by Daniel Hill
The Edinburgh Fringe Festival is arguably the biggest and greatest arts festival in the world. Seven pupils were joined by two members of the drama department were lucky enough to be putting on the play An Algorithm Named Kevin written by James Robinson. Although this was a brilliant experience, a second important part of the experience was watching as many shows as possible. During the week we were there, I managed to see 17 shows in total. Below is a quick review for each production, put into groups of similar standard in terms of my opinions.
Top Picks
The few performances that I thought were crucial in the mix of theatre that I saw at the Fringe.
Ovid’s Metamorphoses *****
A brilliant reimagining of a series of Greek myths in mid 19th century Britain during WW2. Somewhat similar to a Kneehigh production, the piece included many musical interjections throughout, showing the versitality of cast. The set was worked into the piece really well and the projections used created another layer to this joyful piece. It was a joy to behold the cast creating this exciting piece of theatre
Six *****
Taking an unsung history hero seems to be the current biggest thing in theatre, but what happens when you combine Hamilton with a powerful girl band. Six tells the story of Henry VIII’s six wives as they battle to provide the audience with the best sob story. Many of the songs could be released and succeed as stand alone pop songs and the band playing this music were outstanding. It could definitely be seen by many as ‘trashy’, however I thought the enjoyment and energy created dismissed this interpretation.
Number Please *****
I was lucky enough to catch two shows starring Old Portmuthians at the Fringe, with this one just popping into my top picks. Rob Merriam starred in this new writing piece which was out on by a cast from Edinburgh University. The comedy seemed like a play written by a comedy great such as Noel Coward and created this joyful sense of period comedy within the venue. Strong acting and good direction helped this strong script become as hilarious as it was on stage.
Highlights
Some of the other strong pieces we saw during our time in Edinburgh
Circolombia *****
Out of the two circus performances we saw I thought this was better. It did exactly what was expected, and it was done very well. The mixture of music, acrobatics, dance and aeralists worked really well making this a brilliant opening night to our trip to Edinburugh. I thought that all performers seemed comfortable on stage and every trick was polished very well. The best circus show I have seen and it will be a hard one to beat.
Flight *****
More of an experience than a production this was the only piece that I saw twice during my stay in Edinburugh. Using Shroedinger’s Cat at the centre of the piece, the experience took place inside a shipping container set out like a plane. As it begins the lights are out and you are left in pitch black (literally.) Very clever created through the use of heightening our hearing sense. Exploring Shroedinger’s Cat put the audience within the shoes of the Cat begging the question can you ever be equally alive and dead; the question is never really answered in this piece.
The First Love Project *****
A physical theatre, verbatim piece inspired by the work of both Kneehigh and Frantic Assembly explored the first loves of people born during the mid to late 19th Century. The cast was made up of university students and this allowed the old tales to be given a fresh retelling by a younger generation, keeping these stories alive. The direction was brilliant for this piece as was the script that was created from the interviews. A great piece performed beautifully.
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee ****
The second show I saw starring an OP was this musical. Laura Verrechia was part of the Bristol Uni’s interpretation of the show. This was the first show I had seen which was not a new writing as it has had success proffesionally. It contains greats music and is written really well with a mainly brilliant cast to complement this. The live band also provided an edge to this production over some of the others that I saw. Definetley worth a watch.
Good Stuff
The shows that I enjoyed and would go back and see a few times.
Suzi Ruffell/Robert White ****
Although I did see both of these comedians seperatley I thought I could group them togeather. They were both hilarious during their respectable shows. Robert White was slightly more outrageous than previously seen on Britain’s Got Talent however he kept the music at the centre of his performance with his talent that is not often seen in comedy. Suzi Ruffell (from Portsmouth) was equally as good with a slightly more traditional stand-up show, however alot of individuality oozed from her show including her song during the finale. She managed to keep the audience in fits of laughter throughout as she spoke about her anxieties; big and small. Both were hillarious and a necessary injection of good comedy during my time in Edinburgh.
Fcuk’d ****
This monologue has been on my radar for a while and when the oppotunity arose for me to catch it at the Fringe I couldn’t hesitate. Written in verse, we are taken on a journey, mainly exploring a young adult’s adoration for his younger brother and what this ultimately leads to. The actor performing gave a truly heartfelt performance during this piece which seemed believable throughout. The staging, although very simple, was very good and the lighting used was also brilliant. It was a shame that the Gilded Balloon had not provided them with a soundproof venue as sound bled from another show for the first 20 minutes, however this did not take away from the great show.
One Life Stand ****
Coming to the New Theatre Royal soon, this show was not a highlight of our trip, however it was good overall. The theatricality and staging of the piece was very enjoyable and it was written very well. The fusion between music and play worked really well in this piece of gig theatre, however it did seem slightly long. It was in a very nice venue which suited the piece very well and the three actors really gave the piece what they could. Performance of the night however must go to our own Luke Tentch who found himself the main target for any audience interaction.
