The Stage / Edinburgh Reviews

Picaresque, Sweet ECA

noreply@thestage.co.uk (William McEvoy) — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 17:27:34 -0000

Energetic but incoherent work from a young company.

Inventing the Sky, Zoo Southside

noreply@thestage.co.uk (William McEvoy) — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 17:22:57 -0000

Startling images but sometimes dubious gender politics.

Sylvia Plath - Three Women, The First Revival, Assembly @ George Street

noreply@thestage.co.uk (William McEvoy) — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 17:19:55 -0000

Powerful version of Plath's striking radio play.

Facebook: The Musical, C

noreply@thestage.co.uk (William McEvoy) — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 17:17:03 -0000

A stronger show is fighting to get out of this one.

Over the Threshold, Musical Theatre @ George Square

noreply@thestage.co.uk (William McEvoy) — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 17:11:17 -0000

Classy and polished, although in need of stronger storyline.

Etty, The Vault

noreply@thestage.co.uk (William McEvoy) — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 17:11:11 -0000

Static and dramatically inert monologue

MUST SEE: Opening Night Of The Living Dead, C Cubed

noreply@thestage.co.uk (William McEvoy) — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 17:09:35 -0000

Rib-tickler of a zombie rom-com Shakespeare parody.

Dan March - Goldrunner, Gilded Balloon Teviot

noreply@thestage.co.uk (William McEvoy) — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 17:06:53 -0000

Nostalgic comedian is too self-critical

The World is Too Much: Theatre For Breakfast, Traverse Theatre

noreply@thestage.co.uk (William McEvoy) — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 17:05:27 -0000

Distinctive rehearsed readings from leading playwrights.

Mackenzie Taylor: No Straight Jacket Required, Pleasance Dome

noreply@thestage.co.uk (William McEvoy) — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 17:04:09 -0000

Dark materials rendered humorous by a quick-witted comic.

Anomie, Zoo Southside

noreply@thestage.co.uk (William McEvoy) — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 17:02:24 -0000

Ravishing theatrical images but hollow at its heart

Tom Allen: Women!, Gilded Balloon Teviot

noreply@thestage.co.uk (William McEvoy) — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 17:01:30 -0000

Witty, urbane and charming comedian.

Keith Farnan: No Blacks, No Jews, No Dogs, No Irish. All Welcome, Underbelly

noreply@thestage.co.uk (William McEvoy) — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 17:00:06 -0000

Strong, sometimes edgy humour from a likable Irish comic.

MUST SEE: Up and Over it! An Irish Dance Spectacular, C

noreply@thestage.co.uk (William McEvoy) — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 16:59:15 -0000

Sophisticated and hilarious parodies alongside excellent Irish dancing choreography.

Sammy J: 1999, Underbelly

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Tim Clark) — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 10:57:56 -0000

An entertaining hour that underlines Sammy J as one of comedy’s emerging new talents.

Shappi Khorsandi: The Distracted Activist, Pleasance Courtyard

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Gerald Berkowitz) — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 17:26:18 -0000

Khorsandi works skilfully off the audience with prepared material and spontaneous digressions.

Andrew Lawrence - Soul-Crushing Vicissitudes of Fortune!, Pleasance Dome

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Gerald Berkowitz) — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 16:54:43 -0000

Eloquent, inventive and obscene rants that are exhilarating, if not always exactly funny.

Jimmy McGhie's Northern Meeting, Gilded Balloon Teviot

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Thom Dibdin) — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 17:59:50 -0000

Fringe debutante Jimmy McGhie spins a great yarn.

Paddy Lennox - Who Does He Think He Is?, Gilded Balloon Teviot

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Thom Dibdin) — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 17:58:16 -0000

Family history is bunk – its Paddy Lennox who is funny, not his ancestors.

Jonathan Mayor and Auxiliary Heterosexuals, The GRV

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Thom Dibdin) — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 16:21:53 -0000

Big, camp Asian comedian outshines his auxiliaries.

Dan Willis Presents: Northern Talent, Laughing Horse @ Meadow Bar

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Thom Dibdin) — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 16:18:22 -0000

A handful of comics from Scotland and Northern England make for a couple of chuckles.

Circa, Assembly @ Assembly Hall

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Thom Dibdin) — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 16:02:31 -0000

The macabre of circus and the fluidity of dance are blended into a spectacular experience.

Ashley Hames - Confessions of a Sex Reporter, Pleasance Courtyard

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Thom Dibdin) — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 15:58:56 -0000

Limp talk about bizarre sexual practices.

Alistair Barrie - Happiness, Downstairs at the Tron

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Thom Dibdin) — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 15:51:42 -0000

Articulate, well-read comedy which is never condescending.

Marcus Brigstocke: God Collar, Assembly @ Assembly Hall

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Thom Dibdin) — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 10:47:25 -0000

The Radio 4 cynic wonders how to fill that god-shaped hole in his life – to great comedic effect.

MUST SEE: Morecambe, Assembly @ Assembly Hall

noreply@thestage.co.uk (William McEvoy) — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 17:17:00 -0000

Impeccable comic timing, directed with consummate flair.

MUST SEE: Tim Key - The Slutcracker, Pleasance Courtyard

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Thom Dibdin) — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 12:49:41 -0000

Is Tim Key really a poet or a comedian? Who cares – he's a great showman.

MUST SEE: Richard Herring - Hitler Moustache, Underbelly

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Thom Dibdin) — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 11:21:42 -0000

Top comedy, excellent delivery and a strong dose of politics keep Herring fresh.

MUST SEE: David O'Doherty: David O'Doh-Party, Pleasance Courtyard

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Nick Awde) — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 11:17:26 -0000

Last year's if.comedy winner returns on top form, complete with cheesy Yamaha toy keyboard.

