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Post by stevejohnson678 on Aug 6, 2017 7:39:20 GMT
Day 2.
They say you haven't experienced the Fringe until you've seen a truly terrible show and Medea, part of Fourth Monkey's Women of Greece season at The Space on Niddry Street, is unfortunately a contender for that crown. While the other parts of the trilogy, Pandora and Persephone, are well-crafted, contemporary physical theatre retellings of familiar stories, Medea was just far too abstract and bizarre for my liking.
Earlier in the day, I started at The Space on North Bridge, watching University of East Anglia students in Minotaur Theatre's Threadbare. What begins as a straight play about revenge porn quickly transforms into a frequently hilarious comedy. It all falls apart a bit in the final five minutes, with a key plot thread left hanging and a jarring shift in tone but overall this was really enjoyable.
Next up after a quick dash along Cowgate to Underbelly was sketch comedy with The Durham Revue, Laugh Actually. Starting off with an impromptu Christmas celebration, the funniest sketches involved a send-up of improvised shows, specifically the pitfalls of relying on audience suggestions, as well as a male perspective on how girls talk to each other.
Always among the most reliable visitors to the Fringe, the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland are back this year with Into The Woods, in addition to two related musicals as part of a collaboration with the Northwestern University in Chicago. I saw one of these, Atlantic: A Scottish Story, yesterday and thought it was superb. Looking at a woman's place in a remote community, it turned into a surprisingly moving tale, interspersed with beautiful folk melodies, performed by a talented cast of MA Musical Theatre graduates. Considering its running time is a little over an hour, it did a terrific job of bringing a close knit island community vibrantly to life.
The remaining show in my itinerary for Day 2 was Four Go Off On One by The Amorous Prawn. Originally advertised as Five Go Off On One, an affectionate send-up of The Famous Five, the intervention of Enid Blyton's estate, frequently referred to in the play, meant that for legal reasons the show is now Four Go Off On One and and similarities to existing work are vigorously denied! Although some of the names have been changed, the basic premise remains the same, with references to The Railway Children and briefly Narnia also thrown in for good measure. Expect an hour of spiffing adventures and ripping picnics! The mock earnestness of the cast was spot on but while the characterisations were strong and the general arc of the story pretty good, the script was inconsistent and often descended into feeble jokes. There's great potential here but despite the likeable cast's best efforts, it's not quite the finished article yet (though at least they've avoided a lawsuit!).
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Post by michalnowicki on Aug 6, 2017 17:07:13 GMT
Today I've seen "Gypsy Queen" by Hope Theatre Company, ticket courtesy of cptjack (once again, thank you for the ticket). It's a very good play about two boxers which really well shows the struggle of a gay man in highly masculine sport like boxing. It's performed in a very small space, with actors being very close to the audience. Two actors perform multiple roles, which can be distinguished by combination of props/costumes, which sometimes was confusing. Dialogues are well written and some of it is really hilarious. Overall, the writing feels very honest. Perfect, if you're in George Street around lunchtime! |
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Post by stevejohnson678 on Aug 7, 2017 8:00:39 GMT
Another busy day at the Fringe yesterday.
It started bright and early at Pleasance Dome watching Ingo's War by Ditto Theatre Company; a really charming, creative ensemble production with puppetry about a dog's adventures in war torn France and his search for courage and bravery. Lovely, heartwarming stuff.
For the second show of the day, it was a dose of celebrity culture with a company called Poor Michelle. While a show titled Harry, with a picture of Harry Styles as its main marketing image, and One Direction's Beautiful blasting out as the audience took their seats, it may sound like a worst nightmare, however this was a lighthearted exploration of obsession through the eyes of two best friends (and One Direction fans) at university. I loved the early scenes with the girls' indignation that their favourites didn't win the X Factor and then their denials of stalking as they revealed how they were tracking Harry's location and shared photos of his childhood. Although the story takes a fairly predictable arc, as the girls' drift apart, become consumed by jealousy and their friendship collapses, it's well told, the two actresses are engaging and every audience member gets a free biscuit! What's not to like!
I'd heard great things about Silent Uproars Super Happy Story (About Feeling Super Sad), a unique exploration of depression, playing at Pleasance Courtyard. A blend of storytelling and live music, the ridiculously catchy, upbeat songs, as well as comic turns from the supporting cast members, sharply contrast with the heartwrenching struggles of the main protagonist. The writing and delivery really brought home the sense of isolation and detachment and a sense of not wanting to carry on. Really powerful theatre that wears its heart on its sleeve, has an important message to share and does so in the most inspired way. The Fringe at it's best.
