Assembly Rooms Archives - North West End UK

Of Mice And Men – Drawing Room at Assembly Rooms

26Aug

By Beth EltringhamNo Comments

Scotland

Of Mice And Men – Drawing Room at Assembly Rooms

If like myself you were forced to read the book: Of Mice And Men in school you will already know what tragedy awaits you, but if you are new to the story beware. John Steinbeck’s famous novella takes to the stage this fringe as a 2-man, 1 act play and truly succeeds in capturing the essence of its lead characters Lennie and George. From the get-go we know exactly who these two characters are: George is the man in charge, aggressive and fed up with his life and Lennie is the simpler of the two, a very tall man whose strength is not in his mentally but his unintentional brute. Actors Nigel Miles-Thomas and Michael Roy Andrew successfully bring the opening chapter of the book to life, capturing the harsh yet somewhat loving relationship between these two men. Out of all of the given play t...

The Tao of Lloyd – Drawing Room at Assembly Rooms

23Aug

By Caroline WorswickNo Comments

Scotland

The Tao of Lloyd – Drawing Room at Assembly Rooms

The ‘Still Point Institute’ is holding a three-day immersive meditation, and the closing speaker has cancelled due to…circumstances beyond his control! Enter Lloyd Dobler (Dennis Trainor)…yes, the same Lloyd Dobler played by John Cusack in the 1989 movie ‘Say Anything’. A middle-aged Dobler is flown in to take over the closing speech of the retreat, which hosts high flying people such as Jeff Bezos, and Russell Brand, and Dobler’s spiritual Molotov cocktail could be a fiery brew. We learn that the invitation came from his ex-girlfriend from many years earlier Diane Court, who works for the company Meridian Systems, the creator software for the American government with ICE being one of the departments. If all this was not enough to make him feel uncomfortable, he must talk to...

Mythos: Ragnarök – Assembly Rooms, Music Hall

12Aug

By Beth EltringhamNo Comments

Scotland

Mythos: Ragnarök – Assembly Rooms, Music Hall

The fringe is all about embracing all kinds of art from physical theatre, to spoken word, from historical talks to wrestling…. yup this is a wrestling show but with a twist. Mythos Ragnarok has become a stable of the fringe since it started its journey 5 years ago, and it’s not hard to see why. Being the first of its kind (that we know of), it mixes wrestling, Norse Mythology and storytelling incredibly well. Is all the mythology told in its most correct form? Not quite, but time constraints and the power of theatre allow for a little customization, not to mention the stories were made up to begin with. This show is really a labour of love that has paid off: homemade costumes, an ever adapting and improving script and some excellent performers make up one hell of an entertaining ...

9Aug

By Greg HolsteadNo Comments

Scotland

The Best of Burlesque – Assembly Rooms

There are occasions at the Edinburgh Fringe when sitting in the front row feels like a privilege. There are others like, several minutes into Best of Burlesque, you begin to wonder whether you have made a serious tactical error. You live and learn. The problem is not burlesque. Quite the opposite. Burlesque has enormous theatrical possibilities. It can be funny, provocative, sensual, satirical, beautiful and absurd. There can be character, storytelling and invention in the simple act of appearing on stage and gradually removing what you arrived with. But there has to be an idea. Too often tonight, Best of Burlesque seems to consist of people taking their clothes off to music. There isn't enough artistic interpretation or theatrical imagination to turn the act of undressing ...

Cameron Sinclair Harris: PLANETS!!! – Assembly Rooms

23Aug

By Wendy McEwanNo Comments

Scotland

Cameron Sinclair Harris: PLANETS!!! – Assembly Rooms

What would a planet say if they could speak? For millennia, we have identified extraterrestrial bodies with gods, but maybe it's time to let them speak for themselves. Fortunately for all of us, Cameron Sinclair Harris has travelled extensively throughout our solar system, and they are here at the fringe to present their findings by embodying each planet in turn. Spoiler alert: all the planets are completely insane. Harris smokes a kazoo and wears a bowler hat with a feather in it. “Do you want to be in my band?” they ask. One audience member is given a rattle. Another is instructed to shout out “Boom” whenever Harris points at him. We all sing along to Richard Strauss’s Also Sprach Zarathustra (a.k.a. the theme tune from 2001: A Space Odyssey), with booming sounds provided by ou...

