Edinburgh art festival 2011
Many exhibitions are open into 2012 and beyond, including Elizabeth Blackadder, Durer to Holbein and Martin Creed's permanent refurbishment of the Scotsman steps.
5 star showsReviews A–Z
Re-Triptych
(2 Sep 2011)
Mesmerising epic journey of dance
Tim Key (22 Aug 2011)
A sublime and spirited Slut sequel
The Wrestling (18 Aug 2011)
Anarchic night of body-slamming action and comedy
Hotel Medea (15 Aug 2011)
A killer night out
The Qatsi trilogy at the 2011 Edinburgh International Festival (15 Aug 2011)
Godfrey Reggio's film trilogy with Philip Glass Ensemble live score is a masterpiece
The Tempest (14 Aug 2011)
Anarchic comedy showcases Korean theatrical traditions and retains spirit of the original
WitTank (12 Aug 2011)
A dazzling display of sketch genius
Luke Wright's Cynical Ballads (8 Aug 2011)
Wonderful slices of fractured Britain
Silent (8 Aug 2011)
Witty and moving portrayal of life on the streets
Tamsyn Challenger: 400 Women (8 Aug 2011)
Stunning artistic memorial to victims of gender violence
Bagpuss (7 Aug 2011)
Stage adaptation that’s just about purrfect
Casablanca: The Gin Joint Cut (21 Jul 2011)
Morag Fullerton's stage adaptation is a charmingly chaotic classic
4 star shows
Scottish Ballet
(1 Sep 2011)
An evening of contemporary classics
John Scott: Totally Made Up (30 Aug 2011)
Exemplary observational material worked hard in stifling venue
Sammy J and Randy: Ricketts Lane (30 Aug 2011)
Extraordinary performances in an endearing show
Giants of Comedy – Darren Walsh, Leo Kearse & Lindsay Sharman (26 Aug 2011)
They might be giants, and they're definitely tall
Hiroshi Sugimoto: Lightning Fields and Photogenic Drawings (25 Aug 2011)
Breathtaking exploration of both photography and science
Beckett & Smith (24 Aug 2011)
A genuinely funny 60 minutes
Conway's Time of the Month (24 Aug 2011)
Hardeep Singh Kohli, Andi Osho and Imran Yusuf guest at free Edinburgh show
The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle (24 Aug 2011)
Haruki Marukami's novel is given multimedia stage adaptation by Stephen Earnhart
Marcel Lucont Etc (24 Aug 2011)
Barbed wit from the deadpan Frenchman
Example (24 Aug 2011)
Picture House, Edinburgh, Mon 15 Aug 2011
Ravi Shankar - Usher Hall, Edinburgh, Mon 22 Aug (24 Aug 2011)
A mesmerising show of classical Indian music as part of 2011 EIF
Alun Cochrane: Moments of Alun (23 Aug 2011)
A reliably hilarious hour
An Evening with David Sedaris (23 Aug 2011)
Bona fide literary superstar reads from his works
Asher Treleaven: Matador (23 Aug 2011)
Fresh, exciting and energetic
Hannah Gadsby - Mrs Chuckles (23 Aug 2011)
A mistress of the subtle one-liner
Lights! Camera! Improvise! (23 Aug 2011)
Invention, energy and singing show where audience chooses the theme
Lloyd Langford: The Cold Hard Facts of Life (23 Aug 2011)
Relaxed and honest hour with pub-quiz enthusiast
Matt Green: Too Much Information (23 Aug 2011)
Perfectly-paced hour with affable and intelligent Green
Neil Delamere: Divilment (23 Aug 2011)
Confident, mischievious anecdotes
The New Conway Experience (23 Aug 2011)
Bringing hilarity to the masses
Peacock and Gamble’s Emergency Broadcast (23 Aug 2011)
Childish mischief and stupendous invention
Phill Jupitus - 'Made Up' (23 Aug 2011)
Whose Line is it Anyway?-style improv show is a riot
Randy is Sober (23 Aug 2011)
A puppet with incredible range and comedy timing
Richard Herring: What is Love Anyway? (23 Aug 2011)
The "King of Edinburgh" at his scintillating best
Simon Munnery: Hats Off for the 101ers, and Other Material (23 Aug 2011)
Fringe institution is ever-innovative
Steve Gribbin: Laugh at First Sight (23 Aug 2011)
A gag-heavy and tack-sharp set
3rd Ring Out: the Emergency (23 Aug 2011)
An intelligent audience-led thriller
And the Birds Fell from the Sky (23 Aug 2011)
Striking multi-sensory experience
Bette and Joan - The Final Curtain (23 Aug 2011)
Witty other-worldly ode to Hollywood starlets
Constantinople (23 Aug 2011)
Completely ridiculous and unexpectedly educational
Hotel Methuselah (23 Aug 2011)
Stunning and inventive multimedia production
Little Matter (23 Aug 2011)
Charming, dark puppetry
Maybe if you Choreograph Me, You Will Feel Better (23 Aug 2011)
Solo show with a unique personal experience
The Overcoat (23 Aug 2011)
All-Scottish cast lead excellent classic satire
Some Small Love Story (23 Aug 2011)
A gem with a young but talented cast
Steal Compass, Drive North, Disappear (23 Aug 2011)
Minimal and moving life awakening
Sunday in the Park with George (23 Aug 2011)
Wonderfully presented look at the creation of art
Washed Out (23 Aug 2011)
Sneaky Pete’s, Edinburgh, Sun 14 Aug 2011
Hit Comet (22 Aug 2011)
Office keyboard comedy
I, Malvolio (22 Aug 2011)
Revisiting Shakespeare’s maligned steward
One Thousand and One Nights (22 Aug 2011)
Flagship EIF production feels like a rediscovery of a lost classic
White Mink (22 Aug 2011)
The swingingest joint in town
Evelyn Evelyn (19 Aug 2011)
Adorable freakshow from Amanda Palmer and Jason Webley
The Pajama Men (19 Aug 2011)
Both brilliantly silly and brilliantly clever
The Adventures of Alvin Sputnik (19 Aug 2011)
Poignantly Pixar-esque underwater adventure
Bash (19 Aug 2011)
Utterly convincing and compelling
The Boy with Tape on his Face (19 Aug 2011)
Line up early for a mime with universal appeal
David O'Doherty is Looking Up (19 Aug 2011)
Immaculate content delivered with furious enthusiasm
Andrew Lawrence - The Best Kept Secret in Comedy Tour (18 Aug 2011)
Mirthful and delicious kamikaze comedy
The Boom Jennies: Blowout (18 Aug 2011)
An exhilarating and surprising blowout
Enclosure 99: Humans (18 Aug 2011)
Are we human or are we dancer?
