Sunday, December 22

Scotland

In Conversation with Caroline Lucas – The Stand Comedy Club
26Aug By Tom ScottNo Comments
Scotland

In Conversation with Caroline Lucas – The Stand Comedy Club

This was a fascinating hour with former Green MP, Caroline Lucas. She answered questions on a wide range of subjects from the interviewer, Graham Spiers, and members of the audience. Unlike some politicians, Lucas does not duck questions, but gives thoughtful, straightforward and always illuminating answers. Lucas is a trailblazer in British politics. She was the first Green MP in 2010, having previously been an MEP since 1999. The first leader of the Green Party of England and Wales from 2008-12, she was also co-leader from 2016-18. At this year’s General Election, she stepped down as an MP. Lucas is unimpressed by the new Labour Government, saying it’s better than the Tories, but that’s a very low bar. She doesn’t accept the necessity for cuts such as the recent abolition of the wi...
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Nina Conti: Whose Face Is It Anyway? – Pleasance Courtyard
26Aug By Saira KunjuvalappilNo Comments
Scotland

Nina Conti: Whose Face Is It Anyway? – Pleasance Courtyard

Nina Conti's Whose Face Is It Anyway? is a stand-up puppet comedy show that had the audience doubled over with laughter from the very first moment. It's unlike anything I've ever seen in comedy—truly outstanding! Nina's performance was nothing short of fabulous, showcasing her incredible talent. And Monkey? I absolutely love that little guy. Her show was the highlight of my week, proving once again that she's a consummate professional who makes an incredibly difficult skill look effortless. Managing four masked-up audience members on stage simultaneously takes serious confidence, and she pulled it off with ease. The brilliance of Nina's act lies in its spontaneity. The whole show felt genuinely live, with clever interactions that kept us on our toes. The interplay between Nina an...
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Dylan Mulvaney: FAGHAG – Assembly George Square
26Aug By Saira KunjuvalappilNo Comments
Scotland

Dylan Mulvaney: FAGHAG – Assembly George Square

As someone eager to explore a variety of shows at the Fringe Festival, I knew I had to cover one with an LGBTQ+ theme. FAGHAG by Dylan Mulvaney turned out to be one of the best decisions I made. This show is a brilliant blend of storytelling, stand-up comedy, and musical performance. Dylan Mulvaney uses her humour to share her deeply personal journey of transition to womanhood. The story begins in a delightfully imaginative way, with Dylan as an angel. God tells her it’s time to be born as a human, complete with funny details like where she'll be born and that she'll wear a size 7 shoe. Dylan's excitement about coming down to Earth had the audience laughing right from the start. However, the humour is balanced with deeper themes. After her birth, she realizes she’s in a male body...
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L’Addition: Here & Now Showcase – Summerhall
26Aug By Greg HolsteadNo Comments
Scotland

L’Addition: Here & Now Showcase – Summerhall

Two performers Bert and Nasi, dressed smartly in white shirts and grey trousers, one a customer the other a waiter, the roles interchangeable. Who is serving and who is being served, and how do the roles become assigned when seemingly no one is in charge? Bertrand Lesca and Nasi Voutsas are no strangers to the Fringe, often covering serious real-world topics like Brexit in 2016 (Eurohouse) or the Syrian conflict in 2017 (Palmyra). This year is a more absurd but no less existential proposition. The pair spend a good ten minutes explaining to the audience what they are about to witness; the waiter is going to pour a glass of wine but is not going to stop, in fact the wine is going to pour everywhere to the point where tablecloth, glass and utensils require to bundled up and thrown sta...
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Pali and Jay’s Ultimate Asian Wedding DJ Roadshow – Assembly George Square
26Aug By Michelle KnightNo Comments
Scotland

Pali and Jay’s Ultimate Asian Wedding DJ Roadshow – Assembly George Square

The stage is set with Tez Liyas and Viraj Juneja, performing as DJ Pali and his roadie Jay, two men bonded by family ties and with generational differences set about reflecting on past and current life challenges whilst DJ’ing at an Asian Wedding. The wedding guests are provided by the audience seated with tables and chairs inclusive of a bar to replicate being at a wedding, simplistic and effective. Pali reminisces his youth when he was a top DJ with his decks and was cheated out of winning a competition by a rival DJ. He is a shy respectable man who loves his Corsa, Chi tea and dreams that one day he will have an LED dance floor. In contrast to his nephew young Jay who likes drinking when working, is self-absorbed and very dismissive of Pali’s life. Jay thinks of Jay and their rel...
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Nurse Georgie Carroll: Sista Flo 2.0 – Assembly George Square Studios
24Aug By Saira KunjuvalappilNo Comments
Scotland

