Articles by M Johnson

Report to an Academy

Review
★★
M Johnson
Edinburgh Fringe
Zoo Southside
13th Aug, 2023

Report To An Academy is not Franz Kafka’s best work, but Robert McNamara brings the elusive central character with precision and animal rage that is very watchable.

Funeral

After a slow and rocky start, Ontroerend Goed’s Funeral becomes an emotionally resonant space for processing a person’s grief.

And Then The Rodeo Burned Down

The show is performed by a brilliant pair of queer, tumbling, absurdist clowns.

Trust

People You Know Productions are going for a cross between Posh, and an Agatha Christie novel, except that nobody here actually wants to work out who the killer is.

Lucy and Friends

Lucy McCormick may think she's the diva of her feral, budget cabaret of brazen filth but the real joy is taking part in the push and pull of being in an audience under her spel…

The Maids

Whilst the cat's away, the mice will play.

An Interrogation

Review
★★★
M Johnson
Edinburgh Fringe
Summerhall
18th Aug, 2023

After co-directing Edinburgh Fringe-favourite turned international sensation Six The Musical, Jamie Armatige's latest creative project is writing and directing a promising and …

A Spectacle of Herself

In A Spectacle Of Herself Laura Murphy slides the serious and the silly up against each other as she successfully weaves the philosophical, the personal and the political together …

Little Gift

M6 Theatre Company have put together a heartwarming show filled with the Christmas spirit, with some truly charming use of puppetry, storytelling and stage magic It is exactly the …

An Intervention

It is a complete delight to watch these two actors practice their craft.

Quines

When joining Gerda Stevenson for a performance of extracts from her poetry book Quines, you might be expecting an afternoon of her simply reading her excellent poetry.

She-Wolves

Laura Careless’ solo show, inspired by the book and BBC series of the same name by Helen Castor, is an intricate, forceful and nuanced production examining the life of five diffe…

A Life on the Silk Road

The National Theatre of China have brought their visually stunning production of Life On The Silk Road to Zoo Southside.

Orpheus

Review
★★★
M Johnson
Edinburgh Fringe
Summerhall
13th Aug, 2018

Alexander Wright, our poet for the evening, tells us that this piece was written in The Meadows – the park not very far from Summerhall where they are performing now.

Sirens

Have you ever wondered what it would be like if figures from Greek myth were around today? Well, Zoo Co Theatre Company have got you covered.

Duckie

Le Gateau Chocolat has brought his background in drag to this kids show, which is a solo act loosely based on Hans Christian Andersen's The Ugly Duckling.

Saucy Jack and the Space Vixens

Review
★★
M Johnson
Edinburgh Fringe
C venues – C
13th Aug, 2018

Saucy Jack and the Space Vixens is the plastic-and-glitter-wearing spiritual sister of shows such as The Rocky Horror Picture Show.

Status

Review
★★★
M Johnson
Edinburgh Fringe
Summerhall
21st Aug, 2018

Chris Thorpe's solo show for this year is about grappling with national identity as a white british man.

Thor and Loki

Thor and Loki is a wildly silly parody adaptation of the Ragnarok myth that is heaps of fun – even if it does go on a bit.

Grace

Katie Reddin-Clancy’s solo show has the potential to be fantastic – with a delicious, sharply observed script that is slickly performed.

Valerie

Through the thick haze and wash lights, the three piece band of performers that make up Valerie can just be seen, shimmering like figures from the past.

Flight

Review
★★★
M Johnson
Edinburgh Fringe
Summerhall
12th Aug, 2018

Darkfield – creators of last years Séance – have brought their shipping container back to Summerhall for their latest aeronautically themed immersive audio performance, Flight…

Yen

Review
★★★
M Johnson
UK Regional & Tours
The Bunker Theatre / The Old Joint Stock
17th Jun, 2018

Gritty Theatre is living up to its name with their current performance of Anna Jordan’s Yen.

The Staff Room

It is really reassuring to see an honest piece about the hard work of being a teacher, whilst also avoiding a bland generic sanctifying of all teachers.

I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change

Review
★★
M Johnson
Edinburgh Fringe
C venues – C
23rd Aug, 2017

I Love you, You’re Perfect, Now Change is earnestly performed by a youthful and small cast – the reason for scraping the second star – but the uninspired script and the overa…

The Sandman

This Victoriana adaptation of a gothic adaptation of a children’s fairy tale figure is not exactly breaking new ground.

