Category Archives: Theatre

Reviews of theatre work.

‘Not Another Quiz Night’ (Venue 8, until AUG 23rd)

Posted in 5*, EdFestivals 2025, Rated: Outstanding, Theatre by

“This show is rowdy like an invasion of Mongolian horsearchers is rowdy.”

Editorial Rating: 5 Stars (Outstanding)

On balance, and after careful consideration, I can confidently say this is the best show I have seen at any EdFringe. A good review is a balance of the informative, the objective, and the subjective. For your information, this show is a Daliesque acid trip of a pub quiz with all the traditional elements done massive and then some. Objectively, the crowd is huge, mad for it, loving it, and kept thoroughly entertained throughout 90 minutes of brilliantly bonkers boisterousosity. Subjectively, how could I not love a show featuring popadom frisbee (Queensbury Rules)? There’s celebrity appearances, fat cupid, Liam and/or Noel Gallagher, as well as the single greatest Alan Rickman impersonation this side of Hogwarts.

Our host, Jake Bhardwaj, is a one-man Disaster Area – the plutonium rock band from ‘Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy’ said to be the loudest rock band in the Galaxy, and also the loudest noise of any kind at all. Bhardwaj’s stagecraft is exceptional. Watching him is like having a front row seat at a supernova or seeing Usain Bolt run an egg spoon race against a kangaroo. Supported by a host of chaotic, colourful misfits, what Bhardwaj conjures into existence is definitely maybe the purest of pure doses of explosively lowbrow highbrow comedy delivered directly into the bloodstream. This show is rowdy like an invasion of Mongolian horsearchers is rowdy.

If you’re afraid of audience participation, look away now. There’s Biggest Crisp, Baywatch Beach Parade, and a piss-your-pants-laughing plethora of properly funny parts for everyone, front seats and back. There is also the pub quiz itself, which is a solid mix of pop culture and no-holds-barred tricky brain teasers. From the concept, through planning, and into delivery, this is a phenomenal EdFringe success story that needs to be added to every August calendar and spreadsheet. Come for the greatest and best bar trivia night in the known universe, stay for a brilliant piece of live theatre, get your coats on and go see this!

 

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‘1457, The Boy at Rest’ (Venue 17, until AUG 24th)

Posted in *Written Interviews, 5*, EdFestivals 2025, Theatre by

“This was my first experience of Korean national theatre and I am left wanting more! More! MORE”

Editorial Rating: 5 Stars (Outstanding)

The story of the 15th-century Korean boy King Danjong has been told and retold down the ages. A child, too young to govern. An uncle, too ambitious not to seize the throne. A devoted wife, doomed to a lifetime of regret.

We enter to find that some of the most elegant and effective set dressings anywhere this EdFringe have transformed one of the University’s more functional lecture spaces into a sensual backdrop perfectly attuned to the pansori-style session of storytelling about to unfold. Contemporary pansori has been described as the sound of han – the sound of that uniquely Korean form of grief and sorrow. The genius of this production lies in what has been built on that melancholy foundation. Here is a production that is vibrant, laugh-out-loud funny, as well as poignant and thought-provoking. Three goblins (dokkaebi) act as our chorus, framing the narrative with puckish light-heartedness and head-shaking regret at what fools these mortals be.

Thanks to an ultra-contemporary byeokgeori / backdrop displaying colour-coded subtitles, nothing is lost in translation. Sitting in the back row of the theatre, I found the blending of live performance and visual tech aides fairly seamless, although those up front in the spit zone might feel differently. Pansori’s focus on emotional depth, singable narrative arcs, and traditional drum-based accompaniment were delivered by the bucketload by a company of stellar performers who hit all the high notes while also being accessible and (most importantly) really chuffing entertaining. The dokkaebi stole the show with their mix of clown and frown but there were also flashes of pure brilliance from across the company.

This was my first experience of Korean national theatre and I am left wanting more! More! MORE! Drawing on 5,000 years of history, troubled by outsiders, this production is a perfect showcase of national feeling, talent, and identity. Come for the spectacle, stay for the masterclass in professional stagecraft, get your durumagi on and go see this!

