Category: Brett Herriot at the Festivals

***** 5 Stars

“Bleeds diversity and acceptance from its heart “

Edinburgh based Captivate theatre now enjoy a hard-earned reputation of excellence for producing story and performance driven theatre that sees over 250 creatives working across 9 shows and 4 venues across the 2025 Fringe festival.

Interestingly for the first time in its 16-year history the company tackle a musical which has Choreography at its core. Legally Blonde the musical debuted in 2007 with music and lyrics by Laurence O’Keefe & Nell Benjamin and book by Heather Hach based on the 2001 motion picture tells the story of Elle Woods a law school blonde who sets out to define expectations and along the way discovers herself and just what she can achieve.

Captivate deliver a joyous production that bleeds diversity and acceptance from its heart in a fast paced and excellently directed and choregraphed show from Colum Findlay. The stellar 24 strong ensemble cast live and breath every moment on stage delivering pinpoint dance with fabulous vocals and expertly handled comedy.

Performances across the board are excellent with Elsie Watson taking on the lead role of Elle (she will alternate with Niamh Osborne) her performance imbues everything an Elle should be and more with lush vocals and perfectly judged emotions throughout.  Speff Strachan’s “Paulette” is a comedy tour de force but always truthful. Filling the role of sleazy Callahan is Rory Maclean who delivers well in a character that’s completely driven yet devoid of humanity. Bailey Easton is a standout as “Emmett” he lets the characters heart shine through in an emotionally delivered performance. A special mention must go to Emma Clarkson as “Brooke” initially portrayed as bitch driven by vanity when in reality it’s her female empowerment that ultimately grabs the audience in a wonderfully physical performance.

Director Findlay makes the most of the intimate space aided by a fabulous lighting design from MM Sound and lighting and the show is lifted by Charlotte Nicholson’s excellent wardrobe design, even Nicholson herself pops up on stage for a cameo that lands well. Musically the show is a triumph with musical director Fraser Hume and his 10 strong band revelling in the pop infused score.

This is a Legally Blonde which transcends the Fringe Festival, blending together excellent storytelling, sublime performances and a heart felt mantra that we can be who ever we choose to be, and we all deserved to be loved for who and what we are.

You won’t go wrong in rounding out a festival day with this endearing and spectacular production! Truly unmissable Fringe theatre at its best!

Legally Blonde, The Edinburgh Academy- Magnusson Theatre (Venue 70) For more info go to: https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/legally-blonde

*** 3 Stars

“Packed with energy “

An ode of love to the 80’s horror comedy movies, infused with a rock score and blending the essence of Rocky Horror with Little Shop of Horrors with a dash of Heathers and a huge dose of americana and you get “I was Teenage She-Devil” playing in a late night slot at the Space on Niddry Steet.

With book, music and lyrics by Sean Matthew Whiteford and directed by Rachel Klein and deploying an eight strong cast drawn from across the United States and right here at home in the UK the show is fun if gory romp through one person’s obsession with the 80’s culture and more specifically horror movies. Horror movies that paved the way for the “Scream” and “I know what you did last summer” franchises.

While the show is packed with energy and catchy tunes it does need some refining in the writing to avoid the plot starting to go round in circles. The performance we saw was beset with sound issues especially in the balance between head mics and the backing tracks. Given the intimacy of the space being used perhaps multiply mics need not be used, then again this is a very much a rock musical! Im sure as the show beds into its run it will come good.

If you’re looking for a fun, late musical romp that delivers everything it sets out then I was teenage she-devil is a must add to any fringe goer’s diary. There may well also be life ahead outside of the fringe for a show that’s got plenty of spark in it too! One worth catching for sure!

I Was a Teenage She-Devil, Upper Theatre at The Space @Niddry Street (Venue 9) For more info go to: I Was a Teenage She-Devil | Edinburgh Festival Fringe

**** 4 Stars

“Delivered with a raw intensity “

Shining a light into the often-dark world of working in a Sauna, especially a gay sauna could lead to many old tropes being re-treaded. However, Sauna Boy is a step apart as its semi-autobiographical with acclaimed writer and director Dan Ireland-Reeves reflects on his time working in a gay men’s sauna on England’s south coast. 

Dan has navigated a world of Lust, friendships and unorthodox working relationships and has seen the power of true friendships outweighing the darkest of sexual desires from men who see saunas as nothing more than a way to satisfied there most depraved wishes.

This 70-minute play pitch perfectly in its evening slot is delivered with a raw intensity that grips from the off thanks to Ireland-Reeves capturing performance that embraces strong language, nudity and a lighting quick pace that belies its 70^th minute run time. There are a couple of moments where the narrative does start to repeat itself but the execution of the performance to drive home the cost of the choices made retains the audiences undivided attention with ease. 

The Fringe by its very essence is the testing ground of theatre to push its boundaries and “Sauna Boy” achieves that with grace and style and is a play that is deeply personal as it relatable to all of us who simply wish to be love. The dark side of working in the adult industries in laid bare in a show that wears its heart on its sleeve and will leave you touched in many ways. Engrossing fringe theatre doesn’t come any better so be sure to see the show before it closes its Fringe run on Saturday 16^th August.

Sauna Boy, Theatre 3 at The Space @Surgeons Hall (Venue 53) For more info go to:https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/sauna-boy