Category Archives: EdFestivals 2016

All our coverage from the 2016 festivals.

+3 Review: Teatro Delusio (Pleasance Courtyard: 5-29 Aug: 13.45: 1hr 15mins)

Posted in 4*, EdFestivals 2016, Pleasance, Potterrow & Teviot, Rated: Outstanding, Theatre by

“Physical mask theatre at its finest”

Editorial Rating: 4 Stars: Outstanding

After last year’s sell-out smash Hotel Paradiso, I was excited to see what Familie Floz would come back with in 2016, and for the first 50 minutes at least, Teatro Delusio more than meets expectations. It’s physical mask theatre at its finest, with three actors playing well over 20 individual characters between them, each of whom are clearly defined, consistent and a joy to watch.

The setting is backstage at a theatre, where we see the stage crew attempt to set everything up (without killing themselves or each other in the process), and then assist various members of the orchestra, singers and ballet dancers onto stage, even though they may hate, love or just be plain bored with them.

There are tricks and treats aplenty, from simple slapstick moments of falling through ladders and playing with exploding lights, to sword fights and disappearing through trap doors. Familie Floz’s real strength, though, is their character work and dexterity of changes, from a grumpy stage manager to a diva singer, and my absolute favourite: a blind and deaf violinist who has no clue where he is. The changes are so slick you’d assume there were at least six performers constantly running around, while the physicality required to define each character was so perfect that simple gestures often had the audience howling with laughter.

Yet for all their great character work and ability to build a believable world on stage, I feel that Familie Floz perhaps tried to reach too far with this production, by introducing a few too many characters, and deliver a story that could easily have been at least 10 minutes shorter and not lost any of its power. About three quarters of the way through the performance, when ends could have been tied up and rounded off, still more new things happened, and the performance hit a new level of ridiculousness that I think lost me, and many of my fellow audience members. What began as a perfectly plausible, if a little stylised, day or two in the life of a Stage Manager seemed to turn into a dream sequence with stabbings, stage crew achieving their lifelong dream of filling in for wounded ballet dancers at the last minute and unexplained resurrections that pushed the suspension of disbelief a little too far.

A beautiful piece, but be prepared to get uncomfortable: those seats in the Pleasance Grand don’t give much wiggle room and by the end of this performance you’ll need it.

outstanding

StarStarStarStar

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Reviewer: Steve Griffin (Seen 5 August)

Visit the Pleasance, Potterrow & Teviot archive.

THIS REVIEW HAS NOT BEEN SUBEDITED

+3 Review: Wilde Without the Boy (Assembly Hall: 4-29 Aug: 11.00: 1hr)

Posted in 3*, Assembly Hall, EdFestivals 2016, Theatre by

“Masterfully delivered by Gerard Logan”

Editorial Rating: 3 Stars

In this one-man adaptation of De Profundis by Oscar Wilde, we join the infamous writer in prison, shortly before his release. What unfolds over an hour is a real-time monologue, directed at his lover, reminiscing on their relationship and the events that led him to become incarcerated.

While masterfully delivered by Gerard Logan, the script is quite tricky to follow as it jumps about in referring to different events in the past, with precious little obvious through-line or connection from anecdote to anecdote. For a theatrical adaptation I would have preferred a more linear and logical approach to his musings to make it easier for Wilde novices to engage with, and give a sense of progression and journey that could be followed. The show also contains an excerpt from The Ballad of Reading Gaol which seems to come from nowhere, while various other dramatic moments (for example, a sudden mention of his mother’s death), seem to be thrown in for dramatic effect, without a clear link to the flow of the piece.

In saying that, the lyricism of the language is exquisite, and the whole piece retains everything we love about how Wilde writes. It includes plenty of pertinent detail including reference to several key turning points in Wilde’s later life and many gaps in my knowledge of the writer were more than adequately filled by the depth of biography covered.

While somewhat chaotic, the script does allow to demonstrate a full emotional range, so we get to see and know Wilde in every circumstance, from emotionally fragile, to proud, defiant, smitten and everything in between. Everything’s there, it’s just a little all over the place. Following last year’s triumph in The Rape of Lucrece, Logan has certainly lost none of his craft in delivering a very emotional and compelling performance and this is another very creditable showing.