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‘Homo(sapien)’ (Venue 139, until AUG 24th)

Posted in 5*, EdFestivals 2025, Rated: Outstanding, Theatre by

“Here is a journey of self-discovery told with a fierce and memorable candour.”

Editorial Rating: 5 Stars (Outstanding)

There’s nothing in the world that’s better than a bit of good auld-fashioned Irish storytelling. The pace, the charm, the wit, the insight of honest-to-goodness craic done right cannot be beat. In Conor O’Dwyer’s debut play we meet Joey a neurotic mess of Catholic guilt and internalised homophobia. Joey is a Bad Gay™ (or so he thinks) because he’s never had sex with a dude and that’s the most important thing about being gay (right?).

Here is a journey of self-discovery told with a fierce and memorable candour. We enter to find a cross bedecked with flowers. Religion and religiousity are at the heart of this story about the Emerald Isle’s struggle for a modern rainbow identity and the seeming irreconcilability of traditional values and the universal truth that love is love. We grow-up with Joey. We experience his profound uncertainty and fear even in the midst of a largely supportive and loving community more at ease with who Joey is than he is.

As Saint John of Lennon wrote, “Life’s what happens when you’re busy making other plans.” Joey’s life story is a hodgepodge of misadventures and missed adventures. For all that not a lot actually happens the pace of this piece is second to none. This is a small tall tale that will resonate with anyone who has been left wondering if they spend too much time wondering. It’s an affirmation of the good in all of us, especially when we find the confidence to unclentch and be our trueselves.

O’Dwyer’s performance is brilliant. From the second he races onto the stage through to the final moments in which the clouds of existential crisis part. Each comic twist and dramatic turn of this cleverly crafted monodramatic melodrama is a masterclass in audience engagement. Come for the fabulousness, stay for the fabulous universality, get your coats on and go see this!

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‘Samia Rida: Kidnap’ (Venue 24, until AUG 10th)

Posted in 5*, EdFestivals 2025, Rated: Outstanding, Theatre by

“A deeply personal piece of storytelling, a superb storyteller, and a story that deserves to be heard and heard again.”

Editorial Rating: 5 Stars (Outstanding)

Samia Rida is possibly, probably, almost certainly the most important voice you’ll hear this EdFringe. The youngest of four siblings, it became obvious early on that Samia had a knack for caring for her seriously disabled aulder brother. From a very early age, Samia was taking charge at bath and bedtime and all the rest. Like so many unseen little ones, Samia’s own childhood was profoundly impacted by the needs of another. Caring is really hard. It’s relentless. The other person’s needs are always the priority, catered to day and night, rain or shine, under the unforgiving, uncomprehending, and too often unsympathetic gaze of folks without a Scooby Doo of the daily reality as it is really lived.

To add complexity to chaos, Samia is the unquietly proud possessor of a lifelong identity crisis brought on by the clashing of parental cultures. With a Welsh mother and a Saudi father, Samia has skin in the game when it comes to the big questions of multiculturalism as it is lived from within rather than judged from without.

The former River City actress takes to the stage like a hurricane takes to a shanty town. Here is an uncompromising, deeply personal perspective which blows away the preconceptions and peculiarities of today’s mainstream focus on the actualisation of individuality as the summit of human achievement. The story centres on the messy separation of Samia’s parents, in particular her being kidnapped to Saudi Arabia by her father – a chain of events which received quite the flurry of press attention back in the day.

Having felt alienated in West London, Samia tells of being entirely all at sea in the gilded luxury of the much more traditional society. Again, Samia is uncompromising with her truth, but speaks fondly of the hosts of uncles, aunts, staff and retainers who populated this strange chapter in her life. The three most definitely not GIPers spookily assessing the show’s political messaging for Riyadh seem content with Samia’s largely positive picture of well-to-do family life in The Kingdom. The hacksaws won’t be needed tonight.

Here is a great wee EdFringe find. A deeply personal piece of storytelling, a superb storyteller, and a story that deserves to be heard and heard again. The message is one that will resonate with anyone who has put (or is putting) their life on hold for another, anyone who has been caught up in the breakdown of their parents’ relationship, anyone with a taste for the potent and profound. Here is a unique voice telling truths that are not heard nearly enough. Come for the all-too-human drama, stay for the belly laughs, get your leak and dragon patterned bishts on and go see this!

