Scotland Archives - Page 4 of 127

11Sep

By Wendy McEwanNo Comments

Scotland

Wallace – Traverse Theatre

Hero. Butcher. Myth. Will the real William Wallace please stand up? This new hip-hop musical examines a giant of Scottish history through three different lenses. Who was he really, and what does that mean for Scotland now? As “Scotsman", Dave Hook recounts the familiar tale, which has inspired generations of Scots as well as a Hollywood blockbuster. His Wallace is simultaneously "just a man standing up for what’s right “, and a heroic colossus, crushing the enemies of freedom with his humongous fists. Manasa Tagika portrays Longshanks as the gangster lord he surely was, oozing status in his blood red fur coat and indoor sunglasses. "I don't think of you much”, he tells us Scots - but he really, really needs us to know that. This was my favourite part of the show but, tellingly, I cou...

10Sep

By Dylan MooneyNo Comments

Scotland

Fiddler on the Roof – Festival Theatre

Fresh from its critically claimed performance at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre, Joseph Stein’s golden age musical, Fiddler on the Roof, raised the roof of Edinburgh’s Festival Theatre as part of its UK and Ireland tour. This new production, directed by Jordan Fein, keeps the charm of 1960s musical theatre while providing some more contemporary elements for modern audiences. Based on the short stories of Sholem Aleichem, Fiddler on the Roof follows Jewish milkman, Tevye (Matthew Woodyatt), in the small village of Anatevka under the rule of the Russian Tsar. With five daughters at home, and little money coming into the family, Tevye relies on the old tradition of the ‘matchmaker’ to find rich suitors for his daughters. However, when his daughters begin to challenge these age-old beliefs,...

Soundhouse: Paul Harrison’s Trio Mágico & Guests: Encontros – Traverse Theatre

6Sep

By Jessie MartinNo Comments

Scotland

Soundhouse: Paul Harrison’s Trio Mágico & Guests: Encontros – Traverse Theatre

Launching their latest album, Encontros, Paul Harrison’s Trio Mágico graced the Traverse Theatre once again, bringing with them an evening filled with Brazilian-inspired jazz rhythms and grooves. From original compositions, to rearrangements of renowned Brazilian jazz pieces (many of which were taken from Brazilian jazz player and composer Egberto Gismonti) Paul Harrison’s trio is Mágico by name, and Mágico by nature. The first act hit us with high-energy, highlighting the beauty of Harrison’s chord harmonisation and bassist Mario Caribé’s enthusiastic and lively playing. Drummer Stu Brown keeps the trio rolling along with his relaxed approach - that is until the second act where he completely unleashes the full power of his playing. Brown’s kit is perfectly collated t...

A Toast Fae the Lassies – Pitlochry Festival Theatre

6Sep

By Jessie MartinNo Comments

Scotland

A Toast Fae the Lassies – Pitlochry Festival Theatre

A widow, a mother, and a mistress walk into a bar—sorry, graveyard—to mourn the loss of the recently deceased Robert Burns. On seeing the other women there, the group soon end up reminiscing and sparring with each other over their relationships to the late poet and his proclivities. Generously peppered with well-known Burns’ songs, A Toast Fae The Lassies both celebrates Burns as a poet while reprimanding his behaviour as a man through the eyes of the women in his life. The songs are, of course, the highlight of this play, with musical direction and arrangement by Alyson Orr, who also plays Agnes Broun, Burns’ mother. Orr brings spirit to the stage with her charming arrangements, performed beautifully by herself and the rest of the cast. Chris Coxon accompanies the singing on the guitar...

28Aug

By Joe LangNo Comments

Scotland

Chameleon – Greenside @ George Street

This minimalist one-man drama traps the audience within the four walls of a psychiatric hospital room and forces you to confront the inner workings of Delaney’s mind. First of all, I want to give Ruben Sparks all the praise for diving headfirst into such an emotionally demanding role. The character of Delaney, who we follow throughout, opens up about his past while switching between a multitude of personalities, all demanding a high quality of physical vitality from Ruben. The switching between characters definitely pays off, as it not only provides great context for his life throughout the show, but you also just can’t help but fall into a trance-like state when watching. Ruben takes advantage of the small space in relation to his physical movements to create an almost animalistic ...