Rosie Wilby: The Science of Sex, Sweet Grassmarket

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Thom Dibdin) — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 11:16:56 -0000

Cerebral comedy from Rosie Wilby is best when it eschews smut in favour of a thoughtful approach.

Suckerville, C Cubed

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Thom Dibdin) — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 11:13:07 -0000

Unfinished and rough around the edges, Suckerville still has potential.

Carl Donnelly - Relax Everyone, it's Carl Donnelly!, Underbelly

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Thom Dibdin) — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 11:10:58 -0000

A first solo show for Carl Donnelly sees him handling his audience well but fluffing the final line.

Bloodbath - The Musical, Musical Theatre @ George Square

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Thom Dibdin) — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 10:53:54 -0000

Rocky high school horror strikes out for schlock but achieves little.

Tom Craine - Comfort Blanket, Pleasance Courtyard

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Thom Dibdin) — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 10:49:53 -0000

More of a palliative than a comfort, listening to Craine is like being mauled by a damp rag.

The Lamplighter's Lament, Bedlam Theatre

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Thom Dibdin) — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 17:08:06 -0000

Triple casting and tricksy sleights of hand don't succeed in illuminating this slight story.

Your Number's Up, Assembly @ George Street

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Nick Awde) — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 16:33:22 -0000

Gritty slice of life drama set on the streets of Camden, with an unexpected twist.

A One Way Street, The Vault

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Natasha Tripney) — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 16:31:22 -0000

Winningly performed and well-written series of comic vignettes in need of further development.

Zemblanity, Bedlam Theatre

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Duska Radosavljevic) — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 11:51:39 -0000

Wearing a pair of tights and a bowler hat, Zemblanity's frontman clown Hans is for most of the ti...

Sweeney Todd: His Life, Times and Execution!, Gilded Balloon Teviot

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Gerald Berkowitz) — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 11:41:35 -0000

Presenting the familiar tale as clown show is comically inventive if uneven

The Bite-Size'd 'Breakfast in Bedlam', Bedlam Theatre

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Gerald Berkowitz) — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 11:27:46 -0000

Collection of ten-minute plays.

Private Peaceful - Michael Morpurgo, Udderbelly's Pasture

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Thom Dibdin) — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 11:15:04 -0000

Underwhelming production of Michael Murpurgo's great story.

Controlled Falling Project, Udderbelly's Pasture

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Thom Dibdin) — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 11:11:18 -0000

Mad scientist makes thesis on falling, but tumbling acrobats steal the show.

Mark Trenwith Be My Friend, Laughing Horse @ The Outhouse

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Natasha Tripney) — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 11:03:10 -0000

Patchy but engaging show about friendship from an amiable Australian comedian.

Lewis Schaffer - Bigger and Blacker, Laughing Horse @ The Counting House

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Tim Clark) — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 10:58:26 -0000

If Schaffer can make his stand-up routine more consistent, he is worth watching.

Charlie Baker - The World's Greatest Show-Off, Just the Tonic @ The Caves

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Natasha Tripney) — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 10:56:21 -0000

Off-beat but muddled set from a skilled showman in need of stronger material.

Isma Almas Bombs, The Stand Comedy Club III & IV

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Tim Clark) — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 10:51:46 -0000

Nice ideas but jokes are too weak to garner more than a sporadic laugh.

MUST SEE: Tom Wrigglesworth's Open Return Letter to Richard Branson, Pleasance Courtyard

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Nick Awde) — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 17:50:34 -0000

One stand-up's stand against injustice on the Virgin Trains service from Manchester to London.

Shed Simove: Ideas Man, Belushi's

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Nick Awde) — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 17:42:45 -0000

Entrepreneur shares his secrets of how to turn even the strangest ideas into reality.

Two Loves, The Spaces @ Royal College of Surgeons

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Thom Dibdin) — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 17:39:26 -0000

Plodding production fails to use Shakespeare's sonnets to any obvious advantage.

Rich Hall's Campfire Stories, Assembly @ George Street

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Nick Awde) — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 17:37:22 -0000

With tighter direction and script, this could become the great slice of work it promises to be.

The Gannet, Pleasance Dome

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Thom Dibdin) — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 17:35:06 -0000

Hansel and Gretel-based coming of age tale uses inventively surreal montage of techniques.

Words of Honour, Assembly @ Assembly Hall

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Nick Awde) — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 17:31:46 -0000

The Mafia's bloody legacy chronicled by Italian actor Marco Gambino.

MUST SEE: Snatch Paradise by Van Badham, Underbelly

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Thom Dibdin) — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 17:27:44 -0000

Boy-band kitsch is taken to its logical extreme in this glorious drag king comedy.

Regret Me Not, Pleasance Courtyard

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Nick Awde) — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 17:21:40 -0000

Donovan’s portraits reveal not only a consummate comic actor, but also an enviable writing talent.

Still Breathing, Zoo Southside

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Natasha Tripney) — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 17:15:56 -0000

Energetic dance piece blending break-dance moves with balletic grace.

MUST SEE: I'll Be Bert, The Spaces @ Royal College of Surgeons

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Thom Dibdin) — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 16:50:37 -0000

Gently told, downbeat story of Bert Trautmann recalls a time of innocence in football culture.