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‘The Spy Who Went to Rehab’ (Venue 23, until AUG 25th)

Posted in 4*, EdFestivals 2025, Rated: Outstanding, Theatre by

“This is McShane at his laser-guided, prince of precision comedy best. It is, quite simply, a perfect performance.”

Editorial Rating: 4 Stars (Outstanding)

Can the world’s greatest secret agent detox from his toxic masculinity? That is the premise of Gregg Ostrin’s superbly farcical play. Simon Cross is not afraid of anything. He’s been tied naked to the back of a crocodile, lived and let died more times than you’ve had unstirred martinis. Now he is facing his greatest challenge yet – his own journey into self-awareness.

This is a clever tribute to the genre – we know the name, we’ve got his number. Satiar Pourvasei as Cross is bang on target – landing on that part of the James Bond spectrum somewhere between the totally deadpan Lazenby and the tongue-in-cheek absurdity of Roger Moore. Pourvasei’s individual connections with the other members of his therapy group fizz and crackle, making Greg Ostrin’s bonkers script seem almost plausible… just for a moment.

Cross is an unreal amalgamation of fantasy and pathos. He’s a character who could stand alone as a one-hander character study. But, then again, every good superspy needs a great supervillain for counterpoint. As Lazarus Rex, Cross’ arch-nemesis, Fringe Legend Mike McShane delivers the goods, especially if you are in the market for an evil genius with attachment issues – even his white Persian cat has moved on and joined the yowling choir invisible. This is McShane at his laser-guided, prince of precision comedy best. It is, quite simply, a perfect performance.

There’s no escaping the problems with this production. Sightlines that just aren’t working, clunky gunfights, sluggish scene changes. There’s a great production in this vintage, but it needs to mature and clarify to become the exceptional dram of profound silliness it could be.

This is a laugh-out-loud yet loving tribute to a cherished oeuvre. Come for the authenticity. Stay for two of the best comic performances you’ll see anywhere this Fringe. Get your white tuxedo jackets on and go see this!

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‘Sherlock Holmes: The Last Act’ (Assembly Rooms: Drawing Room, until AUG 24 – not AUG 13 or 20)

Posted in 4*, EdFestivals 2025, Rated: Outstanding, Theatre by

“Miles-Thomas gives a performance that is something of a tour de force as he re-enacts a selection of the most famous of Conan Doyle’s tales”

Editorial Rating: 4 Stars (Outstanding)

There’s a handful of Holmes-themed shows at the Fringe this year, ranging in style from Australian improv, to an audience participation murder mystery, to an all-woman show from which the great detective is entirely absent. But for a more traditional take on Conan Doyle’s immortal creation, head to the Assembly Rooms (Drawing Room) on George Street for this gripping one-man show.

This production’s impressive credentials suggest a show with much potential. The script was written by the late David Stuart Davies: a renowned Sherlockian scholar who was editor of Red Herring, the monthly in-house magazine of the Crime Writers Association, and wrote extensively about Holmes in both fictional and non-fictional works. The director is Gareth Davies, an RSC and West End theatre veteran, whose TV acting career boasts credits in everything from Z Cars to Blake’s 7. The solo performer is another stage and TV stalwart, Nigel Miles-Thomas (Minder, The Professionals) who will probably be best remembered by people of a certain age as Mr Davies the PE teacher in Grange Hill.

Set in 1916, the show presents an ageing Holmes as he returns to Baker Street from his retirement in Sussex to attend the funeral of his old friend and sidekick, Dr Watson. With his epic career behind him, Holmes reminisces about his adventures as the world’s first and only consulting detective. Miles-Thomas gives a performance that is something of a tour de force as he re-enacts a selection of the most famous of Conan Doyle’s tales; playing all of the characters from Holmes himself to his brother Mycroft, Dr Watson, and a selection of victims and villains from their adventures.

With a simple set and minimal use of props or costume, a highly atmospheric ambience is nonetheless created – almost gothic at times – by skilful use of light and sound. Miles-Thomas’s highly expressive and mobile face effectively creates striking transformations of character. In a sometimes uncanny exhibition of shape-shifting, he moves at various points from the cadaverous and urbane Holmes, to the hawk-nosed, vampirical arch-villain Professor Moriarty; thence to the lantern-jawed Sir Grimesby Roylott of The Adventure of the Speckled Band.

