REVIEWS Archives - Page 12 of 623

19Aug

By Kevin EcclestonNo Comments

North West

The Choir of Man – Storyhouse Chester

A riotous celebration of music, friendship and the great British pub There are few theatrical experiences that begin before the curtain has even risen. The Choir of Man is one of them. At Storyhouse, Chester, the familiar rituals of going to the theatre are swiftly replaced by something altogether more convivial. The stage becomes The Jungle, a traditional pub where the beer is flowing, the music is ready to begin, and the audience are invited to become part of the evening rather than simply observe it. Brimming with hits from artists such as Queen, Luther Vandross, Paul Simon, Adele, Guns & Roses and Katy Perry to name but a few, this is a pub like no other! Created by Nic Doodson and Andrew Kay, The Choir of Man has become something of a theatrical phenomenon, and it is easy...

This Is Not Hansel & Gretel – Banshee Labyrinth

19Aug

By Beth EltringhamNo Comments

Scotland

This Is Not Hansel & Gretel – Banshee Labyrinth

If you think you know the old German tale of Hansel and Gretel, think again! Christian Hege challenges us to rethink the tale, providing more detail than ever before and asking us to question who the real villain in the tale is. The tale begins with poverty, famine and too much rain for any crop to survive. A widowed man marries a new woman, welcoming her into his impoverished home with his two young children. As time passes and food proves scarce, the new wife decides enough is enough and the children must go. Luring them into the woods to fend for themselves, the children must learn to keep their wits about them, following their own path home and eventually ending up in the home of a witch. The rest you’ll have to attend the show to hear. Hege is a wonderful storyteller, compel...

Daughter Of Sweden – That One Princess Who Drunk With Lizzie I and Thrown Out of England – The Space@ Surgeons Hall

19Aug

By Beth EltringhamNo Comments

Scotland

Daughter Of Sweden – That One Princess Who Drunk With Lizzie I and Thrown Out of England – The Space@ Surgeons Hall

Very few people can say that they’ve: been a princess, drank with Elizabeth I, caused one of the biggest Swedish sex scandals in history and become a pirate! But for Princess Cecilia Vasa of Sweden this strange and exciting (although at times upsetting) reality was the case. Daughter Of Sweden- That One Princess Who Drunk With Lizzie I and Thrown Out of England, takes a look at a young princess whose life fell apart after engaging in an affair at the age of 19. With her reputation as a pure young lady in tatters, left to the conservatorship of which ever man in her family ended up in charge, she begins to dream of a life where she can be free. Taking a look at the constraints of being a woman of noble status in Sweden during the rule of famously single Elizabeth I, we see how rebell...

Titanic: The Last Hero and The Last Coward – Church Sanctuary at Palmerston Place Church

19Aug

By Oliver GigginsNo Comments

Scotland

Titanic: The Last Hero and The Last Coward – Church Sanctuary at Palmerston Place Church

The titular “Last Hero” and “Last Coward” are Scottish pastor John Harper and White Star Line director Joseph Bruce Ismay. Both were passengers on the Titanic and acquired their own legend from it. Harper, the story goes, was the courageous man of faith who apparently converted people even in the freezing water; and Ismay the coward who sank the ship with his desire to make the ship famous for her speed, surviving only by taking a place in a lifeboat that didn't belong to him. The truth is obviously more complicated, and Searchlight Theatre's show (one of eight they are putting on this Fringe) brings the two men together rather than in juxtaposition, as men navigating (pardon the pun) family, society and each other. Ismay is not judged for his actions, and Harper is not made a stick to ...

Jeeves Takes Charge – Charing Cross Theatre

19Aug

By Charlotte MansfieldNo Comments

London

Jeeves Takes Charge – Charing Cross Theatre

A comedy of manners from a by-gone era, Jeeves Takes Charge is a highly enjoyable two hours in the company of P.G. Wodehouse's famous duo. Jeeves and Wooster are brought to life by Sam Harrison, who has the daunting task of playing both, as well as a host of other characters, from a schoolgirl to a doddering uncle, in this fast-paced one-man show. Written and performed first in 1980, the play is a collection of Wodehouse's short stories, one of them from Jeeves' perspective, showing some of the ridiculous situations that Bertie finds himself in. In Wodehouse's world, women are either fickle or domineering and men are boorish or inept, and no one is more incompetent than Bertie Wooster. Fortunately, he has a remarkable valet, Jeeves, to get him out of trouble. Co-creator of the show, ...