MUST SEE: Precious Little Talent, Bedlam Theatre

noreply@thestage.co.uk (William McEvoy) — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 10:28:03 -0000

A highly-polished piece from a skilful and politically astute young writer

MUST SEE: Midsummer (A Play with Songs), Traverse Theatre

noreply@thestage.co.uk (William McEvoy) — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 10:15:17 -0000

An uplifting, utopian play, elegiac, raucous and emotionally devastating

MUST SEE: Land Without Words, Just the Tonic @ The Caves

noreply@thestage.co.uk (William McEvoy) — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 10:06:37 -0000

A fiercely focused central performance of a rather intractable text about contemporary war and art.

The Gigalees Crazy Circus Show, Gilded Balloon Teviot

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Brian G Cooper) — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 15:23:16 -0000

Appealing Australian children’s comedy show with slapstick and clever juggling.

Ranganika, Island of Dance, The World @ St George's West

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Brian G Cooper) — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 15:20:20 -0000

Traditional dance-dramas from Sri Lanka performed by a talented young company.

Max and Ivan: Televisionaries, C Central

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Nick Awde) — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 14:56:27 -0000

TV gets a work-over in a gloriously oddball sketch show.

MUST SEE: Spectrum, C

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Thom Dibdin) — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 12:33:22 -0000

Bold, inventive dance which uses all the liberating adventure of hip-hop moves as its vernacular.

The Sociable Plover, Assembly @ George Street

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Thom Dibdin) — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 12:22:58 -0000

Intense and twisting story of one man and his birds.

Matinee, Pleasance Dome

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Thom Dibdin) — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 12:18:56 -0000

Slick outfit use mime to bring a slew of genre films to the stage - to great comedic effect.

Reality Chokes, New Town Theatre

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Thom Dibdin) — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 12:15:41 -0000

Nostalgic punk play doesn't mine the full potential of its own setup.

Randy's Postcards From Purgatory, Underbelly

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Duska Radosavljevic) — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 12:09:40 -0000

Puppetry show meets stand-up comedy and seduces the audience.

Tim: Against All Odds, Underbelly

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Gerald Berkowitz) — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 12:09:17 -0000

Double act built on the essentially unheroic nature of the name Tim.

Felicity Ward's Ugly as a Child Variety Show, Gilded Balloon Teviot

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Duska Radosavljevic) — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 12:04:28 -0000

Australian debut promises swearing and ugliness but delivers laughter and quirkiness.

Ava Vidal - Remember The 4th of November, The Stand Comedy Club III & IV

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Nick Awde) — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 12:03:41 -0000

A woman with a lot to say who just requires a little more clarity in her presentation.

Patrick Monahan: Cowboys and Iranians, Gilded Balloon Teviot

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Gerald Berkowitz) — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 12:03:02 -0000

Comic act that depends more on creating a party atmosphere than on jokes.

MUST SEE: The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, Assembly @ Assembly Hall

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Natasha Tripney) — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 12:00:23 -0000

Anna Francolini’s measured performance brings real weight to this stage adaptation.

MUST SEE: My Name is Sue, Pleasance Courtyard

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Gerald Berkowitz) — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 11:54:11 -0000

A unique musical act that is comic, sad and haunting.

Nik Coppin - Loquacious, Laughing Horse @ Espionage

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Natasha Tripney) — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 11:51:49 -0000

Unstructured hour of stand-up that rarely raises a laugh.

Aidan Bishop - No Sissy Stuff, Gilded Balloon Teviot

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Nick Awde) — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 11:49:58 -0000

Sharp observations on what men really think of women from New Yorker based in Dublin

Luke Toulson: Too Many Last Cigarettes, Pleasance Courtyard

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Tim Clark) — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 11:49:08 -0000

When firing on all cylinders, Toulson's jokes are strong.

Kiosk of Champions 2: Kiosk of Champions!, Pleasance Dome

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Tim Clark) — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 11:44:09 -0000

A highly enjoyable semi-improvised show which takes a different approach to sketch humour.

MUST SEE: Daniel Sloss - Teenage Kicks, Pleasance Dome

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Tim Clark) — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 11:31:01 -0000

A young comic who can deliver a well-crafted set with a maturity that belies his age.

Knuckleball, Universal Arts @ St George's West

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Gerald Berkowitz) — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 11:30:22 -0000

Romance is threatened by a secret past.

The Fall of Man, Pleasance Courtyard

noreply@thestage.co.uk (William McEvoy) — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 11:26:17 -0000

Ambitious take on Milton's Paradise Lost but not without moments of bathos.

MUST SEE: Odyssey, Pleasance Dome

noreply@thestage.co.uk (William McEvoy) — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 11:20:00 -0000

A tour de force of physicalized story-telling

MUST SEE: Icarus 2.0, Pleasance Courtyard

noreply@thestage.co.uk (William McEvoy) — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 11:11:00 -0000

As a piece of theatre, Icarus 2.0 soars.

Hayton on Homicide, The Spaces @ Royal College of Surgeons

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Gerald Berkowitz) — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 11:07:48 -0000

Science v spiritualism in Victorian melodrama.

Crush, Underbelly

noreply@thestage.co.uk (William McEvoy) — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 11:05:34 -0000

Sophisticated performances of an occasionally mechanical script with moments of great observation.

A Stroke of Genius, Pleasance Dome

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Gerald Berkowitz) — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 10:28:10 -0000

Comedy about eugenics that has trouble finding its tone.

Mick Sergeant: Lifeboat, The Stand Comedy Club II

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Natasha Tripney) — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 17:22:32 -0000

Nuanced character comedy about a divorced former shipyard worker from Tyneside.

Me Too - A Sideshow, New Town Theatre

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Duska Radosavljevic) — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 15:19:21 -0000

A burlesque puppetry show with a twist.

Man-Made: 1,2,3, C

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Duska Radosavljevic) — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 15:04:23 -0000

Dance piece warms up well but could go further.

