Gang Show 2015 Act 2 in pics

Nov 19 2015 | By Thom Dibdin More

It’s #EGS2015 – the second half

Hope you enjoyed your ice-cream and are feeling all fresh and ready for a splendid second half of Edinburgh Gang Show 2015 mayhem.

Any newcomers might care to avail themselves of Hugh’s review of the show (here: ✭✭✭✭✩ Fresh), before settling into the second-half opener. Always a tricky spot to fill, so this year a Little Orphan Annie pastiche seemed to be the way to go…

An Orphan’s Tale

And here is the little orphan… Nicola. Egged on by a larger-than-life Alex Salmond, she sings Opportunity. Here recast as Opporchancity – in a nicely tailored tribute to Francie and Josie, as Hugh points out.

And Orphan's Tale Photo: Scott Parker Studio

An Orphan’s Tale Photo: Scott Parker Studio

And here are all the little orphans. Not so much a Hard Knock Life, as a Gey Hard Life for them. Great stuff.

Medieval Mayhem. Photo: Scott Parker Studio.

Not all the pastiches work as well as they might. Medieval Mayhem relies a little too much on misfiring political jokes and lines filched from the Camelot song from Monty Python and the Holy Grail for Hugh’s taste.

Two Voices. Photo: Scott Parker Studio

Here are the dancers for Two Voices – in which Hannah Kistruck and Kayleigh Johnstone’s duet on Sam Smith’s Lay Me Down.

A Million Voices. Photo: Scott Parker Studio.

And here’s the full ensemble for A Million Voices. Getting behind Stephanie Cremona who leads the way on this part of the Eurovision segment.

Superheroes. Photo: Scott Parker Studio

The sketch about Scottish Superheroes features the return of the Tunnock’s teacake costume of last year and a similar Irn Bru outfit. Although Scott Parker chose to picture the rather less-obvious character of Musical Theatre Man.

Stronger. Photo: Scott Parker Studio.

One thing which director Andy Johnston, MD John Duncan and choreographer Louise Williamson know and demonstrate is that simplicity often leads to the best delivery. Here are Jennifer Bunch and Kirsten Johnstone leading from within on Kiesza’s Stronger.

Animal Magic. Photo: Scott Parker Studio

Born out of Variety, the Gang Show shares many common elements with what many would call traditional Scottish pantomime. The Animal Magic sketch saw the return of the Songsheet – even if the actual words were hardly necessary for the farmyard noises required, it is the ritual which counts.