Scotland Archives - Page 56 of 93

Gie’s Peace – Scottish Storytelling Centre

10Aug

By Kathleen MansfieldNo Comments

Scotland

Gie’s Peace – Scottish Storytelling Centre

Morna Burdon’s journey through the world of women who have stood against war and made a peaceful difference is not shouting for space in a busy Edinburgh festival. Yet, on this, her first day, she has a full house. The George Mackay Brown Library in the Scottish Storytelling Centre is an apt venue. Burdon has done her research. And she has chosen a tender and funny collection of songs to illustrate the power of peaceful protest. She began with Nancy Nicolson’s Last Carol which alternates between a melancholy chorus of mushroom clouds and heavy water and jaunty verses with the words, merrily, merrily. I instantly warmed to her and to the subject matter. At the end, the audience spontaneously joined her for We Will Overcome. It was very moving. Early on she included a teenager from...

When Judas Met John: Songs of Dylan and Lennon – theSpace @ Surgeons Hall

9Aug

By Amy HolsteadNo Comments

Scotland

When Judas Met John: Songs of Dylan and Lennon – theSpace @ Surgeons Hall

Brothers Broke’s clever show was simple and sweet. Starring two men, two guitars and one harmonica, this show presents the infamous connection between Bob Dylan and John Lennon through short sections of commentary and adapted songs. Whilst the story behind Dylan and Lennon’s affiliation was nothing ground-breaking, it was interesting to hear the brother’s interpretation of comments made by the musicians. Their dissection of lyrics and themes within chosen songs helped to turn a few comments made by two musicians into an engaging story of rivalry and respect. The version of Like a Rolling Song into Dig It was an obvious choice for a mash-up. It began with the classic Dylan track and flowed naturally into the opening lyrics “Like a rolling stone; like a rolling stone; like a rolling s...

The Coil’s Lament – Just the Tonic, The Mash House

9Aug

By Amy HolsteadNo Comments

Scotland

The Coil’s Lament – Just the Tonic, The Mash House

Irish comedian Siomha Hennessy combines storytelling and song in this fast-paced comedy show. This felt like a classic re-telling of womanhood through the lens of Hennessy’s personal experience. However, the familiar subjects of dating, mental health and family dynamic were elevated by Hennessy’s high-quality writing and energetic performance. Also, moments of witty originality, such as the musical number where she impersonated her IUD, were a refreshing surprise. Hennessy also smashed her musical numbers. Her voice was impressive and again the writing was well-done. Comments shared between herself and the on-stage keyboard player added further humour to these musical moments. Also, the way she wrote the keyboard players silent on-stage presence into a few of her jokes was clever an...

9Aug

By Greg HolsteadNo Comments

Scotland

Lena – Assembly George Square

This was – Brilliantly conceived and delivered – and I mean that most sincerely folks! As someone raised on Opportunity Knocks (think Britain’s Got Talent) this certainly hit some deep and emotional triggers! Via the power of Jon Culshaw’s brilliant embodiment of Hugh Green, I am transported back to 1974, as 10-year-old singing sensation Lena Zavaroni, from the wee Isle of Bute, rockets to stardom on Opportunity Knocks, ITV's top talent show. At the start of the play, we see Lena in a wheelchair being led into an operating theatre for experimental neurosurgery. The story of her rise and fall, from her very humble beginnings on Bute, her neurotic mum and musical dad and the chance encounter that set her on her path, all presented in a series of flash backs. Erin Armstrong is ab...

I Consent, Aunty Ginger – Assembly, George Square Studios, Underground

9Aug

By Ben PearsonNo Comments

Scotland

I Consent, Aunty Ginger – Assembly, George Square Studios, Underground

This show is not for the faint-hearted or easily offended. And that’s a good thing. I Consent is an utterly outrageous, and hilariously entertaining hour of drag-show comedy. Aunty Ginger has excellent stage presence from the second she introduces herself with a parody of ‘(Hey) Big Spender’. You may be able to guess what word she replaced ‘Spender’ with… I won’t pretend I’m an expert in drag styling and fashion, but I was incredibly impressed by her make-up, fabulous ginger wig and matching jewellery. The dress, designed by Peter Hewitt, was black and tight. Perfect for the occasion. In short, Aunty Ginger looked spectacular. I won’t spoil the contents of her show, but it includes an Agony Aunt style segment where she solves the sex life problems of ‘famous celebrities’ and memb...

