REVIEWS Archives - Page 135 of 410

Nick Everritt: The Quiet Man – Aces & Eights

26Aug

By Caroline WorswickNo Comments

London

Nick Everritt: The Quiet Man – Aces & Eights

Time for some comedy down at Aces & Eights, and from Nick Everritt who calls himself, The Quiet Man. Not an ideal trait in a comedian I hear you say, but Everitt has his quiet man routine down to a fine art. This is routine with a defined structure, and at the outset, we are introduced to this shy man persona, with a couple of impersonations, and jokes, which are ‘joke-splained’. Getting the crowd involved is a big part of Everritt’s act, which is reliant upon being able to pull in a reasonable size audience, or the audience may feel that they are too large a part of the routine. Luckily, our small audience is willing to participate, and offers up the repartee that a comedian depends upon. Everritt’s Quiet Man persona is purposefully creepy, a weird, sociall...

26Aug

By Robert BartleyNo Comments

London

Next To Normal – Donmar Warehouse

Cult favourite ‘Next To Normal’ has taken 15 years to reach our shores, and while it’s relatively unknown over here, it arrives on the back of a wave of adoration from its devoted fanbase, not to mention the critical acclaim (Tony Awards a Pulitzer, no less). The show comes from the mind of composer Tom Kitts, who along with Brian Yorkey (book and lyrics), tells a story of a family dealing with a crippling mental health problem which has governed their lives for the best part of 2 decades. News of the show’s UK premiere was met with massive excitement, with its limited run selling incredibly well. But was it worth the wait? Wife and mother Diane Goodman (Caissie Levy) is struggling with bi-ploar disorder, and the toll it's taking on her family, daughter Natalie (Eleanor Wort...

26Aug

By Caroline WorswickNo Comments

London

The Two Horsemen – Aces & Eights

Whenever I am ‘fringing’ (yes, let’s make it a verb), I like to go along to see some improv. The quick-witted repartee, the verbal jousting is exciting, and watching The Two Horsemen saddle up, mount, and strap on their jousts, I know that we are in for a helluva ride. Liam Brennan and Tom Jacob-Ewles are the two riders that make up The Two Horsemen, and these two fablers tour, playing the medieval tavern circuit, with the aim of making it big in showbiz weaving fantasy tales assisted by suggestions from the audience. Below is a selection of the happenings that went on:- The intro came from Bubonic Bobby who oozes infection from every pore, and then duo begin with a suggestion of a fable about The Ugly Duckling who is secretly Macbeth, Brennan relished the role of the ugl...

Some Sonnets and a Bit of Bach – Greenside @ Infirmary Street

26Aug

By Marcelina KruczyńskaNo Comments

Scotland

Some Sonnets and a Bit of Bach – Greenside @ Infirmary Street

Passionate about William Shakespear and Johann Sebastian Bach, or better yet wondered what these two historical figures have in common? Then you are in for a treat. Performed by the enthusiastic Sebastian Michael, performing his first spoken word solo at the Edinburgh Fringe. This spoken word program will take you back to the past delving into the lives of Bach and Shakespear. Michael not only discusses Bach and Shakespear but adds a personal touch to the performance where he talks about his own artistic journey and how he encountered his love of these two artistic legends. The simplistic staging and clear color theme (since everything is in the color black) all eyes are on Michael, making the performance all the more intimate. Michael’s passion shines through in the moments when he...

26Aug

By Kathleen MansfieldNo Comments

Scotland

Bluebeard’s Castle – Churchill Theatre

The collaboration between director/librettist, Daisy Evans, and conductor/arranger, Stephen Higgins, to create a dementia tale from Bartók’s only opera, Bluebeard’s Castle, is startlingly clever and beautifully produced. The set by Adrian Linford is simple, yet effective. The lighting is perfect for a castle where the sun never shines. The Hebrides Ensemble play like angels. And the two voices: Michael Mayes and Charlotte Hellekant - superb! Gone is the gothic horror and the manipulation of the male/female power dynamic of the original to be replaced by the less blameworthy machinations of memory loss through dementia. In reality, dementia is equally as frightening in its thievery, but not so terrifying in its conscious malice. In this version, Bluebeard and his wife, Judith, rev...