The medium-sized Drawing Room auditorium was pretty much a full house, standing testament to the enduring popularity of Sherlock Holmes – but I couldn’t help but notice that the demographic was very middle-aged. I’ve written elsewhere that increasingly younger audiences at the Fringe expect a little more in the way of bells and whistles in theatre shows – hence the other Holmes productions I mention above. The TV reboot of Sherlock exemplifies a shift in tastes away from the classical vibe of the original stories and I fear that Fringe theatre productions of this type will soon look more and more like period pieces. (Do they perhaps belong in the Spoken Word/Storytelling genre?)

Nonetheless, I suspect that there’s an audience for this show for the rest of its run throughout most of August and I’m sure that the great detective will continue to please and to pack them in.

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‘Mrs Roosevelt Flies To London’ (Assembly Rooms: Drawing Room, until AUG 24 – not AUG11 or 18)

Posted in 4*, EdFestivals 2025, Rated: Nae Bad, Theatre by

“Eleanor Roosevelt certainly makes an admirable subject for a dramatized life story. “

Editorial Rating: 4 Stars (Nae Bad)

Written and performed by Alison Skillbeck, this one-woman show is based on her exclusive access to the diaries of the woman who, as the spouse of FDR, became known as “the First Lady of the World”. Set in October 1942, the story focuses on her visit to wartime Britain, but there are flashbacks (and forwards) to provide glimpses of her life as a whole.

The show is very much in the traditional mould of worthy single-handed biographical shows about great women of history, which have been a prominent feature of Fringe drama for many years. These days, such productions largely appeal to a Boomer demographic, which was reflected in the nearly full house of which I was part in the Drawing Room: a medium-sized auditorium at the Assembly Rooms on George Street.

Skillbeck is a seasoned theatre performer who also has an impressive back catalogue of TV work, including many well-known shows ranging from Doctor Who to The Crown. On radio, she was even in The Archers for a while. As one might thus expect, her performance was engaging, thoroughly professional, and (becoming increasingly rare at the Fringe) audible.

Eleanor Roosevelt certainly makes an admirable subject for a dramatized life story. She was an extraordinarily energetic campaigner for a variety of causes, ranging from civil rights to child poverty and international diplomacy. Credited with defining the role of the First Lady in US politics, she nonetheless had more than her fair share of personal problems as FDR’s wife. Heartbroken by her philandering husband’s affair with her own social secretary, she soldiered on to support his political career, and helped to conceal the polio that crippled him physically and which could have rendered him unelectable in the eyes of the American public of the 1930s.

This, though, creates something of a problem. So eventful was Roosevelt’s life at the epicentre of world affairs, that her story – told in dramatic monologue – can too easily become a festival of name-dropping along with much box-ticking documentary of historical events. Whilst some of these drew murmurs of recognition from some members of the audience, it doesn’t create much in the way of visual theatre. Mobile as Skillbeck’s performance was, the ambience was very much that of a radio play.

Winning various awards in the past, this play is now on its third visit to the Fringe at Assembly. I’m sure there will continue to be an audience for shows of this type for some years to come, but is this style of leisurely-paced, low-tech production perhaps just beginning to feel a little dated? In her publicity, Skillbeck seeks an edge of contemporaneity by noting that the values Roosevelt upheld during her lifetime are under attack in our dangerous present-day world. That may be true, but I fear that this play’s undertone of rose-tinted nostalgic reminiscence offers little in response to such concerns.

Nonetheless, for those who like their drama cosy and informative, this is an agreeable enough way to spend an hour and fifteen minutes (a little longer than the typical Fringe show) on an Edinburgh morning. I dare say it will continue to draw good houses for the rest of its run throughout most of August.

 

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‘In The Black’ (Stephenson Theatre at TheSpace @ Surgeons’ Hall, until AUG 23 – not AUG 10 or 17)

Posted in 4*, EdFestivals 2025, Rated: Nae Bad, Theatre by

“Degraft’s snappy verbal delivery makes strong use of vivid comic irony to show how American society can be too geared up for stereotypes which can inflict roles on us all.”

