Edinburgh Fringe Archives - Page 14 of 16

Joe Wells: I am Autistic – Banshee Labyrinth

8Aug

By Ella CatherallNo Comments

Scotland

Joe Wells: I am Autistic – Banshee Labyrinth

Joe Wells is Autistic. About two years ago, he had a video about Autism go viral online and was unwittingly thrust into the role of Autism Spokesperson. This show is part of his effort to fulfil this job by talking about his experiences as an Autistic person. Whether covering directly Autism-related material, such as the Spectrum 10K debacle, or more standard fare, such as conspiracy theories and Vladimir Putin, Wells is clearly a masterful comic. As well as being just very funny, he has a great stage presence and is incredibly engaging, despite never relying on direct audience engagement, going as far as to have a notice at the beginning saying this won’t be happening. A further indicator of Wells’ mastery of comedy is the balance he’s able to strike between getting the laughs a...

War of the Worlds (On a Budget) – theSpace@Surgeons Hall (Venue No. 53)

7Aug

By Kathleen MansfieldNo Comments

Scotland

War of the Worlds (On a Budget) – theSpace@Surgeons Hall (Venue No. 53)

Guffaw. Chortle. Grin. Giggle. Take your pick. You are guaranteed to leave this show with a Cheshire Cat smile. Lamphouse Theatre’s Tom Fox and Becky Owen-Fisher bring contagious joy and silliness to HG Wells’ War of the Worlds (on a Budget) with songs, dance and incredibly silly physical theatre… oh, and there are delightful homemade props. The child inside will love this infectious, playful condensed classic. There’s a nod to Monty Python’s screechy voiced, Eric Idle, a plethora of characters and a bucket-load of improvisation jokes. The sense of immediacy on stage leads to an anticipation of anything could happen at any time. The urgency is brilliantly uplifting. I loved the match an action to every phrase sequence. It’s a bread-and-butter improvisation game. Here it’s jam on t...

7Aug

By Oliver GigginsNo Comments

Scotland

Comedy Sassafras – Pleasance Courtyard

Hosted by Richard and Greta, alter egos of Nina Conti and Shenoah Allen, Comedy Sassafras is basically a variety show with only a couple of other acts, which change from night to night. As such one imagines the overall feel of the show might be slightly different every time, though the big role played by Richard and Greta and the largely consistent style of the performers suggests that may possibly not be the case. There was a very improvisational and loose feeling to the night, with the audience seemingly relishing the throw-stuff-at-the-wall-and-see-what-sticks approach (the closing number was performed by Richard playing guitar with Greta singing on his shoulders because why not?), even on the occasions when it didn't quite work. The small number of overall acts also contributed t...

Twelfth Night Lite – Paradise in Augustines

7Aug

By Ben PearsonNo Comments

Scotland

Twelfth Night Lite – Paradise in Augustines

Twelfth Night is my favourite Shakespeare play, so, I was intrigued when I came across Twelfth Night Lite, a three-person, hour long version of the show brought to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival by Evoke Productions. How would they tell the at times complicated and weaving plot with so few performers? Overall, I think they did an admirable job at cutting the play so drastically, while still making it easy to follow. The plot was streamlined, focusing on the love triangle between Olivia (Francesca Firman), Viola (Susie Garvey-Williams) and Orsino (Matthew Leigh). Characters including Sir Toby Belch, Feste and Sir Andrew Aguecheek were cut entirely. This, I think, was the weakness of the play. It felt like something was missing. For instance, character arcs were left unresolved, primarily ...

PASH – Gilded Balloon Patter Hoose, Edinburgh

4Aug

By Oliver GigginsNo Comments

Scotland

PASH – Gilded Balloon Patter Hoose, Edinburgh

Seemingly Wholesome Productions PASH is about the bisexual, Max (Olivia McLeod). She is turning twenty-five in a week and, thanks partly to her own idealised and Hollywood-inspired notion of what A First Kiss would feel like, she hasn't had one yet. So, she embarks on a quest to change that before her big quarter-century anniversary, punctuating her chronicles with anecdotes of her friends’ (much earlier) first kisses. The show is parked somewhere between a stand-up set and a monopolylogue, the former because of the “relatable” blurring between character, performer and audience and the latter through its structure, props and use of space, sound and lighting. Because of this, it rests almost entirely on the shoulders of creator / performer Olivia McLeod, who rises to the challenge...

