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Festivals, Literature, Theatre, Uncategorized

Review, Austentatious: An Improvised Jane Austen Novel, Edinburgh Fringe, By Hannah Goslin

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out of 5 stars (3 / 5)

If you’re looking for something that will give you a chuckle but is something new every time and yet is slightly satirical of the world of Austen, then look no further.

This show is very much what it says on the tin; each show is different as they take a theme and improvise on the topic, all set in the world of Austen and the topics of her stories such as the marriage mart, high society, the Georgian world. The approach is fundamentally of the time but the occasional improvisation dips into modern life, all depending on where the performers decide to take it.

In true Austen style, the performance that I attended had an underlying theme of the push and pull of romance, the will they won’t they, and a sense of not entirely being sure who will end up with whom. Alongside this, the performers take on the improvised challenge of suddenly being in a church rave, a coffee shop with questionable machinery, and a moment where the movement of the minimal staging that goes on too long because a ridiculous moment of moving chairs around the space. The performers lean into it and take the unexpected changes with real gusto.

What is enjoyable is how much the performers themselves seem to find the performance, occasionally chuckling or trying to trick one another. They equally take the mantle from one another but are certainly skilled enough to run with directions they weren’t expecting to go.

While enjoyable, I wouldn’t say that I particularly came away having laughed enough for sides to split. But it did elicit a chuckle and general content enjoyment.

Austentatious: An Improvised Jane Austen Novel is a fun show to watch, with the knowledge that each performance will likely be completely different to the next, and for the Austen fans, enough reference with the dash of modernisation to make you chuckle.

Opera & classical

Review Der fliegende Holländer, Bayreuth Festival, Germany by James Ellis

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out of 5 stars (4 / 5)

Photo credit: Bayreuth Festival

It’s been a whole twelve years since I’ve attended the Bayreuth Festival in Germany. Seen as a pinnacle for opera lovers world-wide, tickets are highly sought after. There are always scandals, I’m thinking back to the head turning Ring Cycle I saw back in 2014 directed by Frank Castorf. This year’s Ring staging saw booing and disapproval due to the use of Artificial Intelligence, though I’ve heard it before and it does not take much to set them off. There are bold stagings and then some! Yet with seats that are notoriously uncomfortable (as Richard Wagner intended) and audiences on the much stricter side, could I make it through the other side? 

This Flying Dutchman is the second this year for me after the Welsh National Opera fare. Here tackled by Dmitri Tcherniakov, get gaze upon a town of limited al space and constant atmosphere. Sets by also by Tcherniakov would conjure up the model sets to a British viewer Trumpton, moments are highly cinematic a la Ari Aster’s Hereditary. The celebratory scene in the conservatory dining room is vivid, and a snapshot of how this story might have gone down today. 

Directors attempt to changes accepts of an opera now. Whilst there are risks here, they work for the most part. The cascading overture features a woman and her child shunned for her fling with a worker, ending with her hanging herself on stage. This was all in the first ten minutes. The ending would drastically tweak things, though it’s clear the curse has been lifted, even with only one half of the tragic duo of Senta and The Dutchman getting a shock death. There isn’t a clear Nordic setting in this outing, some costume choices would evoke the contemporary scene, and the workers don’t appear to have any specific profession. 

The singers and musicians are on vividly top form. World class even. Conductor Oksana Lyniv is a rare lady conductor and listening in the pit (which is famously blocked from the audience’s sight) the storm and intrigue, jealousy and redemption all shone through. The chorus are also exceptional, their reputation also unbounded. With the gaggle of sewing women (here they are instead having a singing lesson), male workers with little to do, or the ghostly Dutchman’s crew, they adapt into these roles too easily. 

Captain Deland is a near to perfect Mika Kares, a bass-baritone has been excelling with his Hagen at Bayreuth. He can make things softer, the gloss of the voice often rings. Senta is Elisabeth Teige, with parker coat and coloured highlights it’s an extremely stroppy take. Her gutsy aria is earthy; her range is considerable and not without colour. Eric, the eye rolling ex-lover of Senta is Benjamin Bruns. This helden-tendor role is intense for its brevity, the constant bickering with Senta make him very one sided. Bruns takes on the role with a breeze and flow. 

