Category Archives: What’s on / Listings

WHAT’S ON APRIL: HILARIOUS AND HEART WRENCHING PLAY ABOUT PLIGHT OF WORKING CLASS ACTORS PREMIERES AT THE CITZ

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The Citizens Theatre has announced details of the premiere of McLuckie’s Line – a  new play about the pitfalls of the acting trade written by playwright Martin Travers and actor Martin Docherty – which runs from 25 Apr – 28 April in the Citizens Theatre Circle Studio.

McLuckie’s Line is a brutally honest monologue packed with humour which delves into the wounded soul of unemployed actor Lawrence McLuckie, played by Martin Docherty.

McLuckie is a compulsive gambler, who we find waiting nervously in a claustrophobic corridor of a Glasgow hospital for the phone call he’s been waiting for his whole life. Recently diagnosed with cancer and unable to take the oppressive silence of waiting with other people dreading treatment, McLuckie reflects on his life, on death, and on what it feels to be working class and talented in a business that is more than ever the domain of the privileged few.

The play explores important subjects including men’s health, loneliness, grief, coming to terms with loss and the will to survive. However, it is also packed with humour: crazy actresses, nosy neighbours, reprobate mates, a wee wren in a housing scheme, a Spanish speaking horse, a gun toting Elvis impersonating bookmaker and a greyhound called Flight Delay.

Martin Docherty has previously appeared in Still Game, Rab C Nesbit, Dear Green Place, River City, Gary: Tank Commander, Father Brown and Cloud Atlas with Tom Hanks. Marty Goes To Hollywood, a documentary featuring Martin as himself, won a BAFTA Scotland New Talent Award in 2015

The writing of the play was inspired by a Brian Cox interview in The Stage where the Dundee born actor said of the class barrier in accessing a career in theatre: “For someone like me, starting now would have been virtually impossible.”

Martin Travers explained the salience of McLuckie’s Line for an industry in which many struggle to make ends meet.

“Actors are lucky if they work six months of the year. The play opens up the world of an actor as he struggles with himself and coping with not working. This will ring true to every actor who has ever acted. I’m not sure how much audiences realise the mental strength and grind that goes into giving a brilliant performance night after night.

“Most theatre actors can only make about £15,000 in a good year, most playwrights and directors scrape by on the breadline. But it’s our cultural responsibility to allow them to make more work, and to learn to get better at what they do, to entertain better and connect with people on a deeper level. The fear is that theatre becomes a middle class plaything like it was before the 1960s.”

“McLuckie’s Line is something of a love letter to Scottish theatre and it’s been so rewarding to feel that we’ve given every working class actor a voice on stage, in order to let the world know that if we don’t start looking after them, we’ll lose them.”

£1.00 from every ticket will be donated to MacMillan Cancer Support. On Wednesday 25 April £5.00 tickets will be offered for Equity, BECTU, Scottish Society of Playwrights, Musicians’ Union members.

Tickets are available from the Citizens Theatre’s website citz.co.uk or by calling the Box Office on 0141 429 0022.

NEWS: 96 SPECTACULAR SHOWS ON SALE FOR UNDERBELLY’S 2018 EDINBURGH FESTIVAL FRINGE

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As the build up to this year’s Edinburgh Festival Fringe gathers pace, Underbelly has added 96 shows to what will be the most ambitious programme in the company’s 19 year Fringe history. Celebrating the freshest new talent and the biggest acts from the world of theatre, comedy, dance, circus and cabaret, the 2018 programme will see hundreds of the most exciting performers tread the boards across 21 Underbelly venues including McEwan Hall, Cowgate, Circus Hub and of course, the iconic Udderbelly.

Theatre programme

Underbelly’s theatre programme shines a special light on emerging companies with the Untapped Award in partnership with New Diorama Theatre, bestowed onto three thought-provoking shows focusing on female voices: It’s True, It’s True, It’s True by the Fringe First and Total Theatre Award-winning Breach Theatre which revisits the 1612 case of rape of baroque painter Artemisia Gentileschi and how it influenced her work; Queens of Sheba from Nouveau Riché delves into the harsh reality of our society, inspired by the true story of 3 young black women turned away from a club for ‘being too black’ and finally dressed. by ThisEgg, the company behind huge Fringe 2016 hit Me & My Bee,  uses an intense combination of direct address, dance, original music and design to tell the true story of a girl who gives all her clothes away and starts making her whole wardrobe from scratch, after being stripped at gunpoint and sexually assaulted while travelling.

In other theatre highlights, star of current UK hit Fleabag, Maddie Rice writes and performs in Pickle Jar, a dark comedy with a lot of piña coladas and some heartbreak and named in the Top Five Talents to watch from VAULT Festival 2018 young Irish playwright Erica Murray presents her take on dark comedy in bittersweet The Cat’s Mother which focuses on sisterhood.

Also exploring a relationship between two sisters is 3 Years, 1 Week and a Lemon Drizzle which pieces together some of Alexandra and Kate Donnachie’s sometimes heart-breaking but often hilarious memories of growing up together in a show sparked from Alexandra’s severe eating disorder. Dangerous Giant Animals offers a unique insight into one family’s life with a girl with a mental disability, with all its challenges and rewards: “you had to be a really f*cking good person growing up with my sister.”

World premiere from 2012 and 2016 Fringe First winners, The Abode is an 80s style adventure following the story of Samuel, a white American male who, feeling oppressed in his own country, joins the alt-right movement of Trolls… will his sister Wendy manage to rescue him from the greedy hands of the Troll King? Mixing dance tunes with rap and spoken word Love Songs is a coming-of-age one woman show exploring wider issues such as hyper-sexualisation of Asian women. From Rhum and Clay, the makers of the acclaimed 64 Squares, comes Mistero Buffo, a take on Dario Fo’s seminal masterpiece: a daring and explosive rallying cry for the disenfranchised.

Family programme

Underbelly theatre programme offers world-class entertainment for families with Julia Donaldson herself performing in The Gruffalo, The Witch and The Warthog, a brand new show featuring Room on the Broom, The Magic Paintbrush, The Ugly Five, Superworm, The Gruffalo and newly-released The Cook and the King. Book your tickets now to avoid disappointment! Shedload Theatre presents a love letter to Richmal Crompton’s classic character William Brown in a fresh and dynamic adaptation entitled Just William’s Luck. Continuing the theme of literature-inspired shows is Paddington Bear’s First Concert which sees the lovable bear attending his first music concert – not without causing a mayhem along the way of course! Brought to the festival by the same team who presented the smash-hit Peter Rabbit in 2017, the show features live orchestra.

Legends of children’s entertainment, Dick and Dom bring their comedy capers to the Fringe for the first time, with Dick and Dom: Dick V Dom which will see audiences split in half for an interactive experience the whole family will never forget! Award-winning Fun Kids Radio presents Fun Kids Radio’s Epic Roadshow Adventure, an interactive family quest to keep the show on air by presenting only the best roadshow ever.

Underbelly’s long-time collaborators and circus masters Circa return to Edinburgh but with a family show for the first time. Wolfgang! comes straight from the score and onto the stage, the man known as Mozart appears amidst a puff of powder, wigged and ready to throw musical madness into a crescendo of dives, swoops and twirls. Featuring mischievous acrobats and a musician, Wolfgang reinvents the composer’s magical music with a circus twist for young and old to enjoy.

Musicals and cabaret

Little Death Club provides audiences with the irrespirable offer of the darkest, funniest and most debauched variety show in town. Join the multi-award-winning Queen of Weimar punk kabarett Bernie Dieter of La Clique and EastEnd Cabaret fame, alongside her travelling family of misfits, miscreants and fantastic freaks for late night fun and frolics.

How do you sustain a relationship whilst pursuing a career of a serial killer? Offering an unusual spin on the rom-com genre and set to a beautiful folk-inspired score, Buried: A New Musical tells a story of Rose and Harry, a young fun-loving couple who discover they have something special in common…

Divorced, beheaded and now live in concert! Following last year’s sell-out, hit pop-concert musical SIX returns to Edinburgh to present a different take on history. Six wives of Henry VIII take to the mic to rewrite her-story and celebrate the sisterly sass-itude! Not to be missed. From the pissheads behind the hit show Shit-faced Shakespeare comes an all new cockney knees-up musical extravaganza, Shit-Faced Showtime: Oliver with a Twist. Dickens’ classic tale of the boy who asked for more with booze, glorious booze… Featuring songs from Oliver!and other Broadway musical hits and a totally new version of the story.

Comedy

Stronger than ever, Underbelly’s comedy programme presents well-established names as well as the hottest acts on the comedy circuit. Edinburgh Comedy Awards Best Newcomer nominee; star of Top Coppers (BBC), Whose Line is it Anyway? (ABC Australia), Steen Raskopoulos the gifted character comedian and improviser returns with electrifying new show, Stay. Cult Fringe favourite, Ireland’s favourite hip-hop comedian Abandoman (AKA Rob Broderick) continues his Underbelly journey bringing his biggest show ever to the Cow, Pirate Radio.

Deborah Frances-White, host of Global Pillage and the hugely followed The Guilty Feminist podcasts (over 30 million downloads since 2016) presents a specially recorded version of the latter, exploring the challenges and insecurities underlining 21st century feminism.

Laura Davis is unconventional, cathartic and exhilaratingly hilarious and so is her latest show, Ghost Machine. A story about life, performed by a ghost…. Female character and sketch comedy duo Lola and Jo return to Fringe to do comedy research in their Focus Groupies whilst the surreal and energising Aussie Josh Glanc follows the sell-out success of his show at Perth Fringe 2017 with his Karma Karma Karma Karma Karma Chamedian. To match Josh’s flare and Australian success, Tom Walker brings his Honk Honk Honk Honk Honk featuring miming AND clowning!

For all the non-murdering enthusiasts out there, American comic as seen on The Tonight Show, Conan and Netflix Myq Kaplan takes the audiences (and himself, and the universe) on a journey of kindness in his Edinburgh debut, All Killing Aside – a comedy show about truth, love and not murdering. Award-winning Australian stand-up comedian, Rhys Nicholson brings razor sharp wit matched perhaps only by his sharply tailored style with Seminal.

