Alan Bissett: When Billy met Alasdair

When Billy Connolly met Alasdair Gray

Alan Bissett’s electrifying new show When Billy Met Alasdair is a theatrical knockout – a sharp, witty and impassioned collision of two of Scotland’s towering cultural figures: the cerebral, softly-spoken writer Alasdair Gray, and the incendiary working-class comedian Billy Connolly. It’s a love letter to Scottish identity, laced with passion, joy, and a deep reverence…

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Jo Caulfield: Bad Mood Rising

Jo Caulfield - Bad Mood Rising

Jo Caulfield’s Bad Mood Rising is an absolute masterclass in comedy. With scalpel-sharp wit, immaculate timing, and a gloriously grumpy worldview, Caulfield takes the audience on a laugh-packed tour through life’s daily irritations, social absurdities, and the general madness of modern existence — and every minute is pure gold. From the moment she walks on…

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Piaf Revisited

Christine Bovill - Piaf Revisited

Christine Bovill’s Piaf Revisited is far more than a tribute show — it’s a transporting, emotionally charged journey through the soul of French chanson, refracted through the legend of Édith Piaf and the life of Bovill herself. With her velvet voice, captivating storytelling, and effortless stage presence, Bovill doesn’t merely sing Piaf — she resurrects…

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Reality is not Enough

Irvine Welsh - Reality is not enough

Irvine Welsh has never been one to follow convention, and Reality Is Not Enough, the new documentary exploring his life and work, makes no attempt to domesticate him. Directed with verve and a certain punk sensibility, the film is a vivid, sprawling exploration of the man behind Trainspotting, Filth, and the many other brutally honest…

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Group Portrait in a Summer Landscape

Group Portrait in a Summer Landscape

Peter Arnott’s latest offering presents an exquisite dance between the epochs of the past and the impending future. Set against the idyllic backdrop of a Perthshire summer home, the haunting spirit of young Will, masterfully portrayed by Robbie Scott, serves as an evocative centerpiece. George Rennie, his father and a fervent academic brought to life…

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Mrs Puntila and her man Matti

Elaine C Smith in Mrs Puntila and her man Matti

Bawdy, brilliant, glorious and gallus. Mrs Puntila and her man Matti is an achingly funny, finely crafted and played joy. Denise Mina brings Brecht to Scotland with a sizzling, sparky and sexily socialist adaptation which is an utter delight in every way. The earthy, witty language of Brecht is given new life in a lively,…

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Nixon in China

Hye-Youn Lee (Madame Mao), Julia Sporsén (Pat Nixon) and The Chorus of Nixon in China. Scottish Opera 2020. Credit James Glossop.

This is a mesmerising, gorgeous looking and amazing sounding production that represents a stunning Trump era re-take on what was a classic and innovative original production in 1987. The dazzling, seamless, silent set shifts and amazing back projection and set design combine with a brilliant sound system. There is an added element with the sets…

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Pride and Prejudice* (*sort of)

Pride and Prejudice* (*sort of)

Pride and Prejudice* (*sort of) This is a stunning, joyous, rapture to watch. It is a total riot of fun from start to finish. Jan Austen’s iconic and timeless classic is given a funny, feminist reboot, with a cast of six sassy young women on stage, playing each and every role, female and male, with…

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An Edinburgh Christmas Carol

Edinburgh Christmas-Carol: Crawford Logan and Grant O'Rourke. Photo by Mihaela Bodlovic

Scrooge in Edinburgh is at the heart of this delightful Christmas story, with Greyfriars Bobby meeting Tiny Tim in a perfectly pitched seasonal romp. This production is of course designed to be enjoyed by children, and judging from the hearty chuckles and giggles issuing from the stalls throughout, it certainly hit its mark. At one…

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Barber Shop Chronicles

Barber Shop Chronicles at Lyceum Theatre (c) Marc Brenner

This is a production full of energy, passion and joy set to a riotously enjoyable soundtrack. I strongly advise getting to the show early, as you’ll find cast members roaming around the auditorium greeting and shaking hands with everyone. You get to hang out with the cast while the DJ spins up a series of…

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