Mary the mistress in sewing expertise is given more of a role than just one scene she appears. Nadine Weissmann’s mezzo is friendly, if not always digestible. Her silence in the dinner scene (she is cleverly in a relationship with Deland) speaks volumes and her actions in the finale are what made this new take kin the part quite devastating. 

Kieran’s Carrel is the sleepy Steersman who in the opening act loiters around a bar with other “sailors”. Some raising vocals make this small part often cherished. The third act would see Carrel encouraged frippery conga lines (WNO also did similar) and staggered off perhaps to drink some more. Carrel is controlled in the role one that opens the first and third act.

Nicholas Brownlee is The Dutchman. I was unsure at times if he worked int the role. The audience thought so and I came round topped the idea. In stature and expression of voice, he is the man, demanding drama in phrasing and more tender moments for smoother appeal. I was taken with the response tonight; the audience loved it. That’s what I really wanted to hear. Now to Rienzi & Parsifal!

Bayreuth Festival continues till Aug 29, 2026.

Circus, Festivals, Theatre, Uncategorized

Review, Mythos: Ragnarok, Edinburgh Fringe, By Hannah Goslin

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out of 5 stars (4 / 5)

Why has it taken until now for someone to come up with this concept? Blending Norse mythology and huge viking-like people with wrestling, seems like a complete marriage made in heaven. What happens is complete engagement in the tale and real investment in the competition of wrestling. 

We all know that wrestling isn’t real. But that doesn’t stop wrestling fans from being involved in it like a sporting event, hollering and supporting their favourites and with the developing storyline alongside it. So, replacing the modern characters and stories,  this production brings well known names such as Loki and Odin, their stories from Norse Mythology and use it as the undercurrent for pockets of impressive wrestling on stage. 

I have very little knowledge of Norse mythology; a good amount of what I do know likely comes more from the Marvel universe. But don’t let that put you off if you are like me – it’s very easy to be invested very quickly in not only the story but the action. It’s clear that some in the audience do know this and/or are big fans of this production and therefore already have their favourites. The cheering and the booing all begin from the off and there’s already a buzz in the room for the action. Introductions are short but in keeping with the narrative and you quickly get used to the storyline, picking up on your favourites quickly. Accompanied by fantastic staging with, of course, the focal point being a wrestling “ring”, lighting, smoke machines and music blend to give a dramatic atmosphere and feeling of this mythical place. 

There are also funny bits, leaning into stereotypes of the characters and so at no point do you underestimate a character in being weaker because they are comedic or a bit of a coward because, despite the comedy or funny bits, they are just as fierce in the ring. And to say this – there is absolutely no sexism or misogyny, with the girl crush being so real. The women fighters have much stage presence, don’t shy away from fighting with the males and fully support the fierce norse women we hear about. We don’t know if we want to be their friend or be them. 

Mythos: Ragnarok is a spectacular night out. With an overall essence of theatrics through the narrative, the performances of different characters and choreography of the wrestling, it also balances nicely in evoking the competitive, sports/wrestling fans or making new ones with how fun and engaging each part is.

Festivals, Literature, Theatre, Uncategorized

Review, Dracula: Lucy’s Dream, Plexus Polaire, Edinburgh Fringe, By Hannah Goslin

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out of 5 stars (5 / 5)

You already know the pull for me on this production: did someone say lifesize puppets? I was somewhat anxious about this; I am a self-confessed wimp when it comes to horror and therefore, something that could feel so real was a real jump for me to attend. But I am so glad I did. 

In the very dark theatre, I witnessed a retelling of Bram Stoker’s Dracula like no other. The main character we focus on is Lucy, where we are taken through a changing between her nightmares and real life. Dracula haunts both and she falls victim to this but takes back charge to become our heroine. Or does she? 