Falklands- The War The World Forgot ****
Based on true stories from the Falklands War between the British Forces and Argentina, this two man show was a thought provoking insight into this war. It directly dealt with how the inhabitants of the islands were affected by taking their stories and condensing it into just three people. The two actors cope very well on stage, however the addition of a third actor could have helped this piece in my opinion.
Quite Good Stuff
Good, however not on the top of my list to return and see.
Loop ***
This was a theatrical performance that grew into itself. Starting off fairly slowly, it warmed up into the middle of the performance, slightly falling away at the end again. I wasn’t quite sure what to expect, however I assumed that music would play a larger role within this piece of physical theatre. Still however an interesting play and I did enjoy the circularity of the piece.
Reversiblé ***
I was tempted to give this a four star rating however I wasn’t quite convinced while writing this review. A piece of circus which included a lot of variety such as dance, physical theatre and circus tricks but I didn’t find that they fitted together well. This included some of the set and technical aspects which I thought were slightly unjustified. There was definitely a story which was trying to find its way through the piece however it required quite a bit of concentration to understand. I didn’t quite work it out, however it involved the cast of refugees and a live story. The performances were definitely impressive yet having seen a stronger circus earlier in the week I thought it didn’t quite compare to that.
Sparks ***
This newly written musical explored grief and starred two women playing the same role with one singing and the other speaking. The stage was quite small and I felt the direction wasn’t fantastic. The visual aspect didn’t provide the piece with anything crucial and it would easily fit on radio. The music, although good, didn’t seem necessary like in a traditional musical. Not high up on my list to see again.
The Rest
At Edinburgh you are not going to see 17 show that are all brilliant and it remains the case that some were far from impressive in my opinion.
Dollywould **
Only in Edinburgh can a piece explore one of music’s greatest stars and a cloned sheep. Looking at both Dolly Parton and Dolly the Sheep seemed bizarre at the start and continued right through to the end. It was funny at certain moments, however I didn’t really get the relevance or point of the piece. I do have to say that in my opinion they lived up to the name of their theatre company!
Hot Brown Honey **
Talent is not a particularly common thing, however it is also not sought after very much. The majority of this group of feminists had talent, strong or weak, but the way it was put together just didn’t work. An in your face, bizarre, missable, not very good protest against patriarchy. I thought the dancer and beatboxed were the two best performances on the night however the piece itself was just not very good and there isn’t really anything else to say about this performance.
Overall, I was lucky to catch a real range of theatre which was a range of standards. It was definitely clear that some other members of our cast would have put these in a completely different order, perhaps changing my bottom choice with my top. Personally I find this subjective nature of theatre one of the most interesting parts of the experience and being able to discuss after the show made it that bit better.
Top Picks
The few performances that I thought were crucial in the mix of theatre that I saw at the Fringe.
Ovid’s Metamorphoses *****
A brilliant reimagining of a series of Greek myths in mid 19th century Britain during WW2. Somewhat similar to a Kneehigh production, the piece included many musical interjections throughout, showing the versitality of cast. The set was worked into the piece really well and the projections used created another layer to this joyful piece. It was a joy to behold the cast creating this exciting piece of theatre
Six *****
Taking an unsung history hero seems to be the current biggest thing in theatre, but what happens when you combine Hamilton with a powerful girl band. Six tells the story of Henry VIII’s six wives as they battle to provide the audience with the best sob story. Many of the songs could be released and succeed as stand alone pop songs and the band playing this music were outstanding. It could definitely be seen by many as ‘trashy’, however I thought the enjoyment and energy created dismissed this interpretation.
Number Please *****
I was lucky enough to catch two shows starring Old Portmuthians at the Fringe, with this one just popping into my top picks. Rob Merriam starred in this new writing piece which was out on by a cast from Edinburgh University. The comedy seemed like a play written by a comedy great such as Noel Coward and created this joyful sense of period comedy within the venue. Strong acting and good direction helped this strong script become as hilarious as it was on stage.
Highlights
Some of the other strong pieces we saw during our time in Edinburgh
Circolombia *****
Out of the two circus performances we saw I thought this was better. It did exactly what was expected, and it was done very well. The mixture of music, acrobatics, dance and aeralists worked really well making this a brilliant opening night to our trip to Edinburugh. I thought that all performers seemed comfortable on stage and every trick was polished very well. The best circus show I have seen and it will be a hard one to beat.
Flight *****
More of an experience than a production this was the only piece that I saw twice during my stay in Edinburugh. Using Shroedinger’s Cat at the centre of the piece, the experience took place inside a shipping container set out like a plane. As it begins the lights are out and you are left in pitch black (literally.) Very clever created through the use of heightening our hearing sense. Exploring Shroedinger’s Cat put the audience within the shoes of the Cat begging the question can you ever be equally alive and dead; the question is never really answered in this piece.
