Coming Soon / Now Booking Autumn 2010

In what seems like a flash we’ve moved from Edinburgh Fringe time to the Autumn theatre season. We’ve had shows in mind since the brochures started dropping through our letterbox but we’ve only now got round to firming up our plans...

Over at the Citizens we’ll be seeing “The Girl in the Yellow Dress” following its well received run at the Traverse as part of the Fringe, and “A Clockwork Orange” is one of my favourite novels, so I'm always interested in seeing a new stage version. We're also planning to catch Cumbernauld Theatre’s touring musical “The Bookie” at the Citz. Having learned lessons from almost missing out on tickets to the Citizens Community Company’s “Wicked Christmas” last year (thanks Helen!) we booked as soon as they went on sale this year – and also for an evening with “The Wee Man & Muckers” whose appearances in the last couple of Community Company shows have been hysterical.

At the Tron I’m intrigued to see the production of the winning entry of their Open.Stage playwriting competition, “Sea and Land and Sky” based on the experiences of nurses in the Great War. Having missed out on getting tickets for its run at the Fringe and the preview at the Tron, it’s third time lucky for us with “Roadkill” when it goes back to the Tron in November. And although I can’t quite believe I’m saying this, I’m actually really looking forward to their panto - “Flo White”.

The new season of 'A Play, A Pie & A Pint' at Oran Mor is well underway but we haven't made it along yet due to holiday and work plans. But from October I'm hoping to be a frequent visitor and I'm really interested to see how their 200th play, made up of microplays from 40 writers, turns out from 4th to 9th October.

I've only just spotted the Traverse programme and although it doesn't immediately look like providing much for us this autumn, a collaboration between the Traverse and Grid Iron for a version of "Spring Awakening" adapted by Douglas Maxwell certainly got our attention.

And while we don’t plan on making return visits ourselves, it would be remiss of us not to highlight the return of a number of fantastic shows this Autumn. “Black Watch” returns once more, with a new cast, and tours Glasgow, Aberdeen, Belfast, London and a number of US cities. “Sunshine on Leith” is a delight for Proclaimers lovers and haters alike and returns on an extensive UK tour. “Midsummer (A Play With Songs)” is a magical piece of theatre – especially for anyone with any knowledge of Edinburgh and after charming audiences around the globe it arrives at the Tron at the end of October after another short run at the Traverse. Also at the Tron in October, rather appropriately, is "Poem in October" which I was really taken with when I saw it at Oran Mor last year. Vanishing Point revive their enchanting "Interiors" for a UK and international tour including Tramway in Glasgow and Eden Court, Inverness.

And finally, for those that enjoyed Vanishing Point's brilliantly divisive "The Beggar's Opera" last year, A Band Called Quinn have now released a soundtrack CD of tracks from the show (also available on iTunes). As spotted on Mark Fisher's theatreScotland site - thanks Mark, I've been waiting for this for months!

"Guys & Dolls" - September 2010

While we don’t often get along to Glasgow’s thriving amateur scene (largely due to my preference for contemporary writing and limited tolerance for musicals) we booked up for Theatre Guild Glasgow’s “Guys & Dolls” as a friend from my ‘day job’ is involved. And while we are happy to maintain our policy of treating amateur productions in the same manner as we do professional ones, Richard’s participation in one of the lead roles has given me a bit of a problem. I’d given plenty of thought about how I would deal with the situation if he wasn’t particularly good - and I don't think it would have caused any difficulties. And having seen him in a previous show I was at least confident he wouldn’t be awful. But I never considered how problematic it might be to review him if he was very good. And he is. Very, very, good. I wouldn’t want him (or anyone else) to think that his favourable review was undeserved. Waldorf & I discussed the possibility of her writing the show up to keep things at ‘arm’s length’, but we wanted to have it posted sometime this month, so you’ll just have to accept my assurance that he’s been given no favours. And as it happens, I think one of my comments is sure to upset him.

