Edinburgh Fringe Archives - North West End UK

Lorna Rose Treen: 24 Hour Diner People – Soho Theatre

10Sep

By Eleanor HallNo Comments

London

Lorna Rose Treen: 24 Hour Diner People – Soho Theatre

Fresh from a run at Edinburgh Fringe at Pleasance, Lorna Rose Treen is an agile one-woman show, consistently humorous and wonderfully well-rounded. Belly laughs are a guarantee at this Diner! Opening with an original song, akin to a Studio Ghibli tune, Treen takes us on a masterclass in audience interaction, perfectly integrated within the show and the narrative. Even where playing with the audience was at its riskiest (with one audience member being asked to read lines for several scenes) Treen did not drop the ball once. The spirit of madness is infused into this show, from a poem underscored by ratatouille soundtrack, to the ridiculously long-limbed trucker, to the pre-show mock menu offering a taste of what’s to come. Each character inhabiting the diner is joined up to the ne...

27Aug

By Jessie MartinNo Comments

Scotland

Sweeney Todd – The Famous Spiegeltent

As part of their nine-show lineup at this year's Edinburgh Fringe, Captivate Theatre brings their rendition of Sondheim’s magnum opus Sweeney Todd to The Famous Spiegeltent in St Andrews Square. Humorous and gritty, the in-the-round set-up of The Spiegeltent added a voyeuristic, sinister energy to the production as the cast prowled through the audience, spying on as the action played out. Captivate’s prominence in the Edinburgh amateur theatre scene guarantees a production of consistency and talent, with Sweeney Todd certainly keeping in line with this expectation. Unfortunately for me, I was rather distracted throughout the performance as having arrived later than the general audience, I found myself dejected to a stool rather than a seat - a stool with a mirrored pilla...

Uncle Barry’s Birthday Party – Muse at Braw Venues @ Hill Street

12Aug

By Jessie MartinNo Comments

Scotland

Uncle Barry’s Birthday Party – Muse at Braw Venues @ Hill Street

It’s Uncle Barry’s birthday this week at the Edinburgh Fringe, but please don’t tell him - it’s a surprise! Everyone is invited to Braw Venues where the scene is set with party hats, a DJ, and a mandatory conga line. This immersive experience is probably the introvert’s worst nightmare as the whole night we make small talk - the more we talk, the more everyone realises Barry is not who he seems… Some people I spoke extensively to, and some people I didn’t speak to at all. But the strange thing is, each person had a wildly different take on Barry’s life and his character, leading to rising tensions and gossip amongst the group - does anyone really know Barry? As I entered the party I was greeted by Mimi (Mia Foster) who promptly offered me a shot, proceeding t...

Betty Grumble’s Enemies of Grooviness Eat Sh!t – Assembly Roxy

10Aug

By Torya HughesNo Comments

Scotland

Betty Grumble’s Enemies of Grooviness Eat Sh!t – Assembly Roxy

Performance artist, sex clown and ecosexual Emma Maye Gibson returns to the Edinburgh Fringe with a new show which she describes as a "composting" of herself. Merging dance, live music and bold physicality, Gibson explores themes of domestic violence, justice and grief with a characteristic intensity and humour. Gibson's previous Fringe performances have been in character as her drag alter ego Betty Grumble. This time, Betty is a mask and an outlandish mutant wig that can be donned by Gibson or her assistant Craig, an outward display of bravado that hides the human vulnerability within. However, Gibson becomes truly vulnerable on the stage tonight, literally baring all in a physical sense, but also emotionally. She relates her experience of taking an abuser to court, and being dismi...

8Aug

By Jessie MartinNo Comments

Scotland

Inertia – Dovecot Studios

Ragana Productions paints us a picture of one woman’s post-Soviet life in Inertia at the Edinburgh Fringe. Having lived her life under the thumb of male domination, we see the ways in which Frida (played by Ola Olsinova) is haunted by her traumas, and how they reflect on those around her following the suicide of her abusive husband. Written and directed by Trudy Kalvynaité, this is a dreamy and wistful play filled with generational rage and sadness. Olsinova delivers a strong and complex character, showing us both the gentle, caring side of Frida, but also the unpredictable, wounded woman who is stuck in her past. Supporting Frida is Marta (played by Daiva Malina) — Frida’s best friend and confidante, who stays by her side even in Frida’s most vicious moments. Malina’s performance is an...