In Ethos, Alice Fraser contemplates an Artificial Intelligence mind learning about the world for the very first time through a comedy show… what could possibly go wrong? A silly and funny show about what it means to be human.

Athena Kugblenu’s Follow The Leader offers an interesting and refreshing view on the world’s biggest catastrophes which pale in comparison with her own bad life choices.

Co-writer of Edinburgh Best Newcomer Award Nominated Show The Story Beast and star of The Beta Males Richard Soames presents Let’s Make a Movie, a 60 minutes journey through the blockbusters.

BBC ‘Next Big Thing’ Act who have sold out theatres in London and New York, won the Mervyn Stutter Spirit of the Fringe Award and received the official Fringe ‘Total Sell-Out Show’ laurel (for their last appearance in 2016), Croft and Pearce return with Double Take.

Absolutely Fabulous and Black Adder epic comic, Helen Lederer spills all the beans in I Might Just As Well Say It. Someone said Big Brother?!

Paul Foot, multi-award winning and critically acclaimed Fringe veteran wizard, presents a brand new show for his tenth year on the Fringe Image Conscious. In his new solo show, Austentatious comic Graham Dickson ponders a dystopian future filled with masculinity and no women. Another Austentatious member, Amy Cooke-Hodgson, presents Bumper Blyton, an improvisation group focused on acclaimed children’s book author Enid Blyton. Each show is a unique spontaneous adventure inspired by hand-drawn audience suggestions and Blyton classics.

Versatile actor and puppeteer, and creator of Comedy Award-nominated The Story Beast John Henry Falle visits Edinburgh with This is Bardcore, an hour of horror comedy in which evil is on the loose and there is only one wizard powerful (and drunk) enough to face it.

Presenting a special, live-recording of a podcast All Killa No Filla Live are comedians Rachel Fairburn and Kiri Pritchard-McLean. They talk about serial killers and it’s bloody fun! Only four shows though, so book now!

Also on a limited run are the Edinburgh born Rory Bremner and Jan Ravens, two of the UK’s top award-winning impressionists who delve into the treacherous world of politics as they aim to establish whether Brexit means Brexit.

With different comedy guest every night Amy Annette discusses the one topic on everyone’s mind: women. With previous guests including Aisling Bea, Lolly Adefope, Sara Pascoe, James Acaster and Nish Kumar, Amy Annette: What Women Want promises to be the hit of the Fringe!

Following an award-winning BBC documentary Parkinson’s: The Funny Side and a triumphant debut at London’s Comedy Store, Paul Mayhew-Archer presents a one-man show about the therapeutic power of comedy entitled Incurable Optimist. Paul co-wrote The Vicar of Dibley with Richard Curtis but took up stand-up comedy only after being diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease 4 years ago.

Suitable for anyone who has or has seen a sister, character comedy duo and real-life sisters Siblings present new material, Acting Out. Featuring Maddy and Marina Bye (daughters of Ruby Wax), the show offers new characters, more drama, violently synchronised dance and a total abandonment of dignity.

Will you save the village… or tear it apart? Sitting between comedy and theatre, Werewolf: Live has been performed all around the world to a great acclaim. A different late-night experience for Fringe-goers, this interactive gameshow offers a unique opportunity to hurl accusations and unjustly murder their friend.

Another top-notch late-night offer comes from London’s campest musical sketch comedy quartet: Sex Shells is an explosion of original music, surreal sketches, wayward choreography, and twisted rewrites of hits from pop, Disney, and the musicals. Expect sex, drugs, and social satire: Whitney Houston at the self-service checkout and Barbara Cartland on Grindr.

Underbelly’s Big Brain Tumour Benefit

After a total sell-out last year, raising an incredible £18,000 for cancer research, Underbelly’s Big Brain Tumour Benefit returns bigger and better at McEwan Hall, hosting a massive line-up of the biggest names on the Fringe for a raucous evening of comedy to help the fight against brain tumours, for one night only. Brain tumours are the biggest cancer killer for children and adults under 40 and increased funding for research is desperately needed. All box office income will go straight to The Brain Tumour Charity. Exciting line-up details will be released in the coming weeks.

Charlie Wood and Ed Bartlam, directors of Underbelly said,

“Today we unleash 96 magnificent shows on sale as part of our most ambitious programme yet, from comedic hip hop gold, Abandoman, circus super humans Circa, the freshest new theatrical talent from our Untapped Award Winners to late night cabaret from Little Death Club.

“Since we started our Fringe adventure in the Cowgate 19 years ago our aim was to celebrate and showcase the freshest new talent and the biggest names in the business, side by side in a way only possible at the Fringe. Today we are proud to continue to do just that.”

LISTINGS

3 Years, 1 Week and a Lemon Drizzle

Underbelly Bristo Square, Jersey, 1st- 27th Aug, (2.25pm), (no show Monday 13th), runtime 60 mins

Preview: 1st – 3rd, £6.50

Weekend: 4th – 7th, 10th – 12th, 17th – 19th, 24th – 26th, £10/ £9

Weekday: 8th – 9th, 14th – 16th, 20th – 23rd, 27th, £9/ £8

The show pieces together Alexandra and Kate Donnachie’s sometimes heartbreaking but often hilarious memories of growing up together and managing their close bond when older sister, Alexandra, developed a severe eating disorder.

When Alexandra (finally) decided to ask Kate what that time was like for her, she began cooking up ideas for this autobiographical show – albeit before Kate agreed to be in it.

This is a performance that recalls on touching memories, shares laugh-out-loud anecdotes and melts Mars bars to bring to stage a story about living with an eating disorder.

AAA Stand-Up at Underbelly

Underbelly Cowgate, Belly Laugh, 2nd – 26th Aug, (6.20pm), runtime 60 mins

Preview: 2nd – 3rd, £6.50

Weekend: 4th – 7th, 10th – 12th, 17th – 19th, 24th – 26th, £11.50/ £9.50

Weekday: 8th – 9th, 13th – 16th, 20th – 23rd, £10/ £8

Total sell-out 2005-2017 returns with a brand new line-up. ‘Comedy the way it should be: laugh-a-minute, leaving the audience wishing the show was a little bit longer’ **** (Fest). Jack Evans: “Evans is clever, creative and funny” (The Scotsman). “Imagination, energy and comic skills to go far, so catch him now” (The List). James Allen: “James Allen is an amazing new act… highly recommended.” (hotwatercomedy.co.uk). “Brilliantly whimsical… leaving the audience in awe” (cupofbeans.co.uk). Stanley Brooks: “Strong comic instincts… deft lines and nice observations” (Chortle). As heard on BBC4 Extra, BBC New Comedy Award. Book early!

Abandoman (AKA Rob Broderick) – Pirate Radio

Underbelly George Square, Udderbelly, 1st – 27th Aug, (9.30pm), (no show Monday 13th and Monday 20th), runtime 60mins

Preview: 1st – 3rd, £10

Weekend: 4th – 7th, 10th – 12th, 17th -19th, 24th – 27th £15.50/ £14.50

Weekday: 8th – 9th, 14th – 16th, 21st – 23rd £14.50/ £13.50

Ireland’s finest hip hop musical comedian, is back in the Cow with his biggest show yet. Using his trademark blend of audience interaction and razor-sharp improvisation, Rob will take you on a magical journey, transforming the audience’s likes, loathes and daydreams into hit songs and captivating tales. ‘Clever, quick-witted and audacious’ **** (Scotsman). ‘Broderick has us in the palm of his hand from the minute he starts until the very last mic drop’ ***** (BroadwayBaby.com). ‘Wildly funny and technically incredible’ ***** (TheAge.com.au).

Alice Fraser: Ethos

Underbelly Bristo Square, Friesian, 1st- 27th Aug, (7.55pm), (no show Monday 13th), runtime 60 mins

Preview: 1st – 3rd, £6.50

Weekend: 4th – 7th, 10th – 12th, 17th – 19th, 24th – 26th, £11/ £10

Weekday: 8th – 9th, 14th – 16th, 20th – 23rd, 27th, £10/ £9

Humans have always been fascinated by non-human minds. From the Golem to Frankenstein’s monster, to artificial intelligence – computers who could think, and threaten civilisation. Imagine an AI: a brilliant but naive mind, newly created. Now imagine that mind learning about our world by watching a comedy show. Alice Fraser (The Bugle & BBC R4) explains our society of contradictions to a new robot mind. A silly, funny, smart show that explores what it is to be human. “A life-changer.” (Edinburgh Guide) ***** “Inescapably funny” (Herald Sun) ***** “A sexy cerebral twist to comedy” (OUTinPerth) *****

All Killa No Filla Live

Underbelly George Square, Udderbelly, 5th and 19th Aug (11.30pm), 12th and 26th, (3.30pm), runtime 60 mins

Weekend: 5th, 12th, 19th and 26th, £14/ £13

All Killa No Filla Live. Following sell-out shows around the country, comedians Rachel Fairburn and Kiri Pritchard-McLean are bringing the live version of their hit podcast to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Yes, they’re talking about serial killers, yes they go off on tangents but you know what? It’s bloody fun. And that is a pun. Come and see what all the fuss is about.

Amy Annette: What Women Want

Underbelly Bristo Square, Friesian, 16th- 19th and 23rd- 26th Aug, (2.20pm), runtime 60 mins

Weekend: 16th- 19th, 23rd-26th Aug, £10/ £9

Join Amy and a panel of her far more famous comedian friends in comic conversation. Previous guests (such as Aisling Bea, Lolly Adefope, Sara Pascoe, James Acaster, Nish Kumar and more) have sought to understand the great, unknowable, mystery of our time: women. As heard on Ed Milliband and Geoff Lloyd’s podcast. Amy Annette is a co- editor and contributor to the critically acclaimed book ‘I Call Myself a Feminist’. With different guests each day – why not book for every show!? As featured in the Guardian, i and Time Out.

