REVIEW: Tartan Tabletop in a Dungeons & Dragon Comedy: The Never-Ending Quest – The Return


Rating: 3.5 out of 5.

A wonderful and weird performance for both the initiated and uninitiated in DnD.  


The Tartan Tabletop crew has returned to the Fringe Festival stage with a new interactive adventure: Tartan Tabletop in a Dungeons & Dragon Comedy: The Never-Ending Quest-The Return. The gloriously chaotic podcasting team has prepared a month’s worth of action packed one shots in front of a live theatrical audience. This trial by fire introduction to the uninitiated in the ways of live-action, tabletop, role playing games was a wonderful and absurd experience. With a dramatic cast of characters and actors, this was an hour well spent amongst a packed audience of nerds, geeks, and the unexpecting family or two.

            Beginning with some lively crowd work and audience participation, the experience is preceded with a light introduction to the world of tabletop playstyle and the cast of the evening. Every evening will consist of a slightly different narrative adventure and cast which is doubtless crafted with care and imaginative consideration for the audience in mind. The adventure, itself, was equal parts funny and absurd. It was a refreshingly chaotic bit of narrative wrapped in the familiar trappings of DnD. This was its greatest strength and its greatest downfall as a live performance. It was evident that this group is used to performing and playing various adventures in a vastly different timescale than what the Fringe Festival stage permits. Constrained to the limits of an hour, the whole experience felt rushed. This left the party unable to accomplish much outside of the main objective and even that was masterfully brushed over by the Dungeon Master and Host.

            Although there is room for improvement regarding pacing, this is a great concept and team. The fact it does not fit nicely within the constraints of the allotted hour is a testament to its strength as a performance. The impossible challenge inherent in this melding of media is to create a formula that works within the chaos of a tabletop game that also conforms to a timescale. Overall this was a great show with some fantastic improvisation that could easily occupy twice the timeslot quite effectively. For all those interested in an introduction into DnD or looking to enjoy an hour of unabashed creativity and unhingedness, this is the show for you.

https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/tartan-tabletop-in-a-dungeons-dragon-comedy-the-never-ending-quest-the-return

REVIEW: Ballet Black: HEROES

Rating: 5 out of 5.

A truly awesome display with expansive passion and artistry

A gorgeous double bill of new work ushered in the 30th anniversary of the Festival Theatre this week. Ballet Black graced the stage with two exceptional and vastly different pieces If At First and The Waiting Game in its new show, HEROES. This small but mighty company of nine showcased the best of dance for the modern age without skimping on technical prowess.

If At First, presented in co-commission with the Barbican, was a brilliant display of artistry, musicality and passion. The piece, choreographed by Sophie Laplane, served as a refreshing, chaotic and stunning foray into an extensive engagement with power, heroism, community and isolation. Inspired originally by Jean-Michel Basquiat’s painting, Erocia, the piece moved between gorgeous partner and solo work peppered with simply wonderful company numbers. Showcasing every company member’s abilities throughout the piece while also maintaining an entrancing thematic through line was no simple feat. The transitional, upbeat motifs provided contrast and narrative movement while serving to energetically reunite the company frequently and provide visual intrigue.

The intentionality of this piece was wondrous and thought provoking. Use of the prop crowns and its connection to power and intention in each section was visually lovely and engaging. Seeing the active effect of pursuit or possession of the crown on the piece was a brilliant use of physical theatre that connected the audience with the piece and grounded the narrative into something tangible. The musical score further intensified the experience of understanding the pursuit of power and its isolation in juxtaposition to power achieved through community. Culminating in the gorgeous and utterly human section performed to I’ll Be Your Woman, this piece as a whole is not one to miss. Its perfection will be hard to forget.

The Waiting Game by Mthuthuzeli November was a delightful and harrowing second act. In a complete thematic shift, this piece was not for the faint of heart in the most delightful way possible. The intention of engaging with the absurdity of existence was expertly achieved through this whirlwind fusion of dance styles and movement. The most self-aware piece of dance and physical theatre likely currently on stage, it captured the dizzying and exhausting throes of existence. With an intense score peppered with the voices of Ballet Black, the piece was an extrasensory experience that verged on psychological thriller.  

