MONDAY 30 JULY 2018 THISWEEKCULTURE.COM
The Edinburgh Festival is upon us once more! Yes, the world's greatest cutural event kicks off again this week. The ThreeWeeks preview edition is now out and will be arriving at homes and venues across Edinburgh over the next few days. That means our Three To See recommendations for 2018 are also live - you can read them online here.

It also means the TW Daily bulletin kicks off tomorrow, with a daily helping of Edinburgh updates landing in your inbox. If you are not a TW Daily subscriber and want this bulletin, just click here and get yourself signed up.
COLETTE REDGRAVE: PICASSO'S WOMEN
As I was looking through all the many Edinburgh press releases that hit my inbox in the run up to the Festival, one particular show caught my eye on account of the appropriate nature of the venue: a staging of 'Picasso's Women' in an art gallery - the Fruitmarket Gallery to be precise - which seemed apt.

To find out more about this production, I spoke to Colette Redgrave, producer and performer. Read the interview here.

'Picasso's Women' is on at Edinburgh Festival 2018 at Fruitmarket Gallery from 13-26 Aug.
GET YOURSELF A BANNER IN THE TW DAILY BULLETIN FROM TOMORROW
The TW bulletin goes daily tomorrow as the Edinburgh Festival swings into action. Landing in thousands and thousands of inboxes every day, this is a really good way to get your show in front of both ticket-buyers and the Fringe community.

We have a couple of slots available for the full festival at just £300 plus VAT - we'll run your ad every day from tomorrow. Email TWadvertising@unlimitedmedia.co.uk to book.

SPECIAL OFFER DEAL ON THREEWEEKS REVIEW EDITION ADS
The ThreeWeeks Review Edition print magazine will hit the streets of Edinburgh on Wednesday 15 Aug. It's a great way to get your show in front of Fringe-goers buyers just as they are making their ticket buying decisions.

We have a limited number of half page advert slots available for just £250 plus VAT. Artwork is required by 10 Aug, meaning you can include early review quotes in the ad. Click here for specs and email TWadvertising@unlimitedmedia.co.uk to book your slot.
STREET PERFORMER PAUL NATHAN
TW:DIY is talking to people who perform or work at the Edinburgh Festival each year to get their perspectives on what performing or producing at the world's biggest cultural event involves. This week, magician Paul Nathan.

We first came across Paul via his brillaint 'I Hate Children Children's Show', which is back at theSpace @ Surgeons Hall this year. However, while Paul is at the Festival he also takes his magical talents along to the Royal Mile where he joins a brilliant community of street performers and buskers.

We spoke to Paul about the ins and outs of being a street performer at the Edinburgh Festival. Read the interview here.
AILSA JOY: THE THREE MUSKETEERS
The latest promenade performance to take place over at The Actors' Church in Covent Garden is a new production by Iris Theatre of 'The Three Musketeers'. It sounds like they've tweaked the story a bit, though, because D'Artagnan's being played by a woman.

I spoke to Ailsa Joy, who plays the villainous Milady in the show, to find out more. Read the interview here.

'The Three Musketeers' is on at St. Paul's Church in Covent Garden from 2 Aug-2 Sep. See this page here for info and to book your tickets.


TUESDAY 31 JULY 2018 >>

Breathe | The Bunker Theatre | 31 Jul-4 Aug (pictured)
"Just breathe". Often this is the best advice we have to offer anyone when the pressures of life gets too much. But what about when these two words just aren't enough? In our relentless pursuit for perfection - to look perfect, to act perfect, to be perfect - the overwhelming pressure cannot always be remedied by these two worn out words". Ludicrously young playwright George Jaques is the creative behind this piece about teenage suicide. See this page here for more.

The Mariner's Song | Drayton Arms Theatre | 31 Jul
Right, I think this is the last of the Edinburgh previews we'll be tipping (though don't quote me on that, there's a very high chance I could be wrong) as the Fringe is literally one day away. Though this production doesn't start its run up there until the 4 Aug, so you know, don't worry too much, they've got a few days to get sorted. Anyway, this is a spoken word piece created by Rajan Sharma, which invites you to "prepare to brave the elements, sail stormy waters and embark upon a grand voyage into the great unknown" and tells a story drawing on family history and classical mythology. Find all the details here.

Wolf | The Cockpit | 31 Jul
And talking of Fringes, we of course have our own one going on London right under our noses, so let's head over there now for this interesting sounding fare: "Professor Hunt invites student Alice to his country house. As the drinks go down, he reveals that he expects slightly more than dinner and wine. But Alice has a secret - one that threatens to destroy Hunt's life and career forever. A dark tale of power, storytelling and retribution, Wolf is a twisted fairy tale that bites back". More here.