An Elephant in the Garden by Michael Morpurgo

Underbelly Bristo Square, The Dairy Room, 1st- 27th Aug, (11.40am), (no show Monday 13th), runtime 65 mins

Preview: 1st – 3rd, £7

Weekend: 4th – 7th, 10th – 12th, 17th – 19th, 24th – 26th, £11/ £10

Weekday: 8th – 9th, 14th – 16th, 20th – 23rd, 27th, £10/ £9

Lizzie, her mother and an elephant from the zoo flee the Dresden firebombing in the Second World War. Escaping the Allies from the West – and the Russians from the East – this extraordinary trio of refugees meet: an RAF officer who has bailed out of his aeroplane, a school choir on the run from the Nazis and the American army tanks appearing over the horizon. ‘Beautiful storytelling in action… stunningly performed by Alison Reid’ (Guardian). From the creators of the five-star hit Private Peaceful.

Ashley Blaker: Observant Jew

Underbelly Bristo Square, Daisy, 1st- 26th Aug, (3.00 pm), (no shows on Saturdays) runtime 60 mins

Preview: 1st – 3rd, £6.50

Weekend: 5th – 7th, 10th, 12th, 17th, 19th, 24th, 26th, £11/ £10

Weekday: 8th – 9th, 13th – 16th, 20th – 23rd, £10/ £9

Ashley Blaker isn’t your average Orthodox Jewish man. He’s also an internationally acclaimed comedian and now, for the first time, is performing a show for us gentiles, direct from his off-Broadway run. How did a secular Jewish comedy producer end up becoming ultra-orthodox? How does he live between two very different worlds? As heard on BBC Radio 4. ‘Has audiences on the floor.’ (JPost.com) ‘Relentlessly funny… Blaker brings something totally unprecedented to stand-up.’ (Jewish Chronicle) ‘A wittier man than I’ll ever be.’ (Matt Lucas, Little Me).

Athena Kugblenu: Follow the Leader

Underbelly Bristo Square, Clover, 1st- 26th Aug, (5.30pm), (no show Monday 13th), runtime 60 mins

Preview: 1st – 3rd, £6.50

Weekend: 4th – 7th, 10th – 12th, 17th – 19th, 24th – 26th, £11/ £10

Weekday: 8th – 9th, 14th – 16th, 20th – 23rd, £10/ £9

The world’s never had more knowledge, yet never more stupidity. Athena can’t help but notice consistencies between the universe and herself. How can she blame people for choosing Trump when she’s choosing the wrong men? Clearly we haven’t realised she constantly makes mistakes so we don’t have to. Join Athena for a tour of the world’s most pressing catastrophes which pale compared to what happened when she fixed her own washing machine. As heard on BBC Radio. ‘A smart, impassioned comedian’ (Scotsman). ‘Good material, sharp presentation… an important voice’ (Sunday Times).

Balloonatics

Underbelly Cowgate, Belly Laugh, 2nd- 14th, 18th-19th, 25th-26th Aug, (11.40am), runtime 60 mins

Preview: 2nd – 3rd, £6.50

Weekend: 4th – 7th, 10th – 12th, 18th-19th, 25th-26th, £10/ £9

Weekday: 8th – 9th, 13th – 14th, £9/ £8

Balloonatics is the award-nominated, world-travelled family comedy show for anyone crazy about balloons! Scottish comedian Chris Henry guarantees a chaos-filled, fun-packed hour of inflatable buffoonery, with never a dull moment for parent or child. Join the Balloonatics army, where it doesn’t matter how technically gifted you are, as long as you’re having fun! **** (List). **** (Scotsman). ‘Pitched perfectly’ (Primary Times). Best Children’s Shows at Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2017 (Scotsman).

Be More, Do Better but Don’t Change

Underbelly Bristo Square, Daisy, 1st- 27th Aug, (9.50pm), (no show Tuesday 14th), runtime 60 mins

Preview: 1st – 3rd, £6.50

Weekend: 4th – 7th, 10th – 12th, 17th – 19th, 24th – 26th, £10/ £9

Weekday: 8th – 9th, 13th – 16th, 20th – 23rd, 27th, £9/ £8

A unique blend of achingly honest poetry, side-splitting stand-up and personal story telling about romantic love and why we prioritise it above all else. Roisin is bored of pretending that falling in love is fun. It’s boring and sweaty and embarrassing and tragic and she thinks it’s her civic duty to talk about it to anyone who will listen. It’s just like having a chat in the pub with your best friend, if your best friend drank her wine too quick and told her intimate secrets to a room full of strangers.

Bennett Arron: I’ve Never Told Anyone This

Underbelly Bristo Square, Dexter, 1st- 27th Aug, (12.10pm), (no show Monday 13th), runtime 60 mins

Preview: 1st – 3rd, £6.50

Weekend: 4th – 7th, 10th – 12th, 17th – 19th, 24th – 26th, £10/ £9

Weekday: 8th – 9th, 14th – 16th, 20th – 23rd, 27th, £9/ £8

Bennett Arron is revealing secrets. The problem is they are not all his to tell. In this personal, shocking and hilarious show, Bennett, the star of the Radio 4 sitcom Alone and the series Bennett Arron Worries About…, reveals intimate information about himself, his family, famous comedians and TV executives. See it now before it’s censored. ‘Genuinely original and funny’ (Times). ‘Hilarious… clever wit… razor sharp’ (Standard). ‘A Welsh Seinfeld’ (Guardian).

Bryony Twydle: Flamingo

Underbelly Bristo Square, Daisy, 1st- 27th Aug, (8.30pm), (no show Wednesday 15th), runtime 60 mins

Preview: 1st – 3rd, £6.50

Weekend: 4th – 7th, 10th – 12th, 17th – 19th, 24th – 26th, £10/ £9

Weekday: 8th – 9th, 13th – 16th, 20th – 23rd, 27th, £9/ £8

Character comedian Bryony Twydle (BBC Radio 4’s Sketchorama, E!’s The Royals) presents her debut Edinburgh show. Join Bryony as she presents her chaotic collection of interconnected characters. Like Sylvanian families, but less furry. ‘Great material, sharp comic timing’ ***** (ViewfromTheGods.co.uk). ‘Impressively dynamic and effortlessly charismatic’ **** (LondonTheatre1.com). ‘One to watch for the future’ **** (TheReviewsHub.com). Previously Bryony has performed sold out runs at the Brighton Fringe, Leicester Comedy Festival, Camden Fringe and VAULT Festival.

Bumper Blyton

Underbelly Bristo Square, Dexter, 1st- 27th Aug, (4.10pm), runtime 60 mins

Preview: 1st – 3rd, £6.50

Weekend: 4th – 7th, 10th – 12th, 17th – 19th, 24th – 26th, £10/ £9

Weekday: 8th – 9th, 13th – 16th, 20th – 23rd, 27th, £9/ £8

The picnic hamper’s packed full of parody, ready for a riotous improvised spoof in the style of Enid Blyton. Come delight in lashings of ginger beer, grab a cheeky tongue sandwich or wrap your lips round a nice spotted dick! Each show is unique in this spontaneous adventure. A cast of some of the UK’s best-known improvisers spin an entirely new tale for grown-ups using hand-drawn audience suggestions and inspiration from the Blyton classics. Pick of the Fringe **** (Daily Record). ‘Delightfully silly’ **** (ThreeWeeks). ‘They’re phenomenal’ **** (RemoteGoat.com).

Buried: A New Musical

Underbelly Bristo Square, Ermintrude, 1st- 27th Aug, (5.10pm), (no show Friday 10th), runtime 75 mins

Preview: 1st – 3rd, £6.50

Weekend: 4th – 7th, 11th – 12th, 17th – 19th, 24th – 26th, £12/ £11

Weekday: 8th – 9th, 13th – 16th, 20th – 23rd, 27th, £11/ £10

The critically acclaimed new musical returns to the Edinburgh Fringe. When Rose and Harry meet on a date, they uncover something extraordinary: they’re both serial killers. Buried is an unconventional love story; a tale of friendship found where you’d least expect, that explores the line between good and evil, normal and monstrous. With hilarious dark comedy and catchy, soulful folk, this musical demonstrates how love is unique to everyone and illuminates the darkness in us all.

Chris Henry: Around the World in 80 Dates

Underbelly Bristo Square, Clover, 1st- 27th Aug, (8.10pm), (no show Wednesday 15th), runtime 60 mins

Preview: 1st – 3rd, £6.50

Weekend: 4th – 7th, 10th – 12th, 17th – 19th, 24th – 26th, £10/ £9

Weekday: 8th – 9th, 13th-14th, 16th, 20th – 23rd, 27th, £9/ £8

Scottish Comedian of the Year finalist Chris Henry is back to take you on a whirlwind global gigglefest as he attempts to find The One. After sold-out, award-nominated performances around the world, this 40- year-old bachelor delivers the ultimate anti rom-com by hilariously dissecting our favourite cliches with razor-sharp stand-up, replacing them with 80 dates he hopes will take him from reformed playboy to the perfect husband. Prepare for a blind date like no other. ***** (HuffingtonPost.co.uk). **** (List). ****(BroadwayBaby.com).

Circa: Wolfgang

Underbelly’s Circus Hub, The Beauty, 4th – 25th Aug, (2.00pm), (no show Wednesday 8th, Monday 13th and Monday 20th)

Weekend: 4th – 7th, 10th – 12th, 17th – 19th, 24th – 25th, £14/ £13

Weekday: 9th, 14th – 16th, 21st – 23rd, £12/ £11

Straight from the score and onto the stage, the man known as Mozart appears amidst a puff of powder, wigged and ready to throw musical madness into a crescendo of dives, swoops and twirls. Featuring mischievous acrobats and a musician, Wolfgang reinvents the composer’s magical music with circus twists. Experience the latest family-friendly production from Circa, featuring a fusion of circus, movement and music. Watch as the notes are physically lifted off the page as performers bring the renowned compositions to life amidst a storm of powder, tumbles and crashes, all under the eccentric swirl of the conductor’s baton.

