Read on for a quick run through some of our latest interviews with people performing at the Festival this year. And then check out all our latest Edinburgh reviews, with lots of recommended shows from across the Fringe.
We've also been chatting to performers for our TW:Talks podcast this week and those interviews will start going online this weekend - so look out for those too.
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MICHAEL KUNZE "'Infinity Mirror' tells the story of Mitch Cooney's life. Mitch Cooney is an enigma. A bullshitter and a liar. He is a bad actor, a sandwich maker and a folksy homespun philosopher. Mostly he is an idiot". |
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SASHA ELLEN "I think, like most people, I just write about what's on my mind at the time. I get obsessed with something and that's what I write about. This year it was very much mortality, chairs and slutty turtles". |
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BEBE CAVE "'The Screen Test' is about an aspiring actress in the golden age of Hollywood. This story explores the ways that wanting something, or wanting to 'be' something, can result in hilariously tragic consequences". |
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OLLIE HORN "The show is about me being 32 and not yet having a wife - which is remarkable - so I've decided to have a toxic rebrand to get one. It's me explaining how I'm approaching the dating market in a more toxic way". |
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JOSH GLANC "'Family Man' is a trip. On that trip I explore themes around performing, pursuing comedy over my past life as a lawyer and, of course, family - my current and potentially future one". |
There are many reasons for performing at the Edinburgh Fringe, but for many people, one key objective is progressing their career - and their business - as a creator, producer and/or performer. We asked a team of experts for their advice on how performers can best use the Fringe to progress their careers. Read our top ten tips here.
Thanks to everyone who joined us at our panel event at Fringe Central yesteday. For those that missed it, we'll be publishing a write up next week on the website. How can comedians grow their audiences and businesses through online channels and the UK live comedy circuit? You will be able to find out what we learned from our experts.
CHILDREN'S SHOWS
Children's Underground Ghost Show (City Of Edinburgh Tours)
We enter what appears to be the ground floor of a tenement block on South Bridge. But we go down, not up, into the underground catacombs to meet our host, Minging Annie, described to us as a 400-year-old cursed hag who hates kids. In truth, she's a perfectly personable young woman for whom a more congruous backstory could easily be written but, anyway. The location is the star, dripping with atmosphere and, well, drips, from the sandstone above. Annie shows us around and tells some short, spooky tales. It's pretty mild, albeit a couple of tinier audience members did get spooked to the point of leaving early which, come to think of it, probably constitutes a recommendation for five to ten year-olds.
City Of Edinburgh Tours @ Old Police Box, run ended.
tw rating 3/5 | [Bruce Blacklaw]
Dorks 'N' Orks: 4 Kidz! (Dorks N Orks/Free Festival)
There are a few Dungeons & Dragons-adjacent shows on this year. This one has a digital element, using a Table Top Roleplaying Game platform to display the action on large screens. Whilst visually arresting, it does jar a little in not fully aligning with the live experience - for instance when you have a fearsome looking giant on the screen voiced by a comedian stood right in front of you. That said, it's an entertaining intro to the game, with a mix of puzzle-solving, interaction, exploration and combat all moved along by our engaging dungeon master and supporting cast. The adventure we played certainly emphasised the importance of checking for traps, but there are no major pitfalls to be found with this show.
Laughing Horse @ Three Sisters, run ended.
tw rating 4/5 | [Bruce Blacklaw]
COMEDY
Shoot From The Hip
Already an online sensation, this four-piece group demonstrates improv comedy at its best. Shoot From The Hip deliver a hysterical hour of comedy structured around a series of improv-based games, and although the show is - by its very nature - different every night, their never-ending eagerness to act out the most insane of audience suggestions make them an instant hit. Genuine madness, great comic timing, and impressively quick-thinking elevate their performance. The banter between the four comedians is also a joy to witness; they push each other to their limits and get into scrapes all while trying to maintain a straight face. If you're in need of a proper belly laugh, this group are guaranteed to provide it!
Underbelly Bristo Square, run ended.
tw rating 4/5 | [Sive Lawrie]
Eddy Hare: This One's On Me (Georgia House Productions)
Eddy Hare is going bald and frets about whether the drugs he's taking to cure it are really working. Some early crowd work highlights his likeability and easy way with his audience, but the show hangs on comparing being an uncle to being a father, which isn't a strong enough premise to warrant the time devoted to it. But that's not to say Hare can't find a few laughs from the device. His songs are melodic and funny, particularly the closing tune, which skilfully calls back several gags. While it's more of a threaded-together collection of club sets than a themed show, it does have heart, and Hare is a charming performer with surely a promising future.
