UP! (Edinburgh Festivals Magazine) Up! Is a tale of opposites. Of good luck and bad luck. Love and loss. Fate and chance. It is a light-hearted take on two perceived to be lucky and unlucky individuals coming together in circumstances that could prove to be lucky or unlucky depending on your point of view! Up! is aimed at young adults and swirls with a plethora of props, models and object theatre. The two central characters are expressive, in sync and likeable as they swap stories and produce (akin to a magic show) a number of dolls, toys and everyday tiny things. At times the presentation seemed a little childlike in nature as toy planes zoomed around and soft toys told the story. Confusingly, the set had more of a classroom feel than that of a plane and the use of a white board introducing contextual lessons only added to this. But there is a deeper meaning too. The explanation of Heraclitus’ concept of ‘The Unity of Opposites’ was thought provoking and having the characters unpack a suitcase of the stories of their lives was a nice illustration of the discovery of each other and themselves. Overall Up! provides a playful feel to a serious subject. It develops a storyline of contrasts and might makes you question your original perceptions. With themes of connections and humour, self-doubt and hope this fantasy table top exploration is there to be discovered.

LOST LEAR (Edinburgh Festivals Magazine) The most brilliant creative twist on a Shakespearian classic with common themes of memory, madness, forgiveness and that overarching ask of love. This performance unveils with increasing empathy, uncertainty and intensity before reaching a shattering conclusion. A small cast, minimal wardrobe, evocative puppetry and deliberately large and close up projections combine to set the scene of a modern day nursing home. Venetia Bowe excels as the central character of Joy, an elderly lady resident and ex-actress who has dementia. Bowe effortlessly switches tone between her dramatic depictions of the King and his daughter Cordelia as every day Joy loses herself in the momentum of rehearsing scenes from King Lear. This contrasts beautifully as Bowe returns to Joy herself with her fluctuating states of mind. The use of puppetry here too aches with a realistic and familiar visual sadness. There are many correlations to be made here between the story of Joy and King Lear, including the complexity of the parent child relationship. The epic nature of dementia is also promoted to centre stage as Joy heartbreakingly tries to ‘make something out of nothing’. Lost Lear is a supremely powerful piece of work that weaves and unravels the most extraordinary of scenarios. A shadowing curtain provides a divide between truth and expression and when you watch it draw for the final time you will be very glad you did.

STANDING IN THE SHADOW OF GIANTS (Edinburgh Festivals Magazine) For ten weeks Lucie Barât had twin baby brothers. The older of the two, sadly died, changing the family’s life forever. The ‘surprise’ younger baby went on to become the frontman of rock band The Libertines. Both of these events were to become pivotal in Lucie’s life. Lucie’s story is autobiographical, one of trying to find herself, as she recklessly attempts to claim her identity and worth. The bond she has with her surviving rockstar brother is strong, but tested, amidst his rise to fame contrasted with her own descent into despair. The show’s pace quickens with vicarious hedonism; bigger highs leading to even bigger lows and tell all moments of vomiting on Hollywood stars. The show slows uncomfortably when describing her doubts, losses and violations. She moves around the space to suit the mood. Lucie delivers with variety and honesty, sharing her demons and desires with the audience. There is much wit and self-depreciation, providing flickers of light in the often bleak accounts of her journey. She showcases a talented singing voice as though still something to prove. Standing In The Shadows of Giants exposes some grim truths and shines the spotlight on Lucie that she once craved so badly. But most importantly it is bookended by the story of her recovery and growth, a feat not so small in stature itself.

