Creation & Play gives the chance for three leading Scottish puppeteers to be paired with a trio of theatre directors: and given free reign to create whatever form of visual theatre they wished. With the emphasis very much on the ‘play’ aspect, the pieces give an opportunity for their creators to experiment in a low-risk environment, allowing them to flex their creative muscles in a sandbox environment – quite literally in the case of one of the performances.

Pac A Mac by Shona Reppe and the Lyceum’s Mark Thomson is the most avant-garde of the slices of playfulness on offer, with a surreal mood-piece featuring Reppe as a bewildered balloon modeller haunted by a disembodied voice in a cardboard box. Like a lost scene from Eraserhead, Reppe danced amidst the balloon animals, trying in vain to ignore the sense of foreboding and claustrophobia which closes in around her.

A visually interesting piece with Reppe’s performance emphasising the sense of the absurd, the theme is a little too sleight to make it anything other than a diverting performance as fragile as one of the balloon figures she pops beneath her shoes.

Easter Island: It’s A Rapanui by Ailie Cohen and Communicado Artistic Director Gerry Mulgrew is at the other extreme of the spectrum, being a humourous spoof scientific presentation about the mysteries of the giant stone heads on the tiny island. Cohen and fellow Puppet State Theatre Company collaborator Rick Conte have fun mugging their way through proceedings, aided and abetted by some effective shadow and small-figure puppetry.

It’s a likeable and light-hearted sketch: though whether it develops into something larger and more long-lasting remains to be seen.

A showing of Anna Ginsburg’s stop-motion animation video to Bombay Bicycle Club’s How Can You Swallow So Much Sleep? follows: a delightful and appropriately dream-like film with echoes of Le Petit Prince, well suited to the band’s indie folk style.

Grit by Tortoise In A Nutshell and Citizen Theatre’s Dominic Hill is the most traditional of the performances this evening, as the puppeteers bring a small, vulnerable male figure to life on a sand-strewn table.

His short journey is a rite of passage from innocent wonder to the misplaced bravado and futility of conflict, and Tortoise’s puppeteers succeed in portraying the tale with pathos and emotion, particularly in the poignant opening and closing scenes which frame the piece.

Creation & Play is an encapsulation of everything the manipulate Festival sets out to achieve: bold experimentation in an environment where freedom of expression can flourish. And whilst the pieces on show tonight are variable, they are united by those common goals, showing what creativity and playfulness can produce when given space to breathe.

Creation & Play – part of manipulate’s Snapshots – played at The Traverse Theatre on Feb 3 2012

England’s Invisible Thread give us a glimpse into a playful and at times disturbing world with Liz Walker’s Plucked…A True Fairy Tale, part of the manipulate Visual Theatre Festival at the Traverse.

Taking inspiration from myth and legend – most notably the maiden, mother, crone archetype – two almost life-size puppets interact in an abstract and expressive style, operated by three onstage puppeteers.

In the first section, male and female energies attract and intertwine, resulting in a trio of surreal births which emphasise themes of love and loss. With their spindly limbs and billowing white skirts, the puppets evoke a sense of otherworldiness and mystery: part childlike, part alien as they interact with the sparse set of wooden ladders and planks – and with each other.

Humour is present, mostly due to the surreal nature of the pair’s coupling and the subsequent offspring: from toy trains to television sets, each of which literally fly the parental nest. This gives rise to the thematic thread of the second half, where the lone female character is transformed into a terrible crow-like figure after undergoing a journey of self, seeing her reign from a mechanical tower from which she dispenses swift and terrifying vengeance on those who come to court.

Live ink painting projection and a music-box style soundtrack add to the dreamlike mood of the piece; and the sensory experience of Plucked as a whole overcomes the shortcomings in its often obtuse narrative.

Unique and challenging at times, Plucked is also perhaps a little over long – not helped by a necessary interval where the audience are asked to leave the auditorium to allow a scene change between acts.

As the images seep in and settle though, the haunting world of Plucked…A True Fairy Tale lingers in the mind like the echoes of a barely-remembered dream.

Plucked was performed as part of the manipulate Visual Theatre Festival at the Traverse Theatre on Jan 31.

Inspired by two real-life Victorian spiritualist performers, The Infamous Brothers Davenport opens a box filled with magic and memory in this world premiere at the Lyceum, co-produced with Glasgow’s Vox Motus.

Written by Candice Edmunds, Jamie Harrison and Peter Arnott, and directed by Harrison and Edmunds, The Infamous Brothers Davenport is a showy and technically-complex production, but one which hides layers of emotion in its plot’s many hidden compartments.

Before the lights dim, Lady Noyes-Woodhull (Anita Vetesse) greets the ‘invited guests’ at tonight’s demonstration, inviting some onstage to examine the spiritualist apparatus for signs of trickery or subterfuge before the main event.