Nurse Georgie Carroll: Sista Flo 2.0 – Assembly George Square Studios

Georgie absolutely nailed it with this show! From start to finish, the laughter was non-stop, and I wasn't alone—everyone in the audience was in stitches. She had us all howling with laughter, barely giving us a chance to catch our breath. This performance easily ranks in my top three comedy shows of the Fringe this year. Don’t worry if you’re not in healthcare; you don’t need to be in the medical field to find her material hilarious. Her humor transcends professions and speaks to something everyone can relate to. That said, if you are in healthcare, especially the NHS, you're in for an extra treat. About half the audience seemed to be in the medical profession, and they were practically falling out of their seats, laughing so hard. Her stories, especially about giving the wrong dru...
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DIVA: Live From Hell – Underbelly, Cowgate
24Aug By Greg HolsteadNo Comments
Scotland

DIVA: Live From Hell – Underbelly, Cowgate

Luke Bayer. Remember the name. If you combine the tongue-flicking rubber faced brilliance of a young Jim Carey, the bottom-burp comedic appeal of Rick Mayall, and the sharpness of super-smart baby Stewie of Family Guy, well…. You might just about have the voice, but nowhere near the energy of the nuclear-powered, AI-chipped, water-slurping machine that is Luke Bayer. Probably best known for his work in the original West End cast of Everybody’s Talking About Jamie, or for appearing on X Factor in 2007, making it through to Dannie Minogue’s judges houses, but at 15 too young to go any further. Now is his time. And this IS the show. What a voice. Or should I say four voices to be exact. Here’s your character list; Desmond Channing (voice see above) The DIVA himself. Writ...
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I Wish you Well: Gwyneth Paltrow Ski Trial Musical – Underbelly, George Square
24Aug By Michelle KnightNo Comments
Scotland

I Wish you Well: Gwyneth Paltrow Ski Trial Musical – Underbelly, George Square

A camp parody of amusement based on the infamous 2023 ski trial of Gwyneth vs Terry.   “Nothing ever happens in a court in Utah” then Gwyneth comes to town, and that is when the fun starts.  With a cast of 4 this fast-paced musical picks at the not so subtle evidence in court where Terry is suing Gwyneth for a brain injury sustained in the accident. Gwyneth is suing Terry for $1 for the inconvenience of it all, she is not happy.  From the outset the scene is set, staged in court and it is not long before each character bursts onto the scene with their individuality, and musical style. The story lines flow seamlessly, the musicality is on point, and all mixed in with a cabaret choreographic style that Judge Jude, Idnss Kargbo showcases perfectly.  He leaves not...
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After the Silence – Festival Theatre
24Aug Avatar photoBy Kathleen MansfieldNo Comments
Scotland

After the Silence – Festival Theatre

In Brazil, the award-winning novel, Torto Arado has sold more than 800,000 copies. Spotlighting historical and contemporary slavery, injustice and inequality, this is perfect fictional material for Christiane Jatahy to blend with her journalistic techniques. The novel’s characters relate incidents from Torto Arado with the documentary history of João Pedro Teixeira, a militant peasant who was murdered in 1964 and the perpetrators never punished. Jatahy emphasises the root of fiction is in fact. Her objective always is to raise awareness and to connect the past and the present in immersive projects that include the audience. After the Silence works on several levels. The cast, Caju Bezerra, Aduni Guedes, Julaina França and Gal Pereira interact with the huge film screen, showing real ...
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1 Moment in Time – theSpace @ Surgeons’ Hall
24Aug By Saira KunjuvalappilNo Comments
Scotland

1 Moment in Time – theSpace @ Surgeons’ Hall

Sean Alexander's "1 Moment at a Time" magic show was a surprising and thought-provoking experience. We walked in with doubts but left amazed and full of questions. His magic is top-notch, combined with storytelling that really draws you in. The show features a great variety of tricks, each one more mind-bending than the last. I was lucky enough to participate, and I was wowed by the experience. The way Sean read people and got everything right, even on deeply personal things, left the whole audience in shock and awe. The show is more than just magic—it’s about opening your mind and seeing the world differently. Sean’s warmth and humanity shine through his storytelling, making the show feel personal and real. It’s no exaggeration to say this is one of the standout performances at ...
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