The Ad breaks. She was fascinated from an early age. The combo of art and psychology with a call to action in such a short time period was genius. The Chinheads et al. She won a ‘marketeer v’s musketeer’ debate illustrating how campaigns could change the world. How, in the right hands, the pen will always be mightier than the sword. ‘I’m gonna create’ she said, promptly winning every library competition for four years in a row and living in blissful ignorance of whether she was gifted or the only entry. She did. Her first imaginary ad was buoyed by the appearance of a Soda Stream around the time of the Bucks Fizz winning Eurovision entry. She visualised aged 9. You gotta speed it up (kid presses the fizz button quickly) And then you gotta slow it down (kid pulls handle down slowly) And when you believe that a love can hit the top (lime green syrup squirting upwards) You gotta play around (kid shakes the bottle to disperse said colour) And then you will find that there comes a time for making your mind up (kids family gleefully choose from array of flavours on supermarket shelf)
 At school she shunned the list of work experience placements and created her own with Pintail Design and Marketing. Agog at the row of Pantone pens and blank pages. Higher education proved that supply and demand curves did not suit her as much as winging it with words. She filled her boots with enjoyable qualifications. One educational experience led her to an ad agency tour where her lecturer bestowed the virtues of account management opportunities but she dreamed instead of ideas in the attic. Adpartners selected her in their final 5 to meet an Absolut Vodka brief. A bottle beside a carton of milk, some drops spilt on top of Dr. Feelgood’s 45rpm of ‘Milk and Alcohol’.
 The caption … Absolutlait Next stop a Portakabin. With attic vibes. Compiled many a poetic wine list by gut feeling and overuse of the words elderflower and autumn tones. To the education sector. A college specialising in vocational courses. Prospectus design and copywriting from scratch. Created SFEU award winning campaigns under her strapline … ‘Courses For the Real World’
 ‘I can do this for myself’ she said and clever river was born. Meeting briefs and brief meetings. Pitches and proposals to clients from garden centres to The Scottish Executive. Audience Development for Scottish Ballet. Aimed at increasing the number of 16-25 year old attenders involved running an alternative creative campaign to promote The Nutcracker. Suggestive dangling of a pair of chestnuts coupled with images of girls nights out ‘have a cracking night out on us this Christmas’ or alongside romantic couples ‘Drive your partner nuts with free tickets’ At the time it was revolutionary to ask people to Text to Win so she did. Then they did. Overall Scottish Ballet did with the campaign target numbers being exceeded. Scotland’s Colleges needed lots of technical copy to implement the Scottish Credit Qualifications Framework into the College sector. Info pack nominated for a Beacon Award. But to lighten the load with retro vibes she also created a 70s style Mastermind online peg game with qualifications moving around until the levels were correct and the lights were lit. The Scottish Canoe Association benefitted from her TV ad and her sponsorship prizes. She corrected her dad who was surprised there was an association for Gnu’s. Folklore tales proved a winner for Girvan Online. It seems international users love a Sawney Bean narrative. Won Calor Gas tourism & community website of the year. ‘Can you find Sawney’s Hairy Tree?’ led not just to an animated global forum but a brand new tourism attraction as visitors sought to be the first. She managed the Burns an’ a’ that Festival creating new events like Burnsfest and Burns On the Beach. With very little budget she hired nostalgic music acts like Chesney Hawkes. She took the Facebook page from scratch to over 17k followers and she and her team played with the Scots language creating unique festival attractions including ‘The Mercat, Jook About Ceilidh, Burns Howf, The Haverin’ Hoolie, The Chillootery, Scran Street, Some Comedy Yeah, The Poe-Tree, Bairns Bunnet, Haggis Hunt and more!’
 She experienced a tourism nature journey in Finland and wrote a piece on ‘Bears, berries and getting back’ used in a UNESCO Biosphere publication. ‘Our landscapes yell diversity. Our experiences are plentiful. Our coastlines are sandy and beautiful, our hills rolling and green. If you are looking for highlands, islands, lochs, purple mountains or even a return to a cityscape, it is never far away. We are part of one of the world’s most beautiful countries and our nature is leading the way … ‘ She won a bursary funded place from The Jean Armour Trust to Glasgow University School of Arts to study at the Centre for Robert Burns Studies. ‘A Man’s A Man For A’ That would be one of the last pieces Burns would ever write in his lifetime. … Stanza five almost takes the form of a standalone prayer. It makes a plea for common sense. It nods to a better future. It concludes something supremely powerful yet kind, showing Burns as a true humanitarian. It has the ambition to change minds.
 She decided somebody should write and create thelandoburns.com from scratch to bring together all the worldwide locations connected to one of the world’s best poets and writers. Then continuing the ‘legendary Scottish Robert’s’ theme she wrote about Robert the Bruce for ‘Bruce’s’ Web trail app and restored the original name Carraig to create visitcarraig.com Her work with SEALL Arts on the Isle of Skye took her back to selling tickets, creating content and increasing social engagement. With the added bonus of Scottish Gaelic. What is now an annual stint reviewing Edinburgh Fringe acts for Edfest Mag reinforced her joy of writing as she succinctly captured the essence of someone else’s imagination. Then BOOM ... a course with ex Guardian writer Peter Carty in travel writing burned in her brain as a way to combine her passions. This is percolating as she writes. Sometimes she wondered ‘Do my brands look big (enough) in this?’ … but then she remembered Chesney ;) She was on the cusp of stuff. Maybe different stuff. She searched for an attic.

