With only a couple of days before the Edinburgh Festival Fringe begins, we’re keen to share the Top 10 shows we’re looking forward to seeing in 2018, writes Edinburgh Editor Fiona Orr.
There will be, once again, a winner selected from the huge range of musical theatre pieces staged this year for Musical Theatre Review’s Best Musical Award at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, now in its second year.
Last year’s winner, A Super Happy Story About Being Super Sad, explored the central theme of living with depression as did Stop! The Musical which received a special commendation for its musical score.
The 2018 themes are continued support for #metoo, the First World War centenary, disability and class issues, although many companies follow their own agenda, tying in neatly with the tagline “Into the Unknown”.
For what it’s worth, there are always treasure waiting to be found and here are some nuggets we particularly look forward to seeing…
What Girls Are Made Of
World Premiere. A Traverse Theatre Company and Raw Material co-production in association with Regular Music
Actor, musician and theatre director Cora Bissett takes audiences back to 1992 to tell the autobiographical story of her rollercoaster journey from Fife schoolgirl to indie rock star. Written and performed by Bissett with a live backing band, What Girls Are Made Of celebrates the euphoric highs (touring with Radiohead, partying with Blur) and epic shitstorms (untrustworthy managers, £40,000 debt) of her young life.
Now a mother herself, Bissett’s writing draws from her own teenage diaries to question what wisdom we should pass on to the next generation, and which glorious mistakes we should let them make for themselves. Directed by Traverse artistic director Orla O’Loughlin. Part of the Made in Scotland Showcase 2018.
TRAVERSE THEATRE 3-26 August; times vary
Trump The Musical
Blowfish Theatre Company
Almost inevitably, the current President of the United States has attracted satirical musical interest. Having cut their teeth on their satire Boris The Musical, Donald Trump has proved irresistible to Blowfish from Sheffield.
Setting the show in 2020 the plot involves King Farage selling off Scotland as a golfing paradise to the Donald. We can only imagine how well this plot device will go down in Edinburgh…! David Burchhardt, who plays the title role said: “There’s something cathartic about laughing at something so monstrous.” We shall see!
C CHAMBERS STREET 1-27 August; 8:55pm (not 14)
First Snow/Première neige
The National Theatre of Scotland, Théâtre PÀP and Hôtel-Motel
The National Theatre of Scotland is creatively collaborating with partners in Québec to explore issues of sovereignty, both personal and national. First Snow/Première neige is a new bi-lingual play, to be performed at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, by a leading ensemble of Scottish and Québécois actors.
A sharing of stories, true and imagined, combined with music, poetry and art, First Snow/Première neige brings together a collaborative team from across the nations to explore the disagreements that have driven the past to our doors, with the questions to be asked about our futures and the control of our destinies. Both Québec and Scotland have experienced independence/sovereignty movements. This phenomenon has appeared in a number of countries but the experiences of these two countries are near unique, having both progressed through official referendums.
CANADA HUB @ KING’S HALL 1-26 August 2018; 6.10pm
My Left Right Foot – The Musical
Birds of Paradise and the National Theatre of Scotland
Birds of Paradise Theatre, Scotland’s leading disability-led performance company and the National Theatre of Scotland are teaming up for the first time to co-present My Left Right Foot– The Musical, marking BOP’s 25th year.
A satire taking aim at the representation of disabled people by non-disabled actors on stage and screen, the show is set in the local am-dram society, under pressure to comply with the equalities agenda. They come up with a cunning plan to create a gripping show starring ‘the disabled’. What could be better than the Oscar-winning My Left Foot? The only snag is they’re having real trouble finding any disabled actors – but that never stopped Daniel Day-Lewis!
In the world of amateur theatre, winning the one-act festival isn’t a matter of life and death – it’s much more important. Enthusiastic Amy thinks she can save the day but is grumpy Chris up for the challenge? Gillian has been given the role of movement director but she’s only got Grade Three Modern and Tap, and Grant – well Grant’s just too busy fancying himself. Throw in a few love triangles and throw out political correctness, all the drama happens behind the curtains.
