Scotland Archives - Page 40 of 130

Ed Gamble: Hot Diggity Dog – Festival Theatre, Edinburgh

22Oct

By Greg HolsteadNo Comments

Scotland

Ed Gamble: Hot Diggity Dog – Festival Theatre, Edinburgh

Perhaps better known for his award-winning podcast Off menu with James Allcaster or for winning season nine of Taskmaster, the man-child that is Ed Gamble was a regular on the Stand-Up circuit long before pod casts even existed, and returns to his roots tonight in a laughter filled show at the Festival Theatre, Edinburgh’s biggest stage. And despite the hurricane inspired winds outside it didn’t deter a packed house from enjoying almost two hours of lively entertainment. Ed is very ably assisted by noteworthy warm-up act, Chloe Petts, who fills the first thirty minutes with easy laughter, starting with her tales of being a ‘child geezer’, at age 13, six foot one tall, at an all-girls school and parents asking at ballet class lessons, why there is a bouncer in the room. She also hila...

21Oct

By Wendy McEwanNo Comments

Scotland

reINCARNATION – Festival Theatre

Nigeria’s population is overwhelmingly young, and unemployment is high. Amidst the hardship, dance is a popular creative outlet, and many young Nigerians share their talents through videos on social media. In 2014, Qudus Onikeku returned to his home city of Lagos, having achieved acclaim as a choreographer in France. He was inspired by the abundance of creative talent, and invited some dancers to a workshop. The workshop grew into a school, and the Q Dance Company is a creative home for the school’s graduates. The rehearsal period began with an improvisation session. Onikeku instructed the dancers to allow their bodies to take the lead, and let the dance pass through them. Throughout the session, Onikeku sketched, and he refined the ideas to devise the piece. The resulting choreo...

The Book of Mormon – Edinburgh Playhouse

17Oct

By Beth EltringhamNo Comments

Scotland

The Book of Mormon – Edinburgh Playhouse

It should be immediately noted that The Book of Mormon Musical is not a factual retelling of the original Mormon text, nor is it created to pay homage to the religion itself, in fact one could argue it does exactly the opposite. Brought to you by the creators of South Park, The Book of Mormon is a comedy musical designed to poke fun and indulge one’s dark humour needs. We follow the mission taken by two Mormon’s from the Latter-Day Saints Church who have embarked on their quest to convert the world into the all American religion that is Mormonism. Elder Price believes he is set to do great things, to change the world and to go to Orlando…..? His main issue now is that he’s been coupled up a pathological liar who hasn’t even read the book and instead of Orlando they are going to Uganda, ...

Tubular Bells – Edinburgh Festival Theatre

16Oct

By Roger JacobsNo Comments

Scotland

Tubular Bells – Edinburgh Festival Theatre

It’s funny to think that one of the albums driving so many into the arms of Punk back in 1976 should have been so instrumental in launching Richard Branson’s fledgling Virgin Records. Released in 1973 it – not least the money its success generated – enabled the label, a few years later, to sign and propel the short-lived, incendiary career of The Sex Pistols. Further intriguing that a piece, at points ethereal and plangent, should end up soundtracking a film like The Exorcist. Though the haunting aspect of the snatches employed in the film have in no way been diminished or Tarantino’d, representative of the fact they were part of a work more substantial; for here we are, over 50 years later, with a superb band, marshalled by director Robin Smith, bringing it to life on stage. Something the...

Dementia The Musical – The Sudio, Edinburgh

14Oct

By H.S. BakerNo Comments

Scotland

Dementia The Musical – The Sudio, Edinburgh

Written by Ron Coleman (aka The Demented Poet), himself a dementia sufferer, the inspiration for this thought-provoking musical was three people living with the diagnosis. They are James McKillop, Nancy McAdam and Agnes Houston, dementia activists, who are portrayed on stage by three 30 somethings. More of that later. Having started life as a play, it soon turned into a musical, composed by Sophie Bancroft with additional music by Andrew Eaton-Lewis. The narrative is based on the campaigning work of the three dementia activists and set in the near future when the fictitious British Bill of Rights allows the system to control individuals with dementia, deciding for them where they live and what they can do. Karen Tennent’s set design is simple and versatile,...

