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Edinburgh Live
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Edinburgh Live
'The Edinburgh show which may be the best thing you'll see at this year's Fringe'
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info 'Over The Top' might just be the best thing you see at the Edinburgh Fringe this year. Fringe newcomer Jessica Durand has brought her wacky solo show 'Over The Top' to Edinburgh– a fan fiction account based around one of the deadliest conflicts in history, The First World War… and also Downton Abbey. If you had told me last year I'd be going to see a Downton Abbey/First World War self-insert fan fiction about a bisexual woman who just wants Ms Trunchbull (yes, the one you're thinking of) to throw her about a bit, I'd have laughed at you. But how ignorant and closed minded I would have been, this show was fantastic. As the show's title suggests, Durand's over the top style and humour promises laughs regardless of her audiences age, politics or gender. Her careless demeanour creates an environment where everyone can't help but let their guard down and enjoy what's going on in front of them. The concept of the show is a bit weird but that's exactly what Fringe is all about. The show's effortless switching between the Great War and present day (and in some scenes combining both) was captivating and had a busy crowd laughing every step of the way. Join Edinburgh Live's Whatsapp Community here and get the latest news sentstraight to your messages. Jessica Durand was remarkably funny. Her well written, silly and unserious character, combined with jokes timed to perfection and a fantastic soundtrack set the tone for a show which had incredible pacing and humour. At times inviting the audience on stage to participate as written in cast members, Durand acts out pieces of her own writing with such conviction that her audience truly do feel part of her story. Per the words of the show's director Rowan Ellis, the show is 'a love letter to fandom and unhinged special interests' and I'd struggle to describe it in a better way. Seriously worthwhile and while at times it may be confusing, it will at all times be hilarious. My final review: ★★★★★ Jessica Durand's 'Over The Top' is running all month in Underbelly Cowgate's 'Dehli Belly' venue until the 24th of August with tickets available via the Fringe Website:
Scotsman
08-08-2025
- Entertainment
- Scotsman
Watch the surprise moment Fringe performer proposes live on stage
The couple's award-winning musical comedy is the first show they've put on together Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Two performers are engaged after a surprise proposal live on stage at the Edinburgh Fringe. Sergio Antonio Maggiolo got down on one knee to propose to his partner, Guido García Lueches, in the final moments of their award-winning musical JEEZUS! at the Underbelly Cowgate on Thursday night. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'It was very overwhelming. We don't usually do speeches at the end of the performance, we usually run away,' said Guido, who said they had no idea about the proposal. 'So when he told me not to run away, I was like why?' 'It was a lovely surprise.' Peruvian-born Sergio and Uruguayan-born Guido met in 2019 and now live together in South London | The Scotsman Sergio first had the idea to propose when visiting his family in Peru at the start of the year. 'We'd been joking about it a for a while. Guido was in Peru, and I thought about doing it then. Then at some point I thought, well, we're going to the Fringe, that would be a fun thing to do,' he said. 'It's our first show together, so it just felt very special.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The pair's musical, which received a five star review from The Scotsman, is inspired by Sergio's experience of growing up as a queer person in a strict catholic society in Latin America. Sergio plays a young alter boy who falls in love with Jesus - and is battling his internal conflict in the run up to his first holy communion. Meanwhile, Guido deftly flits between the boy's family, the priest and Jesus himself. 'It's funny, it's sexy and it's silly. But ultimately it's about love, our love,' said Guido. 'We're making people laugh throughout the whole thing, but then at the end we kind of reveal that we're together.' Sergio invited some of their friends to show to watch the proposal, but Guido had no idea it was going to happen | The Scotsman Sergio proposed with a ring passed down from his mum. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'It was really to get that blessing from her. I think the fact that she got super excited about it, I was like ok maybe I will do this then,' he said. 'It's so cute. We're literally telling a story about your mum,' added Guido. JEEZUS! won the Edinburgh Untapped Award this year, designed to discover and support hit-making talent at the Festival Fringe.
