Tag Archives: Edinburgh Fringe

The Bakewell Bake Off: A New Musical (C, 5 – 22 Aug : 17.00 : 1hr 10 mins)

Posted in 3*, C Venues, EdFestivals 2015, Musical Theatre, Rated: Nae Bad by

“A sweet, easy-to-watch crowd pleaser”

Editorial Rating: 3 Stars: Nae Bad

It was only a matter of time before a GBBO-themed show made it to the Fringe, and this one has all the necessary ingredients for a sweet, easy-to-watch crowd pleaser.

The plot is exactly what you would expect – an eclectic group of wannabe bakers pit their culinary skills against each other to please three ultra-competitive judges and be crowned Bakewell’s best baker. There are some interesting characters and relationships, including a cross-dresser, a nun, a woman obsessed with Christmas, an Asian doctor (who becomes the subject of some racist abuse), and it’s all hosted by the very talkative yet incredibly likeable hostess called Victoria Sponge.

The script is full of wonderful baking-related puns: from characters whose names include, Tina Tartan and Henrietta Apfelstrudel, to a nun’s “Desecrated Coconut” cake, which tickled me the most. Indeed the writing is clever throughout the piece with lots of quips and wordplay to keep the audience amused, even if the narrative itself is pretty thin.

For me Sophie Forster as catty judge Griselda Pratt-Dewhurst delivered the best comic performance with an array of scathing put downs, while rival judge Hugh Dripp, played George Rexstrew, commanded the stage with great presence and energy.

Overall the singing was good, but at its best in the choral numbers. One can’t be too critical of sound levels of a student production in the Fringe space – the soloists did as best they could and with a full band and microphones I am sure they would have dazzled. This was most evident in gospel number Bake Your Way to Heaven, where I was longing for Imogen Coutts’s vocals to soar above the rousing backing singers. Alas, a commendable effort.

The choreography was perhaps more impressive, with a great range of routines for the varied musical numbers, all delivered deftly and with great energy. My favourite was the tango to the cleverly named “The Original Bakewell Tart”, which was performed with great finesse.

At an hour and 10 minutes this show is a decent length, although I feel that one or two of the characters could have been sacrificed to allow us to get to know the others better and build up more tension between them. There was a lovely moment towards the end between Freddie Twist (Charlie Keable) and Susie Sunflower (Ros Bell), who formed a very believable romance throughout the competition, and more layers like this would help turn this show from being good into really great.

nae bad_blue

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

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Reviewer: Steve Griffin (Seen 16 August)

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THIS REVIEW HAS NOT BEEN SUBEDITED

An Improvised Murder (New Waverley Arches, 16 – 22 Aug : 20:00 : 1hr)

Posted in 3*, EdFestivals 2015, Other, Theatre by

“It felt like a real murder mystery”

Editorial Rating: 3 Stars

One can’t really walk for more than five minutes through Edinburgh’s old town in August without someone trying to get you to see something improvised. From musicals to films, Jane Austen to Dickens: you name it, a troupe of overly excited students will improvise it. However I thought I’d see my first “unique” show of the year in a genre I haven’t yet experienced – an improvised murder mystery.

The improvisation follows a familiar formula: a facilitator gathers ideas and directions from the audience as a basis for the players to act out a show. Why? The facilitator needs help to pitch a last minute script to an imaginary producer, and the improvisation will become that script. You’ll follow…

Our show, thanks to audience suggestions, was to be set in a bank in Tyneside, and the troupe got to it right away with barely a moment’s thought. It was a bit of a slow burner to start with as the players established characters and relationships, but when the imaginary producer called to interrupt the action, new suggestions were given to the actors by the facilitator and off we went again.

I was pleasantly surprised at how the group managed to build tension and possible motives for murder following the first interruption. From exposing fraudulent financial activity, to the old favourite of spurned and jealous lovers, it wasn’t long before it felt like a real murder mystery.

