Have I got a list of shows for today? I sure do!
Here’s the schedule for 10th August:
10.15 – The Trials of Galileo, Greenside @ Infirmary Street. From the Edinburgh Fringe website:
“In 1634, Galileo is ordered to stand trial for heresy. Galileo never understood his differences with the Church were not about reason, logic, and scientific fact. They were about politics. When he finally came to realise this, it was too late. Written by Nic Young, Hardy has toured the Trials of Galileo throughout the UK, America, Malta, and Spain and had a sold-out run at the 2015 Edinburgh Fringe. Winner of the Best Actor Award, Buxton Fringe 2022. ‘The superb Tim Hardy triumphs as Galileo. His acting is outstanding in a spellbinding story…’ ***** (EdFringeReview.com).”
Having seen the promotional video for this play, it looks as though Tim Hardy delivers a brilliant performance, so I am very much looking forward to starting the day with this production!
11.50 – Burned Out, The Space @ Surgeon’s Hall.
“Burned Out follows a nurse who is barely making ends meet. When the food bank she has been relying on to feed her family loses its main benefactor, Becky makes it her mission to find who is responsible. Selflessness prevails in the end, proving our NHS is more than worth fighting for.”
Very much a story for our times, I shall be very interested to see this examination of the problems facing our nurses – and I’m expecting a tough watch!
14.00 – The Great Ruckus, Pleasance Courtyard.
“Two sisters have to navigate their way through their mother’s funeral and quickly find the warm embrace of their family turns into a seething snake-pit of selfish and self-absorbed relatives. Grandparents argue over whether the funeral reception will be a celebration of Marks and Spencer catering packs or a piece of Victorian Gothic tragedy. Jo and Ida dutifully march to death’s drumbeat, only to tumble as their delicate relationship cracks under the pressure. Izzy Tennyson, writer of award-winning ‘Brute’ and critically acclaimed ‘Grotty’, returns with Etch Theatre with this wickedly dark play about people behaving badly.”
That sounds like a jolly family drama! Plenty there for most people to recognise at least a little of what goes on in family circles. Should be entertaining!
15.45 – Pitch, Pleasance Courtyard.
“A bold, joyful, goal-scoring exploration of the relationship between football and the queer community. In the wake of the Qatar World Cup and in the midst of the 2023 Women’s Tournament, Pitch blends documentary storytelling and theatre, investigating what it means to watch, play and love the beautiful game. November Theatre (one of The Stage’s Top Picks of the Fringe, 2022) imagines a future in which queer representation in football is more than just a debate over a rainbow armband. Expect a hat-trick of true stories, dirty tactics and dancing! Winner of the Pleasance’s Charlie Hartill Fund.”
Looking forward to a hard-hitting examination of homophobia in football and how to boot it out.
17.50 – Stuntman, Summerhall.
“An intensely physical, funny, and tender duet by two men wrestling with their relationship to violence – both onscreen and off. Fusing the Pow! Biff! and Wallop! of over-the-top stunt fights with personal stories of real encounters with violence from the performers’ lives, Stuntman explores the relationship between violence and masculinity and the impact this has on our perceptions of men. A show for anyone who has ever enjoyed a violent action movie (but felt a bit weird about it). ‘A thoroughly exhilarating 60 minutes that certainly pulls no punches’ ***** (TheRecs.co.uk). MadeInScotlandShowcase.com”
Important subject matter, and I’m intrigued by how it will be portrayed via dance and physical theatre – should be good!
19.45 – Little Ward of Horrors, The Space @ Surgeon’s Hall.
“The Malignant Humours have returned to the Fringe yet again! With 10 sell-out shows under our belts and multiple five-star reviews, you’re going to want to Seymour of us. The Little Ward of Horrors is a medical comedy sketch show that will have you in stitches! And if you’re feeling a bit under the weather yourself, don’t worry – our cast, made up of healthcare students, are certified to perform emergency laughter-inducing procedures. So come down to the Surgeon’s Hall, plant yourself in a seat and enjoy 45 minutes of award-winning sketch comedy.”
Hopefully this will provide a comic antidote to the hard-hitting Burned Out that we saw this morning. Carry On Doctor for the 21st Century? Although I suspect there’ll be a more than a dash of Little Shop of Horrors in the mix too!
Check back later to see how we enjoyed all these shows!