Forget About The Dog's 100 Ways To Tie A Shoelace at Greenside in Nicolson Square explored a different aspect of mental health, specifically muscle memory and a girl's psychological struggles following an accident. The show had an interesting premise, but while it was engaging in parts, it struggled to find anything insightful to say. The sweltering venue didn't help much either. Not a bad production by any means but rather forgettable.
Oil by the Superhero Club, performing at Paradise at Augustines, is your classic student production. Devised by the cast of five, with the action centering on a dinner gathering on the eve of graduation, all the stereotypes are there but while the characters may all be caricatures, and while too much effort has perhaps been made to make every line a winner, there's actually something quite endearing about it all. The cast are certainly likeable, they adlibbed well, and after initial reservations I ended up really enjoying it.
My first taste of circus at this year's festival came from Flip Fabrique and their new show Transit. It's a loving homage to travel, not the popular Ford van! The cast of six give a pretty breathless hour of acrobatics and juggling, with the solitary female member of the company stealing the limelight and the audience's hearts with two flawless hooping routines. The cast received a well deserved standing ovation at the finale.
The end to my day came with Edges, a song cycle performed by Durham University Light Opera Group, featuring early work from the lyricists for La La Land. With a cast of four, it's a series of coming of age songs, the highlights including a tongue-in-cheek look at soliciting friend requests on Facebook and expressing your hatred for someone in tune form! There's nothing to hate about this show though, a really strong cast and an impressive score, it's definitely worth seeing if you can.
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Post by vegas on Aug 7, 2017 21:59:36 GMT
Thank you, Steve. I am enjoying your posts. As an American planning to visit the Fringe later this month (a pilgrimage I make every 5 years or so), I am overwhelmed by the size of this year's program. I am also somewhat underwhelmed by the descriptions of the shows. I don't feel like I am seeing the same level of creativity that I found in previous Fringes. Perhaps it is because everyone has politics on their minds; political and social themes are dominating the program. And as for the "International" Festival, a certain Scottish playwright seems to be somewhat over-represented. But hopefully my choices will lead to pleasant surprises.
I have been reading lots of reviews, and my original list of shows has changed quite a bit. I appreciate hearing about the shows you've seen, and your reactions to them. Most of them are not shows I would gravitate toward, but I am always looking for new possibilities for venturing outside of my usual pattern.
Please keep sharing your reports.
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Post by michalnowicki on Aug 8, 2017 8:03:10 GMT
I've seen Colin Cloud: Dare (mind reading act) and "5 Guys Chillin'". Although Colin Cloud is a brilliant performer, I'm not going to talk about his show.
As for "5 Guys Chillin'" that was a bit of a shock. 5 gorgeous men on stage, barely dressed, having a 'chill'. The play is about chemsex and sex parties in gay communities. It's a verbatim play based on conversation with people from Grindr. It talk mostly about sex, use of drugs, relying on drugs to perform, knowing you HIV status and coping with things imposed on you by your culture. This was my first experience with the subject of chemsex and I must admit, I felt like a prude. A lot of drug references, slang, etc. went right over my head. Overall, the play is well acted and definitely makes you think.
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Post by stevejohnson678 on Aug 8, 2017 8:07:51 GMT
A triple header of musicals at the Edinburgh Fringe yesterday, two of which I can recommend.
The Great American Trailer Park Musical at C Too is certainly among the most high energy productions at this year's festival. Beyond Broadway Productions have assembled a huge cast of talented students, with an ensemble of 12-15 in addition to the principal characters. The ensemble mill around the auditorium in character as the audience take their seats, welcoming visitors to the trailer park, before observing and commenting on the action from the sides of the stage during the performance, as well as interacting with the audience. The result is similar to the ensemble of graduates added to Working at Southwark Playhouse and invests the production with a vibrancy and energy it would have otherwise probably lacked. Seeing the full ensemble dance routines on a small stage is quite the sight to behold! I thoroughly enjoyed the show though I'm struggling to remember many of the songs this morning.
Also impressive was Typhoid Mary, a vaudeville musical telling the true story of Mary Mallon and how she unwittingly became one of the most dangerous women in America. It's packed with catchy songs with witty lyrics and jazz hands aplenty, while the eye-catching costumes look superb. The terrific young cast carry the show with aplomb. This far exceeded my expectations and delivers a powerful ending by a clever shift in perspective which places Mary's story in its wider context.