Ira and Willie Davenport (Scott Fletcher and Ryan Fletcher) are two young American brothers who, with the assistance of manager Mr Fay (Gavin Mitchell), turn the experiences of their past into a stage phenomenon: claiming to present the grief-stricken and the curious with evidence of life beyond the grave.

The piece opens with a humourous flourish, with Mitchell relishing the role of showman as he introduces the mysterious brothers. Stagecraft and magic techniques are used – with the help of a few willing audience members – to provide the ‘evidence’, sought no more strongly than by Lady Noyes-Woodhull herself, whose husband has been missing in Africa for years.

Soon, the magic disperses and the brothers’ ‘spirit box’ transforms into a stage within a stage, where Ira and Willie’s background is played out. Vetesse and Mitchell take on the roles of Mama and Papa, and we learn that the brothers’ most precious secrets are not the ones they use to create the effects in their act.

The Infamous Brothers Davenport is visibly the sum of its parts, and at times not all of them connect. The stage show reenactment is technically well-done and played in pastiche style, though this at times this jars with the human tragedy played out behind the box’s doors. In the second half, things come together with a little more cohesion, as the piece’s themes of truth and deception reach a satisfying climax.

Performances are excellent throughout, particularly from Scott Fletcher, who plays Willie with an innocent and otherworldly demeanour. Mitchell has the most fun, alternating between the exuberant showmanship of Mr Fay and the Bill The Butcher-style domineering of Papa Davenport.

Mention must also go to Harrison’s design and David Graham’s technical management: this is a production which relies heavily on more-than-usual amounts of stage magic to suspend the audience’s disbelief, and does so with flair.

Touring after this premiere, The Infamous Brothers Davenport is an ambitious production which mostly hits the magical mark it sets itself. And with its tale of hidden doors and hidden secrets, it shows that voices from beyond the grave echo into our lives whether you believe in spiritualism or not.

The Infamous Brothers Davenport runs at the Lyceum until 11 Feb. More details are on the Lyceum website.

Hamletmachine

The first of Edinburgh’s arts & culture festivals of 2012, manipulate will see The Traverse Theatre filled with the best in cutting-edge puppetry, animation and visual theatre for 6 days from 30 January.

Presented by Puppet Animation Scotland, manipulate enters its fifth year in 2012, with performers from France, Austria, Russia, Germany and more taking part in the celebration of visual innovation and avant-garde theatre.

The festival opens with Compagnie Sans Soucis’ performance of Heiner Muller’s Hamletmachine, combining video and puppetry to condense Shakespeare’s tale into a nine-page script exploring political and social themes.

Sound, mime, improvisation and film are mashed up in Polaris, from Czech Republic’s Wariot Ideal, which tells the tale of two stranded Antarctic explorers. Snapshots present Creation & Play, which pairs Scottish puppeteers with theatre directors, resulting in three 10-minute pieces of visual theatre.

Akhe Engineering Theatre from St Petersburg live up to their name by using lasers, handmade contraptions and shadow theatre to conjure up a series of comic images in Gobo. Digital Glossary.

And the festival is brought to a close with the satirical puppetry of Pangolin’s Teatime, who present a topical and up-to-the-minute sketch show The Return of the Great Puppet Horn.

As well as the performances, two other threads run through manipulate in the form of an animated film programme curated by Susie Wilson; and a puppetry and movement masterclass from Germany’s Figurentheater Tübingen, which runs for the duration of the festival.

Proving that innovation in theatre is alive and well – and that puppets aren’t just for children – manipulate promises to be a visual treat at the Traverse.

Edinburgh Spotlight loves living in ‘Festival City’ and already has all these dates in its calendar – here’s the rundown of 2012′s festivals.

Mary King’s Ghost Fest TBC for 2012

Paranormal investigations, celebrity ghost hunts and other spooky goings on at The Real Mary King’s Close.

Ceilidh Culture 16 March – 25 April

Edinburgh’s traditional arts festival, featuring music, dance, storytelling and more.

International Science Festival 31 March- 13 April 2012
The International Science Festival features a host of fun and educational events, lectures and attractions celebrating all things scientific.

Beltane Fire Festival 30 April 2012
Beltane is an ancient Celtic festival and Edinburgh plays host to some colourful and exciting celebrations to mark the date.

Imaginate Festival 7 – 14 May 2012
The Imaginate Festival is Edinburgh’s children’s festival and has loads of plays, activities and fun things to do for youngsters of all ages.

Leith Festival 8 -17 June 2012
Come and celebrate all things Leith at this festival, featuring music, dance, art and other exciting events.

Edinburgh International Film Festival 20 June – 1 July
The Edinburgh Film Festival is an internationally-renowned event on the movie festival circuit and attracts premieres and stars from all over the world.

Edinburgh International Magic Festival 29 June – 6 July 2012

2012 will see Edinburgh host the third International Magic Festival with a range of performers show-casing their magical talents.

Edinburgh Art Festival August 2 – September 2
Edinburgh Art Festival celebrates the visual arts in all its diversity, from world-class exhibitions to strikingly original installations.

Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival 28 July – 6 August 2012
Get your gladrags on and party to the sounds of the Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival, a popular event which attracts international talent.

Edinburgh Fringe Festival 3 - 27 August 2012
Getting bigger, better and – some may say – weirder every year, the Edinburgh Fringe Festival is the highlight of many a festival-goer’s calendar.

Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo 3 – 25 August 2012
Selling out months in advance, the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo is a spectacular event taking place on the Castle Esplanade.

The Edge Music Festival TBC 2012
Adding alternative music to the August festival mix, The Edge Music Festival attracts A-list bands as part of its programme.

Festival of Spirituality and Peace TBC 2012

The Festival of Spirituality and Peace features music, dance, talks and other events highlighting humanitarian issues and causes.

Edinburgh International Festival 10 August – 2 September 2012
The one that started it all, the Edinburgh International Festival is a feast of world-class music, dance and theatrical performances.

Edinburgh International Book Festival 11 - 27 August 2012
This literary event attracts major names in the writing, publishing and political fields to the serene Charlotte Square Gardens setting.

Edinburgh Mela Festival 31 August  - 2nd September 2012

Celebrating the cultural diversity of the city, the Mela Festival brings colour and exotic flair to Edinburgh in August.

Scottish Story Telling Festival 19-28 October
Celebrating the great Scottish oral tradition, the Story Telling Festival showcases the talents of national bards, poets and tale-spinners.

Edinburgh’s Christmas TBC – late November – End Dec 2011
Edinburgh sparkles at Christmas and features events, attractions and shows for all the family to enjoy during the festival season.

Edinburgh’s Hogmanay 30 December 2012 – 2 January 2013
End the year with the biggest street party in the world!

Stuart Paterson’s Christmas shows at the Lyceum make only the briefest of nods to pantomime, instead choosing to focus on capturing all the magic of fairytale on stage. Neil Murray’s direction of Beauty & The Beast is no exception, providing a captivating two hours of charming festive entertainment with its timeless tale of love’s ability to conquer all.

Beauty (Ruth Milne) lives a Cinderella-like existence with her impoverished father (Lewis Howden) and her wicked sisters Hazel and Hannah (Karen Traynor and Nicola Roy) with only her new friend Martin (Andrew Rothney) to confide in. When her father ends up at the mercy of the terrifying Beast, selfless Beauty takes his place as the monster’s prisoner. Meanwhile, evil witch Crackjaw (Angela Clerkin) watches as her evil plans fall into place…

Milne puts in an appealing performance as Beauty, quickly becoming everyone in the audience’s favourite big sister. Rothney is similarly likeable as the brave Martin; and the relationship between the two leads is strong enough to carry the tale. Howden brings world-weary gravitas to his role, and the scenes between father and his favourite daughter are touching rather than saccharine.

As is often the case, the baddies have all the best roles…Clerkin plays child-hating Crackjaw with relish, appearing to have stepped straight off the set of a Tim Burton movie with her wild hair and billowing black dress. Traynor and Roy probably have the most fun however, and their chavtastic performances as the vain and scheming sisters provide Beauty & The Beast‘s best comedy moments.

Mark McDonnell as kind-hearted goblin Dunt is also there for comic relief, though he seems to have been studying Andy Gray’s camp panto performance style a little too closely at times. And Billy the Dog will appeal to younger audience members, providing plenty of faithful companion and ‘aww’ moments. Murray’s illustrative set design gives the production a suitably storybook feel, and costumes range from the flamboyant fun of the sisters’ ‘big city’ outfits to the potentially child-scaring towering black bull-headed beast.

There are other places you can go in Edinburgh to watch men dressed as women, hear jokes about the trams and catch innuendos flying over the heads of children in the audience. With Beauty & The Beast however, you can go and be treated to a big-hearted and spellbinding piece of charming theatre which will appeal to the child within, no matter how old you are.

Beauty & The Beast runs until 31 December. Dates / times vary – details are on the Lyceum website.

In Jo Clifford’s poignant yet playful imagining, Adam Smith (Neil McKinven) and David Hume (Gerry Mulgrew) are blessed with an enlightening opportunity to see how their philosophies have borne fruit, as they wake up resurrected in the 21st century.

Guided by modern-day Eve (Joanna Tope), their eyes are opened to the result of free thought and free markets: and how not everything in this utopian Garden of Eden is as rosy as they first think.

Clifford’s script is lyrical and wordy, managing to put convincing words in the mouths of these fathers of the Enlightenment: even when Smith uses his second chance at life as an excuse to indulge in his previously-suppressed hedonistic excesses.

Hume remains more philosophical, his eyes slowly opening to the reality of progress. Throughout, they are aware of their situation: and of the ‘sleek’ and ‘clean’ audience watching their metaphysical adventures in the afterlife.

