Sophie Williams

Dancing at Lughnasa
★★★☆☆ Affecting
Even as other companies gear up for Christmas, Leitheatre look back to September with Brian Friel’s Dancing at Lughnasa at the Church Hill. This entirely unseasonal downbeat piece is discharged with great care and some impressive acting.

Stepping Out
★★★☆☆ Feel good
Leitheatre has been performing on the Fringe for 40 years and this year’s show, Stepping Out at Inverleith St Serf’s Church Centre, is of an appropriate vintage, although its plot is in no way dated.

The Lake of Dead Languages
★★☆☆☆ Underwhelming:
Dealing with dark, mysterious happenings, The Lake of Dead Languages from Caduceus at the Royal Scots Club threatens to plunge into deep waters but does not get much beyond the shallow end.

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.

Triple Decker of Comedy
★★★☆☆ Funny:
Full of energy and laughter, St Serf’s Players’ Triple Decker of Comedy is a patchy affair, but extremely endearing.

The Wiz
★★★★☆ Easily:
Simply staged, brilliantly sung and delightfully choreographed, Forth Children’s Theatre hit their mark full square with this lively production of The Wiz at the Edinburgh Academy all week.

Robinson Crusoe and the Pirates
★★★☆☆ Festive cheer:
Great fun and considerable musicality can be found in St Serf’s Players’ Robinson Crusoe and The Pirates at the Edinburgh Tabernacle.

Cinderella
✭✭✭✩✩ Pacey interaction:
Pacey in places and packed with audience participation, St Serf’s Players production of Cinderella ensures that its punters will have a great time of it.

Les Miserables
✭✭✭✭✭ Hear the people sing
Skilful, energetic and packing a real emotional punch, Forth Children’s Theatre’s Les Misérables is as impressive a musical production as you are likely to see on the Fringe – or anywhere else.

Hairspray – Review
✭✭✭✭✩ Depth and pleasure
It’s Good Morning Baltimore at the Edinburgh Academy’s theatre all this week where the young members of the Forth Children’s Theatre are getting it right with a super production of Hairspray.