King Arthur, New Town Theatre

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Duska Radosavljevic) — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 15:01:19 -0000

A literary exercise in writing Renaissance verse drama results in an adequate imitation

F**ked, Assembly @ George Street

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Maria Hodson) — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 14:58:18 -0000

Penelope Skinner’s witty script is absorbing and amusing.

MUST SEE: Chronicles of Long Kesh, Assembly @ Assembly Hall

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Maria Hodson) — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 13:18:22 -0000

A talented ensemble demonstrate admirable versatility in this energetic production.

MUST SEE: Bane, Pleasance Dome

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Maria Hodson) — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 13:05:25 -0000

A powerhouse physical performance about a remarkably engaging anti-hero

Manband - They're Not A Boyband, Sweet ECA

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Natasha Tripney) — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 11:18:19 -0000

Flimsy, paint-by-numbers comedy about a boyband reunion.

Catch, The Zoo

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Natasha Tripney) — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 11:07:29 -0000

Inventive physical theatre piece investigating the world of Russian brides and the men who seek them

The One and The Many, The GRV

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Nick Awde) — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 10:34:51 -0000

Romantic and philosophical comedy about a pair of mismatched flatmates.

Gagarin way, The Stand Comedy Club III & IV

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Thom Dibdin) — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 10:30:22 -0000

The comedians' way leads Gagarin Way into tawdry backwater.

Mercy Madonna of Malawi, The World @ St George's West

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Natasha Tripney) — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 17:11:51 -0000

Musical exploration of the issues surrounding Madonna's adoption of a Malawian orphan.

Nine Lives of Bua Lydia, Underbelly

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Thom Dibdin) — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 12:48:01 -0000

Strong verbatim theatre piece succeeds on an intellectual, rather than emotional, level.

Craig Hill - 40 Love ... ?, Gilded Balloon Teviot

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Tim Clark) — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 12:44:11 -0000

Lack of material gave the impression that Hill was filling in until the main act arrives.

MUST SEE: Burglar Bill, Pleasance Dome

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Brian G Cooper) — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 12:41:52 -0000

Pandora Box Theatre’s totally delightful musical version of the ever-popular children’s book.

Borges and I, The Zoo

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Nick Awde) — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 12:37:35 -0000

Dreamy, inventive evocation of the life and works of the blind Argentinean writer.

A British Subject, Pleasance Courtyard

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Nick Awde) — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 12:33:22 -0000

Ambitious and inventive retelling of the real-life campaign to release Tahir Hussain from death row.

West Lethargy, The Space @ Venue 45

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Thom Dibdin) — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 11:00:18 -0000

Delightful absurdist drama asks whether halfway to paradise can be paradise itself.

Timeshare, Sweet ECA

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Duska Radosavljevic) — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 10:56:07 -0000

A decent performance of a pointless parody of Macbeth.

The Timekeepers, Sweet Grassmarket

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Natasha Tripney) — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 10:41:38 -0000

Formulaic but tenderly told tale of a friendship that grows between two very different men.

The Doubtful Guest, Traverse Theatre

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Natasha Tripney) — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 10:39:20 -0000

Visually appealing but unnecessarily sprawling staging of a story by Edward Gorey.

MUST SEE: Colin Hoult's Carnival of Monsters, Pleasance Courtyard

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Nick Awde) — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 16:37:46 -0000

Comedy gem from a writer/performer who needs a TV series of his own.

The Hotel, Assembly @ George Street

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Nick Awde) — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 14:26:13 -0000

Slick walk-in experience where not all is as it appears.

Myriad, The Zoo

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Nick Awde) — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 14:21:41 -0000

Enticingly lyrical dance cycle about three solitary souls.

Patrick Monahan's Stories and Fables For Kids that Like to Sit at Tables, Gilded Balloon Teviot

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Brian G Cooper) — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 13:18:54 -0000

Patrick Monahan’s Oriental-style comic story-telling is a very pleasing family show.

MUST SEE: Andrew O'Neill - Occult Comedian, Downstairs at the Tron

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Nick Awde) — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 12:26:21 -0000

Comic, cross-dresser and practitioner of the dark arts packs in the highly-entertaining gags.

Susie Baxter's Guilty Women, Assembly @ Assembly Hall

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Thom Dibdin) — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 12:24:24 -0000

Poorly executed "accent" show sees Baxter take on too many women.

St Kilda Island of the Birdmen, Festival Theatre Edinburgh

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Brian G Cooper) — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 12:21:58 -0000

International multimedia opera recapturing the lost world of St Kilda’s island.

MUST SEE: Paul Zerdin: Sponge Fest, Underbelly

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Tim Clark) — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 12:16:10 -0000

Zerdin is the man who can make ventriloquism look cool.

Why Do All Catherines Call Themselves Kate?, Zoo Southside

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Duska Radosavljevic) — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 12:13:04 -0000

Tense family drama falls short of full theatrical potential.

You Fancy Yourself, Universal Arts @ St George's West

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Natasha Tripney) — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 12:12:32 -0000

Warm, engaging semi-autobiographical solo show about growing up in Edinburgh in the fifties.

Jane Austen's Guide to Pornography, Zoo Southside

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Duska Radosavljevic) — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 12:09:22 -0000

Regency-style elegance meets the language of the gutter.

The Comedy Zone, Pleasance Courtyard

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Natasha Tripney) — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 12:05:00 -0000

Long-running late night stand-up showcase produces mixed results.

Fascinating Aida 25th Anniversary Tour, Pleasance Courtyard

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Duska Radosavljevic) — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 12:04:39 -0000

Hilarious musical theatre with a sense of satirical purpose.

