Arthur review " man and baby in unique double act by Mark Fisher

Your home, EdinburghDaniel Bye enlists the help of his five-month-old son in an unpredictable hour-long exploration of nature versus nurture A show can have the same words, same actors, same…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 3:54am on August 8, 2019☆⚑

Are We Not Drawn Onward to New ErA review " palindromic drama of dazzling proportions by Mark Fisher

Zoo Southside, Edinburgh The pioneering Ontroerend Goed company takes on a conceptually daring view of environmental apocalypse Three years ago, the pioneering Belgian company Ontroerend Goe…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 8:24am on August 7, 2019☆⚑

The Accident Did Not Take Place review " all aboard in search for the post-truth by Mark Fisher

Pleasance Courtyard, EdinburghVolunteers are game in YESYESNONO's lively show that uses drama-school exercises to investigate the nature of truth Jim from the Wardrobe Ensemble has been invi…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 5:03pm on August 6, 2019☆⚑

Anguis review " what if Cleopatra went on Desert Island Discs? by Mark Fisher

Gilded Balloon Teviot, EdinburghIn her playwriting, Sheila Atim puts a female scientist on stage with the pharaoh to chat about music, men and misrepresentation Sheila Atim, the Olivier awar…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 5:36am on August 6, 2019☆⚑

If You're Feeling Sinister review " Belle and Sebastian inspire eccentric drama by Mark Fisher

Gilded Balloon, EdinburghEve Nichol's play combines songs from the Glasgow band's well-loved album with an ambiguous narrative 'We're seeing other people " at least that's what we say we are…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 1:33am on August 6, 2019☆⚑

Burgerz review " chop chop, get wise to transphobic violence by Mark Fisher

Traverse theatre, EdinburghBreaking down a thrown burger into its constituent ingredients is a way of confronting assault in this sassy, humane show Behind Travis Alabanza is a container ful…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 3:06pm on August 5, 2019☆⚑

For All I Care review " the spirit of Nye Bevan breathes life into NHS tale by Mark Fisher

Summerhall, EdinburghThis vivid production shows both sides of the care system through the eyes of a nurse and a patient The spirit of Nye Bevan floats over Alan Harris's monologue for Natio…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 6:42am on August 5, 2019☆⚑

Bystanders review " urgent memorial to society's most vulnerable by Mark Fisher

Summerhall, EdinburghCardboard Citizens' gutsy and gut-wrenching stories of the homeless focuses on people instead of just grim statistics Someone at Cardboard Citizens has noticed a pattern…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 1:18am on August 5, 2019☆⚑

Drowning review " earnest look at true-life tragedy rings false by Mark Fisher

Pleasance Courtyard, EdinburghJessica Ross doesn't come anywhere close to making moral or dramatic sense of why four nurses killed elderly patients How to account for the four Austrian nurse…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 8:18pm on August 4, 2019☆⚑

Superstar review " Coldplay singer Chris Martin's little sis steps into the spotlight by Mark Fisher

Underbelly Cowgate, EdinburghNicola Wren deploys considerable charm in a not-really-showbiz story of childhood pantos, movie bit-parts and self-acceptance The Edinburgh fringe is good at bri…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 7:33am on August 4, 2019☆⚑

Indigenous Contemporary Scene review " resistance, revenge and jolly cabaret by Mark Fisher

Songs in the Key of Cree, Deer Woman and Kiinalik: These Sharp Tools, three shows by Canada's Indigenous artists, are presented at the Edinburgh festival This summer, Canada's National Inqui…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 7:33am on August 3, 2019☆⚑

Rich Kids: a History of Shopping Malls in Tehran review " dazzling and discombobulating by Mark Fisher

Traverse, EdinburghJavaad Alipoor's kaleidoscopic show delves below the compellingly shocking behaviour to lay bare an epoch-spanning vision of human waste The sensation of racing a high-per…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 2:48pm on August 2, 2019☆⚑

Heritage review " sectarian feuds poison Canada's prairies by Mark Fisher

Pitlochry festival theatreForbidden love blooms between Catholic and Protestant settlers in Nicola McCartney's razor-sharp study of cultural identity Imagine Romeo and Juliet transplanted se…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 11:32am on July 30, 2019☆⚑

