We have the very latest interviews and reviews from this year's Festival, plus some top tips for performers curated from all our Venue Director interviews in TW Backstage.
Look out for more reviews appearing on the website each day this week, plus the first editions of our TW:Talks podcast from Festival 2025 will be going live very soon - sign up via your podcast app of choice.
But, of course, it's not all Edinburgh Festival! Below our Edinburgh coverage you will also find this week's Three To See tips for London.
So, let's get going...
ROSA GARLAND: PRIMAL BOG
Here's another show that really leapt out at me when I first read about it - wouldn't you pay attention if promised a "clown/live art mashup exploring queer intimacy"? Well, that's apparently what you can expect from Rosa Garland's edfringe 2025 show.
You may of course have seen Rosa's work at the Festival before - her earlier creation, 'Trash Salad', won many fans and much acclaim.
I was intrigued by what to expect from 'Primal Bog', so I arranged a chat with Rosa to find out more.
CLICK HERE to read this Caro Meets interview.
Rosa Garland performs 'Primal Bog' at Assembly Roxy until 24 Aug. Find the edfringe listing here.
PEDRO LEANDRO: SOFT ANIMAL
Pedro Leandro's 2025 Fringe show is one that really stood out to me, partly because I kind of related to the themes and questions that the comedian explores through it: looking at why being perceived as talented and successful is important to him.
It covers other topics too, but this central idea certainly appeals to me, and I feel sure other people will be able to relate.
"If the whole world said, as one: 'You are the greatest comedian that has ever lived. In fact, you transcend that label. You are a raconteur. An artist. And we actually like that you're gay', would that be enough?"
I spoke to him to find out more.
CLICK HERE to read this Caro Meets interview.
Pedro Leandro performs 'Soft Animal' at Pleasance Courtyard until 24 Aug. Find the edfringe listing here.
CERYS BRADLEY: QUEER TALES FOR AUTISTIC FOLK
I'm always a bit drawn to anything that promises to look at the theme of neurodivergence, or work that is specifically designed with neurodivergent audiences in mind. So, a show called 'Queer Tales For Autistic Folk' was always going to leap out at me.
We've seen its creator Cerys Bradley at the Fringe before, of course, so we know to expect good things, and this year's show is interesting in many ways, but not least because of its choose-your-own-story format.
To find out more about the show, and Cerys, I organised a pre-Fringe chat.
CLICK HERE to read this Caro Meets interview.
Cerys Bradley performs 'Queer Tales For Autistic Folk' at Underbelly Bristo Square until 25 Aug. Find the edfringe listing here.
ALEC JONES-TRUJILLO: OLD GOD
I was drawn to the idea of 'Old God' as soon as I heard about it - it's a show performed by a supposedly ancient being - "a foppish, irreverent oracle; a singer of doom; a weaver of myth" - who nonetheless tackles some very modern themes.
The character, and the show, is the creation of history and clown show graduate Alec Jones-Trujillo. I spoke to him to find out more about him and what to expect from this year's show.
CLICK HERE to read this Caro Meets interview.
Alec Jones-Trujillo performs 'Old God' at Assembly Roxy until 24 Aug. Find the edfringe listing here.
QUESTION TIME: GETTING THE MOST FROM THE FRINGE AS A PERFORMER
This Festival we've been chatting to some of the people who run venues as part of the Edinburgh Fringe, including C, the Free Festival, Gilded Balloon, Greenside, Pleasance, Summerhall, theSpace and ZOO.
We've now collated their answers to put together ten tips for getting the most out of the Festival as a performer, including advice on promoting a show and getting reviewed, and also about how performers can hone their craft and make valuable connections while they are in the city.
Read the ten tips here.
CHILDREN'S SHOWS
The Box Show (Junkyard Beats / Assembly Festival)
Right. This is a show about boxes. Specifically, the fairly constant and loud hitting of them for an hour. If you don't fancy that - which I respect - you should probably move on. However, if you do fancy a relentlessly percussive hour of entertainment, then this certainly fits the bill. By way of variety, the four impressively synched and quirkily charismatic performers also each take a go at hitting pots, pans, wheelie bins and, on occasion, themselves and each other. There's a light touch recycling messaging woven throughout. It's all suitably energetic, and cleverly keeps the audience involved and engaged from beginning to end. In short, it barely misses a beat.
Assembly George Square, until 24 Aug.
tw rating 4/5 | [Bruce Blacklaw]
Circus The Show (Showmen Productions)
After some clown crowd work as the lengthy queue snakes in, we are welcomed by the Ring Master, who castigates the clown before welcoming us, old-school showman style, promising a bounty of performative delights. The promise is largely delivered through three impressive performers, each doing two turns. These include hula-hoop, magic and illusion, juggling, and aerial gymnastics, before the clown gets to perform his fine finale. While he plays the role well, for me there is a little too much Ring Master in the mix, too often leading to a slight drop in the pace and momentum. However, for a pleasing and impressive showcase of this kind of entertainment for small people, Circus. Is. The. Show.