Ben Harrison’s direction keeps things tight on a minimal set by Ali Maclaurin, allowing Clifford’s wordplay and premise to take centre stage. Devotees of Smith and Hume will find much to enjoy in her script; those less familiar with their work will still be led forward by Eve’s guiding hand.

The trio on stage give enjoyable and convincing performances, McKinven’s joy at being able to let off a lifetime of steam being particularly amusing to watch. Tope copes well with revealing truths to her companions and the audience alike, her expository role never feeling forced.

An unashamedly intellectual alternative to the more traditional seasonal fare currently on offer on Edinburgh’s stages, the play’s premise – that knowledge burns as brightly as any star – is just as uplifting.

The Tree of Knowledge runs until 24 December. More details are on the Traverse website.

In Simon Jackson’s enjoyably fast-paced “noir thriller” directed by Andy Corelli, tabloid photographer Ian Thompson finds himself the focus of undesired attention after witnessing an Egyptian diplomat being thrown from a fifth-floor window. As he recounts the series of events to a pair of police interrogators, we learn that whilst the camera never lies, the photographer may be being more creative with the truth.

The first performance in the new space at Ocean Terminal, Turning to the Camera is a technically ambitious production, featuring video projection sequences helping to put the action in context. On the whole, this works well – and is cleverly-deployed in places, such as when two characters stoop down, Gulliver-like, to peer into the windows of a projected bungalow. The sequences where the streets of Edinburgh are used to indicate the characters are car-bound are perhaps less effective, bringing to mind the effects of early Hollywood movies: but in general the filmed sequences add to the piece rather than detract from it.

Ian Sexon is superb as the paparazzo, exuding just the right amount of sleaze and questionable morals without verging on caricature. Sexon brings a manic physicality to the role – which is perhaps just as well, as his character spends around half the play’s 65 minute length clad only in his boxer shorts.

The other three actors play multiple roles, as characters in Thompson’s tale enter and exit. Adam Tomkins has a similar commanding presence to Liam Brennan and shows his versatility with roles as diverse as a threatening gunman and an eccentric professor. A slightly-underused Adrienne Zitt has less to do, but she brings an effortless touch of female strength to her walk-on parts, helping to counter Thompson’s male bravado.

Lewis Hart breathes life into the piece’s most intriguing character: a Welsh Muslim extremist. Again steering clear of caricature, Hart injects Bilaal with an intelligence and vulnerability which transforms him into one of the play’s most sympathetic – and morally true – characters.

The ink on Jackson’s script is still wet (there are references to the late Ken Russell; and to the November 30 strikes); it is also tightly-plotted with just the right number of twists and turns to stop it being confusing. Some political points are skirted over a little too briefly, and there is a slightly jarring mini-lecture on the history of defenestration, but on the whole the piece gels together well. And as Jackson also shot the film sequences and composed the noirish jazz-based soundtrack, it is certainly an impressive showcase for his talents.

Turning to the Camera proves to be sharply-focused and well-developed thriller with enough comic asides and interesting characters to stop it being heavy-handed. And as a snapshot of what Siege Perilous are capable of, it comes highly recommended.

Turning to the Camera runs until 3 Dec at Ocean Terminal. More details are available on the play’s Facebook page.

Turning to the Camera

Andrew Corelli Jones, co-director of Leith-based Siege Perilous, has found a novel way around this problem however: the company’s latest production – Turning To The Camera – will be staged in an empty retail unit in the Ocean Terminal shopping centre.

“So many venues lie unused in Edinburgh outside August,” says Corelli Jones. “I’ve always wanted to put a performance on in an empty space; and it’s interesting to find spaces away from the conventional – and nearer to audiences.”

The space at Ocean Terminal has never been used since the centre opened, and the 6,000 square feet venue will seat about 200 people, as well as playing host to writer, film-maker and musician Simon Jackson’s innovative and technically-complex production.

“Turning To The Camera merges stage and screen,” he explains. “It was originally a radio play, but we’ve adapted it for the screen. Simon’s produced film clips which feature throughout the piece; as well as composing the soundtrack.”

The play concerns a tabloid photographer witnesses someone being thrown from a window. Under interrogation from the police, the audience hear his version of events – never sure if what they’re witnessing is the truth or fantasy.

“The story gets bigger and bigger as the play progresses,” says Corelli Jones. “It’s a noirish thriller with a circular narrative. The four actors in the piece play multiple parts: with the actors playing the police officers becoming the other characters in the photographer’s story.”

So can we expect to see Ocean Terminal added to the list of theatrical performance spaces in the city?

“We’ll be back there in January with a site-specific piece” says Corelli Jones. “Beyond that, who knows?”

Turning To The Camera runs from 28 Nov to 3 Dec at 8pm Ocean Terminal. Tickets are priced at £9 (£7 concession) and can be booked on We Got Tickets; or by phoning 0131 554 3005. Two matinee performances will be staged on 1 and 3 Dec at 4pm (£5)

This isn’t a whodunnit? – more of a why do we do it?