As the audience we get to pick who gets killed half way through, and we’re then able to quiz each player with any question we choose, which they answer on the spot. This section was great as we could directly engage with the characters, and I was able to forget that I was watching a completely improvised show.

While it’s a shame that not every suggestion we made was accepted, and that one player had to spend the majority of the show with a pig attached to his leg (not my idea…), the developments and twists did generally turn the drama up a notch, so it was good to have a facilitator adept at knowing when changes need to be made.

It wasn’t perfect though: players at times forgot which accent they were supposed to be doing and occasionally even what their own names were. However, it was certainly a nice change from other improvised shows out there and a very promising Edinburgh debut from Foghorn Improv. As the run goes on and the players get more into the swing of things, I’m sure they’ll shake off these basic errors.

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

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Reviewer: Steve Griffin (Seen 16 August)

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THIS REVIEW HAS NOT BEEN SUBEDITED

What I learned from Johnny Bevan (Summerhall, 7 – 30 Aug : 16.55 : 1hr)

Posted in 5*, EdFestivals 2015, Summerhall, Theatre by

“A simple story, powerfully written, mesmerisingly performed”

Editorial Rating: 5 Stars: Outstanding

Sometimes I feel I should just give up. I see a show like this that makes me think theatre can’t get any better, so why should I bother going to see anything else? This absolute gem of a show, performed in a tucked away little room at an old veterinary college, is exactly why I keep coming back.

The story follows Nick, a young man from a wealthy background, who is desperate to shake off his family shackles and cultural expectations and discover his own identity at university. There he meets Johnny Bevan – the intelligent, bohemian philosopher from a council estate who opens up that new world Nick has been looking for. And while their initial connection is electric, years later when the two meet again, can Nick save Johnny from the tortured soul he’s become, or does Nick actually need saving from his consumerist lifestyle as a writer in London?

The writing of this piece is some of the best I have ever come across. Part poem, part epic monologue, it oozes style and professionalism, while sounding completely natural when performed. The story arch is perfectly framed, and never once feels indulgent or rushed. Every word is carefully selected to portray character and develop the story, with rhythm and selected rhyming that make it very easy to connect with. My favourite line was when Nick described going to meet Johnny “over lentil-based cuisine”, while some of the digs and views on modern society are captured with terrifying accuracy and wit.

The writing would mean very little, however, were it not for the incredibly emotive and gutsy performance from Luke Wright. He captures Nick’s naive early years, his coming-of-age at university with Johnny, and perhaps most mesmerisingly of all, his look back at the those touching moments and unhappiness with who he has become. Throughout the piece he talks directly to the audience, often very up close, which really engages and brings a sense of honesty to the piece. At select moments he looks back the the projected backdrop in reflection or shame, while his physicality captures every nuance of the characters and situations being presented. It is a truly masterful performance.

The technical aspects of the show are simple, but perfectly sympathetic with the script and style with which it is performed. Hand drawn images projected onto the backdrop show the setting of each scene, while subtle changes in lighting accentuate the mood perfectly. Anything more would detract from the piece’s overall power.

This is a simple story that is powerfully written and mesmerisingly performed – I cannot recommend it highly enough.

 

outstanding

StarStarStarStarStar

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Reviewer: Steve Griffin (Seen 15 August)

Visit the Summerhall  archive.

THIS REVIEW HAS NOT BEEN SUBEDITED

Poetry Can F*ck Off (Summerhall, 14 – 22 Aug : 15.30 : 55 mins)

Posted in 2*, EdFestivals 2015, Spoken Word, Summerhall by

“The idea and thinking behind this piece is great”

Editorial Rating: 2 Stars

Possibly the most ironic title of the Fringe this year, this show is, in essence, a very one-sided performance essay about exactly why poetry shouldn’t “f*ck off”. I use the word “essay” deliberately, as it is scripted very much like one, making statements about the power of poetry, giving quotes from poems in different times and cultures to back these up, and assessing the impact these poets and their readers have made in each instance.