Sadly, the same quality wasn't to be found at Musicality's Title of Show at Paradise in the Vault. A cramped space with leg room that makes the Trafalgar Studios look generous, Fringe paradise this really isn't. However, Title of Show was a musical I'd wanted to see for some time. Unfortunately, my wait to hear the score sung in tune will go on. In fairness, the two female supporting roles were well acted and reasonably well sung but the two leading men in the cast of four struggled with most of the songs and were so far out of their comfort zone as they attempted to hit the big notes it bordered on embarrassing. The lack of chemistry between the two men was also an issue, while the production as a whole suffered from awkward, prolonged blackouts between scenes, despite the set only consisting of four chairs! The source material seemed strong but this isn't a production that does it justice.
In addition to the musicals, I caught two circus shows yesterday, the first of which was Australian company Casus Circus' Driftwood in the Spiegeltent in George Square gardens. Fresh from a recent run on the South Bank, this is slick, spectacular circus that features some truly breathtaking acrobatics, though perhaps it's just missing some of the fun that had been in the slightly less polished Transit the day before. Batacchio at Zoo Venues, which forms part of their Czech season, does have more of a fun factor but is as much about the eccentric and downright strange as it is about creating spectacle. A couple of scenes towards the end are certainly not for the squeamish!
My fourth Fringe day finished with the wonderfully/dreadfully (delete as appropriate) lowbrow Losers at the Underbelly on Cowgate. It's a gameshow where the audience are armed with voting handsets and find themselves faced with four desperate wannabes. A series of challenges follow where the contestants pit their wits against each other and do anything (pretty much literally anything) they can to win votes from the audience. A series of escalating and increasingly unpleasant forfeits follow for the losing competitor in each round. It's supposed to be a satire of the extremes of reality TV and while at face value it's puerile, car-crash entertainment, somehow like the worst examples of the television genre it's strangely compulsive if relentless viewing. Quentin Letts would truly despise it!
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Post by Cardinal Pirelli on Aug 8, 2017 11:31:13 GMT
I'll be there from the end of next week and scouring reviews at the moment to see what is breaking through (a real benefit of having so many reviewers is that you get a collective opinion). I tend to book about half of my shows before it starts, ones that look like selling well and are things that am sure of, then try and plug the gaps.
Also a circus fan, I've heard good things about Fauna, which I've added to my list.
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Post by stevejohnson678 on Aug 9, 2017 8:24:38 GMT
What a day at the Fringe yesterday, starting at Pleasance Courtyard watching the ever-quirky This Egg's production of Me and My Bee. The company describe their latest offering as "a political party disguised as a party party disguised as a show". Inspired by a bee they observed crashing into the wall of a tower block, it's a cleverly constructed, affectionate parody of educational and verbatim theatre, the cast delivering their lines with deadpan innocence as they encourage the audience to "save the bees, save the world". I first saw This Egg three years ago at Zoo Southside as part of an audience of five people. They've since had a sell-out acclaimed run with Goggles (a play about pet goldfish) and now Me and My Bee is clocking up rave reviews. It's a brilliantly eccentric start to a day at the festival.
A quick dash to the other side of Pleasance Courtyard brought me to Bare Skin On Briny Waters. This is beautiful storytelling as we join two girls sat on top of a cliff face who spend the next hour explaining the circumstances that led to them being there. The two stories only collide right at the very end and the two girls never actually address each other, so the narrative is pushed forward with direct delivery alternating from girl to girl. It's a clever device, switching between stories at the exact moment where something significant seems about to be revealed leaving the audience always wanting more, and the cast are both completely enchanting storytellers, with occasional musical accompaniment on stage. There's a sense of sadness that hangs over the piece, culminating in a shock revelation and an emotional finale that had some of the audience in tears. This is one of those hidden gems at the festival, performed in a tiny bunker-like space that gently packs one heck of an emotional punch.
It was off to the Underbelly on Cowgate next for one of the three shows appearing as part of this year's Underbelly Untapped season, Gracefool Collective's This Really Is Too Much. It's a madcap satirical exploration of gender stereotyping, delivered with infectious energy and a mischievous glint in the eye as everything from moisturiser adverts to beauty queen pageants is sent up by the four-strong all female cast who find a brilliantly creative way to make their point. Although there is some speech incorporated into the show, as the girls repeatedly tell us with a heavy dose of irony that they've never had it so good, the scenes which often speak the loudest are those devoid of any dialogue at all. A terrifically offbeat Fringe debut, with so many memorable scenes.
