Author: Lia Walsh

REVIEW: The Spy Who Came In From The Cold

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Rating: 3 out of 5.

An ambitious play which falls flat at points but shows great potential 

John Le Carré’s classic Cold War spy novel, adapted for the stage by playwright David Eldridge and directed by Jeremy Herrin, is an ambitious work of theatre bringing to life a complex story of secrecy, double crossings, love, and loyalty. This is one of several of Le Carré’s to feature iconic spy George Smiley and ‘The Circus,’ the fictional British Secret Intelligence Service. The plot centres on Alec Leamas, the titular spy who comes ‘in from the cold’ – that is, back to London from East Berlin, having been stationed there a long time and just having lost his best (and last) agent to the GDR’s best and most ruthless intelligence operative, Mundt. Leamas returns home, done with espionage for good, when the head of Circus, Control, asks him to do one more job – frame Mundt as a double agent for Britain, which will lead to him being executed by his own people. The plot is characteristically complicated for Le Carré, with almost all the characters’ motivations being murky and ever-changing. 

The story is effectively adapted for the stage, naturally having to slim down some explorations of character in order to fit in all the plot’s twists and turns. The play suffers at points due to a lack of understanding of characters’ inner lives and desires. The character of Fiedler, Mundt’s deputy who suspects Mundt of duplicity, is especially stripped back, making one of the defining moral questions – idealism vs pragmatism – far less central and almost inexistent. Despite losing some of the subtler aspects of the book, the pacing of the play is one of its main strengths – it moved quickly and didn’t linger too long on any one scene or idea. The dialogue, too, is fast, witty and Sorkin-esque, though some deliveries, especially of comedic lines, fell flat to the audience. Alec Leamas, played by Ralf Little, was by far the most fleshed-out character, though he remained somewhat inscrutable for much of the play’s runtime. Whether or not he actually loved the character of Liz Gold, for example, was not made entirely clear until near the end of the play. The action 

The costumes and set design were underwhelming. Although explicitly set in 1961, the costumes were of a generic mid-20th-century ilk, and more era and location specificity would have helped immensely to show setting, especially as Leamas travels from Britain back to East Germany. The set remained simple, with mainly generic tables and chairs moving in and out, and the audience relying on context to piece together where which scene took place. Again, more specificity even in the furniture styles would have helped to separate the simplicity and poverty of Liz Gold’s bedsit from the assumed sophistication of Smiley’s Chelsea house, Fiedler’s home to the East Berlin prison cell and courtroom at the end of the play. By far the most effective element of the production design is the looming, ever-present Berlin Wall along the back of the stage. This simple set is neutral enough to double as library shelves and prison cell walls, though was somewhat jarring in scenes set in the more genteel locations. The wall’s constancy stands to remind the audience of the looming conflict forever backgrounding the characters’ decisions, and serving as arguably the most important set in the play’s final scene.

Overall, the play is extremely ambitious, and while not all of it worked all of the time, there is definite potential for this riveting spy story. 
The Spy Who Came In From The Cold, at the Festival Theatre until April 25th.

REVIEW: Matthew Bourne’s The Red Shoes

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Rating: 5 out of 5.

A exquisite production exploring the challenges of artistry and celebrating the joy of dance

Something very special happens when an artist decides to explore a story about their own craft. It often means that the story is told with heart, passion, and nuance, and that’s one of the things that makes Matthew Bourne’s telling of The Red Shoes so mesmerising – one of the many things. This is a show about what it takes to be an artist, and what it takes from those who must create.

Matthew Bourne is known as a visionary in modern ballet, so it’s no surprise that this production features some truly spectacular choreography. It will also come as no surprise that the dancing itself is superb, as Bourne’s company New Adventures seems to have some of the finest young dancers an audience is likely to see. Cordelia Braithwaite, whose dancing is beautifully delicate and yet powerful, plays the rising star, torn between the love of a struggling composer and success as a ballerina. While the entire company is exquisite, a special mention is due (as is becoming increasingly the case in New Adventures productions) to Jackson Fisch, who moves with such grace, precision, and character specificity as to be simultaneously chameleon and unmistakable. 

Bernard Herrmann’s music, orchestrated by Terry Davies, is rich, textured, and powerful storytelling all on its own. Were the visuals not so spectacular, one might even be tempted to close their eyes and focus on the swells and detailed arrangements (listen out for the harp – under-utilised in most orchestras and put to incredible effect here). 