While the idea is commendable and shows a lot of well thought-out research, as a performance it didn’t really work. The piece was delivered incredibly quickly and it was difficult to keep up with all the different examples that they all became lost in one another, while I spent the whole show waiting for a counter-argument to balance out the very liberal and pro-poetry point of view.

However, what I found most irritating about this performance was the very overused technique of repetition to emphasise a specific point. It seemed that almost every thirty seconds one actor would say a line, only to have the others repeat the last few words like some sort of robotic echo, or for three performers to simply repeat the line three times. It got very tired very quickly, while at some points it also got a bit shouty, contradicting the notion of this being an intelligent and mature piece.

With four performers on stage doing the “reading”, an additional musician was used to add rhythm and dynamic to the performance throughout. The playing was impressive, and kept the piece moving with variations in mood according to specific anecdotes. However, the music did little to alleviate the sense of non-stop pounding this show delivered, as there wasn’t enough variation in tempo or dynamic to break the monotony of delivery.

In saying all that, I admit I may have missed the point somewhere along the line, and this piece’s intentional styling may be a metaphor for a bigger message. Overall I think the idea and thinking behind this piece is great, but the form and delivery of it leave a lot to be desired – it seemed so wrapped up in making a statement that it neglected a lot of the basics of good performance.

 

Star (blue)Star (blue)

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Reviewer: Steve Griffin (Seen 15 August)

Visit the Summerhall archive.

THIS REVIEW HAS NOT BEEN SUBEDITED

Correction (ZOO Southside, 11- 19 Aug : 20.15 : 55mins)

Posted in 4*, Dance, EdFestivals 2015, Rated: Outstanding, ZOO by

“Very well developed and powerful, with bags of personality”

Editorial Rating: 4 Stars: Outstanding

There are times that I feel like I’ve seen everything there is to see in contemporary dance, but Czech company VerTeDance showed me that originality is still very much alive and well with new piece Correction. The show begins with seven dancers in a neat row on stage, arm’s length apart from each other. And that’s where they stay for the entire performance. Honestly.

Such a bold, simple approach reminded me of the founders of the Judson Church contemporary dance movement in the 1960s, pushing those very same boundaries and asking the question “what is dance?”. While there’s certainly movement and music, the seven performers are literally glued to the floor throughout the piece and don’t take a single step.

Despite the seemingly constraining concept, it’s actually a very well developed and powerful piece, with bags of personality, tension and progression from beginning to end. In the opening moments the dancers look around and become aware of their space and own being. It’s a slow and subtle start, and like many pieces I’ve seen before, but then the fun begins. One dancer turns to poke the next, who reacts by tipping slightly from side to side before coming back to standing. Then they poke the next, and so on. Before long there’s lots of poking, lots of tipping and chaos ensues.

After a brief musical interlude, the next iteration of movement involves the dancers falling over, while still having their feet stuck to the ground. It’s thoroughly enjoyable to watch them struggle back up to standing, with hilarious, unimpressed reactions from their fellow dancers. As this section developed, some of the body contortions and balances made were simply astonishing, and at times seemed to defy gravity.

The action soon moves onto a sort of fight scene, with dancers pushing and shoving and bending and falling in all directions. There are several repeated sequences in this section of the dance, which speed up and becomes more frantic, before a moment of stillness. This section is very impressive and controlled, showing great skill and dexterity to make all the shapes and supporting positions for each move. The final sequence is somewhat unexpected, but adds a new dimension and feeling to the work.

Throughout the piece music is provided by Clarinet Factory, a four-piece clarinet group who move forward and back creating incredible atmosphere with their instruments to support the action. It’s not something you see every day, but in a bizarre kind of way it really works.

