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As You Like It – Shakespeare North Playhouse

16Aug

By Jo TillotsonNo Comments

North West

As You Like It – Shakespeare North Playhouse

'As You Like It' - one of William Shakespeare's many comedies - is ultimately a story of love: what it means to be in love and how to find your true love. Of course, as in many of the Bard's works, the course of true love never runs smooth, and this play is no different. The lovers here have to navigate banishment from their homes, hidden identities and burning jealousy in order to see the way through the trees and find their way to what they really want. In this particular production, the players also had to battle through the lack of rehearsal, the absence of a set, and minimal props and costumes, as well as the elements in the Sir Ken Dodd Performance Garden; with only the support of the book-holder to prompt lines and missed cues. For this is Shakespeare, but not as you know ...

William Kite Has Memory Issues – Paradise in the Vault

16Aug

By Gill LewisNo Comments

Scotland

William Kite Has Memory Issues – Paradise in the Vault

With an ageing population, it is becoming more likely that your life will be, or has been touched by a diagnosis of Dementia. You’ll have experienced first-hand, its ripple effect on all the lives it leaves an impression on. For the affected individual, the advocacy provided by family and friends is paramount to ensure that they’re receiving the care they need, and that they’re kept safe and feel supported. Dottyb / Robot Parrot Productions present a snapshot of the barriers faced by advocates in seeking the necessary assessments and appointments for their loved ones. Such as the long wait times on the phone, lack of communication between agencies, feeling at a loss with all the various barriers, feeling powerless as their loved one’s care needs slowly increase as the disease tak...

16Aug

By Gill LewisNo Comments

Scotland

Stuffed – Pleasance Courtyard

It’s already been said, but when is it going to change? This call to action becomes even more frantic, accompanied by pounding heavy synth beats which pulsate with the warning of arson on a national scale. Multi award winning Ugly Bucket Theatre are back with ‘the bad stuff’, and a heavy sprinkling of macabre comic relief. Its feasible that foodbanks could soon set to become one of the biggest industries in the UK as it establishes itself as a permanent fixture in communities. Notably for those people in the bottom 25%. The demand has grown at a phenomenal rate and doesn’t show any signs of slowing down with more people than ever having no choice but to access this support. Ugly Bucket use a range of mime and clowning, playfully creating nightmarish sequences which highlig...

Christopher Hall: Girl For All Seasons – Gilded Balloon

16Aug

By Gill LewisNo Comments

Scotland

Christopher Hall: Girl For All Seasons – Gilded Balloon

A celebration and salute to all the women who have made an impact on Christopher’s life, and no doubt, have helped shape his funny bones into the stellar comedian he is today. An hour just isn’t long enough to spend with Christopher, his natural warmth and cheeky quips are laugh out loud funny. Oozing natural charisma and charming flamboyance, he glides around the stage with vivaciousness, throwing in spunky one liners and cheeky observations. From navigating a ‘Eat, Pray, Love’ moment of soul searching with a potential sexual conquest, to his own ‘Live, Laugh, Love’ epiphany. Christopher takes us through his younger days and beyond with stories and recollections which are extremely funny and relatable. Reminding those of us over a certain age that the ability to measure someone’...

16Aug

By Gill LewisNo Comments

Scotland

Addict – theSpace on the Mile

This new piece of writing hooks you in to the addictive dark side of social media use. Where the line between what’s virtual and real, can disappear within the space of 174 characters of a simple Tweet. Written by Tony Voller, Addict is structured and based around the five stages of addiction which demonstrates the psychological impact and behavioral changes as addiction takes hold. In this case, triggering a freefalling snowball effect of when reality is blurred upon the creation of an online alter ego. Likeable Paramedic John unexpectedly becomes a Twitter sensation after a tweet challenging a misogynistic comment made against a female MP goes viral, turning John into an overnight hero. Amongst all the likes and comments is the expected attacks from trolls who ma...