Pleasance Courtyard until 25 Aug.
tw rating 3/5 | [Tom Brogan]
Anesti Danelis: Artificially Intelligent (RBM Comedy)
[This was not written by AI] As AI slowly becomes integrated into our lives Anesti Danelis has gone for an interesting premise: to have it write this comedy show. It's an amusing hour of jokes, songs and tales held together by Anesti Danelis' infectious personality, his evident enjoyment in performing reflected by the response of the audience. The comedy does work - everyone is laughing - but structurally it falls down a little - some segments probably go on a bit too long, and generally things could be tighter. As the show progresses we gain some insight into the comedian's own life, about his parents' immigration to the UK and being Bi which is all fascinating, and there's some audience interaction, but it seems to cause a little anxiety. Anesti Danelis and AI is, however, a perfect combo for an enjoyable comical hour.
Underbelly Bristo Square, until 25 Aug.
tw rating 3/5 | [Andrew Melrose]
Keep It Dark (Bas Rahman)
Bas Rahman doesn't want to lead a double life. She's determined to face her conservative parents' reaction to her "Muslim-ish" lifestyle in this fresh and charming Fringe debut. Rahman's stand up feels personal and her highly engaging delivery reflects this. She'll take surveys of the room to see what terms people are more familiar with, and feed this into her work. Familiar topics are introduced with enough of a new take that they don't feel rote. Occasionally Rahman's confidence seems to falter even though the material could be pushed that bit further to land another laugh- there's a musical gag that trails off quicker than anticipated. With some fine tuning, audiences will be begging for more secrets to be spilled.
Hoots @ The Apex, until 15 Aug.
tw rating 3/5 | [Louise Jones]
Ali Woods: At The Moment (Lee Martin For Gag Reflex)
A perfect show for anyone who has ever fallen in love. Ali Woods delivers a sweet blend of storytelling and comedy in a gloriously heartwarming and relatable hour of fun. His energetic performance is stuffed with excellent one-liners and impersonations (especially of his Scottish mum), along with a brief section where he abandons his mic in favour of agonised screaming instead. His deeply personal exploration of first love and the importance of family will lead you from riotous laughter to heartbreak and back again... and did I mention that the first ten minutes focus solely on his experience of delayed puberty? Ali Woods truly manages to cover it all. This hilarious, vulnerable, and hopelessly romantic performance is a class act.
Underbelly Bristo Square, until 25 Aug.
tw rating 5/5 | [Sive Lawrie]
Lauren Stone: Cool For Cats (Lauren Stone / The Stand Comedy Club)
No prizes for guessing there's a visual gag that accompanies the titular song here. Lauren Stone's material is decidedly silly with a capital S (probably written the wrong way round), and grounded into Stone's trademark low energy delivery. Striding on stage dressed as a proper geezer, Stone promises makeshift tech and a series of one-liners and skits. Keep an eye out for animal art, speculative science and a runner about a children's TV character. The disconnect of Stone's affected unaffectedness and their whimsical material is pretty hard to resist, but it does make it easier to overlook that the show itself runs a little light on gags. Still, I'm charmed by her prop comedy that keeps giving.
The Stand 4, run ended.
tw rating 3/5 | [Louise Jones]
Ben Miller: Volcano (Ben Miller)
If highly informative and ever-so-slightly nerdy comedy is the niche genre you've been looking for, this is the show for you! Supported by his trusty PowerPoint, Ben Miller's hour of comedy focuses on his experience working as a stand-up comedian at Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park. Scientific knowledge and witty humour come together to produce a surprisingly educational, distinctive, and endearingly awkward performance. Although the quick jumps between different topics and the wordy PowerPoint slides can make it difficult to keep up with the punchlines, he manages to get back on track each time. Head along for an engaging gig that cosplays as a funny science lecture and enjoy all your new volcano-based knowledge!
Just The Tonic at The Caves, until 25 Aug.
tw rating 3/5 | [Sive Lawrie]
A Stan Is Born! (Alexis Sakellaris)
Divas rule Alexis Sakellaris' world. This musical mission of self-discovery is an uplifting, if uneven, piece of theatre. The script is bubblegum sweet and packed with slang, with Sakellaris quick to explain the star-stan power dynamic to the uninitiated. The songs are the strength of the piece, charting Sakellaris' journey as a teen in rural Germany. The narrative is charming, but leaves feelings of discomfort distinctly unexplored. There's a heavy question surrounding the nuance of navigating parents' generational homophobia which feels boxed away a little too neatly after a musical number. Likewise, jokes about violent men being secretly queer taste a bit like Olivia Rodrigo's debut album (sour). Still, expect self-love by the bucketful and a mastery of hair flinging.
