Scotland Archives - Page 50 of 128

15Aug

By Gill LewisNo Comments

Scotland

Out of Woodstock – Underbelly, Cowgate

Follow a young man’s descent into one of the worst festival disasters in recent history. Its legacy is rooted in an unleashing of Millennial anger. Baby Boomers enjoyed the summer of love, with Woodstock 69, united in their quest for peace and harmony. Thirty years later the attempt to recreate this significant cultural event, with Woodstock ’99, brought about overpriced beer, boobs, and misogyny. This play intrigues, based on real life events during the infamous music festival which ended in carnage and controversy. Poor organisation and dollar hungry management created a ticking timebomb as revelers exploded in the accumulation of sweltering unbearable heat, poor sanitation, serious sexual assaults, looting and several deaths. Written and directed by Tom Foreman,...

15Aug

By Gill LewisNo Comments

Scotland

Bills 44th – Underbelly, Cowgate

Mr Bean meets Don’t Hug Me I’m Scared in this heartwarming Tragi – comedy, an existential tale of being alone, but never lonely. Have you ever been to a party where there’s more balloons than people? No? Then you’ve never spent a birthday with Bill, who’s getting his modest flat ready to celebrate his 44th birthday. Puppeteering duo Dorothy James and Andy Manjuck in association with Underbelly deliver a thoroughly entertaining piece of laugh out loud storytelling. Working in unison, James and Manjuck’s seamless, skillful control of Bill, creates a range of funny identifiable mannerisms and reactions, which add to Bill’s natural draw and likability. The physicality speaks a thousand words. The sold-out reactive audience showed instant warmth for Bill, evident from...

Antonio’s Revenge – C ARTS, C-Alto studio

15Aug

By Beth EltringhamNo Comments

Scotland

Antonio’s Revenge – C ARTS, C-Alto studio

Antonio’s revenge starts as it means to end with plenty of bloodshed and murder. Bad guy Piero Sforza has murdered Andrugio and Feliche junior with plans to marry Andrugio’s wife and gain more power in the process but first he must take care of Andrugio’s son/ his soon to be son in law Antonio. In this Elizabethan play written by John Marston one can expect: violence, sex, revenge and some very impressive acting. The text as one can expect is like Shakespeare’s: hard to follow through word alone but the performance is so well acted and directed that these actors could be merely speaking the language of the Swedish Chef, and we would still have a clear idea as to what is going on. It’s fast paced and within the first few moments of the play we have our first death by poison and...

My English Persian Kitchen – Traverse Theatre

15Aug

By Greg HolsteadNo Comments

Scotland

My English Persian Kitchen – Traverse Theatre

World Premier A unique play involving the live creation (and ultimate consumption) of a popular Iranian soup dish, ash-e-reshteh, which is, we are told, dished out on the streets of Iran every day, as common as Ice cream. Cultural differences are at the centre of this story by award-winning writer Hannah Khalil. Adapted from the real life story of Atoosa Sepehr as she flees from Iran to escape an abusive husband, and her subsequent journey to settle in England. Isabella Nefar (Salome, National Theatre) welcomes us into Traverse 2 as though to a dinner party, smells of chopped onions, herbs and spices waft through the space. There is a buzz of conversation. Food, a bridge of the senses, cultures, the very essence of our being, and within the ceremony of sharing food, the hand of f...

John Wayne Gacy, The Killer Clown: Born Evil? – theSpace @ Surgeons Hall

15Aug

By Beth EltringhamNo Comments

Scotland

John Wayne Gacy, The Killer Clown: Born Evil? – theSpace @ Surgeons Hall

John Wayne Gacy the notorious serial killer, famous for the rape, torture and murder of at least 33 teenage boys in America during the 1970s. The community clown who’s home stood on the graveyard of his “alleged victims”, I use the word alleged as this word comes up multiple times throughout the show. This is not a show that sympathizes with Gacy by any means, instead it’s a one man show that tries to tells Gacy’s story as the man himself had narrated. Using quotes from Gacy’s interviews a 50-minute-long story time has been created. We are made to question: does one begin evil or are they made to be, was Gacy really a man of multiple personalities, deluded or a monster and manipulator? Our lead actor takes on the role of Gacy himself, donning an American Chicago accent and readin...

