+3 Review: Paper Hearts the Musical (Underbelly Med Quad: 5-29 Aug: 18.40: 1hr 15mins)

Posted in 3*, EdFestivals 2016, Musical Theatre, Rated: Nae Bad, Underbelly by Steve Griffin

“Potential to be a real best-seller”

A musical about finding love in a bookshop sounds like pretty much all of my favourite things in one. And just like everyone’s favourite independent bookshop, the first thing that strikes me about Paper Hearts is how little space there is to move around in on stage. Unfortunately in this case it doesn’t work in the group’s favour, and if they had been used to rehearsing in a larger space, the translation to this venue isn’t effective enough to overcome many of the obstacles faced by that challenge: the choreography looks clumsy, performers squeeze past each other when moving about and the musicians are a bit too dominant visually – it’s a shame that this is the lasting impression I have of this show rather than the artistic merits, of which there are many.

The story follows Atticus Smith (Adam Small) – a book store manager and hapless writer – who is determined to finish his novel, even though his store is very quickly going out of business and is set to be bought by a corporate giant. But of course, there’s a convenient young writers’ competition he could enter and win to save the day. So far, so so. Throw into the mix a difficult relationship with his father and a chance meeting with the consultant set to take over the bookshop and an intriguing plot unfurls.

What I particularly enjoyed about this show in terms of narrative are the clever parallels between Atticus’s own life and the characters in his book, and the relationship he as a writer has with those characters. Even though the book is set in Russia in the 1940s, Atticus channels his situation through his leading character and inadvertently ends up resolving his own problems.

From a performance perspective, bizarrely it’s the Russian scenes that come across as the most genuine and accomplished, and these are the most enjoyable to watch. Much of the rest of the performance, however, feels very rushed. From the opening scene where characters are introduced, to Atticus’s break-up with his girlfriend, meeting someone else, having a huge argument the next day and winning a writing competition, it all seems quite superficial. There are lots of lovely ideas in there, but, much like the stage, everything is a bit too crammed in.

Liam O’Rafferty’s music and lyrics are tight, with several great original songs. Hot is a fun and sassy number with great personality, Shame is a cutting and comedic look at the flaws of the two central characters, and title song Paper Hearts has a real West End ring to it. All songs featured within the Russian scenes have great folk authenticity, so musically this show has a lot going for it.

I’d love to see Paper Hearts come back as a longer, more developed piece, and performed in a different venue that gives it room to breathe. It has the potential to be a real best-seller.

—

Reviewer: Steve Griffin (Seen 14 August)

THIS REVIEW HAS NOT BEEN SUBEDITED

15Aug2016

+3 Review: Albatross (Paradise in Augustines. 5 -28 Aug. Times vary. 1h35m.)

Posted in 4*, EdFestivals 2016, Other, Rated: Nae Bad, Theatre by Alan Brown

Image: Andrew Brilliant/Brilliantpictures Inc.

” .. full-on theatrical broadsides”

Editorial Rating: 4 Stars: Nae Bad

Inbound from Watertown, Boston, MA, the Albatross has landed. Samuel Coleridge’s fantastic and ghastly Rime of the Ancient Mariner is rewritten and adapted for the stage by the Poets’ Theatre. It’s an expansive work that barrels along with bits of Pirates of the Caribbean about its rigging but where it matters, down on its spar strewn deck of a stage, it’s sound and faithful enough. It owns, as does Coleridge’s greybeard, ‘strange power of speech’ and compelling presence.

Despite water, water everywhere this is more wrap-around than immersive. You don’t sink into the Mariner’s story but Benjamin Evett, co-writer and solo performer, fastens it upon you and won’t let its folds drop until he’s done, which is how the poet would have it anyway. Evett’s acting is impressive, possessed by character, because there’s only penance left for an Irish American who knows he has ‘done a hellish thing’. He starts as a grouchy, foul-mouthed and dirty sailor and stays that way because he’s immortally cursed to tell his phenomenal tale. He holds his audience with his ‘glittering eye’ (and occasional insult) as he himself is held by his demons.

We’re told for fancy’s sake that the old sailor met Coleridge once, in Bristol, and mocked his lilting verse. You’ll hear the ballad quatrain in Albatross but in only in key snatches. The narrative shape of the ‘Rime’ is still there but is considerably amplified, particularly in Part 1 where the dastardly Black Dog, privateer at large, shanghaies the Mariner, chases down a treasure galleon and chews off noses. The visuals, sound and SFXs that accompany this action are full on theatrical broadsides with the Mariner hauling ropes, hoisting sails and … corralling penguins.