Although perhaps a slightly unfair criticism, I can’t shake the feeling that this show is playing in the wrong venue – I think a dingier room somewhere in the caves or along the Cowgate would help more easily more establish the setting as a 19th century prison than the very obvious very studio feel of Assembly Hall’s Baillie Room. On this point I must make a special mention to the sound design, which was excellent in setting the scene to start with and giving background to the court case that landed Wilde in jail, and creating atmosphere at various other points throughout.

Overall, this is a production that doesn’t quite come together as well as it could have – the pieces don’t seem to fit. An exquisite performance and an interesting story, but a little unfulfilled.

Star (blue)Star (blue)Star (blue)

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Reviewer: Steve Griffin (Seen 5 August)

THIS REVIEW HAS NOT BEEN SUBEDITED

+3 Review: A Lady’s Guide to the Art of Being a Wingman (Gilded Balloon: 4-28 Aug: 23.30: 1hr)

Posted in 3*, Cabaret, Comedy, EdFestivals 2016, Gilded Balloon by

“Performed with great energy… the trio really can sing”

Editorial Rating: 3 Stars

This show sees three young Australian women in suits and huge pink beehive wigs attempt to adopt the traditionally male “wing man” mentality to get them laid on a night out. To assist them in their farcical mission they follow the steps of a recorded self-help manual, and a lot of pop songs.

Of course it’s all a bit ridiculous, but it’s a (fairly) light-hearted comedy show that doesn’t take itself too seriously. However, it took me 10 minutes or so to work out what was going on to start with, as the show opens quite frantically with a lot of attitude and numerous snippets of well-known pop songs, all sung by the girls live.

Once the piece settles down it becomes much more enjoyable, and I was able to appreciate more of the artistic merit behind it. Three interesting characters emerge, each representing women with different levels of sexual confidence and experience, and we follow their plight through every step of their night.

At every juncture the girls burst into song, each of these being a well-known pop-song with lyrics cleverly and subtly adapted to suit the message. They are performed with great energy, and the trio really can sing, making the whole experience infinitely more enjoyable than having to sit through seemingly endless karaoke car crashes. The accompanying choreography is slick and performed with pizzazz, so on the whole, the actual performance element ticks almost all the boxes.

The surprising a capella rendition of Imogen Heap’s Hide & Seek towards the end is the best showcase of just how talented the girls are as vocalists, even if this number seems a little out of place among the rampant and upbeat pop numbers throughout the rest of it.

I was a bit disappointed in the over-reliance on the recorded advice, and would have preferred a more creative technique to keep the action on track and flowing from one section to the next. A little more focus on control and less mayhem at the beginning of the piece would also make it seem more professional and easier to engage with from the off.

This show won’t be to everyone’s taste – it’s loud, unapologetic and very fast-paced. But it is funny, full of life and contains a surprising amount of depth, particularly towards the end.

Star (blue)Star (blue)Star (blue)

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Reviewer: Steve Griffin (Seen 4 August)

Visit the Pleasance, Potterrow & Teviot archive.

+3 Review: Bonita & Billie Holiday (Assembly Roxy: 4-28 Aug: 21.50: 1hr 10mins)

Posted in 3*, Assembly Roxy, Cabaret, EdFestivals 2016, Theatre by

“An alluring performance that I couldn’t take my eyes off”

Editorial Rating: 3 Stars

I wanted so much to be blown away by this performance – a tribute to one of my favourite singers, by an actor coming to Edinburgh with a very good reputation and bags of experience in the States. Unfortunately, this opening night was somewhat nervy, and while it was difficult to tell how much of that was the actor and how much was the character, either way it left me with a sense of unease that stayed with me throughout the performance.

Bonita Brisker clearly has bucketloads of talent, even though in this performance it took her a while to find her feet. She seemed to struggle with range a little bit in the opening couple of numbers, but by Good Morning Heartache she really hit her stride, with the high notes floating with all the ease of Billie in her heyday and an alluring performance that I couldn’t take my eyes off.

Bonita also beautifully captured the mood and personality of Lady Day in the spoken sections in between each number, and the script enabled her to show different sides of the singer from her career to her relationship with her family, her drug habit and time in prison. We also see her irreverent disregard for the FBI and a very touching portrayal of her relationship with drinking and her views on racial inequality, which was rife during the 1950s. Indeed, signature song Strange Fruit, which I didn’t realise had such personal and political meaning, is a standout moment of the performance, accompanied by horrifying projections of public hangings and mutilations. It is heartfelt and very powerful.