Bare: A Pop Opera – Alba Theatre at Braw Venues @ Hill Street

2Aug

By Jessie MartinNo Comments

Scotland

Bare: A Pop Opera – Alba Theatre at Braw Venues @ Hill Street

As part of their stacked lineup of shows for the Edinburgh Fringe, Edinburgh Little Theatre presents Bare: A Pop Opera. Set in Catholic boarding school St Cecilia’s, the musical follows the journey of the school’s pupils as they grapple with the complexities of relationships, sexuality, and faith. At its core is the secret relationship between Jason (played by Josh McPherson) and Peter (played by Callan Paterson). Peter is ready to be open about their love, while Jason wants to keep it hidden—thus sparking the central conflict. The musical itself is a rollercoaster, complete with surreal and striking moments like Mother Mary appearing in a fever dream as Dolly Parton, simulated sex on stage, and a subplot involving teenage pregnancy. While Bare tackles extremely heavy themes, includ...

A Cold Day in Hell – Greenside @ George Street

2Aug

By Dylan MooneyNo Comments

Scotland

A Cold Day in Hell – Greenside @ George Street

A Cold Day in Hell is brought to Edinburgh from Armenia by the Armenian State Song Theatre. Written by Jan Quackenbush and directed by Hrach Keshisyan, this emotional one-man show tells the story of Charlie, whose wife was involved in a car accident, placing her into a coma. The story picks up 6 months after the event as we see Charlie navigate his grief and anger at the world. He turns on a video camera, intending to confess to a final act - switching off his wife’s life support machine and then ending his own life. However, with so many thoughts and complications in his head, will he ever go through with it? Nerses Avetisyan plays Charlie with fantastic, never-failing energy throughout the play’s entirety. From a powerful movement sequence at the show’s opening to gritty text, del...

2Aug

By Jessie MartinNo Comments

Scotland

Summer Fling – theSpace @ Niddry Street

Student Theatre at Glasgow brings their satirical and raunchy rendition of ITV’s hit reality show Love Island to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Summer Fling, written and directed by Grace Donaldson, follows the journey of four Love Island contestants navigating their morality and sexuality as they compete to win the grand prize of £100,000, not to mention the highly sought after fast-fashion brand deal. This play highlights the social concerns and qualms surrounding reality television in a brassy but intelligent approach. Following the success of STAG’s 2024 fringe show, Lads of the Flies (also written and directed by Donaldson), it’s clear that STAG and their audiences hold great appreciation for Donaldson’s quick-wit and playful direction. Lola Gibbons (playing Ma...

Midnight at the Palace – Guilded Balloon, Patter House

31Jul

By Greg HolsteadNo Comments

Scotland

Midnight at the Palace – Guilded Balloon, Patter House

My first show of the gauntlet, the scrum, the gladiatorial fight to the death that is the Edinburgh Fringe, kicks off with a world Premier, Midnight at the Palace. An energetic and at times engaging musical, a reimagining of the true story of The Cockettes, a posse of counter-culture glitter-bearded drag queens who took San Francisco by storm in the sixties. Rallying against discrimination at home and unwanted wars overseas, writers Brandon James Gwinnett and Rae Binstock set words to the flower power revolution powered by drugs and free love that drove The Cockettes all the way to the big apple where it all came to a messy end in the early seventies. The talented 8-strong cast from across the pond provide plenty to see and hear, with excellent live keyboard accompaniment, and some ...

29May

By NewsdeskNo Comments

NEWS

Join Us For Edinburgh Fringe 2025

North West End UK are once again heading to Edinburgh for this year’s Fringe festival from the 1st – 25th August and we are looking for additional reviewers to help us cover as many shows as possible in 2025. Could this be you? 2024 saw us review in excess of 200 performances across the many venues hosting the annual event and we want to do even more this year. Previous experience is not required, but we will ask you to submit an ‘audition’ piece in advance of the festival in order for us to establish your ability to construct a review. Due to the nature of the festival, we request reviews to be submitted to our editorial team within 24 hours of attending a show and we will provide full details on how to make your submissions and the format they should be written in. There is ...