But back to the bigger picture. The show impressed from the moment we walked into the auditorium and caught sight of the stunning backdrop of period advertising signs (although we did notice that one element appeared to have been assembled upside down). Sliding shop frontages create street scenes while The Mission set is creatively realised; the underground gamblers den in the sewer looks fantastic and the Hot Box club is simple but effective. Add in some fantastic costumes, atmospheric lighting, live musical accompaniment and a large scale cast and this looks very much a million dollar Broadway show. But while we would never use ‘amateur’ in a derogatory manner there are moments in some of the dance and ensemble numbers when it feels just a little bit short on polish. However the two ‘showstoppers’ “Luck Be A Lady” and “Sit Down, You're Rockin' The Boat” were beautifully executed.

There was a bit of a range in quality of the performances in the ensemble roles and some were hindered at times by issues with the sound balance – particularly the trio of David Sturgeon, Cameron Lowe & Robert Kirkham as Nicely-Nicely, Benny & Rusty. So much so that David Sturgeon’s splendid rendition of “Sit Down” came as an unexpected revelation. The whole cast deserve credit for sustaining their accents throughout, but it's the four lead performers who really raise the show up a level.

In her early scenes I found Lisa-Jayne Rattray's cutesy 'New Yoik' accent as Miss Adelaide pushing the wrong buttons for me, but as the show progressed I was able to look beyond that personal irritation and recognise an impressive comedic and vocal performance. Neil Campbell also contributes much to the comic relief as crap game organiser and reluctant fiancé, Nathan Detroit – including some nicely worked elements of physical comedy. As Salvation Army Sergeant Sarah, Caroline Telfer displays fabulous vocals and endows her character with an air of earnestness without making the contrast with the character’s emotional side too jarring. As high stakes gambler, Sky Masterson, Richard Magowan personifies cool and has a genuine stage presence. He delivers his musical numbers with a powerful voice and subtly invests every line of song or dialogue with the character’s emotions.

But I’m afraid I’m risking Richard’s wrath when he returns to the office next week, as I have to provide an honest response and identify the elements that didn’t work quite as well. Should Caroline Telfer get the chance to read this, I’m afraid we found the slap Sarah delivered to Sky a bit “wishy washy” (to quote Waldorf). I’ve yet to see a ‘pulled’ slap deliver the intense reaction in an audience that a real one does, so, we suggest just giving him a proper slap that will echo round the theatre – he’s a big lad, he can take it. Sorry, Richard.

There were a couple of minor quibbles I had with the text of the show itself. I was left feeling a bit cheated that we didn’t get to witness the reunion between Sky & Sarah and there were a few American cultural gags/references that meant little to a Glasgow audience. My watch tells me this is a long show with a run time of just over 2 hours 30 minutes, but my mind knows that it absolutely flew in and the 90 minute first act went by in a flash. It also generated the strongest ‘buzz’ I’ve felt from an audience leaving a theatre for quite some time.

This was a thoroughly entertaining evening, even for someone who isn’t the greatest fan of musicals, and the RSAMD New Athenaeum theatre makes for a great home for it.

Guys & Dolls runs at the RSAMD until Saturday 18th September (including a Saturday matinee).
Image used with permission

Silenced by the Guardian website (or 'How not to engage with social media')

The Guardian theatre blog currently has an article by Matt Trueman about the recent dispute between the Royal Opera House and blogger Intermezzo. Essentially the ROH got heavy handed over issues relating to the copyright of images and how they were credited, but took entirely the wrong approach by setting their Legal department loose. Trueman's article uses the dispute as an indication of how poor arts organisations can be at engaging with social media and advocates that they need to accept (and embrace) the reality that audiences have voices and are using them. Now here's where it gets interesting...

I posted a response to the article where I suggested it was unfair to criticise the wider arts community on the basis of this incident, which in all likelihood was down to an individual staff member being overzealous. If I may say so myself, it was a pretty reasoned response (you can judge for yourself below) and I gave numerous examples of Scottish theatres who have put mechanisms in place to harness audience views and also detailing instances of the theatrical community being willing to engage directly with our own site here at View From The Stalls. But shortly afterwards it was deleted from the article and replaced with: "This comment has been removed by a moderator. Replies may also be deleted."

I'm afraid I did let the irony of the situation get to me a little and quickly posted another comment: "That's brilliant! Absolutely no idea why my post on this topic has been deleted but I love the irony of what appears to be over excessive moderation on a blog topic about organisations not being willing to give voices/engage with the online world/social media."