The whole production is one crazy feverdream. With a darkened space, limbs, both real and of puppets seemingly come from the air, creating imagery that seems almost impossible to be achieved. There are times when there’s a combination of both; Lucy as a lifesize puppet is rallied around by human characters, but in her dream world, she is human and haunted by a disembodied Dracula puppet. These swaps, which incidentally when they happen are so seamless, that we actually have no idea what is real and what isn’t anymore. Dracula’s head flies out of the dark and the exquisite making of this is so lifelike that it’s only that our logical minds remind us that this isn’t possible to have a floating head twirling around that we know this isn’t real. 

There’s a bit of gore, as you would expect, but it’s so expertly done. Somehow this changes between gruesome to somewhat beautiful, with dance-like movements of fabric representing blood being pulled from bodies and embodying the air seemingly but itself and floating. It would be easy to try the shock factor with spatters of liquid but, in true keeping to the production’s essence, this is avoided but no less uncomfortable. You forever feel in this strange liminal space of not knowing what is truly real but also lulled into senses of security then intense fear. 

The puppetry movements are expertly done. Again, tricking us in trying to determine puppet or human, the movements of the puppets are so naturalistic, smooth and somehow, while completely in front of your eyes, hand placement and the use of a dense dark background, you hardly see the manipulation and it makes it all so much more realistic, effortless and continuing to confuse you in what is real. 

Dracula: Lucy’s Dream is every bit beautiful, gruesome and haunting. The production is a thing to behold, from how realistic it feels to the juxtaposition from the real and the false between human performance and expert puppetry. Not for the faint hearted but something extraordinary to be seen; a masterclass in puppetry theatre.

Circus, Festivals, Theatre, Uncategorized

Review, The Revel Puck Circus: The Wing Scuffle Spectacular, Edinburgh Fringe, By Hannah Goslin

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out of 5 stars (4 / 5)

No Ed Fringe trip would be without a trip to the circus. On The Meadows, the Circus Hub is set up and therefore, in the big tent, we run away with the circus. 

The Revel Puck Circus bring us on a journey of slightly traditional circus, but with a fun and friendly atmosphere. There’s trapeze, acrobatics, jumping from great heights and even a disgruntled lion ,,, Fear not! They haven’t gone mad and brought back real animals but have an underlying developing narrative between our clown and a growing lion who has taken it upon itself to terrorize our clown as a “comic relief” between acts. 

Clad in summer shorts and shirts, our circus troupe don huge smiles, encourage the audience to holla and clap and at the same time, take on daring circus acts that weirdly look very easy (but don’t try it at home kids!). The ability to do this and at a high level of energy clearly takes immense skill, strength and communication and therefore the acts go without a hitch, become more daring as the hour passes and elicit roars of applause when completed. There’s enough jeopardy but accompanied with a laid back and a friendly atmosphere that this is awe-inspiring and exciting for all ages. 

In the gaps of acts and to help with the set up and, likely, a short break for the performers, we have the lion – clown narrative take place. This provokes chuckles throughout as this develops; the lion gets bigger and the accompanying clowning gets more interesting in the clown’s effort to escape the lion’s claws. It references an olden time circus where live animals are used but, while funny, is also clever in turning the story on its head and letting the lion be in charge. These moments as a “break” are useful in changing the intensity level, reducing heart rates and warming us up for whatever there may be next. Overall, with this included, the group are comedic and fun, equally making every part of their performance look enormously easy. 

The Revel Puck Circus: The Wing Shuffle is a modernised take on traditional circus, with a sunshiney and friendly approach. With skilled and dramatic circus tricks and a healthy dose of comedy, it has the right level of everything needed for a circus show for all ages.

Festivals, Music, Opera & classical, Theatre, Uncategorized

Review, Tasmin Sarkany: Now That’s What I Call Bach!, Edinburgh Fringe, By Hannah Goslin

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out of 5 stars (3 / 5)

What do you get when you combine classical music with comedy – Now That’s What I Call Bach! With Tasmin Sarkany. 

