Three Women & Shakespeare’s Will comes from the pen of Joan Greening who has made something of a speciality of writing about historical figures connected to the arts, albeit in imaginary settings/situations. Thus in recent years she has given us the relationship dynamics of three literary sisters in At Home With The Brontës and a trio of Rosetti’s Women and their influence on the titular painter.
‘Remarkable work’: JUST AN ORDINARY LAWYER – Edinburgh Festival Fringe (Online Show) ★★★★
Just An Ordinary Lawyer is one of two shows which Tayo Aluko and Friends have available both live and online on-demand at the Edinburgh Fringe this year, and this one focuses on Nigerian Tunji Sowande (1912-1996), concert singer, cricket fan and Britain’s first Black judge.
‘Captures the heart’: FINDING MAGIC – Edinburgh Festival Fringe (Online Show)
A Zoom performance by Beverley Bishop, directed by Peter Beck, Finding Magic includes an audience recorded at the time of the livestream, to give a sense of interactivity.
‘It’s all rather charming, really’: THE LATE HARNESS REBELLION – Edinburgh Festival Fringe (Online Show) ★★★
Tamás Milhofer brings his show The Late Harness Rebellion to the digital strand of the Edinburgh Fringe with the collaboration of Unmuted Participants.
Taking the family to the Edinburgh Fringe? The Family Stage is here to help
We are wading through the ‘What’s On’ directory on the Edinburgh Fringe website to help you get to grips with it all. In the first of our Edinburgh Fringe previews, we’re focusing on the shows we’ve seen before. Whether you’re taking a toddler or teenager, you will find a show with the Family Stage seal of approval in our tried and tested list below.
‘Taut but puzzling tale of revenge’: RETRIBUTION DAY (Online Show)
In advance of its appearance at the Edinburgh Fringe, this film version of Retribution Day, described to me by its creators as “a marmite piece” is a taut but puzzling tale of revenge.
‘Thoroughly entertaining with a fine sense of comedy’: CARELESS – Touring
The Edinburgh Festival is not far away now and, as often happens at this time of year, there are a number of shows playing themselves in before transferring in a northerly direction for their Fringe run. One which caught my eye is Careless which warmed up at The Hen And Chickens in Islington. Conceived and written in lockdown by young actors Emma François and Eva Tritschler, collectively known as Written Off Theatre, it has already enjoyed success at both The Lion and Unicorn and Hope Theatres.
The ‘exquisite and energetic masterpiece’ that ‘defines bravura and tour de force’: ★★★★★ Happily Ever Poofter reviews are in!
Rich Watkin’s one-man Disney musical parody Happily Ever Poofter is an ‘exquisite and energetic masterpiece’, and its three year international ‘tour de force’ comes to an end this Friday 24 Sep at the London Wondergound in Earl’s Court. With countless ★★★★★ reviews and several award wins, check out our round-up of reviews from all across the globe. Make sure you book for your chance to see the final ever performance of this ‘foul-mouthed, fairytale/Disney mash up’.
‘Definitely picks up the spirit of the era’: WARHOL: BULLET KARMA – Edinburgh Fringe (Online review)
Garry Roost’s play Warhol: Bullet Karma focuses on the events around his shooting by Valerie Solanas (this ground was covered from a more feminist perspective in Femme Fatale).
‘Proves to be as entertaining as it can be’: SYD – Edinburgh Fringe (Online review)
Arthur Smith pays homage to his (extra) ordinary Dad in Syd which premiered at 2018’s Fringe and is now an online show recorded at Falmouth and being streamed via the Pleasance.
‘Thoroughly gruesome but mesmerising’: UNDER THE FLOORBOARDS – Edinburgh Fringe (Online review)
The real life figure of Ed Gein looms large in horror films and literature. Most famously he was the direct inspiration for Norman Bates in Psycho and his terrible influence can also be found haunting The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Silence Of the Lambs. But I’m not sure his real story has been told quite so directly as it is in Under The Floorboards which played live at the Edinburgh Fringe and has now emerged as an online performance film at this year’s Festival.
‘Takes care to balance the comical & tragical with flair’: LOST IN LOVE – Edinburgh Fringe (Online review)
Lost in Love is a new play presented by Flow Stage Productions. A brash and funny lady, Emily (Rachel Pryde) has something to tell about her life and the men in it.
‘Perfect timings’: IT ALL – Edinburgh Fringe ★★★★
What does it mean to have “It All?” I am not sure the answer to that question can ever be answered as it means something different to everyone. Cameron Cook raises this point several times throughout his debut solo show It All.
‘A strong performance in a play which will entertain film buffs’: Bette Davis Ain’t For Sissies – Edinburgh Fringe (Online review)
Bette Davis Ain’t For Sissies (the title refers to a Davis quote of some years later about old age) references the women’s lot in the Golden Age of Hollywood – exploitative auditions, unequal pay (a topic still current in movies in the 21st century), a string of love affairs, the expectation to look ‘just so’.
‘A good balance of humour & compassion’: TILL LOVE DO US PART – Edinburgh Fringe (Online review) ★★★★
Till Love Do Us Part isn’t one of the flashiest productions on the digital fringe in terms of its technical style, but the writing carries it through.
‘Inventive & funny’: PLANET OF THE GRAPES – Edinburgh Fringe (Online review)
Over on the ZOOTV platform at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, you’ll find Planet of the Grapes, a delicious livestream performed live in New York City. I’m told that on Sunday the city was being battered by a hurricane, but it didn’t seem to cast a shadow on the show.
‘A celebration of human indomitability’: LOOK, NO HANDS – Edinburgh Fringe (Online review)
A warm and entertaining solo play, Lila Clements’ Look, No Hands has some distinctive features which marks it out from many other confessional shows of a similar type.
NEWS: Black Box Live’s Edinburgh line-up features one world premiere, two UK premieres
Australia’s digital destination for live performance, Black Box Live, is now broadcasting shows from Adelaide’s Bakehouse Theatre via the Edinburgh Festival Fringe straight into audiences’ homes. Full details of the five, carefully selected productions here.
Now streaming: Black Box Live brings the best of Adelaide to the Edinburgh Fringe
Two Adelaide Fringe stalwarts are causing a stir online at this year’s Edinburgh Fringe with their hybrid live/digital season of five critically acclaimed Australian shows, broadcast care of Black Box Live from Adelaide’s Bakehouse Theatre.
‘Taking off in an unexpected direction’: The Little Glass Slipper As Performed By The Queen of France & Her Friends / Metamorphosis – Edinburgh Fringe (Online review)
Two well known tales with a twist: The Little Glass Slipper As Performed By The Queen of France And Her Friends and Metamorphosis. The second piece now tops my personal Edinburgh Fringe online chart.