Clara Cupcakes – The Worst

Underbelly Bristo Square, Clover, 1st- 27th Aug, (6.50pm), (no show Monday 13th), runtime 60 mins

Preview: 1st – 3rd, £6.50

Weekend: 4th – 7th, 10th – 12th, 17th – 19th, 24th – 26th, £11/ £10

Weekday: 8th – 9th, 14th – 16th, 20th – 23rd, 27th, £10/ £9

Nominated for the 2017 Golden Gibbo (Best Independent Production) at Melbourne Comedy Festival. In the summer of 2001, Clara Cupcakes invented the worst video game of all time: the unplayable tale of an octopus looking for love in this crazy world. The levels made no sense and the final boss was unbeatable. Distraught and alone, she hurled it into the garbage to be forgotten. Game over? Nothing stays buried forever. It’s time to play… With three critically acclaimed shows and multiple award nominations, Clara Cupcakes brings her award-nominated tour de force to Edinburgh. Press start.

Croft & Pearce: Double Take

Underbelly Bristo Square, Ermintrude, 6th- 26th Aug, (2.00pm), runtime 60 mins

Weekend: 6th – 7th, 10th – 12th, 17th – 19th, 24th – 26th, £11/ £10

Weekday: 8th – 9th, 13th – 16th, 20th – 23rd, £10/ £9

Stars of BBC Radio 4’s The Croft & Pearce Show and Sketchorama, winners of the Mervyn Stutter Spirit of the Fringe Award, recipients of the official Fringe Total Sell-Out Show Laurel (for their last appearance in 2016) and Whats On London Comedy Award nominees 2017. This BBC Next Big Thing Act have sold out theatres in London, New York and around the UK. Don’t miss their brand new show! **** (Skinny). **** (List). ‘Tomorrow’s TV stars’ **** (Herald). ‘Laugh-out-loud sketch show’ (Daily Express). ‘Masters of pinpoint observation and characterisation’ (Telegraph). ‘Head-flingingly funny!’ (ThreeWeeks).

CSI: Crime Scene Improvisation

Underbelly Bristo Square, Ermintrude, 1st- 26th Aug, (3.35pm), runtime 60 mins

Preview: 1st – 3rd, £7

Weekend: 4th – 7th, 10th – 12th, 17th – 19th, 24th – 26th, £10/ £9

Weekday: 8th – 9th, 13th – 16th, 20th – 23rd, £9/ £8

No one knows who the killer is, not even the cast! The improvised comedy murder mystery is back! Following a sold-out Edinburgh 2017 run, CSI: Crime Scene Improvisation returns to Edinburgh creating a 100% brand-new whodunnit every show to solve an outlandish murder invented by the audience. Someone’s kicked the bucket. But who, what and how? The choice is yours, the problem is theirs. ‘Innovation and top-tier entertainment’ ***** (TheWeeReview.com). ‘A spectacular must see’ ***** (Bunbury Magazine). ‘Spontaneous mastery’ **** (FringeBiscuit.co.uk).

Dangerous Giant Animals

Underbelly Cowgate, Delhi Belly, 2nd- 26th Aug, (12.00pm), (no show Monday 13th), runtime 55 mins

Preview: 2nd – 3rd, £6.50

Weekend: 4th – 7th, 10th – 12th, 17th – 19th, 24th – 26th, £10/ £9

Weekday: 8th – 9th, 14th – 16th, 20th – 23rd, £9/ £8

A kick. A scream. A tantrum. When it comes to disability, what’s allowed? What’s forbidden? This is a middle-child story of the extraordinary range of experience that comes from growing up too soon alongside a sister who will never grow up. A provocative new solo show, Dangerous Giant Animals, is a darkly comedic game of hide-and-seek with our true nature.

Daniel Cainer: Old Dog, New Shtick!

Underbelly George Square, The Wee Coo, 1st- 27th Aug, (12.00 pm daily), runtime 60 mins

Preview: 1st – 3rd, £6.50

Weekend: 4th – 7th, 10th – 12th, 17th – 19th, 24th – 26th, £12/ £11

Weekday: 8th – 9th, 13th – 16th, 20th – 23rd, 27th, £11/ £10

More stories-in-song from this multi award-winning Jewish songwriter and Fringe favourite. Smart, funny, timely and only slightly irreverent, Cainer’s moving tales are a musical treat for anyone who has ever wrestled with their home, their heritage, and their heart… or is partial to bagels. ‘An extraordinary performer. At times heartbreakingly poignant, at other times laugh-out-loud funny. Utterly charming, thoroughly recommended’ (Edinburgh Festivals Magazine). SoHo Playhouse Best of Edinburgh and New York Fringe 2014/15/16. ‘Heart- rending, delicate and witty’ (Daily Express). Highly Recommended: FringeReview 2015/16/17. ‘Genius’ ***** (ThreeWeeks). Disclaimer: does not feature an actual dog.

Danny O’Brien: Lock-In

Underbelly Cowgate, Belly Laugh, 2nd- 26th Aug, (10.15pm), (no show Monday 13th), runtime 60 mins

Preview: 2nd – 3rd, £6.50

Weekend: 4th – 7th, 10th – 12th, 17th – 19th, 24th – 26th, £10.50/ £9.50

Weekday: 8th – 9th, 14th – 16th, 20th – 23rd, £9.50/ £8.50

Award-winning Irish comedian Danny O’ Brien went to prison. Three times to perform. Once again by accident. He’s performed relentlessly worldwide and taken up a new religion through the medium of a hangry hangover. This is must-see Edinburgh stand-up show. Following in the footsteps of Simon Pegg, Dylan Moran and Dara O’ Briain – Danny was handpicked this year to perform as part of the iconic Best of the Edinburgh Fest show touring Australia, has featured on The Comedy Channel and is a regular on Irish TV and Radio.

David Mills: Focus People!

Underbelly George Square, The Wee Coo, 1st- 26th Aug, (2.40pm), (no show Monday 13th), runtime 60 mins

Preview: 1st – 3rd, £6.50

Weekend: 4th – 7th, 10th – 12th, 17th – 19th, 24th – 26th, £10/ £9

Weekday: 8th – 9th, 14th – 16th, 20th – 23rd, £9/ £8

Smart, sharp, laugh-out-loud comedy for adults sick of being scolded by celebrities and policed by children. Brexit, Trump, Meghan Markle, Hollywood dementia – Mills breaks it all down and gets you through the coming apocalypse feeling dynamite! ‘A comedic anglerfish, he lures his audience in with deceptive warmth before pouncing with incisive wit’ **** (Fest). ‘A superior act. Politics to surrealism… an hour in his company is an indulgent delight’ **** (Chortle.co.uk). ‘The performance, the material and the gravitas – it’s all there. Essential viewing’ ***** (BroadwayBaby.com).

Dick and Dom: Dick V Dom

Underbelly Bristo Square, McEwan Hall, 1st- 12th Aug, (1.00pm), runtime 60 mins

Preview: 1st – 3rd, £9

Weekend: 4th – 7th, 10th – 12th, £14.50/ £13.50

Weekday: 8th – 9th, £12.50/ £11.50

Are you ready?! The multi BAFTA-winning legends Dick and Dom are coming to Edinburgh for the first time in 2018. They are bringing their fast-selling, insane UK tour to the Fringe for a comedy experience that the whole family will never forget. The audience is split in half and you lot in the crowd will battle it out with interactive games, songs, mess, insanity and (of course) bogies! ‘After 20 years as a duo, it’s clear they have mastered the art of entertainment’ (StaffsLive.co.uk). As seen on Sky, CBBC, BBC One and BBC Two.

Dreamgun: Film Reads

Underbelly Bristo Square, The Dairy Room, 2nd – 26th Aug, (8.45pm), (no show Tuesday 14th), runtime 60 mins

Preview: 2nd – 3rd, £6.50

Weekend: 4th – 7th, 10th – 12th, 17th – 19th, 24th – 26th, £10/ £9

Weekday: 8th – 9th, 13th, 15th – 16th, 20th – 23rd, £9/ £8

Getting it wrong has never felt so right! Irish comedy weirdos Dreamgun amuse and exasperate cinephiles in equal measure with their skewed, joke-stuffed and wholly unrehearsed takes on established cinematic favourites. Dreamgun brings Film Reads to the Edinburgh Fringe for the first time, performing a different classic movie, reimagined with nonsense, every night! ‘Dreamgun Film Reads represents the best of the Dublin Fringe’ (Meg.ie). ‘The Funniest Show at EdFringe 2015’ (Sun). ‘Light-hearted and hugely entertaining comedy’ (List).

dressed.

Underbelly Cowgate, Big Belly, 2nd- 26th Aug, (6.00pm), (no show Tuesday 14th), runtime 60 mins

Preview: 2nd – 3rd, £7

Weekend: 4th – 7th, 10th – 12th, 17th – 19th, 24th – 26th, £11/ £10

Weekday: 8th – 9th, 13th – 16th, 20th – 23rd, £10/ £9

Told with a tender intimacy, dressed is a true story told by four women who have been friends since school. After being stripped at gun point, Lydia set out to redress herself with a new healing set of armour. Lydia now only wears clothes she has made. Multi award-winning ThisEgg combine choreography, live sewing, comedy and original music to celebrate the power clothes have to define us, to liberate us, to hide us and to embellish us. For Me and My Bee: **** (Scotsman). **** (Stage). ‘A rarity… ‘ (Lyn Gardner, Guardian). Untapped Award winner 2018.

Eli Matthewson: The Year of Magical F*cking

Underbelly George Square, The Wee Coo, 1st- 27th Aug, (9.20pm), (no show Monday 13th), runtime 60 mins

Preview: 1st – 3rd, £6.50

Weekend: 4th – 7th, 10th – 12th, 17th – 19th, 24th – 26th, £10/ £9

Weekday: 8th – 9th, 14th – 16th, 20th – 23rd, 27th, £9/ £8

The news is out – millennials are having less sex than our parents. Eli Matthewson is not going to take this lying down. The little gay rock star of New Zealand comedy makes his Edinburgh debut with a call to arms for the sexless youth. An honest hour from a sexual amateur trying his best. As seen on 7 Days, Jono and Ben, and Funny Girls. Co-host of The Male Gayz Podcast. Fred Award Nominee (Best Show, NZ International Comedy Festival). ‘Nails every punchline’ (NZ Herald).