An Instinct for Kindness (17 Aug 2011)
Dignitas tale told with dignity
Beowulf – A Thousand Years Of Baggage (17 Aug 2011)
Postmodern interaction with a classic
Crunch (17 Aug 2011)
Cunning manipulation of attitudes to money
The Dark Philosophers (17 Aug 2011)
Dark Welsh classic given a postmodern twist
Federer Vs Murray (17 Aug 2011)
Geopolitics, war and tennis
John Byrne: Moonlight and Music (17 Aug 2011)
Major exhibition of works by much-loved Scottish artist
Piff the Magic Dragon (17 Aug 2011)
A laconic but jaw-dropping set
Richard Demarco and Joseph Beuys (17 Aug 2011)
An art world friendship under a Scottish sky
Russell Kane (17 Aug 2011)
Caustic and hilarious self-flagellation
Le Gateau Chocolat (17 Aug 2011)
Moreish cabaret feast
Bane 1, 2 and 3 (16 Aug 2011)
Superior noir-influenced multi-character comedy
Humphrey Ker is Dymock Watson: Nazi Smasher! (16 Aug 2011)
Swashbuckling success story
Terry Alderton (16 Aug 2011)
Hour of clever nonsense with surreal twist
Thom Tuck Goes Straight to DVD (16 Aug 2011)
Funny and heart-wrenching show on Disney films and painful break-ups
The Three Englishmen: Optimists (16 Aug 2011)
Straightforward and inspired hour of sketches
Jus’ Like That! (16 Aug 2011)
Recreates Tommy Cooper's final performance
Paul Sinha: Looking at the Stars (16 Aug 2011)
Perfectly-judged swipe at celebrities, politicians and Twitter twats
Translunar Paradise (16 Aug 2011)
Moving portrayal of the pain of bereavement in dance, accordion and voice
Mirazozo (15 Aug 2011)
Inflatable world of fun and relaxation
Craig Hill (15 Aug 2011)
Strong performance from the seasoned Fringe comic
Danny Pensive’s Map of Britain (15 Aug 2011)
Wonderfully odd character comedy
The Horne Section (15 Aug 2011)
Toe-tapping jazz-and-comedy combo from Alex Horne and friends
Jason John Whitehead (15 Aug 2011)
Turning romantic failure into comedy gold
John-Luke Roberts and Nadia Kamil (15 Aug 2011)
The comedy duo present the new, adjective-less Behemoth show
John Lynn (15 Aug 2011)
Affable comic story-telling with a neat turn of phrase
The Beta Males (14 Aug 2011)
Good scripting and coming timing from the funny foursome
Claudia O’Doherty (14 Aug 2011)
Refreshingly different character comedy performance
Cloud Man (14 Aug 2011)
Delightful puppet show with its head in the clouds
Shlomo: Mouthtronica (14 Aug 2011)
Incredible noise-making skill from a loveable entertainer
Snow Play (14 Aug 2011)
Fun and frolics in the snow
Tom Rosenthal: Child of Privilege (14 Aug 2011)
A very funny and innovative debut about privilege
3D Hamlet: A Lost Generation (12 Aug 2011)
Strong acting secures the Bard a place in the 21st century
Andrew Maxwell (12 Aug 2011)
Blistering set from the mercurial Dubliner
Daniel Sloss - The Joker (12 Aug 2011)
Ridiculously talented young comedy buck
Jen Brister is British(ish) (12 Aug 2011)
Wonderfully madcap look at identity
Lee Camp Is: Yet Another American Mistake (12 Aug 2011)
Rabble-rousing American gets mad at current affairs
Mark Thomas: Extreme Rambling (Walking the Wall) (12 Aug 2011)
Following a dangerous tourist trail
Orkestra del Sol's Top Trumps (12 Aug 2011)
Balkan, gypsy and polka sounds in a musical face-off
Tim and Light (12 Aug 2011)
An ode to friendship for all ages
You Once Said Yes (12 Aug 2011)
Exhilarating interactive experience
Allotment (11 Aug 2011)
Sweetly observed play taking place on a real allotment with free cup of tea
Anton's Uncles (11 Aug 2011)
Chekhov remixed as a highly entertaining divertissement
Belleville Rendez-vous (11 Aug 2011)
Inventive adaptation of Gallic animated classic
Bones (11 Aug 2011)
Honest examination of real life on the dole
The Girl With The Iron Claws (11 Aug 2011)
A fairytale for grown-ups
The Incredible Book Eating Boy (11 Aug 2011)
Quirky five-minute adaptation of much-loved children’s book
Lounge Room Confabulators (11 Aug 2011)
Aussie troubadours paying home visits
Pinocchio: A Fantasy of Pleasures (11 Aug 2011)
Adults-only retelling is decidedly not Disney
The Room (11 Aug 2011)
Gloriously awful Rocky Horror-style particapatory film screening
Slender Threads (11 Aug 2011)
Sensitive portrayal of a woman’s experience of cancer
Soy de Cuba (11 Aug 2011)
Song and dance spectacular a real feel-good Fringe show
Ten Plagues (11 Aug 2011)
Intense, moving Marc Almond-starring plague musical strikes a chord
The Wheel (11 Aug 2011)
Innocence lost in war-torn Spain
Shylock (9 Aug 2011)
Gareth Armstrong and Guy Masterson take us behind the mask of Shakespeare’s Jew
Colm O’Regan: Dislike! A Facebook Guide to Crisis (8 Aug 2011)
Funny and informative social networking guide to Irish history
Des Clarke - Des Comedy Jam (8 Aug 2011)
Hilarious patter will leave both locals and out-of-towners in a good place
Generation 9/11: So Far / So Close (8 Aug 2011)
Captivating and quietly profound one-man show
Nick Pynn (8 Aug 2011)
One-man folk orchestra
The Oh Fuck Moment (8 Aug 2011)
Uneasily entertaining afternoon of reflection on human frailty
One Night Stan (8 Aug 2011)
Excellent one-man show based on life of Stan Laurel
Pope Benedict: Bond Villain (8 Aug 2011)
Provocative and brilliantly witty hour on religion and economic meltdown
Suitcase Royale in Zombatland (8 Aug 2011)