From Fringe debutante to festival regulars. The Wardrobe Ensemble's new show Education Education Education is going down a storm and selling out at Pleasance Courtyard. Surely set to be one of the highlights of this year's festival, it's a shout-out to the cast's teachers as they were growing up and as much a salute to Nineties culture in general. Expect Tamagotchis, bleep tests and Take That as we follow a day in the lives of the teachers and an unruly female pupil at a secondary school, with a deadpan German teaching assistant on his first day in the job serving as our narrator. Often hilariously funny with so many clever little touches, if you grew up in the Nineties this is an absolute must-see production from a company who go from strength to strength.
Two musicals to finish the day at Augustines church on George IV Bridge. First up was Bat Boy from a young semi-professional American troupe. The lack of microphones for the cast was something of an issue but that aside this was a high energy performance from an excellent cast with nice work from the actor in the title role, as well as the female reverend, in particular. There was much excitement among the cast outside the venue after the show to the news they'd just received a four star review!
Half an hour after Bat Boy in the same performance space was Company, with Edinburgh University Savoy Opera Group taking on the Sondheim musical. This is a student group I've seen before at the Fringe and they always impress, however here they've taken things up another level and the performances are simply sensational. The ensemble numbers such as the title track and Side By Side are a delight, the lead role of Robert is performed with a suitably understated conviction, but there's no doubt that it's Kathryn Salmond who completely steals the show, bringing the house down with her rendition of Getting Married Today. Pretty much all of this cast wouldn't be out of place in a West End Company. It's a truly sensational production that sets the benchmark for pretty much every other student production at the Fringe. The standing ovation the cast received was hugely deserved.
As days at the festival go, yesterday will take some beating.
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Post by michalnowicki on Aug 9, 2017 9:21:12 GMT
Wow stevejohnson678... It's so difficult to write something after you  I'm really happy you're enjoying Fringe. Last night I saw "Ordinary Days" and really enjoyed it. 4 people, 1 pianist, beautiful and funny songs. Previously I have only heard "I will be here" sang by Audra, but Kirby Hughes, playing Claire was absolutely amazing. After that I ran like an idiot to get to another venue to see Rachel Tucker. She was brilliant. She's my first ever Elphaba, when I saw Wicked for the first time 6 years ago (almost to the day). She'll always have a special place in my heart |
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Post by stevejohnson678 on Aug 9, 2017 9:27:38 GMT
Wow stevejohnson678... It's so difficult to write something after you I'm really happy you're enjoying Fringe. Last night I saw "Ordinary Days" and really enjoyed it. 4 people, 1 pianist, beautiful and funny songs. Previously I have only heard "I will be here" sang by Audra, but Kirby Hughes, playing Claire was absolutely amazing. Thats great to hear about Ordinary Days, I'm seeing it tonight! |
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Post by synchrony on Aug 9, 2017 10:52:45 GMT
Thank you for your reviews – they’re really interesting and I’ve changed my schedule to see “A Super Happy Story (about being really sad)” based on your recommendation. I may try to squeeze in ‘Education Education Education’ now too.
I’d already booked to see Colin Dare. I’m intrigued now about whether you declined to talk about his show because of not wanting to give spoilers, or another reason!
Just too many things I want to see! Excited!
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Post by michalnowicki on Aug 9, 2017 10:58:13 GMT
I’d already booked to see Colin Dare. I’m intrigued now about whether you declined to talk about his show because of not wanting to give spoilers, or another reason! I decided not to talk about it, because I don't think that his act is theatrical enough to talk about here. I saw him last year. Saw him this year. I don't want to say too much, so as not too change people's expectations, but I'll be more than happy to chat about it when you go to see it synchrony. Let me know how you liked it! |
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Post by stevejohnson678 on Aug 10, 2017 8:21:54 GMT
Tucked away round the back of Pleasance Courtyard, Pleasance Forth looks to be an unassuming space from the outside but there's something quite remarkable taking place there at 12pm each day. Theatre Re's The Nature of Forgetting begins with a father and daughter on the stage, the daughter reminding her father that they have visitors coming round later to celebrate his birthday. She advising him where to find the jacket that matches his trousers, with a red tie to be found in the pocket. The girl departs and we then observe the father struggling to retain her instructions in his mind as he searches through long rails of clothing.
We return to the present day intermittently throughout the play but much of the action is staged as a series of flashbacks to earlier, key moments in the father's life. At school, falling in love, getting married, becoming a dad. All juxtaposed with the present and the onset of dementia.