Fun Kids Radio’s Epic Roadshow Adventure

Underbelly Bristo Square, The Dairy Room, 1st- 27th Aug, (1.15 pm daily), (no show Monday 13th), runtime 60 mins

Preview: 1st – 3rd, £7

Weekend: 4th – 7th, 10th – 12th, 17th – 19th, 24th – 26th, £11/ £9

Weekday: 8th – 9th, 14th – 16th, 20th – 23rd, 27th, £10/ £8

The Fun Kids Radio presenters need your help to keep the station on-air and to make the best radio roadshow ever. Oh, and they definitely need to not get fired by the big bosses. Will they manage it? That’s up to you! An interactive show for all the family brought to you by the award-winning national radio station, Fun Kids.

Girlfriend from Hell

Underbelly George Square, The Wee Coo, 1st- 27th Aug, (1.20pm), (no show Monday 13th), runtime 60 mins

Preview: 1st – 3rd, £6.50

Weekend: 4th – 7th, 10th – 12th, 17th – 19th, 24th – 26th, £10/ £9

Weekday: 8th – 9th, 14th – 16th, 20th – 23rd, 27th, £9/ £8

Gabby Killick is one of a new wave of female comedians taking Europe by storm! Gabby has recently headlined shows in Austria, Germany and Spain as well as being listed in the Funny Woman top three and winning Birmingham’s Best Newcomer. Girlfriend From Hell gives a unique insight into the minds of today’s Instagram girl with useful advice on everything from what to do when you lose your skirt, to how to walk when you’ve taken too much Ketamine. And underpinning it all is the belief that it’s never too early to start stalking your boyfriend.

Graham Dickson: Timber

Underbelly Cowgate, Iron Belly, 2nd- 26th Aug, (5.30pm), (no show Tuesday 14th), runtime 60 mins

Preview: 2nd – 3rd, £6.50

Weekend: 4th – 7th, 10th – 12th, 17th – 19th, 24th – 26th, £11.50/ £10.50

Weekday: 8th – 9th, 13th – 16th, 20th – 23rd, £10.50/ £9.50

Hollywood has fallen. In a golden land once filled with promise, what happened when the cameras stopped rolling? When the well ran dry? When the women fucked off? Now, one woman is going back, to track down The Bear… In Timber, nonsense, danger and mystery congeal into a dystopian fantasia of character comedy. Graham Dickson (Austentatious) and director Hamish MacDougal (Joseph Morpurgo’s Hammerhead, Soothing Sounds for Baby) present a hilariously dark and silly exploration of men, movies and loneliness. For The Narcissist: ‘Mind-bending theatrical experience’ **** (Scotsman). ‘Rapier sharp’ **** (List). **** (Chortle.co.uk). **** (Skinny).

Helen Lederer: I Might as Well Say It

Underbelly Bristo Square, Jersey, 3rd- 25th Aug, (5.05pm), (no show Monday 13th), runtime 60 mins

Preview: 3rd, £7

Weekend: 4th – 7th, 10th – 12th, 17th – 19th, 24th – 25th, £11.50/ £10.50

Weekday: 8th – 9th, 14th – 16th, 20th – 23rd, £10.50/ £9.50

The Naked Video and Absolutely Fabulous star feels it’s time to spill, before she forgets and gets taken off the patches altogether. What went on in the Big Brother house? Can she be honest about stand-up comedy, being fat, wheezy and other secrets? Probably not. She might lie. ‘A miracle of comic compression and control’ (Times). ‘Divinely witty’ (Guardian). ‘Cleverly insane’ (Observer).

Ian Smith: Craft

Underbelly Bristo Square, Buttercup, 1st- 26th Aug, (5.15pm), (no show Monday 13th), runtime 60 mins

Preview: 1st – 3rd, £6.50

Weekend: 4th – 7th, 10th – 12th, 17th – 19th, 24th – 26th, £12.50/ £10.50

Weekday: 8th – 9th, 14th – 16th, 20th – 23rd, £10/ £8

Multi award-winning comedian Ian Smith (BBC Three’s Sweat the Small Stuff, Dave’s The Magic Sponge podcast) returns. This show will include theatrical techniques such as shouting and moving around. There will also be some origami. At long last. Amused Moose Comedy Award and ThreeWeeks Editors’ Award Winner 2017. ‘Catch him now before his inevitable jump to the big time’ (Telegraph). ‘One of the best you will see at the festival’ (Mirror). ‘A riot of sprightly silliness’ (Chortle.co.uk). ‘Proper star quality’ (Guardian). ***** (ThreeWeeks). ***** (Mirror). **** (Chortle.co.uk). **** (Metro). Book early!

It’s Not Cute Anymore

Underbelly Cowgate, Delhi Belly, 2nd- 26th Aug, (1.20pm), (no show Monday 13th), runtime 60 mins

Preview: 2nd – 3rd, £6.50

Weekend: 4th – 7th, 10th – 12th, 17th – 19th, 24th – 26th, £10/ £9

Weekday: 8th – 9th, 14th – 16th, 20th – 23rd, £9/ £8

Giving up on your dreams isn’t always the worst thing in the world… This fresh and vulgar comedy blurs the line between theatre and TV while exploring the indignities of reaching for the stars, waning potential and misplaced entitlement. Follow two deluded young women who will stop at nothing in their brash pursuit of recognition. Following its sell-out run in London at Theatre503, this absurd comedy was described by LondonTheatre1 as ‘a contemporary reboot of Absolutely Fabulous written by Lena Dunham. Eddie and Patsy: The early years, reimagined.’

It’s True, It’s True, It’s True

Underbelly Cowgate, Iron Belly, 2nd- 26th Aug, (2.50pm), (no show Monday 13th), runtime 60 mins

Preview: 2nd – 3rd, £7

Weekend: 4th – 7th, 10th – 12th, 17th – 19th, 24th – 26th, £12/ £11

Weekday: 8th – 9th, 14th – 16th, 20th – 23rd, £11/ £10

Fringe First and Total Theatre Award-winning Breach (Tank, The Beanfield) restage the 1612 trial of Agostino Tassi for the rape of baroque painter Artemisia Gentileschi. Based on surviving court transcripts, this new play dramatises the seven-month trial that gripped Renaissance Rome, and asks how much has changed in the last four centuries. Blending myth, history and contemporary commentary, this is the story of how a woman took revenge through her art to become one of the most successful painters of her generation. ‘Theatrically ambitious and boldly political’ (Guardian). Untapped Award winner 2018.

Joe Sutherland: Toxic

Underbelly Bristo Square, Dexter, 1st- 27th Aug, (8.10pm), (no show Tuesday 14th), runtime 60 mins

Preview: 1st – 3rd, £6.50

Weekend: 4th – 7th, 10th – 12th, 17th – 19th, 24th – 26th, £10/ £9

Weekday: 8th – 9th, 13th – 16th, 20th – 23rd, 27th, £9/ £8

Masculinity – isn’t it, like, over? Or are there new ways to model manliness? Growing up Joe felt less like a boy, more like a Spice Girl. Now he’s sort of grown up, and technically a man. This is a show about embracing girl power to create your own brand of manhood. ‘Richly entertaining’ **** (Scotsgay). ‘An engaging hour of stand-up with an important message and many laughs to be had’ **** (Edinburgh Festival Magazine). ‘So much originality’ **** (Voicemag). ‘Oozing star power from every pore’ (Mirror). ‘Edgy and unpredictable’ (ToDoList.org.uk). ‘Definitely one to watch’ (Chortle.co.uk).

John Robertson: The Dark Room

Underbelly Cowgate, White Belly, 2nd- 26th Aug, (8.00pm), runtime 60 mins

Preview: 2nd – 3rd, £7

Weekend: 4th – 7th, 10th – 12th, 17th – 19th, 24th – 26th, £11/ £10

Weekday: 8th – 9th, 13th – 16th, 20th – 23rd, £10/ £9

You awake to find yourself in The Dark Room! You (the audience) must choose an option – will you A) Find the light switch? B) Cry for help? C) Go north? Come and play a live-action, text-based adventure game! It’s a choose your own adventure – so choose it! After 4 million YouTube hits, 10 crowd-surfs, four death threats and sell-out shows worldwide, cult hit The Dark Room returns to Edinburgh for its seventh consecutive run! Winner: ThreeWeeks Editors’ Award Best Comedy Award. Nominee: FringeWorld 2017. ***** (Comedy.co.uk). ***** (Skinny). ***** (ThreeWeeks). ***** (BroadwayBaby.com).

Josh Glanc: Karma Karma Karma Karma Karma Chamedian

Underbelly Bristo Square, Dexter, 1st- 26th Aug, (5.30pm), (no show Tuesday 14th), runtime 60 mins

Preview: 1st – 3rd, £6.50

Weekend: 4th – 7th, 10th – 12th, 17th – 19th, 24th – 26th, £11/ £10

Weekday: 8th – 9th, 13th – 16th, 20th – 23rd, £10/ £9

Winner: Best Comedy, Perth Fringe 2017. Named ‘one of the most exciting emerging [Aussie] talents’ (TheAge.com.au) and fresh from a total sell-out season at the Melbourne Comedy Festival. Glanc is ‘surreal, frenetic, indisputably energising’ **** (Herald Sun). **** (Fest).

Just William’s Luck

Underbelly Cowgate, Iron Belly, 2nd- 26th Aug, (12.10pm), (no show Monday 13th), runtime 60 mins

Preview: 2nd – 3rd, £6.50

Weekend: 4th – 7th, 10th – 12th, 17th – 19th, 24th – 26th, £10/ £9

Weekday: 8th – 9th, 14th – 16th, 20th – 23rd, £9/ £8

The invincible William Brown considers he is ‘jolly well equal’ to solving most of life’s trickier problems, although devising a plan to get the elder brothers of the Outlaws married off might be a considerable challenge… Shedload Theatre present a love letter to Richmal Crompton’s classic characters in a fresh and dynamic adaptation. Fusing imaginative physical storytelling, screaming and screaming, music, knights of the square table, Foley sound effects, the Outlaws trademark gusto, and all the best intentions. **** (BroadwayBaby.com).