Nevertheless, Albatross would be serious about depicting a ‘soul in agony’, which is a must-have for any treatment of Coleridge’s poem. This is where Evett is most tested and where co-writer Matthew Spangler must have reached for words. I’m slightly surprised that they did not make more of the dice game between Death and Life-in-Death (a dead ringer for Lady Gaga?) and of its glaring image making. However, in our day and age the questions are as existential as they are Christian and it’s the philosophical open season when the Mariner snarls a reply as to ‘Why?’ Why, for Heaven’s sake, did he shoot the bird? Was it, God forbid, for fun? There is the prayerful close, which is good, but I was a little sorry to hear of a ‘zombie crew’ and not ‘this seraph band/Each one a lovely light’. No matter. If not for the Mariner, times are still a changing for the rest of us and this is a fullblown modern production in which caution is thrown to the to the wind.

Reviewer: Alan Brown (Seen 11 August)

Go to Albatross at Paradise Green & at Poets’ Theatre

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15Aug2016

+3 Review: Mark Smith – Old Smudge (Cowgatehead: Aug 15-16, 18-27: 17.30: 50 mins)

Posted in 3*, Comedy, EdFestivals 2016, Rated: Nae Bad by Jacob Close

“Witty, energetic and incorrigible”

Editorial Rating: 3 Stars Nae Bad

Although used to seeing Mark Smith backgrounded by a wall covered in his own name, he loses none of his charm when foregrounding walls are covered in the shattered dreams of interior designers. It’s hard to make a venue like his seem welcoming, especially in amongst all the cracked paint, but somehow Smith makes it a job that seems doable.

Ranging on subjects from bowling to duck penises, Smith’s methods are comfortably (depending on your disposition) familiar: witty, everyday observational humour with a wicked sting in the tail. The moment that Smith takes a pause after an apparent punchline is like watching a boxer wind up for a knock-out left hook: there were times when I was blown away by the sheer unexpectedness of his thinking, to wonderful effect.

And there’s no denying Smith is a charming man. You could see yourself going out for a pint with him, and when flashes of genuineness peek through the bravado, his inventively crude observations take on an almost sweet tone. Almost.

However, this was not a performance without its pitfalls. Smith sometimes spends far too long waiting on an audience which, in my case, was admittedly rather shy. At best it feels like stalling, and at worst it turns excellent pieces in jarring exercises in long pauses. His material works best when Smith is forging boldly ahead with his obviously prodigious skill, rather than symbolically asking the audience for permission to start the engines.

If you’ve a free afternoon, Mark Smith is an excellent way to banish the increasingly grey summer heat. Witty, energetic and incorrigible, it’s clear to see why Smith has graced many a television screen to great effect.

—

Reviewer: Jacob Close (Seen 12 Aug)

Visit the Other archive.

THIS REVIEW HAS NOT BEEN SUBEDITED

15Aug2016

+3 Review: Dreaming under the Southern Bough (theSpace @Niddry St, Aug 05 – 13 : 10.55 : 50 mins)

Posted in 3*, EdFestivals, EdFestivals 2016, Other, Rated: Nae Bad, Theatre by Jacob Close

“Consistently charming and fun to watch”

Editorial Rating: 3 Stars Nae Bad

If asked for which playwright 2016 marks four hundred years in the grave, you could be forgiven for answering “William Shakespeare”, rather than Ming dynasty writer Tang Xianzu. And with Fringe Shakespeare productions soliloquizing on every street corner, it’s almost refreshing to celebrate another famous, dead bard.

Telling an Alice-in-Wonderland-esque tale of transformation, reflection and po-faced absurdity, Dreaming under the Southern Bough follows the story of a veteran soldier gone to the dogs. However, a chance encounter with retainers from the Kingdom of Ants thrusts him into a world of royal intrigue, prophecy and war.

This is a performance which hits its stride when the surreality really hits the fan. As the plot goes into full swing, it’s hard not to be charmed by the performances at play: drunken retainers, pantomimic warlords and purer-than-thou royalty make for an experience which, whilst somewhat eclectic in terms of energy, is consistently charming and fun to watch.

