★★★★

“Amongst all the chaos, there emerge moments of haunting beauty”

Making its London début after a premiere in Belfast earlier this year, acclaimed choreographer Michael Keegan-Dolan’s and company Taeċ-Daṁsa’s Nobodaddy (subtitled in Irish as Tríd an bpoll gan bun – Through the bottomless pit) is a surreal, beautiful and kaleidoscopic work that fizzes with energy. Taking inspiration and its name from a deity created by William Blake, Keegan-Dolan makes inventive use of the company of nine dancers and seven musicians to produce a profoundly moving work.

The performance starts with a discussion in a hospital between two employees – dressed more like FBI agents than hospital porters – about a patient (Rachel Poirier) who, due to their lack of insurance, is lying helpless on the floor in the centre of the stage. In the face of the indifference of the hospital employees, the patient scrambles to her feet, dresses herself in a red and black suit, and white shirt, and begins the dance. Throughout the piece, Poirier is captivating, commanding the stage with acts of both tenderness and violence. She embodies a chaotic energy that forms one of the twin poles around which the performance rotates, the other being American folk singer and multi-instrumentalist Sam Amidon, whose calm presence marks him as one of the ‘peacemakers’ to whom Keegan-Dolan dedicates this work.

The choreography is innovative: employing a variety of items to create an ever-shifting stage set, including a step ladder and safety mat, a collection of folding chairs, plastic wrap, and a large, mobile box which dancers enter, hang from, and mount. Amongst this set the performers dance and play music, interacting with one another both as their movements respond to the music and more directly as dancers almost crash into musicians. Lighting designer Adam Silverman supports this setting with strobes and other interesting lighting techniques. The piece is contemporary in style and the grace and control with which the dancers move is magnificent, this is especially true of Amit Noy and Ryan O’Neil, who give excellent performances. Doey Lüthi’s costume design is effective: performers wear either red dress suits or grey suits, with Amidon marked out in a black suit. The oddness of the attire adds to the dreamlike atmosphere of the piece.

The music ranges from baroque-inflected classical string trios to euphoric acid techno, passing folk songs and Irish dances, and much is the original work of the Nobodaddy band. This variety in accompaniment is a strength of the piece and the presence of the musicians on stage adds further depth to an already complex performance. Especially commendable performers are the string trio (Alice Purton: cello; Mayah Kadish: violin; Flora Curzon: violin) and live electronic musician Jelle Roozenburg, who casts a comedically isolated figure that must be almost dragged into ensemble numbers.

Amongst all the chaos, there emerge moments of haunting beauty. For Nobodaddy, Amidon selected and arranged a collection of folk songs about death and migration, tracing the shared diasporic history of poverty and toil that binds the United States and Ireland. For all the dazzling brilliance of the choreography and staging, the moments in which the entire ensemble come together to sing these old songs, structured by repetition, and marked with longing and regret, are utterly sublime. The use of a bubble machine in one climatic choral number is surprisingly affecting, the bubbles evoking the transient beauty of human existence. In their sincerity, these moments are transcendental and capture the peace that can be found among discord.

CINDERELLA at the Festival Theatre

★★★★

“a spectacular night out with family and friends in a familiar venue hosted by our favourite stars”

If it’s glitz, glamour and banter performed by local talent, Edinburgh’s own Cinderella is the panto you’ve been looking for. The Crossroads Production of this much loved Christmas favourite has something for everyone, whether you’re a glamorous gran or a sleepy babe in arms. There won’t be any time for naps or time outs though, because this is a show where everyone gets involved, thanks to the experienced crowd management talents of Allan Stewart (Faerie May), Grant Stott (Baroness Hibernia Fortuna) and Jordan Young (Buttons).

Panto has long been an Edinburgh tradition, even if familiar names and faces retire from time to time. The traditional venue changes from time to time as well. This year’s production is at the Festival Theatre while the Kings Theatre (affectionately known as the Old Lady of Leven Street) undergoes a face lift. This 2024 Cinderella is heavy on tradition too, with familiar jokes about politics at Holyrood, and the state of play at the Hibernian Football Club down the road in Leith. Towns outside Edinburgh are lovingly mocked, but local scandals are also given brief airings, much to the delight of the crowd. In short, this is Panto as it used to be done, with a hefty tribute to music hall traditions, and its variety show talents. This includes some updated songs with the magnificent voices of Cinderella (Amber Sylvia Edwards) and her Prince (Will Callan).

Fabulous. But what about the plot of Cinderella? All the familiar elements are there, including a bit of backstory about how our heroine came to have a horrible stepmother and two ugly stepsisters. Prince Charming is very charming indeed and not above sneaking out of his palace to meet his love in places less stressful than a huge ball with everyone looking on. In this version, an upwardly mobile and career oriented Cinders aims for a job as Royal Advisor to the Prince. There are a number of similar updates, but this is still recognizably Cinderella. But make no mistake: Edinburgh’s Cinderella belongs to Faerie May (aka The Fairy Godmother). If there’s one weakness to all this updating, it’s that the story of Cinders and her Prince is barely sketched in. But given the number of elaborate costume changes that have to take place, it’s not surprising that Faerie May, the villianous Baroness and the ever cheeky Buttons have the lion’s share of time on stage.

But we’re here for a spectacular night out with family and friends in a familiar venue hosted by our favourite stars. And this Cinderella delivers spectacle in spades. There’s Faerie May’s star spangled descent from the rafters at the beginning of the show, and an eye popping end of the first half involving real ponies and a pumpkin carriage. The even more sparkly grand finale does not disappoint— one could attend this production in full ballgown and tiara and not feel overdressed. But it’s the comic talents of Allan Stewart as Faerie May that keep this show down to earth and accessible to all. Whether it’s putting Cinderella at ease, or dealing with a delightful seven year old girl from the audience upstaging him while his back is turned, Stewart shows that panto experience is key, and age is only a number. Grant Stott as Baroness Hibernia owns the stage with his incredible costumes and an attitude to match. And Jordan Young as Buttons pours such energy into his trademark “Hiya Paaaals” that some local business should probably bottle it and make a fortune. All this, and the show still has a Cinderella (Amber Sylvia Edwards) and a Prince Charming (Will Callan) who manage to hold their own despite all the mayhem going on around them. With supporting players Clare Gray and Gail Watson as the Ugly Sisters, and Iain Stuart Robertson as Baron Hardup, Cinderella has a talented and sympathetic ensemble who know exactly how to play to an Edinburgh crowd.

This Cinderella is a show that knows its community, and plays to it well. So if you’re looking for something unique to Edinburgh and its holiday traditions, this Scottish flavoured panto has plenty to please.

NOBODADDY (TRÍD AN BPOLL GAN BUN) at Sadler’s Wells Theatre

★★★★

“Amongst all the chaos, there emerge moments of haunting beauty”

NOBODADDY (TRÍD AN BPOLL GAN BUN) at Sadler’s Wells Theatre

Reviewed on 27th November 2024

by Rob Tomlinson

Photography by Emilija Jefremova

Previously reviewed at Sadler’s Wells venues:

NOBODADDY

NOBODADDY

CINDERELLA at the Festival Theatre

★★★★

“a spectacular night out with family and friends in a familiar venue hosted by our favourite stars”

CINDERELLA at the Festival Theatre

Reviewed on 26th November 2024

by Dominica Plummer

Photography by Douglas Robertson

More reviews from Dominica:

Cinderella

Cinderella