Laura Davis: Ghost Machine

Underbelly Cowgate, Belly Dancer, 2nd- 26th Aug, (5.40pm), (no show Monday 13th), runtime 60 mins

Preview: 2nd – 3rd, £6.50

Weekend: 4th – 7th, 10th – 12th, 17th – 19th, 24th – 26th, £10.50/ £9.50

Weekday: 8th – 9th, 14th – 16th, 20th – 23rd, £9.50/ £8.50

A show about life. Performed by a ghost. For the love of god. Laura Davis pushes into new ground in her internationally acclaimed, multi award-winning show Ghost Machine. Lauded as one of the strongest and most unique comedic voices around, Laura Davis is unconventional, cathartic and exhilaratingly hilarious. Ghost Machine sees audience members returning multiple times to celebrate this darkly honest, constantly surprising, existential extravaganza. Winner: Best Indie Show at Melbourne International Comedy Festival and Best Comedy at Melbourne Fringe. ‘An original and provocative hour in the company of a unique mind’ **** (List).

Lead Pencil

Underbelly Cowgate, Belly Laugh, 2nd- 26th Aug, (7.40pm), (no show Tuesday 14th), runtime 60 mins

Preview: 2nd – 3rd, £6.50

Weekend: 4th – 7th, 10th – 12th, 17th – 19th, 24th – 26th, £10.50/ £9.50

Weekday: 8th – 9th, 13th – 16th, 20th – 23rd, £9.50/ £8.50

Imagine the love-child of Saved by the Bell and Art Attack! That’s Lead Pencil and they’ve made a sketch show by literally sketching it. ‘A very talented trio whose dedication to looking completely ridiculous was met with roars of laughter from the audience’ (FreshAir.org.uk). A comedy show packed with characters, songs and sketches from Lead Pencil – as seen on Channel 4, BBC Radio 4 and Comedy Central. This multimedia show looks back at the 90s heyday of The Art Team and their here’s-one-I-made-earlier story. Sex, drugs and toilet roll. ‘Well-made finely-tuned comedy’ (BroadwayBaby.com).

Little Death Club

Underbelly’s Circus Hub, The Beauty, 3rd – 25th Aug, (8.00pm), (no show Monday 13th) runtime 60 mins

Preview: 3rd, £10

Weekend: 4th – 7th, 10th – 12th, 17th – 19th, 24th – 25th, £15/ £14

Weekday: 8th – 9th, 14th – 16th, 20th – 23rd, £12.50/ £11.50

Winner: Pick of the Fringe, Adelaide Fringe Weekly Award 2017. The darkest, funniest and most debauched variety show in town! The multi award-winning Queen of Weimar punk kabarett Bernie Dieter (Star of La Clique, EastEnd Cabaret) and her travelling family of misfits, miscreants and fantastic freaks bring you ‘a feast of feathers, nudity and sidesplitting comedy’ ****1/2 (GlamAdelaide.com.au). ‘Magnificent, be amazed, be appalled, and be blown away’ ***** (WeekendNotes.com). ‘A night of debauchery and devilry! Hilarious’ ****1/2 (FourthWallMedia.Wordpress.com). ‘Absolutely outrageous! An unmissable experience’ ****1/2 (OUTInPerth). ‘Wickedly funny, the audience were in stitches’ ****1/2 (XPressMag).

Lola and Jo: Focus Groupies

Underbelly Cowgate, Delhi Belly, 2nd- 26th Aug, (4.00pm), (no show Monday 13th), runtime 60 mins

Preview: 2nd – 3rd, £6.50

Weekend: 4th – 7th, 10th – 12th, 17th – 19th, 24th – 26th, £10/ £9

Weekday: 8th – 9th, 14th – 16th, 20th – 23rd, £9/ £8

Character comedians Lola and Jo (**** (List)) are pretty certain they have a revolutionary show on their hands. To double check, they’ve wisely employed Leslie and Jackie from almost award-winning market research company Focus On (runner-up, Keep Talking Award 1997), to gather feedback on their potentially groundbreaking show. Research purposes only; no refreshments, travel reimbursements or life-affirming insights. Laughter not guaranteed. ‘Female duos you need to see’ (Independent). ‘Raising the sketch stakes with insightful and masterful work’ **** (List) ‘Lola and Jo are fantastic… a gallery of neurotic weirdos’ **** (Shortcom.co.uk).

Love Songs

Underbelly Cowgate, Delhi Belly, 2nd- 26th Aug, (2.40pm), (no show Wednesday 15th), runtime 60 mins

Preview: 2nd – 3rd, £6.50

Weekend: 4th – 7th, 10th – 12th, 17th – 19th, 24th – 26th, £11/ £10

Weekday: 8th – 9th, 13th – 16th, 20th – 23rd, £10/ £9

Mixing get-on-the-dance-floor music, rap and spoken word, Love Songs explores the personal and political puzzles of our love lives through the autobiographical poems of a hopeless romantic. A classic tale of classroom crushes and awkward bedroom encounters, a cautionary guidebook on navigating the millennial dating scene, and a glimpse under the covers at our deepest desires and the all-consuming fear of ending up alone. A one-woman show (about many men) that is surprisingly relatable, but a little bit different. Why? Because ultimately, this is the story about the one.

Lucy Frederick: Even More Naked

Underbelly Bristo Square, Clover, 1st- 26th Aug, (2.50pm), (no show Monday 13th), runtime 60 mins

Preview: 1st – 3rd, £6.50

Weekend: 4th – 7th, 10th – 12th, 17th – 19th, 24th – 26th, £10/ £9

Weekday: 8th – 9th, 14th – 16th, 20th – 23rd, £9/ £8

Some years ago, comedian Lucy Frederick appeared in a reality TV show in which she had to get naked. Like, completely naked. No socks or anything. And while that might sound alarming, she’s since discovered that actually, there’s a far more terrifying way to get your bits and bobs out for other people. And you don’t even have to take your coat off. ‘A genuinely gifted performer. Fabulous!’ **** (Scotsman) ‘Delivered to a packed house… A strong and diverse show’ **** (ThreeWeeks). ‘Like catching up with a best friend’ **** (TheWeeReview.com).

Mistero Buffo

Underbelly Cowgate, Big Belly, 2nd- 26th Aug, (7.20pm), (no show Monday 13th), runtime 75 mins

Preview: 2nd – 3rd, £6.50

Weekend: 4th – 7th, 10th – 12th, 17th – 19th, 24th – 26th, £13/ £12

Weekday: 8th – 9th, 14th – 16th, 20th – 23rd, £12/ £11

Award-winning and critically acclaimed company Rhum and Clay bring to the stage Dario Fo’s seminal master piece, Mistero Buffo – a daring and explosive rallying cry for the disenfranchised. A travelling storyteller, another employee of the gig economy, rushes from his last delivery of the day to recount ancient tales of Jesus and his life…however these versions aren’t like any you’ve heard before. Darkly comic, sometimes tragic and always subversive, Mistero Buffo takes aim at those who manipulate truth and belief for power and control. Nominated for the Peter Brook Ensemble Award 2017. **** (Guardian – For 64 Squares).

Myq Kaplan: All Killing Aside

Underbelly Bristo Square, Friesian, 1st- 26th Aug, (9.15pm), (no show Monday 13th), runtime 60 mins

Preview: 1st – 3rd, £7

Weekend: 4th – 7th, 10th – 12th, 17th – 19th, 24th – 26th, £13/ £12

Weekday: 8th – 9th, 15th – 16th, 22th – 23rd, £12/ £11

Early Week: 14th, 20th – 21st, £11/ £10

New York’s cosmic comedian Myq (Mike) Kaplan takes you (and himself, and the universe) on a journey of kindness in his Edinburgh debut. A comedy show about truth, love and not murdering. Perfect for all the not-murdering enthusiasts out there. As seen on Amazon, Comedy Central, Last Comic Standing, The Tonight Show, Conan, Letterman, and more… ‘A one-man screwball comedy in which silly and brainy sides bicker’ (New York Times). ‘Myq Kaplan was the stand-out of the show’ (Chortle.co.uk). ‘A master deconstructionist… the lightning-fast comedian slows down to let his fans catch up’ (AVClub.com).

Myra Dubois: We Wish You a Myra Christmas

Underbelly George Square, The Wee Coo, 1st- 26th Aug, (4.00pm), (no show Saturday 18th), runtime 60 mins

Preview: 1st – 3rd, £7

Weekend: 4th – 7th, 10th – 12th, 17th – 19th, 24th – 26th, £11/ £10

Weekday: 8th – 9th, 13th – 16th, 20th – 23rd, £10/ £9

The self-declared siren of south Yorkshire presents a festive spectacular! In August. Join Myra DuBois for an hour of off-season seasonal sing-a-longs and summertime yuletide anecdotes from her Christmases past, all delivered in her trademark acerbic wit! ‘A display of caustic sensibility and razor- sharp wit’ (Scotland on Sunday). ‘Proper stand-up… brilliantly delivered’ **** (BroadwayBaby.com). ‘Hilarious… comedic timing that never misses a beat’ **** (Edinburgh Festivals Magazine).

Nick Hall: Spencer

Underbelly Bristo Square, Clover, 1st- 27th Aug, (1.30pm), (no show Monday 13th), runtime 60 mins

Preview: 1st – 3rd, £6.50

Weekend: 4th – 7th, 10th – 12th, 17th – 19th, 24th – 26th, £10/ £9

Weekday: 8th – 9th, 14th – 16th, 20th – 23rd, 27th, £9/ £8

Spencer Percival has one claim to fame. He’s the only British Prime Minister ever to be assassinated. Unfortunately, no one’s ever heard of him. 206 years later, Nick Hall tells his story. In this inventive and hilarious journey through history, Nick brings alive the world of the 19th century, while drawing parallels with the present. In this age of Brexit, Trump, Corbynista and Maybot, could we still learn something from the past? As seen on BBC Two and Three, and heard on BBC Radio 4. ‘Brilliant’ (Times). ‘Crackingly original’ **** (List). ‘One not to miss’ **** (Skinny).

