Listings: 8-15 Oct. 2017
On Edinburgh’s Stages this week…
Fans of small scale work will have to be making desperate decisions this week, what with the number of great shows in town, and so much happening at the same time – there are seven shows opening or having one-off events on Wednesday alone.
Those with an eye on the main, stage, however, are less prolifically served. The Kite Runner returns to the King’s, same production new production company, with what must be a guaranteed audience for the smash hit novel.
Deka Walmsley, Peter Hannah and Sophia Kolinas in Cockpit at the Lyceum. Photo Mihaela Bodlovic
The main event, though, isn’t really happening on stage at all – but in the auditorium of the Lyceum, where Bridget Boland’s explosive 1947 play Cockpit opens for its three week run. This is a fascinating concept and another truly exciting event in the David Grieg era, with the whole theatre being taken over as arena in which the play is staged, as a provincial German playhouse in 1945, being used as a makeshift transit camp for displaced persons from across the continent.
Up at the Church Hill Theatre, the amateur opera company, Opera Camarata, is setting up camp for the last time with its take on Offenbach’s La Belle Helene. It is sad to see them go, but better go out with the high of a frothy, light piece such as this, than to drag on into dwindling twilight.
Young musicals company B2 Productions, an off-shoot of Forth Children’s Theatre, has the first of two weekends of Little Shop of Horrors at Inverleith St Serf’s.
International Day of the Girl
In terms of one-off events, the International Day of the Girl is being celebrated on Wednesday at the Village Pub with VPT/Stellar Quines mash-up, and seven new script-in-hand plays getting an outing. Imaginate goes one step closer to the genesis, and is staging Scratch That an evening of scratch productions for young people at Summerhall on Thursday.
It’s Healz’n’Wheelz, fading stars of Blanche and Butch. Pic: Tommy Ga-Ken Wan
Sticking with Summerhall, and why not, lover’s of all things camp should thrill to hear that Robert Softley Gale’s latest script, Blanche & Butch, about three disabled drag queens called ‘Heelz n Wheelz’, is on for Friday and Saturday, with a spot of lipsynch a tonne of lipgloss and a sparkling narrative about fading glamour.
It’s half term next week, so the Brunton has Gorrid the Horrid on Saturday, while the new games, theatre, interactive-adventure, Dragons of Drummohr, opens on Tuesday for a three week run.
Not to forget the return of Man to Man to the Traverse where it set out 30 years ago (albeit in a different incarnation), which also has the arrival of the SMHAF with One Mississippi and this week’s A Play, a Pie and a Pint. Then there is Love Song to Lavender Menace at the Lyceum Studio for ten nights, Sita Pieraccini’s one-off dance piece Make a HOO at the Roxy and, flying in with a couple of five star reviews already talked onto their belts, Scottish Ballet with their Stravinsky Programme at the Festival Theatre.
Listings for week ending Sunday 15 October 2017:
For next week’s listings look here: On Stage Next Week.
The following week’s listings are here: On stage the following week.
Click on the name of the show to go to its ticketing site.
Assembly Roxy
2 Roxburgh Place, EH8 9SU
Make A HOO
Thursday 12 October 2017.
Evening: 7.30pm.
The shimmering heat of tropical hills, and the purring and humming of the Sri Lankan plains set the scene for a young woman’s journey as she strives to reconnect with her identity and the world in which she lives. Dance from Sita Pieraccini.
Bedlam Theatre
11b Bristo Place, EH1 1EZ
Sulk
Wednesday 11/Thursday 12 October.
Evenings: 7.30pm.
New writing from Luke Morly which explores the peaks and troughs of youth, deliberating between the stresses of romance, social anxiety, substance abuse, family, and the future. Des is the boy that should grow up. Entangled in a farcical misadventure, he is caught in the confusions of teenage relationships.
The Brunton
Ladywell Way, Musselburgh EH21 6AA. Phone booking: 0131 665 2240
Gorrid the Horrid
Saturday 14 October.
Afternoon only: 3pm.
A Cooky Spooky Musical for all the family: Gorrid the Horrid the Witchy-Poo Beast is trying to get her ghastly Cookery Badge, but it isn’t going very well.
Church Hill Theatre
33a Morningside Road, EH10 4DR
La Belle Helene (Opera Camerata)
Wednesday 11 – Saturday 14 October.
Evenings Weds-Fri: 7.30pm, Sat matinee only: 2.30pm.
For their final outing, Opera Camerata take on Offenbach’s parody of the Greek myth which tells of the elopement of Helen with Paris that set off the Trojan War. See preview here.
Drummohr House
Meet Prestongrange Museum Visitor Centre, Morrisons Haven, Prestonpans, EH32 9RX
Dragons of Drummohr
Tuesday 10 – Sunday 28 October.
Evenings (not Mondays), Showings start at 6pm, 6.30pm, 7pm, 7.30pm, 8pm & 8.30pm.
An augmented reality theatre adventure in the grand surroundings of Drummohr House from giant specialists Vision Mechanics. Using the Dragon Matrix augmented reality app, audiences assist the Dragon Protection League in finding all of the lurking mythical beasts inside the house and around the grounds. See preview: Saving the fire-givers.
