EdFringe Review: Showstopper - The Improvised Musical at Pleasance Grand

Showstopper: The Improvised Musical

Pleasance Grand

Running Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

Reviewed on Sunday 14th August 2016

★★★★

On Sunday evening the Pleasance Grand was packed, with the audience eagerly awaiting to see fringe favourites The Showstoppers. Fresh from their Olivier Award-winning West End run, the company have returned to Edinburgh for another summer of spectacular improvisational madness as they create a new musical each night. 

EdFringe Review: Swansong at the Pleasance Courtyard

Swansong 

Pleasance Courtyard

Running Time: 1 hour

Reviewed on Friday 12th August 2016 

★★★★

Funny, raw and real, Swansong follows four characters as they toy with the tipping scales of life and death as the only four people left alive. Aside from being mildly attacked by paint (serves me right for sitting in the front row), I loved Swansong. The story begins when the rain has stopped and four strangers are left floating in a swan shaped pedalo. Writers Sadie Spencer and Tom Black have created characters that fit together like a perfectly mismatched jigsaw puzzle. 

EdFringe Review: Broken Windows at the Pleasance Courtyard

Broken Windows
Pleasance Courtyard (Venue 33) ​
13:30 / 1 hour
Reviewed on Sunday 9th August 2015
★★★

Featuring moments of stunning storytelling, Broken Windows is a raw piece of new writing about what it's like to be young and female in today's world. Matthew White has composed some highly effective tunes to accompany the piece which is based on verbatim interviews with teenagers from across the UK.

EdFringe Review: Back to Blackbrick at the Pleasance Courtyard

Back to Blackbrick
Pleasance Courtyard (Venue 33) ​

15:30 / 1 hour

Reviewed on Monday 10th August 2015

★★★★

Patch of Blue's latest show is a beautifully hand-crafted piece for all the family. In Back to Blackbrick we meet a lovely Irish lad called Cosmo who's trying to manage at home with his granddad who has dementia. Cosmo takes the audience back in time and meets the younger more sprightly man his grandfather once was. 

EdFringe Review: A+E at the Pleasance Courtyard

A+E
Pleasance Courtyard (Venue 33) ​
12:15 / 1 hour
Reviewed on Friday 7th August 2015
★★

Inspired by a true story, Lottie Finklaire's play A+E cleverly juxtaposes the build up and aftermath of a terrible accident. The piece delves into the intensity of friendship and the complications of love, whilst touching on the fear and impact of loss.

EdFringe Review: Love Birds at the Pleasance Courtyard

Love Birds 
Pleasance Courtyard (Venue 33) ​
12:35 / 1 hour
Reviewed on Thursday 6th August 2015
★★★★

A quartet of penguins, a trio of parrots, catchy songs, fab staging and a macaw addicted to crackers - what more could you possibly want from an EdFringe show?! Robert J Sherman's new musical is an irresistible family treat. The cast are on point with their vocals and the choreography is slick.

Edinburgh Review: Keeping Up with the Joans at the Pleasance Courtyard

Keeping Up with the Joans
Pleasance Courtyard (Venue 33)
14:30 / 1hr 30mins
Reviewed on Sunday 3rd August 2014
★★★

Described as a "bittersweet comedy about failing memory, friendship and mimicking martyrs", Keeping Up with the Joans is a warm and gently endearing play by Philip Meeks.  Susan Penhaligon and Katy Manning star as retired rival amateur theatricals. Insults are exchanged as secrets are explored, all much to the delight of their care worker.

Edinburgh Review: NewsRevue 2014 at the Pleasance Courtyard

NewsRevue 2014
Pleasance Courtyard (Venue 33) ​
18:30 / 1 hour
Reviewed on Friday 8th August 2014
★★★★

NewsRevue is an incredibly funny, slick and pulse racing comedy sketch show. A well thought out piece, NewsRevue showcases stunningly hilarious musical numbers.

Edinburgh Review: Connected the Musical at the Pleasance Courtyard

Connected the Musical 
Pleasance Courtyard (Venue 33) ​
15:30 / 1 hour
Reviewed on Thursday 7th August 2014
★

A new musical by Craig Christie, Connected follows Emma as she joins a new school and experiences awful bullying. The show explores the lengths school children will go to in 2014, including what they will do whilst sat behind a computer screen.

Edinburgh Review: The Tale of the Dastardly Defrost at the Pleasance Courtyard

The Tale of the Dastardly Defrost
Pleasance Courtyard (Venue 33) ​
12:45 / 1 hour
Reviewed on Thursday 7th August 2014
★★★★

What's not to love about a play which follows the contents of a fridge who reach melting point when they realise they are defrosting? Relationships are tested as temperatures rise in as As Told By's latest family friendly show.

Edinburgh Review: I Believe in Unicorns at the Pleasance Courtyard ​

I Believe in Unicorns

Edinburgh Fringe Festival

Pleasance Courtyard ​

Reviewed on Friday 9th August 2013

This children's show is a truly imaginative piece delivering a wonderful message about the value of stories which should encourage reluctant young readers as well as reinforce the magic of books in those youngsters who already love to read.