Scotland Archives - Page 43 of 91

21Aug

By Euan HuthNo Comments

Scotland

1984 – Assembly Roxy

One of the main advantages of theatre is that the actors are physically there in front of you acting. There is a certain rawness to theatre that gives it this powerfulness, which can be used to convey strong messages and themes and emotion to audiences. 1984 is a story that could greatly benefit from that rawness, but it does not deliver. It is a piece that is very relevant in this day and age, Big Brother and The Party oppressing the masses with the Thought Police, no-one is allowed independent thought, and Winston Smith finds himself in the Department of Love after falling for Julia, a rebellious woman he meets in a world that is devoid of any real emotion. The shows biggest failing is the fact that all the interactions between these two pivotal characters is all done through p...

After The Act (A Section 28 Musical) – Traverse Theatre

21Aug

By Greg HolsteadNo Comments

Scotland

After The Act (A Section 28 Musical) – Traverse Theatre

A law existed until very recently which refused to acknowledge that gay and lesbian existence was normal. Between 1988 and 2003 a local government act was introduced which decreed that councils and schools throughout the United Kingdom be silent on homosexuality and not spend time in lessons discussing or acknowledging let alone normalising its existence. This production by Breach Theatre, written by Ellice Stevens and Billy Barrett, with an original score by Frew, After The Act takes as it’s starting point the Danish children’s book Jenny Lives With Eric and Martin, which caused such an uproar when it was launched into schools in the early 1980’s. Set against the suddenly rising AIDS epidemic, people panicked, burned the books, protests against teaching same-sex relationships in school...

The Improv Musical – Gilded Balloon, Patter Hoose

20Aug

By Ben PearsonNo Comments

Scotland

The Improv Musical – Gilded Balloon, Patter Hoose

Music Theatre Warwick, from the University of Warwick, have made the impossible look easy in this entirely improvised musical. The audience chose the two lead characters, Sherlock Holmes and SpongeBob SquarePants, and the location: the Titanic. The musical was named ‘who lives in a monocle under the sea’, by a particularly witty band member, and the performers got straight into it. What followed was hilarious, ridiculous, and highly entertaining. I particularly enjoyed the short mid-way break, in which the audience decided the next plot point. In this case, that John Watson, who had been thrown overboard, would arrive back on the Titanic to declare his love to SpongeBob through an opera song. It was just as crazy and hysterical as it sounds. Throughout the show, I was...

20Aug

By Greg HolsteadNo Comments

Scotland

Adults – Traverse Theatre

Back to The Traverse Theatre, which can be relied upon for good quality shows with high production values, great tech and quality actors throughout the year, but really pulls out the stops come Fringe time. So, here comes my review number 4 for the ‘Trav’ this time round. Adults isa slightly awkward three-hander from Kieran Hurley which seeks to challenge our conception of what is sexually ‘normal’, whilst also trying to be a serious commentary on the economics of the sex work industry within the capitalist market economy, and a sex farce. Can it really be all these things? This starts so well and with a swarth of laughs in the first half, the audience lean in as Madam Zara (Dani Heron) realises that the latest customer to her tiny attic flat/brothel is none other than her old in...

TONY! [The Tony Blair Rock Opera] – EICC

20Aug

By Greg HolsteadNo Comments

Scotland

TONY! [The Tony Blair Rock Opera] – EICC

Tony! The Tony Blair Rock Opera is a modern rock opera that sets out to tell the story of the ex-prime minister who modernised Labour and catapulted them to new heights with his ‘New Labour’ landslide election victory in 1997, ending 18 years of Conservative government. Like Tony Blair himself, this production has good points, and bad points. It is probably forgivable and understandable that this show steers clear of outright satire, after all, Blair is still alive and has very, very deep pockets. Some parts of the script actually make comic reference to this! Unfortunately, this lack of bite made for an enjoyable, but perhaps ultimately unedifying evening. More Spitting image than Question Time but then again what do you expect from writer Harry Hill! We start the evening, with a...