Assembly George Square, until 25 Aug.
tw rating 3/5 | [Bruce Blacklaw]
Foxdog Studios: Robo Bingo Kids (Georgia House Studios)
If getting your kids off-device is a motivation for taking your kids to the Fringe, this probably isn't for you. There's a QR code when you go in, to create your avatar; and actual bingo ensues. You mark called numbers on your phone, whilst enjoying our hosts' entertaining take on bingo-calling. Somewhere around the middle, they explain that they are actually developers and "wrote the code for this show". At this point, my soul quietly departed as proceedings shifted to slickly administered, noisy, device-based chaos. Kids seemed to enjoy it. Charge your phone before you go and, if your kid has one of their own, charge that too, whether you want to beat them at bingo or indeed have something else to do.
Underbelly Cowgate, until 24 Aug.
tw rating 3/5 | [Bruce Blacklaw]
Captain Narwhal's Pirates vs French Dinosaurs (Gatepost Theatre Company)
Captain Narwhal's crew have robbed an orphanage of its treasure before losing it, barring one stray stowaway, to their "French" pirate rival, Captain Oui-oui (say it out loud... ). They resolve to get it back. Whilst the level of French dinosaur involvement is less than implied by the title, all the elements you'd want in a pirate play are present and perkily correct - arrr gags, songs, puns, and, of course, audience participation. I was honoured to be awarded the role of Captain Wobblebottom. That's right, Gatepost Theatre Company: you shot the reviewer in the face with a water pistol. Three times. But my young co-reviewer was absolutely delighted about that so, eh, we're cool. Fun start to the Fringe day.
The Space @ Niddry Street, run ended.
tw rating 3/5 | [Bruce Blacklaw]
The Unlikely Friendship Of Feather Boy And Tentacle Girl (Vee Smith And Sadiq Ali)
Feather Boy and Tentacle Girl? Marvel Studios really are phoning it in these days. No, wait: this isn't that, although some of the physical feats achieved in this aerial-intensive interpretative dance piece are more impressive than any CGI fodder. Part of this year's Made In Scotland showcase, the show features respectively Vee Smith and Sadiq Ali as a girl who wants to be a kelpie-inspired sea monster and a boy who wants to fly. Their journeys to realising their dreams culminate in visually beautiful vignettes involving fans, feathers, a plastic sheet and, crucially, two very talented performers. Quibbling, I'd have liked the soundtrack to vary and lighten a little more with the emotional gearshifts but, all in, pretty mesmerising. Marvellous, even.
Assembly Roxy, until 17 Aug.
tw rating 4/5 | [Bruce Blacklaw]
COMEDY
Toussaint Douglass: Accessible Pigeon Material (Soho Theatre / UTC)
Despite Toussaint Douglass's claims at the outset, this show does not consist entirely of pigeon material. Instead, after its unlovey dovey opening, it evolves into a charming stand-up hour about family and what we pass on between generations, set against the backdrop of Douglass's home in South East London. Douglass is a lithe, elastic presence who never stops moving. He ricochets from one audience member to the next, taking names, getting close and personal. He conjures a host of characters from his family, aided by some delightfully silly props. The finale, that in lesser hands could have been overly saccharine, is properly affecting. And don't worry, pigeon fanciers — the feral feathered sky-rats do make a return.
Pleasance Courtyard, until 24 Aug.
tw rating 4/5 | [Jon Stapley]
Hilarious History (Bobby Sheehan)
Have you ever wondered what the last words of an American president were? Or how Weird Al Yankovic can be connected to the Civil War? If so, Sheehan's 'Hilarious History' might be the right choice for you. Sheehan does a great job with such an intimate crowd, regardless of how much knowledge of American history they may have, using jokes, slides and an overabundance of knowledge to keep the room entertained. While some things may get lost on a mostly non-American audience, Sheehan is able to customise parts of the show based on viewer demographics, with one highlight being a 'Hot or Not' segment and another being a guessing game of which historical figure is responsible for which quotation!
Laughing Horse @ The Three Sisters, until 13 Aug.
tw rating 3/5 | [Kat Mokrynski]
Cat Cohen: Broad Strokes (Berk's Nest)
Picture this - you're about to go on an incredible European tour - including a run at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe - but, in a twist of fate, you end up having a stroke at the age of thirty and all your dreams of Europe go out the window. 'Broad Strokes' sees Cat Cohen share a musical journey through her own experiences, accompanied by the fantastic Frazer Hadfield on the piano. There is a great balance between stand-up comedy and musical performance, as well as some fun audience callout moments. Cohen has a surreal energy to her, toeing the line between silly and solemn with ease as she sings about her hopes, dreams and fears, and how the hole in her heart has changed her life.
Pleasance Courtyard, until 24 Aug.
tw rating 4/5 | [Kat Mokrynski]
Mary O'Connell: Dilly Dally
If parents want to help their children pursue a career in comedy, providing a stable childhood in a loving home isn't really a good start. But fortunately for Mary O'Connell, her stable loving family is also rather eccentric, so the comedy material was there all along - even if it took a podcaster boyfriend moving into the family home to point out that those eccentricities weren't the norm. The eccentric family and the podcaster boyfriend feature heavily in this show, in which we follow Mary as she dilly-dallys through life trying to figure out if and when adulthood actually begins. A great storyteller, Mary paints a vivid picture of the characters and events in her life, always finding the funny in each twist and turn.