A true collaborative work from start to finish, Ballet Black imbued every movement with evident care and consideration in HEROES. It is a delight to see so many dancers brilliantly execute technical prowess with expansive passion and artistry. The power and beauty behind these pieces cannot be understated. Deserving of every accolade, I hope these pieces have long lives and are shared to many audiences inspiring generations new and old to engage with art as it was displayed here.

REVIEW: Macbeth (An Undoing)


Rating: 4 out of 5.

Engaging, haunting and tragic.


Audiences at The Royal Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh were treated to a spellbinding retelling of Shakespeare’s timeless tragedy with the return of Macbeth (an undoing). Directed and written by the acclaimed Zinnie Harris, this production offered a fresh perspective on tragedy placing Lady Macbeth squarely at the centre of the narrative. Set in the 1930s with a smattering of Shakespearean flair and allusions to the bard’s complete literature peppered throughout, this remix left the audience laughing and gasping in equal measure.

With a witty and brilliant opening performance by Liz Kettle the audience was invited into the so familiar narrative anew.  From the famous and haunting invocation by Lady Macbeth, “Come, you spirits, That tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here”, the tone for the dark and visceral journey unfolded just as we knew it would. In this rendition, Lady Macbeth, portrayed with mesmerizing intensity by Nicole Cooper, drives the relentless pursuit of power that ultimately leads to their undoing blurring the lines between reality and perception.

Harris’s masterful direction and scriptwriting skillfully unravel the complexities of not only Lady Macbeth’s character individually but also relationally. Far from being a mere accessory to her husband’s ambitions, she emerges as a formidable force in her own right with all-encompassing desires for power and motherhood. As her descent into madness and despair unfolds, the audience is compelled to question the true nature of power and its cost.

The production’s staging and design elements further enhance the immersive experience. With unsettling and eerie atmospheric lighting against the evocative set design coupled with the truly haunting sound design, the viewers were transported to a liminal and ungrounded world where madness and murder lurked; every detail contributed to the sense of foreboding and intrigue. In stark contrast, the costumes were vibrant and lovely in keeping with a 1930s silhouette, which presented the perfect backdrop for the shocking amounts of fake blood present throughout the narrative.

All the trappings of Shakespeare were present and accounted for with beautiful acting and diction chiefly among them. The piece as a whole was inaccessible to the uninitiated in the many iterations of the Scottish play. It was refreshing to see it anew, but amid trying to present avant garde theatre it did become demonstrative. As a piece it did not follow the rules in which it established its world building. The mechanics set in place for the actors to interact with the audience were inconsistently applied and— paired with the haphazard integration of other Shakespearean language as well as modern expletives—left the piece feeling slightly underdeveloped.

As a concept the show has much to recommend it. The flow of dialogue was witty and engaging which challenged the original language without forcing it to fit into a different cultural lens. The theatrical effects were highly entertaining and visually stimulating. Slowly, comedically acclimating the audience into the narrative was a brilliant choice that softened the blow of engaging with the tragedy in a different form. Overall, it was splendid and has the potential to be even better with another keen look at accessibility for newer audiences and a break away from the demonstrative.

As the curtain falls on this gripping production, audiences are left to ponder the timeless themes and moral dilemmas that continue to resonate with contemporary relevance. “Macbeth (an undoing)” is a must-see for seasoned theatergoers seeking thought-provoking drama and unforgettable performances. The show remains in residence from May 14 – 25 with tickets available below. 

https://lyceum.org.uk/events/macbeth-an-undoing-2024#dates-and-times

REVIEW: The Drifter’s Girl


Rating: 3 out of 5.

A beautiful blast from the past with the potential for greatness. 


Direct from its run in the West End, The Drifters Girl has embarked on a major UK & Ireland tour landing this week in Edinburgh to captivate audiences night after night with electrifying performances and an unforgettable soundtrack. Nominated for BEST NEW MUSICAL at the 2022 Olivier Awards, this acclaimed show delivers a compelling narrative intertwined with the timeless hits of The Drifters.

