Beowulf - A Thousand Years of Baggage review

Beowulf – A Thousand Years of Baggage is one of those shows that makes your Fringe. A riotous performance and a great example of experimental theatre and the stunning results it can achieve.


In this song-play, a seven-piece band accompany three actors, two singers come dancers and fur-clad Beowulf himself who makes a grand entrance sporting sunglasses and dripping with masculinity.

A text as mysterious as Beowulf ought to be treated as such in its performance. The 3182-line poem, based in Scandinavia sees warrior Beowulf seek to defeat the psychotic Grendel, a troubled young man akin to Psycho’s mother-loving Norman Bates.

Forget the stage. Actors and musicians roam about the spherical room, hiding behind pillars, kicking over chairs in blind rage, standing atop tables and helping themselves to drinks at the bar, even offering them to the audience. It’s messy but effective and we are immersed in an underworld of betrayal and Anglo Saxon limb extraction.

The music is thunderous and unpredictable, supported by emotive and pitch-perfect vocals. The spoken portions are poetic and melt effortlessly into the accompanying music and acting. As with all great poems, the tone constantly shifts and the audience is with them every step of the way.

The battle – both physical and vocal – between Beowulf and Grendel takes place around the auditorium and amongst the audience as we twist and turn to locate the constantly moving performers. There is also a strong sense of humour to the show and the performers succeed in communicating a whimsicality amid the madness.

The queerness of the Danse Palais Spiegel tent in George Square is the perfect setting for Beowulf; sporting a giant metal chandelier, booth seating and mirrored pillars it feels more like an elaborate gypsy cart than a venue.

While it’s cacophonous and brutal, there are moments of tenderness such as those between Grendel and his malevolent mother.

Beowulf is gritty, daring, intelligent and cleverly executed.

5 stars

Bespoke Magic - On the Fringe of Reality review

Bruce Glen, ‘the gentleman Magician’ cordially invites us into a world of make-believe with his show Bespoke Magic – On the Fringe of Reality.

He talks us through the world of wonder and amazement on our doorstep citing Edinburgh’s great fantasy writers like Robert Louis Stevenson and J K Rowling. It’s rare, but occasionally you experience a Fringe show that feels like it’s for tourists and this is one of them; the explanation about Edinburgh’s history wouldn’t feel out of place on a bus tour.

Smooth-talking Glen skilfully blurs the lines of fantasy and magic in his performance. From asking us how long a piece of string is and demonstrating that it in fact changes in length, to reciting poetry about a famous Edinburgh pilfering performer as he executes the classic cup and ball trick.

Dreamy dulcet tones envelope us throughout the show but once they’ve lulled us into his Fringe of Reality, they becomes a little irksome.

Glen’s final flourish involves borrowing three rings from the audience; consequently making them disappear and re-appear. His movements are grandiose and the overloud operatic love song that accompanies it is clichéd. This style feels dated and great magic speaks for itself, really only requiring friendly and mystical presentation.

That said, our performer is a gentleman and charmingly friendly towards his audience and as a result he manages to keep them entertained - and mystified - throughout the show.

2 (and 3/4) stars

Penny Dreadful's Etherdome review

Three dentists in nineteenth century America are seeking to create pain-free surgery. For two it is the altruistic act and scientific advancement while for another it becomes part of a money-spinning, power-hungry venture. Our three dentists concoct their own potions and elixirs – or pinch them from one another - in the hope of striking it lucky.


A delicious performance by all three actors; from squirming in pain to teeming with malevolence they immerse themselves in each of their roles. At times it wcould be unclear who was playing which character – they also play supporting roles - although this wasn’t helped by limited stage space. There were, perhaps, too many different parts outwith our central three.

The style is very much Nosferatu does dance as the performers move dramatically and dangerously across the stage, re-appearing through curtains and staring down the audience. There’s a great deal of medical rivalry between them which is played out through gothic cabaret and macabre performance.

The venue itself – a specially erected, creaking, wooden carnival tent with swing doors and soft roof – is perfect for such a show and complements the Victorian-style set which houses wooden furnishings, apothecary bottles of varying shapes and sizes and indeed the waist-coat clad actors themselves.

