Published: May 23rd, 2013 * * Straightforward
 Publicity shoot at Craigmiller Castle. Photo © Robert Fuller. Church Hill Theatre
Wed 22 – Sat 26 May 2013
Review by Thom Dibdin
A strong and straightforward telling of the relationship between Mary Queen of Scots and her cousin, Queen Elizabeth the first of England, rises out of Edinburgh People’s Theatre’s production at the Church Hill Theatre until Saturday.
Liz Lochhead’s play, which premiered in 1987, is a mythologising account of that relationship. An examination, using verse and a fine, inquisitive eye (through her chorus character, La Corbie, the Crow), of how it is a reflection of Scotland’s relationship with England – itself a relationship based as much on myth as on reality. … Continue reading Review – Mary Queen of Scots Got Her Head Chopped Off
Published: May 21st, 2013
 Gary Mackay, Tony Bell and Richard Ede (Richard Hannay) in The 39 Steps, Photo credit: Dan Tsantilis King’s Theatre
Mon 20-Sat 25 May 2013
Review by Thom Dibdin
The upper lips are stiff and heroically pencil-moustached in Patrick Barlow’s rip-roaring, four-actor comedy version of The 39 Steps, which is at the King’s Theatre all week to Saturday.
This is very much the Hitchcock 1935 film version of Buchan, rather than the original novel. And it comes complete with all Hitch’s cinematic devices, from a German femme fetale to chases over the Forth railway bridge and a manacled race across clinging Scottish bogs.
The joke, and it is not one which is tempered in any way, lies in the deconstructed manner of this delivery. If the script calls for snow to fall outside a window then it will … Continue reading Review – The 39 Steps
Published: May 20th, 2013 Details of latest Traverse scratch night
 By Thom Dibdin
The Traverse has announced details of its latest Words, Words, Words night of work-in-progress scratch theatre, with eight writers each teamed up with one of the theatre’s emerging directors.
The focus of the evening is on pieces which are not only brand new, but which are still forming, putting a strong emphasis on the development of work in progress.
Each writer and director gets 75 minutes to work on the script with their actors today. The scratch results will be performed this evening … Continue reading Line-up for Words, Words, Words announced
Published: May 19th, 2013 What’s on in Edinburgh’s Theatres over the week ahead.
 Victor Zarallo, Daniel Davidson and Nicholas Shoesmith in Scottish Ballet’s production of Matthew Bourne’s Highland Fling. Photograph by Andy Ross Compiled by Thom Dibdin
There is not quite as much on this week, after last week’s hectic schedule left many Edinburgh theatre-lovers wondering which way to turn. But there is still something for most tastes, from Beckett to Buchan by way of Liz Lochhead.
Getting the big ticket events out the way first, the spiffing four actor version of the 39 Steps returns to the King’s where it was last seen in 2008. At the Playhouse, Ghost the Musical continues to tug at the tear ducts.
Monday night is scratch theatre night at the Traverse, with Words Words Words. Opening on Thursday, the fabulous Jenna Watt returns with her Fringe First winning Flaneurs and the Gare St Lizare Players production of Beckett’s First Love, the latter ahead of the Gate Dublin Theatre’s production at the EIF.
The big amateur production of the week is … Continue reading Preview of the week Mon 20 – Sun 26 May
Published: May 18th, 2013 * * * * Steaming with vitality
 Doreen (Alison Carcas), Magrit (Carole Birse) and Dolly (Phyllis Ross) share the gossip. Photo © Richard M Marshall St Serf’s Church Halls
Thurs 16 – Sat 18 May 2013
Review by Thom Dibdin
The mince, tatties and pitch-black peat baths are all in order for the St Serf’s Players new production of Tony Roper’s great hit, The Steamie, up at the St Serf’s Church Halls in Goldenacre until Saturday.
The Steamie is one of those great, joyous plays which remembers and honours what was good about a time in our history – while keeping a very clear view of what was not so good about it.
That time is the mid Fifties and the place is a Glaswegian steamie on Hogmanay evening. Doreen, Magrit, Dolly and Mrs Culfeathers are there to get the last … Continue reading Review – The Steamie
Published: May 18th, 2013 * * * Poohdunnit with claws
 Guy Darnell and Angela Clerkin star in The Bear, a stylish noir thriller. Photo credit Sheila Burnett Traverse Theatre
Thurs 16 – Sat 18 May 2013
Review by Irene Brown
Not the amazing dancing bear, but a murdering bear. Or so we are led to believe. A kind of Winnie the Poohdunnit with claws.