This is one of those pieces you’ll be talking and thinking about well after you’ve left the auditorium, and really is worthy of being seen to be believed.

outstanding

StarStarStarStar

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Reviewer: Steve Griffin (Seen 2 October)

THIS REVIEW HAS NOT BEEN SUBEDITED

Wings in my Heart (Big Sexy Circus City : 7-30 Aug : 14.30 & 20.00 : 2hrs 30 mins)

Posted in 4*, Circus, EdFestivals 2015, Rated: Outstanding by

“Visually and technically spectacular”

Editorial Rating: 4 Stars: Outstanding

On entering the Big Sexy Circus City compound one is greeted by acrobats just casually performing to the queue of punters, while a tightrope walker works his way backwards along a wire overhead, occasionally stopping to balance on one leg. You know, how a normal night starts. When you enter the big top, it only gets more impressive.

While the opening few minutes take a little adjusting to (there’s fire, there’s water and there are people parading around dressed as various fairground attractions for no particular reason), it soon turns into a circus spectacle with amazing acts, unlike anything I’ve ever seen.

We’re warmed into the spectacle with a wonderful solo tap routine, accompanied in part by a drummer. The dancer starts in a small circle of light, and makes fun of chasing the light as it moves to continue his routine. A few minutes later he’s filling the whole stage with energy and playing a very enjoyable call-and-response rhythmic game with the drummer. Straight after this, there’s a breathtaking counter-balance rope routine, with two performers supporting each other’s weight while performing daring swings and tumbles. Their artistry on the ropes was incredible, while how they supported and propelled each other seemed to defy all laws of science.

Perhaps my favourite sequence followed directly after this, which involved a lot of balls suspended from the ceiling which swung like pendulums across the stage, with an intricate contemporary dance routine performed in between swings. How the performers managed to dodge them with such apparent ease was again a cause for wonder.

Also worth noting is the performance’s closing act, which I won’t spoil but is absolutely worth holding out for. Control and patience are brought new meaning with one performer and her selection of sticks…

Throughout this show the costumes, sound and lighting are all stunning. Each adds more depth to an already very sensory performance, and go to show how much love, care and artistry have gone into developing it. I’ll admit I didn’t really understand everything that was going on (there wasn’t a clear narrative or sense of development), but with a show as visually and technically spectacular as this, you really don’t need to. You can just sit and be in awe of spectacle, scraping your jaw up off the floor at the end.

outstanding

StarStarStarStar

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Reviewer: Steve Griffin  (Seen 12 August)

THIS REVIEW HAS NOT BEEN SUBEDITED

Ali Affleck’s Speakeasy Sessions, New Orleans Jazz and Blues, Moody Moonshine (The Outhouse, 10-12 Aug : 7pm : 1hr)

Posted in 4*, Music, Rated: Outstanding by

“A masterclass in real grassroots jazz”

Editorial Rating: 4 Stars: Outstanding

What I love about the Fringe is how often the most wonderful things can occur in the most bizarre places. In the upstairs room of a pub down a side street in the New Town I was treated to a real jazz feast by Ali Affleck and The Copper Cats Quintet.

The setup was nothing grand: six musicians squeezed onto a tiny stage and 50 or so seats for the sellout crowd. To open, the Copper Cats played a lively instrumental piece, giving us a glimpse into the talents of the individual band members, and then Ms Affleck took to the stage.

The setlist pleasingly contained precious few well-known numbers, so this was a masterclass in real grassroots jazz in every sense of the word. While it took a couple of songs for the group to really get going, something “clicked” in Affleck’s voice during the sultry A Good Man is Hard to Find, and the mood went up a notch. Her voice was deep and smooth and I wanted to just wrap myself up in it. It was a real privilege to witness a singer that channels Billie Holiday with so much charm and poise.

Later on, Affleck’s high notes sparkled in Electric Chair Blues, and this was the moment that I really felt like I had been transported to a basement jazz bar somewhere in old-school, downtown New Orleans. And that’s where I stayed for the rest of this gig.

The cheeky Diga Diga Doo showed off Affleck’s playful side, and He Likes it Slow was velvety, soulful and divinely decadent. Penultimate number Egyptian Ella – the band’s favourite – was a roaring romp of a tune that had all of us tapping our feet in time, and My Man was graceful, seductive and left us all wanting more.