There’s first to say: you don’t need to know about Bach or really classical music to enjoy this routine. Sarkany presents us a narrative as Amelia Crotchet, a Bach enthusiast and also one in a deep love with her partner, Violin. Today is a very important concert and, if she can stop getting distracted, she will play for us. 

What is really lovely is this narrative – instead of presenting herself as a comedian, Sarkany has developed a well thought out plot with characters and storyline and therefore giving the ability to throw in different comedic scenarios throughout which all add to the trajectory of the story. In this short hour, we get to know Amelia, why this concert is so important, her love story with Violin and all about Bach. We feel we know this character well by the end and the concept works seamlessly. 

While occasionally slightly left field, the narrative has little plot points which seem random but fully add to the story. You may at first think: what does this have to do with this big concert but it’s all to do with getting to know her and allowing a space for her comedy. I’m not usually a fan of one-liner jokes or puns, I prefer something meatier but somehow Sarkany makes me change my mind on this, by combining both. The puns are genuinely humorous and tickle you, with the occasional slight “dad joke” groan but it all works together so well. She pokes fun at the arts or uses stereotypes of concerts or the Opera to add the essence of a concert; think throwing flowers on stage, asking an audience member to shout bravo and this contributes to the illusion of the narrative but gives the audience something to relate to. 

Sarkany’s musical ability is also fantastic. When there are moments of music, it is clearly from a very clever musician and adds these little highlights. But she also manages to create great comedy with sound – adding to the puns or reoccuring comedy references, sometimes there’s some notes played or with a clever musical technique and this is again, not only musically skilled but highly intelligent comedy. 

The only thing that brought the stars down for me is that Sarkany seemed very nervous. Of course, this is completely understandable and I can only apologise; Sarkany invited me and referenced me in the audience and I hope it wasn’t my attendance that gave her nerves! But the nervousness thread a little through the performance and I desperately wanted her to be confident in her ability and her show because it is smart, funny and engaging. 

Now That’s What I Call Bach! Is a funny take on the arts, music, with witty comedy, supported with a brilliant musical ability. I just wanted Sarkany to believe more in herself and her show and for this to take away the nerves that slightly impacted her performance.

Festivals

Review Chole Petts & Kristen Schaal: The Legend of Crystal Shell, Roundhouse, London by James Ellis

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out of 5 stars (3 / 5)

It’s the voice really. The voice of Kristen Schaal which has frequented extensively upon acclaimed animation and comedies of the past fifteen years. Bob’s Burgers, Gravity Falls (a personal fav) and The Flight of the Concords are all in Kristen’s payback catalogue, impressive for their clout. In this pseudo one-woman show (in which case it is not), could her delightful and approachable demeanor fair well on stage?

At the Roundhouse the warm up was good fair. Chole Petts was more than chuffed to write the wrongs of lesbians and ladies who love the beautiful game of football. Her brief set had hearty laughs and was a great example of a comedian encasing the audience with well crafted jokes. Masculinity was a main stay, just how to be so and how the toxic side has never really gone away. Some riffing of American patrons was swell and over enthusiastic Sweds also got a ribbing. If stand up is an art form (which it is), then Petts has got the mastery of it.

Kristen’s piece: The Legend of Crystal Shell (is that a riff in people mispronouncing her name?) Was silly, lude, touching and through it all not quite hitting the mark. Her ballet loving character Crystal is revealed to be half human (not a centaur) with a good bit of pacing in revealing the joke. Crystal years to meet her daddy horse again after years. John Robert’s (again, of Bob’s Burgers acclaim) is revealed as this father figure with plenty of surrealist horsey humour. Looking like a strange mix of country singer, punk, 50s dandy and other bizzarities, Roberts got swift vocals and musical numbers verging on the outrageously hammy, with ending riffs done with aplomb. This sleazball father might just save this daughter after alland aid in rites of passage, if only there was little more of a narrative fibre to it all.