A tale of two UNESCO Biospheres in South West Scotland and Eastern Finland … It is three years on since I ventured to Finland for the first time. I was part of a group of representatives from the Galloway and Southern Ayrshire UNESCO Biosphere making our way towards a nature tourism learning journey to the North Karelia UNESCO Biosphere. I had definitely jumped at the chance. Nature – tourism – learning - journey. All four words struck a chord and when I read about how we would be taking part in a slow triathlon I was hooked and up for biking, hiking and sailing in new to me places like Mohko and Ilomantsi. North Karelia Biosphere boasts Koli National Park and over 2,000 lakes. The region is around 70% covered in forest with a rich Karelian culture. The communities aim is to address global problems with local solutions, foster nature and find sustainable ways of living. I’ll cut to the climax. It was an amazing trip. The people gelled. The itinerary was well thought out. The food and drink plentiful. We learned how to ‘play’ the kantele and enjoyed inspirational historians, musicians, entrepreneurs and local people. We discovered berries! The best things in life are free … But it really is true that the best things in life are free because, along with the people, it was the air, earth, fire and water that took hold of the senses. It was the hot cold therapy and the thrill of perhaps coming face to face with a bear that made us feel alive. (Hopefully!) Nights in the tipi with burning logs, star gazing and the authentic Finnish sauna. The coldest boat trip known to man! Their highest hill wasn’t ‘Scotland’ high but it was cute and the flat lands seemed somehow less flat when my companion performed a bumpy bike somersault! The Finnish location is remote. Just 2km from the Russian border where you were more likely to spot a crowd of bears than a crowd of people. It was quiet, it was secluded and it lacked the Christmas appeal of its popular neighbour Lapland. But this was its appeal. For those who really want to get away from it all this is a great shout. Flights from Edinburgh to Helsinki then Helsinki to Joensuu, followed by road travel following a line of a million trees took us to a picturesque spot worthy of a Facebook ‘check in’ ;) Outside is where it is at … Who knew 6 months later a pandemic would hit and we would be locked up. Kept in. Who knew then that nature was about to extend its grasp to those who had paid it little heed. Not only had it space to recover and thrive but it was yelling ‘hey folks, remember me!’ Suddenly a walk was a luxury. Fresh air was the saviour. The people took to hill climbing and paddle boarding in their hoards. Bikes were dusted off. Ebike sales soared. Kayaks, scooters, CrossFit reminded our dwellers that outside is where it is at. Embrace the friluftsliv! Some of us didn’t need convincing. Others gave it a shot and returned to the safety of the pubs revolving door. But many converts seem to be here to stay. Wild swimming groups cropped up everywhere bestowing the positive mental and physical health benefits for all. It had always been obvious to some but now it was obvious to most that in Scotland our nature is tourism ready! Sure a few better placed signs wouldn’t go a miss but we are open, we are wild, we are adventure playground and wellness retreat combined. Find the place nobody has been … We have hills, mountains, seas, stretches of beach and coastline, lochs, greenery, gardens, rivers, paths, wildlife, beauty, bothies, eagles, snow, surf, breathable air, wild camping. We have specialists who can guide you, train you, accompany you on your adventure. We, along with nature, can make you feel energised, accomplished, relaxed, peaceful, exhilarated, inspired, welcome. Bring the right clothes! Ditch them if summer randomly appears. Feel the rain on your face and the sun on your back – often on the same day! There is no wrong way to do nature. Apart from irresponsibly. Enjoy it solo or Insta the hell out of it! If you climbed to the top of that Munro, you deserve some recognition! Like, like, love your beach fire angle and your waterfall jump. Go forth and market! Up the ante. Find the place nobody has been as though it just appeared upon your wandering radar. The fresh seafood experience to die for, vamp up your glamp, make friends with a highland cow, drive the Bealach na Bas (not for the faint hearted!) A triumph of nature … Yip outdoors is hot (ish). And kind of free. In this cost of living crisis we won’t be beaten on living our best lives. We want to find gin distilleries and pizza shacks in Scotland’s back gardens (yes, really). Run out of ‘wow’ related superlatives as we witness view after view! So in this triumph of Scottish nature where does the Galloway and Southern Ayrshire UNESCO biosphere fit in? Have you ever tried to explain a biosphere to anyone without them asking ‘but what exactly is it?’ ‘what is there to do?’ Here comes the science part … The Galloway and Southern Ayrshire UNESCO Biosphere is one of only seven UNESCO biosphere areas within the UK and one of only two in Scotland. It has been recognised internationally as a world class environment for people and nature. Special huh. This special designation awarded by UNESCO is recognition of the fantastic array of landscapes, wildlife, cultural heritage and learning opportunities offered for communities, businesses and visitors to experience and celebrate in a sustainable way. A world first, yes, a world first … So in short, it’s something to shout about. It might not be a tangible attraction per se but it’s a destination in itself. A geographical boundary that might just blow your mind. It’s also punching above its weight by forming part of the world’s first UNESCO trail! ‘What’s that?’ ask the Up The Ante’s! ‘We love a world first’. Well how do you feel about some of Scotland’s most iconic, diverse and culturally significant collabs? World Heritage Sites, Global Geoparks and Creative Cities are hanging out with the cool kid Biosphere. Therefore nature lovers are hanging out with history, science, music, design, literature and cityscape lovers in a world first, I repeat, world first pioneering initiative with its very own digital trail www.visitscotland.com/unesco-trail and a wealth of wonders within. So South of Scotland has a lot to shout about. We know your heart is in the highlands and you don’t want to miss out Edinburgh but if you really want ‘undiscovered’ give us a try! Check out our top ten guide of biosphere discoveries! You won’t be disappointed! Top Ten Guide to Galloway and Southern Ayrshire Biosphere … 1. Explore Robert Burns birthplace village of Alloway and final home of Dumfries! 2. Marvel at the unique land installation of Crawick Multiverse! 3. Find ancient castles and castle ruins including Culzean, Drumlanrig and Dunure! 4. Go on a unique safari to discover deer or highland coos! 5. Visit the first UK designated international Dark Sky park! 6. Climb The Merrick, the Biosphere’s highest hill! 7. Take in the beauty, waterfalls, flora and fauna and environmental art of Glentrool 8. Be exhilarated by outdoor adventures in the forest, water or mountains with guides! 9. Learn about cooking, creative writing, distilleries, foraging, history or herbal folklore! 10. Walk the Ayrshire Coastal Path for beaches and so much more This is just a biosphere taster. There is so much more out there in terms of landscapes, wildlife, hidden snugs, rolling hills, charming villages, bays, forests, friendly people, food & drink, world class golf courses, seaside fish & chips and family attractions. Phew! Public transport is very doable in this area. You can get trains from Glasgow to most places and local bus services are pretty regular too. Or drive the South West Coastal 300, the road trip for lovers of Scotland and fall in love with everything ‘OMG stop the car!’ you see. So whether your vibe is bears and berries or you prefer a bit of Burns and beauty, the North Karelia Biosphere and the Galloway and Southern Ayrshire Biosphere are a great place to start. Nature tourism is oh so ready and our brilliant biospheres are leading the way!

