Reviews
Review: Dorian Gray
King’s Theatre, Edinburgh
It’s no surprise Matthew Bourne picked Edinburgh and its International Festival to launch what will likely be another of his bestselling ‘dancicals’. Sixteen years ago in the very same King’s Theatre his production of The Nutcracker had its premiere and signalled the beginning of a meteoric rise that would propel him to worldwide success. Read more »
Review: The Bird & The Bee – The Bee
Underbelly
The Bee, whilst just half of The Bird and the Bee at the Smirnoff Underbelly, is not noticeably so. Each play having been written by different writers means that you get, in effect, two different stories and two different perspectives. Read more »
Review: 365
Edinburgh Playhouse (EIF)
Writer David Harrower spoke in an interview a month or so prior to this production about how most of the script was still unwritten at that time, as the truths being brought out by the young actors made most of his work seem out of touch with reality. Certainly, it is a frighteningly difficult task to try and encompass the varied experiences of the many teenagers in care in Scotland today in a balanced and yet dramatically interesting way, but the resulting collection of stories, abruptly-told tales of lost and confused youths making their first steps into the outside world, seems as if it could have benefited from a longer writing period. Read more »
News
Curtain Falls on Record-Breaking EIF
The Edinburgh International Festival drew to a close on Sunday (31 August), after a year which has seen record numbers of ticket sales as well as the biggest-selling dance show in the festival’s history, Matthew Bourne’s Dorian Gray (See News, 22 Aug 2008). Read more »
In the wake of a box office crisis that nearly toppled this year’s festival and a subsequent ten percent drop in ticket sales, Edinburgh Fringe director Jon Morgan (pictured) announced his resignation today (28 August 2008), with immediate effect.
Morgan only took over the role last June (See News, 26 Mar 2008), but in a statement issued today, the former executive producer of Manchester’s Contact Theatre said that he’d been considering the move “for some time”. His decision, according to the statement, is not a result of failures at this year’s festival, but rather a personal choice so that he can return to his “first love” of producing.
Final Fringe Awards: Stage, Angels & If.Comedy
Winners of the If.Comedy, Herald Angels and The Stage awards were all presented over the weekend, bringing to an end a busy few days of Edinburgh awards announcements (See News, 22 Aug 2008). Read more »
Gossip
New Electric Ballroom Heads to National???
The Walworth Farce, the play that Enda Walsh premiered at the Traverse Theatre at last year’s Edinburgh Fringe, receives it London premiere next month at the National Theatre, where it joins the NT Cottesloe rep from 24 September 2008 (previews from 18 September). And there’s every chance that The New Electric Ballroom, the play that the Irishman has brought to the Traverse for this year’s Fringe, will follow the same route South.
Budd Schulberg, the 95-year-old author of the Oscar-winning 1954 movie classic On the Waterfront, flew in to Edinburgh this past weekend for Saturday’s opening of Steven Berkoff’s new stage adaptation, which runs at the Pleasance Grand until 25 August 2008. Speaking to Whatsonstage.com, Schulberg said he was highly “impressed” with Berkoff’s stylised rendition of the story of New Jersey ex-prize fighter Terry Malloy. This version is, said Schulberg, “the best I’ve ever seen on stage”.
Features
Niamh Perry & Keith Jack On … Life After Reality TV
Niamh Perry and Keith Jack are two of the youngest discoveries from Andrew Lloyd Webber’s last two offerings of reality TV casting on BBC One. Now, 17-year-old I’d Do Anything finalist Perry and 19-year-old Jack, runner-up on last year’s Any Dream Will Do, have teamed up to star in a new musical, entitled Only the Brave, which receives its world premiere at this month’s Edinburgh Fringe. Read more »
The Edinburgh Fringe – now, in its 62nd year, comprising a record-breaking 2,088 shows – is the world’s largest arts festival, even without its illustrious parent, the Edinburgh International Festival (EIF). How on earth do you make sense of Edinburgh in August? Theo Bosanquet has compiled our top picks of shows to watch out for this month. Read more »
Show trailer: Once and for all we’re gonna tell you who we are so shut up and listen at the Traverse Theatre
Latest News & Gossip
Curtain Falls on Record-Breaking EIFThe Edinburgh International Festival drew to a close on Sunday (31 August), after a year which has seen record numbers of ticket sales as well as the biggest-selling... Read more »
Fringe Director Jon Morgan Quits, 10% Drop in Ticket SalesIn the wake of a box office crisis that nearly toppled this year’s festival and a subsequent ten percent drop in ticket sales, Edinburgh Fringe director Jon Morgan... Read more »
Final Fringe Awards: Stage, Angels & If.ComedyWinners of the If.Comedy, Herald Angels and The Stage awards were all presented over the weekend, bringing to an end a busy few days of Edinburgh awards announcements... Read more »
More Fringe Awards: Tinker, Tambor, Musical & TotalIn addition to the final round of Fringe Firsts (See Today’s Other News), several other prizes were announced as part of the main Fringe awards ceremony, hosted... Read more »
Bourne’s Dorian Gray Smashes Festival RecordMatthew Bourne’s adaptation of Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray, which premieres today at the King’s Theatre, has been announced as the “biggest... Read more »
Edinburgh Blogs
Edinburgh RetrospectiveI’m holding an Edinburgh Festival Fringe retrospective. No PR, no invites, no celebrities, no press night. Audience of one. Just me. Sitting at my computer,... Read more »
no more bunsBuns baked: In exces of 700 Domestic Goddi remaining: 1 Hello. Helen here. Welcome to our farewell blog. I’m sipping a black tea and munching on some beautiful... Read more »
What A Night…Where else in the world do you get the chance in the space of a few hours to see the legendary theatre director Ken Campbell, a team of 1st class Musical Theatre... Read more »
The end is nighThe true grind of three weeks is starting to kick in. Generally a successful week with high points including an Avalon party with a free bar (Champagne that normally... Read more »
Award Winning Theatre – thank you Three WeeksAfter our fantastic scratch gala in aid of the Musicians Benevolent Foundation last night it was really special to go along to the Three Weeks Editors’ Awards... Read more »
If I can only see 4 more shows…Two more days and everyone is asking me what they should see before the end of the Festival – so I thought I’d just share my 4 tips for the future –... Read more »