Late-night, top-notch hour of blues music, B-list horror and slapstick
Tim Clare: How to Be a Leader (8 Aug 2011)
Frequently inventive show includes rousing series of raps about iconic women
Tom Price: Say When (8 Aug 2011)
Torchwood actor ebullient, warm and thoroughly engaging
Alma Mater (8 Aug 2011)
Immersive, lovely look at childhood innocence and loss
Craig Campbell (8 Aug 2011)
Natural observational storytelling
Korean Drum: Journey of a Soul (8 Aug 2011)
Dance to the rhythm of life
Minute After Midday (8 Aug 2011)
Pared-down performance based on Omagh bombing
Roar (8 Aug 2011)
Stylish, sexy romp is frequently hilarious but not without emotion
Simon Callow in Tuesday at Tescos (8 Aug 2011)
Transgender monologue that’s dressed to kill
Soweto Entsha (8 Aug 2011)
South African songs from the heart
101 (8 Aug 2011)
Group hugs, cult chants and it’s all your fault
The Table (8 Aug 2011)
Puppet show silliness backed up by serious skill
Uncharted Waters (8 Aug 2011)
Homage to life on the waves told through aerial circus skills
A Slow Air (8 Aug 2011)
Nationhood explored and deplored
Barry and Stuart (8 Aug 2011)
Showing and telling their magical mysteries
Death Song (8 Aug 2011)
Intense story of loss and secrets
Elegy (8 Aug 2011)
Moving story of a flight from persecution
Fiona O'Loughlin: Spirited (Tales from an Angel in a Bottle) (8 Aug 2011)
Bloody funny, just don’t show her the Bloody Marys
Ford and Akram: Humdinger (8 Aug 2011)
Yin and yang do silly and surreal
Frisky and Mannish: Pop Centre Plus (8 Aug 2011)
Wry ribbing of pop culture
Glenn Wool: No Lands Man (8 Aug 2011)
Hobo comic’s killer dispatches
I Hope My Heart Goes First (8 Aug 2011)
Remarkable young company delves into matters of the heart
James Acaster: Amongst Other Things (8 Aug 2011)
Mixing up the comedy flavours
Matthew Crosby: AdventureParty (8 Aug 2011)
A safe and hilarious haven for geeks and nerds
Mission Drift (8 Aug 2011)
The TEAM achieve the huge, soaring size of their ambitions
Sheeps: A Sketch Show (8 Aug 2011)
Confidence and skill ooze from Footlights alumni
Sink or Spin (8 Aug 2011)
It’s gym life, but not as we know it
Spent (8 Aug 2011)
Razor-sharp agit prop satire
Whistle (8 Aug 2011)
Extraordinary true-life tale
David Mach: Precious Light (5 Aug 2011)
Edinburgh Art Festival exhibition of biblical proportions by Fife-born artist
Ingrid Calame (5 Aug 2011)
Water water everywhere with only a doodle to drink
Mr Benn (5 Aug 2011)
Tall Stories bring iconic 70s children's animation to Edinburgh festival
Elizabeth Blackadder (3 Aug 2011)
Brilliant retrospective of work by one of Scotland’s major artists
Robert Rauschenberg: Botanical Vaudeville (3 Aug 2011)
Sparkling post-industrial dance on gleaming surfaces
Tony Cragg (3 Aug 2011)
Stunning showcase of sculptor’s poetic, monolithic output
Dürer’s Fame (21 Jul 2011)
Tribute to the German woodcut and engravings master Albrecht Durer
3 star shows
Movin' Melvin Brown: Just Singing and Dancing ... You Can Do It!
(1 Sep 2011)
Slick foot-stomping but too much audience on show
Rory Sheridan's Tales of the Antarctica (30 Aug 2011)
David O’Doherty in very funny piece that risks becoming one-note in tone
BUG Hosted by Adam Buxton (26 Aug 2011)
Entertaining but unchallenging music video presentation
If That's All There Is? (26 Aug 2011)
Eccentric study of a banal relationship
The Pleasure of Being: Washing, Feeding, Holding (26 Aug 2011)
A cure for loneliness?
Nourish (25 Aug 2011)
Thought-provoking suffragette drama
The Simple Things in Life (24 Aug 2011)
Five opportunities to meditate on what we should value
Edinburgh Tonight with Joe Simmons and Lorraine Chase (24 Aug 2011)
Charming chat show double-act
Tom Allen's Afternoon Tea (24 Aug 2011)
Well-balanced chat show from the camp charmer
Alison Thea-Skot (24 Aug 2011)
Delightfully batty character affair
Andy Zaltzman: Armchair Revolutionary (23 Aug 2011)
Political comic never short of a dad-style gag
The Baby Diary (23 Aug 2011)
Wry play featuring couple soon to be parents
Chris Mayo's Panic Attack (23 Aug 2011)
An engaging stress-related show
Chris Ramsey: Offermation (23 Aug 2011)
Enthusiastic natural wit is impossible to resist
Do Not Take Advice From This Man - Jim Smallman and Friends (23 Aug 2011)
Four comedians try to sort out your life
Eight (23 Aug 2011)
Eight beautifully-written stories impressively told
Ian D Montfort - Spirit Comedium (23 Aug 2011)
Witty send-up of hand-wringing mediumship
Jay Foreman: We're Living in the Future (23 Aug 2011)
Exploration of pop-culture future-shock via acoustic ditty
John Robins: Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas to Heaven (23 Aug 2011)
Prosaic anecdotes told with gusto and irresistible affability
Kerry Godliman - Wonder Woman (23 Aug 2011)
Laugh-a-minute routine with warm charisma and attitude to match
Lunch with Quattro Formaggio (23 Aug 2011)
Lovely conceit of Italian waiter on the verge does the job nicely
Mark Dolan (23 Aug 2011)
Genial bumbling and his confident stage presence is charming and droll
Michael Winslow (23 Aug 2011)
Mad voice skills boggle the mind
Pistol & Jack: SMASH*GLAM*SEX*MUSIC (23 Aug 2011)
Hyper, pop comedy lacks some focus
The Quotidian Revue (23 Aug 2011)
Interesting, absurdist comedy lacks cofidence
Rich Hall (23 Aug 2011)