Scotsman
04-08-2025
- Entertainment
- Scotsman
Edinburgh Fringe theatre Shitbag The Horniest Girls in New York City Dropped Timonopoly
A bright, compelling and very funny Fleabag-influenced solo performance, a gloriously unfiltered gonzo Gen Z sex comedy/social satire, and a bruisingly authentic football-themed monologue take centre stage in our latest batch of Fringe theatre reviews. Sign up to our Arts and Culture newsletter, get the latest news and reviews from our specialist arts writers Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Shitbag ★★★★ Summerhall (Venue 26) until 25 August Even a passing acquaintance with theatre over the last decade will make anyone well aware of the all-pervading influence of Fleabag. Hundreds of solo shows have joined the quest to chase Phoebe Waller-Bridge's success, with the realisation that one performer, a microphone and a couple of props make for a very cheap way to have a hit. Australian performer Hayley Edwards smartly plays both sides in her own solo performance Shitbag, because it's absolutely a contender for an "If you liked Fleabag, you'll love..." quote on the poster, while at the same time very subtly commenting upon the rampant ubiquity of such shows. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Think you want to hear another monologue about a troubled twentysomething woman having lots of uninhibited sex? What if she tells you in graphic detail about her alarming bowel movements while she's at it? It's hard to tell how much, if any, of this is autobiographical (at one point Edwards briefly breaks the fourth wall to refer to 'my character'), but on the surface the issue-based nature of the play feels deeply personal. It begins with the character luxuriating in the aftermath of sex with a person so famous they have a blue tick on Instagram, and very quickly finds her caught short by the discharge of 'placentas from my arse'. Soon, she's diagnosed with Crohn's colitis. This revelation that she's 'the youngest and hottest person on the gastroenterology ward' spurs a period of increasingly hungry sexual promiscuity and experimentation, initially because she wants to have as much sex as possible before she has a stoma bag fitted, although the way the text later ties together physical and mental health is lightly and cleverly done. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Through it all, Edwards is bright, compelling and very funny, with an energetic physicality (the commode in centre stage becomes both podium and unlikely bed) and a frank delivery which lends seriousness to the character's increasingly manic sexual exploits and silliness to a concerning, life-changing diagnosis. So yeah, if you liked Fleabag, you will indeed love Shitbag. David Pollock The Horniest Girls in New York City ★★★★ Underbelly Cowgate (Venue 61) until 11 August Riley Stark and Tess Lancaster's new play is a hoot and a half, exuding the kind of don't-give-a-shit eccentricity of John Waters' early punk filmmaking, and almost as silly. The Horniest Girls in New York City is a Gen Z sex comedy-meets-social satire featuring rampant heroine Riley, possessed of a horny bone (it's genetics, baby), her innocent but biddable best friend Tess, dorky neighbourhood bar owner Derek, lesbian elder Dr Barbara and dastardly mayor Jake, who is partial to a Malcolm Tucker-style tirade of obscenities and threats, such as banning gay people from dancing. What a shady kryptonite move to pull on the sassiest kids on the block. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad This is gonzo Youth versus The Man stuff, as Riley and the freshly enlightened Tess use sex as a weapon to outwit authority ('you don't want to be the mayor that all the cool people don't like' they warn with withering disdain) and foment revolution by founding the Gay and Horny Club, a loose polyamorous association divested of all hang-ups. It's the Stonewall Riots without the IRL stakes. Chuck a couple of loony tunes into this hot mess and they could have an Off-Off-Off-Broadway smash. The script is gloriously unfiltered and gleefully executed by Stark, Lancaster, Alex Forrest and a particularly gung ho Liam Caplan having far too much fun across a bunch of ridiculous roles. There's something being said somewhere in the slapstick and crosstalk about tolerance, liberation, solidarity and punching upwards against Trumpian bluster, plus a bonus cool soundtrack of new wave nuggets because who doesn't love a