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Brett Herriot at the Festivals

Guys Sing Dolls, The Fringe, Review:

Brett Herriot

***** 5 Stars

“Bigger, Brighter and Far more Boyish!“

Debuting at the 2025 Fringe Festival but somewhat hidden away in the basement of St Augustine’s on George IV Bridge the show became the sleeper hit of the Fringe now 3 of the 4 boys, Scott Coltman, Chris McLeish and Mark MacKinnon return with a new show for the 2026 Fringe that’s truly bigger brighter and far more boyish than ever before.

Taking up residence in the Grand Ballroom at Assembly Rooms on George Street for four performances only (only two left on the 20th and 21st August) the boys have new mix of songs drawn from Musical Theatre, Pop and Film, songs originally performed by power house divas!, (Fitting as they share the space with their sister show, Divas from stage to screen) which are now given a masculine twist and performed in impeccable style by the guys.

This year there joined by a stellar 4 piece on stage band under the musical directorship of Fraser Hume and even a surprise guest for a rip roaring hour of cabaret fun with comical asides a plenty, audience participation balanced against beautiful and emotional solo moments this a show that’s pitched perfectly in this late evening slot. From Judy Garland to Wicked via Joni Mitchell there really is something for everyone in this glorious Fringe Cabaret.

This is the perfect finale after a busy day on the Festival Circuit it’s charming, funny and brilliantly performed and delivers real bang for your buck! All three guys make it seem effortless and perform with great warmth and skill which makes this a show that’s a real leader in its category a truth comedy joy du veer at this year’s festival so be sure to check it out!

Guys Sing Dolls, The Ballroom @ Assembly Rooms Runs until 21st August for further information go to: Guys Sing Dolls | Edinburgh Festival Fringe

Brett Herriot at the Festivals

Crocodile Rock, The Fringe, Review:

Brett Herriot

***** 5 Stars

“A gorgeous, heart rending story matures beautifully with age! “

Original performed in 2019 as part of Oran Mor’s A Play, A Pie and Pint, Andy McGregor’s one-man musical went on to achieve critical acclaim and was broadcast later that same year by BBC Scotland.  Sleeping Warrior Theatre Company went onto deliver a Touring production following the pandemic years; finally, however an abridged version of the show see’s McGregor’s heart-rending exploration of sexuality, identity and sense of where we call home debuting at the Fringe Festival for the first time.

Set before the age of the internet and the evolution of the mobile phone in 1997, Crocodile rock tells the story of 17-year-old Steven living his life on the island of Millport, feeling lost and repressed in the island community he fears being for ever stuck following his parents’ footsteps in running the local pub and bed and breakfast. That is until a chance meeting with a drag queen who is staying at the b&b for the island festival. That Queen unlocks the truth in Steven as he faces up to being gay and that Drag offers him the self-expression he craves.

McGregor both writes, composes and directs this beautifully judged and emotional of musicals and its feels there is strong auto-biographical flavour to it that the audience can’t help but by beguiled by. Running at 60 minutes McGregor truly lets the audience inhabit Steven’s world, the pain, confusion and ultimately the strength and joy the character feels on his journey to self-acceptance.

Returning to the role of Steven, following the his hit BBC Performance is Darren Brownlie who delivers a triumphant tour de force performance of emotionally truthful acting along with a well-judged and delivered comedy and thanks to the frequent inclusion of the audience through asides everyone in the Gilded Balloon went a collective journey that touches the heart, soul and memories of us all. Truly wonderful theatre at its very best.

Joining Brownlie on stage is musical director Hilary Brooks who also turns in a wonderful performance as both MD and backing singer that adds a rich texture to a show that a gorgeous and heart rending story that matures beautifully with age!

Crocodile rock continues as a shining beacon of excellent writing, stellar performances and a rare stark honesty that is missing from so much of modern musical theatre, it allows us to not only view Steven’s journey but reflect on our own and the music sears itself into the heart you can’t help but leave the theatre filled with hope for what lies ahead. For that is ultimately the essence of this show, hope! And the reality that before we can ever love someone else, we need to love ourselves first no matter the cost. Do what you must to grab a ticket for this remarkable production which is becoming the talk of the festival.

Crocodile Rock, The Fringe, The Dining Room at Gilded Balloon, Teviot, Runs until 31st August for further information go to: Crocodile Rock | Edinburgh Festival Fringe

Mary Woodward at the Festivals

Iliad: The song of Thetis, The Fringe, Review

Brett Herriot

**** (4 stars)

” extraordinarily difficult piece to watch “

An extraordinarily difficult piece to watch – I can’t begin to imagine what it must be like to perform it, to go over and over the horrors we visit in passing, to relive them every evening and to live with them every day, knowing they have to be repeated the next night.

Thetis, mother of Achilles, the renowned Greek warrior, lover of Patroclus and major player in the Trojan war.  Zeus, Athena, Hera, Aphrodite, Paris, Hector, Agamemnon, Menelaus – the list of names is endless and familiar to anyone who’s ever read any of the great Greek stories.  All these and many more characters are brought vividly to life as we watch, horrified and powerless, as the gods of Olympus play with the lives of men, and in their own petty jealousies and rivalries cause swathes of violence and destruction to sweep across the earth.