44 Sex Acts in One Week – Pleasance Dome

16Aug

By Gill LewisNo Comments

Scotland

44 Sex Acts in One Week – Pleasance Dome

Hilariously bonkers and face aching funny. A squelchy take on the classic radio play. There’s no room for blushes in this deliciously naughty apocalyptic rom-com. Smutty sex guru Malaine Guttierez suggests that she may be in the possession of some seriously strong pelvic floor muscles by recommending that we ‘grab life by the clunge’, and have as much sex as we possibly can, all we need to do is buy her new book, ‘The 44 Sex Acts that will change your life!’. We’re sold! Guttierez’s hardcopy ends up on the desk of budding journalist Celina, working at the magazine ‘She Squad, and fed up of writing mindless clickbait articles (including a hologram baby announcing its own death). Struggling to pay her rent, and with her precious ‘serious’ writing held to ransom by her dominee...

The Red Room – Greenside @ Riddles Court

15Aug

By Oliver GigginsNo Comments

Scotland

The Red Room – Greenside @ Riddles Court

The infamous red room of Lorraine Castle is said to be haunted and has seen the deaths of several people. But our protagonist (Ellie Ball) is a sceptic and, despite the warnings from the 3 castle inhabitants, has decided to spend the night in the room, alone. Or is she...? The Red Room was adapted from a story by HG Wells (writer of The War of The Worlds, The Invisible Man, and The Time Machine, amongst others) by the performer's sister Charlotte Ball. It's told entirely from the point of view of the protagonist and on that single night (with a few semi-flashbacks through tellings of what happened to previous occupants), with only the performer, a torch and a covered mirror in the corner. Ball is an energetic and likable performer, bringing both urgency and the occasional moment ...

Stepping Out – Inverleith St Serf’s Church Centre

15Aug

By Wendy McEwanNo Comments

Scotland

Stepping Out – Inverleith St Serf’s Church Centre

Mavis (Sophie Williamson) teaches a weekly tap class in a church hall. Most students are rather uncoordinated, but they have fun anyway. Then they are invited to perform at a local gala. Will they be ready in time for the big day? Stepping Out, written by Richard Harris, has a lot going for it as a community theatre production. It has a mostly female ensemble cast and is, itself, about a community group preparing for a performance. The excellent cast have some great lines to play with, but I think the script does have some flaws. There are some hilarious moments, with one liners such as a pointed “You know, I used to be fat…” and “Just pretend. Like you do with your husband.” It feels a lot like an old-fashioned sitcom. I enjoyed the build-up to the final dance scene, where the c...

Mary: A Gig Theatre Show – theSpace @ Symposium Hall

15Aug

By Greg HolsteadNo Comments

Scotland

Mary: A Gig Theatre Show – theSpace @ Symposium Hall

Ahhh! The youthful enthusiasm approach! Recently graduated from QMU, Rona Johnston, writer and lead performer, gathers her (5) Marys to tell the story of Mary Stewart, Queen of Scots. The 6 young ladies squeeze onto the tiny stage, smirking, impetuous and ready. With a strong feminist thread and music at its heart and a SOLD OUT run, this feels close to being a hit! But SIX this is not. Not yet! Through a mixture of verse and song we follow Mary and her inner circle (known as her Marys) from France to Scotland and on to London and her ultimate demise. It is a strong story which lends itself to performance. Eight songs (soon to be released on Spotify) light up the production, ranging from Celtic ballads to grunge-rock anthems. Alli Von Hirschberg on electric lead guitar is a star ...

The Kate Bush Story – theSpace @ Surgeons’ Hall

15Aug

By Greg HolsteadNo Comments

Scotland

The Kate Bush Story – theSpace @ Surgeons’ Hall

I took my seat at this one slightly concerned for the welfare of the singer. Would she try to be like Bush and fail, or try to be like Bush, but just be a parody or mimic, affecting a false voice (the worst of all options!), or just try not to be like Bush at all? The whole premise of the show seems like a bear-trap. After all, who can compare to the incomparable Bush, sing the unsingable songs, or be the unbearable complexity that is Kate. The first two intro songs of Hounds of Love and Wuthering Heights do nothing to quell my concerns. Thank God therefore for The Man With the Child In His Eyes, which sees Richards sitting down on keyboard, calm the hell down, and channel the essence of Kate for the first time with a sensitive and beautiful interpretation. Brilliant! The wonderf...