Paddington Bear’s First Concert

Underbelly Bristo Square, Cowbarn, 1st- 26th Aug, (11.20am), (no show Monday 13th), runtime 60 mins

Preview: 1st – 3rd, £7

Weekend: 4th – 7th, 10th – 12th, 17th – 19th, 24th – 26th, £12/ £10

Weekday: 8th – 9th, 14th – 16th, 20th – 23rd, £11/ £9

Join Paddington Bear on his adventures as he leaves home, meets his new family and enjoys his first concert – not without causing his fair share of mayhem, of course! The charming tales of everyone’s favourite bear come to life with storytelling, narration and a live orchestra. An enchanting children’s concert that appeals to all who love this curious and cheeky bear – from the same team that brought you Peter Rabbit in 2017: ‘… a show that every child and parent should take time to go and see’ ***** (FairyPoweredProductions.com). ‘Truly charming’ (Primary Times).

Paul Foot Image Conscious

Underbelly Cowgate, Belly Dancer, 2nd- 26th Aug, (7.00pm), (no show Monday 13th), runtime 60 mins

Preview: 2nd – 3rd, £7.50

Weekend: 4th – 7th, 10th – 12th, 17th – 19th, 24th – 26th, £12.50/ £11.50

Weekday: 8th – 9th, 14th – 16th, 20th – 23rd, £10.50/ £9.50

Greetings! It’s my brand-new show, baybayyy! Ever considered the unique predicament of the soft-shell crab? I have. What about the numerous problems of organising a suburban orgy? The catering, for example. It’s an absolute nightmare! The multi award-winning and critically-acclaimed comedian presents his 10th solo Edinburgh show prior to extensive tours of the UK, Australia and New Zealand. ‘Flat-out hilarious throughout, he remains one of the most original laugh-makers at the Fringe, consistently brilliant… this is live comedy at its most original’ ***** (New European). ‘A deranged genius’ **** (Sydney Morning Herald).

Paul Mayhew-Archer: Incurable Optimist

Underbelly Bristo Square, Friesian, 1st- 26th Aug, (5.15pm), (no show Monday 13th), runtime 60 mins

Preview: 1st – 3rd, £6.50

Weekend: 4th – 7th, 10th – 12th, 17th – 19th, 24th – 26th, £10/ £9

Weekday: 8th – 9th, 14th – 16th, 20th – 23rd, £9/ £8

Paul’s co-written or worked on many much-loved comedy shows – The Vicar of Dibley, I’m Sorry I Haven’t A Clue, Mrs Brown’s Boys, Spitting Image and Roald Dahl’s Esio Trot starring Dustin Hoffman and Judi Dench. Now Paul has Parkinson’s, but he’s still laughing. Following an award-winning BBC documentary Parkinson’s: The Funny Side and a triumphant debut at London’s Comedy Store, here’s a one-man show about the therapeutic power of comedy. Paul is not contagious, but he is worth catching. ‘Very funny – and moving too’ (Richard Curtis). ‘An inspiration’ (Audience member with Parkinson’s).

Paul Williams: Santa Fe

Underbelly Cowgate, Iron Belly, 2nd- 26th Aug, (4.10pm), (no show Tuesday 14th), runtime 60 mins

Preview: 2nd – 3rd, £6.50

Weekend: 4th – 7th, 10th – 12th, 17th – 19th, 24th – 26th, £10/ £9

Weekday: 8th – 9th, 13th – 16th, 20th – 23rd, £9/ £8

Cast your mind to a magical place called Santa Fe. Now snap out of it because that’s the show’s setting and you haven’t bought a ticket yet so stop getting free enjoyment. Last year I lost a major comedy award back home in New Zealand. This year, I’m getting back up on the horse and setting off on the adventure of a lifetime. ‘Responsible for one of the greatest songs ever’ (David O’Doherty). ‘It’s beautiful and endlessly endearing’ (TheSpinoff.co.nz). ‘Paul is my favourite New Zealand artist’ (Lorde). ‘Paul Williams is enviably talented’ (Nish Kumar).

Pickle Jar

Underbelly Cowgate, Big Belly, 2nd- 26th Aug, (4.40pm), (no show Tuesday 14th), runtime 60 mins

Preview: 2nd – 3rd, £7

Weekend: 4th – 7th, 10th – 12th, 17th – 19th, 24th – 26th, £11/ £10

Weekday: 8th – 9th, 13th – 16th, 20th – 23rd, £10/ £9

It’s hard keeping it together when your whole life is falling apart. But the pressures of teaching, Tinder and outrageous Irish best mates are a lot to juggle, especially when you’re stumbling through the maze of trying to be a grown-up.

Stranger-danger, heartbreak and piña coladas are on the syllabus in the hilarious debut play Pickle Jar, written and performed by Maddie Rice, the critically acclaimed star of the smash-hit Fleabag UK and international tour.

“Maddie Rice is captivating” Guardian

“Maddie Rice oozes presence and exquisite comic timing” Fest*****

Queens of Sheba

Underbelly Cowgate, Iron Belly, 2nd- 26th Aug, (6.50pm), (no show Monday 13th), runtime 60 mins

Preview: 2nd – 3rd, £7

Weekend: 4th – 7th, 10th – 12th, 17th – 19th, 24th – 26th, £11/ £10

Weekday: 8th – 9th, 14th – 16th, 20th – 23rd, £10/ £9

Queens of Sheba tells the stories of four black women who have been turned away from a night club for ‘being too black’ (based on the Dstrkt night spot incident of 2015). The drama focuses on the rise of Misogynoir (misogyny directed towards black women where race and gender both play roles in bias). It is the story of strong passionate women who fight to overcome the terrors of oppression in a racist and sexist society.

NEWS: More2Screen to Broadcast Oscar Wilde’s ‘An Ideal Husband’ Live to Cinemas on 5th June

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More2Screen has announced the live cinema broadcast of Oscar Wilde’s An Ideal Husband, on Tuesday 5 June 2018, 7.15pm. This is the third play in the Classic Spring Theatre Company’s year-long Oscar Wilde Season at the Vaudeville Theatre and will be broadcast live by satellite to 420 cinemas across the UK and Ireland.

Directed by Jonathan Church, this entertaining and still topical play brings an act of political sin into the heart of the English home. As an ambitious government minister, Sir Robert Chiltern’s smooth ascent to the top seems assured until Mrs Cheveley appears in London with damning proof of his previous financial chicanery. The talented ensemble cast includes real-life father and son Edward (The Audience, West End; The Day of the Jackal, ITV) and Freddie Fox (The Judas Kiss, West End; Cucumber& Banana, Channel 4; E4), Olivier Award-nominated Frances Barber (Silk, BBC; Antony and Cleopatra, Shakespeare’s Globe), Olivier Award-winner Nathaniel Parker(This House, West End; Wolf Hall, West End & Broadway), Sally Bretton (Not Going Out, BBC; King Lear, Shakespeare’s Globe) and Susan Hampshire (Forsyte Saga, Monarch of the Glen, BBC).

In March the live broadcast of Lady Windermere’s Fan scored a hit at the box office and with cinema audiences around the UK and Ireland, as well as further afield in Gibraltar, Germany and Malta. Each play from the Oscar Wilde Season is reaching a global audience with cinema screenings of the filmed productions in countries around the world, including Australia, Canada, India, Russia and the US, demonstrating the Victorian playwright’s enduring appeal.

More2Screen will also broadcast the final production of Classic Spring’s Oscar Wilde Season from the Vaudeville Theatre to cinemas nationwide: The Importance of Being Earnest on Tuesday 9 October. Cinema tickets for the season are now on sale at OscarWildeCinema.com

BBFC Cert: AS LIVE 12A | Running time 150 minutes (approx) including one interval.

#WildeSeason #WildeCinema #AIH

WHAT’S ON APRIL: Russian rising-star Pavel Kolesnikov accompanies Czech National Symphony Orchestra at Usher Hall for Beethoven’s Fourth Piano Concerto

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Russian pianist Pavel Kolesnikov is one of the most exciting young musicians in the world today and will be performing the complex beauty of Beethoven’s Fourth Piano Concerto alongside the Czech National Symphony Orchestra. The Orchestra, celebrating their 25th birthday this year, will also stun the Usher Hall audience with an all-powerful rendition of Schubert’s Unfinished Symphony along with what is widely regarded at Dvorak’s greatest symphony, the 7th.

Czech National Symphony Orchestra and Pavel Kolesnikov

Sunday Classics at Usher Hall

Lothian Road, Edinburgh

Sunday 22 April, 3pm

Door time: 2:00pm

Start time: 3:00pm

Schubert Symphony No.8 ‘Unfinished’
Beethoven Piano Concerto No.4
Dvorak Symphony No.7

Ben Palmer Conductor
Pavel Kolesnikov Piano

More info and tickets available at: www.usherhall.co.uk/sunday-classics

NEWS: 200 musicians and singers bring full power of Mahler’s ‘Resurrection’ symphony to Usher Hall

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The full drama of Mahler’s all-embracing second symphony comes to life in performance in a way that very few recordings can hope to capture. With enlarged orchestral forces and a 140-strong choir this work is truly epic, offering up the composer’s apocalyptic vision of life, death and the hereafter.

Bruckner Orchester Linz spans 200 years of tradition and excellence. The Orchestra is joined by the Leeds and Sheffield Philharmonic Choruses, both with illustrious histories of their own.

The task of leading this huge orchestra is that of the world-renowned German conductor Markus Poschner. A German Conductor’s Award winner, he is regularly invited to lead the world’s best orchestras, specialising in the symphonies of Mahler, Brahms and Beethoven.

With 200 musicians and singers on stage together performing Mahler’s momentous work in the wonderful Usher Hall acoustics, get ready for a mind-blowing Sunday Classics experience.