Jeremy Sassoon’s Mojo: Musicians of Jewish Origin – Assembly Checkpoint, Edinburgh

4Aug

By Oliver GigginsNo Comments

Scotland

Jeremy Sassoon’s Mojo: Musicians of Jewish Origin – Assembly Checkpoint, Edinburgh

Following a one week run in the 2021 Fringe, Jeremy Sassoon's Mojo returns this year for a full run. The show tells the story of a 100 years of Jewish songwriting in 75 minutes, from Irving Berlin to Amy Winehouse and beyond, through covers (and anecdotes) of the most iconic of these songs, with vocals and piano by Sassoon; double bass, electric bass, and vocals Nicola Farnon; and drums by Phil Johnson. To a gentile such as myself, it's an eye-opening experience. Even for the artists whose religion one already knows, this isn't necessarily the lens one is used to view them through, and when grouped together their collective impact is impressive, as Sassoon's medley of classic Christmas songs alone plainly demonstrates. The show also fits into a larger narrative, charting the evoluti...

28Jul

By Caroline WorswickNo Comments

NEWS

OCD Me debuts at Edinburgh Fringe 2022

Sure, we all get a bit stressed sometimes. We all feel a bit isolated, ashamed, and terrified; convinced that the minutest of our actions may somehow have catastrophic effects on our loved ones… or is that just me? Sarah was diagnosed with OCD a decade ago. She’s been managing it pretty well, but it’s hard living in a world that tells you to follow your gut when your gut wants you to touch the door handle 64 times. She wants to tell you her story and let you know that there’s much more to it than the stereotypes we see on TV, like obsessive handwashing (though in Sarah’s case that’s definitely part of it). Written and directed by Aisling Smith, OCD Me is a one-woman comedy about living with obsessive compulsive disorder. OCD Me is a semi-autobiographical piece about obsessive comp...

All aboard! Next stop for Leaves on the Line: Edinburgh

28Jul

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

NEWS

All aboard! Next stop for Leaves on the Line: Edinburgh

A new musical makes a stop at the Edinburgh Fringe this August. Set in the confines of a train carriage, Leaves introduces a fresh, vibrant style of songwriting. Witty, self-aware and emotional musical numbers are executed with utter professionalism and heart by the team from DULOG, Durham University’s largest musical theatre company. Evie and Constance, the co-composers and lyricists of Leaves, describe the musical that emerged from pandemic-induced Zoom writing sessions as spotlighting a subject far from the isolation experienced over months – ‘life in all its bustling, chaotic, and at times, highly irritating glory.’ In many ways, they say, ‘the show is a tribute to normality’. In the show’s two-year journey, with a creative team and cast hopping onboard, a workshop, and an upcomi...

World Premiere of Flesh the Musical at Edinburgh Fringe

28Jul

By Caroline WorswickNo Comments

NEWS

World Premiere of Flesh the Musical at Edinburgh Fringe

A Fast, Funny and Furious Musical extravaganza resurrecting the grisly tale of Burke and Hare and their relationship with the Edinburgh Medical Establishment. A tale oft told – but not in this way! Two hundred years on, Surgeon’s Hall is once more the centrepiece for the story of the World’s first serial killers, William Burke and William Hare whose cosy relationship with the City’s prominent surgical anatomist, Dr Robert Knox, brought shame upon Scotland’s capital. John Montgomery, composer of the musical, Deacon Brodie, has aligned his considerable talents with retired QC Derek Batchelor to produce this musical spectacular. With elements of Rock, Ballads and a touch of the Celtic, these catchy tunes and dance routines will have you singing and dancing in the aisles and maybe bri...

‘The Hippie Shakes’ come to Edinburgh Fringe Festival

27Jul

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

NEWS

‘The Hippie Shakes’ come to Edinburgh Fringe Festival

After being showcased at the Soho Theatre in summer 2021 and making its London debut at the Rosemary Branch Theatre, The Hippie Shakes comes to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival as part of a UK tour. The Hippie Shakes is produced by emerging theatre and production company Sweaty Palms Productions and directed by Frankie Regalia. The Hippie Shakes has been awarded a performance bursary and is supported by the Bloomsbury Festival and is part of their official selection for the 2022 festival. The Hippie Shakes is also supported by Creative Scotland. As part of this tour, The Hippie Shakes has been performed at Old Gym Theatre Glasgow and Ventnor Fringe Festival. Based on a true story, this new piece of gig theatre is a distinctly female story of motherhood, survival, and intergeneration...