Pleasance Courtyard, until 24 Aug.
tw rating 4/5 | [Chris Cooke]
Will Owen: Looking Fab At Fifty
When a Radio 2 producer assumes you're a fan of Jessie J's 'Bang Bang' based on a 30 second phone call, that's going to make you question things. It made Will Owen ponder his future: what will life be like aged 50, given what's happening now in his 20s, with commitment issues and a gay scene where he's not quite as unique a person as he once believed? The show is mainly about the now, with just a little future gazing, as Will uses life experiences and embarrassments to craft some very funny stories. His audience interactions are always good, though this show relies a little on how their relationships contrast with his own, which I suspect works better some nights than others. But whatever those interactions deliver, it's a performance that goes with a bang (bang).
Assembly Roxy, until 24 Aug.
tw rating 4/5 | [Chris Cooke]
Rhys Darby: The Legend Returns (Mick Perrin)
After more than a decade, Kiwi comedian Rhys Darby makes a triumphant return to the Edinburgh Fringe, this time tackling the subjects of AI and robots - who would have guessed? Darby imagines his future self travelling back in time to 2025, determined to find out what went wrong and change the world for the better. In an hour that contains bits about robots and dildos, searching for your car in the parking lot, and suggested games for an Olympics for those in their 50s, Darby does a fantastic job of tying things together to make a surprisingly seamless show. And, if sound effects are ever added to the Olympics, Darby certainly stands a good chance of bringing the gold home for New Zealand!
Pleasance Courtyard, until 10 Aug.
tw rating 4/5 | [Kat Mokrynski]
Josie Long: Now Is the Time of Monsters (IAM)
Gramsci quotations, silly drawings of megafauna and liberal usage of the C-word - Josie Long is back, baby. Returning for her first full Fringe show since 2022, Long is as full of hope and optimism and piss and vinegar as ever. While our world indeed has many contemporary monsters, Long is largely preoccupied by prehistoric ones, having been discovering them with her young daughter. But of course, this is Josie Long, and we can't ignore the state of things for too long. Her show becomes a rallying cry, her enthusiasm sweeping you along with it as she leaps onto chairs and charges up the aisles. It's a warm, inviting show, and its triumphant finale might have you daring to feel hopeful.
Pleasance Dome, until 24 Aug.
tw rating 5/5 | [Jon Stapley]
Ted Milligan: United
If you're as passionate about football as Ted Milligan, I think you'll love this show. If, like me, you have no interest in football, there's still plenty to love. If nothing else, you'll probably find yourself rooting for a football team that never existed in this one-man mockumentary that tells the story of struggling Crubchester United Football Club. As a plethora of characters, Milligan playfully mocks footballers, football fans and the football business. But really it's a celebration of sticking with a team that consistently fails, in the hope that one day, maybe, it could happen. Even if "it" isn't really very much. Which is the one aspect of football fandom I kind of like. And here, Milligan makes it seem all the more charming and very funny.
Pleasance Courtyard, until 24 Aug.
tw rating 4/5 | [Chris Cooke]
Ismael Loutfi: Heavenly Baba
Stand-up shows that chart a comedian's journey through comedy are a favourite of mine, providing there's a good story and an even better storyteller. 'Heavenly Baba' delivers both. Ismael grew up Muslim in post-9/11 Florida, the child of a devoutly and eccentrically religious father, who tried converting heathen Floridians by painting slogans on his car. Comedy helped Ismael combat the isolation he felt at school, but - as his comedy career began - his jokes about Muslim stereotypes that played well with American audiences created a different feeling of isolation. Ismael is incredibly compelling as he describes his journey seeking to balance his comedy and his religion, creating a show that is, at times, quite emotional but also very funny.
Assembly George Square, until 24 Aug.
tw rating 5/5 | [Chris Cooke]
Alex Prescot: Cosy
What do you do when you feel like you're at the top of the world with your comedy double act, but then your partner decides to go to Australia to chase his own dreams? You get Alex Prescot's 'Cosy'. The show is indeed very cosy, both with its warm (yet hilarious) songs and the literal pillows being given to audience members as a reward for good responses. Prescot's songs are a mixture of scripted and improvised songs, along with some silly PowerPoint slides, which include some particularly buff kangaroos. There are a few repeats from last year's show, but they're still just as funny. 'Cosy' is a lovely hour of musical comedy that will have audience members smiling and tapping their feet.
Underbelly Bristo Square, until 25 Aug.
tw rating 4/5 | [Kat Mokrynski]
The Britpop Hour With Marc Burrows (Corrie McGuire Management)
If you were around for Britpop this is an unmissable show, but there's enough in it to enjoy even if you missed out in the mid-90s. As well as Britpop trivia there's an enjoyable section when Burrows gets his guitar out to illustrate why some Britpop classics aren't as original as we might think. Deep down it's all about embracing your passions and sharing them with others. Burrows counterpoints this with a throughline about one of his stepchildren, who doesn't like music, successfully weaving the 16-year-old's own passions into the show. The finale is a solo re-creation of one of Britpop's defining moments that sends the audience out on a high.
Underbelly Bristo Square, until 25th Aug.
tw rating 4/5 | [Tom Brogan]
Alfie Packham: My Apologies To The Chef
If there was a prize for comedians that utilise well that slightly awkward Fringe moment where stand-ups are obliged to announce themselves from off-stage, Alfie Packham would be on the shortlist. It starts the show on a high, a mood he mainly maintains throughout the hour as he muses on art, school and being a nerd, and on life following the passing of his mum, whose death he discussed in a previous show. The family stuff is generally his strongest material, especially the evolving relationship with his widowed dad. There are some decent call backs and pay offs along the way, and while no chefs appear, there is some fruit, so I'm counting that as the food alluded to by the title.