Editorial Rating: 4 Stars (Nae Bad)

Quaz Degraft describes his show as “a dark comedy solo play about an ambitious Black accountant fighting for a seat at the table in the high-stakes world of Wall Street”. Presented in a light and lively style, Degraft plays a first-generation immigrant Ghanaian kid called Kofi whose traditional and ruthlessly ambitious father uses his belt to drive his son into the “respectable” profession of accountancy. The parental idea of the key to the American dream is to acquire qualification as a Certified Public Accountant (CPA).

The fact that the play opens and closes with Kofi in the fluorescent orange jumpsuit of a Federal Prison inmate is a vivid indicator of how the American Dream can turn into a nightmare. It’s a story about a search for identity as much as success, but from what Kofi’s family can see of life in New York City, financial success is identity.

However, the street culture of New York offers too many tempting distractions for the young Kofi that pull him away from the direction in which his father points. Degraft’s snappy verbal delivery makes strong use of vivid comic irony to show how American society can be too geared up for stereotypes which can inflict roles on us all. But is the system of huge corporate behemoths in the city’s financial district designed to admit kids like Kofi? He is working class as well as black – will those two things make him too much of an outsider? Will getting a CPA license solve his problems?

Dressing himself in the uniform of his target profession – a suit – Kofi talks his way into an entry-level position that he hopes will lead him to becoming “the (pre-slap) Will Smith of Wall Street”. But as this pacy drama quickly reveals, the rarified atmosphere of high finance has as many pitfalls as life at street level; and it’s not just white-collar crime that’s committed by the masters of the universe in their plate-glass corner offices.

This engaging one-man drama offers its audience two contemporary themes: that of the immigrant experience of finding a way to be admitted into a new culture; and the shock of toxic cultures that outsiders can experience once doors are opened to let them in.

Well worth a look, but the Stephenson Theatre in TheSpace @ Surgeons’ Hall is a small, intimate venue and seats will only get harder to come by. The show runs for most of August, but don’t leave it too long to grab a ticket.

 

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‘Supermarket 86′ (Stephenson Theatre at TheSpace @ Surgeons’ Hall, until AUG 23 – not AUG 10 or 17)

Posted in 5*, EdFestivals 2025, Rated: Outstanding, Theatre by

“Mia Pelosi’s wryly witty script dances between sarcastic wisecracking and angst-ridden emotion.”

Editorial Rating: 5 Stars (Outstanding)

Set in a supermarket in upstate New York, this character-driven comic drama explores the lives of five young women who find themselves trapped there overnight due to a blizzard. As the evening develops, awkward conversations and unexpected revelations reveal that they all know each other. Mia Pelosi’s wryly witty script dances between sarcastic wisecracking and angst-ridden emotion, whilst Ellie Aslanian’s direction presents us with a tight, pacy, well-structured production in the Stephenson Theatre: a small, intimate black-box studio in TheSpace @ Surgeons’ Hall.

Pelosi also plays the feisty manager of the supermarket, whose dull night shift is transformed by the arrival of four customers blown in by the storm outside. The first to arrive is Dove, a quiet, waif-like and seemingly reserved young woman; well wrapped-up against the harsh weather, she dismisses Rose’s offers of assistance. Then, Summer, a cheerful regular customer with a sweet tooth who has struck up a friendship with Rose, pops in for a chat. Next, June, a bubbly child-woman, bounces in seeking the Vegan Aisle. So far, so mysterious; but there is a sudden frisson when the statuesque Peyton arrives and there is a shock of recognition from Rose.

At this point, a brief power cut heralds the suspension of normal life and Rose invites her customers to shelter in the store overnight. As the women reluctantly settle in for the inevitable forced socialising that the circumstances demand, one mischievously suggests a game of Truth or Dare as a way to get to know each other. No plot spoilers here, but as the evening progresses, they all realise that, for various reasons, they have shared backgrounds involving high school, college, and quite a lot of sex. This situation of young women being trapped in the equivalent of a confessional adolescent sleepover quickly breaks down the psychological inhibitions of adulthood with embarrassingly revealing consequences and a number of laugh-out-loud moments.