While Affleck’s vocals were mesmerising, this was far from a solo show. Dick Lee on the clarinet was stunning in his riffs and runs, as was Colin Steele on the trumpet. Indeed, the band showed great togetherness and comradery (with a hint of friendly competition in trying to outdo each other in some of the improvised sections), so there was always something interesting happening visually as well as the stunning soundscape.

A real treat for all jazz lovers, catch them while (and where!) you can.

outstanding

StarStarStarStar

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Reviewer: Steve Griffin  (Seen 11 August)

THIS REVIEW HAS NOT BEEN SUBEDITED

Ushers: The Front of House Musical (Momentum Venues @ St Stephens: 5 – 30 Aug. 21.30: 1hr 20mins)

Posted in 3*, EdFestivals 2015, Musical Theatre by

“Performed with real gusto and joy”

Editorial Rating: 3 Stars

I find it very hard to review this show as I had quite high expectations in going in to see it. And while in some ways it was truly fantastic, in other areas it unfortunately missed the mark, however much I willed it to wow me.

For the most part, and especially in all the group songs, Ushers is performed with real gusto and joy. The opening number is slick, energetic and sets exactly the tone one would expect from an off West End hit. The smiles and precise choreography indicate a company that’s well rehearsed and clearly love what they’re doing.

Rory Maguire as Ben impressed me the most vocally, with a deliciously sweet high register for the power notes. Ben Fenner as Gary came across as the most real, displaying great emotional depth, while Alexandra Parkes was infectiously hilarious as Rosie.

Essentially Ushers has everything you could want in a musical: big chorus dance numbers, full of pizazz; emotional ballads; a complex, multi-layered six part showpiece song midway through; a love story; bags of humour and a dash of homoeroticism. For the musical theatre geeks amongst us there were several other small treats, in the form of creative references to other well-known shows. From the casual name drop, to that riff from the end of Defying Gravity there was plenty to smile about. Yet while a lot of the constituent parts were there, it seemed to be everything holding it together let the show down somewhat.

This may be partly due to the stage being so vast that the more intimate scenes got somewhat lost in it. Also, while the writing had a fairly decent plot (packed with laughs), some of the individual storylines were quite difficult to believe, so even though the cast acting were their hearts out, it occasionally came across as somewhat disingenuous. I lost count of how many times a character left the stage to “count programmes”, while the Theatre Manager was so outrageous it formed too much of a dischord with the rest of the action.

Unfortunately the performance I saw was blighted with a few technical failures in the sound department, but to give the actors their credit they ploughed on regardless and by the end of the show all was forgotten. Indeed the cast’s overall demeanour – from the way they ushered us to our seats when the house was open, to selling their own merchandise, and everything in between – was slick, professional and vivacious.

Overall I think the company did the best they could with what they had to work with, and anyone who loves their musical theatre or has ever worked as an Usher will really enjoy this show.

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

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Reviewer: Steve Griffin (Seen 10 August)

THIS REVIEW HAS NOT BEEN SUBEDITED

Doris, Dolly and the Dressing Room Divas (Assembly Hall: 6 – 30 Aug. 18.15 : 1hr 15 mins)

Posted in 5*, Assembly Hall, EdFestivals 2015, Rated: Outstanding, Theatre by

“This is the show I have been waiting for to blow me away. Wow, wow, WOW!”

Editorial Rating: 5 Stars: Outstanding

I’m sure I’ve heard it somewhere that while 13 is unlucky, 14 is incredibly lucky. And with this being my 14th review of this year’s Fringe I feel like I’ve stolen absolutely everyone’s luck and struck gold.

The queues outside and the desperate scramble for seats inside Assembly’s packed Rainy Hall should have been enough to convey that Doris and her friends are already becoming the runaway hit of this year’s Fringe.

The idea is fairly simple – a dramatic and musical retelling of what the “stars” are like backstage, based on the experiences of their dressing rooms assistants. The dialogue is well written and delivered with great vitality by the three actors, while the harmonies in the group numbers are just exquisite. The plot is basic, but I don’t think anybody came for that.