SPIN CYCLES (Edinburgh Festivals Magazine) Jamie-Lee Money’s fringe debut Spin Cycles is an honest and hectic insight into dealing with grief in the modern world. Our character and her spin bike collectively take centre stage as she channels her fluctuating emotions through the routine and perseverance of taking class. The story is delivered with great wit and cynicism and wonderfully switches gear between the pressure of deadline, the distraction of interns and alcohol and the memories of happier times. When the music eerily reaches crescendo her deepest darkest thoughts are revealed. We witness our character’s mind keep pace with her pedalling. Eyes fixated then distant. The cogs of her overwhelmed and grief stricken brain spinning alongside the wheels of her bike. A reminder we are not supposed to stop. Don’t give up. ‘Sweat out the sadness’. Spin Cycles is a highly relatable piece for anyone struggling with loss or impending loss. It beautifully illustrates the fragility of suppression and the absurdity of coping amidst today’s manic pace of life. The bike prop providing both an outlet for resentment and therapy. Jamie-Lee Money performs it beautifully. With laugh out loud moments, health awareness tips and flickers of sarcasm she keeps it real. Already spinning when the audience enter, her tale symbolises an ongoing journey. One that many of us will be on. Edinburgh Fringe 2023 edfestmag.com photo credit : Alex Cameron