Max Fulham: Full of Ham – The Cellar in Pleasance Courtyard

27Aug

By Michelle KnightNo Comments

Scotland

Max Fulham: Full of Ham – The Cellar in Pleasance Courtyard

This was Maxs last show at the Edinburgh Fringe, and it was a sell-out. A testament to his popularity in his debut run of Full of Ham. First impressions this guy has the comedic spontaneity of Micheal McIntyre with a ventriloquist dummy. Max Fulham is an innovative ventriloquist with originality and flare. For those of you who remember ‘Billy Bear Ham’ growing up, he breathes life into ‘Billy’ in a way that defies logic, but it works. “I’m ham not spam” Characters who appear in Max’s portfolio of puppetry is his very first red-haired hand puppet given to him as child and from here his interest in ventriloquism was ignited. With a nod to the great Keith Harris and Orvil. Be prepared to see ‘Jesus with his sandals’ grandad, and the ‘birthday boy’. Not forgetting a shopping trip at the...

27Aug

By Jessie MartinNo Comments

Scotland

Sweeney Todd – The Famous Spiegeltent

As part of their nine-show lineup at this year's Edinburgh Fringe, Captivate Theatre brings their rendition of Sondheim’s magnum opus Sweeney Todd to The Famous Spiegeltent in St Andrews Square. Humorous and gritty, the in-the-round set-up of The Spiegeltent added a voyeuristic, sinister energy to the production as the cast prowled through the audience, spying on as the action played out. Captivate’s prominence in the Edinburgh amateur theatre scene guarantees a production of consistency and talent, with Sweeney Todd certainly keeping in line with this expectation. Unfortunately for me, I was rather distracted throughout the performance as having arrived later than the general audience, I found myself dejected to a stool rather than a seat - a stool with a mirrored pilla...

Wet Dreams with Jesus – theSpaceUK @ Surgeons Hall

26Aug

By Al CarrettaNo Comments

Scotland

Wet Dreams with Jesus – theSpaceUK @ Surgeons Hall

Barefoot in black combats and a pink top, Alice excitedly enters the stage with infectious energy and begins an impromptu audience interaction to launch her story. She’s a waitress, originally from Louisiana, but has now found herself in England. The rapid-fire tour of her young life so far then ensues. Her descriptions allude to a youth spent in a geographically idyllic place. The hum of Cicadas, the presence of fireflies and the all-consuming areas of swampland paint an involved and interesting picture of a home where something is evidently wrong. The facade exists to be dismantled and over the next fifty minutes confident direction from Amber Buttery punctuates the framework of Alice’s story. The mise en scene is simple; key props litter the edges of the small stage, an involved lightin...

Kevin Quantum: Unbelievable Magic for Non-Believers – Ballroom at Assembly Rooms

26Aug

By Susan CohenNo Comments

Scotland

Kevin Quantum: Unbelievable Magic for Non-Believers – Ballroom at Assembly Rooms

The audience was intrigued from the moment they were approached by an Assembly assistant in the queue outside the venue asking if each individual was a ‘believer’ or a ‘non-believer’ and issuing a red or blue card accordingly. This was a nice touch – bringing the audience together, before they even became a group. The premise of the show is that it was made for the non-believers, for those who believe in science over magic, the entire audience greeted with the sight of a sparking electrical transformer which stayed in situ throughout the entire performance as a reminder of the show’s narrative. It must be a tall order for a performer to set this kind of show apart from other similar formats, but this angle worked well. Kevin Quantum emerged on stage in a surprisingly ...

Flat 4 – The Outhouse Bar, Broughton Street Lane

25Aug

By Al CarrettaNo Comments

Scotland

Flat 4 – The Outhouse Bar, Broughton Street Lane

The loft space in the Outhouse Bar is a true Fringe venue space. Like Isabel Songer herself, it comes as is. There is no major lighting rig installed and there is no particular definition of the acting space. This is a welcome change to the black box pop-up theatre that defines most show experiences. Chairs encircle the acting area, and the audience gather as if the show were some kind of group therapy session in One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest. Taking the stage in blue silk pyjamas, these ingredients set the stage for Songer to present her unpretentious monologue of university life with passion and gusto. The action is set in a two-bedroom flat. Alex and her best friend Bex are together for the long haul. If that means binge watching television for days and eating greasy take...