Author: Hugh Simpson
Murder on the Orient Express
★★★☆☆ Reassuring mystery
The touring production of Murder on the Orient Express from Fiery Angel at the Festival Theatre is a reliable whodunnit, well performed and staged with commendable ambition. Not everything about the staging convinces, but the result is pleasing.
PPP: Detained
★★★★☆ Heartfelt
Detained, the final instalment in the Traverse’s autumn season of offerings from from Òran Mór’s Play, Pie and a Pint, is a thoughtful and incisive piece of theatre.
Dangerous Corner
★★★★☆ Absorbing
The Edinburgh Graduate Theatre Group’s production of J.B. Priestley’s Dangerous Corner, upstairs at the Assembly Roxy until Saturday, is a tense affair, well staged and compelling.
PPP: Lost Girls / At Bus Stops
★★★☆☆ Excellent performances
Lost Girls / At Bus Stops, the latest Play, Pie and a Pint from Òran Mór at the Traverse, is a rather sweet take on a time-honoured dramatic dilemma.
PPP: Armour: A Herstory of the Scottish Bard
★★★☆☆ Tuneful
Armour: A Herstory of the Scottish Bard, this week’s lunchtime theatre offering at the Traverse before continuing on tour, provides a melodic new slant on the familiar story of Robert Burns.
Showcase 2024 – Something About This Night!
★★★★☆ Spectacular
Showcase 2024 – Something About This Night! provides the expected tuneful extravaganza, hugely reliable while appearing remarkably fresh.
PPP: The Wolves at the Door
★★★☆☆ Well-intentioned
The Wolves at the Door by Jack Hunter, the latest Play, Pie and a Pint offering from Òran Mór at the Traverse, is a piece of politically-informed theatre that has heart but is ultimately lacking in bite.
Last Night I Dreamt that Somebody Loved Me
★★★★☆ Accomplished
Last Night I Dreamt Somebody Loved Me is a wistful piece about growing up that has considerable punch and an impressive musical content.
PPP: The Last Cabaret on Earth
★★★★☆ Impressive
The Last Cabaret on Earth, by Brian James O’Sullivan at the Traverse, is the first in the new series of Play, Pie and a Pint from Òran Mór (with Ayr Gaiety) – and has an impact out of all proportion to its small scale.
Rebus: A Game Called Malice
★★★☆☆ Satisfying
Rebus: A Game Called Malice at the Festival Theatre as part of a UK tour, is a cleverly constructed – if distinctly old-fashioned – piece of theatre.
