Summerhall

Edinburgh

www.summerhall.co.uk
15 October 2023
Kristin Hersh
Throwing Muses frontwoman (and Cello Pete!) deliver a low-key, acoustic set that hits all the right notes
Reviewed here

4 - 27 August 2023
Chicken
Rags-to-riches tale with a twist puts the bant into bantam
Reviewed here

4 - 20 August 2023
Lightning Ridge
Charming, inventive storytelling with a twinkle in its eye
Reviewed here

2 - 27 August 2023
Concerned Others
Technical wizardry that tells a story full of heart
Reviewed here

2 - 27 August 2023
Insomniac's Fable
Captivating and dreamy visual theatre
Reviewed here

2 - 27 August 2023
Without Sin
A beautifully executed reminder that strangers can be infinitely kind
Reviewed here

16 - 28 August 2022
La Merda
Breathtaking physical theatre with an extraordinary central performance
Reviewed here

16 - 28 August 2022
The Bush
Vibrant eco-comedy set in Sydney
Reviewed here

11 - 28 August 2022
Taiwan Season: TOMATO
A short, fun, experimental and thought-provoking piece of contemporary dance.
Reviewed here

4 - 28 August 2022
About Money
Cracking performances in timely taut production
Reviewed here

3 - 28 August 2022
Age Is A Feeling
Bracing blast of melancholy from writer and actor, Haley McGee
Reviewed here

3 - 28 August 2022
Boy
Complex, emotional and engaging, this will keep you thinking long after you have seen it.
Reviewed here

3 - 28 August 2022
Caste-ing
Punchy piece calling out ongoing discrimination faced by black actors
Reviewed here

3 - 28 August 2022
Double Drop
Uplifting comedy culture clash about a young girl torn between Welsh arts and rave
Reviewed here

3 - 28 August 2022
Dreams of the Small Gods
Wordless depiction of evolution, skilfully told through trapeze and floor work
Reviewed here

3 - 14 August 2022
False Start
Mesmerising physical theatre is as repetitive as it is riveting
Reviewed here

3 - 28 August 2022
Half-Empty Glasses
Lively drama about activism and ambition
Reviewed here

3 - 28 August 2022
In The Weeds
Monsters lurk in the deep in Mull Theatre's gothic thriller
Reviewed here

3 - 28 August 2022
Isto é um Negro
An intense, personal essay on what is it like to be black in Brazil
Reviewed here

3 - 28 August 2022
One of Two
Funny, devastating tale of familial love and not fitting in.
Reviewed here

3 - 28 August 2022
Pain and I
Searingly beautiful insight into a life lived in pain
Reviewed here

3 - 28 August 2022
Receptionists
Talented duo with perfect comic timing and great potential
Reviewed here

3 - 28 August 2022
Sap
Greek myth with a modern twist
Reviewed here

3 - 28 August 2022
We Were Promised Honey!
We’re not watching this, we’re in it, travelling to the last moment we will spend alive.
Reviewed here

8 August 2021
City Breakz
Sassy, spirited breakdancing in al fresco locations
Reviewed here

6 - 29 August 2021
Sex Education Xplorers (S.E.X.)
Mamoru Iriguchi and Afton Moran shine in a show fuelled by science and complete with a wonderful sense of fun
Reviewed here

6 - 28 August 2021
Swallow The Sea Caravan Theatre
A polished piece of immersive theatre that throws you into a weird and wonderful world complete with charm and intrigue
Reviewed here

5 - 6 February 2020
Fault Lines
Bold visual theatre that dares you to look away
Reviewed here

1 February 2020
Transfigured
Oceanallover deals an ace with their Manipulate offering
Reviewed here

1 February 2020
Sketches
A promising work let down by its indoor venue
Reviewed here

1 February 2020
Journey
A charming piece of puppetry brimming with childlike wonder
Reviewed here

12 January 2020
BARRY
An eccentric and engrossing piece of theatre that gives a voice back to the trans community
Reviewed at Stereo

25 August 2019
Give Me Your Love
Comedic look at PTSD leads to an extraordinary hour of performance art
Reviewed here

15 August 2019
Out of Your Mind
Immersive, binaural radio play experience
Reviewed here

13 - 25 August 2019
Cyst-er Act
Wonderfully done educational journey about one woman's experience with ovarian cysts
Reviewed here

13 - 24 August 2019
Hearty
Emma Frankland presents the final part of the None of Us is Yet a Robot series
Reviewed here

13 - 25 August 2019
Out
Rachael Young and Marikiscrycrycry challenge homophobia and transphobia
Reviewed here

8 - 25 August 2019
MOOT MOOT
Barry and Barry ask the audience to ‘get in touch’ with this bizarre performance
Reviewed here

2 - 25 August 2019
21: Memories of Growing Up
Tales of youth from all over the world and collective reflections on turning 21
Reviewed here

2 - 25 August 2019
Before The End
A tender celebration of life, through a daughter's eyes
Reviewed here