The production explores and challenges the portrayal of disabled people in theatre and film and asks important questions about who gets to play disabled characters on stage.
ASSEMBLY ROXY 1- 27 August (not 8, 14, 21); 6.10pm
Flies
Les Infants Terribles
Pins and Needles
Sounding like it’s not exactly for the faint-hearted, this absurdist story is of one man’s determination to conquer his phobia of flies, but as darkness falls, what is that ominous hum behind the door?
Featuring live music mixed on stage, Flies – presented by Olivier Award-nominated Les Enfants Terribles (Alice’s Adventures Underground) and Pins and Needles (Mr Popper’s Penguins) – tells the skin-crawling mind-buzzing tale of a man teetering on the edge of reality and fantasy; a man on a rollercoaster mission to free himself from fear.
PLEASANCE COURTYARD 1-27 August (not 20); 5pm
Erewhon
Arthur Meek co-produced with Magnetic North
An antique magic lantern projector, an iPhone and live music shine new light on Samuel Butler’s sci-fi novel when a man from the past tries to colonise people from the future. Written by New Zealand playwright and newly-qualified magic lantern showman Arthur Meek, with music by Kiwi pop powerhouse Eva Prowse, and directed by Nicholas Bone and Geoff Pinfield.
Presented in collaboration with Edinburgh’s own Magnetic North Theatre Company. Known for brave and memorable theatre-making, this is worth seeking out.
SUMMERHALL 1-26 August (not 6, 13, 20); 1:25pm
The Half Moon Shania
World Premiere. Burnt Lemon Theatre
This new company, formed in East 15, piques curiosity – who else would think of a company name that’s such a tempting assault on the senses? Burnt Lemon promise “a show sure to knock your knickers off” through new writing merged with a rebel mix of spoken word and music in this feisty new play, fuelled by the anger that sits in women’s stomachs. It provokes the question: what’s the best thing about being a woman?
Unapologetically brave and bold, The Half Moon Shania will spark a conversation that deserves to be set alight.
ZOO SOUTHSIDE 3-27 August (not 15); 2pm
Nele Needs a Holiday: The Musical
Compagnie Cornelius, Big in Belgium, Richard Jordan Productions, TRP, RBC
All who saw The Great Downhill Journey of Little Tommy will look forward to the return of this production team with their new discovery rejoicing in the stage name Nele Needs a Holiday.
She has been writing music and playing live concerts for over ten years. In 2014, Nele had an existential crisis, decided to leave her home country, and moved to London following a dream of becoming an international pop star. That might not have worked out exactly as planned – yet – but provided a lot of material for a very amusing musical.
This pop-opera is a rags-to-more rags story showing the magnificent relief of grandiose failures in love, life, and a so-called career. Expect theatrical show tunes and profound torch songs with an overriding eyebrow raised at the absurdity of life, brought by an all-female band meticulously trained to sing with their tongues in their cheeks.
SUMMERHALL 4-26 August (not 6, 13, 20); 12pm
Don’t Tell Me Not to Fly
Underbelly Productions
Sprinkling some diva stardust, joyously celebrating women in theatre and their limitless potential, this show features West End leading ladies Janie Dee (4-6 August), Claire Sweeney (7-13 August), Danielle Hope (14-20 August) and Ria Jones (21-27 August) performing much-loved songs from West End and Broadway musicals as well as pop hits, plus sharing an exclusive insight into the performers’ on and off stage lives, all accompanied by live piano and spectacular projections.
Each day a celebrated West End star will take centre stage to perform.
MCEWAN HALL Dates as above; 5pm
We’ve Got Each Other
Paul O’Donnell
Promising a jukebox musical with a difference, Paul O’Donnell makes his Fringe debut in a show anchored in the music of Bon Jovi. Counting on the audience to ‘fill in the gaps’, this one-man show tells the tragic and breathtaking love story of Tommy and Gina. This feel-good show aims to celebrate the community that is formed when artist and audience meet, and the extraordinary things that we can achieve when we come together, if we just… believe.
PLEASANCE DOME 1-27 August; 10.50pm
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