Charlie West

An Edinburgh Christmas Carol
★★★★☆ Timely
There is so much to commend in the return of An Edinburgh Christmas Carol to the Lyceum, where it runs through until December 31.

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.