Eric Davidson’s Super Daily Spin We Gaily Ukulele Ceilidh
Reviewer: Kevin Short
What can I say? Mr Davidson must be a Scottish institution I have over-looked in previous years. A poet, raconteur, master ukulele songsmith and, above all, an original talent who keeps his razor-sharp humour up to date. Keeping it fresh in performance by simply spinning a giant wheel containing the various strands of his show, we, the audience, shout ‘Stop!’ and wherever the pointer stops is where our entertainer goes. Perhaps, a brilliantly crafted song, a topical joke, or a super-quick-fire ode that might make even John Cooper-Clarke eat his heart out. In short, go see this marvel of a show, it’s raw, funny, and inspiringly unique.
Aug 5-21 19:25 (50m) £12.00 (£10.00) theSpaceuk @ Surgeons’ Hall Venue 53
Truth/Reconciliation
Reviewer: Kevin Short
‘This is Good Theatre’ is a slide at the beginning of the piece. What follows is exactly that. Two actors (Hannah Morrison and Jake Felts), pulsating from the torment of their professional aspirations whilst simultaneously coming to terms with their past relationship, play out their stories against everchanging filmed imagery at break-neck speed with some impressive tongue-twisting diction. Writer/Director, Matthew Gouldesbrough, who also participates unseen whilst working the show from the control desk, should be applauded for his vision of the actor’s infernal dilemma. My only hope is that Mr Gouldesbrough continues to explore more universal themes beyond that of theatre, because his Berkoffesque approach to multimedia is top notch and holds infinite possibilities. Highly recommended.
Aug 12-20 14:00 (50m) £12.00 (£10.00) ZOO Playground Venue 186
Walk it Back
Reviewer: Kathryn S Kraus
It’s the thoughts that run through our brains when we try to go to sleep. Should we have turned left instead of right? Had we turned left, what would our life look like now? This spoken word piece, written and performed by Nick MacCormack, explores those moments. You may look and think that this young man hasn’t had time enough to question those life changing decisions, but he proves to be wise beyond his years. Through the clever use of coloured strands of paper, and historical analogies, he illustrates how one’s decisions weave themselves through not only your own life, but the lives of those in your social and familial circles. What makes this piece so relatable, is the delivery, and the metaphysical connection between performer and audience. We can only hope MacCormack never walks back his decision to write and perform, because I personally look forward to his next creation.
Various dates & times (40m) (£7 or pay what you want) GREENSIDE @ Nicolson Sq. Venue 209