From the moment the curtain rises, audiences are transported into the vibrant and ever changing landscape of The Drifters. The audience is guided through the narrative by Faye Treadwell, herself, the legendary manager who shaped the destiny of the iconic group. A decades-long odyssey set against the backdrop of overwhelming successes, harrowing legal battles and multiple personal tragedies, The Drifters Girl unveils the true story behind the tenacious woman who dedicated her life to the group in every iteration and her fight to maintain its legacy. 

Unsurprisingly, what truly sets this production apart is its phenomenal soundtrack, packed full of iconic Drifters hits that have stood the test of time. From the infectious rhythm of “Saturday Night At The Movies” to the soulful strains of “Save The Last Dance For Me” and the timeless classic “Stand By Me,” every song is performed with precision and passion, eliciting cheers and applause from the audience. The musical talent in the show cannot be praised highly enough. Each performer demonstrated a deep connection to the music and the narratives that informed the music across its many decades. 

Unfortunately, this production was far from perfect. With wildly disjointed writing that set the actors up for few opportunities to connect in any moment of dialogue, the story was hard to follow and believe. Few characters saw enough stage time to ground themselves in any meaningful connection with those around them, and the quick cycling through of characters resulted in some truly disastrous accent work. Coupled with poor and ill-fitting costume design that neglected the evolution in style from decade to decade, the audience was left with no sense of time and the actors often fighting their costumes to accommodate their movements. These factors contributed to an experience of unease throughout the work which left me waiting for when the narrative, separate from the music, was going to get good.

The performers were wonderful across the board and performed valiantly despite the many many pitfalls of the show. There was obvious care taken with the physical set design as the whole show was a visual masterpiece of lights and sound. The projections were spot on, and the shift from scene to scene was flawless if dizzying at times. This left me wishing the same care had been taken with other aspects of the show. Some of the scene work was engaging and captivating, but most felt under rehearsed and theatrically under supported. The juxtaposition of the beautiful music and the disconnected scenes was unsettling and jarring. The most surprising moment was the absolutely delightful medley that closed the show which left me physically turning to my neighbor to ask, “Where has this energy and connection to one another been throughout the rest of the show?”

The cast and production team performed with herculean effort to bring Faye Treadwell’s story to life with authenticity and depth, and it has the potential to be great with a few hard discussions about priorities. Overall, this show was disappointing and future iterations will require more of the care and tenderness that Faye showed The Drifters to remain relevant in the everchanging and ruthless fight for cultural relevance in the musical sphere.

REVIEW: Sam Lee ‘songdreaming’


Rating: 5 out of 5.

A standout example of the ‘new folk’ genre and the universality of music.


As the second stop on his new album’s extensive UK tour, Sam Lee took to Edinburgh’s Summerhall in celebration of his fourth studio album ‘songdreaming.’ With a beautiful opening by singer songwriter Finn Anderson and a set of new and old hits, the performance was infinitely likeable. Soft spoken and personable, Sam Lee was a barefooted breath of fresh air on the stage. There was a somberness to the performance that was totally entrancing and utterly enigmatic from beginning to end. Inspiring a fanbase that exceeds all expectation and generational divide, the crowd comprised a delightful mix of respectful and attentive patrons giving the whole affair an air of reverence and meditation. 

Regarding the set itself, Sam’s work, comprising four albums, is utterly cinematic—which is fitting seeing as the newest album was mostly written for the screen. Epical in every sense, it posed not only an astounding contrast to the quirky singer, himself, but also the lovely juxtaposition of fantastical and temporal themes. Encompassing a wide range of experience and tone, it was a real treat to hear the inspiration and history that brought it all about. Giving new life to old tunes and bringing them into the public awareness as living history is a laudable and mammoth endeavor that Sam appears to take into stride. Quick to recognize the subtext and lingering unease inherent in all his songs, the set was evocative of nature and the human connection to it with its seemingly dwindling partnership. Eco-anxiety notwithstanding it was stunning, inspiring, and downright good.

A beautiful collaborative endeavour produced by Bernard Butler and composer James Keay, the evening was an overall success and a privilege to be a part of, especially in such an intimate space. It is always a lovely surprise to hear new music that steps outside of popular themes and narratives, and it was obvious by the eclectic and packed turnout that there is an audience craving simple and cerebral sounds. Deserving of every bit of critical acclaim the album and performance has amassed already, simply put: it was quirky, it was fun. It was unexpected and it sets the bar high for the oxymoronic ‘new folk’ sound.