Underbelly Bristo Square, until 24 Aug.
tw rating 4/5 | [Chris Cooke]
Eli Matthewson: Night Terror
The cliché goes that comedy equals tragedy plus time. Which means Eli's stint on breakfast radio and subsequent appearance on New Zealand's 'Dancing With The Stars' - delivering sufficient financial security to buy a house - is less likely to provide useful material for a comedy routine. So let's just be grateful Eli's boyfriend then unwittingly started strangling him while they both slept (a result of the night terror in the title). That said, we'd had a solid half hour of stand-up before we even got to the strangulation, because - turns out - brushes with celebrity and Zoom calls with Ed Sheeran can be pretty damn funny in the right hands. The nighttime strangulation was therefore not necessary after all, but nevertheless provides Eli with extra drama from which to mine more laughs.
Underbelly George Square, until 24 Aug.
tw rating 4/5 | [Chris Cooke]
EVENTS
Iain Dale All Talk with Rachel Reeves
In his All Talk Edinburgh Fringe interviews, LBC's Iain Dale has made a fine art of revealing a different side to the politicians whom we mostly know only through glimpses on TV or soundbites on social media. A wicked sense of humour isn't a quality I would normally associate with Chancellors of the Exchequer or, indeed, the position's current incumbent. Rachel Reeves is the first woman and first Labour Chancellor in 14 years. While this cannot be described as a hard-hitting interview, Reeves gives firm views on the issues put to her: National Insurance, Jeremy Corbyn's new party, and Nigel Farage. She is also capable of having a laugh and telling an amusing anecdote. A great series for politics enthusiasts!
Pleasance at EICC, 2 Aug.
tw rating 5/5 | [Abigail Tobias]
Iain Dale All Talk with Michael Heseltine
"When were you at the peak of your life?" is the question put to Michael Heseltine. His response is representative of his attitude as a whole: "It's yet to come". The 92-year-old Thatcher deputy gives a strong impression of having stopped filtering his thoughts for public scrutiny - did he ever? Thoughts on Boris Johnson? "Charming but with no moral scruples". The Westland affair? Brusquely: he'd change nothing. But when asked who has been the worst and the best Conservative Prime Minister of the 21st century he draws the line "What kind of politician would I be to answer that question". No matter your politics we can all hope to be as witty at 92.
Pleasance at EICC, 3 Aug.
tw rating 3/5 | [Abigail Tobias]
Iain Dale All Talk With Joanna Cherry KC
If the audience wasn't going to purchase Joanna Cherry's upcoming political memoir prior to this talk - which would be a surprise given the cheers and support from the crowd - they certainly will be after the easter eggs dropped. Insight into workings of the SNP under Nicola Sturgeon and the party culture and finances were disclosed by Cherry, alongside topics such as Alex Salmond, the Westminster Group and the vitriol and misogyny Cherry has faced from her own party. Whilst she alluded to much, it's clear the evidence and full story is under lock and key until release day. Cherry has a feisty wit that flourishes under Dale's "soft" interview format and allows her character to shine.
Pleasance at EICC, 5 Aug.
tw rating 4/5 | [Abigail Tobias]
EXHIBITIONS
Andy Goldsworthy: Fifty Years (The National Galleries Of Scotland)
You won't want to miss this. Celebrate fifty years of Andy Goldsworthy at The Royal Scottish Academy at The Mound. Goldsworthy's work, including clay, stones, fleece, branches and leaves, reeds and more, spills out into the corridors. This is the largest indoor exhibition of the artist's work, which showcases his ironic and thought-provoking video installations, including snow and ice. The relationships between humans and the working land is a recurring theme. It's at once arresting, amusing, hostile and brutal. Goldsworthy says: "the RSA is not far from where I live, I couldn't have done this exhibition anywhere else. Actually describing it as an exhibition seems wrong - it is a work in its own right." And it's brilliant!
National Galleries of Scotland, until 25 August.
tw rating 5/5 | [Clare Venables]
Monkeys: Our Primate Family (National Museum Of Scotland)
This brilliant exhibition is a thought provoking and family friendly experience. The challenge starts as you enter, because you are immediately faced with images of primates interspersed with mirrors reflecting back your own image. How do we differ? How are we the same? As you wind your way around a series of beautifully preserved primates, there are sights and sounds of the creatures in their natural habitats, making it close to a fully immersive experience. The mirroring of we humans is a recurring theme throughout. Early stone age tools are placed beside chimpanzee tools, to be seen as almost identical. A darker perspective begins to emerge towards the end, when human exploitation is brought to the foreground. A must see!
National Museum of Scotland, until 30 Nov.
tw rating 5/5 | [Clare Venables]
MUSIC
Fauré And La Belle Chanson (Caroline Salmon And Anne Evans)
Vive la France! This selection, mainly of Impressionist French songs with two flute pieces, made for a convivial hour's listening, with Impressionist paintings lending suitable ambience. The musicians took turns accompanying each other on the piano; Soprano Caroline Salmon singing and Anne Evans playing the flute. Eva Dell'Acqua's 'Villanelle' was a highlight, with Caroline Salmon singing its tricky coloratura passages with accuracy and aplomb. Indeed she was animated and communicative throughout the varied programme. Flautist Anne Evans entertained the audience with two Faurė pieces, the popular 'Sicilienne' and a study 'Morceau de Concours' of the type familiar to student flautists and interesting in a concert setting. And, of course, being a French concert, there was wine available!