Structurally I found this show a bit peculiar, with a short opening section in Billie’s dressing room, before the bulk of the show is delivered cabaret style as Billie on stage, and then another section in the dressing room with a bizarre twist that almost subverts everything that went before. Suffering from a bit of an identity crisis, I don’t think it has quite worked out whether it is a cabaret or a theatre piece so I think there is still some work to be done to give it a real sense of completeness.

This does have the potential to be a really special show, but the performance I saw unfortunately didn’t quite live up to that potential. Look out for it over the next couple of weeks, I believe it could be a real grower.

Star (blue)Star (blue)Star (blue)

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Reviewer: Steve Griffin (Seen 4 August)

Visit the Assembly Roxy archive.

THIS REVIEW HAS NOT BEEN SUBEDITED

+3 Review: Pss Pss (Assembly Roxy: 4-29 Aug: 16.00: 1hr 5mins)

Posted in 4*, Assembly Roxy, Circus, Dance, EdFestivals 2016 by

“Utterly charming”

Editorial Rating: 4 Stars

There aren’t many times that I wish I could construct a review purely out of facial expressions and hand gestures, but for this piece whose only words are the occasional utter of “Pss Pss”, it seems only fitting. It’s part clown, part mime, part acrobatic display and almost completely beguiling.

The performance is quite a slow burner to start with, with a short sequence where the two performers comically fight over possession of an apple – which wouldn’t look out of place in a Punch and Judy show on Blackpool beach – but when the music starts the fun really gets going and a real treat of a show unfolds.

Pss Pss dances along that very fine line between slapstick and gymnastic artistry, with glimpses of physical prowess and control that would put most performers to shame. Throw in the fact that they are also very funny and play musical instruments and you have a very impressive show.

Yet while physically impressive (by the end of the performance I truly believed there was no end to the performers’ talents), structurally it was a little lacking, with odd teases of narrative and motif, but little to drive it along from section to section, giving quite a stilted flow. I would have liked to have seen more plot and character development from beginning to end rather than a series of seemingly unconnected skits.

For all the skill and composure on display, perhaps it’s somewhat telling that the loudest and most consistent laughs in this performance were from the five or so primary-aged children in front of me. Although not specifically billed as a children’s show (indeed, their online listing says otherwise), some of the stunts seemed slightly more tailored to the younger audience, so I would definitely recommend it as a family show. Not that it isn’t enjoyable for audiences of all ages, but those with open minds and who are at least young at heart will appreciate it the most.

If there were an award for best facial expressions, Pss Pss would certainly be my early favourite – the range and timing throughout were enough to set most of us giggling at some point. The overall style and feel of the piece is utterly charming, even if substance-wise it occasionally lacks a little depth.

Beware, there is a small amount of audience interaction…

Star (blue)Star (blue)Star (blue)Star (blue)

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Reviewer: Steve Griffin (Seen 4 August)

Visit the Assembly Roxy archive.

THIS REVIEW HAS NOT BEEN SUBEDITED

+3 Review: Adele is Younger Than Us (C Nova: 4-29 Aug: 14.30: 1hr)

Posted in 4*, C Venues, Cabaret, EdFestivals 2016 by

“A real gem of a show”

Editorial Rating: 4 Stars

I can’t believe it’s already that time of year again where I dust off my quill for Fringe season. Time seems to be moving incredibly fast and before the madness of the month commences I find myself taking stock of just how far I’ve come since my first Fringe experience 10 years ago. It’s somewhat fitting then that my first review of the year is for Adele is Younger Than Us – a frank and funny assessment of one’s life’s achievements in comparison to those of a global superstar. And while, in so doing, it would be easy to wallow, have existential crises or bury one’s head in the sand, Sally O’Leary and Rhiannon Neads take a light-hearted musical look back at their journey to (almost) thirty.

Opening number “How do you write a love song?” isn’t the most original of subjects, and early on I was worried that this show would end up being one big cliché of every “unlucky in love” story ever told. But there’s more than enough personality and punch in the song to maintain interest, and a likeability and professionalism about the partnership that command respect.

Indeed, likeability and laughability are perhaps the words I would use most emphatically in describing the qualities of this show. The script is full of witticisms and puns (my particular favourite: describing the notion of being romantically unavailable as “Taken – like the daughter of Liam Neeson”), while the delivery and comic timing from both performers left me giggling on numerous occasions.

The framing and structure of the show, using Adele’s life and works to compare their own lives to works really well, and helps bring a sense of originality to proceedings. It allows the O’Leary and Neads – by all accounts two normal girls – to trace their own lives in comparison with Adele’s, giving the audience the chance to join them on their journey through adolescence into adulthood. It’s personal and revealing, but also reassuring that actually, we’re all in the same boat.