For me, Gail Watson is absolutely the star of this show. To be able to pull off one impression with such style is hard enough, but she embodied Doris Day, Dolly Parton, and a wonderfully bitchy Julie Andrews. I honestly couldn’t tell you which was my favourite, but when Dolly sang I Will Always Love You at the end of the show I genuinely thought I was watching the real deal – it was superb. Watson is charismatic, emotive and a simply stunning singer, and I predict a very exciting future for her.

Perhaps the most surprisingly impressive turn of the night was Frances Thorburn as Joel Grey, as he appeared in Cabaret. Her (his) mannerisms were impeccably refined and she more than capably held her own in the duet, Money Makes the World Go Around. Her performance of Somewhere Over The Rainbow was also mesmerising, capturing every nuance of the original.

We’ve all seen the divas’ on-screen and on-stage personas. This show delivered the rip-roaring numbers, tantrums and idiosyncrasies that we all love, but also very moving glimpses into their backstage lives, their families and insecurities. In what managed to be a fantastically glitzy, giggly and gritty affair, this is, without doubt, the show I have been waiting for to blow me away. Wow, wow, WOW!

I’m notoriously tight-fisted when it comes to my five stars, but I have no choice than to throw them all at this spectacular performance.

outstanding

StarStarStarStarStar

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Reviewer: Steve Griffin  (Seen 10 August)

THIS REVIEW HAS NOT BEEN SUBEDITED

A Storm in a D Cup (Assembly Roxy: 5-30 Aug. 21.30, 1hr)

Posted in 4*, Assembly Roxy, Cabaret, EdFestivals 2015 by

“Squirmishly enjoyable”

Editorial Rating: 4 Stars

Amelia Ryan’s likeability is apparent before she even makes it to the stage. Fighting with the back cloths, she finally emerges from underneath the drapery, glass in hand, wrapped in a towel and wearing odd socks. Off to a cracking start.

She goes on to tell us how the show is made up from 100% true stories and very quickly reveals one of her family not-so-secrets. This is interspersed with a very cleverly re-lyriced version of What’s Going On?, and immediately the tone is established as an open-book cabaret show that’s funny and free.

Naturally it’s not long before she first calls an audience member to the stage for assistance. It’s clear she’s well practised at this, and while she doesn’t always get what she wants, she knows when she’s beaten and swiftly moves on rather than making a scene. Thankfully ours was quite an obliging crowd, though hilarity ensued when she unknowingly attempted to coerce a teenager on stage to help her reenact an anecdote from her days of being an exotic dancer. Luckily, he owned up and she moved on…

While many cabaret shows draw on the artist’s life story for creative inspiration, one does often wonder how much mileage that has, and what their next show might look like if this one is so self-effusive. A Storm in a D Cup is somewhat guilty of this, but Ryan points out how this show also aims to be educational for others in terms of how to avoid the “storms” she’s weathered. A bit thin, but pleasant all the same.

One of the most enjoyable moments was Ryan’s peculiar rendition of the Cell Block Tango from Chicago. For this she borrows three new audience members to keep rhythm for her, while she flaunts about sharing stories of former lovers, again, adapting lyrics cleverly to fit the song. Watching three slightly uncomfortable people trying not to be distracted while keeping rhythm was squirmishly enjoyable.

While Ryan’s storytelling and likeability were spot on and thoroughly engaging, at times I felt let down by her singing voice, which seemed to lack punch in the upper register. While closing number As We Stumble Along played to her strengths in personality, a huskier, more soulful approach to some of the songs I feel would have been more powerful.

Overall this show was heaps of fun. You’re never quite sure what’s going to happen next, but absolutely worth the ride.

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

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Reviewer: Steve Griffin  (Seen 9 August)

Visit the Assembly Roxy archive.

THIS REVIEW HAS NOT BEEN SUBEDITED