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Titanic: The Last Hero and The Last Coward – Church Sanctuary at Palmerston Place Church

19Aug

By Oliver GigginsNo Comments

Scotland

Titanic: The Last Hero and The Last Coward – Church Sanctuary at Palmerston Place Church

The titular “Last Hero” and “Last Coward” are Scottish pastor John Harper and White Star Line director Joseph Bruce Ismay. Both were passengers on the Titanic and acquired their own legend from it. Harper, the story goes, was the courageous man of faith who apparently converted people even in the freezing water; and Ismay the coward who sank the ship with his desire to make the ship famous for her speed, surviving only by taking a place in a lifeboat that didn't belong to him. The truth is obviously more complicated, and Searchlight Theatre's show (one of eight they are putting on this Fringe) brings the two men together rather than in juxtaposition, as men navigating (pardon the pun) family, society and each other. Ismay is not judged for his actions, and Harper is not made a stick to ...

Jeeves Takes Charge – Charing Cross Theatre

19Aug

By Charlotte MansfieldNo Comments

London

Jeeves Takes Charge – Charing Cross Theatre

A comedy of manners from a by-gone era, Jeeves Takes Charge is a highly enjoyable two hours in the company of P.G. Wodehouse's famous duo. Jeeves and Wooster are brought to life by Sam Harrison, who has the daunting task of playing both, as well as a host of other characters, from a schoolgirl to a doddering uncle, in this fast-paced one-man show. Written and performed first in 1980, the play is a collection of Wodehouse's short stories, one of them from Jeeves' perspective, showing some of the ridiculous situations that Bertie finds himself in. In Wodehouse's world, women are either fickle or domineering and men are boorish or inept, and no one is more incompetent than Bertie Wooster. Fortunately, he has a remarkable valet, Jeeves, to get him out of trouble. Co-creator of the show, ...

An Immigrant’s Comedy Show – Hoots @ Nicolson Square

19Aug

By David NicaudieNo Comments

Scotland

An Immigrant’s Comedy Show – Hoots @ Nicolson Square

Like the demographic of Edinburgh itself, An Immigrant’s Comedy Show brings together a colourful mix of comedians from across the world, alongside some home-grown talent. The premise is straightforward: to provide a platform for immigrant comedians to perform alongside one another. While the title accurately reflects the backgrounds of many of the performers, I did not feel this was particularly reflected in the material, as the jokes were rarely specific to the immigrant experience. The show fittingly takes place at the Methodist Church on Nicholson Square, an intimate venue in the cultural heart of Edinburgh. The relatively small space is well suited to comedy, creating an environment where performers can easily engage with the audience. It seemed particularly appropriate for a sh...

Absolutely! One-Liner Jokes! – Braw Venues @ Grand Lodge

19Aug

By David NicaudieNo Comments

Scotland

Absolutely! One-Liner Jokes! – Braw Venues @ Grand Lodge

Slow and relaxed aptly describes this hour of comedy from Kevin O’Brian. Absolutely! One-Liner Jokes! explores some of the most important aspects of life, from family and relationships to jobs and hobbies, or, as Kevin puts it, “jobbies”. Aptly named, the show delivers exactly what it promises: a simple hour of contextualised one-liners, delivered one after another, gradually building a narrative around each of these fundamental aspects of life. Located in the Committee Room at 96 George Street, the historic setting felt perfectly suited to the pace and atmosphere of the show. Whether it was because of the 22:00 start time or simply the fact that it was a Monday night, the audience appeared to skew towards an older demographic, with the average age seemingly around 65. However, this...

19Aug

By Greg HolsteadNo Comments

Scotland

Pervert Werewolf – Banshee Labyrinth

There comes a point late enough at the Edinburgh Fringe when the normal rules of theatre begin to loosen. At 11.25pm, down in the Banshee Labyrinth, Pervert Werewolf positively encourages them to fall off altogether. You may know the party game Werewolf, or you may not. In its simplest form, everyone is assigned a secret identity. Most are innocent villagers, while hidden amongst them are werewolves who quietly pick off their neighbours during the night. By day, everyone wakes up, argues, accuses, lies, defends themselves and eventually votes on who they think the werewolves might be. Then everyone closes their eyes and night falls again. Pervert Werewolf takes that familiar structure and adds, well, a pervert. The result is essentially Werewolf afte...

