Scotland Archives - Page 41 of 130

26Sep

By H.S. BakerNo Comments

Scotland

Blood Brothers – Edinburgh Playhouse

Blood Brothers is an emotional morality tale which is all about the narrative, less about the music. Poor and fecund Mrs Johnstone discovers she is expecting twins shortly after starting work as a cleaner for rich infertile Mrs Lyons. With her husband having done a bunk and too many mouths to feed already, Mrs Johnstone agrees to let Mrs Lyons have one of her twins. Conveniently Mr Lyons is away on business for nine months, so Mrs Lyons is able to create the pretence of pregnancy, fooling everybody including her husband, into believing the baby is hers. The show’s narrator constantly warns of the consequences of their actions and is the voice of impending doom throughout. Written by Willy Russell, directed by Bob Tomson and Bill Kenwright (resident director...

Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me – Summerhall

25Sep

By Wendy McEwanNo Comments

Scotland

Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me – Summerhall

Ben Harrison and David Paul Jones were both teenagers in the 1980s. Both felt suffocated by their respective small towns, and both found solace in the music of the time. Harrison tells a selection of stories from his youth, and Jones performs his own interpretations of some of those songs. It’s a nostalgic revisit to a vibrant era that now seems defined by its contrasts. Emery Hunter’s integrated BSL interpretation drew me in right from the start. I am not a BSL user, but to me, her performance felt like poetry. Her flowing movements were beautiful to watch, with a rhythm that synchronised with the others on stage, but delightful in their own right. I hope that I will have more chances to see BSL poetry in future. Jones has taken well-known songs and made them his own, from the t...

Rebus: A Game Called Malice – Festival Theatre, Edinburgh

12Sep

By Greg HolsteadNo Comments

Scotland

Rebus: A Game Called Malice – Festival Theatre, Edinburgh

Rebus, the mega-popular paperback sleuth created by Ian Rankin in an Edinburgh bedsit back in 1985, is back, but not in print. No, this time he is a walking, talking, breathing creation, brought to vital life by actor Gray O’Brien. Given that this is only the second incarnation of Rebus on stage, following Long Shadows in 2018, which Ranking co-wrote with Rona Munro, A Game Called Mallice is bound to appeal constant readers of the taciturn detective, who all inevitably have their own ideas of how he sounds, looks and moves. As a constant reader myself, I was more than a little intrigued to see if Rankin could pull this off and if O’Brien could fill the very sizeable shoes of Edinburgh’s finest DCI. The setting is an opulent and art filled Heriot Row townhouse Drawing Room, Paul and H...

Blame It On The Bucky – Reconnect Regal Theatre

7Sep

By Susan CohenNo Comments

Scotland

Blame It On The Bucky – Reconnect Regal Theatre

This new play has the potential to become one of Scotland’s classics. It’s advertised as ‘an uproarious comedy’ – that, it most certainly is. It’s billed as ‘a hilarious night’ – oh yes, that’s for sure. However, it’s more – it’s a depiction of family dynamics, of fear and frailty, life and death. The balance between its comedic quirkiness and its unexpected depth is what makes this play so exciting. It affords the great spectacle of farce. Two men, hungover from a night on the ‘rambo juice’, have no memory of what on earth they did with Granny’s corpse when they were on the razz. Well, it must’ve seemed like a good idea at the time … but hurry … the funeral’s fast approaching ... there's a baby on the way … … get a move on … tick tick...

Heartbreak Hotel – Summerhall, Edinburgh

28Aug

By Greg HolsteadNo Comments

Scotland

Heartbreak Hotel – Summerhall, Edinburgh

Feeling more like a work in progress than a completed show, but with oodles of charm, this mixes a lecturing approach to the biochemistry of heartbreak with sketches of interactions between female and male of the species, together with elements of singing and grade one synth (oops that’s the wrong chord!). Throw in a spectacular lighting rig transported all the way from NZ no less, and you end up with something that is really entertaining, and educational!, and with a bit more polish could be really good. It’s pretty kooky though! With something of the Degree Show art installation about it, albeit on a grand scale, a bank of multi-coloured wrap-round LED lights enfolds the performance area, the floor of which is a pink deep pile carpet, like the inside of a living cell, which adds ...

