Charlie West
Orphans
★★★☆☆ Raucous
Full of comic bravado, the National Theatre of Scotland’s long-delayed musical adaptation of Orphans at the King’s is an attractive but unwieldy beast.
Sister Act
★★★★★ Nun better:
Tuneful, wonderfully acted and with the comic momentum of a juggernaut, Forth Children’s Theatre’s Sister Act at the Edinburgh Tabernacle is almost unimaginably entertaining.
The Threepenny Opera
★★★★☆ Explosive:
The Threepenny Opera continues the verve and vitality of the Attic Collective’s previous outings, adding a musical dimension that makes for an explosive extravaganza.
Stories of the Sea
★★★★☆ Factual:
There’s a braw bundle of insight to be had in Citadel Arts Group’s double bill of plays that explore some of the varying aspects of the women of Leith’s relationships with the sea.
War in America
★★★★☆ Timely:
The Attic Collective’s War in America is passionate, emotional and committed – but not over-earnest, and certainly not polite.
Lysistrata
★★★★☆ Ebullient energy:
Fizzing with righteous anger and frothing with near-the-knuckle humour, the Attic Collective’s Lysistrata at the King’s is a breath of fresh air and an undeniable statement of intent.
Jesus Christ Superstar
★★★★★ Divine
Tuneful, committed and utterly enthralling, Forth Children’s Theatre’s production of Jesus Christ Superstar features enough talent on and off stage to make any other Fringe productions green with envy.
Triple Decker of Comedy
★★★☆☆ Funny:
Full of energy and laughter, St Serf’s Players’ Triple Decker of Comedy is a patchy affair, but extremely endearing.
The Wiz
★★★★☆ Easily:
Simply staged, brilliantly sung and delightfully choreographed, Forth Children’s Theatre hit their mark full square with this lively production of The Wiz at the Edinburgh Academy all week.
Robinson Crusoe and the Pirates
★★★☆☆ Festive cheer:
Great fun and considerable musicality can be found in St Serf’s Players’ Robinson Crusoe and The Pirates at the Edinburgh Tabernacle.