Political bashings a definite highlight
Sally-Anne Hayward: DOn't Judge Me (23 Aug 2011)
A pleasant jaunt through middle-class concerns
Seminar (23 Aug 2011)
Predictable but well performed self-help for the stressed
Slim in Wonderland (23 Aug 2011)
Anecdotes amusingly and conspiratorially shared
So On and So Forth present 'Human Era' (23 Aug 2011)
A missing member, predictible hilarity ensues
Steve Hall's Very Still Life (23 Aug 2011)
Surreal tales and batty antics
Wade McElwain - The Littlest Hobo (23 Aug 2011)
Eloquently taste-busting lines
Ali Cook (23 Aug 2011)
Old-fashioned with homage to TV magic shows
Cul-De-Sac (23 Aug 2011)
Capable garden-fence comedy
Dan Canham: 30 Cecil Street (23 Aug 2011)
A theatre's story told through unusual interpretation
Doris Day Can F**k Off (23 Aug 2011)
Musical one-man experiment
Hedda Gabler (23 Aug 2011)
Stark and surprising modern adaptation
Silken Veils (23 Aug 2011)
Tenderly performed memories
Unanswered, We Ride (23 Aug 2011)
An emotional portrait of grief
The World According to Bertie (23 Aug 2011)
A well performed, interestingly staged production
Yours, Isabel (23 Aug 2011)
Strong script brings together romance and female independence
The Fall Children (22 Aug 2011)
Weak storyline made up for by macabre, colourful underworld
Neil Hamburger (22 Aug 2011)
Anti-comedic filth, hate and fury
Orkestra Simbolika (22 Aug 2011)
Vibrant, rough-around-the-edges flamenco mash-up
Revolting Rhymes (22 Aug 2011)
Lively rendition of Roald Dahl tales
Tiffany Stevenson (22 Aug 2011)
Cuddly musings on Cockneys and kids
Todd Barry (22 Aug 2011)
Every trivial matter is prey to the laconic American
Josie Long: The Future Is Another Place (19 Aug 2011)
Stand up for the left
May I Have the Pleasure . . . ? (19 Aug 2011)
Champagne, slow dancing and loneliness
Jigsaw (19 Aug 2011)
Accomplished but light sketching
Ruby Wax: Losing It (19 Aug 2011)
A fevered and empowering comic monologue
Viewless (19 Aug 2011)
Paranoid Orwellian bureaucracy has comically sinister effect
(g)Host City (18 Aug 2011)
Edinburgh audio tours from spoken word performers
Iain Stirling and Sean McLoughlin (18 Aug 2011)
The star signing lets down the team
Auntie Netta And The Trouble With Asian Men (17 Aug 2011)
Show of two halves from East is East producers
Dust (17 Aug 2011)
Mining a rich seam of anger among Thatcher and coal industry
Emergence (17 Aug 2011)
Death becomes the Pachamamas
Futureproof (17 Aug 2011)
A fairly unshocking freak show
Holly Walsh - The Hollycopter (17 Aug 2011)
A brave and bittersweet recollection
Medea's Children (17 Aug 2011)
A cautionary tale for divorcing parents
Mystics or Rationalists? (17 Aug 2011)
Elegant conceptual works bend associations of the ordinary
Pete Bennett's Tourette's and Stuff (17 Aug 2011)
Unpolished but candid and funny set from Big Brother winner
Sarah Millican (17 Aug 2011)
Has the Geordie jester lost her bite?
The Segue Sisters in … Jailbirds (17 Aug 2011)
Flippant harmonious fun behind bars
The Time Out (17 Aug 2011)
Interactive theatre with a motivational aspect
Tom Deacon (17 Aug 2011)
Slow-burning quasi hard-hitting hour
The Translator's Dilemma (17 Aug 2011)
Dark, taut work about industrial negligence
Untitled Love Story (17 Aug 2011)
Stories of love and loss that fail to catch fire
Henning Wehn / Otto Kuhnle: Das Very Best Of German Humour (17 Aug 2011)
Tuetonic titters from two of the Fatherland’s finest
Milton Jones (16 Aug 2011)
There more to the week mocker than one-liners
Rich Hall’s Hoedown (16 Aug 2011)
Country and bluegrass gig from the gravel-voiced comedian
Seann Walsh: Ying and Young (16 Aug 2011)
A casual yet potent force
Stephen Carlin: Guilty Bystander (16 Aug 2011)
Unsettlingly funny with flashes of greatness
Vikki Stone & The Flashbacks: Big Neon Letters (16 Aug 2011)
Comedy songs in band format
Wil Hodgson (16 Aug 2011)
Sharp comedy about life as he knows it
Luke McQueen (16 Aug 2011)
Off-the-wall randomness with a smile
Mark Nelson (16 Aug 2011)
Straight talker whose profanity is utterly charming
Markus Birdman: Dreaming (16 Aug 2011)
Acutely funny observations on our dreams of living happily ever after
Matthew Highton's Shadowed Vagary (16 Aug 2011)
Warm, intelligent and beautifully written tall tale
Meryl O’Rourke - Bad Mother (16 Aug 2011)
Some funny and moving material on mixed heritage
Michael Workman - Humans Are Beautiful (16 Aug 2011)
Surreal, meditative show from philosophical, esoteric intellect
The Noise Next Door – Their Finest Hour (16 Aug 2011)
A delightfully unpredictable hour with some knock-about funsters
Olver: Portrait of a Serial Killer (16 Aug 2011)
Stand-up show/theatre experience has potential to be brilliant
Paper Tom (16 Aug 2011)
Effective piece of issue-based theatre dealing with UK treatment of soldiers
Paul Foot: Still Life (16 Aug 2011)
Childish ingenuity and some laughs but feels like going through the motions
Phillipa and Will Are Now in a Relationship (16 Aug 2011)
A university relationship conducted via Facebook
Phil Nichol: The Simple Hour (16 Aug 2011)
Dumbed down silliness peppered with droll quips
Raymond Mearns: Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Stress But Were Afraid to Ask (16 Aug 2011)
Warm and engaging stress management seminar from Glaswegian