ZOO Playground, until 25 Aug.
tw rating 3/5 | [Louise Jones]
Lara Ricote: Little Tiny Wet Show (Baptism) (IAM)
Even the way Lara Ricote gets on stage cracks me up. Her persona is solid and well-crafted, and she confidently interacts with the audience: mockingly condescending us. She immediately creates a rapport, which allows her to take us on a hilarious journey. Born in Mexico, raised in the US, and now sort-of living in the Netherlands, Ricote's comedy - like her origins - knows no boundaries. Ricote tells a story and a joke brilliantly, embodying them through her skilful physicality too. Her energy and playfulness fuel our laughter for the whole hour. The show is also tightly and cleverly structured, the content - mostly focusing on her relationship with her boyfriend - is reflected in the form and in that established connection with us.
Monkey Barrel, until 25 Aug.
tw rating 5/5 | [Sara Basso de Marc]
Chris Cantrill: Easily Swayed (A Lovely Time Productions)
You may already know West Yorkshire's Chris Cantrill as half of chaotic comic duo The Delightful Sausage, with Amy Gledhill. Here, he's flying solo, delivering a charming set touching on the complexities of male friendships and the ravages of age, both physical and mental, which can lead you to do strange things like walk the countryside in a red cape. While the show hops between topics, the touchstone we return to is Cantrill's lads' group chat, and the challenges of watching your friends grow into different people as the years pile up. The big laughs keep coming, with Cantrill's skilled writing and forthright delivery allowing him to negotiate trickier subjects without losing momentum. And he looks great in a cape.
Monkey Barrel Comedy (The Tron), until 25 Aug.
tw rating 4/5 | [Jon Stapley]
Elaine Robertson: Delulu (Elaine Robertson/ The Stand Comedy Club)
Elaine Robertson maps out her hometown, her mind, and her favourite naturally occurring river feature (geography GCSE kids know what's up) in this fantastic debut hour. It really takes guts to open up so many moments of being downright delusional, and Robertson does so without demanding sympathy. Instead, her confidence implies she's been at the Fringe for years. Granted a tech hiccup elicits a burst of nervous energy, but otherwise Robertson has control of the room even if she cannot control the world around her. The forty minute mark brings a genuinely fresh perspective on the events of 2020. Strap in: it's devastating, but speaks to Robertson's skills that she can turn it around into a bodacious singalong at the end.
The Stand 4, until 25 Aug.
tw rating 4/5 | [Louise Jones]
Emma Sidi Is Sue Gray (Berk's Nest)
Who is Sue Gray? Keir Starmer's chief of staff, head scrutiniser of Partygate - despite her proximity to power, the publicity-averse Gray is an enigma to most of us. This gives character comedian Emma Sidi licence to reinvent her as a gloriously basic, TK Maxx-adoring office hun, regaling us with goss from her years in the "civvy serv". Sidi gets stuck into a gleefully warped alternate history of the Tories' fall and Labour's rise, stuffed with quotable lines, and including some delightfully absurdist recurring bits that add variety whenever the shtick threatens to wear thin. Sidi's Gray proves to be an ideal lens for this strange political moment we find ourselves in - on the cusp of something different, hopefully something better.
Pleasance Courtyard, until 25 Aug.
tw rating 4/5 | [Jon Stapley]
The Ultimate Collection Of Reels (Andrei Palchyk And Nikita Kha)
This stand-up comedy show is presented by Andrei Palchyk and Nikita Kah and is opened by a set from aforementioned Belarusian comedian Palchyk, whose casual and conversational style of performance immediately made the room feel at ease. His background as a comedian who fled Belarus serves as the basis for amusing anecdotes as well as some political observations that earned laughter from the audience. Nikita Kha offers a contrast to Palchyk's relaxed demeanour, bringing energy to the stage and a more upbeat presentation, and his jokes about Russia or Serbia keep the good vibes going and the audience enjoy themselves. The idea is that they tell the best jokes they posted online, and it works - this is a good, honest show.
theSpace @ Symposium Hall, run ended
tw rating 3/5 | [Noel Leung]
DANCE & PHYSICAL THEATRE
Taiwan Season: Lost Connection (Seed Dance Company)
Dance is perhaps not the most obvious medium through which to reflect on the social impact of our ever-increasing attachment and addiction to our mobile phones. However, as I sort through words and phrases to describe this show; breathless, dark, frenetic, in constant motion, you can't take your eyes off it, well, that's kind of the point. There's no particular narrative to speak of, just four excellent dancers at times doing different things, almost competing for attention, at other times moving in perfect sync, or combining to create movements and shapes, all in an array of styles. It's a sensory barrage and an at times dazzling evocation of the feeling of a dystopian future which, let's face it, is already here.