A few minutes later, and with absolutely no idea why my contribution could possibly have been deleted, I reposted my original comment:
-------------------
Lets try that again...
While the ROH affair is certainly an example of things going badly wrong, I think it's unfair to turn it into a wider criticism of arts company's treatment of social media. In truth it sounds like an individual staff member who has acted without looking at the bigger picture - I suspect if anyone outside their legal department had been consulted things would have been handled differently. I can only speak for Scotland but up here many of our theatres and companies make a genuine effort. For a few years now the Citizens has invited instant responses by text and audience members can leave comments on the website for each show. The Lyceum in Edinburgh has a well developed system of publishing audience reviews on their website - including many from both ends of the spectrum for the brilliantly divisive "The Beggar's Opera". The Tron have quoted our reviews at View From The Stalls in their season's brochure and a few years ago it was their then press officer who approached us to come along and see some of their productions after noticing we hadn't seen any of their recent shows. The Tron also involved the online world in voting for the winner of their Open.Stage writing competition. 'A Play, A Pie & A Pint' at Oran Mor even launched a weekly competition with a bottle of whisky for the ''best" review posted to their website.

And yes, much of this 'interest' in social media is about marketing rather than creating a dialogue, but there are times when it is about getting involved in the conversation. Over the four years we've been running the site we've had some fascinating contributions posted as 'heckles' to our reviews. Matthew Lenton, director of Vanishing Point's "The Beggar's Opera" responded to our review prompting an extensive discussion involving many others; we've had a writer object to what he perceived as our "lack of effort" in understanding his play; the National Theatre of Scotland responded when we questioned their priorities; and we've even had a director and actor falling out over how we had interpreted their show. And from smaller companies, youth and amateur theatre we get a lot of e-mails thanking us for looking beyond the interests of the 'traditional media' and letting us know the value (or otherwise) of our feedback to them.

We've been amazed by how quickly we were accepted as a website worthy of interest, and although we have a policy of declining press tickets they were quickly offered by many theatres/companies. Some departments of the big arts institutions may have some staff members who don't "get it", but my experience is that the vast majority of those working in theatre are more than willing to engage with their audiences through social media.
www.viewfromthestalls.co.uk
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...which was very quickly deleted, along with my post noting the irony of the situation, and I've now had my posting on the site set to pre-moderated! Seriously?

"The Chooky Brae" - September 2010

Two years have passed in Stewarton since we last met Norma Gordon. She and her 18 month old son are living with her divorced parents (her father having returned home after suffering a stroke) and her university drop out brother Barry. Her boyfriend Trevor has got himself stuck overnight in London after a job interview and his brother Rab, is on his way over for a family dinner. Christmas Dinner.

DC Jackson's latest comedy is very much in the same vein as its predecessors - "The Wall" & "The Ducky". There's observational humour that any stand-up would be proud of, sparky banter between characters and a real sense of heart. Some of the youthful energy of the previous shows has been replaced with a more world-weary tone as the characters have grown up and the introduction of Norma and Barry's parents provides a new perspective and counterpoint.

I have to confess that I found some of the early scenes uncomfortable, feeling some of the humour misjudged, and my initial reaction to a plot revelation was that it was uninspired and tired. And yet on reflection, it's a revelation that cleverly throws a new light on those earlier scenes and alleviated any misgivings. The Christmas setting works well in creating the required element of confinement and family tension, but it does feel a little odd to be watching it in September.

Borderline have put together another fantastic cast, with Sally Reid once again making a strong case for Norma Gordon as an icon of contemporary Scottish theatrical comedy. Reid and Scott Hoatson make Norma and Barry's sibling relationship entirely believable while Jordan Young provides most of the laughs as former(?) wannabee 'bam' Rab. Stewart Porter and Anita Vettesse impress as the parents, particularly so considering that they are tasked with what are mainly straight roles in a comedy.

"The Chooky Brae" is a worthy successor to the previous installments of his 'Stewarton Trilogy', but doesn't quite deliver the conclusion its characters deserve - particularly Michelle who is sidelined out of town for this one. But then, hopefully this will turn out to be a 'trilogy' in the "Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy" sense of the word.

