Comedians and (Similar to but Legally Distinct from) Dragons is a D&D improv comedy show in a bar basement in front of a live audience. The show relies on the audience’s agency and the power of the imagination, rather than fancy tech, to create a truly immersive experience. This makes it one of the best RPG-structured improv comedy shows I’ve seen this year.
A review of Alice Hawkins – Suffragette, Fringe 2023
The show is presented in a schoolroom-style format that keeps the audience engaged from beginning to end. The blend of national news and personal impact is perfectly balanced. I expected to enjoy the storytelling of “Suffragette Alice Hawkins” a little, but I ended up liking it a lot.
A review of Vita and Virginia (Abridged), Fringe 2023
Vita and Virginia is a moving and thought-provoking play that explores the complex relationship between two brilliant women. Emma Francis and Ruth Cattell give outstanding performances as Vita Sackville-West and Virginia Woolf, respectively. They bring the characters to life with empathy and understanding, and their chemistry is undeniable. Atkins’ abridgement is masterful, capturing the original text’s essence while making it more accessible to a modern audience.
A review of The Magic of Terry Pratchett, Fringe 2023
I thoroughly enjoyed Marc Burrows’ The Magic of Terry Pratchett, and you should go, as fans should, and everyone else is likely to be a fan-in-waiting who will appreciate this spoiler-free and delightful curation of Pratchett’s impact and talent.
A review of Sherlock Holmes: The Speckled Band, Fringe 2023
This stage show is a faithful in spirit and entertaining adaptation of Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes: The Speckled Band. It is an excellent play that is perfect for the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and does justice to this classic story.
A review of Initial Consult, Fringe 2023
Initial Consult is a show worth watching, and it’s worth skipping other shows for. Charlotte Grimmer plays a character that’s both alien to us and wholly relatable simultaneously, and then there’s music, comedy, shock and tap dancing.
A review of Dorks ‘n’ Orks – Live, Fringe 2023
Dorks ‘n’ Orks is a funny live show where comedians try their hand at a lightly animated D&D-inspired adventure. Ideal for geeks, gamers, their parents and anyone who likes a bit of impro comedy.
A review of It Just So Happened, Fringe 2023
It Just So Happened is a fascinating and funny history podcast. Fans should go, people interested in neither history nor smart people discussing history are unlikely to enjoy it, but the rest of us probably will. I did!