Summerhall, until 25 Aug.
tw rating 4/5 | [Bruce Blacklaw]
Anatomy For Accountants (Java Dance Theater)
This delightfully unique mix of satire and dance is a somewhat heavy handed examination of the body in an ultra-monetised, growth-oriented world. Sacha Copland, the electric dancer at the centre of the show, is joined by the "accountant" and musician Tristan Carter who attempts to calculate Copland's monetary value. Right from the start, Copland strips down to nothing and we are all implicated in this rather relentless example of the dehumanised and monetised body. In addition to nudity, Copland makes use of free and frenetic choreography to smartly reveal both the profitability of the animalistically imagined body and the power of dance itself to counter such market-driven characterisations with something more emotional and collective.
Summerhall, until 26 Aug.
tw rating 4/5 | [Ben Flaumenhaft]
EVENTS
Iain Dale: All Talk Election Review With Michael Crick, Sir John Curtice And Brian Taylor
Veteran journalists and experts in polling, one of the most qualified and insightful groups to discuss the "most disproportionate election in British History". How the polls work, their accuracy and to what extent they should be used isn't talked about enough in political discourse, and Reform's addition into the mix led to an interesting discussion on the ideological future of the main two parties. Scottish Independence was a prominent topic, and the answer to if it will happen in our lifetimes turns out to be very uncertain.
Pleasance at EICC, one date only (though events with other guests through to 11 Aug).
tw rating 4/5 | [Abigail Tobias]
Iain Dale: All Talk With Jess Phillips
Hilarious, and not a Government minister who refrains from calling people dickheads, Jess Phillips is the voice you need to listen to - no matter what your political persuasion. Not just as minister for safeguarding and violence against women, but as someone who's worked in women's services long before her political career, Phillip's detailed harrowing stories that show exactly who she's fighting for as well as putting to rest many assumptions we may have about the sex trafficking industry and the perpetrators of crime against women. What filled me with hope is that the talk was constructive - Phillips detailed policy and systems for how we can reduce these violent crimes, and after hearing her talk I believe she's the one who can make a difference.
Pleasance at EICC, one date only (though events with other guests through to 11 Aug).
tw rating 5/5 | [Abigail Tobias]
MUSICALS
The Emu War: A New Musical (Pearl Whirl Productions)
As the audience got to their feet, I knew I had seen one of the greatest battles...in the form of a musical. Based on a true story, the show highlights what transpired in 1932 when Emus 'threatened to take over' Australia. There's comedy galore through jokes, stage direction or even simply the performances of the cast who embody their uniquely brilliant characters. Even despite the bizarre storyline there are still compassionate, moving messages throughout the show thanks to Lotte Pearl's delightful, well crafted script. Musical numbers, composed by Toby Little, are stunning, with impressive harmonies, and in addition to the excellent choreography and direction there is a great sense of buffoonery throughout. The Emu War certainly won't be forgotten, especially while this show is being performed.
Pleasance Courtyard, until 25 Aug.
tw rating 5/5 | [Andrew Melrose]
Draft My Life - A Concept Musical (We Draman Group)
A meaningful musical produced by a Hong Kong theatre troupe and performed in Cantonese with English subtitles. It manages to brilliantly appeal to grown-ups - it's a very thought-provoking experience - and is performed with fantastic and captivating enthusiasm by the cast of six, resulting in a show that is fast-paced and enjoyable. It's a story of a protagonist looking for her independence through the intimation of a 'home', and for the Hongkonger, the definition of a home can be difficult to define. It is an original little masterpiece, combining vivid lyrics, physical movement, and bundles of imagination, accompanied by a charming and fitting score. Claps for Eva Yip for her amazing directing, it is superb.
Greenside @ George Street, until 17 Aug.
tw rating 4/5 | [Noel Leung]
THEATRE
Bi-Curious George: Queer Planet (Bi-Curious George)
Nature documentaries have never been engaging or entertaining to me, but Bi-Curious George has certainly found a way and it's to make it incredibly gay. The hour plays like a typical BBC1 nature documentary, but with our host in glorious costumes and the audience performing the roles of animal. There are songs, dancing, comedy and heavy encouragement for the audience to run wild, allowing the show to fly by like a good party that you never want to end. Yet, as this all goes on the show is remarkably educational, I learned more from this than in science class. Furthermore, alongside all the sex information there's a message to always be your authentic self. Bi-Curious George certainly delivers pure drag show excellence.
