Scotland Archives - Page 50 of 157

8Aug

By Jessie MartinNo Comments

Scotland

Inertia – Dovecot Studios

Ragana Productions paints us a picture of one woman’s post-Soviet life in Inertia at the Edinburgh Fringe. Having lived her life under the thumb of male domination, we see the ways in which Frida (played by Ola Olsinova) is haunted by her traumas, and how they reflect on those around her following the suicide of her abusive husband. Written and directed by Trudy Kalvynaité, this is a dreamy and wistful play filled with generational rage and sadness. Olsinova delivers a strong and complex character, showing us both the gentle, caring side of Frida, but also the unpredictable, wounded woman who is stuck in her past. Supporting Frida is Marta (played by Daiva Malina) — Frida’s best friend and confidante, who stays by her side even in Frida’s most vicious moments. Malina’s performance is an...

0% Beer Loves Me, Women Fear Me, Sheep Were Unavailable For Comment (Dan Boerman) – Beehive Inn (Lounge)

8Aug

By Roger JacobsNo Comments

Scotland

0% Beer Loves Me, Women Fear Me, Sheep Were Unavailable For Comment (Dan Boerman) – Beehive Inn (Lounge)

‘2pm, upstairs in a pub, there are worse places on a Wednesday afternoon!’ And we’re off for an hour in the company of amiable, amenable Kiwi Dan Boerman, lately of this Midlothian parish if the dispensed information is correct. Though not offered up is anything about 0% Beer, scared women or sheep. Little matter, he has another show on across the Grassmarket, ‘Dan Boerman Folds A Fitted Sheet’, so why not pop across there later to avoid anything about sheets, fitted or otherwise. Though he did actually perform said manoeuvre on Calton Hill recently, attracting sizeable hordes of observers, which was, to coin his bon mot, ‘unreal’. And looked like a damn funny diversion. This afternoon’s fare, he explains, is ‘work-in-progress’ so if you attend, prepare to be involved, but it’s f...

8Aug

By Greg HolsteadNo Comments

Scotland

Baby In The Mirror – Summerhall

Baby in the Mirror is one of those rare Fringe shows that lands with total emotional clarity. Presented by the new company Second Adolescence, from Stella Marie Sophie (also acting the part of Lena) and Sammy J Glover (writer/director), this is a visceral, intelligent, and deeply personal piece of theatre that explores queer parenthood, gender, sexuality, and the complexity of forming a family outside the traditional mould.Set in an intimate black-box space at Summerhall, the production follows three characters—Lena, Joey, and Ollie—each caught in the messy, beautiful and often contradictory realities of trying to build a life and family together. It opens amid a mess of boxes, Len and Jo have moved in together, their identities carefully packaged and labelled like the boxes that surround ...

James Phelan: The Man Who Was Magic – Underbelly Bristo Square

8Aug

By Saira KunjuvalappilNo Comments

Scotland

James Phelan: The Man Who Was Magic – Underbelly Bristo Square

I was captivated from the moment I entered the theatre. The stage lighting was vibrant and psychedelic, perfect for a night of illusions and entertainment. James Phelan displayed a visually stunning magic show that was also filled with humour and cleverness. Though the magic itself was impressive—particularly one particularly memorable instance where it seemed as though a card had travelled through the air between audience members—it was James's sense of humour and timing that were truly able to command the evening. The audience was laughing the whole time, and the atmosphere in the room never fell because of his interactive and comedic stage presence. Phelan's stage presence was welcoming and assured, such that the entire show felt intimate and inclusive. The way he interacted w...

7Aug

By Oliver GigginsNo Comments

Scotland

007 Voices of Bond – theSpace Triple X

Celebrating 60+ years of Bond themes, 007 Voices of Bond features Maia Elsey and the Night Owl band performing, mostly chronologically, just under a dozen songs from the film series' history, sometimes accompanied by a guest performer for some duets, and by a projected “M” character for extra links and humour (as well as some inaccurate facts: Moonraker was made before For Your Eyes Only). Perhaps unsurprisingly, the Craig era dominates, with all but one of his five themes making the show (Sam Smith's proud first draft “The Writing's On The Wall” is a wise omission), compared to two each for Connery and Moore's longer runs (who get more than Dalton, who gets more than Brosnan). While this may result in disappointing omissions at least for some older fans – this is a Fringe-length show o...