Even with minimalistic lighting, stage and props, the atmosphere of classical mysticism is heavy even with the seemingly lightest of touches. Incorporation of the original Chinese in particular lends this production an often enthralling sense of place and context, adding significant substance to what in other hands may have been flimsy and unconvincing. Although the scenes taking place in the “real world” seem strangely jarring and stiff, the prose and flow of the writing feels right at home as soon as things hit microscopic.

The strongest aspect of this adaptation is the original writing, and it is a significant shame that the edition presented to Edinburgh is abridged – it would have been far more gratifying to spend more time amongst the follies and twists of the Ant Kingdom, rather than the emotionally unsatisfying ersatz-grit of the modern day bookends.
Despite its flaws, Dreaming under the Southern Bough is a pleasant and entertaining way to spend a lazy mid-morning. Whilst its denizens may be ants, it’s clear they’re standing on the shoulders of giants.

—

Reviewer: Jacob Close (Seen 12 August)

Visit the Other archive.

THIS REVIEW HAS NOT BEEN SUBEDITED

15Aug2016

+3 Review: Elf Lyons: Pelican (Voodoo Rooms, Aug 5-28 : 19.50 : 1hr)

Posted in 4*, Comedy, EdFestivals 2016, Other, Rated: Nae Bad by Jacob Close

“A smörgåsbord of comic delights “

Editorial Rating: 4 Stars Nae Bad

Generally, I tend not to trust people whose names are actual words. So, phonetically speaking, Elf Lyons wasn’t starting from a point of strength. However, after a fantastically absurd hour of screaming, tortured analogies and jokes about the French, I realised that perhaps it’s worth a change in policy.

Returning to the Edinburgh Festival, “Pelican” is a show (as Lyons puts it) about wishing her mother was dead. As far as thematic linkages go, it’s a doozy, and links in neatly with a smörgåsbord of comic delights pulled from Lyons’ bohemian life.

Elf Lyons’ greatest strength is immediately visible from the moment she steps on stage. The Philip Gaulier school is lucky to have such a talented clown among them – “cartoonish” does not do her justice: she has an almost fey energy to her, leaping and waving around on stage with strength unsuggested by her slim frame. Even when the occasional joke falls just short of the chortle line, her ostensibly boundless enthusiasm manages to nudge it across.

But, luckily, these scattershots are few. Far from allowing what is obviously a precocious wit to wither beneath her energy’s long shadow, it positively blooms. Much like her namesake, Lyons is far more of an opportunist than it may first appear, and an wonderfully unexpected sting after a few lighthearted puns definitely goes a long way. It’s not often that I’m surprised by a joke’s direction, but I’ll be damned if I wasn’t more than once during her short hour of comedy.

However, like many comedians, Lyons appears not to trust the quality of her own wit. Some jokes far outstay their welcome, when perhaps the beginning third would have been enough to coax a belly laugh from the audience. Her punchlines, though wonderfully clever, are delivered with more clarity than it appears she realises.

My usual recommendation for free Fringe shows is that you can’t go wrong: win or lose, nothing lost. But this is a show which deserves every penny it earns. The only reason against ticketing it is the possibility that someone will lose out on witnessing such a talented performer. Elf Lyons is certainly one to watch – though, don’t make the same mistake I did, and sit almost directly behind the pillar.

—

Reviewer: Jacob Close (Seen 11 August)

Visit the Other archive.

THIS REVIEW HAS NOT BEEN SUBEDITED

14Aug2016

+3 Review: 2044 (Greenside @ Infirmary Street, 5-20 Aug: 11.30: 50min)

Posted in 3*, EdFestivals 2016, Greenside, Rated: Nae Bad, Theatre by Steve Griffin

“Twists, turns and tensions aplenty to keep the audience on their toes”

Editorial Rating: 3 Stars: Nae Bad

I’m normally wary of anything that describes itself as dystopian, as I have found that many such works (across all art forms) often struggle to create a world believable or compelling enough to hold my attention. 2044, however, is an intriguing and thoughtful piece, and while a little far-fetched, makes some very interesting conjectures on the future – made all the more timely given the current political landscape.

An independent Scotland, spurred on by a new right-leaning political wave, has developed extremely hostile relations with England, and when floods batter the English coastline, many “southerners” seek refuge north of the border. But, given the political situation, only one member of each family is allowed in – provided they meet the required standards of health, age and skills required for work.

