Scotland Archives - Page 11 of 94

20Aug

By Oliver GigginsNo Comments

Scotland

Conspiracy – Hill Street Theatre

Conspiracy is the story of the 1942 Wannsee Conference, the secret 90 minute-meeting chaired by the SS which put in place the Final Solution, responsible for the deaths of at least 6 million Jews (as well as some other groups). This stage version by Strawmoddie and RFT, a remount of their 2018 production, was adapted from the 2001 TV film of the same name, itself adapting the authentic script taken from the only surviving transcript from the meeting. Following in the steps of the HBO film is no mean feat. Its cast included Colin Firth, David Threlfall, Kenneth Branagh, and Stanley Tucci, the latter two of which won a Primetime Emmy Award and a Golden Globe Award respectively. However the point of the story is to put you into the room of the most evil "this could have been an email" ...

Sisyphean Quick Fix – Pleasance Courtyard

20Aug

By Peter KinnockNo Comments

Scotland

Sisyphean Quick Fix – Pleasance Courtyard

Sisyphean Quick Fix is an intriguing, beguiling and enchanting story of addictive and alcoholic father cared for by his two children, Krista and Pip. Bettina Paris play perfectly captures the family rivalry within the group and finely demonstrates the dangers of addiction. Bettina Paris appears as Krista with Tina Rizzo. Both provide impressive and intriguing performances as the family finds its way through the trauma of their predicament. The characters and writing unfold and display something perceptive and intelligent and the production is finely executed and mounted and would certainly would benefit from a substantially larger audience. It’s undoubtedly a funny, comic thought-provoking play about the pressure and impact of alcoholism on a family and the almost insurmountable Sis...

We Forgive You, Patina Pataznik – Gilded Balloon Patter House

19Aug

By Oliver GigginsNo Comments

Scotland

We Forgive You, Patina Pataznik – Gilded Balloon Patter House

Jake (Jake Glanc) and Liv (Olivia McLeod) go to their High School Reunion maybe partly, totally not entirely, because of Patina Pataznik, the popular, totally gorgeous girl from their year who totally ruined their lives by doing one socially embarrassing thing when they were 13. So when they time travel back to that day, it's obvious what they have to do: get a gun and kill Patina Pataznik. While this may seem a camp time-travel horror-comedy, the plot is really a roadmap the show has no issue detouring from for various wacky sketches. While this might seem a waste of a good (albeit more filmic than theatrical) premise, McLeod and Jake's campy delivery and absurd sense of humour (as well as some handy and inventive props, the over-the-top sound and lighting design) keep this a ...

19Aug

By Jessie MartinNo Comments

Scotland

Tartan Tat – theSpace @ Niddry Street

Having gone into this show with a vague idea of the plot, I could have never predicted what was to come. While I knew it was about the employees of a tourist shop in Edinburgh, I did not know it would be the sardonic, LGBTQIA+, pop culture spoof that it was. It is always refreshing to see local theatre in the sea of Fringe, and Shark Bait Theatre executed this piece with an in-touch, tongue-in-cheek attitude that all Scottish folk can resonate with. The writers, Lex Joyce and Isla Campbell, have produced something that is both hilarious yet compelling in today’s political climate. Each character had a strong personality that was communicated well by the cast. The line delivery left me in stitches – the actors played off each other excellently, further addi...

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...

Colin Cloud: Consequences – Underbelly, Bristo Square

19Aug

By Susan CohenNo Comments

Scotland

Colin Cloud: Consequences – Underbelly, Bristo Square

Colin Cloud's return to the fringe is something to be celebrated, nay, something to be shouted about. HURRAY! The America's Got Talent Las Vegas hotshot appears in what feels like a gothic setting in the McEwan Hall, the perfect venue for his performance which goes l-a-r-g-e and roves around the audience. Since I last saw Colin (yes, I feel as if I know him from way back when the family and I first saw him on stage) he seems to have become more - more steampunk, more fearless. Och, just more. I'm very aware that there are probably those who don't believe in Colin's mentalist powers. Are these audience members planted? How could he possibly know this? How could he possibly know that? Well, I'm here to tell you that several years ago,...

Tales of Haunted Edinburgh: Echoes From Beyond the Grave – Arthur Conan Doyle Centre

19Aug

By Susan CohenNo Comments

Scotland

Tales of Haunted Edinburgh: Echoes From Beyond the Grave – Arthur Conan Doyle Centre

Ewan Irvine is a psychic and paranormal medium, tutor and author. He has hosted ghost hunts of ancient buildings, has had his own radio shows and appeared on TV. He has done spiritual readings across the country and has written books and published articles. Also, I must say here and now that Ewan is known to this reviewer as a very dear friend - full disclosure. I have watched Ewan become a powerful speaker, in recent years. This is not his first foray into the Edinburgh Fringe and I'm certain that it won't be his last. Every year, though he seems to bring something very different to the speaking lectern. This year, he spoke about tales of hauntings, of ghosts, of inexplicable phenomena which are particular to the capital city. And he - almos...

19Aug

By Susan CohenNo Comments

Scotland

Caroline Criado Perez – Lyceum Theatre

According to Wikipedia, Perez is a feminist (‘radical feminist, if you don’t mind’), author, journalist and activist. What Wiki doesn’t mention is that Perez is also an extraordinary speaker, a punchy communicator. Fuelled by fire, she leans over the lectern and looks the audience right in the eye as she delivers so much content that she couldn’t fail to have made points which were new and surprising, even to the most aware of audience members. Perez was firing on all cylinders in this talk – from the quotation of shocking statistics on female under-representation in popular culture to the unrecognized contribution of unpaid female labour to the national economy, from the gender data gap to the lack of respect and recognition of women who choose moth...

Circa Humans 2.0 – Underbelly Circus Hub

18Aug

By Peter KinnockNo Comments

Scotland

Circa Humans 2.0 – Underbelly Circus Hub

Wow, wow, wow! My second circus of the festival (with two more to come) Circa Humans 2.0 offers a stunning piece of theatrical circus with a physicality and choreography, unlike anything I have seen before. It is a high energy, high octane, high silk infusion of circus and humanity with truthful seam running through the middle. Circus is hard enough with all the skills and abilities it entails, but then to lay on top an artistic aesthetic which makes us go away thinking not only of the turns and the tricks but of the humanity underneath is certainly an impressive feat. And talking of impressive feats the show was full of them. Against an ululating, pulsating, stamping, stomping soundtrack a gaggle of black clad acrobats, gymnastics and aerialists rotate, rock and revolve in a tho...

100 Things You Are Overthinking – Alchemist, St James Quarter

18Aug

By Saira KunjuvalappilNo Comments

Scotland

100 Things You Are Overthinking – Alchemist, St James Quarter

The show is a complete comedy experience that involves a lot of interaction with the audience. Francesco Kirchhoff and Ori Halevy did a great job making each performance unique. No two shows are the same because the topics depend on what the audience writes down about what they’re overthinking. The questions from the audience were really funny, like “Does my dog love me?” The answers were hilarious, and everyone was laughing out loud. Another question was “Will I ever be rich?” The response was light-hearted, saying life is already good and that overthinking isn’t necessary. One of the best moments was when someone asked how to find a boyfriend for their daughter. The funny advice was to install dating apps, create a fake profile for the daughter, and start swiping. Another great...