Valvona & Crolla, various dates until 19 Aug.
tw rating 3/5 | [Louise Rodgers]
MŮO Live (Lomond Campbell)
This Made In Scotland Showcase is for the curious and the geeky and asks questions about the nature of music. Cosmic radiation (muon, like large electrons) is turned into sound and images using a machine made by Lomond Campbell; he then modifies the muons and duets with them using piano, computer and synthesiser - live, in front of us. The sounds and images are ever changing, abstract, loud and flashing. He shapes the sound and vision, but in its raw state it originates in the universe and is interpreted - made visible and audible - for human senses by concepts thought up as a safer alternative to x-rays in civil engineering. Original, immersive and deeply interesting - welcome to the future.
French Institute In Scotland, 3 Aug.
tw rating 5/5 | [Louise Rodgers]
American Art-Song Recital (Robbie Milner - baritone -and Ben Eames - pianist)
This could have been Boston on an indolent Sunday afternoon; I yearned for a chaise longue or at least a deck chair. Robbie Milner gave the impression of having chosen songs that fitted his personality with no demanding acting required - we were gently and amiably led through a flowing twentieth century programme by composers Chris DeBlasio and Virgil Thomson with harmonies just on the right side of tangy, and interestingly intricate lyrics.The interpretations were sensitive and subtle, with just the hint of a twinkle. Ben Eames was a skilful accompanist deftly matching Robbie Milner's singing. One song was re-started - unusual for professional musicians - but the ambience was relaxing and delightful and the supportive audience forgave willingly.
Stockbridge Parish Church, 4 Aug.
tw rating 3/5 | [Louise Rodgers]
Afternoon Violin And Piano (Sheena Jardine and Richard Lewis)
What a gem was hidden by this unassuming title! Both with impeccable musical pedigrees, the performers' professionalism and musicianship ensured a highly enjoyable hour, focusing on Edinburgh composers topped and tailed by Mozart and Saint-Saëns. 'Poѐme Arabesque No. 3' was dedicated to Sheena Jardine by late composer Michael Garrett and it was by turns serene and wistful with a cheeky unexpected ending that made the audience laugh. Scots Drawing Room Style arranger and composer William McGibbon's piece 'There's Three Good Fellows Ayont Yon Glen' showed the pair's versatility. Camille Saint-Saëns' 'Sonata No. 1 In D Minor Opus 75' was majestic - played with high drama and creating musical turbulence. It certainly prepared us for our return to the teeming Festival streets!
artSpace@StMarks, 8 Aug.
tw rating 4/5 | [Louise Rodgers]
Cirque Du Piano - 1 Piano, 3 Pianists, 6 Hands, 30 Fingers! (Moonlight)
This lively evening of crowd-pleasing tunes and showmanship was performed by three Royal Conservatoire of Scotland alumni. We were assured the high standard we therefore expected would not be compromised by cramming three people onto one piano stool! It wasn't all 'Stars and Stripes Forever' and 'Funeral March of a Marionette' (rousingly enjoyable as those instantly recognisable pieces were). Bach, Mozart and Rachmaninoff were also included and the performers had also found repertoire composed specifically for three pianists. A poignant highlight was the pretty toy grand piano that delicately played a carillon part. The stories were interesting too; if 'Stars and Stripes Forever' is played at a circus, flee for your lives; it's a coded alarm!
St Vincent's, until 23 Aug.
tw rating 4/5 | [Louise Rodgers]
Ali Affleck Presents: Billie Holiday - Sophisticated Lady (Ali Afleck / Bedlam Swing)
It's standing room only in a packed Jazz Bar. "Music doesn't have to be perfect", says acclaimed vintage jazz and blues singer Ali Affleck during the set. And this show is all the better for it. The award-winning American Scottish singer is a jazz historian and respectfully pays homage to Billie Holiday. The performance has raw energy and warmth as Affleck chats to the crowd as he takes us through some of the uppers and downers of Lady Day's songbook. The instrumentals from the band, stitched together from France, LA, Louisiana and Glasgow, also get rapturous applause. The jazz vocalist is working on the Billie 99% project to record every one of Holiday's songs bar one. True authenticity from a true musical storyteller.
The Jazz Bar, run ended.
tw rating 4/5 | [Dionne Lackey]
Animaura:Sonic Soul Pilgrimage (Eugenia Rosa And Zbigniew Sniegula)
A world premiere! This ambitious experimental piece presented a fascinating and challenging first listen. An immersive work, the performers (who wore Shaman practitioner inspired costumes) did not speak until they finally came out of character, all smiles and to great applause, after their emotional, meditative pilgrimage. The incantations were modified electronically and included breath work and throat singing by Zbigniew Sniegula, and beautiful, powerful keening and singing from Eugenia Rosa using Glossolalia (speaking in tongues). The instruments, played by Sniegula, ranged from earliest times to the modern day and were a source of interest for the curious; the lyre and amplified Irish balalaika caught the ear. Devised by the performers themselves, this was an impressive labour of love.