Thankfully, there was not mass of crowd work here, something that comedians like Gianmarco Soresi lean on far to heavily. That’s a different sort of show at least and very popular. Kristen gets laughs and I did join in. I would not boast huge belly busters but they were triggered on several occasion. Her dry, delightful tone is often enough to lead in punchlines, one liners and interpretive dance moves parodying Swan Lake, might be the true highlights. Directed by Frank Smith, this had all the hallmarks of an sweet oddity, yet even the songs by Big Black Delta (also fun and idiosyncratic) could not save this from middle of the road in a one horse town…..

Festivals, Uncategorized

Review, Jason Byrne: 30 Years Byrning, Edinburgh Fringe, By Hannah Goslin

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out of 5 stars (5 / 5)

It’s worth starting this review with saying I am a huge fan of Jason Byrne. I couldn’t tell you when I first started watching him but it was in the days of only being able to access youtube clips and I have been lucky enough to see him before at Leicester Square Theatre. From these, I knew I would be in for something special and completely chaotic. 

Byrne’s show aims to celebrate his 30 years in the business and particularly at Ed Fringe. While taking our seats, we are welcomed by images and clips of him in his career, be it as a young budding comedian or on panel shows. We see young faces of well known comedians, reminding us of this little community and all of these images elicit a kind of historical interest as well as prompting laughter – it’s like these are in place of a warm up act. 

Byrne bursts onto the stage in a blades of glory – in just his pants and a vest and flying on a Miley Cyrus wrecking ball, he gets the audience involved immediately with dragging someone up to push him. The inability of the person to do this well prompts immediate comedy from Byrne who is so quick witted and fast to the punch on comedy. I’ll be honest, I don’t think the show we end up seeing is what we were meant to get – what feels potentially like a completely off-piste show is without guidance because Byrne is so quick to engage and tease audience members, creating in time new material. It comes so naturally to him and within minutes, we are in actual pain from laughing so hard. 

His attempts to return back to the planned show are attempted but something always catches his eye. This is by no means a criticism and what we get, we know no one else ever will. But he does try to get back on track, and so some of his act returns, with just as much humour as his improv. From the general feeling, when he quickly throws in some of the planned show, there was going to be an attempt at showcasing some of his old acts throughout the years – so when the badger game comes up, those of us who know his past work are excited to actually get to see this again. And it’s just as ludicrous and hilarious as the first time. IYKYK. 

Byrne is a master at the audience interaction; as any comedian, this isn’t always polite or complimentary, but it’s done still with affection and friendliness, like a friend sharing banter with you and taking the mick. It sometimes triggers reflections on his life and especially his Irish heritage and upbringing. While not Irish, but with very close Irish friends, I can only comment on how much I understood the referencing and how funny I found it because of this. But I do imagine, even a complete novice to Irish culture would find this comedic purely in how Byrne presents it, in the unique comedy style that only he has. 

Jason Byrne is probably one of the most hilarious comedians there ever has been. Each show you get with him is bound to be unique to any other, with his fantastic ability to bounce off his own distractions and his perfect ability to come up with new material on the spot. A show that makes you genuinely come away thinking you’ve gained a 6 pack from laughing so damn hard.

Festivals, Theatre, Uncategorized

Review, Dog Funeral, Zoe Wohlfeld, Edinburgh Fringe, By Hannah Goslin

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out of 5 stars (4 / 5)

I’m not sure why I decided to do this to myself. A huge dog lover, I cry at anything to do with animals, whether happy or sad, and I am more likely to smile and say hello to dogs on the street than their owners. So why I thought “Hey, let’s go to a show about dead dogs” I don’t know. This started off disastrous – with me absolutely sobbing… let’s get into it. 

Dog Funeral, believe it or not, is a highly comical piece of clowning theatre. It’s certainly not what you may expect when you sign up for it. There’s no real “story” as it were – there’s a vague under narrative but the essence is chaos. It firstly begins with a beautiful projection of the tale of the dog we are here to grieve, through drawings meant to look made by a child and simple captions summing up the image and the friendship of the girl and the dog. Until we learn of the dog’s death. This initial part is where I was inconsolable and I can only apologise to everyone in the audience that day. 

