Scotland Archives - Page 21 of 128

James Phelan: The Man Who Was Magic – Underbelly Bristo Square

8Aug

By Saira KunjuvalappilNo Comments

Scotland

James Phelan: The Man Who Was Magic – Underbelly Bristo Square

I was captivated from the moment I entered the theatre. The stage lighting was vibrant and psychedelic, perfect for a night of illusions and entertainment. James Phelan displayed a visually stunning magic show that was also filled with humour and cleverness. Though the magic itself was impressive—particularly one particularly memorable instance where it seemed as though a card had travelled through the air between audience members—it was James's sense of humour and timing that were truly able to command the evening. The audience was laughing the whole time, and the atmosphere in the room never fell because of his interactive and comedic stage presence. Phelan's stage presence was welcoming and assured, such that the entire show felt intimate and inclusive. The way he interacted w...

7Aug

By Oliver GigginsNo Comments

Scotland

007 Voices of Bond – theSpace Triple X

Celebrating 60+ years of Bond themes, 007 Voices of Bond features Maia Elsey and the Night Owl band performing, mostly chronologically, just under a dozen songs from the film series' history, sometimes accompanied by a guest performer for some duets, and by a projected “M” character for extra links and humour (as well as some inaccurate facts: Moonraker was made before For Your Eyes Only). Perhaps unsurprisingly, the Craig era dominates, with all but one of his five themes making the show (Sam Smith's proud first draft “The Writing's On The Wall” is a wise omission), compared to two each for Connery and Moore's longer runs (who get more than Dalton, who gets more than Brosnan). While this may result in disappointing omissions at least for some older fans – this is a Fringe-length show o...

6Aug

By Greg HolsteadNo Comments

Scotland

Waxen Figures – Summerhall

Muto Major are described as an Audio-visual duo but there are a quartet of performers here, who provide a powerful and contemplative feast for the senses in this primal view through the lens of Scottish folklore. Their show features electronic trance music intermixed with some very beautiful live Gaelic singing, contemporary dance, laser projection bringing Pictish carvings to life and micro-filming of wax and clay figures. In truth it is not clear what messages are being conveyed, and the slow rhythmic vibe, incense filled atmosphere does have a soporific effect, on me at least. It’s reminiscent of a Body Balance routine. As if to wake us from our 21st Century sleepwalk, a dancer stops and shouts; You’ve forgotten your mother tongue You’ve forgotten your stories You’ve ...

Twonkey’s Zipwire to Zanzibar – Laughing Horse @ Dragonfly

6Aug

By Roger JacobsNo Comments

Scotland

Twonkey’s Zipwire to Zanzibar – Laughing Horse @ Dragonfly

Whether it’s a night train to Liechtenstein or basket weaving in Peru, you can guarantee a Twonkey show will have little or nothing to do with the topic in the title. So, this proceeds with scant reference to Zipwires or Zanzibar and tonight doesn’t even feature Twonkey – he’s dead! A tin of contaminated condensed milk… no struggle… probably in the library, without Colonel Mustard as a witness. Fear not, his widow, Twonketta—replete with hair-bows, heels, painted nails and pop socks—is here to guide us through the labyrinthine ‘structure’ of the annual experience. Google synonyms for ‘strange’, ‘surreal’, or ‘weird’ and you still won’t find words to describe this. Upon departure, one’s head is full of ‘incidents’, just not necessarily in the right order. There was a song containing ...

6Aug

By Roger JacobsNo Comments

Scotland

Miles – Summerhall TechCube

Recorded in March 1959 and released in August the same year, Kind of Blue consists of five tracks, totaling 45 minutes and 45 seconds of what is often considered the most important jazz ever recorded. It fuelled the progression not just of jazz, but also of soul, funk, hip-hop, and even mainstream popular music—impacting the likes of James Brown, Stevie Wonder, Prince, and beyond. And yet, Miles Davis himself dismissed the label “jazz,” remarking that “it’s just what white folks call our music.” How did he create, orchestrate, and supervise the album Kind of Blue? While no one would accuse Miles of false modesty, his explanation was disarmingly simple: they assembled the best—or most appropriate—musicians for the task. The album marked a leap from the Bebop structures of the time in...