It's a story about the fragility of life and what happens to us when our memory is gone, told through physical theatre and mime with just a few words of dialogue, set to the most gorgeous, evocative score which is performed live. The subtlety of expression, the natural chemistry between the performers, the stunning choreography and sweeping changes of pace all help to make this a truly remarkable, overwhelming piece of theatre. The poignancy of the ending, observing the father's birthday gathering when he finally addresses his daughter by her correct name and she smiles in recognition as the lights fade to black, is a beautiful, poignant moment. I think most of the audience were fighting back tears at the end as we rose to our feet to applaud. Who could have guessed that a play about forgetting would turn out to be the most memorable, breathtaking production I've ever seen at the Edinburgh Fringe. With five five-star reviews to its name already at the festival, I can't recommend The Nature of Forgetting enough.
Such was the impact of the first show of the day, Peer Gynt at Zoo Venues had an almost impossible act to follow. It's a charming, enchanting and well-acted ensemble retelling of Ibsen's classic story, featuring nice musical touches and distinctive puppetry from Gruff Dog Theatre.
Young Pleasance, one of the staples of the festival, also do a good job with The Curse of Cranholme Abbey. The set looks suitably creepy but while there's one or two scares, the sense of danger is articulated with greater intensity in Peer Gynt than it is here. With a group of young people stranded in a remote haunted castle overnight it's a path well trodden by ghost and horror movies but if rather formulaic and predictable it's still a fun hour as the group try to unravel the mystery of who the boy is following them around and discover the significance of a wedding dress hanging in a dusty wardrobe.
Next up was The Starship Osiris at the Underbelly on Cowgate, a spoof romp travelling through the galaxy with Captain Harrison, his three glamorous space crew and a hapless engineer. What starts off as a send up of early sci-fi B movies, comparable to Mischief Theatre's homage to amateur theatre groups in The Play That Goes Wrong, cleverly morphs into a piece of meta theatre as we realise that the actor, writer and director playing Captain Harrison is despised by his fellow performers. The situation has obvious comic potential and as the resentment of the trio of girls and the spacecraft's engineer simmer to the surface, we witness the plot being derailed and the situation eventually erupting into all out warfare between the cast, with the show within a show breaking down along the lines of the third act in Noises Off.
Although clearly taking its inspiration from elsewhere, this show adds its own fresh ideas to the mix and for the final 30 minutes in particular is a joyful riot. Avoid the front row if you want to reduce the chances of being whisked up onto the stage yourself - once cast members start walking out (with one of the girls hilariously returning, only to sit in the audience making snide remarks about the show) they need replacing, right? The self deprecating humour of the whole thing is superb, the props and set pieces frequently hilarious, and the costumes suitably ridiculous. Anarchic comedy, disguising ingeniously clever writing, at its best.
Another dose of comedy was to follow and an attempt to try a bit of everything at the festival. I'll be seeing Tim Vine later in the festival but got my first dose of stand-up yesterday from young Australian Becky Lucas who's appearing at Assembly in George Square. Although the show is titled Little Bitch, Becky turns out to be a genial and amiable host, saving her scorn for herself and her ex-boyfriends. The hour flew by and although I don't plan to see much more stand-up at the Fringe this was a great choice. The abomination theory, backpacks, pregnant women, unfortunate auto-corrects and inflatable dolls just some of the topics that were covered!
The last show of the day was Ordinary Days at C Royale. This is a sung-through chamber musical although I'd hesitate to describe it as a song cycle since many of the songs merge into one, with little or no pause between them. What made this show for me was the performances of the cast, particularly Neil Cameron as Warren and Nora Perone as Den. Neil Cameron in particular has a beautiful tone to his voice and there's a gentle sincerity to his performance that really rings true. This is a show where in terms of the score, the whole is greater than the sum of its parts, merging into something rather beautiful as we spend an hour listening to the thoughts, hopes and aspirations of four New Yorkers going about their lives. The message of appreciating the ordinary things in everyday life resonated all the more for me after the reminder about making memories and enjoying our lives while we can from The Nature of Forgetting earlier in the day.
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Post by michalnowicki on Aug 10, 2017 8:51:50 GMT
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Post by charliec on Aug 11, 2017 20:53:29 GMT
Off to Edinburgh tomorrow, next 5 days. 37 shows scheduled in, seeing lots of comedy for work but looking forward to seeing some plays too!
