Pleasance Courtyard Archives - Page 5 of 8

Isobel Rogers: How To Be Content – Pleasance Courtyard

7Aug

By Greg HolsteadNo Comments

Scotland

Isobel Rogers: How To Be Content – Pleasance Courtyard

Former Camden Roundhouse resident artist, writer, composer and comedian Isobel Rogers makes her much anticipated Edinburgh Fringe debut, with her existential musical comedy show How To Be Content. I’m Not Really That Intense, she jokes at one point, when of course she actually is. Mini powerhouse, Rogers, in deep-soled open-sided sensible shoes, rattles through a musical Odyssey rolling from Weddings to Polygamy, To living with my mum, (with my boyfriend!) and on to To baby or not to baby. With guitar in hand and a head full of condensed clever lyrics the delivery is safely professional, but hardly ground-breaking. Maybe if you are a thirty-something woman with your eggs on a timer this will strike just about the right chord. However, in reality this is a music show with some ...

The Daughters of Róisín – Pleasance Courtyard: Bunker 1

6Aug

By Beth EltringhamNo Comments

Scotland

The Daughters of Róisín – Pleasance Courtyard: Bunker 1

Taking a difficult subject and balancing the harsh reality whilst still including comedy is a hard task, but The Daughters Of Roisin have done this masterfully. Taking a look into the hidden and darker history of Ireland, this one woman show tells us the truth about how the young pregnant women were often treated. It tells of women being locked up for 9 months in their homes without being seen as to hide the disgrace and “sickness”, and the powers the church held over its people. This is a difficult watch as one may expect, you should as an audience feel uncomfortable. But what this play does masterfully is weave the horror and hard to swallow truth amongst song this is in no way a cheesy musical) and lighter humour. Our Lead actress (Aoibh Johnson) and writer divides the story i...

Casting The Runes – Pleasance Courtyard Above

6Aug

By Beth EltringhamNo Comments

Scotland

Casting The Runes – Pleasance Courtyard Above

It seems one should be careful when disregarding another person’s theories and methods, especially when those methods surround the paranormal. Box Tale Soup have brought their own two-man production of Casting the Ruins to this year’s fringe, and it is certainly an intriguing treat. We follow the story of scholar Edward Dunning, a man who does not believe in the supernatural. When rejecting a thesis from writer Mr Karswell, he finds himself following in the footsteps a dead man before him, Karswell’s last victim. Through seemingly magic runes, it’s up to Dunning and the mysterious woman he has just met to stop whatever nasty magical creature that has begun it’s decent on the professor, all the while forcing Dunning to truly question if the paranormal could truly exist. Visuall...

Catherine Cohen: Come For Me – Pleasance Courtyard, Edinburgh

4Aug

By Greg HolsteadNo Comments

Scotland

Catherine Cohen: Come For Me – Pleasance Courtyard, Edinburgh

As a Cohen virgin I really didn’t know what to expect. What I got was a sweet hour of blissful humour and catchy, clever songs, backed by live music at the hands of a mysteriously talented woman. Or should I call her, a destruction machine, an angst-filled cluster-bomb, dressed as a sweet singing Disney princess who’s slain us all from song one. Hitting here and here and here, with looks and flicks and strings of words that seem to land with tiny implosions. Littering! She points towards me. But it’s not me it’s the guy next to me. Thank God! Not that she’s a roaster, she’s far too nice for that. But still, you do not want her sharp wit, her hot intellect upon you like the Eye of Sauron. Or maybe you do!? Anyway, no, she’s pointing at the professional photographer to my left. ...

Sell Me: I Am from North Korea – Pleasance Courtyard (Below)

3Aug

By Tom ScottNo Comments

Scotland

Sell Me: I Am from North Korea – Pleasance Courtyard (Below)

Jisun is poor. She sells apples at a market in North Korea. Sometimes she even kills squirrels to eat. But she needs more money. Her mother is dying and can’t afford medication to ease her pain. So, on her 15th birthday Jisun decides to sell herself. A broker says he will help her escape to China. She’ll be sold to a man and will have to look after him. Her duties will include washing his dirty underwear, cutting his toe nails and “making babies with him”. That’s the explosive starting point to this remarkable play, written and performed by Sora Baek. And if you think it sounds implausible, you should know that Baek’s grandparents and her father, then aged 4, were refugees from North to South Korea. Baek has also been inspired by true stories of women defectors from the most authoritari...

