Edinburgh Festival Fringe Archives - Page 12 of 13

Twonkey’s Greatest Twitch – Edinburgh Voodoo Rooms (Ballroom)

10Aug

By Roger JacobsNo Comments

Scotland

Twonkey’s Greatest Twitch – Edinburgh Voodoo Rooms (Ballroom)

There will be few Fringe sights this year more unsettling than The Wobbly Waiter, a dismembered, dead-eyed puppet & frying pan fixture, advancing down the aisle… to you. To the strains of the Custard Club song. Except, a short while later, The Ship’s Wheel appeared. The relief in the room was palpable once a woman near the front agreed to take the expensive sausage and two fellows on the left the Huge Red Knickers. Their most intimate adventures successfully described by the mind-reading ship’s appliance (despite one denial), Twonkey returned to the stage to continue something resembling a revue of his greatest moments from the last ten or so years. Nine more than he’d ever envisaged when putting his first show on in 2010. Might’ve been 2011 but everything’s fluid in the Twonkeyverse. ...

Sh!t-faced Shakespeare: Romeo and Juliet – Pleasance at EICC

10Aug

By Beth EltringhamNo Comments

Scotland

Sh!t-faced Shakespeare: Romeo and Juliet – Pleasance at EICC

Two households, both alike in dignity In fair Verona, where we lay our scene, From ancient grudge break to new mutiny, Where civil blood makes civil hands unlean, And booze makes one of the lovers rather quite mean! Shit-faced Shakespeare are at it again, turning another Shakespeare classic into comedy gold as one of our leads is absolutely bladdered. We join a cast of incredible, traditionally trained actors as they put on a condensed version of the well known play Romeo and Juliet, or at least they attempt to do so. Each night a different cast member will increase the difficulty of both their job and their peers by getting drunk, and if the audience doesn’t think them drunk enough more alcohol will simply be provided leaving you with a version of Romeo and Juliet like y...

Little Ward of Horrors – The Space @ Surgeons Hall

10Aug

By Beth EltringhamNo Comments

Scotland

Little Ward of Horrors – The Space @ Surgeons Hall

The idea of Little Ward of Horrors sounds brilliant: a sketch show led by health care students regarding working in the medical field and NHS. Mix in some Little Shop of Horrors songs with the lyrics swapped out to fit the theme and you’ve got yourself the potential for a very funny show. It’s not to say that this humour was not delivered, after all the team had some very funny moments but unfortunately the show did not quite live up to its full potential. The musical side of things really could have worked, there’s some fantastically changed lyrics in there that fit the theme brilliantly, but the delivery of the numbers felt full of nerves and in need of some more showmanship. Other than the members of the team who were playing the live music (very impressively may I add) the mu...

MATES: The Improvised 90s Sitcom – The Space @ Surgeons Hall

10Aug

By Beth EltringhamNo Comments

Scotland

MATES: The Improvised 90s Sitcom – The Space @ Surgeons Hall

MATES is an improvised theatrical performance which takes it’s inspiration from the 90s sitcoms we all know and love. Complete with the over the top characters, stereotypes and of course a New York back drop. Unlike the classic sitcoms this team doesn’t need a laugh track to tell its audience when it’s funny. These three talented performers had the audience laughing from the get go with their charisma and overall likability. Just like the characters from everyone’s favourite sitcoms, this cast are charming, funny and a little goofy at times, you really do feel immediately that you’re amongst a few mates. In this improvised performance the audience choose the name of the episode by shouting out random words or locations for a double bill episode of this amusing sitcom. Once selected t...

Spring Awakening – Greenside @ Riddles Court

10Aug

By Greg HolsteadNo Comments

Scotland

Spring Awakening – Greenside @ Riddles Court

Dynamic Theatre presents the story of the sexual awakening amongst a group of teenagers at a strict religious school in Germany in the late 19th Century. As you might imagine, this requires a delicate directorial touch and sensitive staging approach, all of which Dynamic passed with flying colours. This production also includes scenes of a sexual nature as well as teen suicide, which perhaps could have been better advised by the theatre staff. The singing quality in this production is really excellent as evidenced from the first opening number, Mama Who Bore Me, with some beautiful harmonies. The acting is also particularly strong given the challenging environment that the teenagers find themselves in, repressed and abused by the adults at seemingly every turn. If that all sounds rat...