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Post by firefingers on Aug 13, 2017 13:28:04 GMT
I'm up here doing a couple of shows (but I don't discuss that on here, never know who might be looking) but can recommend/review a few things I've seen already. Haven't seen much yet as been focusing on my shows and living it up (crawled into bed at 8:45AM!!! the other day) but will post a few updates.
The great: Cockroached at Pleasance Courtyard. Great post-apocalyptic sort of two hander, where our lead bursts in with a radio and here's the first human they have talked to in a long while. An intriguing black comedy.
The Last Days of Judas Iscariot at Pleasance Courtyard. Saw this with a tiny audience and should be selling so much better. Another dark comedy about an appeal being filed for the case against Judas in purgatory, with some truly excellent acting and very whity dialogue. A lead had broken an ankle and was replaced by what I assume was the director with a script but even then the piece shone.
The Whip Hand at The Traverse. Good little modern Scottish family drama with a reasonable amount of humour thrown in for good measure (saw this for free so that may bias me).
The ok: Under His Thumb at Assembly Rooms Roxy. Now, the play itself is a bit bit crap and predictable, but this show is staged on three sides with only two rows of (rather uncomfortable...) chairs with some absolutely incredible up-close acting. The story is set in a prison cell containing five women in a dystopian near future kind of thing, but as I said is a bit sh*t and predictable, so don't go for that. But for lots of emotive eyes and a masterclass in acting in close quarters I can recommend it.
The bad: Creatives at Pleasance Courtyard. Unimaginative and forgettable musical with poor stereotyped excuses for characters (the goth, the cheerleader, the Trump fan etc) which had a plot so bad I had to bit my hand to stop myself from laughing at one point. Saw it for free and that was still far too expensive. See literally anything else.
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Post by Dawnstar on Aug 13, 2017 21:48:01 GMT
I can finally join in this thread as I've just booked my first ever during-festival visit to Edinburgh. Admittedly it's only for 24 hours, 4pm Sunday 20th-4pm Monday 21st. The time slot was deliberately chosen so I can see Showstopper twice Sunday evening then Rhapsodes Monday afternoon. I'm now trying to wade through the vast number of other shows to see if there's anything else that looks promising & can be fitted around those shows. If anyone has any recommendations please let me know. (Nothing about politics or any other "issues" please, I like my theatregoing to be pleasurable, escapist & usually comedic.)
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Post by stevejohnson678 on Aug 15, 2017 13:48:46 GMT
Back home from Edinburgh now although I'll be returning for a few more days next week. Several late finishes and early starts on my last few days at the Fringe meant I ran out of time to keep up with writing a review of each day. The highlight from the latter part of my stay in Edinburgh was without a doubt Six at Sweet Grassmarket. At first glance, a musical from a Cambridge University student group about the wives of Henry VIII probably doesn't sound hugely appealing, however the six wives have been brought forward into the present day, reunited as a girl group, and are ready to perform “Divorced. Beheaded. Live!”. From start to finish, this show is absolutely hilarious, the lyrics to the songs are inspired, the melodies insane, and the sass and attitude with which it's performed make the whole thing a sheer joy. The dialogue between the songs is kept brief but almost every line (or the way it’s delivered) had the audience in stitches. The manner in which the girls all look down their noses at each other, determined to prove that they’re the wife who was treated the worst, is a recurring highlight. The performances and material are sublime. A fair-sized performance space was sold out on the night I caught the show, with several people getting turned away from the box office, and the cast looked a bit overwhelmed with the raucous standing ovation they received at the finale. Definitely one to add to your schedule if you’re at the Fringe and fancy some early evening fun! I love how unlikely hits like this can find an audience at the festival. No matter how vast and sprawling the Fringe becomes, word of mouth about what could easily remain undiscovered gems still seems to spread remarkably well. Somewhat less impressive was It Shoulda Been You, a musical wedding farce at The Space at Venue 45, one of my least favourite fringe venues. It’s to be applauded that there’s a seven or eight piece orchestra for a fringe production but when the cast aren’t miked and many of them fail to project their voices successfully, even from the front row on the opposite side of the performance space to the orchestra, I struggled to hear what was being sung at times. When the cast weren’t facing directly towards me, there was no chance of hearing a word that was being said. In a venue where the audience are sat round three sides of the stage, that’s a real problem. There’s undoubtedly some talent in the cast (the mother of the groom-to-be provided