In Paddy Cunneen’s original and gripping Watching The Detective, we are all present at a crime scene presided over by the Detective (a faultless Stuart Bowman). By the end of this hypnotic piece of deconstructed theatre, we’re less silent witnesses than active voyeurs; and our preconceptions of why we enjoy a good crime story have been crept up upon and assaulted.

Bowman prowls round the minimal stage, part Rebus, part CSI Edinburgh. Between cordoning off the Traverse 2 in crime scene tape, he pauses his internal monologue and phone calls to turn his investigative lights upon the audience.

“Who do you think I am?” he asks. It’s a good question.

Is he an actor playing a part; the personification of our fascination with ‘abjection’; or something else entirely? It’s a fascinating premise, well handled by Cunneen who also directs. And although those expecting a cut-and-dried case may be disappointed, Watching The Detective‘s line of questioning stays with you long afterwards.

The last in this year’s season of Plays, Pies and Pints at The Traverse, don’t be misled by Watching The Detective‘s premise – there’s plenty to see here.

Watching The Detective runs at The Traverse until 12 Nov. More details on the Traverse website.

1-5 November 19:30 (21:15), 2 & 5 Nov. matinees 13:30 (15:15) @ King’s Theatre. More details on the King’s website

Review by Danielle Farrow

Simon Callow has a strong association with Charles Dickens having long played the author, who – himself – gave public readings, bringing his characters to performed life. In Dr Marigold and Mr Chops, Callow presents two different stories directly, through one-man plays in which a manager talks about his employee and friend Mr Chops and one Doctor Marigold speaks about his own life.

Mr Chops is a telling tale, centred upon a performer in a freak show, focusing on dreams, celebrity and exploitation. It is full of rich observation and human feeling, some of which is described directly and some conveyed more subtly through the nuances of Dickens’ writing and Callow’s performance. It is the shorter piece, something of a cameo, with a few sweeping brushstrokes giving background to sharper detail.

Dr Marigold is a travelling salesman, who has a performance aspect to his work which is beautifully physicalised by Callow, and one who has known harsh times as well as better ones. Marigold the man grows along with his tale, creating a rewarding journey for an audience living through his travels with all their pain, fear, shaming mistakes and generous triumphs, and appreciating human relationships and spirit along the way.

Christopher Woods’ set serves both pieces well, creating a somewhat dusky setting. Dark red velvet curtains drape along the back and the material covers a free-standing wall and the floor of an angled raised dais, which is an abandoned stage for Mr Chops and then Dr Marigold’s footboard, where he sells from his cart. A few slatted wood tabs create a couple of ‘walls’, with pictures, frames, posters and general neglected niknaks strewn about. Nick Richings’ lighting uses various states, especially subdued, to fine empathic effect and sound (by Dominic Bilkey) can be suitably harsh for a circus barrel organ while yet supporting and punctuating Callow’s performance.

Simon Callow himself is obviously not just an experienced actor. That experience is clear and welcome in his command of material and delivery, but there is still more to his performance – so much so, that occasional stumbles and the odd plummy vowel inconsistent with his characters’ accents does not detract. The descriptive detail of Dickens is mirrored in the detail of voice, body and manner with which Callow creates his characters, those of his speakers and the others met along the way. Also, the care for humanity that characterises Dickens’ writing is integral to Callow’s performance, bringing rich feeling, warming humour and a sense of understanding and empathy which envelops the audience as well.

Callow is a true performer, able to fill the theatre with his presence and hold complete attention with his delivery, and he moves his audience, attaining a level of truth that makes strong connection possible. The combination of Dickens and Callow is indeed a brilliant one, layered and poignant, drawing tears and laughter, and full of life.

God Bless Liz Lochhead is an actor’s play. Set against the challenge of cultural cuts and with a ‘can’t beat ‘em‘ approach to the competition from TV, three middle-aged actors reunite after 25 years to stage a three-handed version of Lochhead’s Tartuffe.

Andy Gray, Juliet Cadzow and Kate Donnelly all play exaggerated versions of themselves, to great comedic effect. Bemoaning their ‘eclectic’ CVs and strings of bit-parts in Taggart, they squabble and bicker as they rehearse Danny’s (Gray) unique version of Locchead’s work, all the while being filmed by a reality television crew.

Martin McCardie’s script is full of satirical slings and arrows targeting the Scottish theatre scene; with an obvious but affectionate nod to the power and influence of the Makar herself. Co-directed by McCardie and Gray, God Bless Liz Lochhead will appeal to anyone with a passion for Scottish theatre: although some of the references are less likely to hit home with a more casual audience.

That said, the combination of farcical scenes and comedic monologues tears along at a great pace, with Gray’s desperate thespian preening and Donnelly’s ineffective anger management techniques providing most of the laughs. Redheaded Cadzow is also enjoyable, particularly with her comic swipes at Scotland’s other ‘flame-haired’ actress, Siobhan Redmond.

