Assembly George Square Archives

Call Me Elizabeth: from Burton to Humanitarian – Studio Two at Assembly George Square

27Aug

By Michelle KnightNo Comments

Scotland

Call Me Elizabeth: from Burton to Humanitarian – Studio Two at Assembly George Square

Karla Boye has flown into the Fringe with her part two series of Call Me Elizabeth; From Burton to Humanitarian. It’s 1985, the time when the HIV and AIDS epidemic was becoming a serious medical, social and political concern in the USA. The impact of AIDS affected Gay and bisexual men severely including Hollywood movie stars who were not exempt from the disease. Elizabeth in her privileged position as a movie star wanted to make a difference and raise the profile the AIDS by engaging other stars to support her cause. Ichard The stark relevance of the subject matter moves quickly to her relationship with Richard Burton and they’re on and off-screen relationship of fights, breakups, love and marriage. She narrates from a chair moving slowly to the phone, her drinks trolley and engages...

Mary Mac – Hail Mary: The Tartan Songstress – Assembly George Square

24Aug

By Torya HughesNo Comments

Scotland

Mary Mac – Hail Mary: The Tartan Songstress – Assembly George Square

Scotland’s very own drag superstar, Mary Mac, makes her debut at the Edinburgh Fringe this year. Blending gentle comedy and song, this is a fun hour with a home-grown talent. Born and raised in Glasgow, Mary Mac takes her drag name from her mother. Originally trained as a musical theatre performer, she has now been doing drag for the past 16yrs, and her experience shows in her stage presence and confidence. She normally spends a lot of her time on cruise ships and peppers the evening with stories of life on board. Her CV is impressive – taking on roles in La Cage Aux Follies and Everybody’s Talking About Jamie, as well as supporting Bianca Del Rio and appearing in panto. This musical theatre experience is evident in her vocal talents. There’s a very funny Cher impression, ...

Jody Kamali: This Is My Dad – Assembly George Square

23Aug

By Caroline WorswickNo Comments

Scotland

Jody Kamali: This Is My Dad – Assembly George Square

‘This is My Dad’ is a son’s reflection on his father’s life, and the man that he knew…or did he? Jody Kamali plays himself, the son of his Iranian father who died on the 29th October 2024, at a barbecue. And this is the first thing that we see as we enter The Crate, his father is hosting a barbecue, but he needs help. Kamali immediately engages the audience by including them in the preparations of the food, this inclusion is one of the recipes for the success of this show. Kamali’s father talks to the audience as though he were in his neighbourhood bar or cafe chatting to the locals, and from how Kamali presented his father, I can imagine that he had the ‘gift of the gab’ as they say. As the play progresses, it becomes apparent that the process of devel...

Yuck Circus: Naughties – Assembly George Sq.

23Aug

By Greg HolsteadNo Comments

Scotland

Yuck Circus: Naughties – Assembly George Sq.

I was probably doubly outside the target demographic for Naughties. I wasn't a teenage girl in the noughties, indeed I wasn't a teenager at all, but you don't necessarily need to have spent the decade clutching a flip phone and listening to Britney Spears to appreciate what Australian company YUCK Circus does here. The Palais du Variété is an excellent venue for this. A runway pushes deep into the centre of the lofty tent, while the considerable height above provides an ideal playground for the aerial work. Having previously endured the rather laddish Stamptown in this same space, Naughties proved a considerable improvement. Five women showed how this sort of circus cabaret can be done, with skill, personality and, appropriately enough, plenty of girl power....

17Aug

By Greg HolsteadNo Comments

Scotland

Stamptown – Assembly George Square

Ten years at the Edinburgh Fringe makes Stamptown something of an institution. The problem, perhaps, is that alternative comedy is supposed to kick against institutions, not become one. This particular institution has, sadly, aged like milk. Created and hosted by Zach Zucker, Stamptown has built its reputation on chaos, unpredictability and giving unconventional performers a platform. Here, however, Zucker seemed remarkably reluctant to surrender that platform to anybody else. He was onstage for an extraordinary amount of the evening. At some point, you rather wished he would move over and let the acts on. Unfortunately, when they arrived, they weren't particularly strong either. The notable exception was aerialist Donna Carnow, unquestionably the highlight of the...