the only comedic highlights with her frequent acerbic asides) but the overall standard of performances was inconsistent - some impress but others lack charisma or stage presence. One actor twice had to be prompted for his lines by other cast members and the script was frequently dire – a farce which simply isn’t funny. There’s so many arrivals and departures on stage with so little reward that it’s a fairly protracted 100 minutes to endure. Some of the songs are decent enough, if so bland that I had to check the programme to make sure this wasn't Gary Barlow's latest foray into musical theatre, but the concept and aspects of its execution seem seriously flawed. Speaking of executions, if you fancy a musical about murder, then there can be no better choice than Buried, an entertaining new musical about two serial killers who inadvertently meet and fall in love. This started off with huge promise, as the two lead characters meet while speed dating, then head back home with each secretly plotting to murder the other. When they discover they share the same enthusiasm for murder, they embark on a road-trip killing spree together. The first half hour of the show is terrific – dark comedy abounds with plenty of laugh-out-loud moments but it does run out of steam to some extent in the remaining 30 minutes. There’s huge potential here though and with some tweaking this could be something exceptional, with two excellent lead performances from the love-struck killers to enjoy. Other notable shows I caught during the last few days at the festival included Into The Woods from Royal Conservatoire of Scotland at Assembly Hall (exceeds last year’s production at the Menier), The Farmers Lit The Fields On Fire by Upike Theatre at The Space on North Bridge (a slowburner, exploring sibling rivalry with a twist of Sixth Sense proportions), Oyster Boy by Haste Theatre at Assembly George Square Studios (doo-wop harmonies meet a Tim Burton short story), You Me And Everything Else by Camisodo Club at Zoo (an interesting ensemble piece about the Voyager spacecraft), Fauna at Assembly Roxy (primal behaviour explored through circus), and Alan We Think You Should Get A Dog (impressive debut writing looking at a daughter as she struggles to care for her increasingly dependent elderly father) by Mad Like Roar at Pleasance Courtyard. The top five shows, in order of preference, I’ve seen during ten days at the festival, are: - The Nature of Forgetting (Theatre Re, Pleasance Courtyard)
- All We Ever Wanted Was Everything (Middle Child, Roundabout at Summerhall)
- Education, Education, Education (The Wardrobe Ensemble, Pleasance Courtyard)
- The Starship Osiris (Willis and Vere, Underbelly Cowgate)
- Company (Edinburgh University Savoy Opera Group, Paradise in Augustines)
Special mentions also to Transit by Flip Fabrique at Assembly Hall and SiX by Cambridge University Musical Theatre Society at Sweet Grassmarket. Hope anyone else going to Edinburgh this month has a fantastic time! The Starship Osiris would be right up your street, Dawnstar . It’s a play within a play that goes so wrong that even the thespians of Cornley Polytechnic Drama Society might blush with shame. I'm sure you'd enjoy an hour in the company of Captain Harrison and the supporting cast who are united in their loathing of him! |
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Post by Cardinal Pirelli on Aug 15, 2017 18:19:48 GMT
I'm there from the end of the week and have tickets for your top two, Steve, so looking good. 'Six' sounds great but I'm pretty much out of free time and booked up now....
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Post by Deleted on Aug 15, 2017 21:32:40 GMT
Today I saw some very good shows that I would recommend, the first being no miracles here. A very good show that was very engaging and also entertaining. The cast were all terrif and there was great dance and music. I also saw Woke which was very thought provoking and had a great singer and actress as its lead. Yesterday I also enjoyed the Bristol improv who I would recommend , very funny.
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3,926 posts
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Post by Dawnstar on Aug 16, 2017 13:21:47 GMT
The Starship Osiris would be right up your street, Dawnstar . It’s a play within a play that goes so wrong that even the thespians of Cornley Polytechnic Drama Society might blush with shame. I'm sure you'd enjoy an hour in the company of Captain Harrison and the supporting cast who are united in their loathing of him! I've just looked it up but sadly it overlaps with Showstopper, as does SiX which also looks interesting. Evidently one evening in Edinburgh isn't enough! (But the hotel bills are too high for more.) |
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Post by firefingers on Aug 16, 2017 13:26:22 GMT
Saw Starship Osiris yesterday and was crying with laughter. Get down the front, it's fantastic. Possibly my pick of the fringe.
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Post by Mr Snow on Aug 17, 2017 21:52:40 GMT
Quick post
Ian deep Montfort is a great act live.
Leopld and Loeb has a great plot, not many musicals you can say that a bout. Music is good and production and acting fine. Not your typical music s iCal story. Worth a visit.