With its self-mocking tone and light-hearted chips on its shoulder, God Bless Liz Lochhead is uniquely Scottish, in tone and in subject matter. Witty and mischievous and with three perfectly-pitched comic performances, only its slight lack of accessibility to an audience not overly familiar with the homegrown theatre scene stops it being a classic.

God Bless Liz Lochhead runs until 5 Nov at the Traverse Theatre. Ticket information is on their website.

In Leo Butler’s Juicy Fruits, old friends Nina and Lorna are catching up over coffee and cake after not having seen each other for six years. Lorna (Clare Waugh) has a 8-month old baby; Nina (Denise Hoey) is back from animal aid work in Borneo.

But as the two women share pleasantries over pastries, it soon comes to light that Nina has been forever changed by an experience in the jungle, and views Lorna’s comfortable life with a manic jealousy which threatens to make their newly-rekindled friendship burst into flames.

Butler shows a good ear for dialogue in Juicy Fruits, with Nina’s sharp retorts and blunt statements of fact giving an edgy Hoey a great deal to work with, and she steps into her character’s unpredictable role with a gripping performance. Lorna’s character is more of a foil to Nina’s, but Waugh does well nonetheless, shedding her yummy mummy demeanour as the piece progresses.

Once things play out in the cafe, the action moves back to Borneo; where Nina has returned to pick up her work with her boyfriend (Ben Winger). Here, things lose their way: what started off as a sharply-observed character piece turns into a dark thriller; and sadly the juxtaposition jars, with not enough sympathy having been generated for the audience to care too much about Nina’s plight.

Despite its faults however, Juicy Fruits contains enough zest in its acerbic script; and a peach of a performance from Hoey, that it still provides a lunchtime treat: but isn’t quite as ripe as it could have been.

Juicy Fruits runs at the Traverse until 29 October.

David Watson’s You Cannot Go Forward From Where You Are Right Now is as much an experiment of form as it is an examination of the impact of technology on our lives.

Three actors (Rebecca Elise, Jack Reid and Rachel Ogilvy) take on a multitude of parts, almost running at times to keep up with the jump-cuts in Watson’s script. From a pair of daytime radio DJs to a father trying to understand his daughter; police rushing to the scene of a road accident to an old man propping up a bar with his dog at his feet: the cast have their work cut out, but cope admirably with the piece’s demands.

Initially, things are a little confusing as the action cuts from scene to scene. Once it hits its stride however, we see the different strands are all leading towards the same point, and are linked together by a web of technology. Sound and lighting are therefore appropriately used to add static cuts between scenes, with the cast providing their own radio play style sound affects and narration throughout, creating a strange and slightly disjointed mood. Rather than detract from things however, this serves to reinforce the themes of the piece: of how our lives are constantly dominated by snippets of briefly-caught information which we try to make sense of.

You Cannot Go Forward From Where You Are Right Now disappoints slightly with an ending which veers into science fiction territory – keeping its focus on the human condition throughout would have had a greater impact. However, as a clever and imaginative piece of of short theatre with an interesting premise, it is well worth setting the satnav for the Traverse Theatre and catching before it ends its run on 22nd October.

Katie Douglas gets the new A Play, A Pie & A Pint season at the Traverse off to a meaty start with her tight and emotionally-charged short play Dig, a character-driven piece directed by George Perrin which unearths how pride can be the most crippling sin of all.

In this co-production by Glasgow’s Òran Mór and new writing company Paines Plough, the lens is zoomed in on the strained relationship between unemployed Tommy (Stewart Porter) and his wife Brenda (Louise Ludgate). Sitting on his throne-like armchair, Tommy wrestles with his desire to protect his home and family, whilst never quite managing to find a job which meets his standards. When his estranged brother Dean (Simon Macallum) arrives bearing a peace offering, Tommy’s defiant moral stance is put under strain, and threatens to finally break.

Dig has a realistic and sympathetic tone, with Douglas refusing to take sides in the conflicts which develop. Porter’s portrayal of the embittered Tommy is convincing; as is Ludgate’s turn as his beleaguered wife: each evoke pity and compassion in equal measure, with Porter’s sympathetic portrayal of Tommy’s journey handled particularly well.

As it builds to its powerful conclusion, Dig deftly uncovers the emotions which lie hidden beneath the surface of our everyday lives; and the hope which can often be found growing there.

Dig runs at The Traverse until 15 October

Scotland is a country as much in a struggle with itself as it is with its southerly neighbour in Tony Cownie’s bold and brash staging of Liz Lochhead’s Mary Queen of Scots Got Her Head Chopped Off at the Lyceum.

A co-production with Dundee Rep Ensemble, the piece loses none of the Scots wit and guile of the 14 year-old original, proving its irreverent yet insightful history lesson and dissection of schisms is as relevant today as it was in the late 1980s.

The cast relish the chance to strut into Lochhead’s dramatis personae. A spiky-haired Ann Louise Ross caws and preens punkily as Corbie; and Shauna Macdonald and Emily Winter as Mary and Elizabeth show women not only on different sides of the border, but with different approaches to female strength and desire.