Arthur Conan Doyle Centre, run ended.
tw rating 4/5 | [Louise Rodgers]
Indian Classical Music Concert: Sarod And Tabla (Suhas Mitra And Vijay Kangutkar)
Energy between performers and audience is the key to a good Indian Classical music concert and even a dramatic flypast by the Red Arrows didn't interrupt the flow tonight! This Hindustani music was based consecutively on two ragas, Yaman and Bhairavi which offer a melodic framework for improvisation, so that no two concerts are the same. Tonight was virtuosic; diverse and expressive with sarod player Suhas Mitra coaxing his stringed instrument to sometimes imitate human speech and sometimes the complexity of a small orchestra. Tabla player Vijay Kangutkar provided complex rhythms to drive the drama, joining each piece midway and whirling the melodies in a dance-like way. The music was transformative, a journey through musical time, timbre and emotion.
Arthur Conan Doyle Centre, run ended.
tw rating 4/5 | [Louise Rodgers]
Judy Barker And Sally Thomas
Scottish small pipes and English concertina together with a guest fiddle and beautiful singing made this a restful, poignant early evening show for traditional music fans. The programme consisted of pieces reminding us that folk songs were (and still are) about real life. A highlight was a song by Judy Barker addressed to her late husband Mike, sung in a rich, emotional voice. Another was 'Ellan Vannin' concerning an Isle of Man steamer which set off gallantly in a storm but sank in Liverpool Bay. The Scottish small pipes and English concertina were very pleasing to listen to in themselves; they weren't just an accompaniment for singing. Special mention to Judy Barker's persistence, three weeks after wrist surgery.
artSpace@StMarks, until 11 Aug.
tw rating 3/5 | [Louise Rodgers]
The Highland Voices Gospel Choir Experience (Highland Voices Gospel Choir)
There was no Gospel, and only one Spiritual - sung solo by the director - which puzzled me. What might they have sung? But anyway, what they did sing showed a committed community rock choir full of heart. They connected well with the audience who danced at the end, the choir members swinging amongst them. A favourite moment was an older gentleman shaking his groove thang delightedly with robed choristers. 'The Skye Boat Song' was well done as was 'This Woman's Work'. Showing a strong urge to communicate, especially with the slower, soulful, numbers, the natural resonance of the choir's voices worked well in this church's acoustics, and I would have preferred no amplification. The show was free with a charity collection.
Greyfriars Kirk, 10 Aug.
tw rating 3/5 | [Louise Rodgers]
SPOKEN WORD
Carol Ann Duffy and John Sampson: Earth Prayers (Carol Ann Duffy / John Sampson)
This is no ordinary congregation. We wait in St Mark's church for former poet laureate Carol Ann Duffy and virtuoso musician John Sampson to pierce the silence. After a mischievous introduction to the accompanying woodwind and brass instruments, the poet takes to the pulpit. There is no sermon but rather a collection of 'earth prayers' seeking to inspire us to be better stewards of our fragile planet. In an hour of shared humanity, the poetry takes us from the Hillsborough disaster to Balmoral, from John Clare to Seamus Heaney and Kathleen Jamie. We close with three poetry prayers and as John Sampson plays us out with Hallelujah on his trumpet the audience quietly sings the refrain through tears. Sublime.
artSpace@StMarks, 6 Aug.
tw rating 5/5 | [Dionne Lackey]
THEATRE
3 White Guys Named John (Andrea Coleman)
Part play, part TED Talk, this engaging solo show by Andrea Coleman explores the profound impact of three men - John Hughes, John Mayer and Jon Bon Jovi - on her life. Whether you ascribe their significance to some higher power, as Coleman does, or to the way we find meaning through art, there's no denying the power of art to influence and inspire. Roger Ebert famously called cinema a machine that generates empathy, and this story is bold proof of that. Andrea Coleman knows how strange it is that she, a black woman, felt seen despite the overwhelming whiteness of John Hughes' cinematic protagonists. And yet she did feel seen. Art transcends boundaries, foregrounding our shared humanity.
Zoo Playground, until 24 Aug.
tw rating 4/5 | [Andy Leask]
Monstering The Rocketman By Henry Naylor (Henry Naylor)
That the Sun's 1987 campaign against Elton John was knowingly untrue and motivated by homophobia is no surprise. Indeed, the cosy period details (Concord! Faxes!) and pursuit of easy laughs lends this play, at first, the air of something superficial, almost whimsical. But underneath there's real bite. An extended metaphor of ink staining fingers runs through the script, carrying our complicity with it, before the closing lines draw an explicit link to the digital age and the spread of lies and misinformation on social media. With that warning comes something positive, though. A reminder that we have the power to reject untruths, to embrace kindness, and to choose what we say on whatever platform we may have.
Pleasance Dome, until 24 Aug.
tw rating 4/5 | [Andy Leask]
Mr Chonkers (Impatient Productions)
Yes, this brilliant show has sold out its run. Obviously. But you should queue up at Summerhall every night anyway, just in case there are returns, because John Norris's 'Mr Chonkers' deserves every accolade coming its way. This absurdist clowning show is presented as a terribly serious performer's showcase, where Norris shows off his chops at theatre, impressions, poetry, magic and more. It descends, however, into a bug-eyed breakdown. Norris's presence becomes increasingly manic as the routines refuse to go to plan. He thrives on audience reactions, folding us in to create an extraordinary rapport that makes the show thrillingly unpredictable and no doubt different from night to night. So, I guess I'll see you in the Summerhall returns queue.
