Take Five … Edinburgh Fringe Shows if You’re Feeling Blue
With lots of Blues gigs at the Fringe, these shows also bring the blues to the festival. But fear not, it’s not all doom and gloom.
1) Bluebeard: A Fairy Tale for Adults
Taking a critical look at the gender relations of the stories we all grew up on, Bluebeard sees young working girl Pam fall for the fairy-tale womaniser. Caught in an unfamiliar domestic life, temptation soon drives Pam’s actions into disastrous consequences. Underbelly Cowgate, 4-28 August, 18.55.
Harry’s love-life is a little complicated. Dating his wife Kate’s friend Anne, he also wants a boy with Jane, considers marrying another Anne but ends up with another Kate, leaving a third Kate to look after the kids. Does this sound familiar at all? Five centuries on Harry’s infamous six women tell their own stories as they meet for some girl-talk on love, marriage and politics. TheSpaces on North Bridge, 5-13 August, 20.10.
3) Bluebird
Following London mini-cab driver Jimmy over the course of one night, passengers’ secrets unravel and Jimmy is left to confront his own past. After an acclaimed 2010 London run, Jimmy has to face his demons at the Fringe this year. Bedlam Theatre, 22-27 August, 21.00.
On an early morning in January 2009 strangers in the carriage of an Underground train, strangers share their stories with each other. But in conversation they only hint at their true troubles. It takes music and song to find out what truly goes on behind closed carriage doors. This train is now ready to depart. Greenside, 5-20 August, times vary.
5) Danny and the Deep Blue Sea
Truck driver Danny and mother Roberta meet in a run down bar in the Bronx. Emotions run high as the violent short temper of Danny clashes with Roberta’s masochistic torment. This 1983 comedy by award-winning writer and director John Patrick Shanley (Doubt), gets a contemporary make-over by Berlin-based theatre company 8 (Ocho). St George’s West, 5-29 August, 15.15.