The First Love Project *****
A physical theatre, verbatim piece inspired by the work of both Kneehigh and Frantic Assembly explored the first loves of people born during the mid to late 19th Century. The cast was made up of university students and this allowed the old tales to be given a fresh retelling by a younger generation, keeping these stories alive. The direction was brilliant for this piece as was the script that was created from the interviews. A great piece performed beautifully.
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee ****
The second show I saw starring an OP was this musical. Laura Verrechia was part of the Bristol Uni’s interpretation of the show. This was the first show I had seen which was not a new writing as it has had success proffesionally. It contains greats music and is written really well with a mainly brilliant cast to complement this. The live band also provided an edge to this production over some of the others that I saw. Definetley worth a watch.
Good Stuff
The shows that I enjoyed and would go back and see a few times.
Suzi Ruffell/Robert White ****
Although I did see both of these comedians seperatley I thought I could group them togeather. They were both hilarious during their respectable shows. Robert White was slightly more outrageous than previously seen on Britain’s Got Talent however he kept the music at the centre of his performance with his talent that is not often seen in comedy. Suzi Ruffell (from Portsmouth) was equally as good with a slightly more traditional stand-up show, however alot of individuality oozed from her show including her song during the finale. She managed to keep the audience in fits of laughter throughout as she spoke about her anxieties; big and small. Both were hillarious and a necessary injection of good comedy during my time in Edinburgh.
Fcuk’d ****
This monologue has been on my radar for a while and when the oppotunity arose for me to catch it at the Fringe I couldn’t hesitate. Written in verse, we are taken on a journey, mainly exploring a young adult’s adoration for his younger brother and what this ultimately leads to. The actor performing gave a truly heartfelt performance during this piece which seemed believable throughout. The staging, although very simple, was very good and the lighting used was also brilliant. It was a shame that the Gilded Balloon had not provided them with a soundproof venue as sound bled from another show for the first 20 minutes, however this did not take away from the great show.
One Life Stand ****
Coming to the New Theatre Royal soon, this show was not a highlight of our trip, however it was good overall. The theatricality and staging of the piece was very enjoyable and it was written very well. The fusion between music and play worked really well in this piece of gig theatre, however it did seem slightly long. It was in a very nice venue which suited the piece very well and the three actors really gave the piece what they could. Performance of the night however must go to our own Luke Tentch who found himself the main target for any audience interaction.
Falklands- The War The World Forgot ****
Based on true stories from the Falklands War between the British Forces and Argentina, this two man show was a thought provoking insight into this war. It directly dealt with how the inhabitants of the islands were affected by taking their stories and condensing it into just three people. The two actors cope very well on stage, however the addition of a third actor could have helped this piece in my opinion.
Quite Good Stuff
Good, however not on the top of my list to return and see.
Loop ***
This was a theatrical performance that grew into itself. Starting off fairly slowly, it warmed up into the middle of the performance, slightly falling away at the end again. I wasn’t quite sure what to expect, however I assumed that music would play a larger role within this piece of physical theatre. Still however an interesting play and I did enjoy the circularity of the piece.
Reversiblé ***
I was tempted to give this a four star rating however I wasn’t quite convinced while writing this review. A piece of circus which included a lot of variety such as dance, physical theatre and circus tricks but I didn’t find that they fitted together well. This included some of the set and technical aspects which I thought were slightly unjustified. There was definitely a story which was trying to find its way through the piece however it required quite a bit of concentration to understand. I didn’t quite work it out, however it involved the cast of refugees and a live story. The performances were definitely impressive yet having seen a stronger circus earlier in the week I thought it didn’t quite compare to that.
Sparks ***
This newly written musical explored grief and starred two women playing the same role with one singing and the other speaking. The stage was quite small and I felt the direction wasn’t fantastic. The visual aspect didn’t provide the piece with anything crucial and it would easily fit on radio. The music, although good, didn’t seem necessary like in a traditional musical. Not high up on my list to see again.
The Rest
At Edinburgh you are not going to see 17 show that are all brilliant and it remains the case that some were far from impressive in my opinion.
Dollywould **
Only in Edinburgh can a piece explore one of music’s greatest stars and a cloned sheep. Looking at both Dolly Parton and Dolly the Sheep seemed bizarre at the start and continued right through to the end. It was funny at certain moments, however I didn’t really get the relevance or point of the piece. I do have to say that in my opinion they lived up to the name of their theatre company!
Hot Brown Honey **
Talent is not a particularly common thing, however it is also not sought after very much. The majority of this group of feminists had talent, strong or weak, but the way it was put together just didn’t work. An in your face, bizarre, missable, not very good protest against patriarchy. I thought the dancer and beatboxed were the two best performances on the night however the piece itself was just not very good and there isn’t really anything else to say about this performance.
Overall, I was lucky to catch a real range of theatre which was a range of standards. It was definitely clear that some other members of our cast would have put these in a completely different order, perhaps changing my bottom choice with my top. Personally I find this subjective nature of theatre one of the most interesting parts of the experience and being able to discuss after the show made it that bit better.
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