In the Lady Garden – Pleasance Courtyard, Bunker One

2Aug

By Torya HughesNo Comments

Scotland

In the Lady Garden – Pleasance Courtyard, Bunker One

Pairing homely references to Yorkshire puddings with anecdotes about sex toys, Babs Horton's new comedy monologue provides an hour of gentle feminist fun Main character Alice is 69, an age that seems not entirely accidental given the subject matter, and says that "I know a lot about sex - mainly theory". She's been married to Keith for years, after being expelled from convent school much to her mother's disgust. We meet Alice in a prison cell, created simply by director Deborah Edgington using wooden blocks to represent a bench and a toilet. This promising set up digresses into a series of funny and touching reminiscences, mostly seguing into each other like the thoughts of a distracted mind Julia Faulkner as Alice is an engaging performer, vocally confident and in command of the...

Buckets of Blood: Fairy Tales Not For Kids – Pleasance Courtyard, The Green

1Aug

By Beth EltringhamNo Comments

Scotland

Buckets of Blood: Fairy Tales Not For Kids – Pleasance Courtyard, The Green

We have all heard the Disney versions of the fairy tales, the ones where the princess marries the prince, they live happily ever after and absolutely no one has to cut their alkalies off or dance in hot iron shoes. The original stories are not as well known and much more gruesome, after all not everyone can have a happy ending. Eden Storyteller takes us on a mythical journey through the original Grimm’s fairy tales that inspired the much more publicized ones, or more accurately the original fairy tales that inspired the Gimm’s stories. . Expect blood, cannibalism (in abundance), child abuse and well deserved stories of revenge. Eden is a natural performer and storyteller; he exudes charisma and charm. The venue is intimate which suites the show well, with Eden commanding the space wh...

The Life Sporadic of Jesse Wildgoose – Pleasance Courtyard

29Aug

By Anna ChiariNo Comments

Scotland

The Life Sporadic of Jesse Wildgoose – Pleasance Courtyard

Voloz Collective is known for its experiments in physical theatre, and after The Man Who Thought He Knew Too Much, they returned to the Fringe with a completely different performance. The Life Sporadic of Jesse Wildgoose is a coming-of-age story set in the world of finance during the famous 2007-2008 crisis. However, the story is not very conducive to a physical theatre performance, unlike The Man Who Thought He Knew Too Much, which blends thriller, adventure, and comedy seamlessly. The Life Sporadic of Jess Wildgoose centres around the journey of Jess Wildgoose, a young American idealist who ventures to New York City with aspirations of finding success in the bustling financial district. Throughout her odyssey, she becomes entangled with the wolves of Wall Street, absorbing life's ...

Lachlan Werner: Voices of Evil – Pleasance Courtyard

14Aug

By Stephanie DunkNo Comments

Scotland

Lachlan Werner: Voices of Evil – Pleasance Courtyard

"Voices of Evil " had me on the edge of my seat from the moment I entered the eerie venue. However, the water guns on the chairs threw me off, I had no idea what to expect. The show commenced with a spine-chilling "boo," immediately getting everyone's attention. The clever use of light effects and smoke further heightened the sense of mystery. A character in white face paint came out and introduced himself as Lachy alongside a witch puppet, this dynamic duo would be the centre of the ritual about to take place. The performance wasn't just a monologue; it was a dialogue that had the audience laughing at every spat between the two. But it wasn't all laughter; it was a ritual. The interaction with the audience was brilliant, drawing us into the supernatural story. The question ec...

14Aug

By Stephanie DunkNo Comments

Scotland

Mark Watson – Pleasance Courtyard

Mark Watson's stand-up was an experience that began with a unique twist, we started a bit late, and Watson was in the audience, seating people. The venue was buzzing with energy as Watson effortlessly engaged with the sold-out crowd, leaving no doubt that his reputation as a naturally funny comedian was well-deserved. Seamlessly blending prepared material with improvisation, the show's modern touches, such as hologram acts and discussions around the impact of COVID, reflected his adaptability to the changing times. Watson's ability to navigate through topics as diverse as divorce, parenthood, and technology advancements showcased his versatility as a storyteller. Watson's humour truly shone when he recounted anecdotes about tech advancements, and his son's curious encounters. One...