BISWA KALYAN RATH (Edinburgh Festivals Magazine) It takes a certain amount of courage of course to perform unscripted stand up but it also commands a degree of likeability and Biswa Kalyan Rath had this in droves. His casual entrance following a showbiz style introduction exuded a relaxed and informal vibe. Armed with only a whiteboard and the audience at his disposal, the show consisted of passing the mic along each row, general chit chat with each member and doodling significant findings on the whiteboard. His skill was in tying it all together. Making the audience one. Describing the show as a ‘collaborative effort’ was his way of blaming the audience if it didn’t go well and there were moments where it was a little flat or he lingered too long. A couple of checks to his phone for time gave the slight impression of willing the end to come. But genuinely funny moments arose as Biswa psychologically dug into the amusing within often mundane descriptions. He wasn’t afraid to embark on riskier subjects but it was the deconstruction of a simple turn of phrase or everyday fact that led to the biggest laughs. Overall an enjoyable experience that could of course be hugely different every time he takes to the stage. Some audience members were unwittingly comedy gold and Biswa’s skill was in celebrating each of them. Creating an ensemble piece quite randomly each day. (Edinburgh Fringe 2023 edfestmag.com)

N.ORMES (Edinburgh Festivals Magazine) Wow! This piece was genuinely extraordinary. Pushing the boundaries of physicality, reimagining gender norms and doing so all with such tenderness and art. N.ormes had the audience spellbound and silent from the start. You could hardly catch a breath. N.Ormes epically describes the power struggle of human relationships. One minute finding joy and deep connections, the next demonstrating an aching need for acceptance, the betrayal of rejection and the desire to recapture feelings and a sense of togetherness. It does so through the medium of acrobatics. But these are before unseen acrobatics, utilising every part of the body and defying logic as to what is possible. At times it confuses in terms of scale and proportion. At times it is more contemporary dance. Poetic. Edgy. But it also throws gender roles out of the window. Meeting in the middle of equality and acceptance. Through a bare stage with only our protagonists and the symbolism of clothing we are immersed in an explorative journey of humankind. It tells a mesmerising story. Agathe and Adrien in co-production with Acting for Climate Montreal have created something unforgettable and special with N.Ormes. It is a performance of extreme talent and deep and meaningful beauty. It makes you think and it leaves you breathless. Edinburgh Fringe 2023 edfestmag.com photo credit : Thibault.Carron

BEN TARGET : LORENZO (Edinburgh Festivals Magazine) Ben Target’s Lorenzo immediately captures the imagination with its curated concoction of carpentry, cleverness, care schedules and chocolate biscuits! Ben delights and enthrals as a storyteller, skilfully animating his words in aptly the most inventive of ways, resulting in a jumble of light-hearted antics amongst intelligent learnings. The humour is sublime. Personality is at the heart of this show, both from Ben and his absent uncle Lorenzo. This unlikely pairing, united through silliness and invention, have found each other in a world of unkindness. Faced with the tragedy of Lorenzo’s path to death, they do their best to ace it with weekly activity schedules, retaliatory pranks and ginger nuts laced with morphine. But this tale is punctuated with pain. There is no shying from reality. No amount of frivolity will begin to touch the sides when faced with the helplessness of watching someone you love die. At times Ben stands before you broken. The tears are real. Ben celebrates the elderly as we should and shines a light on the care system as he tries to make things better. Lorenzo is a real tribute. Filled with joy, adoration, regret and the sadness of how rare it is to find someone who really gets you. That kind of person is unbearably hard to lose. The final scene brings the whole adventure together in such a feel good way that you will feel happy and honoured to have played a part in this exceptional journey of Ben and Uncle Lorenzo. Edinburgh Fringe 2023 edfestmag.com photo credit : Ed Moore

