Shakespeare
Book Festival – the Final Round-up
Charlotte Square gets all theatrical:
The Book Festival once again had much to interest the discerning theatregoer, not only in terms of actual performance but also regarding the thoughts of those responsible for them.
Richard III (A One-Woman Show)
★★★★☆ Innovative:
Shakespeare’s original script is pushed to the absolute limit, with a radical and intriguing overhaul of the renowned play Richard III.
Julius Caesar (with pirates!)
★★★☆☆ Unlucky:
Constantly battling against the elements, Julius Caesar (with pirates!) delivers no more or less than you can expect of an amateur free fringe show in the Black Market on Market Street.
The Shakespeares – Scenes From a Marriage
★★★☆☆ Yesteryear once more:
Storyboard Theatre’s The Shakespeares – Scenes from a Marriage goes over the well-trodden ground of the private life of that writer from Stratford. Even if nothing new surfaces, there is enough interesting acting to hold the attention.
Smashing Shakespeare
★★★★☆ Slick:
Captivate Theatre has earned a reputation for energetic, witty performances. With Smashing Shakespeare, in the Rose Street Theatre until August 14, it lives up to that expectation.
Shakedown’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream
★★★★☆ Shaken & stirred
Shaking down Shakespeare is a well-worn pastime, but Pab Roberts has taken it to a new level with his Shakedown version of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, staged at the King’s for two performances only.
Twelfth Night
★★★★☆ Cleanly put:
Solidly performed and cleverly directed, there is much to enjoy about Edinburgh University Shakespeare Company’s lucid production of Twelfth Night at Teviot House to Saturday.
The Winter’s Tale
★★★☆☆ Layered:
Lucid and engaging, the Lyceum’s Scottish-set production of The Winter’s Tale has much to recommend it, even if it does not quite convince.
Shakespeare, His Wife, and the Dog
★★★★☆ Human:
Not only is Shakespeare, His Wife, and the Dog at Summerhall a treat for all theatre aficionados, it is also clever, emotional and wonderfully acted.
Coriolanus
★★★★☆ Timely:
EUTC’s production of Coriolanus at the Bedlam is a pertinent and particularly well staged production.