Simon Brodkin: Still Not Himself, Pleasance Courtyard

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Natasha Tripney) — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 11:59:00 -0000

Well-performed character comedy undermined by dubious material.

Zeitgeist, C

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Gerald Berkowitz) — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 11:57:04 -0000

Asian-flavoured dance with limited choreographic vocabulary.

MUST SEE: The Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection or The Survival of (R)Evolutionary Theories in the Face of Scientific and Ecclesiastical Objections: Beinf a Musical Comedy About Charles Darwin (1809-1882), Pleasance Courtyard

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Gerald Berkowitz) — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 11:55:10 -0000

Remarkably inventive, thoroughly entertaining and even quite educational.

MUST SEE: The Event, Assembly @ George Street

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Gerald Berkowitz) — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 11:50:31 -0000

Remarkable writing and performance in a play about itself.

Realitv, The Space On The Mile @ The Radisson

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Nick Awde) — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 11:50:29 -0000

Big Brother meets Your Life in Their Hands in this satirical comedy.

Micky Flanagan: Spiel, Pleasance Courtyard

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Nick Awde) — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 11:46:05 -0000

Wickedly funny take on how to finally settle down in suburbia as a rebellious 40-something

Russell Kane's Fakespeare: The Tragickal Saveings of King Nigel, Pleasance Courtyard

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Gerald Berkowitz) — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 11:45:36 -0000

Cod Shakespeare in comic tale of disgraced banker.

Matt Price - My Girlfriend Was Attacked by a Small-Time Wannabe Gangster and This is what I Did About It, The GRV

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Gerald Berkowitz) — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 11:39:25 -0000

Personal therapy masquerading as stand-up comedy.

Pete Johansson: Naked Pictures of My Life, Underbelly

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Gerald Berkowitz) — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 11:26:27 -0000

Generic comic with generic material.

MUST SEE: Hooked, Musical Theatre @ George Square

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Nick Awde) — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 11:26:12 -0000

Gritty, glitzy musical set in the murky world of a lap dancing club.

Beggars Belief, C Cubed

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Gerald Berkowitz) — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 11:24:44 -0000

Light comedy with moving thoughts about faith.

Funny, Assembly @ 7 Holyrood Road

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Nick Awde) — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 11:13:35 -0000

Comedy as military interrogation technique is the unusual subject of this fast-paced drama.

Art House, The Zoo

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Gerald Berkowitz) — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 10:54:54 -0000

Artist fakes her death, with unexpected consequences.

MUST SEE: Adam Hills: Inflatable, Assembly @ George Street

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Tim Clark) — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 09:27:30 -0000

Witty and engaging, Hills has reached one of the peaks of his career at exactly the right time.

Diaspora, Edinburgh Playhouse

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Brian G Cooper) — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 17:29:45 -0000

Remarkable multimedia masterwork exploring issues of displacement and identity.

MUST SEE: The Brothers Lionheart, Musical Theatre @ George Square

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Brian G Cooper) — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 12:56:06 -0000

Gripping Scandinavian fantasy adventure ideal for older children.

MUST SEE: Internal, Traverse Theatre

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Nick Awde) — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 12:52:44 -0000

Daring speed-dating encounter that blurs reality and fantasy.

Horse, Underbelly

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Duska Radosavljevic) — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 12:48:38 -0000

Show about hippophilia is undermined by flippancy.

Five Characters in Search of Susan, Underbelly

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Duska Radosavljevic) — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 12:44:36 -0000

Random passers-by in a character comedy showcase work a treat.

After Circles, Underbelly

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Duska Radosavljevic) — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 12:41:33 -0000

Bleak and unappealing play that takes inspiration from Pinteresque settings.

The School for Scandal, Pleasance Courtyard

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Thom Dibdin) — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 12:19:41 -0000

Scandalously overacting comedians fail to find the funny side of Sheridan.

Newsrevue 30th Anniversary, Pleasance Courtyard

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Thom Dibdin) — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 12:00:56 -0000

The satirical sketch and musical pastiche format is still shooting down the sacred cows.

At Home with Holly, Holly's House

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Natasha Tripney) — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 11:56:21 -0000

Rule-breaking comedy staged in an Edinburgh basement flat.

Wolfboy, Musical Theatre @ George Square

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Nick Awde) — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 11:55:48 -0000

New musical based on Brad Fraser's classic psycho-thriller.

Ward No 6, C Cubed

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Gerald Berkowitz) — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 11:38:28 -0000

Inventive and atmospheric staging of the dark Chekhov story.

Warren & Hanbury: All to Bare, Gilded Balloon Teviot

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Natasha Tripney) — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 11:26:55 -0000

Unsettling sketch comedy that shies away from punchlines.

Simon Jenkins plus One ..., Laughing Horse @ The Counting House

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Gerald Berkowitz) — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 11:25:33 -0000

Free fringe showcase for a pair of fledgling comics.

Party, Assembly @ George Street

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Duska Radosavljevic) — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 11:24:25 -0000

Award-winning comedian returns with a finely-tuned sitcom.

Murder Mystery Musical, Musical Theatre @ George Square

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Gerald Berkowitz) — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 11:23:05 -0000

Enjoyable parody of Christie-style whodunits.

The World's Wife, Assembly @ George Street

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Duska Radosavljevic) — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 11:22:27 -0000

The Poet Laureate verse given a royal rendition by Linda Marlowe.

The Honeymoon, Bedlam Theatre

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Natasha Tripney) — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 11:21:19 -0000

Intensely physical but somewhat muddled devised piece.