9Aug

By Greg HolsteadNo Comments

Scotland

Edges – Assembly Rooms, Music Hall

This was – Some very fine singing, but ultimately indecipherable and unrelatable! A production from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, Edges, the blurb reads: a Musical from the creators of The Greatest Showman, La La Land and Dear Evan Hansen, Edges is a contemporary song-cycle which explores universal issues such as love, commitment, identity, and meaning. Well, great! As a big fan of all of those production, this sounds perfect, I was looking forward to this one. What a let down! This is maybe sounding and looking great and making perfect sense if you are a 20-something angst-ridden American female living in New York City. And I am probably sounding very old and very male now. A bright young thing launches into, Am I fulfilled. Do I care? A production that, on paper...

Cecile McLorin Salvant – Usher Hall, Edinburgh

9Aug

By Greg HolsteadNo Comments

Scotland

Cecile McLorin Salvant – Usher Hall, Edinburgh

That was – Emotional! What a voice. The power and attack of Salvant’s vocal is what strikes you the most. Controlled and yet, something else, hard to explain, at first soaring, vast balloon-like and then at other times like a bird; small, fragile, vulnerable. Miami-born, Salvant at the age of 33 is right at the top of her game, full of the confidence that a library of prestigious awards and accolades brings, and jazz flair that has made her a sell-out draw around the world. Her current album Melusine draws on her Haitian and French heritage, and sung partly in French, whilst her previous highly acclaimed 2022 album Ghost Song features interpretations of tracks by Kate Bush and Sting. In a recent interview with The List, she promised that this concert would be, ‘crazy and sponta...

Before The Drugs Kick In – The Space @ Surgeon’s Hall

9Aug

By Roger JacobsNo Comments

Scotland

Before The Drugs Kick In – The Space @ Surgeon’s Hall

‘Three months ago I cut my wrists in front of my two children.’ No, this wasn’t an easy watch. Maria DeCotis plays 62-year-old Lynn T Walsh, a woman deemed a danger to those around her, isolated from her family for 20 years in a mental asylum in America. She’s given very little help but lots of ‘medicine’. Pretty much treated as a criminal, she points out the ridiculous double-standards at work given the behaviour of certain well-known film and TV people. Her ‘crime’; an almost subconscious emotional reaction to the stresses associated with bringing up a family more or less singlehandedly in a suburban setting where the simple act of going out for a walk attracts the wrong sort of comments. Incarcerated she may be but in her mind she becomes a 28-year-old stand-up and humorous...

Austentatious: An Improvised Jane Austen Novel – Underbelly Bistro Square

9Aug

By Beth EltringhamNo Comments

Scotland

Austentatious: An Improvised Jane Austen Novel – Underbelly Bistro Square

Witty, outrageous and almost Austin, Austentatious is a hit! Back from its successful run on the West End Austentatious brings you a Jane Austin novel like you’ve never seen before (literally! they make the whole thing up as they go along). With an excellent cast featuring Rachel Parris, Graham Dickson, Amy Cooke-Hodgson, Lauren Shearing, Charlotte Gittins, Daniel Nils Roberts, Joseph Morpurgo and Cariad Lloyd, these comedy masters are sure to put on a good show. As with most improvised performances at this fringe, the plot it created using audience suggestion, so come prepared with your best Jane Austin novel name suggestions. I’m afraid our selected one of the day was a little long for me to remember but what ensued was a lot of talk of trysting (if you know what I mean) , door kic...

Attenborough and His Animals – Gilded Balloon at the Museum

8Aug

By Kathleen MansfieldNo Comments

Scotland

Attenborough and His Animals – Gilded Balloon at the Museum

Jonathan Tilley and Jess Clough-Mcrae are a pair of talented physical mime artists and very entertaining. They both trained in Paris at the Jacques Lecoq clowning school and their skill shines through. When David Attenborough doesn’t turn up as expected they turn to improvisation to provide a show with a myriad different creatures and a commentary very like Sir Attenborough’s. It’s an interactive show. Clough-Mcrae is superb at acting out the animals and making eye contact with the audience. She picked out a family in the front row for special treatment and, honestly, those little ones have memories for life from that one hour. Their dad was singled out and they loved it! I loved the orangutan and the fish and the sloth and the lizard and the crab … okay, I thought it was all ...