Preview & Listings: Mon 24 to Sun 30 June 2024
What’s on Edinburgh’s stages this week?
It’s a nicely balanced week of theatre this week, with couple of juicy local shows from the Young Team, last chance for a tip-top favourite and a pair touring belters.
The local Young Team deserve top mention this week. Out at the Cre8 Theatre (that’s at Edinburgh College, EH15 2PQ) Happy Sad productions have Twisted: The untold story of a Royal Vizier (ends Sat: tickets) one of the shows created by StarKids the bonafide YouTube musical parody sensations.
This knowing, adult (parental advisory lyrics) and frankly genius musical parody takes Aladdin and goes way beyond what Wicked did for the Wizard of Oz, in its retelling of the classic tale from the villain’s point of view. “Long ago in a Magic Kingdom, one misunderstood Royal Vizier goes on a quest to save his city from its bumbling sultan, an invading prince, and the most notorious thief to ever live,” is not the half of it.
Some of the cast of Happy Sad’s production of Twisted. Pic: Happy Sad.
Back in town at the Augustine United Church on George IV Bridge, Not so Nice! productions have He’s Not Gay, He’s Just My Brother! (Fri/Sat: tickets), a new comedy for Pride month by Ryan Lithgow.
Estranged brothers Peter and Ross are reunited the night before Peter’s wedding to his partner Ciaran. For Peter, everything needs to be perfect for his wedding day. However, the sudden onset of storms, his crazy in-laws and the abrupt arrival of Ross all test both Peter’s patience and his blood pressure. Will their reunion help or hinder Peter in his hunt for the perfect wedding day?
Tour de force
Anyone who hasn’t yet seen Sally Reid give her CATS award-winning performance of Shirley Valentine (ends Sat: tickets) should get along to the Lyceum pronto! She is very good indeed. On the verge of giving the show five stars, our critic Hugh Simpson said it is a ★★★★☆ Tour de force.
The main issue, at least at the beginning of the three week summer run, was that a show built for, and coming straight from, the more intimate confines of the Pitlochry Festival Theatre, didn’t quite reach in the Lyceum’s auditorium. An issue which will surely have been overcome in the play’s final week.
Sally Reid in Shirley Valentine at the PFT.
There have been many, many accolades for The Life of Pi, in all its forms. It’s at the Festival Theatre (ends Sat: tickets), so now’s the chance to see if the theatrical version of this deeply philosophical novel lives up to the hype.
The images for the show are stupendous, but given that the puppetry if the Bengal Tiger will be utterly splendid, the telling point will lie in how it represents Yann Martell’s exploration of the issues of spirituality and metaphysics. Although theatre does seem to be a most suitable way to examine the nature of reality and how it is perceived and told.
Rydell High
A familiar show returns to the Playhouse this week, with Grease (ends Sat: tickets). Not much really to say about the return to Rydell High, except that the 24 strong cast includes Edinburgh-born actors Kieran Lynch and Rebecca Stenhouse who were Peter Pan and Tink in last year’s King’s panto, as Doody and Rizzo, and Adam Davidson as Johnny Casino. Top pipes there then!
Talking of top pipes, there is a big treat at the Festival Theatre for one night only, as musical theatre royalty Lea Salonga, arrives with her show Stage, Screen & Everything in Between (Sun: tickets). There are a few seats left in the gods if you want to see the person who, amidst many things in a long and illustrious career, performed the singing voice of Princess Jasmine in Disney’s animated film of Aladdin. Not quite the representation given the character in Twisted, one would have thought.
And finally, dancer Rob Heaslip has Man and Board, a duet for, well, a man and a board, at Assembly Roxy (Thurs/Fri: tickets). An impassioned show about tradition, heritage and masculinity, where a gay father celebrates his own Irish cultural heritage as he passes it on to his adopted son, these are preview performances ahead of his EdFringe run.
Listings
Click on the name of the show, its thumbnail or the Book here link to go to its ticketing site.