The production is simple, realistic and stylish, as are the costumes. A spinning curtained proscenium arch is used to separate the dancer’s experience onstage from the chaos that occurs behind it. The story is told clearly, with immense feeling and a focus on the pure joy of ballet.

While this is a story that explores the highs and lows of creativity, the result is a show that wholly celebrates the art of dance. As the artists perform the challenging choreography with soul and passion, the challenge for the audience is not to grin with glee.

The Red Shoes is at Festival Theatre until 18th April 2026.

REVIEW: Dara Dubh

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Rating: 5 out of 5.

A phenomenally talented and creative new voice in music

Some musicians astonish us with their technical ability, some with their creativity, and yet others with their unique touch and playing style. Then there are musicians like Dara Dubh, who do all three simultaneously and repeatedly. 

Dara opened her set with an original instrumental piece played on her traditional harp. This first piece laid the groundwork for what would be an incredible hour of music. From a technical perspective, her harp playing is superb. Dara makes techniques such as lever changes, full key changes, jazz tunings and harmonics look easy. She has a strong dynamic range, with a light, airy touch one minute and a powerful, punchy sound the next, while always maintaining precision and richness.

Dara was joined by her three-piece band for her second piece. Like Dara, the band was young and energetic, composed of a drummer, bassist, and keyboardist. While there was potential for the added instruments to muddy the sound, the arrangements only served to enhance and flesh out the harp. While Dara’s playing on her own had many elements of Irish traditional music, her band helped bring out the jazz, rhythm and blues, rock and even hip-hop in her style. Her music is a unique blend of many genres, and while it sounds fresh and distinct, it is also clearly steeped in and formed by many diverse influences.

While her harp playing is undoubtedly her superpower, Dara’s singing and songwriting deserve special credit of their own. Her voice is clear, strong and dynamic, able to sing in a range of styles and convey a breadth feeling. Her songs, some of which are co-written with her keyboardist Eve Simpson, are quirky, beautiful, and effortlessly fun.

Dara’s stage presence is easy-going and casual, feeling neither rehearsed nor messily off-the-cuff. She played off surprises from her band and the audience with humour and humility that would have made a much bigger show feel just as intimate. She was clearly having as much fun playing the show as the audience had listening, and that energy was fed back and forth between us throughout. The audience seemed genuinely taken with her, even asking for an encore despite the tight schedule that Soundhouse Winter Festival was running on. Dubh invited the audience to come chat after the show, and spoke about how excited she was about her upcoming album.

Few musicians show such promise and individuality this early on in their careers. Dara Dubh and her band were a pleasure to watch, listen to, and experience, and will be an incredibly exciting act to watch in the coming years.

REVIEW: Bee Asha

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Rating: 3.5 out of 5.

A charismatic powerhouse backed by a skilful band

Scottish-Punjabi musician and spoken word artist Bee Asha took the stage at the Traverse Theatre on Friday night for an hour of fun music and powerful words.

Asha’s band, consisting of two electric guitars, keyboard, drums and bass, three of whom also provided backing vocals, was the glue that kept the work together. They had a crisp, groovy sound, overlapping the styles of R&B and lo-fi to provide a relaxed, easy background to Asha’s words. 

The words themselves take on many different styles, from powerful metaphors to clever (and often silly) puns, to bold straightforwardness that can almost come across as unrehearsed. However, one thing remains constant throughout: Asha’s honesty. She explores every subject, from mental health and grief to sexuality and friendship, with a directness and candour that invites the audience into her experiences.

While some of her pieces are sung through, many have at least one element or verse of spoken word poetry. Asha often utilises something close to a standard hip-hop song structure, where the verses are spoken and the choruses sung. This, at times, had the effect of sonically disconnecting the verses from the choruses, making some songs flow less well than others. This worked best when the words and music were more closely matched: in pieces such as “Bill Withers” and “Bluebells,” the more freeform approach to the poetry was matched by more free, experimental instrumentation, while in “Shy Guy,” her poetry morphed into rap and kept up the energy of the song throughout. 

One of the most striking things about Bee Asha is her talent for performance. Her stage presence is casual, fun, and exudes confidence. Despite the venue, the energy she brought made it feel as if she were playing some songs to her friends. There was a playfulness in the set, most exemplified in her performance of her song “Cake,” in which she and the band donned frilly aprons and party hats, and a member of the audience cut slices of cake for the rest of the crowd. 

Bee Asha brought confidence and energy that filled the venue. Her creativity, outspokenness, honesty, and powerful writing held the audience’s attention, while her band provided a laid-back, rich sound. While the more experimental aspects of her work may not be everyone’s cup of tea, Asha has a versatility that will allow almost any listener to find something they like. 

