ANDY HEDGECOCK, MARIA DUARTE and ANGUS REID review Synthetic Sincerity, Our Hero, Balthazar, Heartstopper Forever, and A Year In London
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Edinburgh Festival Fringe round up with Paul McGee: August 16, 2023
Autobiographical storytelling: reviews of Hole, High Steaks, Sad-vents, Piece Of Work and A Spectacle Of Herself
James Rowland in Piece of Work; Holly Pillar in Hole; Eloina in High Steaks
[Rosie Collins/Grace Weltch/Majaz Rust]
KEITH RICHMOND relishes a superbly conceived modern version of Aeschylus’ drama of murderous family succession
MICHAL BONCZA recommends a minimalist installation that prompts intriguing connotations
FIONA O’CONNOR questions the achievement of this year’s Orwell prize winner for political fiction
LEO BOIX reviews two powerful Latin American novels in which myth and crime fiction expose the deadly consequences of patriarchy, clandestine abortion and state violence
New releases from Laura Veirs, The Waterboys, and Yard Act
Ron's rages are sincere and — according to his wife — healthily cathartic. But can these splenetic outbursts loosen the grip of capitalism at its most monstrous?
HOLLY SPILLAR’s one-woman loop pedal comedy Hole (★★★★★) at Underbelly, Bristo Square, delivers a powerful performance that intertwines hilarity and empowerment.
At the core of this zany alternative comedy lies an unapologetic exploration of vaginismus, a condition often shrouded in shame and silence.
Through Spillar’s brilliant storytelling and masterful use of humour, Hole manages to break the barriers surrounding this intimate subject and provides a refreshingly honest perspective through live music, and stories of NHS-gifted dildos.
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GEOFF BOTTOMS recommends an inspiring, political and bittersweet account of the munitions factory workers who are the fore-runners of the modern women’s game
SIMON PARSONS applauds an artist who rescues and rehumanises stories of women, the victims of violence, from a feminist perspective
Although this production was in rehearsal before the playwright’s death, it allows us to pay homage to his life, suggests MARY CONWAY
In his second round-up, EWAN CAMERON picks excellent solo shows that deal with Scottishness, Englishness and race as highlights