An Immigrant’s Comedy Show – Hoots @ Nicolson Square

19Aug

By David NicaudieNo Comments

Scotland

An Immigrant’s Comedy Show – Hoots @ Nicolson Square

Like the demographic of Edinburgh itself, An Immigrant’s Comedy Show brings together a colourful mix of comedians from across the world, alongside some home-grown talent. The premise is straightforward: to provide a platform for immigrant comedians to perform alongside one another. While the title accurately reflects the backgrounds of many of the performers, I did not feel this was particularly reflected in the material, as the jokes were rarely specific to the immigrant experience. The show fittingly takes place at the Methodist Church on Nicholson Square, an intimate venue in the cultural heart of Edinburgh. The relatively small space is well suited to comedy, creating an environment where performers can easily engage with the audience. It seemed particularly appropriate for a sh...

Absolutely! One-Liner Jokes! – Braw Venues @ Grand Lodge

19Aug

By David NicaudieNo Comments

Scotland

Absolutely! One-Liner Jokes! – Braw Venues @ Grand Lodge

Slow and relaxed aptly describes this hour of comedy from Kevin O’Brian. Absolutely! One-Liner Jokes! explores some of the most important aspects of life, from family and relationships to jobs and hobbies, or, as Kevin puts it, “jobbies”. Aptly named, the show delivers exactly what it promises: a simple hour of contextualised one-liners, delivered one after another, gradually building a narrative around each of these fundamental aspects of life. Located in the Committee Room at 96 George Street, the historic setting felt perfectly suited to the pace and atmosphere of the show. Whether it was because of the 22:00 start time or simply the fact that it was a Monday night, the audience appeared to skew towards an older demographic, with the average age seemingly around 65. However, this...

19Aug

By Greg HolsteadNo Comments

Scotland

Pervert Werewolf – Banshee Labyrinth

There comes a point late enough at the Edinburgh Fringe when the normal rules of theatre begin to loosen. At 11.25pm, down in the Banshee Labyrinth, Pervert Werewolf positively encourages them to fall off altogether. You may know the party game Werewolf, or you may not. In its simplest form, everyone is assigned a secret identity. Most are innocent villagers, while hidden amongst them are werewolves who quietly pick off their neighbours during the night. By day, everyone wakes up, argues, accuses, lies, defends themselves and eventually votes on who they think the werewolves might be. Then everyone closes their eyes and night falls again. Pervert Werewolf takes that familiar structure and adds, well, a pervert. The result is essentially Werewolf afte...

19Aug

By Greg HolsteadNo Comments

Scotland

A Better Memory – Pleasance Courtyard

There can hardly be two more different approaches to AI and bereavement at this year's Fringe than An Echo in the Void and A Better Memory. Intriguingly, you can see them almost back to back, and as a theatrical double bill they make fascinating companions. Where An Echo in the Void throws us headlong into the Matrix, asking us to grapple with neural networks, alternative realities and a future where 1.5 billion people have effectively disappeared inside an artificial world, A Better Memory brings everything back home. Literally. Ihsan Kerr's new play is less psychological thriller than homespun domestic drama. Eleanor, played by Lubna Kerr, is a widow living with an Alexa-like device containing an AI reconstruction of her dead husband Harold, pla...

19Aug

By Greg HolsteadNo Comments

Scotland

An Echo In the Void – Assembly Roxy

An Echo in the Void takes a little working out. Unless you have read the programme blurb beforehand, but even then, you may spend much of the opening trying to establish exactly where you are and what the rules of this strange new world might be. So perhaps I can do something the production itself rather fails to do. We are in the future. Sanctuary is an AI programme originally created to help people deal with grief and loss. With some 1.5 billion people apparently using the system, however, something designed as therapy has developed into something considerably more powerful, and potentially more troubling. The really clever idea here is that Sanctuary isn't actually creating your alternative reality. You are. The smells, sounds, images and sensations already exist wi...