The Chooky Brae runs at the Tron until Satuday 11th September then tours.
Image by John Johnston Photography used with permission.

"Dildon't" - Edinburgh Fringe 2010

A show set in and around a sex shop is a little further into the Comedy section of the Fringe programme than we normally like to delve. But an unspoken promise to see the first show who sent us a press release after the programme launch resulted in Casual Violence's "Dildon't" being added to our plans. And although a little lacking in subtlety for my taste, it illustrated perfectly that great performances can turn up in the most unexpected of places.

While there were plenty of sex toy based gags in the script, there's actually little to offend and much of the humour is of the daft rather than dark variety. However, I have to confess to being a little uncomfortable with the show's use of Rose West as a plot device. There are plenty of genuine laughs here, including the musical number 'Dead Girls Don't Say No', but despite a sell-out audience the small size of the venue seemed to limit any momentum. In a bigger venue I could see this really going down a storm.

The ensemble cast all perform well, but it's Luke Booys as independent dealer Axl and Dino Kazamia as Detective Glasseye who have the greatest impact. Booys creates an electric relationship with the audience through a mix of chumminess and fear of interaction - and it's the best performance of that nature I've seen for a long time. Similarly, Kazamia does a sterling job of engaging the audience and sells some lines that could otherwise be groanworthy - some of them twice. And it's a brave man who is willing to risk the potential rage of an audience fairly early into their night out by throwing a cheese sandwich into their midst.

This is a show without pretensions, and it succeeds in delivering an amusing hour of entertainment.

Dildon't has completed its run at the Spaces on the Mile.
Image used with permission

"The Typhoid Marys" - Edinburgh Fringe 2010

Phil Tong's play dovetails the parallel tales of the original 'Typhoid Mary', Mary Mallon, an Irish immigrant to the US in the early 1900s and a group of women identified as typhoid carriers and held in isolation in London. It's a clever technique as it highlights the genuine dilemma faced by the authorities - particularly in the days before antibiotics.

The central cast are outstanding, with Maddie Dempsey giving a show carrying performance as Mary Mallon that gives her a personality beyond her circumstances. Charlotte Duke as chef's wife May, Millie Chapman as young mother Florence and Elise Wilkinson as teacher Mary Brooks bring three of the London internees vividly and movingly to life.

They are supported by a strong ensemble cast, although the decision to play some aspects for comic relief seems misjudged given the general tone of the piece. And while not out of place as such, and certainly well performed, the incorporation of several dance segments damages the show's pacing. Although in fairness, that's possibly my own lack of appreciation of dance in general colouring my judgement.

Tong's treatment of a clearly emotive issue is sympathetic to all those involved, and while a stance is taken on society's failure of the women in later years, there's understanding shown for those responsible. With several plot elements to draw together there is a serious risk of things feeling disjointed, yet Tong's direction moves deftly from woman to woman while clearly establishing every character.

City of London Freemen's School have brought a production to Edinburgh that they can be rightly proud of. And for those of you new to View From The Stalls, please bear in mind that we maintain a policy of considering all student, youth, amateur and community theatre in the same manner as we do any professional performance - to do otherwise would be patronising to those involved.

The Typhoid Marys has now completed its run at Quaker Meeting House.
Image by Phil Tong used with permission.

"Speechless" - Edinburgh Fringe 2010

This was Waldorf's choice on the basis of Sherman Cymru's "Deep Cut" being her highlight of 2008's Fringe, and with ticket availability at a premium we made a special trip through to catch this one at the Traverse. With that in mind, it's tempting to put our disappointment down to high expectations, but in truth I think it just wasn't very good.

Linda Brogan and Polly Teale's play features the true story of twin girls who refused to communicate with the outside world as they grew up in early 1980s Britain. The discovery that it was based on a book, 'The Silent Twins' by Marjorie Wallace, came as no surprise once I had seen it - it feels very much like a selection of chapters. And not even the best ones - a quick read of the Wikipedia article on the twins shows just how much more interesting this could have been.

