Scotland Archives - Page 112 of 157

16Aug

By Greg HolsteadNo Comments

Scotland

Macbeth – Greenside @ Infirmary Street

Gosh! Where to start on this highly unpleasant Macbeth mash-up. This is my 3rd instalment of my Macbeth marathon of the Fringe and an undoubted low point. Comparison is a wonderful tool! But at least you got one star! That’s for your Macbeth, the undoubted star of this particular show, who shone with hope and ambition in a sea of troubles. Unfortunately, there is no possibility to name-check said star because you didn’t care enough to provide that information! A show which shows no hand of a director, and the barest story and which has actors crossing each other, talking in unintelligible whispers with their back to the audience, and generally running around like headless chickens. A show which shows scant respect for their paying audience or for the craft of acting. Adding to...

16Aug

By Greg HolsteadNo Comments

Scotland

Intimacy – The Space @ Venue 45

This new two women play from writer, Sarah Nelson (Letter to Bodda) for Watershed Productions, sees Chloe in search of answers to female sexuality (or more likely her own), for her Masters thesis, and Nel as her more than willing, and highly experienced, respondent. The two actors come with significant credentials and are both excellent, Chloe is played by Caitlin O'Ryan – Lizzie Wemyss in the international TV hit Outlander. Nel is played by Imogen Greenwood, the writer and producer of award-winning film Natural Causes. In something of a cat and mouse performance it is never quite clear where this is going, or how it will end, until the final climax, where it all comes together with a bit of an aha moment of realisation. The linear Q & A structure is initially limiting and...

16Aug

By Euan HuthNo Comments

Scotland

Hive – Assembly Roxy

Hive is show that feels like it has big things to say. It wants to talk about corporations building monolithic skyscrapers and the consequences of that , how people can be displaced and forced to move out of their homes, the way grief can impact our lives and relationships. Hive tries very hard to communicate these things, but unfortunately it does not communicate them well enough. The setting is an abandoned housing building with Mother Ria (Elin Doyle) being brought in to investigate a “hive” of some description along with her child, Salve (Emily Millwood), after they where expelled from school and there’s no one Salve can stay with while Ria works. The play also features a third character, Craig, the site manager who joins Ria on her journey to the hive while Salve makes their ow...

Crash and Burn – theSpace @ Niddry Street

16Aug

By Christina SchmidtNo Comments

Scotland

Crash and Burn – theSpace @ Niddry Street

Set on a private jet, heading to the climate conference COP26 in Glasgow: Oil Baron James Johnson with his employee and daughter are forced to share the plane with eccentric actor and activist Amodius Vassano and his personal manager. After take-off, they find out that this and other planes have been hijacked by a group of radical environmental activists and they are being held hostage, only to survive if Johnson confesses to his crimes. ‘Crash and Burn’, a new play written by Will Leckie, who also plays Amodius Vassano, aims to be a political comedy that wants to ask the question of how far activism can or should go. Whilst this is a great premise, although an unoriginal idea, the execution of it was rather poor. The play lacks structure, trying to tackle too many topics at once...

16Aug

By Greg HolsteadNo Comments

Scotland

Anna Vanosi Jazz Trio – The Jazz Bar

Escaping the bagpipes, the ticket pushers, the crowds and the traffic, to rest at peace for a quick hour and bathe in a little pool of jazz bliss with the Italian Diva herself, Anna Vanosi is just about perfect. Set below ground in the subterranean bunker that is The Jazz Bar, near the Museum, in Central Edinburgh’s melee, Vanosi ushered us through quite a quick catalogue of songs, mostly above love or lost love in the language of love, Italian. And some in the much less romantic English. Either language was fine with me, Vanosi’s voice was nectar in both. This is Vanosi’s second show at the Fringe this year, at the same venue, having completed a run of shows last week entitled, Late Bloomers Tales, which I also thoroughly enjoyed, but in a different way. The previous show is ...