While there is some variation in mood and genre of the musical numbers, I would have liked to have seen a bit more risk taken creatively here. The attempted rap was a nice try but perhaps a little undercooked, or just a pastiche of itself – I’m not sure.

Overall, it’s a slick, polished and accomplished performance delivered with verve. A real surprising gem of a show.

Star (blue)Star (blue)Star (blue)Star (blue)

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Reviewer: Steve Griffin (Seen 4 August)

THIS REVIEW HAS NOT BEEN SUBEDITED

+3 Interview: Olly’s Got a Match!

Posted in *Written Interviews, EdFestivals 2016 by

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“Sheer luck and ignorance are producing it.”

WHO: Olly Watson-Performer

WHAT: “Olly Watson is a poet, who is lonely! But now he has a match, a real woman with pictures and everything! What next? Coffee, flowers, chocolate? Don’t be boring, send her poems about spoons! How’d that go then?”

WHERE: Silk (venue 444) Upper

WHEN: 12:35 (60 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

First time with my own show, I did ride up last year from Great Yarmouth on a 125 motorbike, complete with learner plates, tent sleeping bag, cooker and a weeks worth of clothes just to have a look. Saw The Water Show by Rob Auton and knew then and there that I had to try and do it myself!

Tell us about your show.

I wrote the show, and to sum it up badly, I end up sending a match I get on Tinder a poem about spoons to try and impress her, hilarity and poetry ensues! I also have a go at Shakespeare and Ukip along the way.

Sheer luck and ignorance are producing it, my two kids were the only people at the premier in our front room and they asked me to move as I was in the way of Cbeebies, so all in all one of my better reviews.

What should your audience see at the festivals after they’ve seen your show?

Rob Auton: The Sleep Show
Andy Benett: Roar
Jayde Adams: 31

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+3 Interview: All Quiet On The Western Front

Posted in *Written Interviews, EdFestivals 2016 by

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“We felt it was important to make a show that told the story of the young men that lost their lives during The Great War.”

WHO: Angus Castle-Doughty

WHAT: “In the centenary year of the Battle of the Somme, Incognito theatre revives Erich Maria Remarque’s classic tale that exposes the mental and physical strain of trench warfare, All Quiet on the Western Front. Adapting the story in their trademark physical style, Incognito harnesses the tragic energy of Remarque’s novel and creates a stunningly poetic, poignant and expressionistic theatrical experience in order to tell the breaking story of the German soldiers who fought on the Western Front during the Great War.”

WHERE: Pleasance Courtyard (Venue 33)

WHEN: 13:45 (60 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

This is our third time at the festival as a company. Previously however we’ve performed at the past 6 festivals. Our previous two shows (adaptations of Government Inspector and Dorian Gray) had sell out runs and so we have returned to try and challenge ourselves further!

Tell us about your show.

Being the centenary of the battle of the Somme we felt it was important to make a show that told the story of the young men that lost their lives during The Great War, using Remarque’s Classic and harrowing tale as the base of our adaptation. We have always received massive amounts of support from the Pleasance having been borne out of the Young Pleasance and this year they have given us the opportunity to perform in a larger space on three sides, allowing us to expand our unique physical style to interrogate what it meant to be a young man in WWI.

What should your audience see at the festivals after they’ve seen your show?

Lemons X5
We Are Ian
Nina Conti
Alice Unhinged (Young Pleasance)

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+3 Interview: We Are Ian

Posted in *Written Interviews, EdFestivals 2016 by

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“We make a massive song and dance of the mundane – a messy, multimedia mish-mash of clowning, dance routines and bad lip-syncing.”

WHO: Torran McEwan – Producer

WHAT: “1989. Manchester. A frenzy of drugs, beats and bucket hats. Illegal raves. Acid parties. Just jumping up and down in a field and throwing two fingers to Thatcher… Remember it? Because we don’t. We weren’t even born. But Ian was. And Ian does remember. We’ve got fuck all now (Ian tells us). So, we’re going back to 1989. We’re gonna neck a brown biscuit. We’re gonna get off our peanuts. We’re gonna bounce around like idiots. And Ian’s going to show us how. We’re mad fer it. And you will be too. Let’s party.”