25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee – theSpace @ Niddry Street

15Aug

By Beth EltringhamNo Comments

Scotland

25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee – theSpace @ Niddry Street

Young innocent children attending a spelling bee competition, what could go wrong? Well, these children are competitive and under pressure, pressure that may just come to a boiling point in this wonderfully feel good and nifty musical. Meet the contestants of the 25th Annual Putnam Spelling Bee, or perhaps even become one of them yourself, but one thing is for certain you’ll be in for a right treat and a few emotional roller coasters. Prepare yourself for almost 2 hours of pure laughter, charm and talent with this fun little musical. It’s true to say that when the cast is having fun so is the audience, you could tell that the team thoroughly enjoy the show and in doing so never miss a beat. We find ourselves watching the classic “odd balls” of societies youth: the nerd, the perfecti...

Agatha Christie’s The Rats – theSpace on the Mile

14Aug

By H.S. BakerNo Comments

Scotland

Agatha Christie’s The Rats – theSpace on the Mile

Performed by Hart Players, from Fleet in Hampshire, The Rats is one of a trilogy of less familiar Agatha Christie plays known as the Rule of Three. Each play stands alone, but has links between the characters, which become apparent when all three are performed as a single production. At a little over 30 minutes long, The Rats is the shortest in the trilogy. Described as “a dark and chilling tale”, this production didn’t quite seem to know where to pitch the style, hovering somewhere between playing it straight and playing for laughs. Either would have worked, but as it was this play neither thrilled nor amused. Sandra (Helen Tyson) arrives at an apartment, allegedly the home of the Torrences, to which she’s been invited to a party.&nbs...

The Sun, the Mountain, and Me – Underbelly, Cowgate

14Aug

By Gill LewisNo Comments

Scotland

The Sun, the Mountain, and Me – Underbelly, Cowgate

The disclosures of an artist who finds himself spiraling into the darkness, can he find a way of pulling himself out of the path of the big black beast which is running up behind him. First performed as an audio piece during the pandemic, this is a beautifully constructed piece of storytelling which explores the fragility of mental health through the use of art and literature. Bedivere Arts present this solo show written and performed by Jack Fairey who has a warm and captivating energy throughout the piece. His commitment and motivation behind each character and their movement enriches the storytelling, and the imagination of the audience. Struggling artist Arthur, tries to find solace and inspiration in the teachings of Greek mythology, with Icarus who flies too close...

The Big Bite-Size Breakfast Show – Pleasance Courtyard

14Aug

By Gill LewisNo Comments

Scotland

The Big Bite-Size Breakfast Show – Pleasance Courtyard

The sweet smell of fresh, warm croissants, strawberries and a hot beverage is the perfect way to start a day at the Fringe. Bite-Size is back with another light and entertaining sketch show which will have you laughing as you tuck in to your pastry. Celebrating their 16th year on the Fringe, Bite-Size Plays have partnered up with The Pleasance to serve up their three-rotating menus, and there is plenty of ridiculousness to choose from. Menu 2 is a mixed bag of comedies and mini dramas. There are plenty of laughs and witty one liners with lashings of absurdity and silliness. Stand out sketches include, ‘Criminal Behavior’, a bumbling armed robbery, and ‘Jitters,’ where we meet the company ‘Think Twice’, trying to keep the divorce rates down by checking brides are not having second...

Lash: A Pulsating New Play About Going Out Out! – Pleasance Courtyard

14Aug

By Gill LewisNo Comments

Scotland

Lash: A Pulsating New Play About Going Out Out! – Pleasance Courtyard

Boost your adrenaline and immerse yourself in this part gig, part theatrical experience, which proves to be a treat to the senses. This is storytelling that stirs up memories of long, booze-soaked late-night club shenanigans and regretful drug fueled streams of consciousness. There’s nothing more exhilarating than getting ready to go ‘out out’ on the town after a long, boring, mundane day at work. With the night threatening to go one way, or the other, with the line between reality, drugs, and booze blurring the vision threatening all of the senses, concepts which this unapologetic production thrives on. Written and directed by Phillip Stokes the dark and dingy cobbled Bunker One is the perfect setting for this claustrophobic, loud and noisy piece. We’re hitting the town, big st...