Pleasance Courtyard Archives - Page 4 of 5

Hello Kitty Must Die – Pleasance Courtyard, Pleasance 2

11Aug

By Greg HolsteadNo Comments

Scotland

Hello Kitty Must Die – Pleasance Courtyard, Pleasance 2

Following the global phenomenon that was ‘Six’, hatched right here at the fringe six years ago, the same Tony-winning production team are doubling down on this Musical, a mash-up of Asian Feminism with a killer’s touch. Unfortunately, this looks more like a show in development rather than the finished article. Not only is the action slow and dull, the acting and singing are not much better. Starting like a modernised version of Six with five American performers of East Asian origin, standing in formation, clad all in black, it aims, it claims, to demystify the Western myth of the ‘Hello Kitty’ trope. Erm, okay… I am already bored, and we are not even through the opening number. The show proceeds to tell the story of Fiona Yu (Sami Ma) a 30-year-old American Lawyer, and virgin....

Lash – Bunker Three, Pleasance Courtyard

11Aug

By Ben PearsonNo Comments

Scotland

Lash – Bunker Three, Pleasance Courtyard

Lash, written by Philip Stokes, and performed by Jack Stokes, was the most impressive thing I’ve seen at the Edinburgh Fringe this year. Written in lyrical, rhyming verses, it tells the story of a young man, Sonny, on a night out after work. Philip Stokes has crafted a remarkable script, which seamlessly blends comedy, tragedy and political commentary whilst never losing our protagonist’s voice. Despite speaking in rhyme, Sonny feels real and relatable. He’s working a job he doesn’t like, with people he has little in common with, and just wants to escape the harsh realities of existence with a good night out. Throughout the night, Sonny has run ins with drug dealers, colleagues and the local homophobic and toxically masculine ‘hard men’. Each of these encounters reveal something new abo...

Ania Magliano: I Can’t Believe You’ve Done This – Pleasance Courtyard

8Aug

By Greg HolsteadNo Comments

Scotland

Ania Magliano: I Can’t Believe You’ve Done This – Pleasance Courtyard

This was – Very Funny, and very relatable! I have to be honest; I don’t know quite how she does it. She instantly puts the audience at ease with her laid-back delivery and razor sharp mind. The anecdotes and one-liners are faultless, there is no pause. And she is always funny. Even ad-libbing when a phone rings or when a hair clip gets caught in her shoe – which becomes a trophy to win for the best audience member – unfortunately it wasn’t me, not laughing hard enough! There is almost no point in writing this review and sending it to my editor, after all - she is completely sold out. What’s the point? But put it in your diary for next year. Make a fridge magnet, write a post-it note, write it into your iPhone Calendar, become a Fringe Reviewer for fecks sakes!…. get creative. Just do...

Music – Bunker Three Pleasance Courtyard

7Aug

By Ben PearsonNo Comments

Scotland

Music – Bunker Three Pleasance Courtyard

I was serenaded and handed a croissant as I walked into Bunker Three to watch Music by Hangdog, which set the tone for the performance perfectly. Music is a very silly, but equally entertaining sketch show about a young part-time receptionist/house band member called Dave who works for Stripefy and swallows the music algorithm, becoming the world’s greatest musician as a result. It’s just as insane as it sounds, but strong performances from Jack Toop and Jacob Lovick keep you mostly engaged throughout. Toop plays Dave with an endearing melancholy that allows you sympathise with his quest to become a full-time receptionist (not musician). This more soulful performance contrasts perfectly with Lovick’s manic presence, as he yo-yos between endless characters, accents and impressions. His John...

Daniel Foxx: Villain – Pleasance Courtyard

6Aug

By Rita BryceNo Comments

Scotland

Daniel Foxx: Villain – Pleasance Courtyard

If you have browsed social media AT ALL in the last few years, I am sure at some point you will have come across Daniel Foxx - His slick shock of silver blonde hair and even slicker comedy clips have taken the internet by storm with characters like ‘The Super Villains Gay Assistant’… Not to mention a ton of impressive appearances on BBC One, BBC Three and Comedy Central UK. Daniel brings his debut hour ‘Villain’ to the Edinburgh Fringe this year in notorious hot box, the Pleasance Baby Grand. The stage is set with green lights, billowing smoke and a keyboard, leaving nowhere to hide. Having seen artists who struggle to translate their short form clips into longer shows I did have my reservations, but Foxx surpasses every expectation. With a chic two piece, a dazzling pearl necklac...

