John Kielty
Ripper: The Musical
★★★☆☆ Chilling
Ripper: The Musical presented by East Lothian company Reconnect Theatres at Hill Street Theatre for the whole Fringe, is a chilling musical based on the killings of Jack The Ripper.
Pickled Republic
★★★★★ Unique
In Pickled Republic, Ruxy Cantir has drawn on her Moldovan upbringing, where almost every vegetable can be pickled, and combined it with her exposure to American education and culture to create a totally unique, absurdist play that can be enjoyed on many different levels.
The Real William Shakespeare… As Told by Christopher Marlowe
★★★★☆ Full of imagination
There are many debates and conspiracy theories surrounding Shakespeare’s life and work. The Real William Shakespeare… as Told by Christopher Marlowe, from Matchmaker Theatre Productions, pitches into one of those thought-provoking theories with great humour, music and lively performances.
The Stamping Ground
★★★★☆ Vibrant
The Stamping Ground at the Festival Theatre is unabashedly emotional and visually enthralling. Raw Material and Eden Court’s Runrig musical – which played successfully in Inverness in 2022 – is touring Scotland and will surely find appreciative audiences.
A Joke
★★★★☆ Funny, peculiar:
There is a masterclass in comic nous to be had in A Joke, Universal Arts and Scene Change Productions’ reworking of last year’s Fringe hit by Dan Freeman.
The Belle’s Stratagem
★★★★☆ Exemplary comedy:
Vivacity, wit and downright stupidity abound in The Belle’s Stratagem at the Lyceum, a production of verve and cheek that produces as much laughter as anything seen on the Edinburgh stage in recent years.
The Sunshine Ghost
★★★☆☆ Reassuring:
Spirited and melodic, the first small-scale run of The Sunshine Ghost is not yet the finished article but shows signs of developing into something popular.
The Outrun
Playing With Books rehearsed reading:
Playing With Books – the series of events devised by the Edinburgh International Book Festival and the Royal Lyceum – got off to an enthralling start with The Outrun.
The Hard Man
Rehearsed reading:
Opening up the scope of the Edinburgh International Film Festival’s retrospective on noted Scottish polymath Tom McGrath, the staged script reading of his 1977 play The Hard Man sits perfectly with McGrath’s “explorer” image.
The Broons
★★★★☆ Cheery:
Loud, hugely enjoyable and instantly recognisable, The Broons, playing the King’s to Saturday, is every bit as much fun as you would hope.