Bruckner Orchester Linz

Usher Hall, Lothian Road, Edinburgh

Door time: 2:00pm

Start time: 3:00pm

Mahler Symphony No.2 ‘Resurrection’

Markus Poschner Conductor
Leeds Philharmonic Chorus
Sheffield Philharmonic Chorus
Brigitte Geller Soprano

Tickets available at: www.usherhall.co.uk/sunday-classics 

WHAT’S ON APRIL: The Mark of the Beast at Platform

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The Mark of the Beast is a bold new spoken word performance in Scots and English from theatre maker and performer Martin O’Connor. Inspired by Glasgow’s relationship with alcohol and addiction and created in partnership with those in varying stages of recovery from alcohol addiction, the performance explores temptation, morality, and social attitudes towards the ‘demon drink.’  The Mark of the Beast premieres at Platform, Glasgow and runs from Friday 13 April – Sunday 15 April 2018.

It’s the morning efter the night before, Yer suddenly sober and know the score

Ye leave yer pals and decide to walk it, Cos yer still in charge. A total rocket

The Mark of the Beast looks at early experiences of being drunk; family parties; teenage socialising and over indulgence through sound, spoken word and dark humour. It addresses Scottish male identity and questions the role that alcohol plays in society. Following Martin’s research in Islay about the temperance movement, and influenced by the experiences of those who credit their sobriety to a religious or spiritual awakening, the piece looks at temptation, morality and judgement taking inspiration from the Book of Revelation.

The Mark of the Beast develops Martin’s exploration of Scots language as seen in his previous solo spoken word performances; Theology, created for the Arches Behaviour Festival in 2014, and last year’s Building a Nation with Glasgow Life and National Theatre of Scotland. Through these works, Martin has begun to create a unique style of writing and performing in the form of an idiolect – a mixture of high and low registers, Scots, English and Gaelic, poetic and prosaic; reflective of our own ways of speaking. Martin has established a reputation for fast paced Scots which is both entertaining and politically astute.

Martin O’Connor says: “I’m excited to be finally presenting the final version of The Mark of the Beast, which is the coming together of my spoken word and the recorded stories collected from participants around Glasgow. It is important to share these life experiences with new audiences and to experiment with the relationship between recorded and live material. It also feels like an important step in my practice as I continue to explore the place of marginalised voices in performance and the poetry of Glaswegian Scots.”

This new work is the result of three years of development, initially with the artist development programme Team Effort at IF, and an early version was showcased at Rally and Broad. In 2015 Martin further developed the work at Platform’s Outskirts Festival and the Scottish Mental Health Arts and Film Festival event Headspace. Platform subsequently invited him to collaborate with sound artist Nichola Scrutton and The North East Recovery Community (NERC) to work across six recovery community cafes, collecting experiences from participants in recovery from alcohol addiction. O’Connor and Scrutton created a sound installation Good Days Bad Days at Platform, which will inform the soundscape for The Mark of the Beast.

The piece is designed by Fergus Dunnet, and directed by Martin O’Connor with input from other directors and a choreographer.

The Mark of the Beast is produced in association with Platform and will also tour to:

LISTINGS

PLATFORM, GLASGOW

THE MARK OF THE BEAST

Presented by Martin O’Connor and Platform

Friday 13 April, 7pm

Saturday 14 and Sunday 15 April, 2pm

Ages 16+

Tickets: £8.50/£5/£4 (Local Links)

Box Office: 0141 276 9696

platform-online.co.uk

WHAT’S ON MAY: Light Bulb Comedy 1 Year Anniversary Countdown Show

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Celebrate 1 year of Light Bulb Comedy. Join in the countdown as a selection of favourite acts perform shorter and shorter sets till it gets very silly indeed. Starting with a 10 minute set, each subsequent act will get one less minute to perform. Once they reach the 1-minute set, things may start to get interesting….

Blackfriars, Glasgow Tuesday 8th May 2018 8pm.

Featuring:

Christopher Macarthur-Boyd

The King of Sad Style, as featured on BBC Radio 1’s 24 Hours and BBC 4 Extra Stands Up at the Fringe.

Planet Caramel

‘Glimmers of comedy genius’ (ThreeWeeks)

Phil O’Shea

“Utter, delicious, nonsense” – Fest

Nev

Chunks co-daddy ‘…fast growing into a full scale comedy movement’ – The Skinny

Rosco Mcclelland

Scottish Comedian of the Year 2017

Donald Alexander

Best Newcomer (Scottish Comedy Awards 2017)

Richard Brown

“Utterly unique and impossibly inventive” – The Skinny

Gemma Flynn

“to call Gemma Flynn a local hero would be an understatement’ – The Skinny

Elaine Malcolmson

“Bone-dry and talented… exquisite material” – Edinburgh Evening News

Hosted by:

Martin James

Co-host of bad music podcast “Hmm, Interesting Choice…”

INTERVIEW: Rebecca Norris, actor and co-deviser of The Wedding Reception coming to Eastwood Park Theatre’s Carmichael Hall in May.

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Glasgow Theatre Blog had the chance to talk to Rebecca Norris, co-creator of The Wedding Reception coming to Eastwood Park Theatre this May.

Tell us a little bit about the play.

The Wedding Reception is a unique immersive theatrical dining experience. It invites you to be a guest at a surprise wedding reception for newlyweds William and Kate. You join the family (and a few uninvited guests) through two hours of a muddled attempt at traditional wedding celebration rites where nothing seems to go as planned. They cry, laugh and dance, and hopefully you will too! (maybe not the cry bit).

And your role…

Four actors play nine roles in The Wedding Reception. I play two roles: Lynn (the mother of the bride) and Marge (the groom’s aunt). Lynn is a great role to play She’s a wonderful and warm northern lady. A bit of a mum to everyone and will talk about anything. Nothing is off limits with Lynn. Aunt Marge is much colder. A stuck up ‘wanna-be’ who’s faked most things in her life to get her where she is today.

 

How has the play been received so far, has it been different in different locations?

The Wedding Reception has been performed all over the UK, including Scotland and Wales – although this is our first time in Glasgow. We have even been lucky enough to do tours across Australia and a show in Singapore. Depending on the location, we change a few references in the show for audiences to relate to but on the whole we’ve found wherever we are the universal truth is that everyone loves a good wedding so everyone always has a great time.

What is life like backstage on tour?

Backstage on tour can be a bit crazy, really. We have a lot of quick costume changes throughout the show so backstage can be manic. Especially when we are out and about on tour and the size of our changing area can vary quite some bit. We’ve all been very close together in some shows.

Touring can be demanding, how do you keep your performance fresh/look after yourself when you’re having to travel as well as perform on stage at night?

Keeping this show fresh isn’t so much of a challenge, as it’s very different to traditional theatre shows. The audience members are not just watching a show, they become an integral part of it so with their input we never perform never same show twice. It certainly keeps us all on our toes. Good planning and keeping it all in good fun is key to staying healthy and fighting fatigue on the road. We spend a lot of time in each other’s company so trying find ways of making long journeys and mundane jobs fun is really important.

Can we go back a bit and talk about what inspired you to become an actor and the path you took to become one?

I didn’t get into acting until quite late – I was 30 before I’d even considered it. Although I remember having a love of theatre when I was younger, I never considered it to be an option. It was only by chance that I did a workshop in Brighton which actually changed everything. Suddenly my sole focus and drive was on acting. I went to drama school and worked full-time while attending to fund myself. Once I graduated I tried to make sure each job I got would lead to another until it became my full-time job and I’ve never looked back.

Any advice for aspiring performers?

It’s never too late! If it’s something you have a passion for then go get involved. Maybe do some courses and see where it takes you.

Finally, why should people come along to see the play? And where else can we see it?

Everyone should come to see this play! – though it’s PG, because of some sexual innuendo and partial nudity. That aside, each show is truly different as audiences react in various ways to being swept up in the raucous action. Whatever happens though, one thing’s for sure – it will be an unforgettable experience.
You are all invited to the most madcap marital celebration of them all and get to eat a 3-course meal as well.

We are playing at Carmichael Hall in Eastwood Park Theatre on Saturday 12 May at 7:30pm.

We’re also visiting:

Birmingham REP (10-11 May)

Greshams in Ipswich (18 May)

Bedford Swan Hotel (also 18 May)

Hadley Park House in Telford (19 May)

AFC Portchester Club House (22 June)

Nottingham Theatre Royal (6 July)

– and Edinburgh Fringe 2-27 August.

NEWS: Interactive Shows at Eastwood Park This Spring

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Glasgow audiences are in for a treat this May as they become part of the performance, with two interactive shows coming to Eastwood Park Theatre in Giffnock.

Guests are cordially invited to the wedding of the year, with theatrical dining comedy experience The Wedding Reception on Saturday 12 May, while the audience will take a trip down musical memory lane with Turntable on Saturday 19 May.

Anthony McReavy from East Renfrewshire Culture and Leisure said: “Audiences are sure to love these shows, because they will become part of the performance.

“The Wedding Reception is a two-hour theatrical dining experience, featuring a three course meal, comedy and highly improvised entertainment, while Turntable invites the audience to share memories, stories and music.

“It’s great to be able to offer something different to Eastwood Park Theatre.”

The Wedding Reception sees newlyweds Will and Kate expecting an intimate celebration – but Kate’s mum has other ideas, including a big surprise party that the audience is part of.  The Wedding Reception is brought by Interactive Theatre International, the people behind the globetrotting hit, Faulty Towers – The Dining Experience (Faulty towers was a sell-out show at Eastwood Park last year).

Meanwhile, Glasgow Southside musician and composer Michael John (MJ) McCarthy brings a different beat to the Carmichael Hall on Saturday 19 May with a trip down memory lane for music fans.

Turntable intends to reclaim music as a communal experience whilst also celebrating each participant’s individual relationship with the key songs and albums in their lives. The show started when MJ McCarthy and his Great Aunt Kathleen – 55 years his senior – connected over a stack of vinyl. Since then, the Turntable team have toured her record case around Scotland, inviting listeners of all ages to investigate its contents whilst reflecting on the importance of music in their lives.

The show was commissioned by the Scottish Mental Health Arts and Film Festival in 2015 and now seeks to combat loneliness and isolation experienced by the young and old across Scotland and the UK.

Tickets for The Wedding Reception cost £45, including a three course meal and tickets for Turntable are £10, available from: www.eastwoodparktheatre.co.uk/boxoffice.

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