years after her passing, w...