Pleasance Courtyard Archives - Page 2 of 6

Sisyphean Quick Fix – Pleasance Courtyard

20Aug

By Peter KinnockNo Comments

Scotland

Sisyphean Quick Fix – Pleasance Courtyard

Sisyphean Quick Fix is an intriguing, beguiling and enchanting story of addictive and alcoholic father cared for by his two children, Krista and Pip. Bettina Paris play perfectly captures the family rivalry within the group and finely demonstrates the dangers of addiction. Bettina Paris appears as Krista with Tina Rizzo. Both provide impressive and intriguing performances as the family finds its way through the trauma of their predicament. The characters and writing unfold and display something perceptive and intelligent and the production is finely executed and mounted and would certainly would benefit from a substantially larger audience. It’s undoubtedly a funny, comic thought-provoking play about the pressure and impact of alcoholism on a family and the almost insurmountable Sis...

18Aug

By Tom ScottNo Comments

Scotland

Squidge – Pleasance Courtyard

‘Squidge’ is an absorbing one woman show about Daisy, a teaching assistant. It’s a heart-warming play about a young woman who makes life better for the children with ‘special educational needs’ she teaches. But it’s not just about life in the classroom. Daisy tells us about her love life, her relationship with her mother, and the recent bereavement that is gnawing at her soul. ‘Squidge’ is written and performed by Tiggy Bayley. She wrote it last year when she was still teaching, and this is her theatrical debut. It’s a beautiful script which crackles with energy, emotion and wit. This is a rollercoaster of a show which has plenty of laughs, but some heartbreaking moments, too. It reveals its secrets slowly and leaves us with hope. ‘Squidge’ is simply staged but it’s amazing what ...

Showstopper! The Improvised Musical – Pleasance Courtyard

17Aug

By Wendy McEwanNo Comments

Scotland

Showstopper! The Improvised Musical – Pleasance Courtyard

Every night, the Showstoppers improvise a brand-new musical, based on a suggestion from the audience. It’s different every time. Tonight’s title is Blood Is Thicker Than Oil, and it is the story of a family-run oil rig. The opening number introduces the characters. The cast creates a catchy chorus that will be repeated later on and provide each other with backing vocals. The oil rig characters are in the middle of the stage: to one side is the band, and on the other, The Writer, who introduces the show and occasionally shakes things up if the rest of the cast are getting a bit comfortable. The Writer, the band, and the technician form a triangle, with clear lines of sight allowing nonverbal communication. Job ads often ask for candidates who can work individually and as part of a...

16Aug

By Gill LewisNo Comments

Scotland

Stuffed – Pleasance Courtyard

It’s already been said, but when is it going to change? This call to action becomes even more frantic, accompanied by pounding heavy synth beats which pulsate with the warning of arson on a national scale. Multi award winning Ugly Bucket Theatre are back with ‘the bad stuff’, and a heavy sprinkling of macabre comic relief. Its feasible that foodbanks could soon set to become one of the biggest industries in the UK as it establishes itself as a permanent fixture in communities. Notably for those people in the bottom 25%. The demand has grown at a phenomenal rate and doesn’t show any signs of slowing down with more people than ever having no choice but to access this support. Ugly Bucket use a range of mime and clowning, playfully creating nightmarish sequences which highlig...

The Big Bite-Size Breakfast Show – Pleasance Courtyard

14Aug

By Gill LewisNo Comments

Scotland

The Big Bite-Size Breakfast Show – Pleasance Courtyard

The sweet smell of fresh, warm croissants, strawberries and a hot beverage is the perfect way to start a day at the Fringe. Bite-Size is back with another light and entertaining sketch show which will have you laughing as you tuck in to your pastry. Celebrating their 16th year on the Fringe, Bite-Size Plays have partnered up with The Pleasance to serve up their three-rotating menus, and there is plenty of ridiculousness to choose from. Menu 2 is a mixed bag of comedies and mini dramas. There are plenty of laughs and witty one liners with lashings of absurdity and silliness. Stand out sketches include, ‘Criminal Behavior’, a bumbling armed robbery, and ‘Jitters,’ where we meet the company ‘Think Twice’, trying to keep the divorce rates down by checking brides are not having second...