Tickets are now on sale, visit www.samleesong.co.uk for details and booking.

REVIEW: The Imposters & That Thing We Do

Rating: 4 out of 5.

The double act effectively flummoxed and bewildered the audience with an array of imaginative improvised scenarios

The Scottish Storytelling Centre, along with other Edinburgh venues, played host to quite the lineup this week commencing its sixth year of the Edinburgh International Improv Fest. Saturday night boasted an impressive double act. Each in turn took to the stage in proper improvisational fashion to a rowdy audience to deliver some utterly ridiculous comedy. 

First to the stage were Shetland’s own Imposters who took us on a joyous and measured journey starting with a sandwich and ended with sexual propositioning all at a woman’s wake. 

The trio demonstrated excellent comedic timing, impressive wit and had a fun time teasing the narrative out of their fellow troupe members while keeping the audience on their toes. It was expertly done and each had a clear respect for one another as performers and people which gave the whole improv a fun and familial edge. This group has obvious chemistry and trust in one another that can only come from consistent and dedicated work together and it all paid off. It was a thoroughly enjoyable experience with just the right amount of second hand embarrassment. The only thing that could have made this group better would be volume as the quieter bits did have a tendency to fade off and get lost in the auditorium at times.

The second act welcomed That Thing We Do, an improv company representing Inconspicuous Comedy in Copenhagen, Denmark. Chaotic and absurd from the beginning, this company had the audience (and one another) in stitches for most of their allotted time. In complete contrast to the Imposters, the troupe took a stream of consciousness approach that jumped from one imaginative scenario to the next. This group was hard to pin down in terms of their comedic style, they simply had fun and their skits moved from general to magical realism to whatever having a disappointing family dinner inside a snicker’s wrapper is. With an audience one word suggestion of “ramshackle” and a quirky beginning narrative about being swindled by not reading the fine print, they were off.  An equally delightful display of comedy with a completely different tone, That Thing We Do benefitted from having shameless fun while also encouraging each troupe member’s instincts. Although not every skit was a success, their sense of fun and elaborate callbacks made the chaos all the more enjoyable.

Regardless of their stylistic differences, the double act effectively flummoxed and bewildered the audience in improvised fashion with an array of imaginative scenarios. All the performers kept the audience thoroughly engaged and unsuspecting ready for any bout of madness from any angle.

For more information about the festival, check out the website here.

For more information about shows at the Scottish Storytelling Centre you can find their full season line up and various events offerings here.

REVIEW: Carlos Acosta: On Before

Rating: 5 out of 5.

A phenomenal display of passion and athleticism that brilliantly showcases the full depth and breadth of a doomed relationship

This full length collaborative work saw the return of beloved Carlos Acosta to the Festival Theatre one year after his last iteration of the show by the same name. A homage to his late mother, this piece was a masterclass in dynamic partner work and flawless technique. Backed by the likes of Norwich Theatre, Valid Productions and presented by arrangement with ¡Como No!, the performance further engaged in local collaboration by featuring The Edinburgh University Singers with a hauntingly beautiful rendition of Morten Lauridsen’s O Magnum Mysterium.

From the first note of the first act, it was clear this piece could only be described as interdimensional. A blend of contemporary ballet juxtaposed by a smattering of musical genres, the curation of the piece was beautifully developed. Acosta, when performing solo, was a vision of dynamic movement luxuriating in exploration of personhood and relationships through the experience of his own body. Laura Rodriguez was simply astounding moving with a grace that defied physics and a passion that left the audience dumbstruck. The pair in tandem was otherworldly, delightfully toeing the balance between performing each moment as if it were a discovery and executing it with such precision and trust that it appeared effortless. With a chemistry that lit up the stage and obvious, explicit trust, the pair worked as one seamlessly demonstrating the height of artistic companionship.

As a narrative dedicated to doomed love, many of the pieces visually and thematically explored contrast, boundaries, and limits either supported by the orchestration or in direct conflict. This was marvelously executed visually through the limited use of color and light. Despite most pieces containing only one or two performers on the stage, the creation of smaller, habitable spaces served to focus the audience on the performers’ relationship to themselves and others when confined. However, when confronted by the expansive stage, the performers’ energy was boundless and covered every inch of the stage.

