Author: Brett Herriot

Since completing training, Brett has enjoyed a varied career across the arts as an actor, writer, performer, producer, company manager, stage manager and arts critic. Brett embraces the arts with a passion in all its forms. Away from the world of theatre, Brett is a vegetarian, loves an occasional glass of wine, chatting with friends and travelling when time permits
Mary Woodward at the Festivals

EIF: Ryan Wang, The Queen’s Hall, Review

Brett Herriot

***** (5 stars)

“What a Joy!”

What an incredible way to start the day!

Ryan Wang is a young Canadian pianist who waslast year’s BBC Young Musician of the Year competition.  Earlier this year he won the Canadian Chopin Piano Competition, and today was, at the age of eighteen, the International Festival’s youngest-ever Queens Hall recitalist.  Ryan chose to give us an all-Chopin programme which displayed both the vast breadth and depth of the composer’s skill and the incredible talent of the pianist presenting his music.

The 24 Preludes, Op 28 take us through the cycle of keys, both major and minor, starting with C major and ending with D minor.  Their immense variety of both style and mood offer the pianist a magnificent showcase for their technical ability and emotional range, from the opening rippling agitato to the closing stormy allegro appassionato. Ryan’s ability is simply breathtaking.  There aren’t enough superlatives to describe his mastery of touch, tone, dynamic contrast, and mood.  He’s brilliant in the showy bits, has power and passion when required, but is gentle, tender and delicate too.  At one point his painissimo was so quiet I thought the sound would dissolve into nothing – and then sparkling cascades of notes or passionate, resounding chords would ring through the Queens Hall.  The audience were silent in rapt admiration – until they burst into prolonged applause after the final prelude.

After the interval we heard three Mazurkas Op.59 – lively dances which started off conventionally enough but went off into brilliantly executed flights of fancy.  Chopin’s Piano sonata no 2 in B flat minor followed, with an ever-changing stream of emotions – stormy, furious, sorrowful, lyrical, solemn and tender by turn.  The Variations on ‘Là ci darem la Mano’ in B flat Op2, written when the composer was only seventeen, closed the official part of the programme.   It was a joy to hear someone only a little older playing this exuberant, extravagant, passionate show-off piece, which rightly received a standing ovation.

But it didn’t stop there.  With the energy and enthusiasm of youth, Ryan returned to give us not one, not two or three, but FOUR encores.  A joyful waltz and two other Chopin pieces I couldn’t name were all ecstatically received – surely that would be it?  But no, Ryan came out again, settled to the keyboard, and began a wondrously quiet and gentle rendition of Beethoven’s Für Elise – the perfect way to calm us and send us out into the city, I thought.  But then it evolved into the most wonderful display of jazz and boogie I think I’ve ever heard in the oh-so-respectable Queens Hall.  Here was an amazingly talented young man letting his hair down and having a ball – what a privilege it was to be a part of it. 

Then he closed the piano lid and left the platform for the final time.

What a morning!  What a talent!  What a joy!

EIF: Ryan Wang, The Queen’s Hall for more information go to: https://www.eif.co.uk/events/ryan-wang

Mary Woodward at the Festivals

Lost Girls/ at Bus Stops, The Box at Assembly George Square (Venue 8), Review

Brett Herriot

**** (4 stars)

“Brilliantly Played”

Edinburgh.  August.  Jess and Iona’s paths keep crossing…

Originally part of the series a Play, a Pie and a Pint, Roisin Sheridan-Bryson’s play is both an extended love song to the city of Edinburgh and a long and convoluted lesbian love story, which may or may not have a happy ending, depending on whether or not you can go back in time/ rewrite endings the way you wish they could go.

Jess and Iona want to tell us their story, whichstarts when they first meet randomly at a Fringe venue.  They meet, randomly or by arrangement at bus stops, in venues, on the streets and in the closes of the city.  Their tale is also a wonderfully detailed and descriptive account of Edinburgh in August – but they so often remember things differently.  Each knows their version of any incident is the correct one, and they continually correct each other – but there are times when, oh yes, they do indeed remember things the same way.   And now it’s their last night at the Fringe: how will they have the most fun, see the best show, party till the wee small hours and then…???

Jess, according to Iona, is brilliant, mad, a pain in the arse.  She’s a live wire, impulsive, unable to sit still, mouth never silent, engaging with everyone around her, speaking/ acting well before thinking – both enormous fun to be around and a huge liability in certain situations.  She has huge impenetrable walls around herself and is terrified to let them down.

Iona could hardly be more different.  She’s a quiet, thoughtful, gentle introvert, who nevertheless will go along with anything Jess proposes even though she’d prefer the exact opposite.  She’d like to take her time to think before she does or says anything, go slowly through life.  She probably always means what she says, and never acts impulsively when she’s not with Jess.

Intersecting, interconnecting, overlapping witty, descriptive, crackling dialogue slowly reveals a story that has been going on [it seems] for several years.  It’s pretty obvious right from the start that this unlikely couple not only fancy but love the other – but Jess is incapable of revealing this even to herself, and Iona isn’t going to speak if Jess won’t. 

A very small, impressively versatile set, and some every effective lighting add enormously to this play, which crackles with life and vigour most of the time.  I could wish that the closing moments’s dialogue was more audible, especially since Iona had her back to me and I was sitting immediately in front of a [very welcome] electric fan…

Both women are brilliantly and contrastingly played – but I can’t credit either actress by name, which is an enormous pity.  The script is superb, and the acting excellent – and the audience was loudly appreciative of the [spoiler alert] kiss immediately preceding the blackout.