Beast, The Vault

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Nick Awde) — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 11:18:56 -0000

An artist and a whore discover love in this dreamy, poetic two-hander,

Shane Langan: Not Also, But Only, Gilded Balloon Teviot

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Natasha Tripney) — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 11:17:08 -0000

Shane Langan's occasionally amusing set mocks bad writing in all its forms.

Jason Cook: Fear, The Stand Comedy Club III & IV

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Duska Radosavljevic) — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 11:16:18 -0000

Non-threatening stand-up show with wit, attitude and Geordie accent.

Faust in the Box, Underbelly

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Duska Radosavljevic) — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 11:12:35 -0000

Berlin-based performance artist's use of puppets descends into self-gratification.

Lotte's Gift, Assembly @ George Street

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Natasha Tripney) — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 11:11:44 -0000

Musician Karin Schaupp's moving account of her grandmother's life.

Mother/Son, Sweet Grassmarket

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Gerald Berkowitz) — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 11:09:18 -0000

A mother struggles to come to terms with her son coming out.

Hannah Gadsby - Kiss Me Quick I'm Full of Jubes, Assembly @ George Street

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Natasha Tripney) — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 11:07:36 -0000

Entertaining, anecdotal, autobiographical stand-up.

John Gordillo: F**konomics, Pleasance Dome

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Natasha Tripney) — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 11:06:37 -0000

Uneasy but intelligent stand-up viewing relationships in economic terms.

Manolibera, C

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Gerald Berkowitz) — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 11:00:59 -0000

Inventive mime and multimedia company runs out of steam too quickly.

Austen's Women, Assembly @ George Street

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Duska Radosavljevic) — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 10:57:17 -0000

Monologue makes Austen funny and contemporary.

Killing Alan, Underbelly

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Gerald Berkowitz) — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 10:47:34 -0000

Medieval tale translates awkwardly into modern setting.

MUST SEE: Up, The Vault

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Nick Awde) — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 10:46:35 -0000

Gripping play about one man's efforts to cope with paranoia and boredom in a psychiatric hospital.

Glenn Wool: Let your Hands Go, Underbelly's Hullabaloo

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Gerald Berkowitz) — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 10:45:11 -0000

Comic's high energy disguises a carefully and expertly constructed set.

Wil Hodgson: Punk Folk Tales, Pleasance Courtyard

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Natasha Tripney) — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 10:43:05 -0000

Engaging chronicles of Chippenham from the neon-haired Wil Hodgson.

The Chronicles of Irania, Pleasance Courtyard

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Nick Awde) — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 10:42:36 -0000

One-woman show that mixes myth and legend with modern-day impressions of life in Iran.

Everything Must Go (or The Voluntary Attempt to Overcome Unnecessary Obstacles), Augustine's

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Gerald Berkowitz) — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 10:40:15 -0000

Salute to the writer-performer's father fails to have more than personal meanings.

MUST SEE: Serate Bastarde (Bastard Nights), C Soco

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Nick Awde) — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 10:38:34 -0000

Funny, if shocking, English-language version of a biting, bawdy Italian satirical show.

Gerry Howell's Incubation Hour, Underbelly

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Natasha Tripney) — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 10:30:56 -0000

Inventive and gently surreal stand-up comedy.

ScrewLoose, Quaker Meeting House

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Nick Awde) — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 10:30:23 -0000

Hot from the Village Idiots, this mask comedy centring around flat-pack furniture is a roller-coa...

Normality (Starring Pedro Kruger), Pleasance Dome

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Nick Awde) — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 10:27:09 -0000

Light-hearted play about the life of a disabled South African and his dreams

Des Bishop: Desfunctional, Assembly @ George Street

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Gerald Berkowitz) — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 10:26:45 -0000

Irish-American comic with much to say about emotional repression.

The Aspidistras, Just the Tonic @ The Caves

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Natasha Tripney) — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 10:25:01 -0000

Intermittently amusing character-based comedy.

Justin Moorhouse: Seven, Pleasance Dome

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Nick Awde) — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 10:24:14 -0000

A ripping theme-led tour of the modern subjects that intrigue us all

Foursome, C Soco

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Natasha Tripney) — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 10:16:35 -0000

Amiable but lightweight play about friendship and loss.

George in the Dragon's Den, Zoo Southside

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Nick Awde) — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 10:13:11 -0000

The legend of St George retold in verse as he becomes a contestant in a TV reality show

Alistair McGowan: The One and Many, Assembly @ Assembly Hall

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Gerald Berkowitz) — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 10:12:51 -0000

Veteran impressionist provides lots of wit and humour as well as voices.

Cocorico, New Town Theatre

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Natasha Tripney) — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 10:12:22 -0000

Consistently inventive French homage to the humour of silent movies.

Cool Cutz, C Cubed

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Nick Awde) — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 10:07:24 -0000

Comic look at the highs and lows of a hairdresser's salon

After the Bomb, Zoo Southside

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Gerald Berkowitz) — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 10:04:42 -0000

Would-be farce is just too slow-moving to score.

Becoming Marilyn, Assembly @ George Street

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Nick Awde) — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 10:03:54 -0000

Bubbly script sheds light on Marilyn Monroe's upbringing

MUST SEE: Accidental Nostalgia, Traverse Theatre

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Nick Awde) — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 09:57:03 -0000

Amnesia, murder and family secrets create a slice of musical gothic Americana

MUST SEE: Oh, My Green Soap Box, Pleasance Courtyard

noreply@thestage.co.uk (William McEvoy) — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 17:16:46 -0000

Lucy Foster's poetic, utopian show about the polar bear is a real pleasure.

MUST SEE: Pan Pa'Tim, New Town Theatre

noreply@thestage.co.uk (William McEvoy) — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 16:32:18 -0000

Riotous beatbox and body as musical instrument show from an energetic Venezuelan company.