16Aug

By Roger JacobsNo Comments

Scotland

Cola Boy – The Space @ Symposium Hall

This show kicked off on Monday (13th) with a full house and Thursday & Friday are already sold out. It’s in of those infamously ‘intimate’ Fringe venues so move fast if you want the experience; for that primarily is what this is, rather a fleeting one at that. How many times have you heard the cliché ‘The book’s much better’? Author Ryan Battles did actually live and work in Dubai, his book an enjoyable, adventurous tome pulling few punches about a place he has ‘no desire to ever travel to again.’ However, squeezed into 40 minutes it ends up highlighting just two themes; the death (and ghostly return) of Jimmy’s bezzy mate Andy, and the nerve-shredding trip back to London to traffic 70 grammes of coke back into Dubai. We’re welcomed in from a drenched Hill Square by a groovy ...

The Magic of Terry Pratchett – Gilded Balloon Teviot

15Aug

By Stephanie DunkNo Comments

Scotland

The Magic of Terry Pratchett – Gilded Balloon Teviot

The show unfolded with a mix of anecdotes, on-screen jokes, and AI-created images, painting a picture of Pratchett's life that left me intrigued. From his school days to his status as the most shoplifted author in Britain, the show offered a glimpse into his world. The AI-generated images and sound effects added a unique touch, immersing us in Discworld's eccentricity. The heart of the show was his own voice and insights. His words, accompanied by shown illustrations, brought depth to the experience, evoking both laughter and reflection. While I might not be well-versed in Pratchett's novels, the comedy show piqued my curiosity. It struck a balance between humour and emotion, presenting an enjoyable evening that left me with a newfound appreciation for his work. If you're a fan o...

Nathan D’Arcy Roberts – Gilded Balloon Teviot

15Aug

By Stephanie DunkNo Comments

Scotland

Nathan D’Arcy Roberts – Gilded Balloon Teviot

Nathan D'Arcy Roberts' show was an enjoyable experience that had me laughing throughout. With a casual approach, Roberts shared relatable stories that resonated with the audience. His mixed-race background provided an interesting lens through which he explored the topic of racism. Roberts had a talent for finding humour in everyday situations, his storytelling had a natural and easygoing quality that made it easy to connect with. He smoothly transitioned from light-hearted subjects to more personal moments, discussing family dynamics and his father's challenges with drugs. A standout moment of the show was Roberts' retelling of his trip to California, which had the audience laughing. His take on a fictional Honest advert brought a fun and imaginative element to the performance, s...

Letter To Boddah – The Space @ Surgeons Hall

15Aug

By Greg HolsteadNo Comments

Scotland

Letter To Boddah – The Space @ Surgeons Hall

Taking inspiration from Kurt Kurbain’s suicide note to his imaginary friend Boddah, characters Billy (Kyle Fisher) and Tink (Jordan Reece) must decide whether to continue with their ill-conceived plan to explode a bomb in Tescos, killing themselves and countless other shoppers, or man -up and return to the reality of their dull and pointless existence. Kurbain finished his famous final note with the mantra that it is Better to Burn out than fade away, and that’s the big question at the heart of this explosive piece by writer, Sarah Nelson for Watershed Productions. Can Tink really blow up the nice lady on the hot food counter, who gave him an extra chicken drumstick, and does he really want to blow himself up on the day that his mum is cooking steak and kidney pudding, his favourite?...

15Aug

By Danielle FarrowNo Comments

Scotland

Ophelia – Greenside @ Riddles Court

Do women still need to fight for space simply to be? As uncomfortable as it is to watch a woman always holding back, are we willing to see her rage? I recommend watching Bristol University Spotlights’ ‘Ophelia’ to help answer such questions with their play based on Shakespeare’s ‘Hamlet’ but very much set in the world of a modern Ophelia. This is a world where we don’t quite learn how Hamlet would come to kill Ophelia’s father, but that is actually in keeping with it being Ophelia’s story and with the narrowness of the space within which she is confined. The play is particularly strong at the start, revealing the young protagonist’s mind: very real, very relatable. Her meeting with Hamlet beautifully demonstrates why she is attracted to him and why he can take such possession of ...