Scotland Archives - Page 17 of 61

If You Were to Die Tomorrow – Paradise, St Augustine’s

15Aug

By Ben PearsonNo Comments

Scotland

If You Were to Die Tomorrow – Paradise, St Augustine’s

If You Were to Die Tomorrow has been the most difficult show for me to review at the Edinburgh Fringe so far. Brought to the festival by Hive MCR, it uses a love story between Charlotte, Sasha Dowdy, and Hope, Frankie Weatherby, to explore existentialist questions about the universe and our place within it. Charlotte has a nihilistic approach to life, believing everything is predetermined and so there is no point actively trying to do anything. We’re not going to be able to change the course of our lives. In contrast, Hope seems to think that if there is no greater meaning to life, then we must find meaning in our everyday actions. To put it simply, the meaning of life is living. This provides a good foundation for the play discuss these wider questions whilst simultaneously getting...

The Billy Joel Story – The Space @ Surgeons Hall

15Aug

By Greg HolsteadNo Comments

Scotland

The Billy Joel Story – The Space @ Surgeons Hall

A fantastic night of live music from artist Angus Munro, who channels the life and music of the Piano Man himself, Billy Joel. This is a brand new show for the Night Owl franchise, delivered in their winning docu-style formula, and works particularly well with the animated Munro filling in the blanks and projecting video and playing audio clips from Joel’s back story. There may have been a bit of roughness around the edges in some areas, but what saves this is the level of goofy, likeable humour that Munro brings, he actually reminds me a little of Jim Carey. There is also the superb musicianship of the Night Owl band, who are as usual fantastic and note perfect. Don’t expect a full concert with a grand piano, this is no more than a morsel, a quick flick through the back catalog...

The Grandfathers – Hill Street Theatre (Dunedin Theatre)

15Aug

By Marcelina KruczyńskaNo Comments

Scotland

The Grandfathers – Hill Street Theatre (Dunedin Theatre)

A truly emotion packed performance that will make you laugh, it will make you cry, it will make you quiver in your seat, but it will also leave you wanting more. Performing for the first time at the fringe, The Grandfathers is a play that indulges in the idea of national conscription in modern times. This is shown through eight young men, Kol, Val, Kost, Stas, Dim, Lev, Sash, and Zhen whose choice was taken and are now forced to fight for their country. The performance investigates what benefits the group thought would come from being in the military (being regarded as heroes) and then crushes these thoughts with the harsh reality. Despite the strong themes the comedy side of it balances it out, not allowing you to get caught up in your emotions but rather enjoy the performance. Th...

Back to Black: The Music of Amy Winehouse – The Space @ Surgeons Hall

15Aug

By Greg HolsteadNo Comments

Scotland

Back to Black: The Music of Amy Winehouse – The Space @ Surgeons Hall

A fantastic night of Jazz and neo-soul from singer Reine Beau who inhabited Amy Winehouse down to the last growl. There is nothing so enjoyable than watching an expert singer purring along, completely in her comfort zone and with plenty left under the bonnet if she needs it. In what was one of their first, and most well-travelled shows the winning Night Owl docu-style formula works really well with Beau filling in the blanks and video and audio clips from Winehouse’s back story. There is also the superb musicianship of the Night Owl band, who are as usual fantastic and note perfect. No more so than Luke Cunningham jazzing it up in fine style on the keys. A whistle stop tour through the Winehouse back catalogue in less than an hour, we hear the classics, Me and Mr Jones, Tear...

Joni Mitchell Reconstructed – The Jazz Bar (Venue No.57)

15Aug

By Amy HolsteadNo Comments

Scotland

Joni Mitchell Reconstructed – The Jazz Bar (Venue No.57)

The first of two shows starring jazz vocalists Jess Abrams and Claire Daly kicked off tonight at The Jazz Bar. This reconstruction of Joni Mitchell’s work was not trying to be a tribute according to the duo who added their own nuance to Mitchell’s tunes. The passion-filled show was a bit rough around the edges but in a lovable way. The pair seemed slightly nervous during their opening number “Blue” but gained confidence as they moved into more upbeat numbers. It was a nice touch that they chose songs which reflected their personalities as well as their voices such as Abrams singing the soft “River” and Daly singing the edgier “Harlem in Havana “. The variation between the duo’s voices meant they could sing a wider variety of Mitchell’s songs making the show more textured overall. H...