MUST SEE: Almost 10, Pleasance Courtyard

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Thom Dibdin) — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 16:27:10 -0000

Caroline Horton delivers a perfectly-pitched monologue on a precocious prepubescent's obsessions.

MUST SEE: Ernest and the Pale Moon, Pleasance Courtyard

noreply@thestage.co.uk (William McEvoy) — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 16:20:05 -0000

Text and theatricality merge in a compelling piece of gothic story-telling

MUST SEE: Twine, Diverse Attractions

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Brian G Cooper) — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 15:08:30 -0000

Delightful puppets and props imaginatively used to create the rope boy’s world of seeking and comi

Hangover, The Zoo

noreply@thestage.co.uk (William McEvoy) — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 15:01:49 -0000

Intense performances but weaknesses in the script let the production down.

The Chair, The Zoo

noreply@thestage.co.uk (William McEvoy) — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 15:01:00 -0000

Committed performances but rather raggle-taggle choreography

MUST SEE: Origins by Steven Canny and John Nicholson, Pleasance Dome

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Duska Radosavljevic) — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 14:53:36 -0000

Story of young Darwin with picnics, puppets and plenty of humour

Out of Chaos, Underbelly

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Duska Radosavljevic) — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 14:50:15 -0000

Physical story-telling creates chemistry out of chaos

Beachy Head, Pleasance Dome

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Duska Radosavljevic) — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 14:17:33 -0000

Analogue's second show creates curiosity.

Balloon Boutique, C Too

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Duska Radosavljevic) — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 13:49:38 -0000

A moving story told with masks, music and balloon motorcycles.

6.0: How Heap and Pebble Took on The World and Won, Pleasance Dome

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Duska Radosavljevic) — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 13:16:54 -0000

A climate change parable going round in circles.

Words With AL Kennedy, Assembly @ George Street

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Natasha Tripney) — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 11:30:21 -0000

Gentle but uplifting show about the power of language from the award-winning writer.

Platform 88, Pleasance Courtyard

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Duska Radosavljevic) — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 11:25:37 -0000

A railway platform dance has a long way to go.

Stars on The Ceiling, C Central

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Natasha Tripney) — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 11:21:21 -0000

This Swedish play about coping with the illness of a parent is aimed at a young adult audience.

Lady Bug Warrior, The Spaces @ Royal College of Surgeons

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Duska Radosavljevic) — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 11:15:52 -0000

A feel-good piece of inspirational comedy on a children's theatre set.

Blondes, Underbelly

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Natasha Tripney) — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 11:12:30 -0000

Denise Van Outen's cabaret-style show is sabotaged by misguided banter and stilted delivery.

Domestic Goddi 2: How to Cope, Pleasance Courtyard

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Duska Radosavljevic) — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 11:10:36 -0000

Half-baked domestic comedy.

Certain Dark Things, Underbelly

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Thom Dibdin) — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 11:06:02 -0000

Strong source material and a stunning physical technique are let down by a dithering narrative.

Anna & Katy, Pleasance Courtyard

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Natasha Tripney) — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 17:05:28 -0000

An appealingly surreal but patchy sketch-based comedy.

Rapunzelstiltskin, C

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Brian G Cooper) — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 15:56:07 -0000

Two maidens in towers seek escape in this new version of the Grimms' fairy tales.

Mark Walker - Scorpio, Gilded Balloon Teviot

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Tim Clark) — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 15:45:44 -0000

Watching a comedian with such a strong drive to entertain is a refreshing change.

Super Situation, The Bongo Club

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Nick Awde) — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 13:17:39 -0000

Inventively comic take on the domestic life of a superhero

Janis, Gilded Balloon Teviot

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Nick Awde) — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 13:14:19 -0000

One-woman play explores the complex life of rock- singing legend Janis Joplin

Frank, The Spaces @ Royal College of Surgeons

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Nick Awde) — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 12:31:06 -0000

Singer Frank Sinatra makes a Faustian pact to get the fame he craves in this dark drama.

Zoo Lodge, Pleasance Dome

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Gerald Berkowitz) — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 12:13:57 -0000

Implausible drama set in a run-down Johannesburg hotel

Greg Behrendt, Assembly @ George Street

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Thom Dibdin) — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 12:12:33 -0000

American stand-up makes British debut with engaging, no-nonsense show that enjoys celebrating sex.

The Montana Ranch, C Central

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Gerald Berkowitz) — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 12:00:24 -0000

Con men fall out over an ecology scam.

MUST SEE: Barbershopera II, Pleasance Dome

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Nick Awde) — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 11:51:28 -0000

Catalan matador inherits Norfolk hair salon - comedy told in four-part harmony

The State We're In, Assembly @ George Street

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Gerald Berkowitz) — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 11:48:53 -0000

Play inspired by Brian Haw's eight-year anti-war vigil outside Parliament

Year Of The Horse, Assembly @ George Street

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Thom Dibdin) — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 11:47:39 -0000

Harry Horse's political cartoons reveal a personal edge in Tam Dean Burn's telling of them.

King of the Gypsies, Pleasance Courtyard

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Gerald Berkowitz) — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 11:45:15 -0000

Monologue play about the life of the Romany today presented by an amiable everyman.

Success Story, Pleasance Courtyard

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Gerald Berkowitz) — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 11:40:46 -0000

Hollywood-set play which concludes that betrayal is part of love.

MUST SEE: Giraffes Can't Dance, The Spaces @ Royal College of Surgeons

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Brian G Cooper) — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 11:40:01 -0000

Utterly delightful and engaging stage production of children’s best-seller

David Leddy's 'White Tea', Assembly @ George Street

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Gerald Berkowitz) — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 11:38:25 -0000

A trip to Japan tells an estranged daughter much about her mother.

