The Macbeths, the Citizens’ concentrated revision of Macbeth, supplies a charge that is so often missing in versions of the play.
‘Clever & evocative’: ADVENTURES WITH THE PAINTED PEOPLE – Pitlochry Festival Theatre ★★★★★
David Greig’s Adventures with the Painted People is a clever and evocative piece of theatre which is only enhanced both by being the first full theatre production in Scotland since lockdown and by its performance in Pitlochry’s new Covid-secure amphitheatre.
NEWS: Edinburgh International Festival 2021 programme is announced
The Edinburgh International Festival, running from 7-29 August, has announced its 2021 programme which features over 170 classical and contemporary music, theatre, opera, dance and spoken word performances, including 15 new commissions and premieres.
‘Wildly original piece’: HINDU TIMES – Edinburgh Lyceum / Pitlochry Festival Theatre (Online review)
Hindu Times – the latest audio offering from the Lyceum and Pitlochry Festival Theatre’s Sound Stage – is a wildly original piece. Although cumbersome at times, it has a raucous energy that is frequently arresting.
‘Flawed but very funny piece’: TENNIS ELBOW – Royal Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh & Pitlochry Festival Theatre (Online review) ★★★★
There is little doubt that a tightened-up version of Tennis Elbow would be better, but the sheer pleasure in language displayed here already goes a very long way.
‘Both extremely topical & utterly timeless’: A SPACE TO BLESS – Queen Jesus Productions (Online review) ★★★★
A Space to Bless, a series of meditations from Queen Jesus Productions filmed in St Mary’s Episcopal Cathedral, provides much-needed balm for the soul.
Mark Shenton’s weekly chart of forthcoming theatrical comings & goings has some new entries
This weekly column keeps track of the shows that are coming back, or are newly being announced, as theatres prepare to re-open from next month onwards. It will be updated weekly until such time as it becomes a reality, and from then on will provide a weekly update to that week’s openings and future ones.
‘Economical & punchy’: SMILE – Dundee Rep (Online review)
Smile, Dundee Rep’s football-themed online offering, transfers to the screen to provide a satisfactory record of 2020’s successful play about the legendary Jim McLean.
NEWS: Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2021 show registration set to open in May
The Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society has announced that show registration for Fringe 2021, taking place from 6-30 August, will open on 5 May.
NEWS: Edinburgh International Festival goes outdoors for 2021
Marking the return of live performance to Scotland’s capital from 7 to 29 August, Edinburgh International Festival will be reimagined for 2021, using bespoke outdoor venues to safely reunite artists and audiences.
‘Edifying, surprising & deeply human’: DOPPLER: THE STORY SO FAR – Grid Iron (Online review) ★★★★
Doppler: The Story So Far, a portrait of Grid Iron’s 2020 production of Doppler that never was, is an edifying, surprising and deeply human film.
‘A touching & utterly personal piece of drama’: ANGELA – Royal Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh & Pitlochry Festival Theatre (Online review) ★★★★
A touching and utterly personal piece of drama, Angela by Mark Ravenhill is a fitting first offering in the Lyceum and Pitlochry Festival Theatre’s Sound Stage project in association with Naked Productions Ltd.
NEWS: Pitlochry Festival Theatre & Royal Lyceum Theatre announce casts for next 3 Sound Stage productions
Pitlochry Festival Theatre and the Royal Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh in association with Naked Productions have announced the casts for its three forthcoming Sound Stage plays.
NEWS: Phoebe Waller-Bridge is announced as Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society President
The Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society has announced that Phoebe Waller-Bridge has been appointed in the role of President. The position, which is the first of its kind, will see Waller-Bridge act as a representative and advocate for the Fringe Society: the charity that exists to support everyone who wants to participate in the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.
‘Will invite you to reflect on this annus horribilis’: UNTIL THE FLOOD – Traverse Theatre (Online review)
Watching the powerful set of monologues Until The Flood brings back powerful memories of the shared experience which we can only hope will return soon.
Powerful set of monologues stirs reflections on one of the other big events of 2020
‘Has all the good cheer you could want in a panto’: RAPUNZEL: THE PANTOMIME – Musselburgh (Online review) ★★★★★
While a live audience is oxygen to panto performers, recorded Rapunzel at the Brunton Theatre, Musselburgh is a triumph, and placing the trials of 2020 the heart of this retelling of this well-loved tale makes perfect sense.
‘Suffused with goodwill, invention, care & Christmas cheer’: Lyceum Christmas Tales Live – Edinburgh (Online review) ★★★★
Lyceum Christmas Tales may have been born out of necessity, but the whole enterprise has taken on a beauty and importance of its own.
‘Offers humour, emotion & political impact’: FIBRES – Stellar Quines & Citizens Theatre (Online theatre) ★★★★
Fibres, the online filmed version of the 2019 Citizens and Stellar Quines co-production, offers humour, emotion and political impact.
‘A timeliness & emotional truth’: SHRAPNEL – Production Lines (Online review)
There is a timeliness and emotional truth to Shrapnel, Production Lines’online play by CMFWood, that is enhanced by being presented live.
’It’s definitely essential viewing’: A COIN IN SOMEBODY ELSE’S POCKET – Theatre Uncut & Traverse Theatre
Originally commissioned as part of The Power Plays produced by Theatre Uncut in 2018, A Coin in Someone Else’s Pocket is a wonderfully thoughtful meditation on what it means to be a female Muslim writer.