There were no faults to be found in the show. Acosta is a fan favorite and packed the festival theatre without an empty seat in sight. However, if one note must be made, a speaker did break at the beginning of the performance making the bass heavy orchestration at the beginning of the show painful. This speaker was, fortunately, turned off for the second half of the performance and noticeably improved the experience.  

Despite depicting a doomed relationship, this piece was a collaborative success. With so many creatives and dance makers: Russell Maliphant, Kim Brandstrup, Will Tuckett, Raul Reinoso, Beatriz Garcia, George Cespedes, Zenaida Yanowsky, Yury Yanowsky, Miguel Altunaga as well as Carlos, this project’s sheer creative force soared above in its dedication to create On Before in its revised form. Deserving all of the acclaim it has received, it was a beautiful and accessible show that was engaging and enjoyable regardless of age.

REVIEW: Ragnarok


Rating: 3 out of 5.

An intriguing and ambitious performance art piece that integrates new technology and themes with ancient narratives.


As a young girl and her brother navigate a dying world populated with clay figures and mythical creatures bent on destruction, they discover the very real dangers of both dreams and reality. This international production by Tortoise in a Nutshell in co- production with Nordland Visual Theatre and in association with MacRobert Arts Centre, took to the Traverse Theatre’s stage to tell the mythical tale of Ragnarok with a Scottish twist as part of the Manipulate Festival. A festival dedicated to animated film, puppetry and visual theatre – with shows, events and workshops running in February, this show spectacularly fit the bill with endlessly moving parts and interdisciplinary wonders galore.

With a small tour underway, this ambitious show was a whirlwind from start to finish. Beautifully marrying technology and performance art, the audience was left open-mouthed on many occasions throughout the show with its magical reveals and fantastical cardboard set. Described as a live animation piece, this multisensory show carried out by four performers was truly unique. With beautiful live music and prerecorded voice overs supported by live animation, the hour and fifteen minutes was filled with fantastic visuals and stunning effects. The props and set design were a highlight to the piece and should be highly praised for their innovation and sheer creativity to support such a dynamic experience.

Although a stunning interdisciplinary display, the transitions were arduous and the narrative tired. The characters lacked depth and proceeded down their doomed path without reprieve till the end. Trying to keep hold of the narrative through the several minutes of set up was difficult and tiresome. Technological difficulties also made the audio difficult to hear at times and, mixed with the projection’s tendency to desync, both served to take the audience out of the world building so meticulously crafted. As a live performance, the show seemed to do too many things at once and lost sight of itself. By attempting to be new and innovative, they missed the mark.

This was a bold piece that challenged the audience from start to finish. It was beautiful and captivating and obvious care went into the technological feat of live animation. From a theatrical standpoint it felt like the audience was invited into watching process and not much in the way of product. The lack of narrative to engage with left this piece stale and the audience wanting in that regard. In terms of spectacle and innovation, this multisensory experience was astounding and inspiring, making way for new opportunities to tell classical tales if and when the balance between innovation and narrative can be found.

For other opportunities to see Ragnarok see their tour dates below:

Beacon Arts Centre, Greenock. Friday 16th 7.30pm – Saturday 17 February 2.30 & 7.30pm.

Dundee Rep, Dundee. Tuesday 20th 7.30pm – Wednesday 21st February 7.30pm. 

Byre Theatre, St.Andrews. Friday 23 February 7pm. 

Eden Court, Inverness. Tuesday 27th 7pm – Wednesday 28 February 1.30pm & 7pm.

Cumbernauld Theatre, Cumbernauld. Tuesday 5th 7.30pm – Wednesday 6 March 1pm & 7.30pm. 

Lemon Tree, Aberdeen. Thursday 14th 7.30pm – Friday 15 March 10.30am & 7.30pm. 

Platform, Glasgow. Wednesday 27th 7pm – Thursday 28 March 1pm. 

REVIEWER: Cosette Bolt

REVIEW: Protest


Rating: 5 out of 5.

A powerful and poignant example of hope and activism that moves beyond age or demographic.