WEDNESDAY 1 AUGUST 2018 >>

The Exploded Circus | Grosvenor Square | 1-5 Aug (pictured)
Boundary pushing all-female contemporary circus company Mimbre who push boundaries have joined forces with critically-acclaimed designer Loren Elstein and experimental composer Quinta on this fab sounding production. It's an exciting mixture of acrobatics, aerial trickery and juggling,  in which six women tell a story without words, seeking order in chaos to create a new normal. For more information and to book tickets see this page here.

Luke Heggie - Triprat | Soho Theatre | 30 Jul-4 Aug
Okay, I think we need some comedy today. I mean, I know we often have comedy shows in these tips, but you know, I think we especially need comedy today, and perhaps from a winner of the Comics' Choice Award at Melbourne International Comedy Festival...? I mean, that makes him sound like a good bet, right...? I've not actually seen this chap perform, but I have heard very good things about him. But be warned: expect adult themes, foul language, brutal honesty and "harsh but fair" jokes. See the venue website here for more.

Ardent8 - Sacrifice | Soho Theatre | 31 Jul-4 Aug
Oh, and another one at Soho Theatre. That happened quite by accident I assure you. Anyway, it's not a bad thing, and you know, both these shows are very much worth a recommendation. This one is from Ardent8, which was created by Ardent Theatre Company to provide artistic support to eight recent graduates who have found it difficult to make the leap from region to London. "Six grand a month for one room in the basement of a disused pub on the corner of a dirty high street with no natural light and damp black walls that make it feel more like a coffin than a home?" Click here.


THURSDAY 2 AUGUST 2018 >>

Bring It On | Southwark Playhouse | 2 Aug-1 Sep
"Bitingly relevant, sprinkled with sass and inspired by the hit film, 'Bring It On The Musical' takes audiences on a high-flying journey that is filled with the complexities of friendship, jealousy, betrayal and forgiveness". It's a musical that's had an awful lot of stage-time and acclaim since it was first produced, so you know that the source material is good, plus it's a youth production, which might have some appeal for your already summer-bored teens...? See this page here for more

Caroline Mabey Leaves The Room Slowly | Camden Comedy Club | 1-4 Aug (pictured)
I think it's about time we got back over to the brilliant and lovely Camden Fringe with a view to seeing a load more quality shows. Of course, I am only recommending one, there will be loads of others on today, so please remember to check out all the other stuff that's on. But also definitely see this, because Caroline Mabey is wonderful, basically. Head this way to read quotations from glowing reviews, and to book your tickets.

For Reasons That Remain Unclear | King's Head Theatre | 25 Jul-25 Aug
"Handsome Hollywood screenwriter Patrick invites Conrad back to his hotel room on a balmy evening in Rome. As the whisky flows and the conversation becomes ever more intimate, both men start to wonder just where the night might be heading..". A European premiere for this acclaimed comedy-drama of sex, power and secrets by US playwright Mart Crowley as part of King's Head Theatre's summer Queer Season. See this page here to book your tickets.


FRIDAY 3 AUGUST 2018 >>

Living With A Dark Lord | Drayton Arms Theatre | 3-4 Aug
"Shaun has autism - a life-long neurological developmental disorder which becomes obvious at around three or four years old - and although the cause of autism is still a mystery, the impact it has on a person and their family is clear to see". A play written, produced and performed by Maeve, Cait and Aisling O'Sullivan, his three sisters. The three women come together on their brother's 30th birthday, to worry about the future and what the world has in store for him. Sounds really interesting, see more information right about here.

Rita & L'Heure Espagnol | Arcola Theatre | 3-5 Aug
Time now for more from Arcola's Grimeborn opera fest, because you love it, don't you..? In Donizetti's 'Rita' the eponymous heroine and her henpecked husband Beppe are quietly running a bar in Benidorm, when the peace is disturbed by the arrival of a man who knows too much about Rita's past. In Ravel's 'The Spanish Hour', Concepción, finding herself bored by her clockmaker husband arranges assignations with both Gonzalve, a poet, and Don Inigo, a town official. What could possibly go wrong..? Click here.

The Three Musketeers | St Paul's Church | 2 Aug-2 Sep (pictured)
Hurrah, The Three Musketeers, who's up for some derring-do? I know I am! Especially as it's a promenade at The Actors' Church! And, bonus, d'Artagnan is played by a woman: "It's 1626 and a young d'Artagnan sets out for Paris, determined to join the King's Musketeers. There's just one problem, women aren't allowed. Undaunted, our heroine disguises herself as man and manages to befriend the legendary Musketeer trio Athos, Aramis and Porthos". Info and booking links here.