Pleasance Dome, until 26 Aug.
tw rating 4/5 | [Andrew Melrose]
Failure Project (Yolanda Mercy)
This show does not live up to its name. Our writer-character Ade guides us skillfully through ups and downs in the precarious work of getting her play put on, revealing an inspiring resilience as she brushes herself down after every fall this process throws up: everyday racism, family pressures and a 'we know best' editing team. This day-in-the-life-style monologue makes extraordinary from the ordinary, and reveals Yolanda Mercy as an adept storyteller, clever mimic, and confident narrator. Well-paced anecdotes entertain as well as show up prejudices her black skin spurns - an expectation that she must be poor, for example. Still, Mercy may not yet have found her dramatic medium - I'd like to hear her on the radio.
Summerhall, until 26 Aug.
tw rating 3/5 | [Catherine Meek]
The Ghost Of White Hart Lane (Bruised Sky Productions)
John White was one of the greatest footballers of his day. A star for Tottenham Hotspur and Scotland, he was killed by lightning in 1964 aged 27. This show doesn't just tell the story of his life but also his son Rob, only months old at the time of John's death. Martin Murphy's script deftly handles the jumps in time and character as we see both men reflect on the things that shape all our lives, the decisions that we make each day, the feelings of inadequacy we have, and the discoveries we make about ourselves. Cal Newman does an outstanding job handling a range of emotions. It's a powerful drama, and its universality ensures it's not only for football fans.
Underbelly Bristo Square, until 26 Aug.
tw rating 4/5 | [Tom Brogan]
Lessons On Revolution (Undone Theatre And Carmen Collective)
Gab and Sam's flat is set with a yellow rug, two mid-century modern chairs, a pitcher of lemon iced tea, and biscuits. How exciting and apt for this piece of historical theatre to be set in such a personal space. From the start, Gab and Sam's investigation of 1960s activism at the London School of Economics is disclaimed as having a tenuous relationship with objectivity. The pair is more so interested in a kind of history that maintains awareness of its inevitable blindnesses and remains as personal as it is archival. As Gab and Sam swiftly shift between descriptions of direct actions and discussions of personal housing troubles, they develop an excitingly honest argument about the unfixed narrative of history.
Summerhall, until 26 Aug.
tw rating 4/5 | [Ben Flaumenhaft]
The Chaos That Has Been And Will No Doubt Return (Chalk Line Theatre)
Sam Edmunds' new play is political and personal. It is a coming-of-age story about two best friends who navigate young adulthood in the midst of booze, bangers and brutality. The set, designed by Rob Miles, is simple, a movable brick wall; the setting is noughties Luton, designed by years of neglect and division. The three actors on stage bring their inner worlds and this outer world to life; the performances of Butler and Aguinaga are strong, and Ayofe is able to truly shine thanks to some powerful words written for him. Matteo Depares' sound design is effective: music and silence are used poignantly. The play feels extremely relevant; it is also hopeful, which is what we all need right now.
Summerhall, until 26 Aug.
tw rating 4/5 | [Sara Basso de Marc]
The Gummy Bears' Great War (Batisfera)
They know it will come to a sticky end but they declare war on the dinosaurs anyway. Why? No rational answer is proposed, instead the question is sharpened as we observe the absurd language, logic and rituals of war. That's helped by the genius choice of the smallest actors (the ultimate tabula rasa puppet) you are ever likely to see on stage. The device enables much comedy and some pathos as the day of the great battle unfolds. This is literary as well as visual theatre, though the subtitles for a non-Italian-speaking audience could offer better sightlines. A concise (in the end rather slight) delight, the show ends somewhat abruptly, suggesting room for a more theatrical finale.
C alto, until 25 Aug.
tw rating 3/5 | [Alan Cranston]
Weather Girl (Francesca Moody Productions)
Weather girl Stacey has one job - smile like everything's fine, even while it all burns behind you. Set amid rapidly escalating Californian wildfires, 'Weather Girl' is a strange and compelling story, written by Brian Watkins, directed by Tyne Rafaeli and performed by the magnificent Julia McDermott. Primped and coiffed, McDermott plays Stacey as a human house of cards, one good push away from collapse. Someone that everyone looks at, but nobody actually listens to. Her increasing bewilderment at the uncanny horror of everything around her is complemented by superb lighting and sound design, with sickly orange hues and chest-rattling rumbles communicating the catastrophe that's approaching. With unflagging pace and jet-black humour, 'Weather Girl' will keep you hooked to the end.
Summerhall, until 26 Aug.
tw rating 4/5 | [Jon Stapley]
Rogues So Banished (Paul Case)
Fans of horror will revel in this brilliantly bloody and brutal tale exploring the depths of human desperation, and the dark drive to survive lurking within. Writer and performer Paul Case inhabits the roles of three convicts in 18th Century Australia, and a narrator, relaying their ill-fated journey into the unknown. Case's grounded performances are absolutely gripping, mesmerising the audience for the hour. The language is superlative, dripping with rich, vibrant imagery and peppered with the demotic slang of the time, which is often startlingly coarse. Coupled with the violence described so vividly, it can be discomfiting. Nevertheless, it is the raw humanity of the tale that endures, alongside the haunting, gory imagery so vividly evoked.