Produced collaboratively by Fuel, Imaginate, Northern Stage and the National Theatre of Scotland, Hannah Lavery’s Protest took to the Traverse Theatre for a two day run. Playful, emotional, and full of youthful depth, the audience was left energized and empowered by the three performer’s energy and passion. In just one hour Jade, Alice, and Chloe brilliantly showcase the lived experience of girlhood as the illusion of fairness is shattered that very first time. A more presentational show, the three in turn share with the audience their primary school experiences of injustice, racism, and fear for our planet. As their worlds move from shades of black and white to grey, we hear how the grownups in their lives encourage their strength and resilience to move towards effective action regardless of scale.

This whimsical show takes place on a striking and fantastical playset—expertly juxtaposing the seriousness of the topic—with brilliant physical levels designed by Amy Jane Cook. This playset is used in every manner imaginable through the hour’s performance through the expert direction of Nadia Iftkhar. The movement served as a great palate cleanse to the harder emotional moments of the piece allowing both actors and audience a moment to “shake it all off” and continue with the narrative. In terms of the writing itself, Hannah Lavery perfectly captures the innocence and rationale of young people without discrediting their own brilliance and power. Her ability to seamlessly intertwine the three narratives clearly demonstrates an understanding of that haunting heartbreak in learning that the world is not fair, but how we respond to it is in our control. All of this, paired with the clear direction from Natalie Ibu and Natasha Haws, made for a remarkable viewing experience.

This emotional and interactive piece could have fallen into the presentational trap, and yet it did not. The performers were incredibly believable and engaging even in their moments of silence. The audience was treated to a conversation with three young people recounting their experiences in that uniquely youthful way where tragedy and comedy and everything in between are made all the more heartbreaking and beautiful knowing these were new experiences for them. This piece was a welcome reminder for all ages to turn to kindness and hope in the face of adversity. We laughed, we cried, we were enthralled by these three young people and their ability to commit so fully to standing up for themselves and a better present and future.

26 – 27 Jan: Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh

REVIEW: Miloš with Arcangelo Ensemble

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Masterful. This afternoon was an example of how classical music should be enjoyed as a community


Rounding out their tour as a part of the Usher Hall’s Sunday Classics International Orchestra Season 2023-2024, Miloš with Arcangelo Ensemble triumphantly performed to the midafternoon audience despite the horrific mid-winter weather; a point made by the charismatic guitarist, himself. With an almost completely classical programme, the double act successfully treated the audience to a celebration of Baroque masterpieces by Vivaldi, Marcello, Bach, Pachelbel and Rameau. With alternating performances and a few collaborative performances, the afternoon was an example of how classical music should be enjoyed as a community experience beyond any cultural divide.

The Arcangelo Ensemble, under the direction of Johnny Cohen, was utter perfection as the group of twelve strong performers made each song seem as easy as breathing. They demonstrated a level of musicianship that was both refreshing and inspiring with a dynamism that left the audience entranced from piece to piece. Starting with Vivaldi’s L’Olimpiade, their precision and delicate handling of the music set the tone perfectly for the extensive set.

Miloš, coming off the release of his album Baroque, shared a series of solo guitar pieces, many of which are adapted from larger orchestral works. Introducing his pieces as “Baroque from a different angle,” his rendition of Bach’s Chaconne (extraite de la Partita pour violon seul BWV 1004) was a musical marathon in its own right. There is something to be said for his ambition to adapt classical music for a single instrument that did not exist at the time of the various piece’s conception. His introduction to the music set the stage for a set that left much to be desired. His performance was stiff and unimpassioned. It was all beautifully done, but lacked the animation and nuance that would transcend its source material. As a collaborator with Arcangelo, he played much more comfortably and met the energy of the ensemble, alone I was left wanting more and varied pieces.  

It was evident as an audience that the musicians sharing their work were experts who believed deeply in the music they were sharing. However, the set did become tedious. I found it lacked variation and had a very sobering and meditative quality that unfortunately did become difficult to remain engaged with. This concert was gorgeous and well developed presenting an unchallenging array of classical music. It would serve as a textbook introduction to Baroque, Classical music as well as modern adaptation performed expertly and lovingly.

Click here to purchase Miloš’ newest album ‘Baroque’.