There's nothing wrong with the performances, especially Demi Oyediran and Natasha Gordon who commit fully to their roles as June and Jennifer, but the central element of the girls' communication, in what is essentially their own language, is poorly conveyed. When alone, the audience see them communicating freely in perfect English and it seems as if they are just refusing to relate to others - it's only late on in the play it becomes clear that they are, in fact, unable to communicate. Surely it would have been better to isolate the girls from the audience by showing them clearly communicating with each other - just not in a way we could understand?

The play touches on racial tensions and awakening sexuality at times but it's difficult to see this as anything other than a very personal and unique set of circumstances. And given their peripheral nature in the tale as told here, the portrayal of the sex scenes seems unnecessarily gratuitous.

In any work based on 'true life' elements, accuracy is everything. Yes, poetic licence can be deployed, but only within the established framework. It's all too easy for anachronisms to creep in and shatter the audience's confidence in the illusion of truth. And I'm afraid here the inclusion of Caller ID or '1471' as a plot point in a scene set in the early-mid 1980s when it wasn't introduced until 1994 is unforgivable and cast doubt on exactly how much research investigation was undertaken into less easily verifiable matters.

I'm afraid it's difficult for me to view this as anything other than a good idea for a play thwarted by a series of bad choices that were made along the way - both in deciding which elements of the girl's story to focus on and in how to convey their isolation to the audience.

Speechless is a co production between Shared Experience & Sherman Cymru and runs at the Traverse until Sunday 29th August.
Image by Robert Day used with permission

"Memory Cells" - Edinburgh Fringe 2010

Forgive me for being more than a little vague about this show, but it 's definitely a show that's best seen without knowing too much about it. If you are considering seeing it all you need to know is that it is a quality piece of theatre with two great performances. If you've already seen it, and just want to compare notes then feel free to read on...

Seriously, if you haven't seen the show yet but are planning to, just stop reading now.

Emily Taaffe excels at bringing captive Cora back to life as the story unwinds in reverse. The transformation is almost unbelievable given that there's no time off stage for physical assistance - although I think some clever lighting helped. John Stahl as her captor doesn't face quite the same challenge but impresses with a chilling performance that encompasses tenderness and brutality.

Writer Louise Welsh has carefully crafted the piece to gradually reveal its secrets and for the most part these are well executed verbally, however, some of the prop based time markers didn't seem to be used as effectively as they might have been resulting in the confusion lasting longer than perhaps necessary. But then, having seen a production of the play last year I went into this with very different eyes from most others, so I may not be best placed to judge. For those encountering the play for the first time, this is undoubtedly a striking and memorable piece of theatre.

Memory Cells runs at 5:20pm daily until 30th August (excluding the 24th) at the Pleasancedome
Image used with permission.

"2020 Vision" - Edinburgh Fringe 2010

Perhaps "2020 Vision" has suffered from being pared down to fit a tight timeslot, or perhaps the "devised by the company" credit has left them all too closely involved to see it from the view of an audience member. Either way, the result is that we're left feeling that a vital piece of the jigsaw is missing. However, while the structure of the show may be problematic, it features some absolutely exquisite moments.

Set in a call centre after a catastrophic event has trapped the staff inside, the action intercuts between several timeframes including previous events in the office and what appear to be flashbacks of individual characters. The time switches between periods in the office are well handled but the flashbacks (initiated by a female character credited as "The Onlooker") left me confused and frustrated. Have they died in the disaster? Are these the moments when their lives flashed in front of their eyes when they thought they were about to die? What does the obviously 'meaningful' removal of their ties actually mean? How is one character seemingly able to reject his vision?

But this conceit that hurts the play, also provides its most powerful moments. The flashback sequences are beautifully directed as we see each character regress while other cast members provide voices from the darkness for unseen characters. David Peel's portrayal of Adam as he re-experiences abuse from his childhood is traumatic to watch, while Emily Thornton's discussion with her parents about being pregnant is immensely moving. Back in the 'future', the whole cast deliver excellent performances with Stuart Davies a stand out as Bill who finds dealing with the calls particularly distressing.

The show makes its point forcefully about companies that make money out of the misery of others, but some of the religious discussion felt a little heavy handed. There are several nice nods to futuristic technology such as embedded chips and overhead drones but little discussion of their significance other than as convenient plot elements. There's also a sense of the show running out of steam and bringing things to a swift conclusion when I felt like I wanted a less rushed explanation of their company's role in events.

