Scotland Archives - Page 26 of 93

The Phantom of the Opera – The Edinburgh Academy Magnusson Theatre

6Aug

By Torya HughesNo Comments

Scotland

The Phantom of the Opera – The Edinburgh Academy Magnusson Theatre

With a challenging operatic score, some of the most memorable tunes in musical theatre, and a huge reputation to live up to, “The Phantom of the Opera” is a bold choice for Captivate Theatre. However, they are more than capable of doing it justice, with a talented cast and near faultless vocal performances. The musical needs little introduction, but tells the story of Christine, a chorus girl in the opera who is thrust into the leading role after a strange incident causes the prima donna Carlotta to storm out. Christine has been tutored by the Phantom, her “angel of music”, a shadowy figure who lives in the sewers of the opera house. New owners take over the company, including a rich patron named Raoul, who is Christine’s childhood friend. They rekindle a friendship which turns into lov...

I Am Yours Sincerely – The Space Triplex

6Aug

By Susan CohenNo Comments

Scotland

I Am Yours Sincerely – The Space Triplex

It’s quite something when you’re lucky enough to come across that kind of theatrical magic which happens only once in a while – that thing where the audience gets lost in the performance and the story just starts to sing. And what a story! Ed Saunders-Lee is the writer and performer of the life story of his step-grandfather, First Lieutenant John Cox, a member of the Special Operations Executive who was parachuted behind enemy lines in France and Burma during WWII. In this single hander, Saunders-Lee manages to convey a sense of the passage of time and with it, a battled hardened growth of experience – from naïve young student to war hero who witnesses the horrors of war, with all its complexities. The performance takes place in an intimate space in the round, wi...

5Aug

By Caroline WorswickNo Comments

Scotland

After Troy – the Space @ Surgeon’s Hall

Following the battle of Troy, what was left for the survivors? Homeless and suffering the loss of loved ones, the women of Troy grieved on the past, and faced uncertainty about their future. Based upon the tragedy ‘Trojan Women’ written by Euripides which was first performed in Athens in 415 BC, this exploration into the aftermath of the defeat of the Trojans following ten years of war, tells the tale of the women who were left behind to pick up the pieces. Presented by Badminton School, the story is weaved with actual threads, each character has her own thread, and when they share their experiences, they weave another part of life’s tapestry. Andromache is grieving over the loss of her husband; the Trojan prince Hector, she must now face the loss of her chil...

Phil Hammond and Dame Clare Gerada: Fifty Minutes to Save the NHS – The Space @ Surgeons’ Hall

5Aug

By Susan CohenNo Comments

Scotland

Phil Hammond and Dame Clare Gerada: Fifty Minutes to Save the NHS – The Space @ Surgeons’ Hall

Well, this is a show that achieved the impossible! I still can’t quite figure out how discussions of subjects such as assisted dying and addiction seriously informed and engaged the audience, whilst making them properly belly laugh time and time again. This show is an impressive piece of work. No doubt about it. The fast paced banter and sparky chemistry between these two eminent doctors – unmistakably authentic, evidently passionate – was right up there with Morecambe (Phil Hammond, step forward) and Wise (Clare Gerada, you played the straight woman as easy as breathing). The well prepared method of delivery also allowed the voices of fellow members of the NHS to be heard – some serious, some hilarious, some outrageous, all raw, moving and honest. ...

A Show About Tomorrow – Paradise in Augustines

5Aug

By Susan CohenNo Comments

Scotland

A Show About Tomorrow – Paradise in Augustines

What happens when a 21st birthday party is interrupted by a Breaking News bulletin that the world is about to end? A lot, it turns out! This is a musical telling a story at breakneck speed, oscillating between impressive ensemble vocal harmony pieces (most definitely the cast pulling together at their best), dramatic vignettes and showcases of individual vocal talents. Everything was thrown at the audience during the performance but in truth, possibly a little less would have offered much more. Undoubtedly, this young company is just bursting with energy and talent. Their chemistry is evident and at times, moving. However, just because you can do everything possibly doesn’t mean that you should. Still, the twist at the beginning of ...