Our Carnal Hearts

Our Carnal Hearts is a wicked and totally absorbing cathartic purging experience, exalting the darker shades of humanity that dwell within us all.

Red Button

Red Button is a quirky and peculiar piece of science fiction theatre that doesn’t quite find its feet.

The Emily Triptych

Emily Dickinson is flitting about the meeting room in the Quaker Meeting House.

Pre-View

Traverse Theatre is currently hosting rehearsed readings of pieces from graduates at the University of Edinburgh’s Playwriting Masters course.

Avalon

This is an insight into a piece of work in its infancy, and it does have a long way to go before it stands on its own two feet.

A Different Way Home

In A Different Way Home we hear from two estranged members of the same family as they share their sides of a complex family story with us – chiefly how they manage grief after lo…

Brave Macbeth

If you feel sceptical about the idea of Macbeth as a comedy for children, let me put your mind at rest.

The Intimate Strangers: Mister Bond

The Intimate Strangers: Mister Bond is one of those shows made up from two guys (most of the time), a collection of wigs, cloaks, scarves and, guns that are mixed together with a w…

Anathema

Anathema is a promising first piece of work from Bearded Dog Theatre, starting strong with difficult topics not often discussed on stage – specifically the issue of male rape.

Robin Hood

This slick performance of Robin Hood by Manhattan Children’s Theatre (Edinburgh) will leave you laughing, humming the songs, and with a strange desire to shout ‘Hail King Richa…

Robin’s Hood

C Theatre’s production of Robin’s Hood is a silly pantomime style show featuring the classic characters.

Trumpageddon

Trumpageddon has a strong premise – a facile Q and A with the man of the hour.

The Lulu Show: Life on the Never-Never

The Lulu Show: Life on the Never-Never is exactly what you want from a cabaret.

Mavis Sparkle

There is more to Mavis Sparkle than meets the eye.

Joan

An unashamedly silly retelling of the story of behind St.

The Snow Child

A short and well-formed chamber opera, which shows lots of potential, but needs to pick up on the details.

Reefer Madness

Reefer Madness is an adaptation of a PSA film from 1936 of the same name – famous for being embarrassingly awful – that warned parents of the dangers of marijuana.

Dreamcatcher

This is a show that had so much potential in its material and utilised none of it.

God's Anointed

Grace and Laurie are two friends who decide to become prophets, in order to disprove the dying words of their friend, Eve, who recently committed suicide.

Immortal

A splendidly constructed World War Two piece, that struggles to be heard.

Holmes & Watson: The Farewell Tour

Sherlock Holmes meets a theatrical farce in this intelligently written double act that sparkles like the Blue Carbuncle.

Journeys

A Spaniard, a Frenchman, an Englishwoman and an Italian get on a train and treat us to a series of energetic and amusing clowning sketches that weave together the stories of the in…

As Yet Undecided

As Yet Undecided is an intriguing piece of ‘nonfiction’ with a cast of characters including Doubt, Time and Procrastination.

I Used to Hear Footsteps

Review
★★★
M Johnson
Edinburgh Fringe
Summerhall
25th Aug, 2016

A documentary style piece of storytelling which merges fact and fiction, past and present in an interesting tale, that sadly fails to curdle the blood.

Bang! To the Heart

I you are looking for a bombastically visual hip hop dance show, and you don’t mind a nonsensical and cliché plot, this is the show for you.

Finders Keepers

Review
★★★★
M Johnson
Edinburgh Fringe
Zoo
17th Aug, 2016

Hot Coals Theatre have put together a slick physical comedy, full of beat-perfect gags leaving you laughing out loud at the flick of an eyebrow, whilst some of the more grotesqu…

Bloody Mary

Timelines blur as Queen Mary Tudor stands reading the Financial Times in this capable performance that draws parallels between the purging reign of Bloody Mary and the policies of …

Hurricane Michael

Hurricane Michael is the kind of production I come to Fringe to see: a very specific, niche show, seemingly outside of my interests, that is found to be a surprisingly charming hou…

Skrimshanks

“We have a reviewer in tonight” crows a tall, stunning, grotesquely padded and malformed white-painted clown.

