SCOTLAND THEATER REVIEWS

As someone who is a scaredy cat but loves morbid humour and wanted to test my boundaries during the Fringe, I decided to give Dr. Bonk’s Macarbaret a try. The show, hosted by Edinburgh’s only living plague doctor, Dr. Bonk (played by Eliott Simpson), is a cabaret that promises “laughs, scares,...

Chris Thorburn shows off his terrific charisma and charming personality through the scope of one of his greatest loves - the movies....

After seeing Police Cops: Badass Be Thy Name and loving the group’s sense of humour and fantastic dynamic, I knew that I wanted to see their 2023 Edinburgh Fringe Festival show, Police Cops: The Musical. Somehow, this show managed to exceed my already high expectations, making for a perfect last s...

In this new interpretation of the Greek myth, created by Cassie Muise and Tyler Mckinnon, Arachne uses her weaving to follow in her mother’s footsteps and tell the stories of forgotten women, going against the “truths” told by the elders. ...

In nearly every comedy show I have seen at the Fringe, there have been sexual jokes, with some going as far as having vibrators and dildos on stage. To be honest, as an asexual, I needed a break from all of that, and I knew Eliott Simpson: (A)Sexy and I Know It would be the perfect place to laugh wi...

Dark Noon’s description states “They say history is told by the victors; this story is told by the vanquished.” The show is a “brutal recreation of the Wild West” of the United States of America. As someone who grew up in the States, I am quite familiar with the glorified tales of the sett...

The concept of CSI: Crime Scene Improvisation is quite simple. A murder has taken place, and it is up to the audience to not only catch the killer but also to create the crime scene themselves, setting the scene for the actors. ...

From the imagination of Neil Gaiman, best-selling author of Coraline, Good Omens and The Sandman (now a major Netflix series), comes the National Theatre’s major new stage adaptation of The Ocean at the End of the Lane....

As a child, all she wanted was to be an adult. Now she's at the table, she wants out. Following her acclaimed, sell-out debut hour, Celya returns: expect tales of romance, a hologram, and a near-death experience in Thorpe Park....

Strictly Come Dancing legend and judge, Anton Du Beke, takes to the stage with his live band, a guest singer and his dancers; expect a fab-u-lous afternoon of song, dance and laughter....

Maggie Crane's older brother had it all: a purple sparkly wheelchair and everyone's attention. This darkly funny stand-up show is an autobiographical coming-of-age story about disability, death, and Dunkin' Donuts. Aiden was Maggie's best friend and biggest rival. In their family, hospital visits fe...

Meet Him. He's gay, twenty-something, and aspiring to be Billie Piper circa 1999. For now though, he's still single, still horny, and still perfecting the bum-hole selfie in the work toilets. Rock bottom's never been so fabulous. Blowhole is a screengrab of the pitfalls of swipe-right culture....

A new screwball comedy about how Gwyneth Paltrow, guru culture, green juice and your best downward-facing dog can save us all!...

Scaredy's working the late shift at the cinema. Tonight's schedule? The horror-movie sexual awakenings of yesteryear. Stuffed with steamy recollections of Carrie and Candyman, Scaredy should be in ecstasy but evil horror host Count Calories keeps cutting in on the fun. It's time for Scaredy to face ...

 The set is scarce, but that doesn't matter. From birds to cars to bartender counters and water coolers, every set piece, animal and prop are created solely through this talented 4-person ensemble, accompanied by sound designer and musician Frederick Waxman. ...

A goofy fantastical mermaid tale told through cardboard signs with descriptive labels accompanied by a spoken language that sounds like a fusion between Icelandic and Simlish? It sounds ludicrous, but strangely.... it works....

The concept of Jazz Emu’s Pleasure Garden is quite simple. You are invited by Jazz Emu (played by Archie Henderson) and the band The Cosmique Perfectión to their Pleasure Garden, quoted to be “a luscious, verdant Arcadia that veritably throbs with life” (it’s actually in a car park but hey,...

Villain is a brilliantly creative and fun mix of musical theatre and comedy that puts a fresh spin on the villains of our favourite works of fiction. If being the baddie of the story is a sense of style and self-assurance, a refusal to conform to society’s expectations, and a sometimes outright ag...

According to Google, Eva's boobs weigh the same as: two and a half bottles of tequila; two bricks; or the average newborn baby. Quite a weight on your back and finding bras off the rack for a rack that size is near impossible. Despite being an ideal candidate, misogynistic medical standards leave Ev...

A kids party... but for adults. Soho Theatre's smash-hit musical comedy about two rival children's entertainers, starring Kiell Smith-Bynoe (Ghosts, Taskmaster, Stath Lets Flats) and Ed MacArthur (Bad Education, Dreamland, The Now Show)....

'Who are you Jamie!?' 'I'm that bitch!' Jamie is not in fact, that bitch. Jamie has just been dumped for a man who goes to the gym. Jamie is a hot mess. Jamie needs to reinvent himself. Celebrating the dizzying romance and heart-breaking tragedy of friendship, Jamie Finn blends storytelling, comedy ...

Usually avoid public bathrooms? Here's one you won't want to miss! This award-winning new musical follows four unlikely strangers who find themselves trapped together in a gender-neutral public toilet. With an hour to kill until maintenance arrives, the group navigates unexpected challenges, pungent...

IMA (Pray) is an immersive circus experience. In the installation space reminiscent of sacred places, we participate in a unique ritual guided by the performer, who becomes a 21st-century shaman taking the audience into the unknown territories of the human mind. Bence Vági, director-choreographer o...

The second that Zach Zucker steps on stage for his show, Zach Zucker: Spectacular Industry Showcase, he commands the room. He emerges wearing a sparkly and very unbuttoned shirt and you cannot help but fall a little bit in love with his confidence and talent within minutes....

The Mystery of Dyatlov Pass is a reflective tale of the lives of those who were involved in the Dyatlov Pass incident. The ending leaves the mystery open to interpretation but harshly reminds audiences that there are real human lives behind many conspiracy theories like those surrounding the nine hi...