REVIEWS Archives - Page 8 of 623

23Aug

By Greg HolsteadNo Comments

Scotland

Hang Time – Royal Lyceum Theatre

Hang Time is unlike almost anything I have seen before, particularly within the ornate surroundings of the Royal Lyceum. Three Black men hang apparently lifeless in mid-air, an extraordinary and initially almost unbearable image which writer and director Zora Howard gradually makes us accept as normal. Kamal Bolden's Slim, Julian Rozzell's Bird and Bryce Foley's Blood simply hang around. There is something almost Beckettian in the absurdity of three dead men passing eternity through mundane conversation, discussing relationships, blues music, faith and even the weather. Slim is the antagonist, constantly needling the God-fearing Bird about whether there really is anything waiting on the other side. We discover that Slim murdered his wife's lover, while Howard offers no correspondin...

Jody Kamali: This Is My Dad – Assembly George Square

23Aug

By Caroline WorswickNo Comments

Scotland

Jody Kamali: This Is My Dad – Assembly George Square

‘This is My Dad’ is a son’s reflection on his father’s life, and the man that he knew…or did he? Jody Kamali plays himself, the son of his Iranian father who died on the 29th October 2024, at a barbecue. And this is the first thing that we see as we enter The Crate, his father is hosting a barbecue, but he needs help. Kamali immediately engages the audience by including them in the preparations of the food, this inclusion is one of the recipes for the success of this show. Kamali’s father talks to the audience as though he were in his neighbourhood bar or cafe chatting to the locals, and from how Kamali presented his father, I can imagine that he had the ‘gift of the gab’ as they say. As the play progresses, it becomes apparent that the process of devel...

James Phelan: Showman – Underbelly Circus Hub

23Aug

By Saira KunjuvalappilNo Comments

Scotland

James Phelan: Showman – Underbelly Circus Hub

Magician James Phelan has done a great job creating an entertaining and interactive show. From predicting cards to reading minds, there were plenty of moments that kept the audience interested and involved throughout the performance. The interactive nature of the show was definitely one of its strongest aspects, as it made the audience feel like they were part of the magic rather than simply watching from their seats. The lighting and overall presentation were also very well done. The lighting added to the atmosphere and helped create the right mood for the different parts of the performance. James did an excellent job engaging the audience, and his confidence and stage presence made the show enjoyable from beginning to end. However, one thing I would recommend is adding some new...

Nina’s C*nti Cabaret – Underbelly (McEwan Hall)

23Aug

By Roger JacobsNo Comments

Scotland

Nina’s C*nti Cabaret – Underbelly (McEwan Hall)

Big venue, big lights, sound, crowd… but not enough Nina! The clues in the title of course, a genuine cabaret featuring two guest artists, and not the Full C*nti. Though someone who did avail of an All-You-Can-Eat breakfast buffet was first interloper Susie McCabe, a bonus surprise to anyone who wasn’t aware of the show’s format. Sadly (well, not that sadly as here she is alive and happily kicking) it led to a heart attack in the Bristol Hilton. As someone once said; ‘never let a crisis go to waste’ and in Susie’s hands the life-threatening incident provides much mirth. Albeit tempered if you’re from Bristol or Fife. Prior to this was Nina’s intro routine, her scratchy simian lowering whatever tone she thought she’d established, soiling every attempt at cordiality with the audience. ...

Yuck Circus: Naughties – Assembly George Sq.

23Aug

By Greg HolsteadNo Comments

Scotland

Yuck Circus: Naughties – Assembly George Sq.

I was probably doubly outside the target demographic for Naughties. I wasn't a teenage girl in the noughties, indeed I wasn't a teenager at all, but you don't necessarily need to have spent the decade clutching a flip phone and listening to Britney Spears to appreciate what Australian company YUCK Circus does here. The Palais du Variété is an excellent venue for this. A runway pushes deep into the centre of the lofty tent, while the considerable height above provides an ideal playground for the aerial work. Having previously endured the rather laddish Stamptown in this same space, Naughties proved a considerable improvement. Five women showed how this sort of circus cabaret can be done, with skill, personality and, appropriately enough, plenty of girl power....

