Listings: Mon 15 – Sun 21 Nov 2021
What’s on Edinburgh’s stages this week
There is a wide range of shows on Edinburgh’s stages this week with not one, but two five star shows as well as a good handful of touring productions and the debut from new local company Warped Productions.
Top of the recommendations is the last chance to see the “★★★★★ Glorious” Life is a Dream at the Lyceum before they tear up the vast apron stage they put in for filming shows during the pandemic and revert to the open auditorium. Read Hugh’s review, here, then go buy a ticket – there are not many left!
Life is a Dream. Lorn Macdonald with Anna Russell Martin and Kelsey Griffin in background. Pic: Ryan Buchanan
Life’s a drag up at the King’s, where Death Drop – a “Dragatha Christie whodunnit” – is dragging up the stage from Wednesday to Saturday with what is reported to be a hilarious pastiche of the genre.
Starring Ru-Paul US drag legends Willam and Ra’Jah O’Hara alongside Drag Race UK Star Vinegar Strokes and Drag Race Down Under star Karen from Finance with a full cast of leading drag performers – including writer Holly Stars – this should be a hoot.
They are dragging it up at the Queen’s Hall as well, with The Return of The Jinkx & DeLa Holiday Show, LIVE! for one night only on Monday 15. BenDeLaCreme and Jinkx Monsoon are taking the stage once again in a “post-apocalypse-mas extravaganza certain to make this yuletide gayer than ever”.
There are two weeks left to see Beauty and the Beast at the Playhouse if you haven’t already. It’s a big, bold extravaganza and easily worth its five stars. There are a few single tickets left for this week, mainly up in the balcony, but marginally better availability next week with seats together available and even a few front stalls seats on Wednesday. But act fast if you want to see it live.
Sauce & Hot Sauce
Worth flagging up for Friday and Saturday is Sauce & Hot Sauce – a double-header of shorts from local grassroots company Warped Productions at the Augustin United Church hall on George IV Bridge.
Written and directed by Wendy Lap, the show stars Annie Cook and Rebecca Fairnie. Sauce is set in a condiments factory where the ever-exasperating Joy attempts to discover what her long suffering colleague Sally is up to. The setting for Hot Sauce is a brothel where Madame Frankie shows newbie Maxine the ropes whilst carrying out some seriously dodgy dealings.
Listings
Click on the show title to go to its ticketing site.
Assembly Roxy
2 Roxburgh Place, EH8 9SU
The Dock Brief
Mon 15 Nov 2021
Lunchtime: 1pm.
Rapture Theatre returns with its lunchtime one-acts: Rapture Bites. What happens when a bumbling murderer meets an even more ineffectual barrister? Budgie fancier Herbbert Fowle (Glyn Pritchard) is on trial for killing his wife because she laughed too much. His only hope rests with Morgenhall (John Bett), a court appointed barrister. Book here.
Augustine United Church Hall
41 George IV Bridge, EH1 1EL
Sauce & Hot Sauce
Friday 19/Saturday 20 November 2021
Evening: 7.30pm.
The first outing for Warped Productions is a hot little double header of comedy set first in condiments factory (Sauce) and then in a brothel (Hot Sauce). Wendy Lap is on writing and directing duties, with Annie Cook and Rebecca Fairnie staring in both pieces. Book here.
The Brunton
Ladywell Way, Musselburgh EH21 6AA. Phone booking: 0131 665 2240
Sixties Gold
Tue 16 Nov 2021
Two shows: 2.30pm & 7.30pm (Venue 1)
Something of an ultimate 60s line up with (subject to change): The Tremeloes; Mamas and Papas UK; Hermans Hermits; The Marmalade; The Merseybeats; PJ Proby; Steve Ellis; Dave Berry; and Gerry’s Pacemakers. Book here.
Janey Godley’s Soup Pot Tour
Thurs 18, Sat 20 Nov 2021
Evenings 7.30pm; Sat mat: 2pm.