Hamlet/Richard III review " all is angry in the garden by Mark Fisher

Glasgow Botanic Gardens A superb Nicole Cooper plays Hamlet as a fiercely wronged daughter, while a stripped-down version of Richard reveals an impulsive gambler on a wild streak ★★

SOURCE: The Guardian at 11:24am on July 21, 2019☆⚑

Re:Creating Europe review " voices from history echo through Brexit by Mark Fisher

The Lowry, SalfordFrom Henry V's speech to Jona Lewie's Stop the Cavalry, this illuminating production explores the 'flawed family' of Europe Way back at the start of the Brexit wars, Rufus …

SOURCE: The Guardian at 9:18am on July 14, 2019☆⚑

The Nico Project review " Maxine Peake digs deep into a nightmare by Mark Fisher

The Stoller Hall, ManchesterWith fascinating " and frustrating " results, the actor plays a woman seemingly possessed by the ghost of the late Velvet Underground singer When 1980s Manchester…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 9:18am on July 14, 2019☆⚑

Making a murder: true-crime stage show recreates a shocking killing by Mark Fisher

How do you re-enact a homicide for a theatre performance " and should you? Director Milo Rau invited people who knew the victim to take part On 22 April, 2012, Ihsane Jarfi left a gay bar i…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 12:42pm on July 9, 2019☆⚑

Life of Pi review " triumphant tiger burns bright in a stunning show by Mark Fisher

Crucible, SheffieldTransformative puppetry, design and direction, and a great human lead, make this adaptation of Yann Martel's book unmissable A tip for playwrights: when you want to field …

SOURCE: The Guardian at 7:24am on July 9, 2019☆⚑

The Anvil review " what does the Peterloo massacre mean today? by Mark Fisher

Various venues, ManchesterIrish company Anu's site-specific modern stories of struggle bring the radical spirit of 19th-century protesters to life This production is billed as a response to …

SOURCE: The Guardian at 10:36am on July 8, 2019☆⚑

The Color Purple review " a musical with heart, spirit and soul by Mark Fisher

Curve, LeicesterAlice Walker's novel is transformed into an exuberant celebration of community and female empowerment Incest. Child abuse. Rape. Domestic violence … the foundations of Ali…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 1:24pm on July 4, 2019☆⚑

The Strange Undoing of Prudencia Hart review " brilliant border ballads drama by Mark Fisher

New Vic, Newcastle-under-LymeThis dizzylingly funny drama boasts a tremendous cast, witty costumes and surprising set 'This is not a ballad," says Prudencia Hart early on in David Greig's di…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 8:36am on July 3, 2019☆⚑

Robert Icke: 'British theatre often thinks of itself as church' by Mark Fisher

As his bold new Oedipus heads to Edinburgh, the director discusses revamping Sophocles and the 'poisonous nostalgia' behind Brexit The teenagers in the audience are all squirms and giggles. …

SOURCE: The Guardian at 8:32am on June 24, 2019☆⚑

The Importance of Being Earnest review " Oscar's dazzler is wildly overdone by Mark Fisher

Albert Halls, BoltonDespite the cast's best efforts, Oscar Wilde's comedy gets almost no laughs in a production that tries too hard to be funny With a good Oscar Wilde aphorism, you can't te…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 7:18am on June 11, 2019☆⚑

Hobson's Choice review " saris, acid house and a Salford Cinderella story by Mark Fisher

Royal Exchange, ManchesterRelocating Harold Brighouse's classic to Manchester's Hindu community, Tanika Gupta finds some sharp political parallels and a very funny new cultural context It is…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 7:06am on June 6, 2019☆⚑

My Mother Said I Never Should/The Ladykillers review " love trumps farce by Mark Fisher

★★★★☆/★★☆☆☆ Theatre by the Lake, KeswickCharlotte Keatley's 1987 work about mothers and daughters is a wonderful gesture of empath…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 8:03am on May 30, 2019☆⚑