Festival Theatre
13/29 Nicolson Street EH8 9FT. Phone booking: 0131 529 6000
Scottish Ballet Dances Stravinsky
Wednesday 11 – Friday 13 October.
Evenings: 7.30pm.
Scottish Ballet recreate MacMillan’s The Fairy’s Kiss with new sets and costumes. Coupled with The Rite of Spring, which was widely acclaimed following its 2013 performance at the EIF.
Inverleith St Serf’s Church Centre
1a Clark Road, EH5 3BD
Little Shop of Horrors
Friday 13/Saturday 14 and Friday 20/Saturday 21.
Evenings: 7.30pm; Saturday matinees: 2.30pm.
B2 Productions, the offshoot company from Forth Children’s Theatre, take on the horror comedy rock musical about a hapless florist shop worker who raises a plant that feeds on human blood and flesh. Say hello to Audrey!
King’s Theatre
2 Leven Street EH3 9LQ. Phone booking: 0131 529 6000
The Kite Runner
Monday 9 – Saturday 14 October
Evenings: 7.30pm. Matinees Wed & Sat: 2.30pm
Afghanistan is a divided country on the verge of war and two childhood friends are about to be torn apart. It’s a beautiful afternoon in Kabul and the skies are full of the excitement and joy of a kite flying tournament. But neither Hassan nor Amir can foresee the terrible incident which will shatter their lives forever. Æ review ★★★★☆ Emotional.
Lyceum Theatre
Grindlay Street EH3 9AX. Phone booking: 0131 248 4848
Cockpit
Friday 6 – Saturday 28 Oct.
Previews: Fri 6, Sat 7, Mon 9.
Tue – Sat: 7.30pm; Matinees Weds, Sat: 2pm.
Enter the foyer of the Lyceum in 2017 – but take your seats in Germany, 1945 in a provincial playhouse being used as a makeshift transit camp for displaced persons from across the continent. The whole theatre becomes a stage and all of Europe the actors in this revival of Bridget Boland’s explosive 1947 drama. Æ Review: ★★★★☆ Necessary.
Lyceum Studio
Grindlay Street EH3 9AX. Phone booking: 0131 248 4848
Love Song To Lavender Menace
Thursday 12 – Saturday 21 October.
Previews: Thurs 12.
Tue-Sat: 8pm, Matinees, Sat: 2.30pm.
James Ley’s funny and moving exploration of the life and times of Edinburgh’s Lavender Menace bookshop, started by two friends Bob and Sigrid in a basement on Forth Street in the 1980s.
The Studio at Festival Theatre
22 Potterrow, EH8 9BL. Phone booking: 0131 529 6000
ThingummyBOB
Saturday 14 October.
Evenings: 7.30pm.
Bob has lost something important, something that might make him happy – but for the life of him he just can’t remember where he left it. It might be in his old house but he’s in a wheelchair and he can’t make the journey alone and none of the staff in the care home will take him.
Summerhall
1 Summerhall Square, EH9 1PL
Scratch That
Thursday 12 October 2017
Anatomy Lecture Theatre: 7.30pm.
An evening of new ideas for young audiences that are still in development – curated by Imaginate through an open call out. Four short, early-stage performances from Elspeth Chapman, Samuel Jameson, Jen McGregor and Anna Noonan.
Blanche & Butch
Friday 13/Saturday 14 October 2017
Main Hall: 7.30pm.
They were a sensation – three disabled drag queens called ‘Heelz n Wheelz’! But what happens when the sparkles fade and tensions rise? Birds of Paradise and Tron Theatre present Robert Softley Gale’s latest script.
Traverse
10 Cambridge Street, EH1 2ED. Phone booking: 0131 228 1404
PPP: Love and Death in Govan and Hyndland
Tue 10 – Sat 14 October 2017
Lunchtimes: 1pm, evening performance Friday 13 only: 7pm.
Ivan is a writer with a deadline but he’s blocked. Ten years ago to the day his mother passed and a phone call from his brother has him reliving the last chaotic months of her life. Æ Review: ★★★☆☆ Recognisable.
One Mississippi
Tue 10 – Thurs 12 October 2017 (preview Tue 10).
Evenings: 8pm.
A new hard-hitting verbatim play that explores how the impact of childhood experiences shape men’s adult lives, and the journey it takes them on. Blending humour and storytelling with powerful elements of physical theatre. Part of the SMHAF 2017 – see preview here.
Man to Man
Wed 11 – Sat 14 October.
Evenings: 7.30pm; Matinee, Sat: 2.30pm.
Celebrating 30 years since its UK premiere at the Traverse, Maggie Bain delivers a tour de force performance in this acclaimed new adaptation of Manfred Karge’s Man to Man.
The Village
The Village Pub, 16 South Fort Street, EH6 4DN
VPT/SQ Mash-up: International Day of the Girl
Wednesday 11 October 2017
Doors 7.30 for 8pm start.
The Village Pub Theatre team up with Stellar Quines for an evening of script-in-hand plays celebrating the International Day of the Girl. Seven plays by Gemma Stroyan, Drew Taylor-Wilson, Laura Tansley, Samara Maclaren, Alison Carr, Deb Jones and Sue Gyford, all responding to the theme of “the role of the girl”.
ENDS