Crizards: This Means War – Pleasance Dome

10Aug

By Greg HolsteadNo Comments

Scotland

Crizards: This Means War – Pleasance Dome

This was – The funniest show I’ve seen at the Fringe this year! They say you are your own worst enemy… well not during wartime. The UKs lowest energy double act, as they like to call themselves, are back. After a very successful Fringe in 2022 as Cowboys, Will Rowland and Eddy Hare take on the much sillier subject of war. Guitars in hand they strum their way into explaining that whether or not any of this is a good idea, they are going to do it anyway. The classic double act sees the serious Hare try, with mounting frustration to tell the true story (allegedly) of his granddad and the important role he played in winning the war. A fine example of the genre, deadpan Hare and mischievous Rowland, eyes shining, replete with dimpled cheeks and wide grin thinks up ways to parado...

Jon Culshaw: Imposter Syndrome – Debating Hall, Teviot Row House

10Aug

By Greg HolsteadNo Comments

Scotland

Jon Culshaw: Imposter Syndrome – Debating Hall, Teviot Row House

This was – A tour de force by an expert impressionist! Jon Culshaw twice in one day, I am getting spoiled! Earlier on I had the pleasure of reviewing Lena (****) at Assembly, George Square, in which Jon takes the starring role as Hugh Green. And it goes without saying that he was brilliant. They say it takes 10,000 hours to accomplish ‘expert’ status in your chosen field. Jon’s 30+ years as one of the UK’s top impressionists certainly puts him in the expert category, and he shows no sign of slowing down. This brand new show was sure evidence that he is still current, still growing and right at the top of his game. Treating a packed house to a show that spotlights his vast impression library and phenomenal memory for tone and intonation and timing. This may have been expected, what wa...

Gie’s Peace – Scottish Storytelling Centre

10Aug

By Kathleen MansfieldNo Comments

Scotland

Gie’s Peace – Scottish Storytelling Centre

Morna Burdon’s journey through the world of women who have stood against war and made a peaceful difference is not shouting for space in a busy Edinburgh festival. Yet, on this, her first day, she has a full house. The George Mackay Brown Library in the Scottish Storytelling Centre is an apt venue. Burdon has done her research. And she has chosen a tender and funny collection of songs to illustrate the power of peaceful protest. She began with Nancy Nicolson’s Last Carol which alternates between a melancholy chorus of mushroom clouds and heavy water and jaunty verses with the words, merrily, merrily. I instantly warmed to her and to the subject matter. At the end, the audience spontaneously joined her for We Will Overcome. It was very moving. Early on she included a teenager from...

When Judas Met John: Songs of Dylan and Lennon – theSpace @ Surgeons Hall

9Aug

By Amy HolsteadNo Comments

Scotland

When Judas Met John: Songs of Dylan and Lennon – theSpace @ Surgeons Hall

Brothers Broke’s clever show was simple and sweet. Starring two men, two guitars and one harmonica, this show presents the infamous connection between Bob Dylan and John Lennon through short sections of commentary and adapted songs. Whilst the story behind Dylan and Lennon’s affiliation was nothing ground-breaking, it was interesting to hear the brother’s interpretation of comments made by the musicians. Their dissection of lyrics and themes within chosen songs helped to turn a few comments made by two musicians into an engaging story of rivalry and respect. The version of Like a Rolling Song into Dig It was an obvious choice for a mash-up. It began with the classic Dylan track and flowed naturally into the opening lyrics “Like a rolling stone; like a rolling stone; like a rolling s...

The Coil’s Lament – Just the Tonic, The Mash House

9Aug

By Amy HolsteadNo Comments

Scotland

The Coil’s Lament – Just the Tonic, The Mash House

Irish comedian Siomha Hennessy combines storytelling and song in this fast-paced comedy show. This felt like a classic re-telling of womanhood through the lens of Hennessy’s personal experience. However, the familiar subjects of dating, mental health and family dynamic were elevated by Hennessy’s high-quality writing and energetic performance. Also, moments of witty originality, such as the musical number where she impersonated her IUD, were a refreshing surprise. Hennessy also smashed her musical numbers. Her voice was impressive and again the writing was well-done. Comments shared between herself and the on-stage keyboard player added further humour to these musical moments. Also, the way she wrote the keyboard players silent on-stage presence into a few of her jokes was clever an...