19Aug

By Greg HolsteadNo Comments

Scotland

A Better Memory – Pleasance Courtyard

There can hardly be two more different approaches to AI and bereavement at this year's Fringe than An Echo in the Void and A Better Memory. Intriguingly, you can see them almost back to back, and as a theatrical double bill they make fascinating companions. Where An Echo in the Void throws us headlong into the Matrix, asking us to grapple with neural networks, alternative realities and a future where 1.5 billion people have effectively disappeared inside an artificial world, A Better Memory brings everything back home. Literally. Ihsan Kerr's new play is less psychological thriller than homespun domestic drama. Eleanor, played by Lubna Kerr, is a widow living with an Alexa-like device containing an AI reconstruction of her dead husband Harold, pla...

19Aug

By Greg HolsteadNo Comments

Scotland

An Echo In the Void – Assembly Roxy

An Echo in the Void takes a little working out. Unless you have read the programme blurb beforehand, but even then, you may spend much of the opening trying to establish exactly where you are and what the rules of this strange new world might be. So perhaps I can do something the production itself rather fails to do. We are in the future. Sanctuary is an AI programme originally created to help people deal with grief and loss. With some 1.5 billion people apparently using the system, however, something designed as therapy has developed into something considerably more powerful, and potentially more troubling. The really clever idea here is that Sanctuary isn't actually creating your alternative reality. You are. The smells, sounds, images and sensations already exist wi...

19Aug

By Abigail PendleburyNo Comments

North West

Mean Girls – Winter Gardens Blackpool

Mean Girls the Musical is a sensational, high-energy production that delivers everything you could hope for in a modern day musical, with its sharp humour, outstanding performances and visual style, it radiates energy from start to finish, creating a relatable story that audiences can connect with. This is a show that feels both fresh and faithful to the original story, and the Winter Gardens provides the perfect backdrop for such a vibrant, fast‑paced production it’s rare to see a production that balances comedy, heart and contemporary storytelling so seamlessly, but this one achieves it with style. One of the standout strengths of this production is the cast, who bring enormous personality and precision to every moment. Vivian Panka commands the stage as Regina George with a remarkabl...

Jeeves and Wooster: Stiff Upper Lip – Actors’ Church

19Aug

By Carole GordonNo Comments

London

Jeeves and Wooster: Stiff Upper Lip – Actors’ Church

Is it possible to take a P G Wodehouse novel featuring his iconic characters and bring it to the stage with the silliness and farce turned up to eleven? Apparently, it is, if Oliver Stockley's adaptation of "Jeeves and Wooster in Stiff Upper Lip, Jeeves" is anything to go by. Stockley also directs the troupe of four performers in a show so fast-paced and full of laughs that it's a sheer delight to watch. The four players, Shaun Mendum (Wooster), Scott Slocombe (Jeeves/Sir Watkyn Bassett), Chioma Uma (Emerald/Rev Pinker), and Lowenna Morgelyn (Gussie Fink-Nottle/Madeline Bassett/Aunt Dahlia) romp through the story, shifting effortlessly between personas, playing instruments, and singing, all with perfect comic timing. The plot is a riot of misplaced relationships, a possibly curs...

19Aug

By Nazaret RaneaNo Comments

Scotland

corto.alto – The Hub

corto.alto was easily one of my top acts at this year’s Edinburgh International Festival. I’ve listened to Liam Shortall’s work for a while, but this was my first time seeing corto.alto live, and it was a seriously good introduction to the project in its live form. Shortall is the creative force behind corto.alto, with the live lineup changing around him. For this performance, he was joined by Mateusz Sobieski on saxophone, Fergus McCreadie on keys, James Mackay on guitar and Graham Costello on drums. The chemistry between the five was one of the best things about the set. They were constantly exchanging looks and cues, which became almost as interesting to watch as the playing itself. The set was only around an hour and fifteen minutes, but it was packed. There was a lot of room for...