Lash: A Pulsating New Play About Going Out Out! – Pleasance Courtyard

14Aug

By Gill LewisNo Comments

Scotland

Lash: A Pulsating New Play About Going Out Out! – Pleasance Courtyard

Boost your adrenaline and immerse yourself in this part gig, part theatrical experience, which proves to be a treat to the senses. This is storytelling that stirs up memories of long, booze-soaked late-night club shenanigans and regretful drug fueled streams of consciousness. There’s nothing more exhilarating than getting ready to go ‘out out’ on the town after a long, boring, mundane day at work. With the night threatening to go one way, or the other, with the line between reality, drugs, and booze blurring the vision threatening all of the senses, concepts which this unapologetic production thrives on. Written and directed by Phillip Stokes the dark and dingy cobbled Bunker One is the perfect setting for this claustrophobic, loud and noisy piece. We’re hitting the town, big st...

Garry Starr: Classic Penguins – Pleasance Courtyard

14Aug

By Torya HughesNo Comments

Scotland

Garry Starr: Classic Penguins – Pleasance Courtyard

Returning to the Fringe with his third solo show, comedian and clown Garry Starr attempts to perform every Penguin Classic novel in the space of an hour, to save literature from extinction. This seems like a bold claim; however, this is a man who has previously performed every style of theatre and all of Greek mythology and managed to make both incredibly funny. This year he has even branched out into children's theatre, albeit with an underlying narrative about mental health. Starr arrives onstage naked, save for a top hat, a dinner jacket, an Elizabethan ruff and a pair of flippers. He builds an instant rapport with the audience, riding the waves of laughter before gently encouraging some participation. There is a great deal of skill involved in his crowd work, never ridiculing an...

Gwyneth Goes Skiing – Pleasance Courtyard

14Aug

By Wendy McEwanNo Comments

Scotland

Gwyneth Goes Skiing – Pleasance Courtyard

One day in 2016, Gwyneth Paltrow went skiing. The Hollywood starlet and celebrity sex toy saleswoman collided on the slopes with retired optometrist Terry Sanderson. A high-profile lawsuit soon followed. On the day of the collision, Sanderson claims to have suffered life-changing injuries. Gwyneth, meanwhile, lost half a day’s skiing. And Awkward Productions gained the inspiration for this hilarious fringe show. I think I know who the real winners were. Paltrow (Linus Karp) and Sanderson (Joseph Martin) are as different as can be. He likes boiled eggs for breakfast. Gwyneth prefers jade eggs. But they both like skiing. Sanderson falls and is rescued by our angelic Gwynfluencer. She takes him to her chalet for a pep talk and some bone broth. Sadly, things sour between them, and then ...

Abi Clarke: (Role) Model – Pleasance Courtyard Beneath

11Aug

By Beth EltringhamNo Comments

Scotland

Abi Clarke: (Role) Model – Pleasance Courtyard Beneath

Abi Clarke rose to fame overnight via a TikTok video that went viral, ever since she has been climbing the social media and stand-up comedy ladder, but with all this new found fame she is left with one major dilemma: does this mean that she should have to be a role model now too? In this rather funny stand-up comedy show Clarke addresses what it means to be a stereo typical “role model”, the limitations to being an influencer by trade and pressures that we women put on ourselves in this day and age. We learn about how fame has changed her as a person and question if one can truly be a role model when their favourite TV moments are those of pretty girls getting their hair chopped off on American’s Next Top model. Abi is a natural performer, her energy is infectious and she is just...

Me For You – Pleasance Courtyard (The Green)

10Aug

By Tom ScottNo Comments

Scotland

Me For You – Pleasance Courtyard (The Green)

‘Me for You’ is a fascinating play about two women who are in love. It has a sparkling, very funny script and is beautifully performed. The climate emergency provides an intriguing backdrop to this contemporary drama. Holly has been seeing Jake for quite some time. Now they want to have a child together. But Jake comes to regret the day he introduces Holly to his friend and workmate, Alex. The two women quickly fall in love. For a while Holly continues to sleep with Jake but, as she’s also having an affair with Alex, she stops taking the pill. Holly finally tells Jake the truth. Understandably he’s very upset. And Holly’s assurance that “It’s you, not me” and that she still cares about him, doesn’t really help Jake to feel any better. Two people had loved each other. But the r...