The subject of anaesthesia for a show is curious as it remains a questionable thread of modern surgery despite being around for over a hundred years. There’s an interesting message to the show; that three doctors were ultimately left damaged despite searching for a drug to ease the sensation of pain itself.

3 (and a bit) stars

Federer Versus Murray theatre review

Federer Versus Murray is a play about how tragedy affects the already complex strains of long-term married life. Hard-working nurse Flo is exhausted and unhappy. Jimmy has been made redundant and spends his days sprawled on the couch watching Wimbledon trying to find ways to reconnect - both physically and mentally - with wife Flo.


The awkward atmosphere and unpleasant bickering between the couple is something we’ve all witnessed, whether in our own families or others and so there’s a natural fluidity to the conversation, even if it can be uncomfortable to watch.

While the play deals with sadness and loss, there is fond banter between the two and a strong sense of Glasgow humour in the self-deprecating dialogue.

Jimmy, stifled by his wife’s reluctance to talk about the family’s loss, channels his grief into his love of sport and, in particular, Federer, while wife Flo staunchly supports Murray.

One notable scene is that of them readying themselves for the semi-final. The two paint their faces in support of their chosen athlete and to Jimmy’s dismay – and Flo’s amusement – he accidently paints a St George’s Cross.

The play does not seek to resolve, rather explore the complexities and rivalries of relationships by mirroring them with public ones. In the characters we see much of ourselves and Murray versus Federer allows us to be flawed and stubborn but also capable of forgiveness.

Jus' Like That review

Assembly Hall at the Mound, 5.30 'til 29 Aug

An homage to beloved magician and comedian Tommy Cooper

 Clive Mantle brings fez-wearing farce to life as he nails the mannerisms of the late comedian and conjurer in Jus’ Like That. The slapstick puns, the child-friendly anecdotes and the ridiculous humour is all there. Anyone (like myself) who grew up with Tommy Cooper on the telly will undoubtedly enjoy the show.

The Fringe sees comedians of every shape and size fighting to establish their own brand in a crowded arena. Love it or hate it, Tommy’s humour appeals to many and the fact a tribute act is drawing crowds 27 years after his death certainly says speaks volumes for his comic gift.

The show pays homage to Cooper’s style from the tufting hair, skipping steps and hand flourishes as he proudly presents yet another botched trick to his audience; you cannot help but crack a smile. The audience giggled and guffawed their way through Mantle’s act and while it may be simple humour, they left with a smile.

As with the bulk of the magic at this year’s Fringe, it was nothing special, a bit disappointing for seasoned magic-goers. Saying that, it is unfair to judge this show on such merits as it’s a mere sidebar to the main attraction.

4 stars

Mogic review; Magic Silliness

C Soco, 5.10pm 'til Aug 29

The best premise for a magic show I’ve seen so far.

A magician and his two assistants stumble on to the stage which also houses a huge crate labelled ‘Mail Order Magic Kit’. The would-be magician awkwardly tells us he ordered it months ago but owing to a shipping fault, has received it only half an hour before the show.

According to the accompanying audio tape, the kit boasts every trick in the magician’s arsenal and will show you how (‘with plenty of practice') to become a top-notch conjurer. Instructions are now played and what follows is magical ineptitude.

The ‘glamorous assistant’ is in fact, a twenty-something man wearing an evening gown and looking spectacularly disgruntled about it. He begrudgingly obliges when the tape instructs him to flash cleavage at the audience and fawn over our would-be magician.

The by-play between the unwaveringly calm and confident voice on the tape and the catastrophic results of the hapless performers is genuinely funny.

This would have easily attained 5-star status if the sleight of hand itself had been slicker or more complex. As it was, the tricks were very basic, even when the intention was clearly to demonstrate skilled magic.

A fun hour of slapstick but if you’re looking for jaw-dropping magic, go elsewhere.