Nevertheless, this is an ambitious, stylish and clever show and is more than enough to make sure I add Paper Zoo to my list of companies to look out for in next year's Fringe progamme.

2020 Vision has now completed its run at Augustines
Image used with permission

"Wild Allegations" - Edinburgh Fringe 2010

In Edinburgh University Theatre Company's "Wild Allegations", Matthew John Curtis is a well known sitcom actor who has alienated both his girlfriend Theo and brother Alex to the extent that they are working with a journalist to expose his failings to his adoring public. It's almost the perfect Fringe show - original, funny, fast paced, well performed and creatively directed. All it lacks is an ending that delivers the punch it deserves.


Ed Sheridan plays Curtis brilliantly, both for laughs as an actor of somewhat limited talent (think Joey from "Friends") and in his more passionate scenes as a man who wants to break out of the mould he has created for himself. As Alex, Paul Brotherston is hugely engaging and connects instantly with the audience. Some of the moments the two share are comedy gold and phenomenally well executed. Alexandra Wetherell gives a compelling performance as Theo and succeeds in making the character sympathetic despite her dubious actions. The cast is completed with impressive supporting performances from Llinos Henry as journalist Caitlyn and Sophie Pemberton and Tom Watret in numerous roles.

The writing from David K Barnes and David Leon is of a very high quality, ensuring that the many laughs are not at the expense of characterisation. Indeed, the three central characters are far more emotionally complex than we have any right to expect in a show of this length. And it's a testament to the strength of the writing that the ending feels unsatisfying - the audience is invested in the characters to the extent that we need a big finish for them. Barnes and Leon also share a directing credit and give the piece a very striking look and feel, although perhaps a more objective director may have cut a cinema scene whose payoff doesn't justify it's place in the production.

But any flaws do little damage to the whole - this is unquestionably a fantastically enjoyable way to spend an hour. And while we don't normally comment on ticket prices, I doubt you'll see anything better than this for £5.

Wild Allegations runs at Bedlam daily at 1pm until Saturday 28th August
Image by Camille Acosta used with permission.

"Alan Cumming - I Bought a Blue Car Today" - Edinburgh Fringe 2010

Much as he had when we saw him in the lead role of the National Theatre of Scotland’s “The Bacchae” , Alan Cumming held the audience in the palm of his hand on Friday night. There can be few performers at the Fringe this year to rival Cumming for star status – Tony award winner, Hollywood star, recurring role in a successful US TV show, not to mention Edinburgh Fringe legend as one half of “Victor & Barry”. He may have been touring his cabaret show “I Bought a Blue Car Today” around the globe, but this version had a very Edinburgh flavour and after an energetic 90 minute performance the audience welcomed him back as one of their own.

Delivering some great vocals, he treated the audience to renditions of some of his favourite musical numbers complemented by several songs, some self-penned, which appeared aimed at securing a place as the rightful heir to the Big Yin as king of comedy songs. Personally I’d have liked to have seen a couple of better known songs but as it’s a very personal show it’s only fair that the choices are Cumming’s own. And there’s enough on show here to suggest that maybe, some day, we’ll see a full scale musical penned by Cumming and his musical director and collaborator Lance Horne.

Anyway, we were there as much for the patter as the singing, and there was no disappointment in that respect. Despite his protests to the contrary, Cumming appears as comfortable on stage as any stand-up and has a range of amusing anecdotes with which he entertains us. He’s also clearly still a bit of a political firebrand and doesn’t shy away from commenting on political matters.

He playfully teases us about whether or not he will return to the stage for an encore and then gives a rendition of Victor & Barry’s ‘Edinburgh Festival Song’ to the delight of the audience. And then as he films the audience on his own camera during the final number we realise he’s perhaps having every bit as much fun tonight as we are.

A genuine star who comes over as entirely unaffected by his status, and who hasn’t forgotten where he came from. Credit is also due to Cumming and the Assembly team for keeping prices to a very reasonable £20.

I Bought a Blue Car Today has now completed its run.
Image by Ned Stresen Reuter used with permission

"The Apprentice" - Edinburgh Fringe 2010

Nonsense Room have been part of our Fringe-going since 2006 and have produced delightful shows year after year. Part of the attraction is their venue, the stunning Rosslyn Chapel, and never more so than this year where they revive their show based on the chapel itself. Theatre just doesn't get any more site specific than this.

