Scotland Archives - Page 32 of 93

The Music Man – Festival Theatre, Edinburgh

23May

By Greg HolsteadNo Comments

Scotland

The Music Man – Festival Theatre, Edinburgh

Watching Fraser Grant’s punchy Edinburgh revival of this lesser known gem one can begin to see why Meredith Willson’s musical easily won out over West Side Story at Broadway’s Tony awards in 1958. Underneath it’s folksy exterior this entertaining and inventive show with its lively toe-tapping score provides plenty of opportunities for the large cast of SLO to shine. The story is set in 1914 in the sleepy Iowa town of River City. Con man Harold Hill sets his sights on persuading the locals to set up a boys’ band, complete with expensive instruments and uniforms, pocket the money, then skip town before his tone-deaf ignorance is revealed. What the fast-talking spellbinder forgets to factor in is getting his foot stuck on haughty local librarian, Marian Paroo. The book, music and lyrics...

22May

By Oliver GigginsNo Comments

Scotland

Dead Girls Rising – Traverse Theatre

The play opens in media res in a dark forest. At a pivotal moment in their lives, Katie (Helen Reuben) and Hannah (Angelina Chudi) accidentally summon The Furies Tisiphone (Izzy Neish), Magaera (Zoe West) and Alecto (Rebecca Levy), the Greek goddesses of justice. A life-time's obsession with murder (one in particular, literally close to home) has brought with it consequences and the two young women might need help. We follow them through a series of moments from childhood to adulthood, themed by reasons women and girls learn to fear men (here played by the cast in masks and androgynous/Michael Myers boiler suits) and linked with Riot Grrl-inspired punk songs written by Anya Pearson and performed by the Furies (plus drummer). At the start, the audience might get a bit caught in the middl...

Peebles Orchestra – The Leckie Memorial Church, Peebles

20May

By Kathleen MansfieldNo Comments

Scotland

Peebles Orchestra – The Leckie Memorial Church, Peebles

Until recently, the Scottish Borders was the only region in Europe without a rail service. I wonder if this lack of transport infrastructure led to a necessary blossoming of home-grown talent of exceptional quality. Peebles Orchestra, formed in 1976, plays a key role in the town's cultural life. Teamwork is found not just on the rugby pitch in the Borders. This collection of enthusiasts prove that talent has no bounds and a job outside of your musical passion is no obstacle to a desire for excellence. The Orchestra is fortunate to attract such prestigious names as Robert Dick to conduct. Dick’s international reputation has taken him around the globe and seen him collaborate with such distinguished soloists as Nicola Benedetti, Steven Isserlis, Anna-Liise Bezrodny and Murray McLachlan...

17May

By Greg HolsteadNo Comments

Scotland

David Bowie and Me – Traverse Theatre

Beg, steal or borrow to see this one, it’s an absolute banger! Now nearing the end of his UK wide tour, the laconic Scots Squad Chief, Jack Docherty, is a man who has found his stride, and his voice. And why not, when you have a script this good to deliver. Funny, heroic, nostalgic, musical, Parrallel Lives always aspires to keep it real and delivers on multiple levels, whipping the audience to belly aching laughter one minute and wiping away real tears the next as Docherty takes us on a whistle stop trip back in time to his 13-year-old self, and his joint first loves, Eleanor Mackie and David Bowie. We are transported back to the 70’s, to a time when Jack’s best friend Mark would sit cross-legged in the school playground, carefully placing pebbles around himself and playing with ...

Edward Scissorhands – Festival Theatre, Edinburgh

16May

By Nazaret RaneaNo Comments

Scotland

Edward Scissorhands – Festival Theatre, Edinburgh

Matthew Bourne's ballet adaptation of Tim Burton's Edward Scissorhands made its much-anticipated return to the stage on the opening night at the Festival Theatre in Edinburgh. Bourne's instinct for selecting iconic stories to adapt aligns perfectly with his choreographic finesse. Originally conceived in 2005 and revived periodically since, Bourne's rendition stars Liam Mower as our protagonist Edward, a tragic figure left incomplete with scissors for hands following his creator's sudden death. Mower's portrayal captures the essence of Johnny Depp's iconic performance, as he takes us along Edward's journey from perplexed isolation to communal acceptance, vibrantly accompanied by an ensemble of archetypes and eccentrics. The ballet unfolds against a backdrop of 1950s suburbia, skilfull...

