Festival Theatre Archives - North West End UK

Pricilla Queen Of The Desert – Edinburgh Festival Theatre

13Mar

By Beth EltringhamNo Comments

Scotland

Pricilla Queen Of The Desert – Edinburgh Festival Theatre

Pricilla Queen Of The Desert is a campy and energetic story of self-acceptance, queer love and learning that whilst not everyone will like or get you, the ones who do are the most important. We follow three drag performers as they travel from Sydney to Alice in order to perform an important gig for Anthony’s wife. Here we get all the fun bickerings of a group of drag queens as well as a not so nice look into the stigmas and hate that comes within the role. It’s not all glitz and glamour and between all the catchy musical numbers (and there’s a lot) we can find an insight into the troubles of those within the drag scene, from transphobic comments to parental struggles and even violence. Our cast is headed by the wonderful Greg McCafferty playing the role of Tick, a character strugglin...

The Makropulos Affair – Festival Theatre

2Mar

By Kathleen MansfieldNo Comments

Scotland

The Makropulos Affair – Festival Theatre

As ever, Scottish Opera delivers sumptuous sets, great lighting, singers who can act, and a wonderful orchestra that never disappoints, but this English rendition of The Makropulos Affair, by Leoš Janàček jarred my senses with its modern-day, casual lexicon. Words, such as F*ck somehow don’t marry comfortably with the impassioned, heightened music and traditional, elegant, and beautiful costumes. It was, no doubt, a deliberate choice. Creating a grating cacophonous lexicon - the use of brutal Viking words rather than those of Latin derivatives gives the opera an earthy groundedness - and caused me a headache. I wanted to lose my sense of reality for an hour or two. I was denied the option. Single syllables and short sentences (translation by David Pountney) reflect the sheer en...

27Jan

By Roger JacobsNo Comments

Scotland

Mary Poppins – Festival Theatre

In P.L. Travers’s book, ‘tossed and bent under the wind’, Mary is thrown ‘bag and all, at the front door’ by an east wind, at which ‘the whole house shook’. Here (as in the film), despite the proximity of Storm Eowyn, her arrival and appearance are ‘practically perfect’*, all spit-spot and efficiency. Which pretty much describes this abundant sweetshop of a production; it dazzled, shone, all slick, gloss and polish, which, given its producers (the hyper-successful Cameron Mackintosh and Disney Theatrical Group), was not surprising. Which can be an issue with these huge shows where the creative team includes no less than two responsible for ‘set design adaptation’ and two whose remit is ‘illusions’. Technically, everything (and the kitchen sink) is thrown in, from small prop details like...

11Jan

By Kathleen MansfieldNo Comments

Scotland

The Nutcracker – Festival Theatre

Familiarity, surprise and a sumptuously sparkling set from Lez Brotherston: that’s Scottish Ballet’s The Nutcracker. It's a wonderful escape on a sub-zero evening. The orchestra is superb and Daniel Parkinson’s musicians deliver Tchaikovsky’s score with aplomb and tenderness in turn. The corp de ballet and the principals effortlessly float and gracefully swirl as if the demanding choreography were simple. The layered, cosy set is like a warm hug. It draws you in and cradles you in its dreamworld. Within this cocoon, enjoy the antics of dizzy old Aunts, the swish of crinoline and the magic of Christmas presents, friends and family before transitioning to Clara’s dreamworld. Photo: Andy Ross Lighting by George Thomson adds greatly. Set, lighting and costumes support and showca...

27Nov

By Kathleen MansfieldNo Comments

Scotland

Cinderella – Festival Theatre Edinburgh

Yes, Sir, you can boo me - oh no, you can’t and all that jazz … Cinderella at the Festival Theatre is a feast for the eyes and a laugh-a-minute musical extravaganza. Featuring wicked stepmother, Grant Stott, endearing Fairy May (Allan Stewart), Jordan Young as a brilliant Buttons, Clare Gray and Gail Watson as Vindicta and Manipulata Fortuna, Amber Sylvia Edwards as Cinderella, Will Callan and his beautiful voice as Prince Charming and Iain Stuart Robertson as Baron Hardup, this line-up is a sure-fire hit. What a team! They delivered a fantastic evening’s distraction for the people of Edinburgh and beyond. The audience participation was wonderfully entertaining in the safe hands of Allan Stewart and the surprise elements were magical. The writing was a collaborative affair. It wa...