5Aug

By Jessie MartinNo Comments

Scotland

The Court – Hill Street Theatre

If you fancy yourself a sleuth, a Judge Judy, or even a Jeremy Kyle, this show is for you. The Court, produced by Edinburgh Little Theatre, invites audience members to participate in a mock trial, testing their powers of discernment and morality. Cathy, the defendant is accused of illegally euthanising her terminally ill mother. It is up to the audience to decide whether it was murder, or manslaughter. With pie and drink retrieved (both of which are included in the ticket price), we were guided into the courtroom. The braver members of the sell-out audience got the chance to volunteer as the jury, getting a seat next to the witness stand right amidst the action. “All Rise!” shouts the judicial assistant, and so it begins. The interactive ...

Lies where It Falls – Quaker Meeting House

5Aug

By Kathleen MansfieldNo Comments

Scotland

Lies where It Falls – Quaker Meeting House

Written and performed by Ruairi Conaghan, Lies Where it Falls is heartfelt and full of love. Conaghan (an ensemble actor with major shows such as Downton Abbey under his belt) takes us on an autobiographical, topical and socially important journey through the impact of growing up in Derry. It explores the lasting personal reverberations of The Troubles in Northern Ireland. And not in a Derry Girls kind of way. Conaghan’s uncle, the Catholic Judge Rory Conaghan, was shot and killed by the IRA as he held his young daughter’s hand on his own doorstep in 1974. Conaghan was just eight at the time. And, sure, everyone gets on with life as best they can under the circumstances. When Conaghan later took flight from Northern Ireland to study drama in Liverpool, he thought he’d escaped. Bu...

5Aug

By Greg HolsteadNo Comments

Scotland

Austentatious – McEwan Hall, Edinburgh

The eleventh year of Austentatious at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in what has become their regular slot; 13:30 at the glorious 1100-seater McEwan Hall. Full, on the day I attended, and with limited tickets for the remainder of this short run, tells you plenty. The Uber talented troupe presents a completely improvised play daily, in the style of Jane Austen, with each show a previously untold (and never to be told again!) novel. The audience are asked to shout out potential titles until a ‘suitable’ one is reached. Todays unearthed gem was, The Unbearable Hotness of Being. Never has needlework been so hot in Hampshire! When a recently orphaned brother and sister arrive in the county by hot air balloon they become the talk of the manor. The handsome brother is soon s...

Frankenstein (On a Budget) – Pleasance Dome (Jack Dome)

5Aug

By Kathleen MansfieldNo Comments

Scotland

Frankenstein (On a Budget) – Pleasance Dome (Jack Dome)

Lamphouse Theatre returns to Edinburgh with a variation on its winning theme. Frankenstein (On a Budget) follows hot on the heels of their highly successful War of the Worlds (On a Budget). As the title suggests, there’s no fancy set or fancy props or even fancy costumes. What you will find is oodles of creativity and playfulness galore. Tom Fox and Becky Owen-Fisher clearly enjoy their work and their enthusiasm and silliness transfers to the audience whose shoulders shake with laughter. It is a very happy hour of nonsense with a Becky-fan or two in the audience. Fox is our performer, Owen-Fisher the narrator. The show involves a lot of costume changes at speed and more than a handful of home-made props. Fortunately, Fox is multi-talented and can sing and do voices with ease. Owen-Fi...

5Aug

By Kathleen MansfieldNo Comments

Scotland

Carmen – Festival Theatre, Edinburgh

Bizet’s Carmen was first performed on March 3rd, 1875 at the Opéra-Comique, Paris. Now the very same company brings a modern, super-sensual version to Edinburgh from 4th – 8th August, co-produced by Opernhaus Zürich. On Opening Night in 1875, several morning papers published vitriolic letters. One claimed: "Carmen presents most unsavory characters, in such bad taste that the work might very well be ill-advised." Yet, go ahead it did, to healthy box office takings. Bizet, unfortunately, died of a heart attack at the very moment the curtain fell on the 32nd performance on June 3, 1875. Soon after it was closed in Paris, but it was soon to be a hit in Vienna and Brussels. When you go to see a world class, flamboyant and colourful opera like Carmen, you expect (and take for granted) that...