It may seem reminiscent of various events in history, but the situation is presented with a very current and engaging interpretation. The script centres on two such refugees, and their struggle to follow the rules, lest they be seen as a burden on the country’s resources and be punished accordingly. The plot is structured in such a way as to slowly unfurl the background, giving hints at what’s to come, in quite a gripping story. Indeed, the craft and writing of this piece in terms of narrative development are spot-on, there are twists, turns and tensions aplenty to keep the audience on their toes.

Unfortunately though, at times it’s all a little bit melodramatic, and would benefit from a bit more development and depth to allow for greater variation in tone. Every scene feels like yet another “woe is me” announcement, and while intriguing plot developments, it is quite an intense 45 minutes and should really be a longer piece to give itself time to develop and unravel.

Because of the intensity of action, the acting also suffers somewhat. The constant chopping makes it quite frantic and one dimensional, and while some great subtlety is shown by Megan Matheson-Adams as Maria, the cast never feel like they fully hit their stride so the performance falls a little flat. I don’t think it helps that a couple of the monologues are quite forced and obvious, when a more creative way of communicating that information could be found.

Overall, a really commendable effort, particularly with the writing, but not quite the finished article yet.

—

Reviewer: Steve Griffin (Seen 12 August)

THIS REVIEW HAS NOT BEEN SUBEDITED

13Aug2016

+3 Review: Being Norwegian (Gilded Balloon, Aug 3-10 : 23.45 : 40 mins)

Posted in 3*, EdFestivals 2016, Potterrow & Teviot, Rated: Nae Bad, Theatre by Jacob Close

“A production wrought from the heart”

Editorial Rating: 3 Stars: Nae Bad

When I was first asked to review David Greig’s Being Norwegian, I expected something to do with hellish darkness and Kjøttboller. And whilst the former was surprisingly on the money, I certainly did not expect a neat, funny little vignette. Especially buried deep underneath the sports bar.

The setup is deceptively simple. Boy meets girl, boy is awkward, girl is Norwegian. Cue characteristic witticisms from Grieg, and a surprisingly dense plot for a play which takes about as much time as roasting a chicken. It’s the stage equivalent of tangled christmas lights.

Tom Hurley is a gem as the awkward and terribly British Sean, hopping between mental distress and crises of politeness with surprising ease. A high point of this production is the clear chemistry between Hurley and co-star Lisa Bennington, who brings a wonderfully sort of flighty etherealness to her part. As the show’s key components they work well together in a sort of chalk-and-cheese way, and it makes for a very easy watch. In terms of staging, it’s abashedly minimalist, but this in no way works against it. As a highly focused, emotional vignette, the staging and lights are just enough to accentuate the overall tone of the piece without feeling bare.

Despite its victories, however, there are a few defeats. At points the show seems to go beyond the pale of theatrical awkwardness, and simply lands in “static”. For some (admittedly smaller portions) it seems as if everyone in the room is waiting for something to happen. And, likewise, some of the more conversational segments seem a little on the stiff side. However, who could blame them – it is positively criminal to place this show in the venue it has been given. The artful musings of European cultural philosophy are somewhat muddled when the upstairs room has been booked for what sounds like a bath salts eating competition followed by celebratory karaoke.

Despite its flaws, this is a production wrought from the heart. A two-person show, however short, is difficult to pull off – almost as hard as thinking up jokes about Norway.

—

Reviewer: Jacob Close (Seen 10 August)

Visit the Pleasance, Potterrow & Teviot archive.

THIS REVIEW HAS NOT BEEN SUBEDITED

12Aug2016

+3 Review: The Six-Sided Man (Assembly Roxy: 3 – 29 Aug. 1150. 1hr10m)

Posted in 4*, Assembly Roxy, EdFestivals 2016, Rated: Nae Bad, Theatre by Alan Brown

Gavin Robertson (l) & Nicholas Collett (r).
Image: Assembly Roxy & Company Gavin Robertson

“love its deadpan humour … the whole 4* performance of edge and ease”

Editorial Rating: 4 Stars:Nae Bad

You just know that you’re in expert hands when, to the exact beat of ABBA’s The Name of the Game, the dice are twice shaken and then thrown. Except they’re not, you just believe that you heard the rattle and saw the throw …. and reckoned the fateful consequence. This is artful, practised, theatre.