Philberto: Philberto's Animal, Pleasance Courtyard

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Gerald Berkowitz) — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 11:31:00 -0000

Stand-up comic with the persona of B-list Portuguese star.

His Ghostly Heart, Pleasance Courtyard

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Gerald Berkowitz) — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 11:16:47 -0000

Play performed in the dark that explores the limits of love.

Lucy Porter - Fool's Gold, Pleasance Courtyard

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Natasha Tripney) — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 11:13:53 -0000

Lucy Porter's new show has considerable charm, even if her material is rather flimsy.

Lucky Dip, C

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Natasha Tripney) — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 10:53:18 -0000

Old-fashioned but entertaining romantic comedy about a pair of professional competition winners.

A Fistful of Snow, C Soco

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Matt Trueman) — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 16:44:35 -0000

Although amusing, this show serves little purpose beyond providing a vehicle for Danny Alder.

Angle of Incidence, The Zoo

noreply@thestage.co.uk (William McEvoy) — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 14:45:57 -0000

Strongly visual but overly fragmented meditation on urban isolation and identity.

Kataklo Athletic Dance Theatre's 'Love Machines', Assembly @ George Street

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Duska Radosavljevic) — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 14:39:31 -0000

Athletes' failed tribute to Leonardo da Vinci.

Catwalk Confidential, Assembly @ Assembly Hall

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Duska Radosavljevic) — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 14:24:34 -0000

A one-woman memoir of fashion industry cattiness.

MUST SEE: Barflies, Traverse Theatre

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Duska Radosavljevic) — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 13:26:00 -0000

A marvelous success – a visceral, modern classic in a beautiful bar.

MUST SEE: Stalag Happy, Underbelly

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Nick Awde) — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 13:09:42 -0000

Two prisoners discover friendship, art and fantasy in a wartime POW camp

MUST SEE: Pythonesque, Udderbelly's Pasture

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Nick Awde) — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 12:41:30 -0000

A comic and deliciously manic retelling of the history of comedy geniuses Monty Python.

MUST SEE: Meesterlijk, The GRV

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Nick Awde) — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 12:29:33 -0000

Meesterlijk: Showcasing the Best of Dutch Theatre offers the darkly compelling Scala.

Sweet, C

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Nick Awde) — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 12:25:12 -0000

Wonderfully wicked, almost wordless 'anti-rom-com' brimming with visual tricks and humour.

Re_, Gilded Balloon Teviot

noreply@thestage.co.uk (William McEvoy) — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 12:16:07 -0000

A play with poetic moments, but uninspired writing and direction.

The Interminable Suicide of Gregory Church' by Daniel Kitson, Traverse Theatre

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Thom Dibdin) — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 12:12:36 -0000

Story-telling theatre of the highest order as Kitson comtemplates life.

The Penny Dreadfuls Present...The Never Man, Pleasance Courtyard

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Duska Radosavljevic) — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 12:03:32 -0000

Victoriana comedy troupe goes to Hollywood bringing their fans with them.

Or[F]unny, C Soco

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Natasha Tripney) — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 11:53:46 -0000

Energetic physical theatre piece in which the performers capture the recklessness of childhood.

Nathan Caton: Can't Tell Me Nothin', Pleasance Courtyard

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Duska Radosavljevic) — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 11:51:27 -0000

Revealing the soft core inside a sturdy shell, Caton does himself proud.

MUST SEE: The Girls of Slender Means, Assembly @ George Street

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Thom Dibdin) — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 11:48:03 -0000

A slender adaptation remains true to the original in Stella Quines' flowing ensemble production.

Luke Wright - The Petty Concerns Of, Underbelly

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Natasha Tripney) — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 11:39:57 -0000

Wright's latest solo show is an accomplished and enjoyable mix of poetry and comedy.

Doctor Austin & Doug Safety's Time-Tastical Time Tale, Underbelly's Hullabaloo

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Brian G Cooper) — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 11:32:38 -0000

Science-promoting comedians and puppet dog professor intrepidly experiment with time-travel.

Graceless, Assembly @ Assembly Hall

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Natasha Tripney) — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 11:28:02 -0000

Inventive but sometimes heavy-handed devised piece about the shifting role of women in society.

Hugh Hughes in ...360, Pleasance Courtyard

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Duska Radosavljevic) — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 11:27:34 -0000

An enjoyable new outing for Hugh Hughes going it alone.

A Most Curious Quest, The Zoo

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Brian G Cooper) — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 11:21:16 -0000

Two Edinburgh-based Kenyan story-tellers delight a young audience with an ancient legend from Togo.

The Contest, Gilded Balloon Teviot

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Thom Dibdin) — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 18:35:31 -0000

Nicely staged story of art and ambition paints its second half too thick.

Malaje - The Flamenco Circus, New Town Theatre

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Thom Dibdin) — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 17:58:28 -0000

Graceful acrobatics, sensual flamenco and the odd rock track integrate well. Juggling, less so.

Unknown Album, Underbelly

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Natasha Tripney) — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 11:33:45 -0000

A somewhat muddled play about lives linked by music with some strong performances.

Tiffany Stevenson: Along Came a Spider, Gilded Balloon Teviot

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Thom Dibdin) — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 11:32:21 -0000

Overcoming sauna conditions, Stevenson spins a comedic web from what she knows best.

MUST SEE: The Trial, C Soco

noreply@thestage.co.uk (Thom Dibdin) — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 11:30:21 -0000

An abandoned, fire-damaged space creates a satisfyingly immersive environment for Kafka's Trial.