rudimentary dance routine finale set to the fidgety groove of Devo's Whip It? Fiona Shepherd Dropped ★★★ Easter Road Stadium (Venue 518) until 10 August Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad There's a bruising authenticity to this monologue from debut writer-actor Alfie Cain that sets it apart from other plays dealing with the beautiful game. Cain was a trainee at Chelsea's football academy until he was unceremoniously dropped by the age of 18. Alfie took the opportunity to retrain as an actor at LAMDA but the rejection he suffered clearly still stings and while autobiographical to an extent this play presents a fictionalised account that documents the pressures faced by young players. Although informed by a love of the game — at least initially — this quickly becomes a cautionary tale. Academy players have a one in thousands chance of going on to enjoy a professional career. Cain's young footballer ploughs on against the odds, desperate for affirmation from his father and success in the face of verbal and physical abuse — both on and off the pitch. It offers some insight into how toxic masculinity takes root and looks at the fallout of filling young boys with unrealistic dreams. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad While necessarily bleak, Cain's powerful performance holds your attention and it's to Hibs credit that they would host such an unflinching look at the challenges facing young players — for whom it should be required viewing. Rory Ford Timonopoly ★★★ Scottish Storytelling Centre (Venue 30) until 12 August Timonopoly is the final instalment in Brite Theater's Coward Conscience trilogy, a series of Shakespearean adaptations including Richard III (a one-person show) and Hamlet (an experience). One needn't have experienced the company's previous works to appreciate their latest piece, however. In this reimagining of Timon of Athens (a cautionary tale exploring wealth, greed and betrayal), which is entirely audience specific, six participants become characters in a game of fortune. To begin, each player – the Philosopher, Poet, Painter, Jeweller, Dancer, and Aristocrat – is allotted an individual amount of gold based on their earning power. The gold, here represented by foil-wrapped sweets, is Brite Theater's version of monopoly money (the artists, as one might expect, bank little to nothing at this juncture). Performed in the round, Timonopoly is very physically demanding for Timon, who, dressed as the Monopoly Man, produces property cards (Forest of Arden, The Capitol and Elysium are just some examples) in accordance with the roll of a giant dice and orchestrates dinner party games where we write sonnets, draw, or dance. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad These games can become a little repetitious, but overall, Timonopoly is engaging and entertaining, with the game-show format allowing themes of friendship, generosity, and wealth to take on new significances. Josephine Balfour-Oatts Loose Threads ★★★ the Space @ Surgeons Hall (Venue 53) until 12 August Created by Malachy O'Callaghan, Loose Threads is a gloriously rich, laugh-out-loud sketch comedy featuring a cloakroom attendant at a London nightclub. Known only as 'Danny's brother's boy' (his lack of self-identity will later become a key plot point), he experiences a series of encounters with drunken strangers, estranged school friends, and friends of family, all of whom utilise the conversation-stopper that is the recent death of his best friend, the weight of which gathers focus as the narrative endures. Notable scenes involve a drunken lad who consistently leaves his shoes at the venue (the lost property box seems to be tenanted exclusively with his belongings) a stag do, a hen party, and a Louis Theroux impersonator. Watch out for the easter eggs that the company of four plants, and that occur and reoccur to the audience's delight. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Perhaps it's his height, or his self-confessed resemblance to the Lord Jesus Christ, but others trust Danny's brother's boy and his counsel, which true to form, gets him into trouble further down the line. Credit to the company, the cloakroom setting proves perfect for good old-fashioned miscommunication, brilliantly timed references to Simon and Garfunkel, and voicemails from a concerned father to his grieving son. Josephine Balfour-Oatts Bluffstone is Starvin' ★★ theSpace on the Mile (Venue 39) until 13 August With no rain for months, barren fields and dying cattle, remote dirt-bowl outpost Bluffstone is indeed fast running out of food. So when two mysterious drifters roll into town, they're viewed with suspicion - especially when one sets his sights on local girl Dolly. String Cheese Theatre's early-morning Western has a promising set-up but struggles to deliver, with a disconcertingly variable tone (from schoolboy humour to bleak despair), similarly variable acting and a storyline that could do with quite a bit of tightening. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Kudos, however, to multitasking Zachary Hodges for an effective musical score (played by a live trio), some idiomatic blues guitar and a memorable turn as absent-minded barman Jim. David Kettle
Scotsman
11-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Scotsman
Rising Stars of Edinburgh Fringe 2025: The New Voices Taking the Stage
As the world's largest arts festival returns, Edinburgh Fringe 2025 is set to showcase an extraordinary wave of fresh voices and bold new talent. This year's lineup features powerful explorations of identity, resilience, friendship, and societal change—offering audiences a chance to connect with stories that are as timely as they are personal. Sign up to our Arts and Culture newsletter, get the latest news and reviews from our specialist arts writers Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... From solo comedies packed with heartfelt humour and razor-sharp wit to innovative physical theatre and immersive performances, these shows reflect the diverse experiences shaping today's cultural landscape. Dive into this selection of unmissable new work that promises to challenge, entertain, and inspire across the city this summer. A STAN IS BORN!– Gilded Balloon Patter House (Blether), 15:00,from 30th July –25th August (not 11th) Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Musical comedy meets fan devotion: Alexis Sakellaris delivers ten original tracks, powerhouse vocals and razor-wit in a celebration of queer identity and pop obsession. A glittering, joyfully loud coming-of-age story that honours Beyoncé, Céline and Mariah. The Crawl, Pleasance Dome, Edinburgh Fringe Festival An Ode to the Casting Director– Gilded Balloon Patter House (The Penny), 11:40, from 30th July –25th August (not 12th) Sophie Fisher's cinematic solo tears into the audition grind with humour and heart. Expect live-feed scenes, biting truth and the chaotic surrealism behind every casting call. BAIRNS– Pleasance Courtyard (Bunker 3), 14:05, 30th July –25th August (not 12th) Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Annie Davison channels surrogacy, sisterhood and the messy magic of modern womanhood into a compulsively paced, character-rich one-woman drama. Bold, honest and deeply moving. Don't Tell Dad About Diana, Underbelly Cowgate, Edinbrugh Fringe Festival Cara and Kelly are Best Friends Forever For Life– Pleasance Courtyard (Bunker 3), 15:20, from 30th July –25th August (not 18th) Tense two-hander by Mojola Akinyemi about friendship, loyalty and the subtle creep of extremism. Sharp, unnerving and distinctly of-the-moment. Don't Tell Dad About Diana– Underbelly Cowgate (Belly Dancer), 12:50, from 31st July –25th August (not 12th) Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Set in the 90s, this is a riotous drag-infused comedy featuring two teens prepping a Princess Di act under nationalist family noses. In 1997 Dublin, grief and friendship collide in glitter-soaked catharsis. Eat The Rich (but maybe not me mates x), Pleasance Courtyard Eat The Rich (but maybe not me mates x) – Pleasance Courtyard (Bunker 1), 14:15, from 30th July –25th August 2025 (not 12th, 19th) Jade Franks' autobiographical solo show on class, privilege and hidden work at the University of Cambridge. Sharp, heartfelt, and as insightful as it is entertaining. FISH– Greenside (Jade Studio), 19:35, from Friday 1st – Sunday 23rd August 2025 (not 10th, 17th) Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Physical clowning meets climate anxiety, as a fish dreams of human life. Funmi Adejobi's whimsical performance is witty, engaging and unexpectedly poignant. FLUSH– Pleasance Courtyard (Upstairs), 12:15, from 30th July –25th August (not 11th, 18th) A women's toilet becomes a sanctuary of solidarity and raw confession. April Hope Miller's sharp drama delves into vulnerability, survival and connection. FLUSH partners with Ask For Angela, a national initiative supporting those in vulnerable situations in nightlife venues. Funny Though – Pleasance Courtyard (Bunker 1), 15:30, from 30th July –25th August 2025 (not 13th, 20th) Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Clare Noy's confessional comedy exposes performance anxiety and burnout behind the laughs. Honest, darkly funny, and remarkably relatable. Gimme a Sign!