MacBeth (An Undoing) – Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh

16May

By Beth EltringhamNo Comments

Scotland

MacBeth (An Undoing) – Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh

Macbeth is often one of the first Shakespeare stories that we think of, it's known for: its scottish setting, it's themes of betrayal and manipulation and of course for its gory and dramatic ending. The tale is often told in the same manner time and time again, the tale of a man being told by a group of witches that he will be king, a manipulative wife who convinces him to murder the current monarch and the insanity and guilt that rips the married couple apart until ultimately, she commits suicide, and he is slain by a former friend. Whilst the original story exists within Macbeth An Undoing, writer Zinnie Harris has turned the tale on its head, asking what would happen if it were Lady Macbeth who took control? What if she had not gone crazy and instead Macbeth himself was the one takin...

The Collie’s Shed – Festival Theatre Studio

15May

By H.S. BakerNo Comments

Scotland

The Collie’s Shed – Festival Theatre Studio

This short and powerful play has made an appearance on Edinburgh fringe for the last two years. The Collie’s Shed now returns for a tour of Scotland’s central belt during the 40th anniversary year of the 1984 miners’ strike. Written and directed by Shelley Middler, the play focuses on four retired coal miners, all of whom lost their jobs when their colliery, Bilston Glen, closed in the 1980s following a bitter and violent strike which pitted miners against each other and against the police. Eight actors play four characters, with the action switching from 1984 to present day. Some of the striking miners of the time were arrested and imprisoned for their part in the violent acts on the picket line, and the narrative begins with news of a review by the Sco...

EDGAS: The Gondoliers – Festival Theatre, Edinburgh

10May

By Greg HolsteadNo Comments

Scotland

EDGAS: The Gondoliers – Festival Theatre, Edinburgh

Some who might expect a Gilbert and Sullivan Opera to be about as exciting as watching paint dry, might well be persuaded otherwise, as I was, by this visual and musical treat, served up with exuberant brilliance by a company who clearly adore their craft. Undoubtedly one of G&S’s most joyful and brightest of light operas, The Gondoliers is crammed full with catchy toe-tapping songs, colourful characters and a farcical storyline which, to its credit, never takes itself too seriously. The titular boat-pushing Palmieri brothers, played with carefree boyishness by Theo Rankine-Fourdraine and Sebastian Davidson have it all going for them. In the Piazzetta of Venice, the peasant girls are throwing themselves at the peerless pair. Alas the odds are not good, there are four and twenty maid...

5May

By Louise BalaguerNo Comments

Scotland

Swan Lake – Festival Theatre

David Dawson, who has created this new interpretation for Scottish Ballet, sees Swan Lake as the dance equivalent of the Mona Lisa’. This statement from the souvenir programme is one that stood out to me – it speaks to the monument of ballet that Swan Lake is. But unlike the Mona Lisa, it presents the advantage of being a form of art that is live, constantly in motion, with endless possibilities of reinterpretation. With the aim of creating a show for a modern audience, Dawson stripped back the layers of the story to reach its essence: passion and betrayed trust. There are no elaborate palace and lakeside decors, or costumes adorned with tutus. The costumes, designed by Yumiko Takeshima, are for simplicity, elegancy, and showing off the physicality of the dance. No Baron von Rothbart ei...

3May

By Wendy McEwanNo Comments

Scotland

The Drifters Girl – Edinburgh Playhouse

Faye Treadwell was the manager, and driving force, behind the iconic American vocal group, The Drifters. Formed in 1959, the group’s hits included Hello Happiness, Saturday Night at the Movies, Under the Boardwalk, and so many more familiar numbers. Between the soundtrack, and the trailblazing lead character, the story seems to be made for musical theatre success. The line-up of the Drifters changed frequently during their history. We see members being drafted into the military, or fired by Treadwell and her husband George, or undergoing other personal tragedies. Sometimes – like Ben E. King (Ethan Davis), they move on to greater success elsewhere. In total, The Drifters featured 60 different vocalists during their history. This means a lot of multi-roling. Matthew Dawkins, Davis, Tarik...