Rich Fulcher: Tiny Acts of Rebellion (16 Aug 2011)
Surreal and sedate show from the rambunctious Mighty Boosher
Rose (16 Aug 2011)
Oblique drama on father daughter relationship partly successful
Scottish Sperm (16 Aug 2011)
Smartly scripted and well performed despite lack of character sympathy
The Sexual Awakening of Peter Mayo (16 Aug 2011)
Quirky characters and quick-fire dialogue
The Star Child (16 Aug 2011)
Sweet piece of storytelling theatre
Tales from Edgar Allan Poe (16 Aug 2011)
Ghost stories told with vigour and energy
Tea with Queenie (16 Aug 2011)
Very moving tragic-comic piece for three people, including tea and cake
Tonight Sandy Grierson Will Lecture, Dance and Box (16 Aug 2011)
Cultural and political history piece leaves deep impression
Two Johnnies Live Upstairs (16 Aug 2011)
Eccentric characters each nook and cranny of French family home
The Wright Brothers (16 Aug 2011)
Conquest of flight given lively treatment
Bubblewrap and Boxes (15 Aug 2011)
Mayhem in the mail room
Patrick Monahan: Stories And Fairytales Of Travels For Kids Who Dance Like Camels (15 Aug 2011)
Comic silliness with a disco beat
Dana Alexander (15 Aug 2011)
Great comedic flair but average material from the Canadian
Danny Bevins (15 Aug 2011)
Muscular comedy from the former soldier, jailbird and redneck
Gareth Richards (15 Aug 2011)
A lack of confidence on the comedian's part undermines the good-quality material
The Gentlemen of Leisure (15 Aug 2011)
Lit-loving sketch comedy
The Ginge, the Geordie and the Geek (15 Aug 2011)
Feel-good comedy from the sketch-happy threesome
Henry Paker (15 Aug 2011)
Original, whimsical stand-up
Improvised Plays from Austin, Texas (15 Aug 2011)
None-more-Fringe performance from American improv quartet Parallelogramophonograph
Isy Suttie (15 Aug 2011)
Cute, clever music-based comedy from the Peep Show comedian
Jack Mink (15 Aug 2011)
Theatrical improvisation from the absurdist clown
Keeping the Captain Warm (15 Aug 2011)
Faltering sketch comedy with moments of greatness
McNeil and Pamphilon (15 Aug 2011)
Enjoyable sketch comedy from two chaps who should know better
Sam Simmons (15 Aug 2011)
High-octane comedic bizarrity from Australia
4.3 Miles From Nowhere (14 Aug 2011)
Good performances and brilliant live folk band but no dramatic stakes
Aidan Bishop (14 Aug 2011)
The New York-based Irishman takes sweet revenge on his childhood torments
Andrew Doyle's Crash Course in Depravity (14 Aug 2011)
A full-on assault on the borders of taste
Armageddapocalypse (14 Aug 2011)
Loving pastiche of action movies from Footlights crew
Belt Up’s Twenty Minutes to Nine (14 Aug 2011)
Compelling performance with uncertain audience-actor dynamic
Best of the Fest Cabaret (14 Aug 2011)
The Noise Next Door, The Twoks and Briefs offer good package
Casual Violence (14 Aug 2011)
Versatile cast perform cherfully absurd sketches
Chris Cox (14 Aug 2011)
Odd-looking comic successfully combines magic and comedy
Chris Coxen’s Space Clone Audition (14 Aug 2011)
Accomplished character-based comedy show
Circolombia: Urban Intimo (14 Aug 2011)
Impressive circus showcase that leaves you wanting more
From the Fire (14 Aug 2011)
Tightly directed show based on New York’s Triangle Factory Fire of 1911
I, The Dictator (14 Aug 2011)
Enjoyable one-man performance on encounter between Charlie Chaplin and Hitler
Imran Yusuf (14 Aug 2011)
Religious perspectives on universal issues
Joe Fairbrother: Characters (14 Aug 2011)
Gentle audience-teasing character comedy
Josh Widdicombe: If This Show Saves One Life (14 Aug 2011)
Steering away from the dangers of blanding out
The W. Kamau Bell Curve – Ending Racism In About An Hour (14 Aug 2011)
Race-related comedy that avoids cliché
King Lear (14 Aug 2011)
Engaging spectacle gives Shakespeare a Jingju interpretation at 2011 EIF
Carey Marx (12 Aug 2011)
The thinking man’s shock jock
Carl Donnelly 3: Carl Donnelier! (12 Aug 2011)
Meandering tales that finally pay off
Christmas for Two: Friends With You (12 Aug 2011)
Variable sketch show of audacious surrealism
Gavin Webster: All Young People Are C**ts (12 Aug 2011)
Likeably profane and bitter hour
The Golden Dragon (12 Aug 2011)
Global stories to take away
Keith Farnan: Money, Money, Money (12 Aug 2011)
Well-informed monologue about money
King of Scotland (12 Aug 2011)
Strong presentation of Iain Heggie’s second best monologue
Late Night Gimp Fight! (12 Aug 2011)
Fast-paced sketches are more smutty than obscene
Nick Helm - Dare to Dream (12 Aug 2011)
Shouty Marmite musical act
Toby - Lucky (12 Aug 2011)
Divisive duo spark a riot of tutting and scowling
Audience (11 Aug 2011)
Ontroerend Goed slip out of the major league with cynical show
The Ballet Ruse (11 Aug 2011)
Sneaking a cheeky peek at the secret lives of ballerinas
Blood and Roses (11 Aug 2011)
Multi-sensory journey with history’s courageous women
Carmen Sylva (11 Aug 2011)
Established artists take on a new and exciting identity
Cutting the Cord (11 Aug 2011)
Tragicomedy exploring immigration via young Japanese woman in London
Forgetting Natasha (11 Aug 2011)
Multimedia memories with excellent choreography
Norman McBeath & Robert Crawford: Body Bags / Simonides (11 Aug 2011)
Mournful collaboration between photographer and poet