Summerhall, until 24 Aug.
tw rating 5/5 | [Jon Stapley]
People We Bury Alive (Passing Stranger Theatre Company)
There's a lot to like in this darkly comic play about loss and grief. Our protagonist, Rita, a Polish immigrant who works in a funeral home, is coping with a breakup and processing the grief she feels after her mother dies back in Poland, without her. Hardly a recipe for laughs, and yet the script is punctuated with funny asides and intricately written poems, bringing the audience along with her emotional journey. There is perhaps too much going on though; the central metaphor of support for people being buried alive is an interesting take on helping people move on emotionally. But it leads to narrative distractions that muddy the waters, ironically pulling away from the strong central concerns.
Zoo Playground, until 24 Aug.
tw rating 3/5 | [Andy Leask]
Well Behaved Women (Veritas Productions / Amy Yeo)
Welcome to a High Society home in the late nineteenth century. There's Marianne, a maid who dreams of becoming a writer, Emma, aged 27, determined to find a husband, and Hattie, the lady of the house, who is struggling with inviting her secret girlfriend to live with her. When Hattie's cousin, Chester, arrives at the home preceded by his reputation, the three women decide to fake a séance, hoping to discover the truth about him. All this is packed into seventy minutes, making some of the different plots a little difficult to follow. With an element of social commentary, this classic farce starts slowly, setting the scene, until the action really gets going in the second half.
Gilded Balloon Patter House, until 25 Aug.
tw rating 3/5 | [Kat Mokrynski]
Ohio (Francesca Moody Productions / Piece By Piece Productions)
This delightfully quirky but very well-made show is about loss and finding oneself - and much else. It combines beautiful and distinctive music and song with great story-telling. Though autobiographical, it has strong and affectionate portrayals of important others too. One element is about hearing loss and its impact, including a short but well-integrated section where we learn more about the science. The other main loss is of religious belief but like all else in the show this is deftly and often humorously presented. The show touches on other losses too, so you might think it just too sad. But it's the opposite, a warm, funny, wryly intelligent show that leaves you feeling better about the world.
Assembly Roxy, until 24 Aug.
tw rating 4/5 | [Alan Cranston]
RIFT (Luna Stage / Richard Jordan Productions / Traverse Theatre)
This strongly written drama is based on a simple, improbable, scenario: one brother a successful writer, the other serving a long prison sentence for murder. Yet it is a true story and the writer is the author of this piece. The other sharp difference between the two brothers is that the prisoner is a white supremacist, the writer a 'woke' liberal. This tension, the intellectual core of the play, results in some of the dialogue sounding over-written for the context. But the other main component is the desire for reconciliation between the brothers, for which each needs a deeper understanding of the past. This, too, makes big demands of the performers, but the play successfully achieves its high, humane ambitions.
Traverse Theatre, until 24 Aug.
tw rating 4/5 | [Alan Cranston]
Bury The Hatchet (Out Of The Forest Theatre)
'Lizzie Borden took an axe...' starts the famous rhyme. Actually, the weapon used to kill Andrew and Abby Borden in 1892 was a hatchet, and this show seeks to uncover what may be the other truths behind the crime. The piece offers a fascinating combination of acting and singing: the three performers play those involved in the murders, trying to figure out who committed the crime, but are also the musicians accompanying the work, singing a range of songs that match the tone of the tale. The show is a brilliant and beautiful mixture of bluegrass and storytelling, a powerful and surprisingly heartfelt reflection on one of the most infamous crimes in the history of the USA.
Pleasance Dome, until 25 Aug.
tw rating 4/5 | [Kat Mokrynski]
Laura Benanti: Nobody Cares (Soto Productions / Jenny Gersten)
After a sold-out run in New York City, Broadway performer Laura Benanti brings her show about the struggles of being a "pathological people pleaser" to Edinburgh. It is the perfect mix of comedic storytelling and original songs, with Benanti showing off her incredible talents while still being open and honest with the audience about the struggles she has faced over the years. Even though there are some darker moments in her past, there are heartwarming segments about the joy sje has found through her husband and children. A highlight of the show is Benanti's chemistry with music director and co-songwriter, Todd Almond, who leads the brilliant band of Johnnie Grant (drums) and Joseph McKearnon (bass) through the hour.
Underbelly Bristo Square, until 24 Aug.
tw rating 5/5 | [Kat Mokrynski]
SHUNGA ALERT (Gumbo / Book Of Shadowz)
Erotic art or pornography? A perennial question, to which this show wisely offers no definitive answer. Instead, it delivers a funny and very skilled exploration of Japanese sexual culture through clowning, shadow puppets and live projection. Shunga erotic art - now celebrated as a cultural tradition - was often (though unsuccessfully) suppressed over its long history. Today, it is now largely replaced by the porn industry, though the art form survives in manga and anime, especially hentai. The show explores the contrasts and connections by way of a lively cartoon-like narrative, underpinned by a debatable suggestion that Japan's falling birthrate is linked to the adoption of Western prudishness and prurience. Expertly done, there's a little learning here and a lot of fun.
Underbelly Cowgate, until 24 Aug.
tw rating 4/5 | [Alan Cranston]
Ma Joyce's Tales From The Parlour (Victoria Evaristo / Norkor Arts)
If art should bring people together to reflect on who we are and what's important, then this show achieves that triumphantly. Rooted in English, Irish, Scottish and West African heritage, the show focuses on Ma Joyce, a fictional octogenarian based in Toxteth, Liverpool. Conceived by Victoria Evaristo this one-woman show poignantly and often hilariously reflects on generational wisdom, survival and, most importantly, dual identity. It's a show with a big heart that blends comedy, audience interaction and Liverpudlian life. The characters might be fictional, but the storytelling is real enough to stay with you long after the show has ended. Surely a sign of a great storyteller. Go see - you won't be disappointed.