Scottish Storytelling Centre, run ended.
tw rating 4/5 | [Andy Leask]
Bellringers (Atticist, Ellie Keel Productions And Hampstead Theatre)
Theatre can struggle to make climate change real for us. Too didactic and you risk both turning off your audience and making poor theatre. Bellringers wisely takes a different approach; the play is more concerned to explore the feelings of those facing the imminent end of their world. It could almost as easily be set in mediaeval times as in a fragmented society in the not-too-distant future. It's a strongly written play, creating an uneasy strangeness to underpin the sometimes fearful, sometimes funny dialogue between two young men trying to come to terms with the increasing disturbance of the world around them. Rationality, ritual and superstition compete, but there is no resolution, as perhaps there cannot be.
Summerhall, until 26 Aug.
tw rating 4/5 | [Alan Cranston]
PALS (Higgledy Piggledy Productions)
Ye cannae beat a pure Scottish camping trip. As four gals embark on an outdoors adventure to escape their 'normal' lives, they realise it's harder than it looks, with their friendship getting tested. The story shined when focusing on this friendship, and through moments of humorous content such as the party bar scene. It works incredibly well, and results in a comedy with heart, with a cast truly enjoyable to watch. When it got serious or raised awareness, though, I wished it would go further, to draw me more into these characters' feelings. The show is female produced and led, but contains something for everyone, with Mirren Wilson's script providing moments and characters that we can can relate to. Taisbeanadh air leth... A fantastic show.
Gilded Balloon Patter House, until 26 Aug.
tw rating 4/5 | [Andrew Melrose]
The Crow, (The Princess) And The Scullery Maid (Spin Cycle Theater)
In this enthralling performance in an intimate space, the story mingles with comedy, fantasy and narrative, and the excellent development of the narrative ensures the attention of the audience. Playwright and protagonist Lucie Rowan performs her compelling script with great sincerity, making the fairy tale truly fascinating theatrical fodder. The show relies somewhat on the audience's prior knowledge of the well known stories, but the manner of storytelling combined with a committed performance is very engaging. Simple and functional props create various scenarios, and hand-made 18th-century costumes enhance the performance. A modern presentation of time honoured themes that leaves one pondering how happy endings contrast with the cruelty of present daily life.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall, until 24 Aug.
tw rating 3/5 | [Noel Leung]
Same Team (Traverse Theatre)
Robbie Gordon and Jack Nurse's play, created with the women of Street Soccer Scotland, is a joyful, energetic hour in the company of an accomplished ensemble of powerful actors. While the cast encourages the audience to participate, soon, there's no need to prompt as the punters are fully invested in the Scottish team's Homeless World Cup journey in Milan. The staging is excellent, as the story effortlessly shifts from dressing room to pitch. The lighting is also used to great effect. It's very much a team performance, but Hannah Jarrett-Scott's Billy Bremner-esque powerhouse as The B and Chloe-Anne Tylor's measured captain's role as Jo are standouts. You don't need to know anything about football to enjoy this Premier Division 90 minutes.
Traverse Theatre, until 25 Aug.
tw rating 4/5 | [Tom Brogan]
Instructions (Subject Object)
'Instructions' is like a play. There's an audience and there's an actor. There are even chapters, like a story. There is also, however, a camera, a monitor, and a turntable. It's a distinct display of hardware that makes clear upon entry into the space the play's intention to explore and imagine technology's intervention in the theatrical tradition. Each performance, a new unrehearsed actor puts on the play, reading prompts from the monitor at the front of the stage. It's funny and it's exciting, thanks mostly to the cleverly self-conscious writing, which itself seems to suggest the recursion and nonsense of contemporary generative AI. Pondering closely a brilliantly imagined interaction between technology and theater, 'Instructions' is a truly mysterious and engaging play.
Summerhall, until 26 Aug.
tw rating 5/5 | [Ben Flaumenhaft]
Mairi Campbell: Living Stone (Mairi Campbell)
Pareidolia. A word you've not often read in a theatre review. Finding images in random patterns. But Mairi Campbell's story is deeper, more grounded and more complex. There really are stories in the stones, there really is a history to be told. In a strongly personal tale, of family connections and yet of a need for retreat to a familiar but strangely unknown environment, Mairi relates the finding of artefacts that tell of both history and an unfathomable grounding in place. She tells the story well, aided by Kath Burlinson's lucid and creative direction. Embracing music, song, art and a sometimes wry, sometimes direct story-telling style, the show creates in the space the very calm that it seeks to understand.