The Dice Man appeared in 1971 and became a cult classic. The Six-Sided Man is its stage face, written and adapted by Gavin Robertson and first performed at the Edinburgh Festival in 1987. It’s back (by popular demand?) with Robertson himself playing The Patient and Nicholas Collett as The Psychiatrist. If they could, they’d be spokes on a roulette wheel; as it is they circle around each other, betting each other’s life on the throw of the dice, or die, which is an unfortunate pun.

The reason being, you see, is that the dice are liberating, freeing you of restraint and conformity by determining a single course of action that is irreversible. ‘Should I go out of the window four storeys up?’ becomes, on the throw of a 3, ‘I must go out of the window’. And where there is mortal risk there has to be sweet reward: roll a 6 and it’s the other guy who goes head first. The Winner Takes It All.

But that’s to jump the gun (with just the single bullet in the chamber, of course). The Patient comes to the Psychiatrist with his problems. The doctor is brisk. “Show me”, he says and the rest might be such weird stuff as dreams are made on but you’re not too sure. In fact – if that’s not too loaded an entity – there’s nothing quite so substantially awful as dog poo on your shoe on a first date.

The cure is that the predictable need not be endured or suffered Yet the dialogue, alongside the high quality of the mime, voice and movement sequences, is unemotional and wary. No great shakes, you might say, but then you realise that there’s a face off here, with neither character prepared to raise the stakes until he’s as certain as he can be that he has the stronger hand. Knowing Me, Knowing You plays on.

The Dice Man was published under the name of Luke Rhinehart. In August 2012 ‘he’ announced his own death. Some believed it, some didn’t. It was a spoof but it allowed Luke to write his own valediction: ‘If you’re comfortable in the selves you’re rolling along with’, he wrote, ‘then roll on. Most people aren’t.’

You’ll roll with The Six-Sided Man and love its deadpan humour and admire the whole 4* performance of edge and ease but you’ll wonder where it’s going; at which point you’ll feel distinctly uncomfortable. Take A Chance on Me? You bet.

Reviewer: Alan Brown (Seen 8 August)

Go to The Six-Sided Man at Assembly Roxy.

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9Aug2016

+3 Review: Tiff Stevenson: Seven (Assembly Roxy, Aug 8-14, 16-28 : 19.10: 1hr)

Posted in 4*, Assembly Roxy, Comedy, EdFestivals, EdFestivals 2016, Rated: Nae Bad, Theatre by Jacob Close

“Stevenson has a presence you could smash a wine bottle on”

Editorial Rating: 4 Stars Nae Bad

When you see a comedian on TV, it’s almost a coin flip as to whether they’ll stand up to their digital performance when you’re maybe ten feet away. For some, it’s clear that they’re funnier as a bundle of pixels – but, as in the case of Tiff Stevenson, proximity makes joke grow funnier.

Even when loping around the stage, Stevenson has a presence you could smash a wine bottle on. Despite being wrapped up in a thick web of humour, it’s clear from the outset that there’s an iron core to every joke: it’s as if scientists managed to fuse Belva Lockwood and someone’s drunk aunt. Pushing their own distinct beliefs is something, consciously or otherwise, all comics do; and Stevenson is a masterclass in delivering it without sounding evangelical. Even if you don’t agree with what she’s saying (however you’ve managed to come to that outcome), you’ll be hard pressed not to laugh along with her.

From the get-go, it’s an unmistakably zeitgeist-y set. In a surprisingly speedy hour, Stevenson runs the full gamut from bus bombings to baby showers, joyously flicking up v’s behind her as she runs from topic to topic. We might be awash in a sea of Macintyres, but Stevenson is one of many happy islands where comedy’s rebellious, fringe roots are still dug deep. No subject is too taboo, as she very happily reminds the audience throughout – however, often the transitional link between these subjects can wave from tenuous to unneeded, but as it takes up perhaps a minute of time in total, it hardly spoils the bunch.

If there ever was a complaint, it was that sometimes Stevenson doesn’t seem to trust her own considerable wit enough. Several times throughout the show, a fantastic joke was extended far beyond its peak, simply for the sake of explaining it. Whilst none of these jokes fell into “unfunny”, it certainly blunted the otherwise fantastically sharp tongue which dominate the rest of the show.

To talk too much about Tiff Stevenson’s set at the Roxy is to do her a disservice: half of the enjoyment comes from the unexpected directions she swerves with every punchline. But if you’re looking to start your evening on a high note, you’ll have no tiff with her.