Braw Venues @ Hill Street, until 24 Aug.
tw rating 5/5 | [Clare Venables]
Hold The Line (Sam Macgregor)
Author Sam Macgregor takes the central role in this hard-hitting comedy-drama about an NHS service in crisis. It shows the insidious stress that 111 call handlers may be under because even 'non-emergency' calls can sometimes quickly become situations which evidently involve life and death. That pressure inevitably pervades the whole contact centre environment. Macgregor is ably assisted by Gabriela Chanova, who takes on several roles. The pair do a great job with the weight of the story, including wringing out a few laughs from what is largely a tense storyline. It's a well written and excellently performed piece that handles the delicate balance of drama and message superbly.
Pleasance Courtyard, until 25 Aug.
tw rating 4/5 | [Tom Brogan]
Fly, You Fools! (Recent Cutbacks)
If you've ever wanted to watch 'Lord Of The Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring' but only have an hour instead of the required 178 minutes (or 208 minutes if it's the extended version!), Recent Cutbacks has the show for you. Three actors and one Foley artist come together to form a fellowship forged in the fires of fast farce, using props and some costume changes to take on all nine members of the Fellowship, as well as dozens of background characters. There is a particularly impressive scene that involves shadow puppets, a part so great that it gets applause during the bit. 'Fly, You Fools!' is a hilariously perfect and perfectly hilarious tribute to the iconic 'Lord of the Rings'.
Pleasance Courtyard, until 25 Aug.
tw rating 5/5 | [Kat Mokrynski]
CAMDEN FRINGE>>
The Audition | The Libra Theatre Cafe | 13-14 Aug
Hurrah, Camden Fringe continues and oh my goodness there are so many great looking things and I really struggle to just pick out a few, so please go and check out all the listings here. But also make sure you consider these three because I think they will be fab. This first, by Denise Alonzo, is about an opera singer struggling to get her foot in the door of the establishment. Find out more here.
Anthropocene | Barons Court Theatre | 13-17 Aug
Another great option here, I reckon, in this play about Diana, who is struggling with feeling hopeless and directionless after the death of her mother. Then she discovers her mother's notebook and believes that it will help her end climate change. Emma's story is interwoven with that of her mother in a show that asks why we want to save the world, and what exactly we are fighting for. Info here.
OpheliaOpheliaOphelia | Old Red Lion Theatre | 16-17 Aug
When I was a teenager I had a print of Millais' 'Ophelia' painting on my wall, because I was quite dramatic, probably. But I also became kind of fascinated by the idea that poor Elizabeth Siddal, artist and poet, spent all those hours lying in a bath to model for him. This show is about her and presumably how being 'the face' of the pre-raphaelite movement affected her life. Details here.
SHORT STOPS>>
The Tortoise and The Firefly/Tales From The Lighthouse | Little Angel Theatre | 15-17 Aug
Some short runs for you, so don't dally, as ever. And as it's still the summer holidays, of course, I thought something for the young folks would be in order and, yay, the lovely Puppet Festival is still going on over at Little Angel Theatre, which is perfect. There are two shows to see within our tipping week and they both look fab, so I'm counselling you to see both. Find out more here.
Poor Clare | OT On Screen | 12-15 Aug
I meant to recommend this production at the Orange Tree Theatre when it was on, but something went wrong and I didn't. So instead I am tipping this stream of the show, because I like to occasionally recommend productions that are being streamed, because I think it's really nice to have the at-home consumption option. I love that this is set in the past, it's a comedy inspired by stories of St Clare and Saint Francis of Assisi. Info here.
Three Billion Letters | Riverside Studios | 12-17 Aug (pictured)
This one's fascinating. Described as "a dynamic theatrical performance happening at the intersection of art and science", it's been created using the personal DNA test results of the team who created it. The show questions how knowing those results can affect our sense of self - could it change our relationship with the world around us? Really interesting, right? Find out more here.
SLIGHTLY LONGER RUNS>>
Being Mr Wickham | Jermyn Street Theatre | 12-30 Aug
Really imaginative with my section headers this time, right. But you know, it's accurate. This isn't the first run for this show and might not be the first time we have tipped it, but it's always worth going to see Adrian Lukis playing older Wickham. Timely, as it's been 25 years since that iconic 90s 'P&P' series. That new version that Netflix are making can't hope to be as good, can it? Anyway, click here.
Lost Watches | Park Theatre | 12-23 Aug (pictured)
Oooh, look at that. Two whole productions on at the Park Theatre that I want to talk to you about. First up is 'Lost Watches', about a young man left alone in a home he can't afford following the death of his mother. Things take a turn for the bizarre and comedic when a sculpture of beat poet William S Burroughs starts talking to him. Find out more about the show and book tickets here.
The Gathered Leaves | Park Theatre | 13 Aug-20 Sep
"The Pennington family have not been in the same room for seventeen years, yet on the eve of William's 75th birthday all three generations gather in the hope that the mistakes of the past can be consigned to history". This funny and poignant family drama returns to the Park Theatre ten years after its initial sell out run at the venue. Head to the website here for all the info.
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