Scottish Storytelling Centre, until 25 Aug.
tw rating 4/5 | [Alan Cranston]
Lies Where It Falls (Andy Jordan Productions With Ruairi Conaghan - Northern Ireland)
One could be forgiven for expecting a play written and performed by an actor, drawing on their personal struggles, to be a little self-indulgent. So I was unprepared to be so profoundly, utterly moved by Ruairi Conaghan's compelling play. Exploring the impact of trauma, and the painful ways in which it can devastate our lives even years later, the heavyweight emotional impact it creates is offset with moments of genuine levity - often self-deprecating gags about his role in Downton Abbey, the only thing people want to talk to him about. Conaghan has poured all his heart and his art into this production, and it shows; an honest, important representation of the healing power of theatre, when processing traumas both cultural and personal.
C alto, until 25 Aug.
tw rating 5/5 | [Andy Leask]
Chatterbox (Lubna Kerr)
Regrettably more topical than it should be, Lubna Kerr's semi-autobiographical solo drama takes us back to her 1970s schooldays in (racist, obs) Glasgow. Picked on for her skin colour, and also her stammer, Lubna voices characters from her difficult past: a tapestry which gives room for a useful and important injection of nuance. Well-paced, with a nicely judged mix of laughs and emotional hits. There is an arc of overcoming all of this to succeed in adult life, but some hurts endure. Sidebar - while this isn't a children's show, I took the trusty young co-reviewer along, and I'd say Chatterbox is a really good way to open or develop conversations that need to be had, apparently with increasing urgency.
Pleasance Courtyard, until 25 Aug.
tw rating: 4/5 | [Bruce Blacklaw]
This Town (Rory Aaron, Leicester Curve, Derby Theatre And Pleasance)
Finding beauty and poetry in the everyday, writer-actor Rory Aaron's play is an adaptation of his own epic poem. The vibrant wit of his verse is matched with his charm and charisma as a performer. We meet a series of characters in a small, northern town: the kind of town, as Aaron says, that you never leave. Moving from present day, when our protagonists are 25, to ten years earlier, when they are 15 year old schoolboys (with little interest in school...), he eschews obvious dramatic conventions and cliches, resolute in his commitment to stay true to life. In celebrating the ordinariness of his characters, Aaron shows that we are all extraordinary, that we all have a story worth telling.
Pleasance Courtyard, until 25 Aug.
tw rating 5/5 | [Andy Leask]
FAMEHUNGRY (Louise Orwin)
The TikTok app has been downloaded three billion times. It's a colossal mass of eyeballs - hard to explain, harder to understand. Performance artist Louise Orwin spent months diving into its attention economy and the result is 'FAMEHUNGRY', performed for us while simultaneously being broadcast live to an audience of visibly confused TikTok users. Orwin enlists the help of Gen Z TikToker Jax, via Zoom, to offer their perspective on growing up in front of a camera. Jax proves to be a vital presence, giving the show its hardest-hitting moments and its emotional core. The result is a skilful interrogation of how to make art in a world that feels like it's being chewed up, swallowed and regurgitated as contextless slop.
Summerhall, until 26 Aug.
tw rating 4/5 | [Jon Stapley]
Hamstrung (George Rennie)
Yorick is back, resurrected into a liminal performance space, there to entertain... and to make sense of his life, and the goings on of Elsinore. This is a sharp, surprisingly profound solo show from the talented writer-performer George Rennie. There's a little audience participation required, but nothing too buttock-clenchingly awkward, and Rennie's warmth and friendliness soon overcomes any nerves. There's a real skill in balancing humour and pathos, and also in mining Shakespeare for fresh, contemporary insight - 'Hamstrung' is a masterclass in both. While you don't need to know 'Hamlet' to appreciate it, an awareness of the fates of Hamlet, Gertrude and, indeed, Yorick himself, adds the weight of dramatic irony, lending even the moments of levity an undercurrent of poignancy.
Pleasance Courtyard, until 26 Aug.
tw rating 4/5 | [Andy Leask]
All The Fraudulent Horse Girls (Brooklyn Rep)
The archetypal horse girl is annoying and all too serious about her passions. The same could be said of this zany hour-long mythologization of that precise archetype - the type of girl who is just so enthused by the prospect of both riding and being a horse. The writing is delightfully weird and the design has a humorous, makeshift quality (spray bottles for rain and tap shoes for horse clip clopping). Unfortunately, the performers make very little of this material, moving through the space somewhat haphazardly and delivering their lines much too straightly. The script is really quite fun, but its scenes and characters made manifest on stage are lacking in specificity and strangeness.