Lucy & Friends – Pleasance Courtyard, Forth

6Aug

By Caroline WorswickNo Comments

Scotland

Lucy & Friends – Pleasance Courtyard, Forth

After going to Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre recently and seeing Lucy McCormick play Saturninus in their production of Titus Andronicus, I thought I would see what Lucy does without the constraints of the Bard’s pen work, and The Globe’s policies to rein her in. This was my first experience of McCormick’s alternative side, and the two could not be more different. McCormick likes to greet her audience as they arrive, mingling with them, and I guess the title of the show gives you a hint as to the reason for this, we are to be her friends! Some members of the audience are given jobs to do, she is short-handed, so needs help with some tasks, this inclusion within the show creates an amazing atmosphere within the audience, as we see fellow audience members (sorry, friends), become...

Bitter Lemons – Pleasance Courtyard (Beneath)

6Aug

By Tom ScottNo Comments

Scotland

Bitter Lemons – Pleasance Courtyard (Beneath)

Two women, both in their twenties, are high fliers in careers traditionally associated with men. One is a professional footballer, the other a banker. They are both on the cusp of even greater success. But their lives are changed for ever by something that can never happen to a man - they get pregnant. This is a wonderful new play, beautifully written by Lucy Hayes. It is transferring next month to the Bristol Old Vic. The writing is spare, often poetic, and crackles with energy. There is gentle humour, too, especially in the descriptions of the women’s relationships with their mothers. Apart from a brief meeting at the end, the women never interact. They tell us their stories and we in the audience are their confidants. We are never told their names, but these women are spe...

Murder She Didn’t Write – Pleasance Courtyard, Pleasance One

4Aug

By Beth EltringhamNo Comments

Scotland

Murder She Didn’t Write – Pleasance Courtyard, Pleasance One

Have you ever fancied watching a murder mystery where even the murderer doesn’t know its them until halfway through the show? Well then, this murder mystery improvised phenomena may just be right what you’re looking for. Taking all the classic elements of a typical ‘who done it’ murder mystery but shaking it up with the plot, characters and murder weapon being decided upon by the audience right at the start of the show. It’s a wonder how the Degrees Of Error theatre company manage to come up with a fully-fledged play that still leaves it’s audience gasping with shock when the truth is revealed. With the events of the play being decided upon during the show I feel no fear in revealing the plot of our performance: Donald Trump’s trial and the tiny shark. To even shape such a ...

16Feb

By Roger JacobsNo Comments

Scotland

Bring It On – Pleasance Courtyard

Setting the tone, pennants representing the rival schools of the story (Truman and Jackson) adorned the walls of this hallowed hall. But one sported a shamrock and the word ‘Leprechauns’. The penny dropped in humorous fashion later… Before it did, we were treated to a show of energy, conviction and commitment that belied the fact it was a - on paper - non-professional production. The Edinburgh Footlights is clearly blessed with talent, Amy Stinton (Director) excellently harnessing the many elements of a musical but leaving room for it to flourish. One wouldn’t have guessed some of these characters were studying things like Maths, Politics or Economics (despite the close relationship between politics and acting). A swift pre-show peruse of the programme read like the introduction to ...

Murder, She Didn’t Write – Pleasance Courtyard

19Aug

By Kat CliffordNo Comments

Scotland

Murder, She Didn’t Write – Pleasance Courtyard

Murder, She Didn’t Write is a quick, funny and well presented production. In this improvised show no one, not even the cast, knows what journey they will end up taking the audience on. I was struck immediately by the quality and careful design of the set, and I very much enjoyed that even as the audience were filing into the room we had our detective working on his notes and a pianist playing us in, it really set the scene and put you in right frame of mind for a murder mystery extravaganza. The show kicks off with some audience participation as one of the audience is chosen to help the detective in the investigation. The setting and the mystery are then set by the audience. The detective, played by Stephen Clements, had some great quips and jokes right off the bat, building up the e...