Edinburgh to London transfers lining up

The annual Edinburgh Festival is currently in full swing, where events in the official Festival run to September 5 and on the much larger Fringe mostl-y run to August 31, with some shows extending through the week to September 5 as well. Things don’t stop there, however, for many productions receiving their premieres in Edinburgh.

Among the several shows already lining up for transfers to London venues are:

The Lady Boys of Bangkok, appearing at the Big Top on the Meadows in Edinburgh to August 29, immediately transfers to the West End’s Queen’s Theatre for a limited season from September 2 to 26 only. The show, featuring a parade of Thai female impersonators, combines dance, cabaret and comedy, and marks the first time this group have been seen in London.

– The latest play by controversial young playwright Sarah Kane, Crave, currently at Edinburgh’s Traverse Theatre until September 5, transfers to London’s Royal Court Upstairs (Ambassadors) from September 8 to October 3. Kane’s previous plays, Blasted and Cleansed, were also staged at the Royal Court. The new play, described as a play about love, loss and desire, charts the disintegration of the human mind under those competing pressures.

– The National Theatre of Brent, the small-scale (ie two man) comedy company who have epic ambitions, are currently premiering their latest show, Love on the Throne, at Edinburgh’s Assembly Rooms, before bringing it to London’s Bush Theatre from September 8-26. The new show focuses on the relationship between Prince Charles and the late Diana, Princess of Wales.

– Cabaret chanteuse Jackie Clune, currently at Edinburgh’s Assembly Rooms to September 5 in a show entitled It’s Jackie!, brings her celebration of the hits of Karen Carpenter, Burt Bacharach, Dusty Springfield and Sandie Shaw amongst others to London’s Drill Hall Arts Centre from September 11-26.

Mark Shenton