3 stars

Shylock review

Assembly Hall at The Mound, till 29 Aug 2011

We’re so accustomed to gimmicky rehashes of Shakespeare, it’s a pleasure to discover an intelligent new take on his work; how curious it is to consider the inception of a character like Shylock, to ponder his place in society and why Shakespeare put him there.

Gareth Armstrong’s one-man show, Shylock, does just that. The troublesome character from The Merchant of Venice (one of only two Jews ever to appear in Shakespeare), is explored through his friend (and bit-part) Tubal.

Through a series of clever impersonations, Guy Masterson’s Tubal also ponders the portrayal of the typical Jew in literature. Whilst re-enacting Shylock’s key scenes, he reveals background information about Jewish oppression, citing everything from the Scriptures to Dracula and Hitler.

Humour is a key aspect of the play's success despite its heavy subject matter. Scenes detailing the sadness and oppression are left just long enough to affect us and then Tubal jauntily re-emerges grumbling about the fact he’s a bit part with a mere eight lines of dialogue. Masterson’s performance is fast and furious as he a snaps from one character to another, constantly catching us off-guard. The audience is captivated throughout as he shifts effortlessly from resentful despair to child-like excitement.

Vibrant, poignant, exceptionally well written and beautifully executed.

5 stars

Ian Kendall Obsession, a Life with Magic

Another magic review...

Whether, like me, you find magic fascinating or you’re just mildly curious, Ian has a way of making it seem utterly, well, magical.

With his aptly-titled show, Ian takes us on a nostalgic trip, sharing with us a copy of the first magic book he bought as a youngster. He talks us fondly through his career, occasionally sprinkling and adorning it with tricks and illusions from card magic to weighted dice.

Ian is not interested in gimmicks or selling his style to you, he’s only interested in sharing what he’s learned in the hope that you’ll find it as amazing as he does.

That said, there are aspects of his performance which are lacklustre which is a shame. He coyly admits he didn’t bother with music to play him on and off stage, as he’s only doing two shows this year.

The routine itself perhaps needed to be more seamless - on more than one occasion he checks his notes to see what’s next - and while he’s too much of a pro to stumble from act to act, more showmanship would have been nice.

Slight lack of organisation aside, Ian remains a talented, charismatic and gentlemanly performer who’s always worth seeing.

He doesn't really hate rabbits... a magic review

James Galea, I Hate Rabbits

The Playhouse at Hawke and Hunter 7.30pm, Until Aug 29

James Galea, in fact, has nothing against rabbits. The tongue-in-cheek title merely tells us that Mr Galea is sticking to good old-fashioned card trickery with this year’s show.

Buoyant and charming, this magician generates a great deal of excitement with his bamboozling tricks as he produces cards from impossible places whilst stealing people’s possessions. He bounds across the stage and on completion of each routine, is visibly excited by the results. Whether you’re impressed by card tricks or not, he is an infectiously chirpy character.

Galea opens his show with a montage of clips of himself performing on a variety of stages and television shows. The clumsy introduction does the man a disservice as he is more than capable of convincing the audience of his skill; the fact we’ve not heard of him is unimportant.

Galea gleefully feeds off the audience and was at his most delicious when involving them in the illusions themselves. His trick of ‘Bawttle’ and ‘Tyoobe’ with a Scottish gentleman at my performance was particularly funny.

The final flourish was touchingly introduced and a lovely way to end the show, garnering some gasps from his captivated audience.

The tricks themselves are fast and fun, although perhaps not wholly fresh or unusual. It’s Galea’s energy, charm and his love of the craft that make this show a pleasurable hour.

Three stars methinks...

Fringey Fun Times

'Nobody gives a shit about Edinburgh unless it's August.'

The full impact of these harsh words uttered by Richard Herring the other day is beginning to sink in. Between waitressing and forcing myself upon the Skinny it's turning into a busy wee time at the moment. When I'm not getting abuse from customers (actually that's kinda harsh, today they were by-and-large very pleasant) I'm being a writing monkey for the Performance side of the Skinny.

Saw a great wee dance show, Actions Irish Dance, read my (co-written) review here

More to magic stuff to follow...