25Aug

By Katie LeicesterNo Comments

North West

Frozen Jr – Z-Arts

Z-arts Renaker Theatre hosted Manchester Musical Youth’s (MMY) latest production of Frozen Jr, the show is unfortunately only running tonight and tomorrow evening with a matinee in the middle as it is a show not to be missed. This Disney family favourite did not disappoint the audience, it is hard to believe that the cast only had four rehearsals following their weekend residential and junior festival earlier in the year to produce such a well-polished production. This is MMY’s third show in a space of a month and the standard never ceases to amaze me, it is evident that the production is a team effort involving many family members supporting the process with their super talented youngsters. The auditorium and front of house was a buzz of super proud relatives and friends rightful...

Call Mr Robeson – Edinburgh Fringe Online

24Aug

By Donna M DayNo Comments

Scotland

Call Mr Robeson – Edinburgh Fringe Online

Call Mr Robeson is a one-man show telling the story of the life of Paul Robeson, singer, actor, and political activist. Written and performed by Tayo Aluko and directed by Olusola Oyeleye, it is an interesting exploration of the early civil rights movement in America, against a background of Hollywood films, theatre performances and concerts, with live performances of Robeson’s songs sung by Aluko, accompanied by Michael Conliffe on piano. The piece opens with Aluko singing Nobody Knows the Trouble I’ve Seen while carrying a chair, which is used to symbolise the weight of the events of Robeson’s life on him. Aluko has a strong and operatic voice and performs the songs throughout the piece brilliantly, and often, particularly in the case of Old Man River, with dramatic flair and action w...

24Aug

By Donna M DayNo Comments

Scotland

Dibubuísmos – Edinburgh Fringe Online

Dibubuísmos is a short poetic video exploration of creativity and the self. Created and performed by Paes Loureiro, it is a unique way of delving into the artistic self and where the artist fits into the natural world. The piece opens with Loureiro mindfully cleansing herself and shedding her existing self. The movements are slow, deliberate and show an appreciation for the little things and living with intention and awareness. Loureiro contemplates herself and her surroundings in a place where land meets water, before floating through the river in a ritual of rebirth and peaceful meditation. Background music allows the mood of the piece to alter and moments of drama to be built up, which creates a sense of dialogue with Loureiro, even though the piece contains no spoken word. ...

Dee Christopher The Psychic Vampire – Frankenstein & Bier Keller

24Aug

By Beth EltringhamNo Comments

Scotland

Dee Christopher The Psychic Vampire – Frankenstein & Bier Keller

In the dark depths of the spookiest pub in Edinburgh you can find yourself a magic act like non other. Dee Christopher takes you on a journey to prove both his legitimacy as a real life vampire and his skill as a magician using the mediums of storytelling, humour and some seriously impressive tricks. The best way to describe Dee Christopher as a performer would be a man with the essence of an old Hollywood rock star, he is like Johnny Depp if they had let him play a cool vampire instead of the strange thing from Dark Shadows. His voice is somewhat calming but at the same time you feel as though you’re watching some mysterious stranger in a bar who’s stories you could listen to all night. Not only are we given magic, but through audience choices we are told stories of this vampire...

24Aug

By Greg HolsteadNo Comments

Scotland

Jake Bugg – Edinburgh Playhouse

Bringing my Edinburgh Fringe reviewing to an end for another year (with review number 63!), an absolute belter, five-star performance by Nottingham lad, singer-songwriter and supreme musician, Jake Bugg, at the Edinburgh Playhouse. An artist that I have known of and heard snippets of over the last ten years, this concert came as a very pleasant surprise, and reminded me that I actually do know loads of his songs, albeit not the names of them! Luckily, I was sitting next to fellow reviewer and big Bugg fan, Eilidh Tuckett from Artmag, who was able to lean over and tell me the names of the songs as they came thick and fast. Thanks Eilidh! From the very Oasis sounding, Kingpin, from Bugg’s second album to the much softer and more lyrical Hold Tight, his favourite from his fifth album, y...