SATURDAY 4 AUGUST 2018 >>

The Cloakroom Attendant | Tristan Bates Theatre | 30 Jul-4 Aug
So, let's start our day of tips over at the lovely Camden Fringe, and Dimitra Barla's autobiographical one-woman show 'The Cloakroom Attendant'. It's about Margot, the titular cloakroom attendant of a national museum, who entertains the audience with her daily stories, while exploring the unavoidable dilemma of whether or not to be a parent. "With wit and sensitivity, artefacts become alive and visitors take mythical dimensions. Dante's condemned lovers, an unfortunate French queen and an inquisitive boy help Margot balance on a suspended world of imagination, aspirations and self-fulfillment". See this page here for details.

Little Angel By The Sea | Little Angel Theatre | 13 Jul-5 Aug
"Windbreakers, brollies and sandcastles! There's no guarantee of a rain free summer in London, but the sun always shines at our theatre. We've given a breath of salty sea air to Punch & Judy... Hang on, someone has stolen all the sausages!! Was it the crocodile with his gnashing jaw? The baby with her butter-wouldn't-melt smile? Or was it someone else altogether?" We're down to a last couple of chances to see this immersive puppetry and puppetry experience. Great for kiddies who need to be entertained over the summer. Head this way for more.

A Fantastic Bohemian | Arcola Theatre | 4-12 Aug
Another offering from Grimeborn, and well... this sounds fabulous - a unique and immersive opera experience, performed across three spaces at Arcola Theatre, based on Jacques Offenbach's 'The Tales of Hoffman', it's an English language production that transports you to Mexico City in the Golden Cinema Age of the 1940s. "Join the great bohemian artist Hoffmann, on a journey to uncover the mysteries of his three lost loves". See this page here.


SUNDAY 5 AUGUST 2018 >>

The Parentheticals - Improdyssey | Etcetera Theatre | 3-5 Aug
If you ever conducted a study into how much we like improv here at TW towers, the results would overwhelmingly suggest "a lot". So, you know, we always prick up our ears a bit when there's a sniff of some improv about, because we just love funny and clever and well practised people getting up on stage and entertaining us by the seat of their pants. Not seen this troupe (who are on at Camden Fringe this week) before but they absolutely get extra points for coming up with 'improdyssey'. See this page here for more.

Hymn To Love | Jermyn Street Theatre | 25 Jul-18 Aug
"In a Manhattan hotel room, Edith Piaf rehearses for her last US concert. But for Piaf the hotel holds memories. Eight years earlier she had telephoned her lover, boxer Marcel Cerdan, begging him to overcome his fear of flying and leave France to be with her. Hours later she heard the terrible news that his plane had crashed. Marcel was dead". We love Piaf, and this is described as an "extraordinary musical homage", so if you love Piaf too, get it on your list and get along to this page here to book your tickets.

Amy Howerska | Camden Comedy Club | 5-6 + 24-26 Aug
Gosh, so many things that we love today. Improv, Piaf and now Amy Howserka. And this sounds like it will be a great show, because it's like one of those end of season clip shows that long running sitcoms do, except probably better. Amy does her favourite bits from three Edinburgh solo shows, her BBC Radio 4 extra special and the sweaty cider sodden years she has spent toiling on the UK circuit, but also promises new joked for hardened fans. This is another Camden Fringe show, see this page here for details.


MONDAY 6 AUGUST 2018 >>

Did It Hurt? | Camden People's Theatre | 6-11 Aug (pictured)
Now, you may have noticed over the course of this week tips that we might just be a teeny weeny bit enthusiastic about the ye olde Camden Fringe. So it should not really come as a surprise that I might consider devoting a whole day to it. And on this occasion, I have. We start with this, 'Did It Hurt?', in which two strangers trapped in a room are forced to get to know one another, and ultimately reveal their innermost thoughts and ideas. Promises to be a "darkly funny, introspective and brutal look under our skin". See this page here for more.

Crabmeat | Tristan Bates Theatre | 6-11 Aug
This next one sounds rather odd but very, very interesting: "J is hiding in the toilet at a gay club. Maybe because of what he just saw on the dance floor. Maybe because he's more anxious than normal. Or maybe because he's being chased by a crab... and this is one cranky crustacean. As panic bubbles to the surface, J recounts the events that led to his most recent breakup and to the toilet in which he is currently cowering". Intrigued? Yes, me too. Head this way for all the info.

Protest Song | Camden People's Theatre | 6-8 Aug
"Danny sleeps rough. He enjoys drinking and chatting shit. Join him as you experience the anarchic energy of the Occupy movement through carol singing, outraged chanting and Anonymous masks. Tim Price's 'Protest Song', is an unyielding play in which the abrasive Danny recounts his experience of Occupy in its inspiring idealism and harsh realities". Our final pick of the day from Camden Fringe, see all the details here.
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