Baby Belle: Young, Dumb and full of Autism – Greenside @ Infirmary Street

15Aug

By Kathleen MansfieldNo Comments

Scotland

Baby Belle: Young, Dumb and full of Autism – Greenside @ Infirmary Street

Jax Braithwaite is at the Edinburgh Fringe to tell a personal story. It’s about a slow awakening to personal identity. A one-person show, Jax took a last-minute opening at the Fringe and put this piece together because it matters. The show is funny and warm and aimed at both the neurodivergent and as an edutainment piece, where those who fit the norm might better appreciate that autism is as nuanced and individual as each individual on this planet. It’s a tale of how they discovered their autism as an adult. As an aging linguistics graduate, I wonder if, over time, he and she will disappear altogether. If so, what will the French do? But I digress. Jax’s story is told through song and direct address. It is very relatable. And it makes me think. As an older person, I wonder if...

National Youth Choir of Scotland – Usher Hall

15Aug

By Kathleen MansfieldNo Comments

Scotland

National Youth Choir of Scotland – Usher Hall

If you were lucky enough to get to the Usher Hall by 4pm on Sunday, you will have joined a lively run-down (and audience challenge) detailing how and why Scottish National Youth Choir is so exemplary. The choir caters for 0-25-years-old. It is truly outstanding thanks to the skill, playfulness and overall enthusiasm of Artistic Director and Conductor, Christopher Bell who formed the choir in 1996. In 2012, the National Youth Choir of Scotland (NYCoS) became the first youth company to win a Royal Philharmonic Society Music Award in the Ensemble category. Bell calls the company’s methods “stealth teaching” and the games-based learning is just up my street. Balls, hula hoops and old-fashioned clapping games get the rhythm and mood started and the children learn without knowing it. “...

15Aug

By Stephanie DunkNo Comments

Scotland

Gabby Killick – Gilded Balloon Teviot

In the midst of pink hues and a half full room, Gabby Killick's stand-up comedy show offers an approach to humour that certainly sparks conversation. With an emphasis on audience interaction, Killick goes into her dating life, sharing stories of drunk texting exes and the perils of mixing love and intoxication. She doesn't shy away from taboo topics, bravely venturing into subjects like abortion and school shootings, where her willingness to tackle tough subjects is undeniable, however, there are moments where the execution feels insensitive. Her exploration of serious matters like sexual harassment and paedophiles, while brave, could benefit from a more empathetic approach. Killick's comedic one-liners, occasionally miss the mark, leaving the audience waiting for the punchline.&...

15Aug

By Danielle FarrowNo Comments

Scotland

The Messenger – Assembly Roxy

Motion. Emotion. Toilet Humour. This masked physical theatre play grabs from the start and we soon see the stakes are high. An imperial figure initiates the process for A Mission, where someone is endowed with the ability to carry this out through the bestowing of a special hat, accompanied by rousing adventure music. Costume is of the Korean Joseon period, but we quickly follow this new Messenger into the modern world, and there the fun begins. Hangings allow the set to swiftly change from neutral to a photographer’s studio / home. Different characters are strongly depicted, from an old photographer and the ill wife to whom he is devoted, to various amusing customers - including a dog - wedding planners, and, of course, the mysterious Messenger. The focus is on the relati...

What You See When Your Eyes Are Closed/What You Don’t See When Your Eyes Are Open – Summerhall

15Aug

By Euan HuthNo Comments

Scotland

What You See When Your Eyes Are Closed/What You Don’t See When Your Eyes Are Open – Summerhall

What You See When Your Eyes Are Closed/What You Don’t See When Your Eyes Are Open is a very strange piece of art. You are in a small room, and as you enter you are greeted by an eight-foot-tall orange Cyclops who is staring at you. Behind him, a man lays on the floor with the name “Mamoru” on his jumpsuit. The show begins and Mamoru is on location reporting for the news about the fifty-foot Cyclops attacking the city, and like all good fringe shows there’s plenty of audience interaction too. I’ll try to refrain from saying too much about the events of the show, as I feel work of this kind is most effective when you go in completely blind, but to be honest I also don’t think I could begin to explain it clearly anyway. That’s the sort of piece this is, it’s a thought-provoking narrative...