10Aug

By Saira KunjuvalappilNo Comments

Scotland

Beats on Pointe – Assembly Rooms

Beats on Pointe was nothing less than a hypnotic evening, combining the seemingly disparate worlds of hip hop and ballet into a breathtakingly charged performance. From the opening beat, one could sense the energy that pulsed from the stage, and it was obvious that the performers were here to entertain. The choreography on the stage was a masterclass in synchronisation. Every movement, from a beautiful pirouette to a tough breakdance spin, was precision incarnate. The timing of the group was so acute that it felt as if one organism was moving in tune with the rhythm. All this was supported by a soundtrack of timeless, crowd-pleasing numbers that had people tapping their feet along for the better part of the evening. Structurally, the performance was a multi-sectioned work, every ...

6Dec

By Nazaret RaneaNo Comments

Scotland

Swamplesque – Assembly Rooms

The Assembly Rooms on December 5th hosted the return of Swamplesque, a show so gloriously unhinged that it had already obliterated box office records at this year’s Edinburgh Fringe. If you think you’ve seen it all, imagine Shrek in nipple tassels and Donkey gyrating in velour, and then realise: you’ve barely scratched the surface. This ogre-themed burlesque and drag parody manages to toe the line between absurd brilliance and complete insanity. The show dives headfirst into the swamp of pop culture references, pulling out everything from Shrek is Love, Shrek is Life (a segment that will haunt me until I die) to a roller-skating Magic Mirror doing cartwheels to Man in the Mirror. Every number was laced with just enough chaos to keep the audience howling with laughter—or stunned into...

24Aug

By Greg HolsteadNo Comments

Scotland

Sunshine On Leith – Assembly Rooms

A firm Edinburgh favourite, for locals and tourists alike, musical, Sunshine on Leith, set to the original songs of The Proclaimers, always does very well at Fringe time. Last years’ production by the same company, Captivate Theatre, was one of my Fringe highlights. So, I was looking forward to this one, accompanied this time by my musical loving daughter. Following a pair of discharged soldiers, Ally and Davy, as they return home, across Pilrig Street and via Central bar to their beloved Leith, it is a simple romantic tale which initially at least, leans more towards comedy than drama and lets the music do most of the talking. Early highlights, I’m On My way, it's over and done with, and Let’s get Married set the tone, and have the packed crowd chanting along to these uplifting son...

16Aug

By Greg HolsteadNo Comments

Scotland

Dear Billy – Assembly Rooms

Partick, birthplace of comedian, Billy Connelly, back when it was a small countryside village on the outskirts of Glasgow, on the banks of The Clyde, famous for fish and hunting, Aye, it had a hundred chippies and you had to watch out for people with knives! The world and the words of National Treasure, Billy, are brought gloriously to life by multiple Fringe-First winner, Gary McNair, accompanied by the musical talents of Simon Liddell and Jill O’Sullivan. But this is no tribute act, despite the obvious visual similarity between McNair and a young Billy. Instead, it is an array of stories and recollections, of the big man, hilariously voiced and acted by McNair, collected across the length and breadth of Scotland, most humorous, but some surprisingly deeply moving. From his childho...

13Aug

By Kathleen MansfieldNo Comments

Scotland

Don Quixote – Assembly Rooms

Clowning around, Finnish-style (remember they like naked saunas), includes a tiny bit of acrobatic bum exposure and a splash of front bottom gymnastics. So, if bottoms are off the table for you, give this one a miss. However, I liked it. Not the bum cheeks (or the dangly bits) in particular. I liked the whole thing. There was certainly a lot of energy from the two performers, Timo Ruuskanen as Don Quixote and Tuukka Vasama as his side-kick Sancho Panza. Red Nose Company combines physical comedy, live music and witty gags. They create a warm welcome with their painted faces, red curtains and interactive banter. Their commitment to their audience and their story is clear to see. The duo has been on tour since 2008. They perform in four languages: English, Swedish, Spanish and Finni...