WHERE: Pleasance Dome (Venue 23)

WHEN: 23:00 (60 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

We’re a new company, and this is the first show we’ve ever presented at the Fringe Festival. But we’ve all worked at the Fringe before, from basically running a press office to being a venue supervisor, so we’ve got a few stories we could tell! But we’re thrilled to have this opportunity to show We Are Ian to the denizens of Edinburgh and all it’s visitors.

Tell us about your show.

We Are Ian is devised from our mate Ian’s stories about being part of the illegal rave scene in 1989. It came about because Ian asked us to make a piece about him. He wanted an epic twelve part drama with an eleven year old boy playing him. We vetoed that plan. After sitting down with Ian and having a series of conversations over a couple of pints, the show emerged. It was then developed with support from the Bike Shed Theatre graduate residency scheme and Pleasance Theatre.

Our company is called In Bed With My Brother. We are three performance makers and three best friends who met at the University of Exeter. We use real-life stories. Either our own, or our mates’. There are no witty one-liners, and we’ve thrown away the kitchen sink. We make a massive song and dance of the mundane – a messy, multimedia mish-mash of clowning, dance routines and bad lip-syncing. We don’t use scripts. We’re not always sure exactly what it is we do… We’re just glad the threesome wasn’t just a one night stand.

We premiered We Are Ian at the Plymouth Fringe Festival, Pleasance Islington, Latitude Festival, and the Bike Shed Theatre, Exeter, before finally making our way up north.

What should your audience see at the festivals after they’ve seen your show?

We would totally recommend catching Nel by our fellow devon-based company Scratchworks. It blew our minds. It’s about Nel, a brilliant, but friendless, foley artist. Through an amazing mix of live music, onstage foley, and physical comedy, Scratchworks create a touching story about being an introvert. It’s on at the 10 Dome, Pleasance dome at 3pm between the 3rd and the 29th of August. Don’t miss it!

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+3 Interview: Chopping Chillies

Posted in *Written Interviews, EdFestivals 2016 by

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“People make all kinds of promises to see each other’s productions, and I never thought Guy Masterson would actually turn up. But he did.”

WHO: Clair Whitefield – Writer and Performer

WHAT: “From Kerala to Camden, an epic, mystical tale of love, loss and soul-food. A cobbler and a cook concoct a delicious transcontinental enchantment as tragedy and chance entwine. As Katie dreams of curries and chapattis; Ajna, of holy souls and reincarnation… A delightful, poetic, magical story that conjoins the spirit of India with the heart of London. Directed by Olivier award winner (for Morecambe) Guy Masterson.”

WHERE: Assembly Roxy (Venue 139)

WHEN: 14:50 (60 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

The first time I came to the fringe, I was 13. My dad’s Scottish and I went to uni in Edinburgh. So in many ways, it’s like a second home. The first time I performed here though, was last year, as part of the Free Fringe. I also worked as a reviewer for Three Weeks the summer I graduated. I saw 65 shows in a month. It was incredible.

Tell us about your show.

I live in London and came up with the idea for Chopping Chillies, when I was working in Camden. I used to take my shoes to a shop on the high street to be repaired. Opposite this cobbler’s was a traditional Chinese herbalist that specialised in reflexology. And that’s when an idea for a story hit me.

What would happen if these two joined forces?

What kind of magical healing shoes could it lead to? And so I began writing Chopping Chillies which is a mix of poetry and storytelling. I met Guy Masterson when I was performing Chillies on the Free Fringe last year. I went to see him in Under Milk Wood and afterwards gave him a flyer for my show. People make all kinds of promises to see each other’s productions, and I never thought Guy would actually turn up. But he did.

We got talking and late last year we began writing the screenplay of Chopping Chillies. So who knows what the future holds. We also thought it would be great to bring Chillies back to Edinburgh and so here we are. It’s been wonderful working with him and I can’t wait to unleash this new version.

What should your audience see at the festivals after they’ve seen your show?

Definitely go see Guy in Shylock and his new autobiographical show, Love and Canine Integration. It’s a hilarious bit of stand-up about the trials and tribulations of going to war with a dog that despises you. Barbie and Ken also make some risque cameos.

I also want to big up some poets: go see Rob Auton, Dan Simpson and Harry Baker. You should also check out Stand Up & Slam where comedians and poets go head-to-head in a series of rounds. It’s like Eight Mile but in a Waitrose. The most fun I had last year was with Guru Dudu on his a wacky walking tour meets silent disco; dancing to the Bee Gees down the Royal Mile and singing Bohemian Rhapsody on a roundabout.

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