Non-Human Animal – Gilded Balloon Teviot

23Aug

By Christina SchmidtNo Comments

Scotland

Non-Human Animal – Gilded Balloon Teviot

Roisin’s father was murdered. Now she’s left alone to deal with the consequeses – grieving, bingeing on mini Mars-bars and Gilmore Girls, shutting out the outside world, with a Mammy that’s suffering from dementia, and a health system that’s failing her. Writer Kat Woods pulled from her own experiences after the murder of her father which comes through in the confessional tone of the piece. Non-Human animal scratches the surface on many incredibly important topics, but unfortunately loses the actual storyline in this web of problems. What is the play about? The prison system? Trauma? Role-play? The NHS? Grief? Mental Health? Soberiety? Northern Ireland after the Troubles? Class? Social Media? Neurodiversity? Body image issues? Guilt? All of the above? Of course all of these socie...

Apples In Winter – The Annexe at Paradise in The Vault

23Aug

By Caroline WorswickNo Comments

Scotland

Apples In Winter – The Annexe at Paradise in The Vault

Miriam (Edie Campbell) loves to bake pie, apple pie to be exact with the apples from the tree in her garden that she lovingly nurtured to ensure that the apples in her pie were of the best quality. They should only be picked in September for the best apple pie…Robert loved her apple pie more than anything! Robert is Miriam’s son. Robert is in prison on death row, and his execution has been organised for midnight on that very day. His request for his last meal, is for his mother to make the apple pie that he loves so much. For Miriam, this request stirs up a tsunami of emotions, as she stands in the prison kitchen with her ingredients, to make the homemade apple pie for her son. Written by Jennifer Fawcett, and produced by Lynchpin Theatre Company, th...

The Tao of Lloyd – Drawing Room at Assembly Rooms

23Aug

By Caroline WorswickNo Comments

Scotland

The Tao of Lloyd – Drawing Room at Assembly Rooms

The ‘Still Point Institute’ is holding a three-day immersive meditation, and the closing speaker has cancelled due to…circumstances beyond his control! Enter Lloyd Dobler (Dennis Trainor)…yes, the same Lloyd Dobler played by John Cusack in the 1989 movie ‘Say Anything’. A middle-aged Dobler is flown in to take over the closing speech of the retreat, which hosts high flying people such as Jeff Bezos, and Russell Brand, and Dobler’s spiritual Molotov cocktail could be a fiery brew. We learn that the invitation came from his ex-girlfriend from many years earlier Diane Court, who works for the company Meridian Systems, the creator software for the American government with ICE being one of the departments. If all this was not enough to make him feel uncomfortable, he must talk to...

Peregrinations – Central at Assembly Roxy

23Aug

By Christina SchmidtNo Comments

Scotland

Peregrinations – Central at Assembly Roxy

According to the dictionary, peregrination means a journey to foreign lands, especially on foot. This play by Dutch Kills Theater Company, follows multiple of such journeys of people crossing borders and eplores themes of migration, exile, and the search for belonging in a culture hostile towards immigrants. That alone makes it an important piece of work in the times of ICE in the US and ever increasing support for right-wing politics across the west. But Peregrinations is more than that. It is a wordless, but visually stunning theatre piece. It is a masterclass in mask-work and physical theatre with some incredible puppetry sprinkled in throughout the show. Based on interviews of the ensemble’s real lived experiences it tells stories of humanity, resilience and hope for a better...

Antigone 1989: A Town Hall Musical – Gilded Balloon Patter Hoose

22Aug

By Beth EltringhamNo Comments

Scotland

Antigone 1989: A Town Hall Musical – Gilded Balloon Patter Hoose

The tale of Antigone continues to remain prominent within theatre and Greek history, a tale of a woman who goes against her leaders wishes in order to restore dignity to her deceased brother, ultimately leading to her death sentence and the taking of her own life. Like many Greek tragedies, this one is not a happy one, but it does deliver us the message that: it is important to stand up for what you believe in, even if the consequence is dire (oh and don’t disobey the gods…). Antigone 1989: A Town Hall Musical takes the classic tale but re-frames it in the 1980s, using the AIDS crisis as it’s driven point of revolt. This is cleverly done by exchanging the relationship between Antigone and Creon’s (known as Calvin) son Henry for a relationship between Henry and the deceased and sland...