– Greenside (Fern Studio), 15:05, from 1st –23rd August 2025 (not 10th, 17th) Bailey Swilley channels grief, ghost-chasing and identity in this tender, eccentric solo show. A charming mix of humour, supernatural intrigue and authentic healing. Golden Time (and Other Behavioural Management Strategies)– Pleasance Dome (Ace Dome), 13:30, 30th July –25th August 2025 (not 11th, 18th) Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Poet-performer Kate Ireland reflects on ADHD, school culture and productivity through spoken word. Witty, illuminating and definitely uplifting. House Party– Pleasance Courtyard (Attic), 15:20, 31st July –25th August 2025 (not 12th, 21st) A vibrant solo music show about East London gentrification, cramped spaces and collective resistance. Chakira Alin brings heart, humour and political urgency. I L L B E H A V I O U R – Summerhall (Former Gent's Locker Room), 13:40, 31st July –10th August 2025 (not 4th, 7th) Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Sensory theatre meets sonic exploration: experimental movement, live sampling of breath and heartbeat reveal the hidden soundtrack of being alive. In These Shoes– Underbelly Bristo Square (Dairy Room), 19:45, from 30th July –25th August 2025 (not 6th, 13th, 20th) Fashion satire meets jazz cabaret in this witty portrait of style obsession and identity. Glynis Traill‑Nash delivers sass, insight and musical elegance. Lioness – Greenside (Clover Studio), 12:40, from 1st –23rd August 2025 (not 10th, 17th) Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Kate Coulson's football-infused solo drama tackles sexism, ambition and friendship in the Women's Super League. Raw, empowering and full of drive. Macbeth by The Barden Party– ZOO Southside (Studio), 10:40, from 1st –22nd August 2025 (not 4th, 11th, 18th) A gender-flipped, bluegrass-infused revival of Macbeth, blending raw emotion, humour and musicality. Intimate, irreverent and refreshingly bold. medium dead – ZOO Playground 2, 16:50, from 1st –24th August 2025 (not 6th, 11th, 18th) Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad In a surreal afterlife office, a writer assigned to Anthony Bourdain's file navigates grief, bureaucracy and meaning. Darkly clever, deeply felt. Meg & Marge – ZOO Playground 1, 15:15, from 1st –25th August 2025 (not 12th) A tradwife social-media influencer is haunted by Margery Kempe, sparking a surreal, genre-bending comedy about perfection, faith and identity. Shell – ZOO Southside (Studio), 15:05, from 1st –24th August 2025 (not 6th, 13th, 20th) Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Drag-clown ritual and queer sex education fuse in Ana Evans's participatory performance. Bold, playful, and challenges what theatre can be. Terry's: An American Tragedy About Cars, Customers, and Selling Cars to Customers – Pleasance Courtyard (Beside), 12:55, from 30th July –25th August 2025 (not 11th, 19th) Satirical musical comedy set in a 1990s Midwestern dealership. Lecoq-trained ensemble combines absurdist humour with pointed societal critique. The Crawl – Pleasance Dome (10 Dome), 12:05, from 30th July –25th August 2025 (not 13th, 20th) Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad No water, no words: a duet tackling competition and performance through inventive physical theatre. Creative, energetic, family-friendly. The Essence of Audrey– Pleasance Courtyard (Cellar), 11:15,from 30th July –25th August (not 13th) Helen Anker's elegant solo tribute to Audrey Hepburn blends biography, humour and humanity in an intimate theatrical portrait. The Poetess– Pleasance Dome (Jack Dome), 11:55, from 30th July –25th August Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Olivia Dodd's spoken-word play transforms viral poetry into a journey through grief, connection and creative legacy. Moving, hopeful. The Strongest Girl in the World– Gilded Balloon Patter House (The Snug),14:20, from 30th July –25th August 2025 (not 12th, 19th) Truly Siskind‑Weiss weaves childhood grief into a magical, heartfelt solo about growing up, loss and resilience.
