Reviews | St Ninian's

Review – The Water Engine

Published: April 9th, 2013

* * *    Complex

Colin McPherson (Dave Murray) and David McCallum) in ETA's spring 2013 production of The Water Engine

John McLinden (Morton Gross) and David McCallum(Charles Lang). Photo © PhotographyByStef.com

St Ninian’s
Mon 8 – Sat 13 April 2013
Review by Thom Dibdin

Menacing and dark, Edinburgh Theatre Arts production of the Water Engine at St Ninian’s Hall, Comely Bank, finds the thrill in David Mamet’s examination of corporate greed.

Set in 1934, during the Chicago Century of Progress Exposition, the play follows the attempts by inventor Charles Lang (David McCallum) to get a patent for his revolutionary new engine which runs on water.

Mamet sets up a backdrop of poverty at the time of America’s great depression, with the wonder of the science fair put against the superstition of the chain letter phenomena which had begun to sweep the country at the time – and chorus of street people shouting their own beliefs. … Continue reading Review – The Water Engine

April 9th, 2013 | Tags: , , , , , , | Category: Reviews, St Ninian's | 2 comments
Reviews | St Ninian's

Æ Review – A Fistful of Mondays

Published: April 16th, 2011

* * *

Colin McPherson as Tom Jones and Cari Silver as Annie. Photo © Stefan Heumann

By Thom Dibdin

St Ninian’s Church Hall

It’s a classic case of comedic love and loss up at Comely Bank this week, with a healthy dose of line dancing thrown in, as Edinburgh Theatre Arts stage Joe Graham’s comedy of small town social life: A Fistful of Mondays.

Opening up the tiny stage of St Ninian’s Hall as wide as they can, the company have converted it to Walbeswick Sports and Social Club. An ailing institution, thanks to the local pub’s conversion to a super-sizing food’n'booze palace.

If barkeep and Club Secretary Barry can’t beat them on portion size, he’s got other tricks up his sleeve. And much to the dismay of his only real regular, the socially inept divorcee Tom Jones, he has convinced dance teacher Annie to use the premises for her  Monday Night All Star Line dancing Club. … Continue reading Æ Review – A Fistful of Mondays

April 16th, 2011 | Tags: , , , , | Category: Reviews, St Ninian's | Leave a comment
Reviews | St Ninian's

Theatre Review – Tons of Money

Published: April 12th, 2010

Verity Simpson and Ed Ellis as Louise and Aubrey Allington. Photo Stefan Heumann

* * *

St Ninian’s Hall

By Thom Dibdin
Fun and frothy, Edinburgh Theatre Arts’ new production of Tons of Money might have been a little frazzled around the edges at last night’s opening performance – but this is a company who knows exactly when to ignore the hiccups and get on with the show.

Adapted by Alan Ayckbourn from a 1920s farce, Tons of Money features all the unlikely twists and turns you would hope for as it uses human foibles to play merry fun with pure slapstick, comic moments.

Louise and Aubrey Allington are a pair of wastrel socialites, living on credit as they float around their country mansion with servants Simpson and Sprules at their beck and call. Aubrey dabbles in inventing, but only in an artistic kind of a way, and if a miracle doesn’t happen, they are on the verge of being declared bankrupt. … Continue reading Theatre Review – Tons of Money

April 12th, 2010 | Tags: , , , , | Category: Reviews, St Ninian's | Leave a comment