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Post by synchrony on Aug 17, 2017 22:29:58 GMT
My time at the Fringe is now nearly over. One show left tomorrow. I'm hearing good things about Revlon Girl but sadly sold out until after I left.
Excellent -
The Nature of Forgetting
A Super Happy Story (About Feeling Really Sad)
The Great American Trailer Park Musical
At the Illusionist's Table
The Noise Next Door: 10
A Gym Thing
Paris de Nuit
Good -
Pip Utton Churchill
Colin Cloud Dare (would prefer in a smaller venue)
Into the Woods (would have said excellent were it not for some poor diction from a few minor characters)
Buried (agree it starts excellently but then it seems to be unsure whether to continue as a comedy or try to be serious)
The Starship Osiris (I got to play Trixie! Ha!)
The Road That Wasn't There
Tom Houghton Class Half Empty
£¥€$ (Lies)
Fate of the Date (silly but a good laugh)
Borders
Lula del Ray (but Ada/Ava, if you saw that last year, was better)
OK -
Pip Utton Hitler
Meow Meow's Little Mermaid (good but too surreal and not really my thing)
Education Education Education (I was clearly in the minority not loving it. Great cast and I loved Tobias, but felt some of the book was forced/clichéd)
Mine
Charlie Montague The Game's a foot, try the fish
Thrill Me Leopold and Loeb (the actors and production are great, it's just that I've seen the full length version and prefer that)
Things We Find in the Dark (good if you have small children, otherwise not much for adults)
Bad -
Evocation (literally had no idea what this was about)
Three Tales of Life and Death (good ideas but didn't make a coherent whole)
Priscilla Queen of the Desert
The Time Machine (The actor and production were good. I just find HG Wells rather tedious unfortunately)
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155 posts
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Post by synchrony on Aug 17, 2017 22:33:42 GMT
PS with the exception of Priscilla, all these shows had good casts and were well produced. The comments are more of a reflection of the sort of thing I personally enjoy.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 17, 2017 22:49:47 GMT
Would also like to add some more that I have enjoyed so far
Orwell that ends well- very interesting and funny comedy show about modern technology
The rise qnf fall of Marcus Monroe- also vey in and nice to see me comedians
Morgan and west - Return of the time travelibg magicians- good old fashioned magic and charming
Tom Allen Absolutely- love him on Telly and did not disappoint at all
The girl who jumped off the Hollywood sign- set in golden age Hollywood and with a great actress with singing classic songs
Showstoppers - finally got rebound to seeing them, hilarious!
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Post by n1david on Aug 19, 2017 15:59:37 GMT
My first Fringe in (cough) about 30 years and pleased to see it in fine form - decent audiences for even quite obscure shows (who knew that there were 39 other people keen to see a one-man show about the life of skater John Curry at 11am?). Saw a total of 19 shows and no complete duffers so I guess I was lucky - some not so good but something to take from each of them - something that was poorly-written but that raised interesting ideas, or something that had one exceptional performance in an otherwise mediocre show.
Three that I'd particularly pick out are:
Fag/Stag by The Last Great Hunt - two Aussie actors with intertwining unreliable monologues over a period of some weeks leading up to the wedding of a woman that they were both once in love with. More sophisticated than it first appears, it questions concepts of masculinity and friendship, particularly between gay and straight men.
Play Something by Stage Write - tells the story of two men over decades. Clever device of using "the song which connects to a particular moment". Shamelessly sentimental. This won an Eddie at the Drayton Arms Theatre in London to get an Edinburgh run and is likely to come back to London.
Thief by LR Stageworks - horrible venue down by Holyrood means this was the only show that I saw that struggled for an audience, which is a shame as there was an incredible, raw, aggressive performance in this one-man show inspired by Genet by way of Greenock. Genuinely shocking.
Already planning next year's visit...
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Post by synchrony on Aug 21, 2017 13:51:44 GMT
LOL - I also saw the John Curry show!
For anyone who likes 'Lord of the Flies', the last show I saw in my week was also one of the two shows I most enjoyed this year. It was called 'Nothing' and it was a great performance of a show that was thought-provoking and disturbing. I found it very dark. But, together with 'The Nature of Forgetting' it's one of the two shows that left the most impact on me this year.
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Post by stevejohnson678 on Sept 6, 2017 7:59:29 GMT
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3,926 posts
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Post by Dawnstar on Sept 6, 2017 16:44:46 GMT
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I'm really happy you're enjoying Fringe.