Sultry sax notes of 50s film noir and Grappelli-esque fiddle at the start give promise to a gumshoe genre that fails to fully materialise. A US voiceover continues the private eye theme as Angela Clerkin stands like a sleuthing Lily Marlene under the light of a yellow lamp. This element weaves in and out of the action but is lost as a dominant theme despite the play’s hype.
Instead, Angela Clerkin narrates her true story, based on … Continue reading Review – The Bear
Published: May 17th, 2013
 Brian Shiele (violin) and Su-a Lee (cello) in Maria de Buenos Aires. Photo Credit – Andy Catlin Queen’s Hall
Thurs 16 May 2013
Review by Hugh Kerr
Nuevo Tango came to the Queen’s Hall last night, replacing the cold of a May spring night in Edinburgh with the warmth of Latin America thanks to another great performance from Mr McFall’s Chamber.
With candle-lit tables in place of the formal rows of seats, once the music of Astor Piazzolla’s operetta Maria de Buenos Aries began it was easy to think you were in Buenos Aires. Not least because of the backdrop of Geraldine Comte’s film of street scenes from that city which, with selected subtitles, enhanced the performance.
Astor Piazzolla, who died in 1992, was a fascinating musician and composer who straddled the world of classical, jazz and dance musics, fusing them into … Continue reading Review – Maria de Buenos Aries
Published: May 16th, 2013 * * * A twist of meta-dunnit
 Matthew Thomson (Clifford Anderson), Pat Hymers (Sidney Bruhl) and Jennie Davidson (Muyra Bruhl) Photo © Marion Donohoe Church Hill Theatre
Wed 15-Sat 18 May 2013
Review by Thom Dibdin
Cutting like a honed knife, Ira Levin’s murder thriller is as intense and satisfyingly tricky as it ever was when it was written in the late seventies.
Deathtrap aspires to be the perfect two act thriller, as its own circling, self-aware script boasts at the outset. It has the right ingredients: one set, five characters, a juicy murder in the first act, plenty of twists in the second and enough comedy throughout to keep it light.
And the play delivers on the promise, even though its knowing post-modern deconstruction is not as trendy as once it was. So too, for the most part, does Leitheatre under the direction of Rosalind Becroft. … Continue reading Review – Ira Levin’s Deathtrap
Published: May 16th, 2013 * * * * Puts the spectre in spectacular
 Photo credit: Ghost the Musical on tour Edinburgh Playhouse
Tue 14 May – Sat 1 June 2013
Review by Martin Gray
Sam Wheat has it all – a great job, a great home and most of all, a great woman. Then he loses it all, killed in an apparently random street mugging. He doesn’t move on to the next world, though, because he has unfinished business – protecting love Molly from the men responsible for his death. Unable to communicate with her, psychic Oda Mae Brown is his only hope …
A massive screen hit in 1990, Ghost had a generation in tears, as Demi Moore’s heart broke over the loss of Patrick Swayze, and Whoopi Goldberg tried to help. Adding song and dance is a risky proposition: it worked brilliantly as a straightforward … Continue reading Review – Ghost: The Musical
Published: May 14th, 2013 Seven date Scottish tour to finish in Edinburgh
 By Thom Dibdin
Susan Boyle is to return to Edinburgh’s Festival Theatre on her first ever live tour in July. The Blackburn-born runner-up of Britain’s Got Talent 2009 will play two dates at the theatre on Friday 12 and Saturday 13.
The exclusive seven night tour brings Susan back to the Festival Theare where she appeared last September during performances of the show I Dreamed A Dream, the musical about the international singing star’s life.
Speaking of the upcoming tour, Susan said; “I’m really looking forward to getting on stage and singing with my own band for an entire show. This is the year that I feel that I would be able to give an audience what they want. I’ve always wanted to do my own show and now I feel confident enough to give it a go.”
Although Susan appeared on stage at the finale of select performances of I Dreamed A Dream, singing the song from Les Misérables which drove her to fame, she was portayed on stage by Elaine C Smith. … Continue reading Susan Boyle July date at Festival Theatre
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