Pasta! Macaroni Puppet's Show (11 Aug 2011)
Children's show where pasta comes to life
Snails and Ketchup (11 Aug 2011)
Dynamic one-man Calvino adaptation
Turandot (11 Aug 2011)
A radical completion of Puccini's unfinished opera
Lord of the Flies (10 Aug 2011)
William Golding’s classic novel slightly adjusted for modern times
Thirsty (9 Aug 2011)
Powerful physical evocation of the relationship between women and alcohol
Andi Osho: All the Single Ladies (8 Aug 2011)
Confidently breezing through hour of self-deprecating enjoyable comedy
Anil Desai (8 Aug 2011)
Fantastic audience rapport and likeable charm, but unchallenging
The Billie Holiday Story (8 Aug 2011)
Enjoyable insight into a unique talent
Bring Me the Head of Adam Riches (8 Aug 2011)
Provocative onstage antics not for the faint of heart
David Morgan: Triple Threat (8 Aug 2011)
Show taking in musical theatre, childhood bullying and homophobia
Des Bishop - My Dad Was Nearly James Bond (8 Aug 2011)
Largely funny, tender and acutely observed ode to late father
Dream Pill (8 Aug 2011)
Poignant insight into the unsettling reality of sex work in the UK
Dregs (8 Aug 2011)
Character-based sketches maintain constant audience engagement
Fear of a Brown Planet (8 Aug 2011)
Audience-friendly jovial banter about Islam, Michael Jackson and Barack Obama
Fred MacAulay: Legally Bald (8 Aug 2011)
For straightforward traditional stand-up, MacAulay’s your man
Guilt and Shame (8 Aug 2011)
Sketches which get increasingly filthier and funnier
Hal Sparks - Evolution Overdrive (8 Aug 2011)
Impressive delivery with theme of humankind’s ongoing evolution
Jason Cook - The Search for Happiness (8 Aug 2011)
An hour of pleasant company, although lacking memorable friction
Jessica Fostekew: Luxury Tramp (8 Aug 2011)
Observational humour with a confessional edge
Joel Dommett: Neon Hero (8 Aug 2011)
Celebrity crush tale an from assured and skilled performer
John Robertson - Blood & Charm: Disturbing Stories for Disturbing Bedtimes (8 Aug 2011)
Tightly-scripted surreal monologue full of fascinating true stories
Lady Garden (8 Aug 2011)
Successful series of standalone and recurring sketches
Nobody’s Home: A Modern Odyssey (8 Aug 2011)
Powerful portrayal of mental illness
One Under (8 Aug 2011)
Energetic piece of devised theatre based on London Underground
Pete Firman: Jiggery Pokery (8 Aug 2011)
Magic routines with an enjoyable line in potty-mouthed sarcasm
Ray Time in the Daytime: An Audience With Ray Green and Friends (8 Aug 2011)
TV presenter character halfway between Partridge and Brent
Run, Deaf Boy, Run! (8 Aug 2011)
Engaging, heart-warming tale told with skill from deaf comedian Steve Day
Stuart Goldsmith (8 Aug 2011)
A pleasant romp, amusingly delivered, this is easy, assured comedy
Tom Stade: What Year Was That? (8 Aug 2011)
Whimsy and shock humour make for easy, if not entirely guilt-free, laughs
Tony Law: Go Mr Tony Go! (8 Aug 2011)
Surrealist joyride is brash, loud and joyously raucous
Totally Tom (8 Aug 2011)
Impressive range of comedic prowess and accents
Zeus’ Pamphlet (8 Aug 2011)
Enjoyable show combines familiar with the more inventive
2401 Objects (8 Aug 2011)
Remarkable neuroscience story
At The Sans Hotel (8 Aug 2011)
A sophisticated exploration of the form/content dichotomy
Belt Up’s The Boy James (8 Aug 2011)
Well-executed drama based on JM Barrie's childhood
David Reed: Shamblehouse (8 Aug 2011)
Great lines but lots of filler
Diane Spencer: All-Pervading Madness (8 Aug 2011)
Don’t judge a comic by their gentle demeanour
Katri Walker: North West (8 Aug 2011)
Intriguing exploration of Scottish/Wild West links
The Magical Faraway Tree (8 Aug 2011)
Multi-character comedy not really based on Enid Blyton tale
Pop-Up! The Amazing Adventures of Moo-Dong (8 Aug 2011)
The art of entertaining
Slavery to Star Trek (8 Aug 2011)
Autobiographical show taking in Martin Luther King and Malcolm X
Dance Marathon (8 Aug 2011)
Sweat-slicked endurance test
Francesca Martinez (8 Aug 2011)
A charmingly caustic look at ‘normal’
Somewhere Beneath It All, A Small Fire Burns Still (8 Aug 2011)
Monologue that’s less than straightforward
A Celebration of Harold Pinter (8 Aug 2011)
Pinter wonderland manages not to sink beneath the hype
Catie Wilkins: A Chip Off the Odd Block (8 Aug 2011)
Enthusiastic and wry story about parents
The Chronicles of Bitter and Twisted (8 Aug 2011)
Charming and cheeky fairy tale sequel
Comedy Club 4 Kids (8 Aug 2011)
Heckle-happy crowd nearly stump the pros
Dave Gorman's Power Point Presentation (8 Aug 2011)
Inspired PowerPoint presentation from the genial everyman
The Infant (8 Aug 2011)
Absurdist comedy with a Gothic feel
John Peel’s Shed (8 Aug 2011)
Intimate musings on the joy of radio
The Just So Stories (8 Aug 2011)
Colourful and engaging adaptation of Kipling’s well known tales
Katherine Ryan: Little Miss Conception (8 Aug 2011)
An edgy story of pageant culture
Laurence Clark: Health Hazard! (8 Aug 2011)
Uncovering the truths about US health care
Margaret Cho (8 Aug 2011)
San Franciscan in town to have lots of sex, please
My Name is Hannibal: The Hannibal Montanabal Experience (8 Aug 2011)
Intelligent dissections of comedy and life
Paul Daniels (8 Aug 2011)
You’re going to like this . . .
