Category Review

Reading Time: 2 minutesRosie Holt is everything wrong with British politics, or at least she can make fun of everything wrong, while she plays everyone in British politics, simultaneously, in the same scene. It’s non stop, its clever, its stupid at times, and it has it in for everyone in a light hearted satire of what it’s like to be even vaguely wired into UK politics these days. Rosie Holt mainly plays a labour MP who upon receiving the news of an alien sighting - sets upon her plan to achieve first contact, smash question-time and improve her polling numbers. Events following over the next 24 hours play out on stage, from bumbling question time appearances, protests and even a theatre critic pondering the shows ‘deeper meaning’, with every character played by Rosie Holt.

Reading Time: 2 minutesAndrew Frost is a wonderful card magician, that is clear from very early on. As we enter, we are all invited to shuffle a deck of cards. There is a further deck of cards shuffled before we start the show. These moments of chance from random audience members all come back to amazing effect.

Reading Time: 2 minutesWe are greeted, upon entry, to a large sculpture in the middle of the stage. A beautifully crafted tiny planet, that becomes the focus of this sweet puppeted story. Darcey O'Rourke then begins to play us music as we are transported into the world of Alma, who must deliver a cake for a wedding.

Reading Time: 2 minutesAs the pan pipes play the Titanic theme for the umpteenth time, the audience prays for Phil Ellis to arrive. Unfortunately, when he does, he holds that tune over the audience for the rest of the hour and subjects us to it a good few more times. 

Reading Time: 2 minutesThe premise of On Some Far Shore is an exploration of a grieving Son looking back at his relationship with his Mother. We follow his search for the perfect words to celebrate the life of his Mum while grappling with a faltering relationship.

Reading Time: 2 minutesAccording to the BBC and the National Drought Group, more than seventy percent of England is now officially in drought, with no forecast of sufficient rain in sight. Fresh off of a run in London, where record high temperatures turned the majority of the city’s prized green spaces yellow (and, in some cases, saw them catch fire), Bog Witch smartly tackles the question on most people’s minds: How do we city folk live responsibly in a climate emergency?

Reading Time: 2 minutesThe more I think about this show, the more I find myself utterly confounded. Why am I so fascinated with it? What about this chill, ADHD-scrambled surfer dude Chad (pronounced with a long “ah” / rhymes with “rod”) is so endearing? Why am I so tickled by his dumb mis-pronunciation and simplification of words, let alone his shameless creation of inanely stupid new ones?

Reading Time: 2 minutesMatt Forde is one of the UK’s foremost political satirists, with his podcast recording live throughout the Edinburgh festival. This latest stand-up hour taking in the state of British politics has plenty to get its teeth into: yet another new prime minister; Nigel Farage on the ropes; and Trump continuing to make headlines that seemed unimaginable only a decade ago. With his characteristic intelligence and ability to see the bigger picture, Forde skewers today's political news, asking: what planet are these politicians from?

Reading Time: 2 minutesA knotty, intense exploration of a drunken fumble between friends We Had Fun bills itself as the “anti-romcom”, as two close friends unpick a drunken sexual encounter. Oscar (Jack Mullings) remembers it as a wild night out…