Pleasance Dome, until 26 Aug.
tw rating 3/5 | [Ben Flaumenhaft]
The Shroud Maker (Andy Jordan Productions)
A play charting the travails of Palestine is, sadly, as timely now as ever. 'The Shroud Maker' cleverly humanises the tragedy, personifying the country's journey through the life of Hajja. After a brief introduction to the present day, older Hajja, we flashback to her childhood, and learn of her struggles. The ills of British colonialism are hinted at, as 1948 comes and goes; soon Hajja becomes an orphan, then a mother, then finds herself alone again. Her life is punctuated by loss, and the powerful story is compellingly written and performed, barring some prosaic dialogue and manic delivery in the opening minutes. By the climax, when we learn the awful truth behind the ringing phone, such minor quibbles are forgotten.
Pleasance Dome, until 25 Aug.
tw rating 3/5 | [Andy Leask]
Surrender (Sophie Swithinbank, Phoebe Ladenburg, HFH Productions, And Nancy Medina)
Phoebe Ladenburg dominates the minimalist stage with her portrayal of a complex, flawed and troubled mother who is visited in prison by her teenage daughter. Her acting is captivating, and the audience are with her for every word, beat and sigh. The story starts in medias res, then unfolds, and jumps around - through the sleep-deprived journey that led Mother to this tragic place and point. The play is a collaboration between Ladenburg (who directs herself) and writer Sophie Swithinbank, and it is thought-provoking: it invites the audience to reflect on their preconceived notions, judgments and morbid curiosity when it comes to distressing and heartbreaking stories such as this one. 'Surrender' does what a good play should do - ask difficult questions.
Summerhall, until 26 Aug.
tw rating 4/5 | [Sara Basso de Marc]
One Sugar, Stirred To The Left (Karekare Productions Ltd)
I couldn't help but be moved by this beautifully human play about life, love and the things too often left unsaid. Set in a palliative care ward, we witness the final days of two men, as experienced by the patients, their families and the souls who care for them. Script and performances combine to capture experiential truths, raw humanity served up not just as entertainment - though it is very entertaining! - but as a meditation on mortality, and on how we feel about death. Even as we laugh and cry with the characters, we remember those we have lost ourselves; as the characters come to terms with their losses the audience too is healed by the script's warmth and wisdom.
theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall, until 17 Aug.
tw rating 4/5 | [Andy Leask]
James Rowland Dies At The End Of The Show (James Rowland)
If you've never seen Fringe stalwart James Rowland, stop reading and immediately book tickets: you can thank me later. If you have, you'll know to expect a heartwarming experience, told with warmth and wit, with humour and empathy, and with an endearing, heartfelt sincerity. The show opens with a characteristically friendly introduction. Rowland doesn't so much break the fourth wall as hug it. What follows surprised me: there wasn't a singular narrative. Rather, we're treated to an emotional collage - a series of smaller stories, anecdotes, jokes and observations, touchstones in his life. As he says at the start, though the genesis of this show is his mortality, it's not about grief. It's about life. It's about joy. It's about love.
Summerhall, until 26 Aug.
tw rating 5/5 | [Andy Leask]
So Young (Traverse Theatre In Co-Production With Raw Material And Citizens Theatre)
Good grief! A play ostensibly about the collapse of middle-class manners (think Abigail's Party) proves to have greater depth. It's an insightful examination of differing responses to grief and the death of a loved one. It is insightful, too, on ageing and generational difference. This crackerjack of a play is also a reminder that theatre is crucially a literary form; some of the histrionic speeches are classics, yet there is sensitivity in the language too. All of the characters, if sometimes over the top, are well drawn, including the eponymous 'so young' new partner, quietly more than a blank page on which the older protagonists project their thoughts and feelings. More high value theatre from the Traverse.
Traverse Theatre, until 25 Aug.
tw rating 4/5 | [Alan Cranston]
Spy Movie: The Play! (A Cabbage Presents)
Has anything been parodied as exhaustively as James Bond movies? While 'Spy Movie: The Play!' doesn't add anything new to this bulging canon, it is at least a fun hour of silliness. The conceit is that a frustrated scriptwriter is staging her movie as a play, bidding for funding from a high-flying producer located in the front row. From there, the story of Jane Blonde delivers all the expected tropes - the silly names, the preposterous gadgets, and the puns. So many puns. The low-budget action set-pieces are a highlight, including one particularly successful bit involving a remote-controlled helicopter. If a joke doesn't land, another arrives within seconds, and thus while the show is rarely original, it's never less than entertaining.
Pleasance Courtyard, until 26 Aug.
tw rating 3/5 | [Jon Stapley]
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