With only a matter of days before the Edinburgh Festival Fringe begins, we’re keen to share the Top 10 shows that have piqued our curiosity, writes Edinburgh Editor Fiona Orr.
There will be, once again, a winner selected from the huge range of musical theatre pieces staged at the Fringe for Musical Theatre Review’s Best Musical Award at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, now in its third year.
Sparks at the Pleasance Courtyard and The Half Moon Shania at Zoo Southside were named as joint winners in 2018.
For what it’s worth, there are always treasures waiting to be found.
In fact, this isn’t necessarily a Top Ten, but a collection of ten of the more interesting sounding musical shows heading to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe this year.
Watch out for all our comprehensive review coverage of musical theatre at the Edinburgh Fringe 2019 from our expert team.
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Jekyll And Hyde
A Slightly Isolated Dog; Assembly George Sq Gardens, Piccolo; 1-26 Aug (not 19 ) 15:00
Absurd, charming and downright hilarious, last year’s offering Don Juan went on to win worldwide acclaim and there’s every reason to expect that this show will do the same. A Slightly Isolated Dog comprises 5 Kiwis, incarnated as ‘French’ storytellers, interpreting Stevenson’s classic tale of good versus evil. As the audience, prepare to be involved, beguiled and to Tweet ‘live’ as much as possible. Laughter guaranteed.
You And I: A New Musical
Collavoce Theatre; Underbelly, Bristo Sq, Ermintrude; 31 July – 26 Aug (not 12) 17:10
Collavoce Theatre was nominated for our Best Musical Award in 2017 for Buried (“Delicious harmonies and counterpoint, backed by a five-piece band” – Musical Theatre Review). The same writers return to relationships with a difference – the ‘difference’ this time being that one is a robot, named Robert. As AI becomes increasingly ‘intelligent’, Robert the robot and Fran explore love, loss and what it means to be human. Expect top talent and an innovative score.
Musik
CahootsTheatre Company; Assembly Rooms, George St; 5-24 Aug (not 12) 21:40
Frances Barber plays Billie Trix in this Jonathan Harvey show featuring new songs written by Chris Lowe and Neil Tennant (better known as The Pet Shop Boys). Picking up from Closer to Heaven, the West End show from 18 years ago, this one-woman piece recalls Billie’s life and times from post-war Berlin to Warhol’s Factory, with many a diversion on the way. Top rate solo performance.
Tokyo Rose
Burnt Lemon Theatre; Underbelly Cowgate; 1-25 Aug (not 12) 18:55
Joint winners of our award for Best Musical 2018 with The Half Moon Shania, it’s been quite a year for the fledgling Burnt Lemon Theatre. This show takes us back to 1943 to tell the tale of Iva d’Aquino, known as ‘Tokyo Rose’. Continuing the energetic style this company has become known for, expect engaging gig theatre with strong female performances.
The Gray Cat And The Flounder
PNME and Civil Disobedience; Assembly George Sq Studios; 31 Jul-22 Aug (not 12, 19) 14:05
A love story with a difference between Bernadette Gabrielle (Gray Cat), and her husband Joseph Newcomer (Flounder). When he lost Bernadette to ovarian cancer, Joseph commissioned this piece from PNME (Pitsburgh New Music Ensemble) to celebrate their love. Described as ‘lighthearted, poignant and ultimately uplifting’, it is the delivery that makes this show stand out: each member of the audience wears headphones throughout that create an immersive audio experience, using 360° binaural technology. Coupled with animation, projections, puppetry and outstanding singing, this production sounds unmissable.
Islander: A New Musical
Helen Milne Productions; ROUNDABOUT @ Summerhall; 31 Jul-25 Aug (not 6, 13, 20) 10:00
Part of the Made in Scotland Showcase, the piece is firmly set in Scotland, but encompasses universal themes such as a sense of self, exploration and the story of migration. Using folk music as a basis, Finn Anderson’s score has an ethereal quality; coupled with Stewart Melton’s book, it promises to be a moving piece of ravishing theatre.
Rust
Cambridge University Musical Theatre Society (CUMTS); theSpace @ Niddry Street 2-10 Aug 15:10; theSpace @ Venue 45 Jeffrey St 12-24 Aug (not 18) 13:55
Following their success with SIX, CUMTS can be said to have ‘good form’ in show selection. Tackling mental health, addiction and recovery, this life-affirming musical follows Evie’s stay in a rehab centre. Exploring her relationships with fellow patients, such as a twenty-something alcoholic and a middle-aged drag queen, the story builds towards recovery and the spark people find after being ill for a long time. To re-discover what laughing feels like. The live band will deliver a range of musical styles in a score that tracks the emotional trajectory of the piece to places only musical theatre can reach.
Space Junk: A Soviet Musical
Slipshod Theatre; theSpace @ Surgeons Hall; 2-17 Aug (not 11) 21:10
Appropriately performing at Space venues, this is one of a number of shows hitched to the star of the 50th anniversary of the moon landings. The hero here is slightly earlier: Yuri Gagarin, first man in space, became the pin-up boy of the Soviet Union and found himself instantly famous, in a world where celebrity opened many a previously closed door. A live band will perform the soundtrack in tune with the ‘trip’ of Gagarin’s changed life.
Keith Moon: The Real Me
LLC/Fringe Management LLC; Gilded Teviot; 31 Jul-26 Aug (not 13)
The Who are no strangers to musical theatre: Quadrophenia and Tommy are outstanding rock musicals In this piece, Mick Berry explores the life and times of ‘Moon the Loon’, drummer for the legendary band. Under the musical direction of Frank Simes (MD for both The Who and Roger Daltry) the authenticity of this musical piece is assured. Offering an insight into the mind of Keith Moon, expect to learn more about his struggles with his demons, and insight to his creativity and genius and the inevitability of his self-inflicted downfall.
Shellshock!
Boxedin Theatre; Pleasance Pop-Up at Dynamic Earth; 2-26 Aug 15:45
In a purpose-built, environmentally responsible venue at the foot of The Royal Mile, this musical satire centres on Shelly, a recent graduate and marketing whizz-kid, brought into GLG (the world’s biggest oil and gas company) to fix ‘minor’ image issues. Exploring themes of greed, fanaticism and environmental irresponsibility, Shellshock tackles ‘the dangers of being a moron’. Expect finely-timed comedy and toe-tapping tunes!
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