Sexy Circus Sideshow 3.0 – Piccolo Assembly George Square

15Aug

By Greg HolsteadNo Comments

Scotland

Sexy Circus Sideshow 3.0 – Piccolo Assembly George Square

Having been rather underwhelmed by my previous excursion into burlesque at this year's Fringe, I am pleased to report that Sexy Circus Sideshow 3.0 is a considerable improvement. Perhaps the clue is in the title. This is less a burlesque show with circus attached than a late night circus and variety show which happens to have rather fewer clothes than usual. And that distinction matters. The International Fringe Burlesque Festival is new to Edinburgh this year, bringing more than 100 international artists together across five daily shows. Sexy Circus Sideshow 3.0, playing at the Piccolo tent in George Square Gardens, is its most ambitious offering, and certainly the most entertaining I have encountered so far. What works is that the entertainment comes first....

Vibhinna Ramdev: Why English? – Assembly George Square

14Aug

By Ella BeckleyNo Comments

Scotland

Vibhinna Ramdev: Why English? – Assembly George Square

Vibhinna Ramdev is an entrancing actor, pulling audiences into her life as she toils with questions of identity, belonging and connection to community. Having toured versions of the show at Adelaide and Stockholm Fringe, she graces the stage of Edinburgh Fringe this year. Ramdev explores her constantly evolving relationship with language. Her upper-middle class upbringing in India gave her the privilege of fluent English, but at what cost? She unpacks her persistent feeling of not belonging in her own country, and disconnection from the cultures she was born into. &...

Reuben Kaye: Hard to Swallow – Assembly George Square

14Aug

By Torya HughesNo Comments

Scotland

Reuben Kaye: Hard to Swallow – Assembly George Square

Cabaret superstar Reuben Kaye returns to the Fringe with his new show, a whirlwind of political comedy, powerhouse vocals and glittery costumes. Previous shows have experienced sell-out runs and award wins, and this year seems to be no different, with the Palais du Variete packed out on a Wednesday evening. Kaye tells the story of how he was hospitalised with exhaustion after almost 300 performances as King Herod in an Australian tour of Jesus Christ Superstar, but there is no sign of this on stage. He commands the room, knowing exactly when to pause for effect or wait for a joke to land. There are several moments where he flutters his false lashes and enjoys the ripples of laughter, in total control of the energy in the theatre. Kaye’s style of comedy cabaret is famously outrageous...

Skank Sinatra: How to Succeed in Show Business Without Really Trying – Underground at Assembly George Square Studios

10Aug

By Torya HughesNo Comments

Scotland

Skank Sinatra: How to Succeed in Show Business Without Really Trying – Underground at Assembly George Square Studios

Drawing inspiration from the title of his show, Jens Radda certainly succeeds in show business and manages to make it look mostly effortless. Performing as his drag alter-ego Skank Sinatra, the multi-lingual Radda delivers a masterclass in show business. The lessons are simple – be the director, diversify your portfolio, and always read the script before making any commitments. This is a new show from Radda, meaning that there are a few rough edges, however he more than makes up for this with his stage presence. Mixing crowd work with comedy and song, the show tells his story as a boy growing up in South Africa who had one very important ambition – to play Eva Peron. The songs are a clever mix of original music and arrangements of familiar musical classics, with the edited lyrics co...

Jessie Nixon: Don’t make me regret this! – The Crate, Assembly George Square

24Aug

By Ross MackieNo Comments

Scotland

Jessie Nixon: Don’t make me regret this! – The Crate, Assembly George Square

"Jessie Nixon's 'Don't Make Me Regret This' is a masterclass in comedic storytelling. This is her debut fringe show, and Jessie was making the most of this opportunity. From the moment she burst onto the stage, Nixon had the audience captivated with her razor-sharp wit and unapologetic humour. Her relatable anecdotes and clever observations, occasionally dark ones, on everyday life had the audience nodding in agreement. One of the standout aspects of Nixon's show is her ability to tackle sensitive topics with ease and abandonment. She fearlessly addresses topics like relationships on social media, body image, and aging, making light of the struggles and absurdities that come with each. Her confidence and charisma on stage are infectious, and she has a way of making everyone fe...