14Nov

By Nazaret RaneaNo Comments

Scotland

Albert Herring – Festival Theatre

On Wednesday night, Scottish Opera brought Benjamin Britten’s Albert Herring to the Festival Theatre in Edinburgh, offering an evening of comic charm and lively satire. Directed by Daisy Evans, this fresh production reimagines Britten’s comic opera in the 1990s English countryside, a setting that adds humour and nostalgia to the story. Originally inspired by a Maupassant tale, Albert Herring revolves around its shy, naive protagonist, Albert, who’s crowned the town’s “May King” after no “morally suitable” young woman is found. The plot follows Albert’s transformation as he wrestles with the town’s rigid expectations and his yearning for personal freedom. Glen Cunningham’s portrayal of Albert captures both innocence and a quiet depth, making his character’s journey both touching and humo...

12Nov

By Kathleen MansfieldNo Comments

Scotland

Don Pasquale – Festival Theatre

General Director, Alex Reedijk, has spent the last nineteen years building Scottish Opera into a force to be reckoned with. This latest production is a reprisal of a 2014 creation by Renaud Doucet and André Barbe of Donizetti’s Don Pasquale. It is a frivolous affair, thankfully without the tra-la-las of which Mozart was so fond. The concept is bright, clever and amusing, giving the production so much more than the score and libretto. For that reason, this particular creation has been touring successfully in Italy, Canada and the United States. Guy Simard’s lighting supports the comedic storyline and the characters. His choice of colours and detail are spot on. A prolific force, Simard has collaborated with Doucet and Barbe for the last twenty five years. I particularly enjo...

Murder on the Orient Express – Festival Theatre

23Oct

By Nazaret RaneaNo Comments

Scotland

Murder on the Orient Express – Festival Theatre

On the 22nd of October, Edinburgh Festival Theatre played host to an adaptation of one of Agatha Christie's most beloved mysteries: Murder on the Orient Express. This new production, directed by Lucy Bailey and starring Michael Maloney as Hercule Poirot, promises to be a thrilling and immersive experience for fans of classic crime drama and theatre alike. Set in the winter of 1934, the story unfolds on the luxurious Orient Express after it finds itself trapped by an avalanche in the snowy Balkans. With the train at a standstill and a murder on board, Poirot must solve the mystery before the train resumes its journey—and before the killer strikes again. The ensemble cast includes Bob Barrett, Mila Carter, Rebecca Charles, Debbie Chazen, Simon Cotton, and more. Based on Christie’s ow...

Ed Gamble: Hot Diggity Dog – Festival Theatre, Edinburgh

22Oct

By Greg HolsteadNo Comments

Scotland

Ed Gamble: Hot Diggity Dog – Festival Theatre, Edinburgh

Perhaps better known for his award-winning podcast Off menu with James Allcaster or for winning season nine of Taskmaster, the man-child that is Ed Gamble was a regular on the Stand-Up circuit long before pod casts even existed, and returns to his roots tonight in a laughter filled show at the Festival Theatre, Edinburgh’s biggest stage. And despite the hurricane inspired winds outside it didn’t deter a packed house from enjoying almost two hours of lively entertainment. Ed is very ably assisted by noteworthy warm-up act, Chloe Petts, who fills the first thirty minutes with easy laughter, starting with her tales of being a ‘child geezer’, at age 13, six foot one tall, at an all-girls school and parents asking at ballet class lessons, why there is a bouncer in the room. She also hila...

21Oct

By Wendy McEwanNo Comments

Scotland

reINCARNATION – Festival Theatre

Nigeria’s population is overwhelmingly young, and unemployment is high. Amidst the hardship, dance is a popular creative outlet, and many young Nigerians share their talents through videos on social media. In 2014, Qudus Onikeku returned to his home city of Lagos, having achieved acclaim as a choreographer in France. He was inspired by the abundance of creative talent, and invited some dancers to a workshop. The workshop grew into a school, and the Q Dance Company is a creative home for the school’s graduates. The rehearsal period began with an improvisation session. Onikeku instructed the dancers to allow their bodies to take the lead, and let the dance pass through them. Throughout the session, Onikeku sketched, and he refined the ideas to devise the piece. The resulting choreo...