Sanderson Jones (8 Aug 2011)
Pleasingly foppish semi-shambles
Scary Gorgeous (8 Aug 2011)
Girls gone wild
Under The Baobab Tree (8 Aug 2011)
Animal tales from Africa
What Remains (8 Aug 2011)
Plenty of creep, not enough deep
Who Are The Jocks? (8 Aug 2011)
A multi-faceted tale of love and loss
Ahir Shah (7 Aug 2011)
Stars in his eyes
Bridget Christie (7 Aug 2011)
Slapdash slapstick sloppy stand-up
Rock the Ballet (7 Aug 2011)
Pop-rock ballet makes for pure entertainment from Rasta Thomas’s Bad Boys
The Tim Bat Trick Show (7 Aug 2011)
Slickness and silliness in equal measure
Wedding Band: A Comedy by Charlie Baker (7 Aug 2011)
Crooner delivers a gentle comic play
Anton Henning: Interieur No. 493 (5 Aug 2011)
Curious and bemusing conceptual art salon at 2011 Edinburgh Art Festival
DeAnne Smith (5 Aug 2011)
Boys want to be her, girls want to sleep with her
Kieran and The Joes: Teampowered (5 Aug 2011)
Teambuilding seminar with more laughs than cringes
Lineage: Michael Craig-Martin, Ian Davenport and Julian Opie (5 Aug 2011)
Edinburgh Art Festival 2010 - Printmaking, but not as we know it
The One Man Show (5 Aug 2011)
Late-night high-tech deconstruction with Jaffa Cakes
The Real MacGuffins: Skitsophrenic (5 Aug 2011)
Sketch comedy verging on madness
The Northern Renaissance: Dürer to Holbein (3 Aug 2011)
Compendium of works inspired by the Renaissance innovator
Hayashi Takeshi: Haku-u (White Rain) (3 Aug 2011)
Impressive hand-carved sculptures
2 star shows
The Pretender
(26 Aug 2011)
One man show about lying gets out of control
Soldier and Death (26 Aug 2011)
Soldier fable let down by tiny puppets
Chat Masala with Hardeep Singh Kohli (24 Aug 2011)
Glaswegian chef's chat show lacks spice
High Jinks with the Hamiltons (24 Aug 2011)
Bizarre yet mundane chat show from Neil and Christine
Scott Agnew’s Scottish Breakfast Chat Show (24 Aug 2011)
Amicable but flat midday chat show
Croft and Pearce - Funnier Than It Sounds (23 Aug 2011)
Flashes of brilliance lost in a melee of mundanity
Footlights in 'Pretty Little Panic' (23 Aug 2011)
One moment of surrealist brilliance can't compensate for lack of comedic guile
Joe Bor: In Search of the Six Pack (23 Aug 2011)
Limp hour saved by supporting cast
Mabbs & Justice: Love Machine (23 Aug 2011)
Joke on characters’ thespian shortcomings tragically bypasses irony
Mary Christ - The Unmusical! (23 Aug 2011)
Crude, unfunny innuendo from excitable drag queen
Matt Forde: Dishonourable Member (23 Aug 2011)
Ill-judged hagiography of Tony Blair and Brian Clough
Max and Ivan are Holmes and Watson (23 Aug 2011)
Slick but over-the-top, confusing and largely gag-free tale
Men of War (23 Aug 2011)
Scene after scene falls flat for talented quartet
New Art Club: Quiet Act of Destruction (23 Aug 2011)
Comedy-dance due don't do their talents justice
The Phoenix: A Failure on a Mision (23 Aug 2011)
Natural performer let down by unchallenging material
Teechers (23 Aug 2011)
Fast-paced youth production despite large cast
Tom Bell Begins (23 Aug 2011)
Tangent tales turn too often into ramblings
Wilfredo: Erecto! (23 Aug 2011)
Bizarre and creepy cruise ship act
You Wouldn't Know Him, He Lives in Texas (23 Aug 2011)
An innovative concept that needs thinking through
Zoe Lyons - Clownbusting (23 Aug 2011)
Hotchpoth of scenarios largely uninspired
7 Day Drunk (23 Aug 2011)
Shallow attempt at drunken creativity
Devotion (23 Aug 2011)
Incredible performances hindered by weak story
Medea (23 Aug 2011)
Modern-edged take let down by cast
When Abel Met Cain (23 Aug 2011)
Middle Eastern music distracted by incoherant stories
Adam Crow - Ashton Kutcher's Dead Girlfriends (22 Aug 2011)
Well-written but overly clever soul-baring stand-up
Hurry Up and Wait (22 Aug 2011)
Clown show that fails to live up to potential
The Unexpected Items (22 Aug 2011)
A largely threadbare and shallow show
Vive le Cabaret (22 Aug 2011)
Fishnets, comedy and clowning share the bill
Last Orders (18 Aug 2011)
Contemporary retelling of cannibal tale fails to set the blood pumping
Phill Jupitus: Stand Down (18 Aug 2011)
An excitement-sapping hour of chat
Und (17 Aug 2011)
Tough play with the meaning stressed out
Reservoir Dogs (17 Aug 2011)
Unimaginative adaptation of Tarantino’s heist movie
Tom Goodliffe (16 Aug 2011)
Lightweight autobiographical material, but with lovely rapport
Ben Brailsford (16 Aug 2011)
Self-confessed geek let down by repetitive material
Haroun and the Sea of Stories (16 Aug 2011)
Enthusiastic but amateurish adaptation of Rushdie’s novel
Lol (16 Aug 2011)
Touching humour in suburban comedy, but no new ground broken
Matt Kirshen (16 Aug 2011)
Embarrassing moments humour slightly wooden
Music Box (16 Aug 2011)
Mash-up improv troupe never hit a true stride
The Phoenix: A Failure on a Mission (16 Aug 2011)
Daft sense of humour requires more envelope-pushing material
Sarah Archer - Bumfluff and Brimstone (16 Aug 2011)
Occasional insightful jagged barb amid stale material and easy punchlines
The Tour Guide (16 Aug 2011)
A tour guide going off the rails on real Edinburgh tour bus
Young Pretender (16 Aug 2011)
Bonny Prince Charlie tale let down by performance
Biscuit and Brawn (15 Aug 2011)
Strong chemistry but weak laughs from the comedy duo
Delete the Banjax (15 Aug 2011)
The sketch group appear to be having fun, but the audience isn't in on it
Don’t Trust Salmon (15 Aug 2011)
Unfunny surrealism that falls short of Boosh-y aspirations
Fred Cooke (15 Aug 2011)
The Irishman's musical talent is overshadowed by his over-stretched observations
Frimston and Rowett (15 Aug 2011)
A collection of decent comic coceits that overstay their welcome