Beyond Price

This is a wonderfully complex piece; part intertwining story, part vocalised ruminations of Jack Klaff, a Fringe veteran who gives a stunning performance.

Dawns Ysbrydion / Ghost Dance

Review
★★
M Johnson
Edinburgh Fringe
Zoo Southside
31st Aug, 2015

Ghost Dance, or Dawns Ysbrydion as is the Welsh title, uses three female dancers to explore the parallels between the displacement of Native Americans and the Ghost Dance of 1890 �…

Tall Women in Clogs

A surprisingly funny show made up of a series of bizarre vignettes including film, speeches, dance (there is some dancing in clogs, but nowhere near as you expect from the title), …

Father Christmas Needs a Wee!

An entertaining pantomime-esque show that is great fun for both adults and children.

Beauty Of The Beast

A slow burn performance, which builds to a surprisingly hard hitting climax, using a dance and self-aware comedy.

The Wendy House Trilogy: Edmund

This is a show I really wanted to enjoy; each part of the production tries very hard to achieve an ambitious vision, but don’t quite make it.

Let England Shake

Review
★★
M Johnson
Edinburgh Fringe
SpaceTriplex
29th Aug, 2015

Let England Shake is a dark and funny performance full of good ideas and performed by a great all-female ensemble.

The Hobbit

The American High School Theatre Festival brings a sliver of Tolkien’s Middle Earth to an Edinburgh stage in their very ambitious fantasy adaptation of The Hobbit, performed usin…

Correction

This is a mesmerising, funny and well-crafted example of modern choreography, which explores what you can achieve when you are put under restrictions.

Early Grave, Fashionably Late

Come and join Mr Cooper Sullivan as he tells the tale of how he became embroiled in a murder which takes him on a wild adventure that will have you giggling the whole way though.

Fourth Monkey's Grimm Tales: The Bloody Countess

Fourth Monkey are back with another stellar ensemble piece, providing late night gothic horror - even more frightening, as it is based on a real-life horror story.

To Kill a Machine

Review
★★★★
M Johnson
Edinburgh Fringe
Zoo
13th Aug, 2015

Performed by a superb cast, this is a painful and tragic exploration of Alan Turing’s life and the many attempts to break him as a person.

This Much (or An Act of Violence Towards the Institution of Marriage)

Review
★★★★
M Johnson
Edinburgh Fringe
Zoo
22nd Aug, 2015

This Much (or An Act of Violence Towards the Institution of Marriage), despite its lengthy title, is a fast-paced, intense and powerful piece of new writing, filled with intriguing…

A Very British Childhood

We are invited into the supposedly idyllic lives of an average suburban family, where absolutely nothing is amiss.

Rent

A solid production of Rent that will entertain you for an evening but won’t remain with you.

Distinguished Gentlemen (But Really Just a Couple of ***ts)

This is a lewd, ridiculous and over the top show that will leave you stunned and cackling.

A Midsummer Night's Dream

A solid and entertaining piece of Shakespeare that’s well handled by its young cast.

Brush

This is a sweet and imaginative show that really draws you into the story that the delightful characters wish to tell.

Dyspraxia and Politics: The Two Sides to Don Biswas

Learning difficulties, the truth in conspiracy theories and politics are the topics of a brave stand up.

Flight

Flight is an incredibly impressive example of acrobatic theatre, if not a particularly interesting take on the story of The Little PrinceThe storyline follows the original as close…

Wilde Without the Boy

This is a haunting and powerful solo show that lingers with you long after leaving the theatre, sticking closely to Oscar Wilde’s signature style: simultaneously intellectual and…

Butoh Beethoven

In a piece that is at times frightening, at times energising and constantly absorbing, solo-performer Vangeline is our white-collared conductor, guiding us through a piece which ab…

The Periodic Fable

Science and panto combine in this energetic family romp that means well, but ultimately fails to stick together as a whole.

Titania – A Solo Cabaret

A really specific, niche or academic inspiration for a show, adapted in a completely unexpected style that still absolutely suits the material with high levels of audience interact…

Jekyll

Review
★★
M Johnson
Edinburgh Fringe
C venues - C
13th Aug, 2015

Hypnotist Theatre have a story they wish to yell at you, loudly, while writhing in semi-darkness so we cannot actually see whose story it is.

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