Even as the game ends, the dramatic energy released by the exposed secrets drives a spiralling dynamic of seething emotion and dark humour as ex-high school peers are forced to reconfront the unresolved flings and mistakes of their teenage years. As a 66 year-old male reviewer, I’m always intrigued to glimpse insights into the female psyche offered by shows such as this. Were I in any doubt about the veracity of those on offer here, it was quickly dispelled by the shrieks of laughter from women around me in the audience. (Us guys loved it all, too.)

June’s childlike artlessness – hilariously conveyed by Ariana Perez’s wide-eyed exuberance and comically mobile face – is shown to be a mask for her character’s desperate search for an identity in life (currently veganism). Megan Higley subtly reveals the enigmatic Dove to be a case of still waters running very deep. Caitlin Kresta engagingly shows the uptight Peyton gradually lowering her guardrail and facing up to the fallout from her past. Jamilah Rosemond presents Summer as a deceptively knowing and shrewd young woman, bemused by her strange new companions, whilst probably being the most based person in the room. As Rose, Mia Pelosi is the driving force of the action and the humour, both with the group and in a couple of revealing private conversations with two of her unexpected visitors.

In a Fringe theatre list increasingly dominated by single-handed shows and knockabout comedies, this penetrating and nuanced comic ensemble piece is a welcome breath of fresh air. It runs until 23rd August, but in a relatively small auditorium tickets will sell out quickly, so get yours booked early!

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‘Hold On To Your Butts’ (Pleasance Courtyard, until AUG 25 – not AUG 7 or 18)

Posted in 5*, EdFestivals 2025, Pleasance, Rated: Outstanding, Theatre by

“Theatrical spoofs of movie classics are all the rage these days and the New York-based theatre company Recent Cutbacks has a gem running at the Pleasance Courtyard (Venue 33) this summer. “

Editorial Rating: 5 Stars (Outstanding)

Theatrical spoofs of movie classics are all the rage these days and the New York-based theatre company Recent Cutbacks has a gem running at the Pleasance Courtyard (Venue 33) this summer. The company specialises in fast-paced “lo-fi” shot-for-shot parodies of classic movies. These are performed by a very small troupe of actors making frantic use of props, back projection, mime, and knockabout physical theatre to create a hilarious take on some of cinema’s greatest blockbusters of recent decades. The comic mayhem is enhanced by an on-stage Foley Artist (that’s a Hollywood term for a sound-effects specialist) who sits at a desk with a laptop, a microphone, and a huge selection of musical instruments, sandboxes, crinkly paper, a cutlery drawer, and other noise-making thingumajigs to titillate your ears.

Hold On To Your Butts (Forth @ Pleasance Courtyard) is a spoof of the first Jurassic Park movie of 1993. The action-packed tale of a dinosaur safari park visit that goes horrifically wrong is staged at velociraptor speed, with the gory bits delivered in such a slapstick style as to have the audience laughing in recognition. This is very much a show for kids (Over 8s) as well as adults, as the children in the audience enjoy the pantomimic quality of the show without needing to have seen the film.

The stars of the movie – the dinosaurs – are portrayed in a laugh-out-loud style, making much ironically improvised use of physical posturing, madly inappropriate props, and bizarre costumery. Other standout moments include the hilarious impressions of the languid drawl of Jeff Goldblum’s quizzical chaos theorist and the gruff cynicism of Sam Neill’s gung-ho palaeontologist. Movie nerds will also love the low-fi recreation of iconic close-up shots from the film using hand-held picture frames and flashlights, several of which drew appreciative rounds of applause.

All of the most memorable key scenes from the movie are mercilessly parodied. One stand-out is the famous episode of the T. Rex attacking the lawyer as he sits in a toilet cubicle having abandoned the kids. I’m sure the cheers for that scene had as much to do with seeing a lawyer get his come-uppance as well as for the artistic creativity.

This show – along with Fly, You Fools! (a similar treatment of the Lord of the Rings movies by Recent Cutbacks) later in the afternoon in Beyond @ Pleasance Courtyard – runs at the Pleasance Courtyard until 25th August (not 7th or 18th), so book early as I suspect these will be two of the hottest tickets in town.

 

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