Macdonald’s Mary is a seductive creation, her hybrid French-Scots accent giving the character a unique trait to match her striking look. Winter’s Elizabeth shows a more cunning nature, as she schemes against her cousin whilst attempting to retain a regal demeanour. Both actors are well cast in these strong roles, though it is Macdonald’s convincing portrayal of pride, compassion and conviction which shines the brightest.

Neil Murray has designed an interesting world for Mary’s characters to inhabit: a strange burlesque of glitzy modernism and urban grit, where giant crucifixes lie next to skips and statues of John Knox are topped off with traffic cone headgear. With its contradictions and lack of airs and graces, it’s a set as Scottish as the play itself.

Cownie’s production is enjoyably well-paced – though, with its loud music, explosions and burst of violence, is perhaps not for the faint-hearted. However, the Lyceum’s new season opener gets things kicked off with a sharp and punchy production which slices through any hint of historical stuffiness and shows us how little we – and our nation – have changed.

Mary Queen of Scots Got Her Head Chopped Off runs until 15 Oct at The Royal Lyceum Theatre. More details are available on their website.

By Danielle Farrow

A spotlight before the raising of the curtain centres on a solo male singer whose gyrations make you wonder what kind of show Rhinestone Mondays really is, but certainly stimulate the predominantly female audience – and actually it is just a slightly raunchy rendition of a country song to start this light comedy.

The singer then moves into the set, a sparsely-furnished bar whose back wall is chopped off so that the street and stairs behind can be seen. This is the Warbleswick Social Club, it is Monday night and the members of the All Star Line Dancing Club start filing in. The solo singer is divorced Tom, the only real customer barkeep Brian has, who is in nightly to sing karaoke. The teacher of the line dancing, Annie (played by Faye Tozer), is a single mother and rather likes the sound of Tom’s voice, but a promising start soon becomes a strained and not particularly credible romance, its best parts being Brian’s attempts to help Tom in his wooing.

Annie and Tom’s relationship, along with a sidestep of Lyn Paul as the slinky, slightly bitchy Sophie (who also has an interest in woman-shy Tom), provides the ‘love’ part of the show’s tagline “Love, Life… & Line Dancing!” The ‘line dancing’ itself, though sometimes rather energetically flat in execution, is part of the action on stage throughout and does provide some fine participation at the end, fueled by the energy of the audience itself. For, onstage, ‘life’ is only found in the performance of Shaun Williamson as Brian – strong, energetic, amusing and in fine voice – with help from Anthony Topham’s believable and funny Tom. Some characters manage fine singing at times (Paul in particular, along with Tozer) and give quirky performances, but these can seem rather disconnected. Pace initially suffered from slow reactions and nothing can hide the fact that the plot is as thin as the sound of the pre-recorded music.

Aside from Annie and Tom’s difficulties, the focus is on a planned line dancing weekend and preparing for that, with questions about people‘s commitment and ability to learn the moves. There is entertaining humour in this, with Ian ‘H’ Watkins adding some camp fire, Ally Holmes mostly managing to move beyond caricature as a comedic struggling dancer, Phil Pritchard hamming up his character’s Clint Eastwood impressions and Pauline Fleming providing some bodily functions’ humour.

Overall, there is a hollow feel to Rhinestone Mondays and its direction, with a slim plot and slightly irritating sound, the cast’s energy not being in sync and not quite filling the Festival Theatre (Williamson being the outstanding exception). However, there is also entertaining humour and some very familiar country songs that will have people singing and dancing their way home, including Crazy, Stand by Your Man, When You’re Hot You’re Hot, Achy Breaky Heart and, of course, Rhinestone Cowboy. And the audience were very happy to start that singing and dancing for the finale.

Runs until 24th September at Edinburgh Festival Theatre.

An adaptation by Rob Evans of Barry Hines’ novel A Kestrel For A Knave, Gill Robertson’s new production of Kes is a masterful depiction of the power of the human spirit to fly: and of the ability for theatre to captivate and enthrall, whether it is pitched at adults or at children.

Billy (James Anthony Pearson) appears condemned to a life without hope, trapped in a Northern mining town with his seldom-present mother and bullying brother. With no friends and teachers who don’t understand him, he seems lost – until he finds Kes, an abandoned kestrel chick which he sets himself the challenge of taming.

Pearson is joined on stage by the Man (Sean Murray), who accompanies – and consoles – Billy on his journey of self discovery. Murray also portrays all the other characters in the piece: from the sadistic gym teacher taking grim pleasure in forcing his pupils to shower in freezing water; to Billy’s mother, more concerned with where her next cigarette is coming from than the welfare of her own son.

Pearson and Murray put in excellent performances. Whilst Murray’s versatility impresses – as does his touching portrayal of the older, wiser Man – it is Pearson who excels, with a performance which perfectly captures the angst and frustration of adolescence, his wide-eyed and open-mouthed sense of joy when he is alone with Kes being truly uplifting.