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Reviewer: Jacob Close (Seen 6 August)

Visit the Assembly Roxy archive.

THIS REVIEW HAS NOT BEEN SUBEDITED

7Aug2016

+3 Review: Molly Whuppie (Assembly Roxy: 4-28 Aug. 1030. 1hr 15)

Posted in 4*, Assembly Roxy, EdFestivals 2016, Rated: Nae Bad, Theatre by Alan Brown

Image. Assembly & LicketySpit Theatre

“Smiling, tuneful, and big-hearted”

Editorial Rating: 4 Stars: Nae Bad

Molly Whuppie is a pickle of a lassie. She’s bright, bonny and brave and saves her mother and sister from dying of hunger on a northern shore. She’s a fairy tale character from the Western Highlands , whom English cousin Jack – of beanstalk fame – would love to meet, for their stories are pretty close; although Molly (aka. Maol a Chliobain) steals it, as her baddie is no the giant, but one King Boris (!), who loves his meringues too, too much.

Smiling, tuneful, and big-hearted, Molly Whuppie has toured all over Scotland and has already, since 2001, delighted upwards of 30,000 people. Licketyspit Theatre Company is Edinburgh based but has decided, as the International Festival posters have it, to ‘Welcome [the]World’ so this is the company’s Fringe premier and it’s a treat.

If you’re still fortunate to be in your early years – and therefore very unlikely to be reading this! – Licketyspit is for you. If you’re alongside a young child, then you’ll appreciate the modesty of the fact that all actors do is ‘show the story’ in exciting and imaginative ways. First then, there’s fearless Molly (Amy McGregor) who keeps her pretty red beret on even when balancing for her life on the Bridge of the One Hair, and we sing “I’m Molly and you can’t scare me / I’m Molly, Hee Hee Hee!” Second, there’s Virginia Radcliffe as Ninian the Giant in tremendous sandals and as horrid King Boris with a wonderful polka dot jester’s cap. No crown of majesty for him, just fanfare by kazoo.

Radcliffe is also Artistic Director of LicketySpit and it is easy in Molly Whuppie to see hers years of experience in building drama-led work for children and their families. There’s a good strong narrative where the good and the kind – above all – prevail, constantly reinforced by repetitive elements of colour, music and song. Invention is everywhere, from the reveal of successive kind grannies to land clearance by tree hurling.

Yes, it was probably devised as a December, Christmassy show when Molly, her mum, and her sister are perishing of cold and, yes, there’s the question of how come only giants have a Never Empty Purse; but no matter really, this is a warm and generous show with stick puppets to colour in and cut out afterwards.

Reviewer: Alan Brown (Seen 6 August)

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Category Archives: Rated: Nae Bad

+3 Review: Paper Hearts the Musical (Underbelly Med Quad: 5-29 Aug: 18.40: 1hr 15mins)

“Potential to be a real best-seller”

+3 Review: Albatross (Paradise in Augustines. 5 -28 Aug. Times vary. 1h35m.)

” .. full-on theatrical broadsides”

+3 Review: Mark Smith – Old Smudge (Cowgatehead: Aug 15-16, 18-27: 17.30: 50 mins)

“Witty, energetic and incorrigible”

+3 Review: Dreaming under the Southern Bough (theSpace @Niddry St, Aug 05 – 13 : 10.55 : 50 mins)

“Consistently charming and fun to watch”

+3 Review: Elf Lyons: Pelican (Voodoo Rooms, Aug 5-28 : 19.50 : 1hr)

“A smörgåsbord of comic delights “

+3 Review: 2044 (Greenside @ Infirmary Street, 5-20 Aug: 11.30: 50min)

“Twists, turns and tensions aplenty to keep the audience on their toes”

+3 Review: Being Norwegian (Gilded Balloon, Aug 3-10 : 23.45 : 40 mins)

“A production wrought from the heart”

+3 Review: The Six-Sided Man (Assembly Roxy: 3 – 29 Aug. 1150. 1hr10m)

“love its deadpan humour … the whole 4* performance of edge and ease”

+3 Review: Tiff Stevenson: Seven (Assembly Roxy, Aug 8-14, 16-28 : 19.10: 1hr)

“Stevenson has a presence you could smash a wine bottle on”

+3 Review: Molly Whuppie (Assembly Roxy: 4-28 Aug. 1030. 1hr 15)

“Smiling, tuneful, and big-hearted”