Blue Man Group: Bluevolution World Tour – Festival Theatre

11Oct

By H.S. BakerNo Comments

Scotland

Blue Man Group: Bluevolution World Tour – Festival Theatre

Where to start? Well, if you don’t like rib rattling drumming, strobe lighting and a full on multisensory happening, don’t see this show! It is an experience of epic proportions, colourful, loud, funny and stompingly engaging. The fun starts before the show begins, with public announcements being displayed on a board reminiscent of those motorway signs. Neon red letters requested us not to be annoying with our phones and announced that the flying of drones was definitely not allowed. Blue Men come in threes. They are mute, bald, blue and strangely endearing. They are curious about everything, like silent aliens they seek to connect with the unfamiliar world in which they find themselves. Essentially, I suppose the Blue Men are dru...

Dr Louise Newson – Hormones and Menopause: The Great Debate -Festival Theatre

9Oct

By Wendy McEwanNo Comments

Scotland

Dr Louise Newson – Hormones and Menopause: The Great Debate -Festival Theatre

It started in my mid-forties. A woman, maybe a decade older than me, would look around to check for eavesdroppers, then say something like, ‘I can’t drink coffee anymore. Not since the menopause.’ Nobody had prepared them for the change of life. Nobody spoke about it. For generations, everyone was blindsided by the menopause, just like that other taboo experience, menstruation. Now approaching the big five-oh, I’m a member of the first generation in recent history to have access to information on the menopause, thanks to the courage and kindness of those who walked this path before me. Dr Louise Newson is one of those women. She’s a GP, but her medical education barely covered the menopause. The symptoms of perimenopause started in her late thirties: depression, cystitis, loss of con...

3Oct

By Greg HolsteadNo Comments

Scotland

Love The Sinner – The Studio, Edinburgh

Approaching the end of a one month tour of Scotland’s finest smaller theatres, this gem of the spoken word is certainly getting to the well-polished stage. Expertly, co-produced with Vanishing Point, writer and performer Imogen Stirling simply oozes confidence and assuredness as she births every beautifully crafted line. The shame is that they whizz by at such a rate they barely have time to flower into fully formed life. Like snow on the river, white for a moment, then gone forever. Through a series of flawed characters, representing the seven deadly sins, Stirling’s prose expertly coaxes and cajoles us through the drowned streets of the river city. It has rained for days. Our unlikely hero is Sloth, who reluctantly rises from her quilted fort of bedroom stagnation only when it gets to...

3Oct

By Tom ScottNo Comments

Scotland

Ruckus – Traverse Theatre

Jenna Fincken’s revival of her one woman show, which premiered during the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 2022, is timely. Violence against women was recently declared a ‘national emergency’. Two million women a year are estimated to be victims of violence by men. Nearly 1.4 million women are victims of domestic violence. Fincken has written and performs this intriguing, thought-provoking drama. We in the audience are her confidants, and she promises to tell us ‘everything’. She starts with 824 days ‘to go’ and this is emphasised by the projection of a countdown clock. Lou is a primary school teacher in her late 20s. She meets Ryan at an engagement party for her friend, Jess. Ryan is a manager at a homeless charity. He seems a really great guy, charming and considerate. When Lou gets dr...

A Chorus Line – Festival Theatre, Edinburgh

26Sep

By Greg HolsteadNo Comments

Scotland

A Chorus Line – Festival Theatre, Edinburgh

A Chorus Line, originally performed in 1975, is one of the most successful musicals on all time. However, it’s reputation for highly technical choreography and of requiring a large cast of superb dancers, with equally big voices, make it one of those shows which the amateur companies tend to give an almighty body swerve, which actually makes it quite a rare beast. This fabulous touring production is a must see for all serious musos, in fact with only four Edinburgh performances it is very much a case of catch it while you can. This classic Broadway hit follows harsh Director Zach (Adam Cooper) as he puts 17 hopefuls through their paces and baring their souls in the hope of being one of the chosen 8 for the chorus of a new musical. Highlighting the brutal reality of what it takes to get ...