Naïve Dance
Masterclass, C eca. This gleefully absurd, neat little dance spoof raises
plenty of smiles. Baffling, but certainly amusing. 3/5
Nathan
Penlington: Uri And Me, Underbelly. A lightly thought-provoking show, full of
absurd and surprising quirks. Needs straightening. 3/5
The One Man
Show, C venues. Odd collection of musings on acting that entertain but fail to
gel. Beautiful visuals make up for it. 3/5
One Under,
Pleasance Courtyard. A smart young ensemble, brimming with acting talent,
present stories of love and loneliness in the city. 3/5
Opposition, Zoo Southside. A madcap medley of
poetry, delivered with gusto and skill, turns our leaders' political language
on its head. 3/5
Othello, Zoo Roxy.
A competent but pedestrian Shakespearean production. Neither the ingenuity nor
the class to justify the ticket price. 2/5
The Oxford Revue, Underbelly.Ticks off every
student sketch comedy stereotype. Some laughs, but full of cheap gags and lazy
references. 2/5
Oyster Eyes,
Just The Tonic. Inventive. Bananas. Very, very funny. The most original sketch
group at the Fringe is also one of the best. 4/5
Parallel
Memories, C. Two excellent dancers explore something unclear skillfully. Lovely
on the eyes, mushy on the brain. 3/5
Penny Dreadful's
Etherdome, Assembly. Gleaming eyes and manic laughs from performers and
audience alike. Crowd-pleasing, knockout stuff. 4/5
The Perils of
Love and Gravity, Bedlam. Moments of genius flicker, but a flabby script blunts
the obvious talent of this creative team. 2/5
Recursion, C
Soco. A play about memory loss. I can't wait to forget it. 1/5
Remember This,
Bedlam. A couple of touching moments can't quite save a script that's
predictable and a little dull. 2/5.
Release,
Pleasance Dome. A sage look at criminal justice. Blisteringly relevant work,
complete with fiery, heartfelt performances. 4/5
Rich Hall's Hoe
Down, Pleasance Courtyard. Hall and his band make for great late night company.
Top country music, and a bar onstage! 3/5
Roar, C. A thin,
disagreeable narrative clashes with a gleeful, pantomime aesthetic; this
ambitious piece can't quite decide what it is. 2/5
Robin Ince,
Buff’s Club. Intimate free-flowing angry comedy. Proof that ultra-leftist fury
can still be funny in the age of McIntyre. 4/5
Rockertinkler,
Zoo. Good-humoured play covering everything from nudism to philosophy. At times
breadth became isolating, but well acted. 3/5
Scary Gorgeous,
Bedlam. Aptly titled, this white-knuckle show is rarely less than brilliant. A
beautiful rollercoaster of brave choices. 4/5
The Seagull
Effect, Zoo Roxy. Ambitious in scope, if a little literal-minded, this highly
visual piece is filled with little delights. 3/5
The Set List,
Tron. Improv with inherently flawed format. Stand-ups struggle to work list of
phrases into set. Weak compere didn't help. 2/5
Shane &
Eddie, Just The Tonic. Imagine two peppy dads from a village panto being given
their own show. Bad impressions of rich people. 2/5
Shlomo,
Underbelly. Absurdly talented beatboxer gives a jaw dropping performance that
must be seen to be believed. Fun as they come. 4/5
Shutterland,
Zoo. Dynamic physical performances in a chilling tale of one man against the
system. Could have pushed the staging further. 3/5
SNAP.CATCH.SLAM,
Pleasance Courtyard. Too much feeling and not enough telling in these three
disparate monologues. Slick, not stirring. 2/5
Sold, Pleasance
Courtyard. A moving and exceptionally well executed piece of drama carrying an
important message. Top performances. 4/5.
