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Adam House
Review by Thom Dibdin
There is nothing sleepy about the Hollow to which the Angkatells have retired in this country house weekend murder mystery from the Makars, which is at Adam House until Saturday.
At least there’ll be no dozing when family friend and Harley Street doctor John Cristow comes down for the weekend, to join Sir Henry, Lady Lucy and young Henrietta, a successful sculptor.
Cristow might arrive with dim but dependable wife Gerda – but it quickly becomes clear that cousin Henrietta knows him rather more intimately than she should, while the famous American movie star who has taken up residence in a cottage down the road turns out to be Cristow’s lost true love. … Continue reading Review – Agatha Christie’s The Hollow
It’s another busy week at Edinburgh’s theatres, where the amateur companies are taking centre stage with three productions – at St Columba’s, Adam House and Saughtonhall – while Scottish Opera continue to hold the stage at the Festival Theatre. Panto time is well and truly upon us, with the Brunton up and running, the Lyceum opening and the King’s going into preview. And there’s even a wee Fringe-type event up at North Edinburgh Arts. … Continue reading Preview for the week: 23-29 November
* * * * Festival Theatre Review by Thom Dibdin
Busy to the point of bursting, Scottish Opera’s vigorous co-production with the NBR New Zealand Opera of Rossini’s shining comic opera at the Festival Theatre is a captivating yet strangely disconcerting affair.
Which is not to fault director Colin McColl. It is just [...]
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The GRV
Review by Thom Dibdin
Strong writing and interesting characters make the first outing from the Actors Kitchen something of an unexpected treat, to be found until Saturday in the small theatre of the GRV on Guthrie Street.
Unified by the theme of waiting for a delayed flight in an airport lounge, the fifteen scenes of In Transit share five writers and nine performers. Chance encounters, hostile departures and wistful, end-of-holiday longings add up to a thought-provoking hour and a half. … Continue reading Review: In Transit
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King’s Theatre
Review by Thom Dibdin
Feisty, glittering and making great use of every one of its almost 200 participants, the Edinburgh Gang Show celebrates their fiftieth annual production with no little style.
When it hits the high notes, this is a strong, entertaining Variety-style production that combines some of the better elements of Gang Show originator Ralph Reader’s original sketches with Director Andy Johnston and MD John Duncan’s excellent new scripts and orchestrations. … Continue reading Review – Edinburgh Gang Show
It is something of a music week in Edinburgh’s theatres this week. There’s Variety from the Gang Show, concert performances and dance in the Traverse’s Autumn Festival, the continuing presence of Queen’s musical and the arrival of Scottish Opera at the Festival Theatre. Oh, and one piece of (relatively) straightforward theatre from the Edinburgh-based acting collective, Actors Kitchen up at the GRV. … Continue reading Preview for the week 16-22 November
St Bride’s Centre
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Review by Thom Dibdin
Tough and uncompromising but not quite achieving its full potential, the Grad’s production of Margaret Edson’s Pulitzer prize-winner finds great emotional depth but is ultimately undone by purely technical details.
Never a company to make things easy on themselves, the Grads have taken on a horrifyingly difficult production. It’s not so much the subject material – the final two hours in the life of Vivian Bearing Ph.D. who has stage IV Ovarian cancer. Although that itself is a pretty big ask to make entertaining. … Continue reading REVIEW – Wit
King’s Theatre
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By Thom Dibdin
SWISHY swashy grass, splashy sploshy water and squelchy, squerchy mud are all present and very much correct in this touring adaptation of the children’s picture book, We’re Going On A Bear Hunt, which is at the King’s Theatre until Saturday 14th.
The book, beautifully illustrated by Helen Oxenbury with Michael Rosen’s version of the children’s game repetitive in all the right ways, is treasured by millions of kids and their parents. Trifle with it at your peril, then, if you are going to bring it to the stage.
Which makes it hold-your-breath time when you realise that a very full King’s Theatre is about to be treated to a version with a whole character missing… … Continue reading Review – We’re Going On A Bear Hunt
(Thursday 12 November) Church Hill Theatre * * By Thom Dibdin
SURPRISINGLY hilarious in its opening scenes, Leitheatre’s take on Brain Clark’s right-to-die drama succeeds in finding an emotional core, but is still swamped by dialogue which spends too long rehearsing the arguments.
At the centre of the debate is Ken Harrison, six [...]
(Wednesday 11 November) King’s Theatre * * * * Review by Thom Dibdin
DELIBERATELY poignant, without tipping the scales into mawkishness, this touring production of Rain Man gives the original 1988 Oscar-winning Hollywood blockbuster a comfortable home on the live stage.
This is down to a pair of purposeful, well-stated and thoroughly believable [...]
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