Review: Memories of the Early 1950’s
It is one of those rare things that makes the Fringe special: a real connection with another person, another artist.
Genre: Music
Review: Janitor/Manager & How to Have an Affair Without Really Trying
Well worth seeing now as they are, especially so you can say you caught them before they took the Fringe by storm.
Review: Charmaine Wombwell: Ma’s Monster
part clown, part Buffon and zany comedy character with loads of humility, charm and warmth.
Review: Potty the Plant – A New Dark Comedy Musical
A light hearted pseudo-horror story with a few jibes at current affairs
Review: Out of the Blue
An hour of entertainment from University of Oxford's male a cappella ensemble
Review: The Brief Life & Mysterious Death of Boris III, King of Bulgaria
King Boris of Bulgaria stands up to Hitler, accompanied by Bulgarian and Jewish folk music.
Review: Bowjangles: Dracula in Space
The stakes are high, as a talented string quartet encounter Dracula, with tremendously entertaining shenanigans aplenty
Review: How to Survive and Thrive in an Impossible World – With a Piano!
Quirky and amusing lesson in getting wild and healed
Review: Wee Seals and Selkies
A beautiful wee family show that manages to combine gentility with the warmth of good stories really well told.
Review: A Wee Journey
An exceptionally moving piece of dance theatre which explored migration, refugeehood and connection through the medium of dance, theatre and music, which I truly understood.
Review: Moving Cloud
The most astonishing piece of dance theatre I have seen for some considerable time.
Review: The Three Seas
East Meets West in a fusion of Indian and North American instruments and rhythms
Review: The Queen’s Cartoonists
Animated films are enhanced by a live band performing the lush and intricate movie scores.
Review: Now That’s What I Call A Lot Of Songs About Science
John Hinton performs hilarious songs of science from a very extensive repertoire
Review: Michele Roszak and Lynda Spinney: Spring’s Arrival
A terrific way to blow the cherry blossom
Review: The Paradis Files
Not so much an event as a concentration of Errollyn Wallen’s genius celebrating the life of blind composer Maria Theresia van Paradis, in Graeae’s world-class production
Review: Beautiful
Outstanding, and outstandingly transferred as a tour that brings its stature with it.
Review: The Marching SKAletons and Dead Beat Poets
An 8-piece day of the dead inspired parade band plus the Dead Beat Poets
Review: Bette: Bathhouse to Broadway!
One of the most musically satisfying, funny, filthy and inclusive tribute acts of its kind.
Review: East
A specially crafted evening of musical and poetic works inspired by mesmerising myths, legends, poems, ballads and dance from England’s Eastern seaboard
Review: Sacrament
A revelation, superbly written and acted. Comparisons have been made with A Girl Is A Half-formed Thing. I can think of no higher praise either. You must see this.
Review: Living Newspaper #7
Like all the Royal Court’s Living Newspaper series, we need this. Watch a group of young dramatists take on the future
Review: Illusions of Liberty
A finely-calibrated solo play of what it’s like to enter that tunnel of near-undiagnosable but very real illness. Corinne Walker’s both authoritative and quicksilver. Do catch it.
Review: New Moon Monologues April
As we saw in March, don’t be lulled by friendly colours and fluffy fonts. Queens of Cups again proves they’re a company to revel with and wait for heart-stopping reveals
Review: Orpheus
A terrific reinvention, bringing gods and heroines up from the death of myth to an altered world.
Review: New Moon Monologues March
Don’t be lulled by the friendly colours and fluffy fonts. Queen of Cups is absolutely a company to watch, and its showcase productions are literally unmissable
Review: Love, Loss and Quarantine
The Pandemic sheds a new light on relationships, as beautifully told in song
Review: Andrew Lloyd-Webber 50th Birthday Live from the Royal Albert Hall, 1998
The great discovery was the multi-roling Marcus Lovett, sexy and lethal, able to attack several roles and convince you he was born for them, even into them.
Review: Lance Mok Piano Recital
Confirms Mok confirms he’s a pianist bristling with oblique lyricism and spiky character – an ideal late 19th century-20th century interpreter.
Review: Simon Watterton Piano Recital
Another pianist to welcome back before he gets snapped up, even in this climate. Superb.
Review: Sam Brown A John Dowland Lute Recital
A climactic Fantasia lifts the atmosphere of this recital to something quite apt. A superb debut.
Review: Sirius Chau and Irena Radic Flute and Piano Recital
A terrific journey. We need more of this.
Review: Yaqi Yao, Violin and Cheung Man Lok Piano Recital
A memorable debut, with welcome original repertoire
Review: František Brikcius Solo Cello Recital
A superb recital with unique material, played with distinctive authority.
Review: Caroline Colingridge and Margaret Grimsdell Flute and Piano Recital
A truly exploratory programme, with not one standard in it.
Review: Alan Parmenter and Howard Blake Violin and Piano Recital
Howard Blake playing his own compositions beyond The Snowman, made this treasurable
Review: Sussex Musicians Concert
Singers set a few benchmarks and piansit Kevin Allen in particular ferociously adventuring to fresh sonorities
Review: Anne Allen and Charles Matthews Flute and Piano Recital
Anne Allen and Charles Matthews are superb, stylish recitalists
Review: Riya and Berniya Hamie Cello and Piano Recital
These sisters comprise two of a rising new generation.
Review: Classical Folk Recital
A gently melancholic concert, with moments to touch any soft-grained heart.
Review: New Music Brighton Concert, Friends Meeting House
Another sovereign afternoon from the most innovative regional new music group in the UK.
Review: Zoffany Ensemble Dvorak Piano Quintet No. 2 in A Op 81
The Zoffanys are sovereign performers, and this stands with the best chamber concerts I’ve heard at this venue.
Review: Antonio Oyarzabal Piano Recital
These intelligent programmes make Antonio Oyarzabal’s recitals an occasion.
Review: BBC Prom 47 Bach Organ Works, Bruckner Symphony 8 in C minor
Bach’s organ works on the Willis are thrilling in Michael Schonheidt’s hands. Andris Nelsons is exemplary, the Leipzigers uninhibited, agonized, overwhelming in Bruckner 8
Review: BBC Prom 46 Howell Elgar Knussen Weinberg
Sheku Kanneh-Mason is thrillingly intimate, matched by Mirga Grazinyte-Tyla’s lucid, energetic readings throughout.
Review: If You’re Feeling Sinister: A Play with Songs
A concept album turned into a compelling performance, with the concept of what would be the biggest art theft in the history of Glasgow; had they pulled it off.
Review: Grant Buse: Touchè Busè
A very talented, award winning, musical comedian turns his blows into shows
Review: Jonny and the Baptists Love Edinburgh
Bonkers comedy and absurdist songs. And not political, of course.
Review: Romeo and Juliet – One Man Musical
A bravura and daring interpretation of this Shakespeare classic
Review: LIPS Ensemble
Consummate and pretty well flawless. Unique and uniquely lively in their field.