Lost Girls/ at Bus Stops, The Box at Assembly George Square (Venue 8) for more information go to: https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/lost-girls-at-bus-stops

Brett Herriot at the Festivals

Come From Away, Bijou at Assembly Rooms Venue 20, Review:

Brett Herriot

***** (5 stars)

“The Musical Event of the 2025 Festival!”

Debuting in 2017, Come from Away with book, music and lyrics by Irene Sankoff and David Hein has redefined the genre for biographical musicals and would go on to win both Tony and Olivier Awards alongside runs in both London’s west end at the Pheonix Theatre and at the Gerald Schonfeld Theatre on Broadway. Now the show comes to the Edinburgh Fringe for the first time produced by Captivate Theatre who deliver a production that truly is the musical event of the 2025 Festival.

Telling the story of the very real events in Gander, Newfoundland during the week following the September 11th attacks when 38 planes carrying over 7000 passengers were ordered to land unexpectedly at Gander International Airport. The show takes us into the lives of the residents who rallied to the call and of the stranded travelers they housed and fed.

Its an emotional and truthful exploration of the human condition and humanities ability to transcend tragedy and still find hope and Captivate’s outstanding fourteen strong ensemble company and six strong house band deliver a production that sores into the heart and lingers long in the memory for its emotional honesty and beguiling performances.

There are no weak links in the performers on stage who deliver triumphant performances throughout as they bring to life a myriad of characters on incredibly emotional journeys finding laugher and emotional truths in equal measure. Vocals are peerless thanks to Musical Director Fraser Hume crafting simply beautiful harmonies and vocal performances that are as west end worthy as any to be seen across this year’s festivals.

Director Sally Lyall assisted by Mairi Cross has delivered a stripped back production that doesn’t rely on glitzy stage sets or special effects but instead puts the heart of the story on the performances and these are performances that beguile, capture and touch the heart of the audience in equal measure.

It would be wrong to single out a single performer for praise as this company truly work as one ensemble and everyone gives a performance that comes from the soul and that’s what has ensured that the entire run of Come from Away is playing to packed full houses.

Captivates Come from Away is quite rightly the golden ticket of this year’s Fringe and a sparkling example of what excellent creative theatre making is all about, if you don’t leave the Bijou emotional with a tear then there must be something radically wrong with you! This is the most unforgettable of shows and lets just hope the company return to the 2026 Festival with another run of this smash hit musical! Nothing comes close to matching it, wonderful stuff indeed.

Come From Away, Bijou at Assembly Rooms Venue 20 for info go to: https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/come-from-away

Brett Herriot at the Festivals

Imago, Central at Assembly Roxy Venue 139, Review:

Brett Herriot

**** (4 stars)

“Gripping and Taunt”

Award winning Canadian based contemporary arial dance company Corpo imago bring “Imago” to the 2025 festival in a performance that is gripping and taunt as it is capturing and engaging. Directed and Choreographed by Fabrielle Martin and Jeremiah Hughs, both formerly of the acclaimed Cirque Du Soleil, Imago is an exploration of the space between humanity of hanging on letting go between two souls tapped in dark netherworld.

Deploying an original cinematic Score by Nicolas Bernier combined with an expressive and dark lighting design from Sophie Tang this is a tour de force performance from Eowynn Enquist and Isak Enquist whose ariel work captures the audience from off as does their sublime physicality.

Its an engaging 40 minutes of work that takes the physical possibility of the human body to its extremes although for those who are claustrophobic this isn’t the show for you as the darkness envelopes both the performers and the audience and at times feels suffocating but that adds to the overall production that draws the audience in both visually and physically which is a real achievement.

The performance runs at 1pm and makes for transient lunch time treat and as you renter the sun filled light of the city once more it does leave you pondering what you have just watched, and its clear Imago is show that will long in the memory.

For lovers of physical theatre this is a show which will enliven you as much as entertain you and that’s why the company are packing them into the dark recesses of the assembly Roxy so be sure to grab a ticket and explore the realms of physicality yourself! Wonderful Stuff!

Imago, Central at Assembly Roxy Venue 139, for info go to: https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/imago

Brett Herriot at the Festivals

Cherry West, Aff The Telly, Live Room at The Three Sisters Venue 272a, Review:

Brett Herriot

**** (4 stars)

“Drag with a tender heart!”

Arriving on the professional Drag circuit branded as “Scotland’s Youngest Drag Queen) Cherry west at just 18 already has a two year long career in drag and even starred in the five-star production of “Everybody’s Talking About Jamie” at the 2025 Fringe. Now Red Berry of Edinburgh brings her own show to the festival in a homage to all things television and delivers an hour long show of Drag with a tender heart.

Cherry takes us on a journey of hope that she may land on Ru Paul’s Drag Race by being inspired by a raft of television talent show which allows an affectionate and comedy driven pastiche of Britain’s Got Talent, Strictly Come Dancing and Big Brother to name but a few in a nicely written and performed hour of comedy drag.

Featuring some of Cherry’s self-written songs amongst the pop hits and plenty of audience participation this is a fun show that allows itself a little pathos as Cherry opens up on her journey from Sam Carlin, City School boy to Cherry West a high heel wearing glitter monster of drag passion.

The show is acutely observed if a little self-indulgent but aren’t all Drag Queens the same? Much of the run has played to sold out audiences so its clear that the Red Berry of Edinburgh is here to stay!

Cherry West Aff The Telly is a stand out in its category and allows home grown talent to shine wonderfully well and its clear more shows await the Red Berry in future festivals. For now, grab with return tickets you can, get glammed up and explore Cherry West as she truly gets! Aff The Telly!

Cherry West, Aff The Telly, Live Room at The Three Sisters Venue 272a, for info go to: https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/cherry-west-aff-the-telly