Sophie Alderson,
Voodoo Rooms. A likable performer with some strong ideas, but the gag rate is
far too low. 2/5
Steal Compass..,
Zoo Southside. A brilliantly astute dissection of modern fatherhood; solo
performer Rachel Blackman is a fierce talent. 4/5
Story
Shakespeare: Love's Labours Lost, C too. A warm, finely honed adaptation, with
some terrific left-field gags and enchanting songs. 4/5
Street Dreams,
Underbelly. Refreshingly imaginative and assuredly performed, this lightly
comic debut pulls all the right strings. 4/5
The Table,
Pleasance Dome. Not strictly a play and not entirely puppetry, rather a
delightful medley of visual ideas. Mesmerising. 4/5
Thirsty,
Pleasance Courtyard. Precise and poignant, violent, daring and vulnerable: this
is keen, rocket-fuelled performance. Strap in. 4/5
Thom Tuck,
Pleasance Dome. Bizarrely uneven, but critically funny observations and a risky
throughline delight and engage. Ambitious. 3/5
Tim Key,
Pleasance. Superlative stand-up from a man who loves baths so much he's got one
on stage. Deep breath: prepare to belly laugh. 5/5
Timothy, Bedlam.
Rambling where it should be neat, this Hitchcock-lite needs sharpening before
it really thrills. Domestic. 2/5
Toby, Pleasance Courtyard. Superbly
characterised comedy duo, with wonderful onstage tension. Comedy interspersed
with subtle theatrics. 4/5
The Toll, C
Soco. Well crafted characters and snappy dialogue ensure an enjoyable hour of
new writing. Fun staging too. 3/5
Tomboy Blues, Zoo Southside. Warm and
well-observed exploration of gender by two hyper-charming performers. Original,
if a little wordy. 3/5
Tonight, Sandy
Grierson Will..., Assembly. Astounding, electric - the performance is a protean
feat, and the script will sweep you away. 5/5
Uncle Tom:
Deconstructed, Space 45. A brave interrogation of the legacy of slavery.
Skillfully performed and heart-wrenchingly thorough. 5/5
Vertigo, Bedlam.
A tiny show with a massive heart, performed with the lightest of touches. This
gem is for anyone who has ever grown up. 4/5
Viewless,
Remarkable Arts. An intriguing, unsettling and at times hilarious exploration
of a mundane job that literally changes lives. 3/5
Vikki Stone,
Gilded Balloon. She might have a sweet smile and rosy demeanour, but Stone's
comic songs are wonderfully filthy. 3/5
Waiting For Alice, Pleasance Courtyard. Witty
script, superb acting, beautiful set - a brilliantly original take on Alice in
Wonderland. 4/5
Waterproof,
Pleasance Dome. Overflowing with promise, but a confused narrative and limp
visual tricks disappoint. A damp squib. 2/5
Wil Hodgson, The
Stand. An engaging storyteller who makes cracking company for an hour. Often
funny, always entertaining. 3/5
Within Range, Zoo Southside. A bold dance
concept, and yet overly cerebral choreography and heavy-handed symbolism fail
to enthrall. 2/5
WitTank, Just
The Tonic. Accessible, well-rounded sketch comedy. Friendly, easy to grasp
premises, at times spectacularly pulled-off. 4/5
The World Holds
Everyone Apart..., Underbelly. A dull narrative, no visuals and a confusing
performance leaves you unaffected. Lacking. 2/5
Wrens, Sweet
Grassmarket. Plenty of claustrophobia in the detailed set, and a few good
turns, but this wartime drama quickly wears thin. 2/5
Wright Brothers,
Pleasance Courtyard. Pleasant enough and occasionally charming, but this
aviator bio never really takes flight. 2/5
You Will Be
Rare, Zoo. By turns worrying and endearing, this bonkers sales pitch will
transform your world. Infectious. #cash4ramman 4/5
Your Last
Breath, Pleasance Dome. Searingly complex, literate and invigorating - an
adrenaline shot to the mind and the heart. Terrific. 5/5