EdFringe 2014
Lear’s Daughters
✭✭✭✭✩ Transfixing tragedy
Footfall Theatre Company take Shakespeare’s Lear down into the basement of C Nova and there reveal a new aspect to his story.
Conflict in Court
✭✭✭✭✩ interactive trial
The upstairs space in the New Town theatre is decked out as a small courtroom where Tory MP Marcus Baillie seeks damages from a red-top tabloid in Liam Rudden latest interactive drama.
The Onion of Bigotry – A History of Hatred
✭✭✩✩✩ Not many layers
Too keen to avoid offence, Black Dingo Productions’ The Onion of Bigotry ends up having little impact.
My Name is Saoirse
✭✭✭✩✩ Delicate
A performance of quiet delicacy distinguishes Sunday’s Child’s production My Name is Saoirse.
A Split Decision
✭✭✩✩✩ Lacking conviction
Some satirical humour can be found in Keir McAllister’s referendum comedy A Split Decision in Studio Two at the Assembly Rooms, but overall it must be counted as a missed opportunity.
Beyond a Joke
✭✭✭✩✩ Dead funny
Saughtonhall Drama Group extract a large amount of humour from their production of Derek Benfield’s 1979 farce Beyond a Joke.
The Sorcerer’s Tale
✭✭✭✭✩ Good alchemy
Pawky, earthy and of consistent quality, Edinburgh People’s Theatre’s revival of The Sorcerer’s Tale is the ideal show for anyone wanting to see something very Scottish and very funny.
A Walk at the Edge of the World
✭✭✭✩✩ Beautiful but rambling
A meditative walk through the beautiful environs of the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art leads into a slightly rambling dramatic monologue in Magnetic North’s A Walk at the Edge of the World.
Spoiling
✭✭✭✭✩ Successful and timely
Punchy, poetic and utterly contemporary, the world premiere of John McCann’s Spoiling in Traverse 2 is much more rewarding than its short duration may suggest.
The Carousel
✭✭✭✭✩ Stunningly performed
Impressive production values and impeccable acting are on display in The Carousel. Stellar Quines’ production at Traverse 2 of the second part of Jennifer Tremblay’s trilogy succeeds on its own terms but does not entirely fulfil the huge burden of expectations placed upon it.