28Aug

By Greg HolsteadNo Comments

Scotland

Surrender – Summerhall, Edinburgh

A much anticipated, new play by Sophie Swithinbank, who had such Fringe success last year with Bacon, transferring to London, via Australia before ending up at New York’s Soho Playhouse. Not bad at all for a talented young playwright A single chair awaits actress, Phoebe Ladenburg as she steps on to the sparse Tech Cube performance space, looking nervous and uncertain, like a twitchy actor at an audition. But this might be the most important performance of her life, she is about to meet her daughter. So, she sits and practices different faces and words of greeting, twisting her face in anger and frustration as the exact phrasing and expression is never quite right. When her daughter does arrive she is almost speechless, her face crumples, it is the first time she has seen her no...

Silly Little Bits – The Royal Scots Club

28Aug

By Wendy McEwanNo Comments

Scotland

Silly Little Bits – The Royal Scots Club

Everyone needs a laugh now and then, and Edinburgh-based Broadsword Theatre are here to save the day with a selection of comedy sketches. It’s energetic, playful, and, as the title suggests, ever so silly. Why work with a focus group to evaluate programming ideas for your TV station, when you can simply get a Content Goblin? This monosyllabic “average” viewer loves shows about hot people running pyramid schemes, and cops who are also other things, but whatever you do, don’t mention werewolves. Let’s be honest, we all have a content goblin within us. OK, maybe you don’t, but I do. The sketch about workplace desk yoga struck a nerve, with cries of recognition from the audience. A first-time stand-up gets heckled by his parents. (I have seen this happen for real at the fringe before...

Beats on Pointe – Assembly George Square

27Aug

By Saira KunjuvalappilNo Comments

Scotland

Beats on Pointe – Assembly George Square

Beats on Pointe is undoubtedly one of the standout shows at the Fringe this year, delivering an exhilarating blend of dance, music, and humour that captivates the audience from start to finish. The production, by the Masters of Choreography team, is a vibrant celebration of movement and music, showcasing a dazzling array of dance styles, all performed to perfection. From the moment the show begins, the energy is palpable. The opening sequence features a thrilling competition between hip hop and ballet dancers, with hip hop ultimately emerging as the victor. This set the tone for the rest of the performance—a dynamic fusion of classic and commercial music, paired with choreography that seamlessly blends different dance forms. One of the most striking aspects of "Beats on Pointe" i...

27Aug

By Wendy McEwanNo Comments

Scotland

Bad Habit – theSpace @ Surgeons’ Hall

Dionne (Molly Geddes) and Eilidh (Molly Jayne-Graham) want to take a selfie in front of the Hollywood sign, so they go on a retreat in a California convent. But the nuns won’t let them leave the building. On their last night, the resourceful teens make one last attempt to escape and go clubbing. Instead, they get trapped in the basement with cantankerous Sister Stacey (Emma Gray) and accident-prone Sister Grace (Olaya Ciccarelli-Bermudez). Meanwhile, the second coming is imminent, and cringingly cool Father James (James Crutcher) is skateboarding along the freeway in search of the baby Jesus. The script, by Emma Gray and Molly Geddes, is light-hearted and full of surprises. The cast dance to a techno “remix” of “Let There Be Light”, with the Voice of God supplied by Peter McCormi...

Tones: A Hip-Hop Opera – Roundabout @ Summerhall

27Aug

By Saira KunjuvalappilNo Comments

Scotland

Tones: A Hip-Hop Opera – Roundabout @ Summerhall

"Tones" emerges as a compelling and thought-provoking piece in a world where art continues to challenge societal norms and push the boundaries of traditional storytelling. Written, acted, and performed by Gerel Falconer, this hip hop opera takes the audience on a visceral journey through the complexities of Black-British identity, class, and belonging. The show, centred around the life of Jerome—a young man grappling with his sense of self after immigrating from Jamaica to the UK—offers a poignant exploration of race and cultural assimilation. "Tones" follows Jerome as he navigates the harsh realities of being a Black immigrant in Britain. Upon his arrival, Jerome is met with taunts about his skin colour, leaving him isolated on the playground. His desperate attempts to fit in lead ...