Louise McCarthy
The Steamie
★★★★★ Joyous
Forget walking woods and witches three, The Steamie has every right to be known as the Scottish Play. The tales of mince and peat baths speak loudly of, and to, its urban Scottish roots in a joyous celebration of life in the face of adversity.
The High Life
★★★★★ Flying
Reviving a 30-year-old sitcom as a stage musical might seem a safe bet, or an exercise in nostalgia. This is far from the case with The High Life. The touring production is vibrant, joyous and utterly hilarious.
Wild Rose
★★★★★ Triumphant
New musical Wild Rose is the last show of David Greig’s eight years as Artistic Director of the Lyceum and it is an absolute triumph.
Orphans
★★★☆☆ Raucous
Full of comic bravado, the National Theatre of Scotland’s long-delayed musical adaptation of Orphans at the King’s is an attractive but unwieldy beast.
Bingo!
★★★☆☆ Energetic:
A musical about women at the bingo would seem a natural for a warm-hearted, reassuringly couthy comedy. Instead, Bingo! ends up as a much swearier, somewhat darker affair that provides entertainment but is let down by its structure.
Cuttin’ A Rug
✭✭✭✭✩ Cuts like mustard:
Fizzing with energy and wisecracking brio, the Citizens Theatre’s production of John Byrne’s Cuttin’ A Rug – at the King’s till Saturday – also has a careful and deep humanity.
Yer Granny
✭✭✭✩✩ Saucy:
Hugely – if inconsistently – funny, but lacking real dramatic impact, Yer Granny at the King’s is certainly crowd-pleasing but does not seem destined to linger long in the memory.
Three Sisters
✭✭✭✭✩ Emotional realism:
John Byrne’s adaptation of Three Sisters at the King’s is poignant, funny, tragic and hugely satisfying.
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