The story starts slowly, and in the middle: it works outwards, forwards and backwards through the names and the stories – everything is interlinked, and everything ends in death.  Wars are fought, men, women, and children slaughtered in the pursuit of one individual’s lust for revenge or pursuit of a desired object.  Is this right? Is this fair? Is this just?

It’s not hard to see, so very clearly, the parallels with our own world today, where millions suffer because of the desires or even the whims of a few powerful men [and isn’t it nearly always men?]. At the end of this piece Paola Balbi and Davide Bardi remember friends of theirs, storytellers, currently experiencing untold hardship and living in fear in parts of the world where today one group of people is trying to wipe another group off the face of the earth.

There’s some very powerful storytelling here – mixed, thank goodness, with a lot of wit and humour, some very earthy reality and a near-constant tapping/drumming/thunderingly percussive and at times haunting accompaniment. 

What comes over to me, loud and clear through it all, is the sheer stupidity of war, which doesn’t solve any problems but adds to them while furnishing the reason for the next war, and the next, and the next…

Iliad: The song of Thetis, The Fringe, Scottish Storytelling Centre, Venue 30, Runs until 18th August for more information go to: Iliad: The Song of Thetis | Edinburgh Festival Fringe

Mary Woodward at the Festivals

Did you hear what I saw?, The Fringe, Review

Brett Herriot

*** (3 stars)

“Inspired!”

It’s very easy to remember the performers’ names for this show – they’re both called Tom!  The sound man’s called Ben, but we won’t hold that against him.

This show is an exploration of friendship, the most important thing in the world, and how that makes it possible to do what might otherwise seem completely impossible.  Tom Gk and Tom Skelton have been friends from one Tom’s first day at school and supported each other through thick and thin despite such fundamental differences as supporting different football teams – and not just two different teams, but the two top English teams of their day: Arsenal and Man United…

The show begins with some audio description for the blind and partially sighted – each Tom describes himself, with the occasional exaggeration or wishful thinking corrected by the other…. One Tom has only very partial peripheral vision, the other has extremely limited hearing in one ear; but together they combine to make a very lively show despite the small audience present in Buttercup.

Neither Tom was disabled as a child: their loss of sight and hearing came on later in life, and at different times for each of them.  We journey with each Tom through important stages in their lives, and are with them as they finally get a diagnosis.  Each Tom is there for the other as they learn to negotiate their now different lives.  Each has difficulties on their own: together they make a brilliant partnership as one Tom can see what the other hears, or hear what the other can see…. Their strong friendship has enabled them to travel the world and achieve much that they couldn’t have done on their own.

There are some bad jokes, some good ones, silly sound effects, much very good-humoured and good-natured audience participation, two Penguin biscuits, and a number of lively songs accompanied by Tom and sung by Tom, Tom, and both Toms. 

Together is the important word: that, and friendship – without which life would be so much harder.  Our friends can laugh at and with us, hold us up through the tough times and rejoice with us in the good ones.  Come, be inspired, and celebrate the power of friendship with the Toms!

Did you hear what I saw?, The Fringe, Underbelly George Square (Buttercup) Venue 300 runs until 16th August for more information go to: Did You Hear What I Saw? | Edinburgh Festival Fringe

Brett Herriot at the Festivals

Divas: From Stage To Screen, The Fringe, Review

Brett Herriot

***** (5 stars)

“The Finest Concert Production!”

Big Band Does Productions have become a Fringe Festival staple over the last 5 year or so with there hit show Divas: From Stage to Screen, the concept is simple enough, take eight incredibly talented female performers from the world of musical theatre and pop, mix in a stellar live band and a selection of music that pays tribute to the world’s greatest Diva vocalists. From Dame Shirley Bassey to Judy Garland to Madonna and Whitney every great lady gets a look in, during this show which is the finest concert production you will see at the festival this year.

Each show features four Divas drawn from Danielle, Jorgey, Sarah, Nicola, Jessica, Flick, and Rosie In a show that’s the perfect late-night music review very much in the vein of the legendary supper clubs of New York. Featuring a plethora of songs and the odd mash up, it’s a crowd-pleasing program that’s anchored by a polished four piece on stage band who work from some inspired musical arrangements.

There is not a weak performer amongst the Divas who deliver peerless vocals and performances that cannot be matched anywhere else in the festival Simply staged and beautifully directed this is the perfect way to round out a day at the Fringe.

For the last couple of Festivals, the Divas have been more tucked away in the basement of St Augustine’s on George IV Bridge. 2026 Fringe sees the Diva’s, revived, refreshed with added glitter and sparkle including a fabulous lighting and sound design that lifts the show to whole new level taking to the stage of the Ballroom in the Heart of the New Town and its clear these ladies mean business.

Endlessly engaging, musically stunning, this is truly the best concert show to be seen this year, so pop along to the assembly rooms and grab a glass of wine or indeed the tipple of your choice and be prepared get lost in some incredibly performed music!

Divas: From Stage to Screen, The Fringe, Ballroom @ Assembly Rooms runs until 30th August for more information go to: DIVAS: From Stage To Screen | Edinburgh Festival Fringe