Tell all the Sandra’s, Big Frank and all the lassies fresh from Zumba to grab the soup pot and get ready for the “Queen of Scottish Comedy” coming to town. Live voice over’s and stand up like you’ve never seen before. Check out some hilarious patter from Big Tereeza in Torremolinos, Boris and his bawjaws and see Nicola up on the big screen with all the latest patter. Book here.
Festival Theatre
13/29 Nicolson Street EH8 9FT. Phone booking: 0131 529 6000.
An Evening of Eric and Ern
Mon 15 Nov 2021
Evening: 7.30pm
Olivier Award nominated duo Ian Ashpitel and Jonty Stephens create an homage to Morecambe and Wise crammed full of those famous comedy sketches, from Grieg’s Piano concerto, Mr Memory…’Arsenal’, to the paper bag trick. Book here.
Ballet Black
Thursday 18 November 2021
Evening: 7.30pm.
The professional ballet company for international dancers of black and Asian descent returns to Edinburgh following their hugely successful visit in June 2019 and mindblowing performance with Stormzy at Glastonbury. Book here.
Janey Godleys Soup Pot Tour
Friday 19 November 2021
Evening: 7.30pm
See the Brunton Thurs 18. Book here.
Lost in Music
Sat 20 Nov 2021
Evening: 7.30pm.
Recreate the Magical 70’s on a musical journey straight to the heart of Disco with some of the greatest songs of all time. This show boasts a sensational live band, incredibly talented cast and stunning vocals, so dress to impress. Book here.
King’s Theatre
2 Leven Street EH3 9LQ. Phone booking: 0131 529 6000.
Death Drop: Dragatha Christie
Wed 17 – Sat 20 Nov 2021
Wed – Fri: 7.30pm; Sat: 4pm & 8pm.
See preview: Killer Drag.
The smash-hit drag murder mystery – direct from the West End – stars a full strut of Ru-Paul and Drag Race stars, as a gaggle of guests gather on the mysterious Tuck Island for a dinner party like no other… Hilarious, camp, vulgar and outrageous. Book here.
Lyceum Theatre
Grindlay Street EH3 9AX. Phone booking: 0131 248 4848.
Life is a Dream
By Pedro Calderón (Translated by Jo Clifford)
Tue 2 – Sat 20 November
Tues-Sat: 7.30pm; Matinees Weds & Sat: 2.30pm.
Wils Wilson directs the last production to use the temporary apron stage over the Stalls. Prince Sigismund is imprisoned in a remote tower at birth. Released for one day as an experiment, when the experience provokes a tailspin of greed, resentment and anger he is re-incarcerated, convinced by his jailors that his day of freedom was all just a dream… Tickets and Details.
Playhouse
18 – 22 Greenside Place, EH1 3AA. Phone booking: 0844 871 3014.
Disney’s Beauty and the Beast
Thu 21 Oct – Sat 27 Nov 2021
Evenings: Tue – Sat at 7:30pm.
Matinees: Wed, Sat, Sun: 2:30pm
Choreographer and director Matt West has got the team back together to spectacularly reimagine the beloved ‘tale as old as time’ using the latest theatrical innovations to bring it to the stage like never before… Tickets and details: Book here.
Queen’s Hall
85-89 Clerk St, EH8 9JG
The Return of The Jinkx & DeLa Holiday Show, LIVE!
Monday 15 November 2021
Evening: 8pm.
The Queen’s Hall lives up to its name for one night only as BenDeLaCreme and Jinkx Monsoon take the stage once again in “a post-apocalypse-mas extravaganza certain to make this yuletide gayer than ever!” Book here.
Southside Community Centre
117 Nicolson Street EH8 9ER
Maryland by Lucy Kirkwood
Saturday 20 Nov 2021
Two performances: 7pm, and 8.30pm.
Script-in-hand performances of the play described by its playwright Lucy Kirkwood as ‘a howl of rage’, written at great speed to try to express in dramatic form how she – and so many others – feel about a culture of violence against women. Tickets and details: Book here.
*NB: This is intended to be a complete listing of all public theatrical productions on in Edinburgh. If you are staging a show which is not listed, or a listing is inaccurate, please get in touch through the contact page, here.