20Aug

By Amy HolsteadNo Comments

Scotland

Dazzling – theSpace @ Niddry Street

One-woman show ‘Dazzling’ is a drama exploring themes of love, addiction, and mental health through a queer lens. Sexuality and gender were naturally integrated into the storyline (especially the use of they/them pronouns for character Fi) which gave the show an innate inclusivity that felt naturally written and performed. I would like to see more fringe shows break social norms in this supportive way. Holly Sewel’s writing used poetic technique to convey emotion in a beautiful and thought-provoking way. The use of poetry was especially effective during the manic runs of monologue where Alix’s bounding speech created a sense of loss of control. The final metaphor of the putting a pillow in-between two people to create a boundary whilst also allowing them to lean upon each other was ...

Frighthouse Presents: The Wheel of Misfortune – theSpace @ Surgeons Hall

19Aug

By Marcelina KruczyńskaNo Comments

Scotland

Frighthouse Presents: The Wheel of Misfortune – theSpace @ Surgeons Hall

Filled with jarring and innovative ideas and plenty of clowntastic fun. This unique gameshowesque performance will make you laugh till your insides hurt and then laugh some more. Returning to the fringe, this multimedia horror-comedy anthology which was performed by local Edinburgh creatives and was inspired by The Twilight Zone and Creepshow is the perfect place to bring along friends. The energetic atmosphere and audience participation is the perfect recipe for a fun-filled night. With only two chairs and the wheel on stage the creators found an innovative story-telling solution to paint the picture of where they are. In only 45 minutes the cast manage to take you on a funny and grotesque journey through several stories that are selected through the wheel itself. In each story act...

Vote Macbeth! – The Space @ Surgeons’ Hall

19Aug

By Greg HolsteadNo Comments

Scotland

Vote Macbeth! – The Space @ Surgeons’ Hall

Part 4 of my Fringe of ’23, Macbeth marathon, sees another murder, this time set in the present day that boils and bubbles its way through a very dense script/lib to end with its own toils and troubles. The common theme in disappointing shows is that they inevitably try to do too much, and there could hardly be a better example than this one. From the singular hand of John Paul Liddell, writing, composing, directing, acting and singing (very nicely BTW I might add!) in the Macbeth lead role, there is no air at all left in this one by the end. A dense and wordy treatise on political power, where Macbeth is president, I assume of a post-Independent Scotland, set in the near future, the musical is comprised of 18 songs, which run non-stop, top to tail, with no dialogue in-between. N...

Little Women: The Musical – Paradise at Augustines

19Aug

By Wendy McEwanNo Comments

Scotland

Little Women: The Musical – Paradise at Augustines

Little Women was the first novel I ever read, and this story holds a special place in my heart. This delightful production of the musical brought back all the joy and sorrow that I shared with these characters, all those years ago. For a fraction of the price of the big venues, this show has everything you could possibly want. The vocal performances, acting and staging are stellar, and the performers are right there in front of you. Hannah Childs dazzles as everyone’s favourite March sister, Jo. Her hyperactive enthusiasm is intoxicating, and she owns the stage, leaping and swirling around like a tiny tornado of purpose. Her performance of Jo’s signature song, Astonishing, blew me away, and received rapturous applause. Jo’s tender scene with her dying sister Beth (Charlotte Smi...

Drag Queens Vs Vampires – Underbelly, Cowgate

18Aug

By Beth EltringhamNo Comments

Scotland

Drag Queens Vs Vampires – Underbelly, Cowgate

Back from their award winning show Drag Queens Vs Zombies at last year’s fringe, the Haus Of Dench return with their new must see show: Drag Queens Vs Vampires. Join drag stars Kate Butch and Crudi Dench as they prepare to take to the stage in Romania for Eurovision, but it’s not only nerves they are having to fight off. Booking an Airbnb in the spookiest of places: Transylvania, a new obstacle faces the two when their host happens to be non-other than Dracula himself, and he’s got his sights set on Kate. Between the competition and the ancient evil vampire, can these friends stay together or will they be torn apart in this blood drinking, vampire staking, weird but catchy song singing extravaganza? Drag Queens Vs Vampires is a hilarious show that fills it’s dark and dingy ven...