Assembly Roxy
2 Roxburgh Place, EH8 9SU
Man and Board (Rob Heaslip)
Thurs 27/Fri 28 June 2024
Evenings: 7.30pm (Central).
At first Man & Board is an unlikely pairing of Rob’s moving body with a ritualised wooden board with which he sings, he dances, he wins and he loses. Dig deeper to find a solo, arguably a duet infused with autobiographical and queer undertones. An impassioned show about tradition, heritage, and masculinity where a gay father celebrates his own Irish cultural heritage as he passes it on to his adopted son. Sharing traditional love songs and lullabies, Man & Board brings old traditions into a new place, a new time. Book here.
Augustine United Church
41 George IV Bridge, EH1 1EL
He’s Not Gay, He’s Just My Brother! (Not So Nice!)
Fri 28/Sat 29 June 2024.
Evenings: 7.30pm; Sat mat: 2.30pm.
Peter wants everything to be perfect for his wedding to Ciaran. However, sudden storms, crazy in-laws and the abrupt arrival of estranged brother Ross, all test both Peter’s patience and his blood pressure. Will his reunion with Ross help or hinder Peter from having the perfect day? Book here.
Cre8 Theatre
Edinburgh College, Milton Road, EH15 2PQ
Twisted: The untold story of a Royal Vizier (Happy Sad Productions)
Tue 25 – Sat 29 June 2024.
Evenings: 7.30pm; Sat mat: 2.30pm.
Musical parody of Aladdin, told from the villain’s point of view. Ja’far is revealed to be a hardworking, honest man who only wants to help the people of the Magic Kingdom. When the spoiled and naive Princess angers the prince of Pik-zar, Ja’far must protect his people from the invading army, their own bumbling Sultan and the most notorious thief in the land, Aladdin… Book here.
Festival Theatre
13/29 Nicolson Street EH8 9FT. Phone booking: 0131 529 6000.
Life of Pi
Tue 25 – Sat 29 Jun 2024
Evenings: 7.30pm, Thurs, Sat mats: 2.30pm.
Jaw-dropping visuals, magic, and world-class puppetry combine in a unique and breathtaking theatrical event. Pi is stranded on a lifeboat with four other survivors – a hyena, a zebra, an orangutan, and a Royal Bengal tiger. Time is against them, nature is harsh, who will survive? Five-time Olivier award winner on its first ever UK tour. Book here.
Lea Salonga – Stage, Screen & Everything in Between
Sun 30 Jun 2024
Evening: 7.30pm.
Musical theatre royalty and official Disney legend, Lea Salonga is bringing her extraordinary talent back to the UK with new tour. Fans will experience stage and screen classics from Lea’s best-known roles in Miss Saigon, Les Mis, Aladdin and Mulan, as well as new-found favourites from the late, great Stephen Sondheim – whom she has paid tribute to in the acclaimed West End hit Old Friends. Book here.
Lyceum Theatre
Grindlay Street EH3 9AX. Phone booking: 0131 248 4848.
Shirley Valentine
The Pitlochry Festival Theatre Production.
Wed 12 – Sat 29 June 2024
Tue – Sat: 7.30pm; Mats Weds (not 12) & Sat: 2.30pm.
Æ review: ★★★★☆ Tour de force
Sally Reid reprises her CATS award-winning performance in the PFT production of Willy Russell’s iconic play, directed by Elizabeth Newman. When her best friend suggests a trip to Greece, Shirley packs her bags and soon realises that there is more to life than the mundane existence she leads back home. Now, Shirley has a big decision to make… Book here.
Playhouse
18 – 22 Greenside Place, EH1 3AA. Phone booking: 0844 871 3014.
Grease
Tue 25 – Sat 29 June 2024
Evenings: 7.30pm; Thurs, Sat: 2.30pm.
See Æ News: Pan and Tink join Rydell High
With its phenomenal score, bursting with hits including Summer Nights, Greased Lightnin’, Hopelessly Devoted to You and You’re the One That I Want, this thrilling new version is brought to life by a fresh young cast who bring energy, vitality and passion to this ultimate musical classic. Book here.
ENDS