The legend goes that an apprentice stonemason completed an intricately carved pillar with a design that came to him in a dream while the master mason was abroad seeking inspiration. As he had intended to carve the pillar himself, the master mason was somewhat less than pleased on his return. Writer Simon Beattie has filled in the gaps with a tragic love story that left me feeling how I always think I should feel when watching Romeo & Juliet - but never do. The sense of being made to choose between love and loyalty really hits home here, and unlike Shakespeare's pairing there's no sense Beattie's tragic couple have brought this on themselves. However, this emphasis on the tragedy leaves little room for the humour we've become used to in Nonsense Room's shows and Waldorf in particular missed the lighter tone.

But for me, the accomplished script and performances more than made up for the required shift in our expectations - and in truth as we knew the legend we should have been prepared for something rather darker. As the apprentice mason, Marcus, Rhys Teare-Williams has to carry much of the show on his shoulders and makes an impressive job of it. Colin Moncrieff delivers a remarkably intense performance as Vincenzo the master mason while Alison Macfarlane makes Megan's relationship with Marcus charmingly believable. Beattie's dialogue and fine performances from James Bryce and Catherine Owen as Sir William and Lady Sinclair make their characters three dimensional and elevate them beyond the plot devices they could easily have been.

There are some lovely moments of direction from Bruce Strachan - particularly a dance sequence by Marcus and Megan and the final confrontation between master and apprentice. The accompanying musical score adds much to the production and of course, the setting is sublime.

I'm unsure if 'enjoyable' is quite the right word for such a sad show, but it's certainly a beautiful and moving piece of theatre.

The Apprentice runs at Rosslyn Chapel in Roslin until Thursday 19th August
Please note that Roslin is some distance outside of Edinburgh city centre and make appropriate travel arrangements.
Image by Peter Searle used with permission.

"Miles Jupp: Fibber in the Heat" - Edinburgh Fringe 2010

As confirmed theatre lovers we're a little tentative about entering the comedy section of the Fringe programme. But with several serious and dark shows in our plans we wanted to ensure we had a bit of fun as well. As we don't follow the stand-up circuit, choosing can be a risky business - especially as we're keen to avoid any audience interaction. However, thanks to a ticket offer in Scotland on Sunday we had the chance to see a show without concerns of wasting our cash. Miles Jupp's tale of blagging his way onto the press corps for an England cricket tour fitted our timeframe, seemed suitably unthreatening, and fortunately proved to be genuinely funny.

Jupp makes for an amiable host and his tale, while more interesting to cricket fans, is perfectly accessible to those like us with only a passing knowledge of the game's bigger personalities. He's also very self deprecating and his gentle humour makes the hour fly past. Despite any disapproval I may have felt of attempting to pull off such a charade, Jupp quickly had me onside and willing him to succeed.

I suspect any serious stand up fans will find the show too tame for their taste but as an engaging storyteller Miles Jupp provides a delightfully entertaining and risk free evening.

Miles Jupp: Fibber in the Heat (A Cricket Tale) runs at 8pm at Gilded Balloon Teviot until August 29th (not 16th)
Image used with permission

"Sub Rosa" - Edinburgh Fringe 2010

Sub Rosa draws audiences into the murky world of music hall troupes and artist exploitation at the Winter Palace theatre. The story of young Flora McIvor’s revolution against cruel theatre manager Mr Hunter unfolds gradually as we move from room to room encountering members of the company. Pay close attention as seemingly throwaway remarks may take on huge significance before the end.

The six strong cast of Adam McNamara, Angela Darcy, Isabelle Joss, Benny Young, Isabella Jarrett and Clare Dargo give compelling performances and with the audience often only inches a genuine connection can be created. It’s unfair of me to single out one performance above the others but Jarrett's steel eyed callousness was chilling beyond belief.

