Slayers, Assembly George Square Studios.
After a yummy mummy Pilates session, Liane walks across the Meadows to pick up her daughter Molly from school. She bumps into a handsome, well-dressed man and accidentally knocks his coffee out of his hand, spilling it all down his trousers. After the initial apologies – from both sides, very British – his attitude and responses start to become creepy. She needs to escape whilst still remaining polite. Still, those deep brown eyes of his linger in her brain… But this is no romcom. Slayers exposes the underground groups of men who share advice between themselves on how to trap and rape women. It explores the old adages that the only way to beat bullies is to humiliate and exact delicious revenge to show them who’s boss. It also emphasises the importance of taking responsibility for one’s own actions, even when desperate times require desperate remedies. A stunning piece of writing by Corinne Salisbury and a riveting performance by Zoe Hunter make this an important and unmissable production. 5 stars.
The Shocking Truth about Flat Earth, Pleasance Dome.
Of all the conspiracy theories that gain traction, the Flat Earthers must be considered the Big Daddy of the bunch. It’s easy to ridicule idiots for their stupid beliefs; but is it always fair? After all, there must be genuine reasons why some people choose to believe concepts that are palpably nonsense, whether physical, like the world being a disc, or political [insert your own ludicrous ideas here]. Adam Tuffrey and Alexander Moneypenny’s The Shocking Truth About Flat Earth takes as its central character Sharon; middle-aged, kindly, a good friend, and totally invisible. By discovering the Flat Earth theory for herself on the Internet, she also found herself a community in which she could belong, and be recognised. When best friend Debs suggests they fly to Las Vegas to see Adele in the last weeks of her residency, Sharon sees the chance to make the most of her new online circle – because Las Vegas is also hosting the World Flat Earth Society convention. But what happens when Sharon is accidentally mistaken for the guest speaker, the much-loved and trusted Flat Earth advocate Angela? A hilarious examination of cult believers, ruthless shysters, bright-eyed innocents, and the search for an identity that an individual can be proud of. One of its most surprising aspects is how the show makes you identify with the Flat Earthers – nobody wants to be around those globe tarts after all! The songs are fantastic, the script is packed full of jokes, and the performances are outstanding, with Emma Norman as Sharon, Emma Thornett (with only one singing solo, as she takes pains to point out) as Debs, and Michael Joseph, Tom Dickerson and Leonie Wall as everyone else. A show that shouts FIVE STARS every second of the way! 5 stars.
Take Care, TheSpace @ Surgeons’ Hall.
New Year’s Day in a Care Home. Six members of staff talk about their Christmases, their preoccupations, the people they’ve loved and the people they’re yet to love. Some tragic local news makes them reconsider their relationships and priorities; and at the end of the working day they go back to their individual lives. Edie Doherty’s Take Care examines the stresses and strains of working alongside people you don’t like, or with people whom you’d like to get to know. Nice idea, but both the writing and the acting are patchy; the comedy is rather obvious and puerile, and sometimes characterisations are replaced by caricature. That said, there is a very good performance by Li Friess as supervisor Lilian. On a technical note, the radio effect is far too loud and drowns out many scenes, especially as one actor speaks very softly. Overall, rather insubstantial. 2 stars.
Rapism, Just the Tonic at the Hive.
Pardon my ignorance, but I had never come across the term Rapism before, which probably underlines one of Sadia Azmat’s main themes of this show, that we don’t talk about rape enough. She was raped by her partner, statistically by far the most likely person to rape you. That makes sense, as they’re also by far the most likely person to be in your close company, and probably the least likely to seek consent. Rape convictions in the UK stand at 4%, whereas in Sweden it’s 79%. The reason for the difference is simple: in Sweden, rape is defined as sex without consent, whereas in the UK it’s far more complex. Sadia takes us through her own experience of rape and dealing with the police; she also brings in many facts and observations, including considering what the best punishment is for a convicted rapist. We were quite a small audience which Sadia felt made it a more serious performance; with a larger audience, the jokes go down better. This remarkable show defies the usual rules and guidelines for traditional critique, but, whether you come for the humour or the insights (hopefully both), this is a very brave and powerful experience for performer and audience members alike. 5 stars.
The Last Audition, TheSpace on the Mile.
A revered, elderly, much-respected Shakespearean actor attends an audition for the part of Lear. It’s the pinnacle of any acting career, and he’s confident he still has what it takes to secure the role. He warms up with a few favourite scenes, but as the play progresses it becomes increasingly clear that not only is his daughter concerned for him, constantly ringing him as he misses doctor’s appointments and refuses to take a look at a retirement home, but also – is there truly an audition taking place? Paul Shearman performs his own play with a powerful yet delicate intensity; a moving study of the moment when a once high achiever realises that he has to call time on his ambitions and expectations. 4 stars.
An American Comedy Show that Quite Possibly Might be Funny to the British, Just the Tonic at the Caves.
The American in question is Brendan Lemon, hailing from Detroit, although clinging to some British heritage due to having an Edinburgh-born Granny. The basis of his show is that America is currently suffering from a severe case of democracy, in other words Donald Trump’s second presidency. He knows the world currently pretty much hates America – and he agrees! Brendan is a great communicator, and he has a show packed with content, exposing Trump’s corruption and his undeniable deep connections with Epstein. Great delivery, huge confidence and with a nice rapport with the audience; my only criticism would be that some of his punchlines could be punchier – there are savage things to say about American politics, so let loose the savagery! But it’s an enjoyable fifty minutes and you can’t fault his commitment to exposing the truth. 3 stars.
Dr Faustus, TheSpace @ Niddry Street.
Dr Faustus sold his soul to the devil – but you already knew that. Out of Office Theatre have created a new adaptation which the handout describes as “completely butchered for 2026”. That’s not entirely true, as this is quite a solid, traditional retelling of the legend, with only occasional modern references thrown in for a bit of colour. This Jonathan Faustus longs for fame and fortune – specifically, he wants to be remembered as a God. He’s prepared to enjoy 24 years of Mephistopheles’ servitude before conceding his soul to a Champagne Charlie of a Lucifer. Despite getting pretty much what he wants, he’s never satisfied; and that’s more or less it. For an 11pm slot show, I was expecting something a little more racy or dangerous, but this production, well-acted though it is, feels rather bland and anodyne. The very wide stage of the Lower Theatre at Niddry Street probably renders this production a disservice; what is essentially an intimate, chamber piece has had to stretch out and spread itself wide to cover the stage, reducing that intimacy and elongating the scene changes. There’s nothing really wrong with this show, but it still feels a little underwhelming. 3 stars.