REVIEWS Archives - Page 26 of 623

8Aug

By Caroline WorswickNo Comments

London

Sick Dog – Etcetera Theatre

As I kick off my Camden Fringe Festival coverage, I began with a charming play called ‘Sick Dog,’ which incidentally does not have a dog as a cast member! Winne (Cara Crofts) shares her flat with her friend Eliza (Pearl D’Souza), and they hang out and share household duties, and this is your usual flatmates play…until you realise that Eliza is not human, but a humanoid! We learn that Winnie has been existing in her flat for months and has an illness which has made her unable to work. Eliza is stepping in to help where she can, and she is also learning about Winnie’s characteristics and mimicking them in an attempt to learn more about humans to integrate more authentically. Directed by Lily Gilchrist, the play is set in Winnie’s flat and revolves around Winnie’s ill...

Alice Fraser: Oh Man! – Monkey Barrel Comedy

8Aug

By Ella BeckleyNo Comments

Scotland

Alice Fraser: Oh Man! – Monkey Barrel Comedy

When she’s off the comedy stage, Alice Fraser is a politics and news podcaster, which she jokes puts her in a small demographic of women that can speak to men without interruption. Her show pulls from topical issues like AI, the manosphere, capitalism, technology, gender and sexuality. Fraser pulls these themes together succinctly, conveying her worldview with persuasive intellect, but it all feels a little too ambitious to contain within a one-hour Fringe comedy set. Fraser’s stand-up show centres around training a little AI vacuum cleaner how to be a man, with PowerPoint slides and crowd work used cleverly along the way. Fraser discusses how masculinity presents itself, moving through themes of today while exposing men in her life like gym-bro Jaden. ...

Disenchanted! The Hit Musical – Pleasance at EICC

8Aug

By Torya HughesNo Comments

Scotland

Disenchanted! The Hit Musical – Pleasance at EICC

The phrase “Disney princess” immediately brings to mind some well-known stereotypes: breathy voices, ultra feminine demeanour, and a desire to live happily ever after with a handsome prince. The cast of “Disenchanted!” manage to debunk all of this in their opening number, led by a punky Snow White who is not inclined to be anyone’s fairytale bride. “Disenchanted!” began over a decade ago as an off-Broadway production but only premiered earlier this year in the UK. Times have changed in recent years, and female characters in children’s films are much better represented overall. However, the original princesses are so well known that this parody still works effectively. What doesn’t always work is the structure of the musical – effectively a song cycle with a mixture of solos and grou...

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...

Take Me Home County Road – Liverpool’s Royal Court

6Aug

By Daniel CoxNo Comments

North West

Take Me Home County Road – Liverpool’s Royal Court

Galloping into Liverpool's Royal Court throughout August is Take Me Home County Road, the story of Shelly, a County Road local with a remarkable singing talent. Once performing on cruise ships Shelly's world now looks very different. Having swapped the spotlight for a role as a classroom teaching assistant, she still dreams of singing success. When the opportunity arises to enter The Next Big Thing, she embarks on a journey fuelled by friendship, determination and community spirit. What happens next? You'll have to grab a ticket (and perhaps a pair of cowboy boots) to find out. Adam McCoy showcases his talents both on and off the stage, appearing as neighbour Anthony while also making his playwriting debut with this production. The fact that this is McCoy's first play demonstrates an im...

Sara Pascoe: For One Night Only – Underbelly Bristo Square

6Aug

By Ella BeckleyNo Comments

Scotland

Sara Pascoe: For One Night Only – Underbelly Bristo Square

Award winning Actor, Comedian and Writer Sara Pascoe graced the stage of Edinburgh University’s McEwan Hall with her sell-out show for, that’s right, one night only. It’s the first night of Fringe 2026 and there’s a hum of excitement bouncing around Bristo Square, where an anticipating queue snakes around the iconic McEwan Hall, ready to have a laugh. Pints in hand, jackets clutched closely as the sharp Edinburgh breeze whizzes through them. &nbs...

Youth in Flames – Pleasance Courtyard, Bunker 1

6Aug

By Tom ScottNo Comments

Scotland

Youth in Flames – Pleasance Courtyard, Bunker 1

‘Youth in Flames’ makes a triumphant return to Edinburgh following a sell-out run in New York. Last year, Mimi Martin’s brilliant life-enhancing play garnered a Scotsman Fringe First and a hatful of 5 star reviews. The play tells the story of a British teenager, Millie, coming of age as protests erupt in 2019 against the Hong Kong Government’s proposal to extradite criminal suspects to mainland China. Mimi Martin has written a sparkling script which elicits a mesmerising performance from the playwright herself. She grabs our attention from the very first moment as a strong-willed, sometimes rebellious, schoolgirl venting her feelings about her teachers, peers and parents. There are plenty of light moments in the early scenes but things take a serious turn when Jesse, Millie’s clo...

Some of It Might Be True – Etcetera Theatre

6Aug

By Alan Stuart MalinNo Comments

London

Some of It Might Be True – Etcetera Theatre

In The Ugly Truth Productions’ new production, ‘Some of It Might Be True’, writer and performer Justine Martin attempts to place social media, influencer culture, mental health and trauma within an increasingly absurd narrative involving an online scandal, animal-rights activism and a pig-rescue mission. At its core, it is a strange and chaotic comedy with important ideas at its heart, but neither the writing nor the production is sufficiently developed to explore them with clarity. Whilst there is certainly potential in this collision of anxieties, and the comedy is certainly the production’s strongest element, its storytelling is unfocused, jumping between ideas without giving its themes enough space or structure to make a lasting impact. The same lack of control affects the stagi...

5Aug

By Stewart Who?No Comments

London

The Lads – Hen & Chickens Theatre

‘Toxic masculinity’ continues to be a fizzing hot topic. In the past few years, it’s curdled from legitimate concern and intelligent discussion to yet another flashpoint in the culture wars. Well meaning and bad faith operators were soon questioning the term, concerned that it reinforced negative stereotypes and might be detrimental to the mental health of young men. Meanwhile, the ‘manosphere’ continues to grow and curdle. The views of provocative influencers are seeping into the mainstream due to the monetisation model of online media and the grim logic of the algorithm. Andrew Tate went from a misogynist freak on the fringe of the Internet to a global pop culture phenomenon. The reasons for that evolution might be complex, but it’s hard not to conclude that the problem is escalat...