Culture
The Good Books, Neil Ansell: ‘It was a revelation to discover that nature writing could also be literature’
Neil Ansell on the books of his childhood, the best book he has read this year, and the book that has been his ‘north star’ ever since he discovered it. The first book I remember reading: The earliest reading experience I can clearly recall is of a Dr Seuss book, The Cat in the…
Read MoreEdinburgh Fringe Reviews: Miriam Margolyes and Patrick Monahan
Miriam Margolyes is as outrageous as ever in her one-woman show, Margolyes & Dickens: More Best Bits says Frankie Reason. ★★★★ She doesn’t feel the need to introduce herself – ‘if you don’t know who I am, what the f**k are you doing here?’ – and she’s entirely justified. The audience cheer their approval and…
Read MoreRebecca Atkinson-Lord, An Tobar and Mull Theatre: ‘It’s still so important we come together and share stories’
Artistic Director of An Tobar and Mull Theatre, Rebecca Atkinson-Lord, on island life, how the theatre has changed the lives of many locals and her latest production – a powerful one-woman stage adaptation of Sarah Moss’ acclaimed novel Night Waking. I grew up part of the time in Wolverhampton in the Black Country and the…
Read MoreFringe Reviews: Dance & Theatre
The Crucible – ★★★★ Nine sturdy-looking wooden chairs horseshoe the stage. A woman dressed like a governess stands in the centre with a lit lantern as she watches the crowd fill the seats. A few chairs downs from me sits a performer with a white bonnet covering her face. The lights dim and music starts,…
Read MoreEdinburgh Fringe, Raise the Barre: ‘A must see, it’s truly terrific’
Raise the Barre is explosive stuff. A must see, it’s truly terrific, says Jeremy Welch. ★★★★★ It’s graduation day at a dance school presided over by a strict assessor. There are two troupes of dancers here, the female troupe dressed in classical ballet tutus, the male troupe dressed similarly but in an anarchistic way, black…
Read MoreThe Good Books, Kristie De Garis: ‘If I like the sound of a book I’ll either buy it in the next six minutes or not at all’
Drystone waller Kristie De Garis on the books of her childhood, her love of O’Brother by John Niven and why life is too short to keep reading the books you don’t enjoy. The first book I remember reading: Slugs by David Greenberg. A children’s book that could only have been published in the 80s.…
Read MoreInternational Festival Reviews: Bruce Liu Plays Ravel, Hanni Liang: Dreams & Volosi
Bruce Liu Plays Ravel with the NCPA Orchestra After esteemed conductor Myung-Whun Chung walked on stage with the hearty applause of the audience, The NCPA Orchestra opened the evening with Qigang Chen’s Wu Xing (the Five Elements). This ten-minute immersive fusion of Chinese and Western instrument and tradition soaked the audience in atmosphere and was a…
Read MoreFringe Reviews: Dan Tiernan, Vittorio Angelone & Terence Hartnett
Dan Tiernan’s abrasive comedy style is at once hilarious and disconcerting, says Frankie Reason. ★★★★ Dan opens his set with a scream, immediately turns to talk of ketamine, and then proceeds to riff on his divisive style. ‘Not for everyone this, is it’ he reflects, before accusing the hot-chocolate-drinking Café Nero patrons of stumbling into…
Read MoreFive star reviews from the Edinburgh Fringe: Glenn Moore & Boiler Room Six
No introductions, no preamble, Glenn Moore is off and running at a hundred miles an hour before he’s even on the stage, says Alister Tenneb. And strap yourself in because he doesn’t slow down for the next hour. ★★★★★ As well as being a regular on radio, Glenn will be recognisable to many from his…
Read MoreFringe Reviews: FLOP, Art of Andalucia & Cambridge Footlights
Arthur Hull’s FLOP has charisma by the bucket-loads, Frankie Reason says. ★★★★ Edinburgh-born Australian artist Arthur Hull delivers a musically impressive, engaging, and witty exploration of musical theatre’s greatest flops. Both exposé and love letter, Hull muses on the dubious opening choreography to Carrie, the pitfalls of theatre to screen, the consistently faulty formula that…
Read More