BEAUTIFUL EVIL THINGS (Edinburgh Festivals Magazine) Beautiful Evil Things is a force to be reckoned with. From the minute Deborah Pugh takes to the stage you can tell that something powerful is going to happen. Presenting as Medusa, the most famous and beautiful of the Gorgons, she sets about telling Trojan War stories in a fast, furious and demonstrative way, leaving the audience transfixed … as if turned to stone. Deborah thrashes, glides and struts her way through the scenes fittingly building the horror and drama. Armed only with a few simple props, the tension mounts with added mic effects and sly asides of wit and banter. What she uncovers is a fierce and captivating re-telling of Greek mythology, aiming to right the wrongs. Bringing the females to the fore. The brave Penthesilea, the prophetic Cassandra and the ‘worst wife ever’ Clytemnestra alongside Medusa and her sisters are the stars of the show, turning the tables on the so called heroes and Gods. This is girl power at its earliest and doesn’t waiver in pushing their fearsome agenda to rectify their demonised PR. Screaming ‘This is our story!’ There is indeed both beauty and evil in Deborah’s energetic performance. Alongside solidarity and friendship amongst our female warriors. Brought to you by Ad Infinitum whose aim is to provoke, move and inspire, this does all three. You might just leave the performance with a new mindset, your shoulders back and your head held high! Edinburgh Fringe 2023 edfestmag.com photo credit : Mia Lake

CRIZARDS THIS MEANS WAR (Edinburgh Festivals Magazine) Crizards This Means War is a bundle of joy! The type of show that will make you forget all your troubles as you become enraptured in this jaunty, entertaining and hilariously delivered romp. Taking the serious subject of war, Eddy Hare and Will Rowland use music and song, a horse and a fair few hats to bring it to life in a serious but oh so not serious way. Describing themselves as ‘the UK’s lowest energy double act’ is part of Crizards self-depreciating opener. As a duo they combine brilliantly and the storyline has you laughing from beginning to end. The tale tells of Private Grandad aiming to deliver a message and do his duty for his country but he is beset with obstacles in his way. The character introductions make the story. Especially the small Belgian boy with his love of numbers and his blundering comrade who dreams of being home with his wife amongst the apple orchards. The story switches from then to now as Private Grandad aspires to create a better life of office temping for his grandson so that he can afford to play the Fringe. Altogether Crizards is highly enjoyable. The first three hundred attenders receive a cute little badge but the show is worthy of many more viewers. Expect bravery, poignance, mischief and endearing vibes from this critically acclaimed team. But most of all expect to leave with a great big smile on your face. Edinburgh Fringe 2023 edfestmag.com photo credit : Rebecca Need-Menear

MARCEL LUCONT (Edinburgh Festivals Magazine) I’m not sure I expected to find one of my Fringe comedy highlights at a children’s show but at Marcel Lucont : Les Enfants Terribles – A Gameshow for Awful Children I definitely did! Located in the charming Piccolo Tent, the show was a treat from beginning to end. Marcel sets out to find the most awful child in the room, pitting contenders against each other in rounds such as ‘Let them eat cake’ and ‘Je ne sais quoi’. The kids pour to the stage to beat each other with wrong answers, ‘pet’ noises and joined up stories. The most animated segment had the kids pointing the finger at parents in the audience shouting ‘J’accuse’ as red spotlights illuminated each adults sins of falling into bushes, sleepwalking naked in hotels and eating cat food instead of Granola. But the show was an absolute gem due to Marcel himself. This barefooted insouciant raconteur is absolutely hilarious, providing a constant stream of lol moments. Exuding French superiority, his quick wittedness and quips have got me Googling him for more. This is a must if you have kids. Some of whom became stars themselves with their amusing answers and shining personalities. If you don’t have kids, borrow someone else’s because this is an hour of bon viveur that will honestly make your day! Edinburgh Fringe 2023 edfestmag.com