What then proceeds is a funeral farce like no other – dressed as something from Tim Burton, Zoe Wohlfeld comes in in her mourning weeds, taking up the stage and with immediate audience interaction. If you think you are safe from this, you are not. What transpires to be something of attention seeking of a young girl means we are all involved in her attempts for attention, her volatile ways and all with hilarious slapstick, contorted facial expressions and moments of sadness that are suddenly turned completely on their head, resulting in shock. Nothing is sacred and respected and this is where the hilarious shock factor comes from. In true adult clowning style, there are moments that feel a bit wrong or taboo and only elicit further laughter. Wohlfeld is a genius in being able to change the atmosphere and move her character from one scenario or feeling to another with a change in volume, intensity, narrative, all which flow effortlessly. Improv is also imperative and she is able to move with this easily, though the odd bit of slight corpsing takes place, this only adds to the comedy factor. 

We end on a beautiful note – after one hour of being repeatedly hit in the face with utter madness, we see real images of Wohlfeld and the past and present dogs in her life. When there’s a slight moment of wondering if this is satire on those who feel a lot for their animals, we realise that, yes it is, but she is also one of those people. It’s almost like she is reclaiming that opinion. In her ending speech as herself, she sells merch and notes that proceeds would be going to help a local dog charity. What is chaos and high clowning turns into something heartfelt and special. 

Dog Funeral is utter madness. Not for the faint hearted in more ways than one or the shy and introverted, this unique and intense show has the comical shock factor, but finishes on a beautiful note.

Festivals, Music, Musical, Theatre, Uncategorized

Review, A Stan is Born – ENCORE, Alexis Sakellaris, Edinburgh Fringe, By Hannah Goslin

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out of 5 stars (3 / 5)

Stan to a millennial is likely to produce memories of Eminem and Dido in the noughties with their hummable, sad tune. The video is about an obsessive fan and where this obsession can lead to in the darkest of places.

Fast forward in time and the word Stan now means to be a fan of something, amongst the youth. Everyone has something, whether it’s a person, place, thing. And Alexis Sakellaris takes this concept and in turn provides a story of finding oneself and discovering ones sexuality in an unusual place. When Sakellaris moves from New York with their family to rural Germany, they find solace in divas and their music, and, in turn, this leads them to friendship and self discovery.

A Stan Is Born firstly takes its name from the film. This is where the comparison ends but the reference aims to draw in one of the many famous stars that they “stan” but also in a hint to the plot later – this is how Sakellaris discovers their voice (in more ways than one) and pushes their trajectory into the arts. With unique songs created and performed by Sakellaris, their story is told through a verbal narrative, original and satirical songs sung and played on the piano and a healthy dose of audience interaction. Sakellaris’s engagement is sincere and friendly, often moving them to being somewhat off-piste but with this, we are definitely getting something unique to other audiences.

The songs are fun and enjoyable but lacked a little variety. While all original and different in concept, there was not really one that I came away with as an ear worm and they slightly felt similar to one another. The blurb for this show notes as a “gay Bo Burnham” but I felt this was slightly misleading as a comparison – Burnham’s songs are all entirely different in delivery and have a often taboo sense to them; this wasn’t the intention with Sakellaris’s songs and it wouldn’t be fitting if it was. It feels as if it would be all too easy to compare this to Bo Burnham as a vague concept, like one women plays at Fringe are all compared to Fleabag.

Their story in itself is very endearing and Sakellaris does well to translate this to us in an honest and funny way, without detracting from the intention. We get an overview, with them swapping into multiple languages and characters, moving levels and letting down their actual hair to represent certain Divas, which all gives us enough to understand a life we very likely cannot relate to as it is so original. But there did feel a bit of nervousness about Sakellaris and this unfortunately slightly fed through their performance.

A Stan Is Born is a heartfelt, unique storytelling piece of theatre, with one of a kind music and a one of a kind tale. It just felt that Sakellaris needed a bit more confidence in this to deliver it.