6Aug

By Greg HolsteadNo Comments

Scotland

Chopin’s Nocturne – Summerhall

“10:15am — WTF?!” is Aidan Jones’s opening exclamation, and a fair one. It’s not often you’re asked to laugh — and think — before your second coffee. But by the end of his 50-minute set, this Australian comedian and pianist has the audience fully on board, combining comedy and classical music with irreverence, warmth, and surprising emotional depth.Chopin’s Nocturne is built around Frédéric Chopin’s much-loved Nocturne in E-flat major, Op. 9, No. 2 — a piece that, for many in the audience, will stir up memories. For me, it resonated deeply. My late father used to play the Nocturne when I was very young, and hearing it live again, laced with Jones’s affection and analysis, was unexpectedly moving. While the show is pitched as comedy, for me it was not funny in the conventional sense — or ra...

A Women of No Importance – Theatre at St Ninian’s Hall

6Aug

By Marcelina KruczyńskaNo Comments

Scotland

A Women of No Importance – Theatre at St Ninian’s Hall

A Women of No Importance by Oscar Wilde, is brought to the Edinburgh Fringe by Edinburgh Theatre Acts. The play is incredibly witty and morally relevant and can be enjoyed and understood by modern audiences despite being set in 1893. The play tackles many social and moral problems that are just as much of a hot topic in today’s day and age as they were when the play first premiered in 1893. The play’s main point of discussion is the often-tender relationship between man and woman, and the large cast of thirteen managed to show this in various ways. The play commences on The Terrace at Hunstanton Chase. One noteworthy factor before the actors even grace the stage, is the beautifully designed set. Finley Black’s great attention to detail in combination with the lighting and soun...

When We Were Young – theSpace on the Mile

6Aug

By Jessie MartinNo Comments

Scotland

When We Were Young – theSpace on the Mile

When We Were Young performs for the first time at the Edinburgh Fringe this month, produced and written by Liam Lambie of Glasgow-based company, Geez a Break Productions. This play looks at the lives of one of Glasgow’s ‘Young Teams’ in the 90s—gangs made up of teenagers who grouped together based on the area they lived in. We explore the teenagers' relationships with each other, gang culture, their community, and the societal constraints they live under. The play begins in the future, with the young team’s leader, Mooney (played by Lambie), reflecting on his time as a teenager. We are then taken back in time to witness the fatal consequences that the young team brought into the characters' lives. Lambie’s writing is brilliant, with brazen and vulgar dialogue that encapsulates both ...

Tomatoes Tried to Kill Me, but Banjos Saved My Life – Summerhall

6Aug

By Greg HolsteadNo Comments

Scotland

Tomatoes Tried to Kill Me, but Banjos Saved My Life – Summerhall

Tomatoes, the staple foodstuff of his Italian upbringing on the Canada/America border, were almost the undoing of Keith Alessi. They caused acid reflux his whole life, which led to his Oesophageal Cancer diagnosis in his early sixties and a 50/50 chance of living more than one year. Fortunately, he was one of the lucky ones who responded well to treatment, he lasted the year and here he is on the Summerhall stage over 9 years later. Like Lazarus resurrected, his brush with death set him free. Keith only began to play the banjo seriously after his cancer diagnosis, turning his back on his previous jobs as a certified accountant, major public company CEO and College Professor. Since then, he has created this show and gigged his way around the world, donating 100% of the profits, over ...

Why I Stuck a Flare Up My Arse for England – Underbelly Bristo Square

5Aug

By Roger JacobsNo Comments

Scotland

Why I Stuck a Flare Up My Arse for England – Underbelly Bristo Square

Why? Exactly. Was this act a bare-faced illustration of the hideous nationalistic spirit that took England out of Europe (dragging Scotland & N Ireland with them), a suburban reaction of self-harm to years of disenfranchisement? Or a daft, exuberant party trick, of which there have been many worse witnessed (and kept secret) on Stag and Hen Do’s? Maybe without the ‘… For England’ suffix it might be agreed it was the latter. But, was it hot… did it hurt? What you get with this production are no direct answers to such trivialities, but something more significant, some context and perspective leading up to the event. On the surface it’s a vigorous, comic, yet desperate, depressing portrait of what it takes to earn your stripes as an England football fan. Or a member of any gang, re...