6Aug

By Greg HolsteadNo Comments

Scotland

Waxen Figures – Summerhall

Muto Major are described as an Audio-visual duo but there are a quartet of performers here, who provide a powerful and contemplative feast for the senses in this primal view through the lens of Scottish folklore. Their show features electronic trance music intermixed with some very beautiful live Gaelic singing, contemporary dance, laser projection bringing Pictish carvings to life and micro-filming of wax and clay figures. In truth it is not clear what messages are being conveyed, and the slow rhythmic vibe, incense filled atmosphere does have a soporific effect, on me at least. It’s reminiscent of a Body Balance routine. As if to wake us from our 21st Century sleepwalk, a dancer stops and shouts; You’ve forgotten your mother tongue You’ve forgotten your stories You’ve ...

Twonkey’s Zipwire to Zanzibar – Laughing Horse @ Dragonfly

6Aug

By Roger JacobsNo Comments

Scotland

Twonkey’s Zipwire to Zanzibar – Laughing Horse @ Dragonfly

Whether it’s a night train to Liechtenstein or basket weaving in Peru, you can guarantee a Twonkey show will have little or nothing to do with the topic in the title. So, this proceeds with scant reference to Zipwires or Zanzibar and tonight doesn’t even feature Twonkey – he’s dead! A tin of contaminated condensed milk… no struggle… probably in the library, without Colonel Mustard as a witness. Fear not, his widow, Twonketta—replete with hair-bows, heels, painted nails and pop socks—is here to guide us through the labyrinthine ‘structure’ of the annual experience. Google synonyms for ‘strange’, ‘surreal’, or ‘weird’ and you still won’t find words to describe this. Upon departure, one’s head is full of ‘incidents’, just not necessarily in the right order. There was a song containing ...

6Aug

By Roger JacobsNo Comments

Scotland

Miles – Summerhall TechCube

Recorded in March 1959 and released in August the same year, Kind of Blue consists of five tracks, totaling 45 minutes and 45 seconds of what is often considered the most important jazz ever recorded. It fuelled the progression not just of jazz, but also of soul, funk, hip-hop, and even mainstream popular music—impacting the likes of James Brown, Stevie Wonder, Prince, and beyond. And yet, Miles Davis himself dismissed the label “jazz,” remarking that “it’s just what white folks call our music.” How did he create, orchestrate, and supervise the album Kind of Blue? While no one would accuse Miles of false modesty, his explanation was disarmingly simple: they assembled the best—or most appropriate—musicians for the task. The album marked a leap from the Bebop structures of the time in...

6Aug

By Greg HolsteadNo Comments

Scotland

Chopin’s Nocturne – Summerhall

“10:15am — WTF?!” is Aidan Jones’s opening exclamation, and a fair one. It’s not often you’re asked to laugh — and think — before your second coffee. But by the end of his 50-minute set, this Australian comedian and pianist has the audience fully on board, combining comedy and classical music with irreverence, warmth, and surprising emotional depth.Chopin’s Nocturne is built around Frédéric Chopin’s much-loved Nocturne in E-flat major, Op. 9, No. 2 — a piece that, for many in the audience, will stir up memories. For me, it resonated deeply. My late father used to play the Nocturne when I was very young, and hearing it live again, laced with Jones’s affection and analysis, was unexpectedly moving. While the show is pitched as comedy, for me it was not funny in the conventional sense — or ra...

A Women of No Importance – Theatre at St Ninian’s Hall

6Aug

By Marcelina KruczyńskaNo Comments

Scotland

A Women of No Importance – Theatre at St Ninian’s Hall

A Women of No Importance by Oscar Wilde, is brought to the Edinburgh Fringe by Edinburgh Theatre Acts. The play is incredibly witty and morally relevant and can be enjoyed and understood by modern audiences despite being set in 1893. The play tackles many social and moral problems that are just as much of a hot topic in today’s day and age as they were when the play first premiered in 1893. The play’s main point of discussion is the often-tender relationship between man and woman, and the large cast of thirteen managed to show this in various ways. The play commences on The Terrace at Hunstanton Chase. One noteworthy factor before the actors even grace the stage, is the beautifully designed set. Finley Black’s great attention to detail in combination with the lighting and soun...