The bird itself is absent from the stage: but Danny Krass’ evocative sound design and Jonathan Charles’ striking film projection ensure the spirit of the kestrel is always present. Sound, video and lighting combine to suggest the freedom of the bird and to hint at the hope it represents. And Pearson and Murray also take on Kes’ qualities at points, physically portraying its strength and grace in some beautifully choreographed moments.

Kes is yet another triumph from Catherine Wheels. Proving that theatre for a younger audience needn’t lose any of its strength or impact, their latest production soars with an emotional power which sweeps down and grabs the audience, yet never loses sight of its central themes of hope and salvation.

Kes was at the Brunton Theatre on 17 September. Now on tour, it returns to Edinburgh at The Traverse on 1 and 2 November.

With instructions to ‘disembark’ before the interval and a stage full of nets and rigging, the trio of performances which make up Uncharted Waters are lashed together by a nautical theme. And, with some beautiful choreography and graceful acrobatics, these waters prove to be well worth setting sail upon.

A collaboration between Edinburgh-based aerial theatre and contemporary circus groups Strangebird Zirkus and All or Nothing, the 90-minute piece brings together three performances from both companies: ranging from the light-hearted deckbound antics of Spokes, to the expressive ropework of 1,2,3 here we go… – via the surprising burlesque acrobatics of Youkali. The pieces are linked by live music and sea shanties from Dave Boyd, portraying the drunken sailor who almost seems to be hallucinating the pieces into reality.

Given that the companies have choreographed for the likes of Grid Iron and the National Theatre of Scotland, it’s no surprise to see the three aerial performers impress with their agility and skill. Lucy Deacon and Jennifer Paterson are particularly strong in this regard in Spokes, with cleverly-devised choreography around the Chinese pole and silks used to evoke the highs and lows of a life on the ocean waves. The two twirl and fly like seagulls around a ship’s mast, in an enjoyable and charming piece.

Deacon’s creative partner Moritz Linkmann presents Youkali next, a seductive little tale set to Kurt Weill’s song of the same name. Linkmann uses the pole with a muscular physicality: sometimes caressing it, at others grabbing it as if in punishment. The piece sees Linkmann’s character seek happiness in an unexpected twist which elicits a slightly unsure response from the audience, but results in a poignant and memorable segment.

Once ‘reboarded’ after the interval, the final piece is Jennifer Paterson’s solo rope performance 1,2,3, here we go. Accompanied by Jym Darling’s pulsing electronic soundtrack, she spins, slides and hangs in midair, in an interpretative performance which expresses indecision, fear and joy as her future literally hangs in the balance.

Uncharted Waters has a dreamlike quality to it, the spell of which is only slightly broken by the necessary interval during which the stage is reassembled for the third piece. But the lure of Uncharted Waters proves hard to resist and in the end it proves to be an impressive and skillful journey into enjoyably rewarding territory.

Uncharted Waters was performed at Brunton Theatre, Sep 10th

Rhinestone Mondays

Rhinestone Mondays opens the Edinburgh Festival Theatre’s Autumn season

Rhinestone Mondays, a brand new romantic comedy written by Joe Graham and directed by Phil Wilmott arrives at the  Edinburgh Festival Theatre on Tuesday 20th September until Saturday 24th September 2011.

Grab your Stetson and pop on your cowboy boots, as this new feel-good comedy rides into Edinburgh.

It’s Monday night in Warbleswick as the All Star Line Dancing Club meet for their weekly class. The drama unfolds with a traitor in the ranks and mutiny on the horizon. Lining up the laughs is an all star cast led by Shaun Williamson (EastEnders, Porridge), Faye Tozer (Steps, Tell Me on a Sunday), Ian ‘H’ Watkins (Steps, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang) and Lyn Paul (The New Seekers, Blood Brothers).

Join the maverick members of the Warbleswick ‘Monday Night All Star Line Dancing Club’ as they fight, feud and fall in, and out, of love… This warm and funny tale of love, life…and line dancing will be the feel-good theatre hit of the year!

Featuring country music classics such as ‘Achy Breaky Heart’, ‘Rhinestone Cowboy’, ‘Stand by your Man’ and ‘Crazy’ – audience members will be singing along from the opening song.

Competition

Edinburgh Spotlight has 5 pairs of tickets to give away for the Tuesday 20th September performance only (7.30pm) by answering the following question:
Which two cast members used to be in Steps?

Email your answer to competitions@edinburghspotlight.com by 10am on Monday 12th September. Winners will be picked at random and notified by email by shortly after the closing time.  Facebook and twitter entries will not be accepted.

If you are a winner, you will be given instructions via email where to pick up your tickets. All decisions are final.

Rhinestone Mondays is on nightly at 7.30pm, with matinees at 2.30pm on Thursday 22nd and Saturday 24th September. Tickets are priced between £18.50 & £24.