REVIEW: Rianne Downey 

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Rating: 5 out of 5.

Youthful and timeless, a charming musician to keep an eye on

Scottish singer-songwriter Rianne Downey played a short set to a packed-to-the-gunnels Assai Records on Friday, October 17th – the date of the release of her debut album, The Consequence of Love. Downey herself sang and played some guitar, and was joined by a very strong accompanist on guitar, banjo, and backing vocals.

Downey came onstage with the grace and confidence of an established country star. Between songs, her stage banter was natural and effortless, never straying from the point or feeling abrupt or stilted. Her persona is sincere, charming and humorous, helped by a strong, crisp Scottish accent. 

Her songs are steeped in American folk and country tradition: there is a simplicity and familiarity to them, without being boring, straying into the territory of same-ness, or sounding distinctly like anyone else. Downey tackles all the subjects a good country songwriter should: love, loss, heartbreak, growth, learning and moving on. She isn’t attempting to do anything new or groundbreaking, and nor does she have to; what her songs discuss are the fundamentals of living and learning, and they’re explored from an angle unique to her while still being accessible and applicable to just about anybody. Although the show was sold-out, several passersby stopped outside the open door to listen, showing again the draw of her music to the general public.

The title track of her album is heartfelt and sincere, combining a musical timelessness with youthful expression. The final song of her set was “Good In Goodbye” – the opening track of the album and released last month – is a solid country-folk anthem for young and old alike, and clearly already popular with the audience. 

Rianne Downey’s true not-so-secret superpower is her voice. Powerful, strong, and clear with a reliable vibrato, Downey makes singing sound as easy as laughing. Her singing style is strongly country-inspired, and she is able to turn the dial up on that style when it suits her. She lets her native accent slip through naturally in tracks like “The Song Of Old Glencoe,” showing her American-style singing to be a conscious and cultivated choice.

Downey appeared to be genuinely touched by the audience’s affection for her, thanking the crowd profusely for their support and voicing how excited and grateful she is for her opportunities. Her album, now widely available in-store and on streaming, promises to be just the beginning of a long and fruitful career – one that will take her all around the world and back to her beloved Scotland.

REVIEW: Antigone

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Rating: 4 out of 5.

A striking and relevant exploration of power, morality and tyranny.

Like many Greek tragedies, Antigone by Sophocles is a play with many meanings and interpretations. Perhaps the most relevant to our current times is Don Taylor’s translation, which the Edinburgh University Theatre Company uses to great effect to explore the complexities of statehood, leadership, tyranny and morality.

Antigone follows a simple narrative with complex consequences: two sons of Oedipus, Eteocles and Polynices, have died on opposite sides of a battle. Eteocles, who fought for the protection of their home city of Thebes, is given a burial with full honours and rites, while Polynices, who fought with a foreign army, is left to decay on the battlefield by order of their uncle, King Creon. Antigone, their strong-willed and devoted sister, resolves to give Polynices a proper burial, risking Creon’s decreed penalty of death. The play explores the conflict between the individual and the state; Antigone, Creon, the senators and other members of the family debate amongst themselves the nature and purpose of a government, the morality of laws and strength of mortals over the will of the gods.

While the play is still named for its heroine, the true main character of this translation is Creon, the King of Thebes, and it is through him the play explores its complex themes. Thus, while the core moral questions of the play are set in motion by the character of Antigone, carried with strength and constancy by Bibi Berliner Benson, the weight of theme lies on the actor playing Creon. Fortunately for this production, the character of the king is captured with subtlety and menace by Rufus Goodman. Goodman’s Creon is incredibly well-considered: smug yet volatile, weak in his rigidity, tyrannical and yet often charming; a true politician of both ancient and modern times. He captures the audience’s attention even when silent, and his characterisation is recogniseable to modern audiences without being obviously based on any particular public figure. An honourable mention in acting is also due to Theodore Perrott as the Soldier, who arrives onstage a fully formed and complicated character, intricately delivering some of the most important information while providing a heavy-hearted comic relief and immense pathos.

The production is simple, with a single set and no costume changes. The chorus is present almost throughout the whole runtime, giving the events an added tension as senators debate and change sides. The direction is simple but effective, with the only questionable decision being the singing of the chorus, which somewhat serves to slow down the pacing and muddy some of the most lyrical verse in this translation.

Overall, this is a play worth seeing. It is a poignant, well-thought-out production, and it is clear that those involved have taken into great consideration what this play, and especially this translation, means in the context of our current times.