The Hermitude of Angus, Ecstatic (15 Aug 2011)
Absurdist comedy that starts well but quickly deteriorates
How to be Awesome (15 Aug 2011)
Lou Sanders' high energy can't save a set of lacklustre jokes
Andrew O’Neill (14 Aug 2011)
Alt comedian is slightly amusing but fails to deliver big laughs
Are You Happy Now? (14 Aug 2011)
Pessimistic two-hander about dysfunctional relationships
Brotherly Love (14 Aug 2011)
Tensions high and voices loud feels uncomfortable
Chris Martin (14 Aug 2011)
Run of the mill show from the man who definitely isn't in Coldplay
Chris McCausland (14 Aug 2011)
Disappointingly unoriginal set from the London comic
Conor O’Toole (14 Aug 2011)
Good material let down by awkward delivery
Free Time Radical (14 Aug 2011)
Wryly humorous evocation of mid-life crisis falls short of expectations
Hitch and Mitch – Genisis (14 Aug 2011)
Shambolic sketch comedy about comedy
How I Invented Hip Hop. . . And Other Faux Pas (14 Aug 2011)
Overly styled idea taken too far
Joanna Neary: Youth Club (14 Aug 2011)
A period piece with confusing threads
The Two Wrongies (14 Aug 2011)
Confused and confusing naked double-act
Benny Boot: Set-Up, Punchline… Pause for Laughter (12 Aug 2011)
The secrets of comedy remain a mystery here
Eric Lampaert (12 Aug 2011)
An engaging but ultimately flat Eric
James Galea: I Hate Rabbits (12 Aug 2011)
High on production values, low on magic
Three Sisters by Anton Chekhov (12 Aug 2011)
Depressing tale of decay of the upper classes in Russia
Mark Twain Abroad (11 Aug 2011)
Dramatic recreation of a lecture by the famous author lacks panache
The Wolves of Willoughby Chase (11 Aug 2011)
Children’s adaptation that’s hard to follow
Alistair Green: Outpatient (8 Aug 2011)
Entertaining riffs in illness-themed show not for the squeamish
Bob Downe: 20 Golden Greats (8 Aug 2011)
Lively hour of high camp, but with only a handful of gags
Brett Goldstein Grew Up in a Strip Club (8 Aug 2011)
Endearing personality wins over crowd despite lacklustre material
Catriona Knox (8 Aug 2011)
Signs of promise but dialogue lacks punch
Clare Plested: Vegas, Jesus and Me (8 Aug 2011)
Nicely observed impressions from adorable lady but comedy is patchy
Colin Hoult (8 Aug 2011)
Talented and energetic performer targets UK provinces
Indoor Fox Hunting (8 Aug 2011)
Some lovely ideas, but tightening up of content and delivery required
Jeff Leach: A Leach On Society (8 Aug 2011)
Energetic gross-out comedy with possibly divisive material
Joe Wilkinson: My Mum's Called Stella and My Dad's Called Brian (8 Aug 2011)
Underpowered affair from BBC Three’s Him & Her
The Life Doctor (8 Aug 2011)
Channelling of the most irksome of TV lifestyle gurus disappoints
Matt Rudge (8 Aug 2011)
Natural warmth let down by meandering dialogue
Nathan Caton: Get Rich or Die Cryin' (8 Aug 2011)
Glimmers of brilliance from likeable comedian
Rayguns Look Real Enough: Balls Deep (8 Aug 2011)
Thematically-arranged medleys from emphatic performer with laboured set of puns
Ro Campbell: Uttering Bad Shillings (8 Aug 2011)
Some nice stuff from Scottish Comedian of the Year, but few genuine laughs
Sex You (I’m Gonna) – featuring Nathan Phillips (8 Aug 2011)
More sophisticated than it advertises itself to be
Sideshow (8 Aug 2011)
Freakshow-themed one-man show lacks pay-off
Toulouse-Lautrec: The Musical (8 Aug 2011)
Japanese one-man show dedicated but lacking in pace and musical gravitas
Dr Apple’s Last Lecture (8 Aug 2011)
Energetic acting, but ultimately without a point
Remembering Annabel (8 Aug 2011)
Edgar Allan Poe adaptation feels messy despite flashes of humour
The Seagull Effect (8 Aug 2011)
Enthusiasm and visual techniques let down by overdone score and direction
Shhh: The Musical (8 Aug 2011)
Enthusiasm let down by unoriginal script and forgettable songs
The Curse of Macbeth (8 Aug 2011)
Great staging, shame about the acting
Doctor Brown (8 Aug 2011)
Silent and vulgar tedium
Free Run (8 Aug 2011)
Heavily padded parkour spectacle
It’s Uniformation Day (8 Aug 2011)
2001: A Space Odyssey got weird
Man of Valour (8 Aug 2011)
Mime and punishment
Nathan Dean Williams (8 Aug 2011)
Twisted pick ‘n’ mix
Robert Burns: Not in my Name (8 Aug 2011)
Tracing the final years of the Bard
Roisin Conaty (8 Aug 2011)
‘Dickhead’ on a mission to achieve zen
Tom Green (8 Aug 2011)
Porn and meat-fuelled non-event
Wondrous Flitting (8 Aug 2011)
Absurdist parable that doesn’t quite work
Neil by Mouth (7 Aug 2011)
Energy and whimsy but far too many groans
Vinegar Knickers (5 Aug 2011)
A well-titled ‘sketchy beast’
1 star shows
Interpretive Dances to My Diary! (72% Non-Fiction)
(23 Aug 2011)
100% total cobblers
Phantasmagoria (23 Aug 2011)
Depressing, lazy and naïvely acted
Llwyth (Tribe) (22 Aug 2011)
Overlong play with little to say about contemporary life
Shane and Eddie: Picking up the Pieces (16 Aug 2011)
50-minute avant-garde nightmare beyond redemption
Josh Howie: I am a Dick (16 Aug 2011)
Patchy quest with dodgy material
No Pants Thursday (16 Aug 2011)
Massively underwhelming with air of painful youth theatre production
Gemma Goggin (15 Aug 2011)
Comedy show that fails to develop
Alice in Wonderland and Other Adventures With Lewis Carroll (8 Aug 2011)
Badly sung songs, ill-fitting costumes and stilted delivery
Brown and Corley: Born in the 80s (8 Aug 2011)
Like bad school drama production
The Dipper (8 Aug 2011)
Utter nonsense misses the mark completely
Terezin: Children of the Holocaust (8 Aug 2011)
Fictionalised account of a concert fails to convey emotional weight
Radio Deluxembourg (8 Aug 2011)
Parodic retro-kitsch with utterly unfunny script and weary cast