David Leddy's tale is gruesome in the extreme and there are times since the show I've wished it was a little less unforgettable. In many ways the show is a puzzle and while the outcome of the artists' rebellion is eventually revealed to us, other aspects are left very much for the audience to piece together. Technically the show is almost flawless - the only problem we encountered were a couple of occasions where views of the performers were restricted if you were unfortunate enough to have a tall person in front of you. There are several sets of audiences each night and many of these will be in the venue simultaneously - yet the way we are moved around by our guides ensures that we feel as though our group is in an otherwise empty space.

The script has been tweaked from the production that we adored at the Citizens last year to take account of its new location in a Masonic Lodge but while lighting and sound help to create an intense atmosphere, the venue simply can’t accommodate some of the most striking visuals from that earlier show. In its new home Sub Rosa is unquestionably a marvellous piece of theatre – but it remains a piece of theatre. The previous incarnation in the backstage spaces at the Citz was so utterly immersive that it felt like we were watching the past unfold in front of our eyes.

But while it may have lost a little bit of magic in the move to Edinburgh, for anyone who loves theatre, Sub Rosa will probably still be the best thing they see at the Fringe this year.

David Leddy's Sub Rosa is a Fire Exit production in association with the Citizens Theatre. The show runs several times each night until 30th August. Audiences meet at New Town Theatre at 96 George Street before walking to the venue.
Image by Douglas McBride used with permission.

"Jacobite Country" - Edinburgh Fringe 2010

It was very tempting for this review to simply read "If you can't say something nice..." but we like to think that we're better than that. So I will try to convey how bad this was - although I suspect 'Option 1' may have been kinder.

Over the four years we've been writing reviews at View From The Stalls we've seen over 300 shows and Jacobite Country is undoubtedly in the bottom five. It is painful to watch and has no redeeming qualities.

Set in a mental institution in the Scottish highlands we are introduced to Haggis McSporran (Sarah Haworth) who fancies himself as a stand up comic and local bad lad Craitur Face (Fiona Morrison). The cast is completed by Annie Grace as Uncle Angus and Mairi Morrison in a number of roles. The observant amongst you may have picked up on the fact that 3 of these male characters are portrayed by female actors - and one of Mairi Morrison's roles is also male. Now, I have no problem with cross-gender casting and it can often bring a new angle to a play, but this is simply bizarre. There is no obvious rationale behind it and it would seem straightforward enough if the company wished to use a female cast to rework the text a little. And what makes it worse is that another of Mairi Morrison's characters appears to be a female nurse - named Eddy.

McSporran's stand up routines are pretty awful but I'm prepared to give writer Henry Adam the benefit of the doubt that this was intentional - however this makes it no less painful for the audience. The only moment during the whole play that got a laugh out of me was a line about the previous comic persona of a Scottish comedian who made it big in the States - a gag I'm certain flew over the heads of at least 90% of the audience.

What follows appears to be intended as a comic romp with Haggis and Craitur Face on the run - including encounters with Craitur's gun-totting, mobster granny and a showbiz agent. We also get a subplot about Uncle Angus and his nationalist extremist campaign. Now some of these scenes may be delusions but I was long past caring by this point - as were many others in the audience. I'd put the initial audience at around 30 and we lost our first two after twenty minutes, and then another one around an hour, quickly followed by another two. There may have been other escapees sitting further back that I didn't notice and there were at least two 'sleepers'.

To be fair to the cast, there's nothing wrong with their performances. It's just that, with the exception of a couple of pointed lines about Scottish identity, the whole thing is drivel. I haven't the faintest idea what made writer Henry Adam, director Matthew Zajac and Dogstar Theatre decide to mount this production.

The one saving grace of the afternoon is that although we have a policy of not accepting press tickets we're happy to take advantage of offers open to the general public - so my ticket was free courtesy of an offer in the Scotland on Sunday newspaper.

I hate that I've had to write such a negative review and I hate the fact it may be to the detriment of a small theatre company. So I'll just say this... If you were considering seeing "Jacobite Country" - don't. Instead go and see Dogstar Theatre's other show at this year's Fringe - "The Tailor of Inverness". It's a fantastic piece of theatre which we enjoyed immensely last year.

Jacobite Country runs at Udderbelly Pasture until 30th August (not the 16th)
The Tailor of Inverness runs at Udderbelly Pasture until 30th August (not the 16th)
Image used with permission.