Category Archives: Live theatre

The Great Performance Debate

Commedia Dell’arte Dr Gareth K Vile, great friend of mine and brilliant thinker, recently ruminated on the great Scottish theatre debate, because some critics hadn’t been invited to the musical version of ‘One Day’ : is it dying? I can’t speak to a broader academic discourse, as I’m a university dropout, and not a doctorContinue reading “The Great Performance Debate”

The End Of The End Of The Pier, As We Knew It

Noel Edmonds and Mr Blobby: nightmare fuel Jokes which don’t land, surprises which are deeply humiliating to all involved, rubbish ventriloquism with cheap puppets, hellish Saturday night quiz shows, the Brian Rogers Connection and Robin Askwith… Welcome to television in the UK, circa 78- 95. This, readers, was the not- so golden era of lightContinue reading “The End Of The End Of The Pier, As We Knew It”

Theatre Preview: Mr Blackpool

Mr Blackpool May 2026 – The Lowry in partnership with Word of Warning, Attenborough Centre for the Creative Arts and Brighton Festival, Blackpool Grand TheatreImage Credit Matt Crockett“At the end of the world there’ll still be a showgirl kicking her legs behind her ears and thank god for that” Salford, Brighton and Blackpool, prepare to beContinue reading “Theatre Preview: Mr Blackpool”

Theatre Review: Saint Joan

Perth Theatre, March 4th, 2026. Director Stewart Laing makes work that occupies liminal spaces, so it was perhaps inevitable that he would take on an adaptation of George Bernard Shaw’s play Saint Joan, in his characteristically complex, radical style. By adapting Shaw’s unfinished film script and transposing it to stage in a raw, sparse styleContinue reading “Theatre Review: Saint Joan”

Archive Theatre Review: Girl In The Machine

The List . Love is not the only drug in Stef Smith’s eerie sci-fi two-hander Share: Author: Lorna Irvine Love is not the only drug in Stef Smith’s eerie sci-fi two-hander It’s the near future. On the surface, Polly (Rosalind Sydney) and Owen (Michael Dylan) seem a well-matched couple: attractive, and witty thirty somethings (she’s aContinue reading “Archive Theatre Review: Girl In The Machine”

Keep It Live

There’s nothing like seeing artists playing live. The energy, that electricity that can’t be replicated elsewhere is one of my favourite experiences in life. New artists are passionate and give their all. At the moment, though, I’m recovering from hip replacement surgery, so unable to see music like I used to. This town has noContinue reading “Keep It Live”

The Lolita Problem

Kidcore; Jenna Ortega as ‘Wednesday’, ‘St Trinians’, ‘Pretty Baby’, Jodie Foster in ‘Taxi Driver ‘, a young Britney Spears, Natalie Portman’s early roles, Kawaii, groupie tales, sexy young models, schoolgirl strippers, Page 3 and of course, the book from which the fetish arose- these are all massive cultural touchstones for many fans of pop culture.Continue reading “The Lolita Problem”

Archive Review: Happy Days, Tron Theatre

Exeunt exeunt Reviews • Glasgow • ScotlandPublished 21 May 2015 Happy Days Tron Theatre ⋄ 15th – 23rd May 2015 Bleakly hilarious. Lorna Irvine Credit: John Johnston Samuel Beckett wrote brilliant, multi-faceted female characters, so when quintessential actress and his personal favourite, Billie Whitelaw, passed away in December of last year, she left an irreplaceable space in theatre. It seems,Continue reading “Archive Review: Happy Days, Tron Theatre”