2 - 11 August 2019
Mustard
A light-footed script belies a searing story of heartbreak and self-harm
Reviewed here

2 - 11 August 2019
Native Girl Syndrome
A powerful, challenging statement about prejudice told with style and imagination
Reviewed here

2 - 25 August 2019
The Populars
Dance with strangers and talk about Brexit... if you dare
Reviewed here

2 - 24 August 2019
Traumboy
Daniel Hellman gives a male perspective on sex work
Reviewed here

2 - 25 August 2019
Vigil
Impressive performance highlighting mass extinction
Reviewed here

1 - 25 August 2019
Like Animals
A quirky show about human love and communication
Reviewed here

31 July - 25 August 2019
8:8
Uncomfortable physical theatre piece is an experiment in human connections
Reviewed here

31 July - 25 August 2019
All of Me
Defiant, macabre, majestic theatre
Reviewed here

31 July - 25 August 2019
Bout
An outstanding and exhilarating piece of work
Reviewed here

31 July - 25 August 2019
Coma
Unique, innovative and utterly unnerving, but lacks some substance in the script
Reviewed here

31 July - 11 August 2019
Contra
Laura Murphy expertly combines spoken word, comedy and circus
Reviewed here

31 July - 25 August 2019
Daughterhood
Powerful play expertly exploring a complex family relationship
Reviewed here

31 July - 25 August 2019
First Time
Nathaniel Hall presents a powerful and passionate autobiographical performance
Reviewed here

31 July - 25 August 2019
Islander: A New Musical
Mesmerising vocals make for an enchanting hour of song and storytelling
Reviewed here

31 July - 25 August 2019
Miss AmeriKa
Spitfire Company present a hazy hip-hop-inspired show
Reviewed here

31 July - 25 August 2019
My Mum's a Twat
A muddled solo show about losing your mum to a cult
Reviewed here

31 July - 25 August 2019
Sea Sick
This decade's An Inconvenient Truth - riveting
Reviewed here

31 July - 25 August 2019
Sex Education
Harry Clayton-Wright's debut theatre piece is filthy, funny and f*cking fabulous
Reviewed here

31 July - 25 August 2019
Taiwan Season: Fish
A short and bittersweet puppetry show from Taiwan
Reviewed here

31 July - 25 August 2019
The Afflicted
groupwork excel in this thrilling and deeply unsettling debut performance
Reviewed here

31 July - 25 August 2019
The Canary and the Crow
Educational, emphatic and flawlessly entertaining Gig Theatre from Middle Child
Reviewed here

31 July - 25 August 2019
The Claim
Audacious assault on asylum process
Reviewed here

31 July - 25 August 2019
The Desk
World-class physical theatre stuns
Reviewed here

31 July - 25 August 2019
Traumgirl
Anne Welenc takes us behind the scenes of sex work in Berlin
Reviewed here

31 July - 11 August 2019
Troll
A visual storytelling masterclass from Trick of the Light Theatre
Reviewed here

31 July - 25 August 2019
Who Cares
Hard-hitting and important; this is more than a theatre show
Reviewed here

3 June 2019
Honeyblood
Tweeddale and new recruits banish the Monday blues at Summerhall
Reviewed here

13 - 14 October 2018
Ellie Dubois: No Show
A lack of structure and plot let down this powerful set of female circus performers.
Reviewed at Eden Court

21 - 26 August 2018
The Hit
A funny and engaging puppet show that uniquely presents ideas on neuroscience.
Reviewed at -SELECT VENUE-

20 - 26 August 2018
Extinguished Things
A poignant, almost dreamy look at the minutiae of one couple's life.
Reviewed here

18 - 26 August 2018
Erewhon
A Magic Lantern is employed to tell a mystical story of colonialism.
Reviewed here

15 - 26 August 2018
The Sauna
A Finnish pastime is given a mask and physical theatre makeover.
Reviewed here

14 - 26 August 2018
The Midnight Soup
Soup, suicide and the pleasure in the small stuff
Reviewed here

14 - 26 August 2018
Void
Intelligent, thought-provoking dance at Summerhall reflects on what we have made of our world
Reviewed here

13 - 19 August 2018
The Hit
A funny and engaging puppet show that uniquely presents ideas on neuroscience.
Reviewed at -SELECT VENUE-

10 - 19 August 2018
Pussy Riot: Riot Days
Legendary Russian activists start a riot in Edinburgh.
Reviewed here

9 - 26 August 2018
Blackout
Will leave you punch-drunk and challenge the myths on alcoholism. It's a sobering thought.
Reviewed here

5 - 26 August 2018
Closed Doors
Part poetry, part rap, part song from the multi-talented Belle Jones.
Reviewed here

5 - 26 August 2018
Flight
Darkfield create another all-consuming experience that takes you into a different reality.
Reviewed here

4 - 26 August 2018
Alma, A Human Voice
One-man play fails to effectively explore femininity and pain.
Reviewed here

4 - 26 August 2018
Where It Hurts
A passionate, searing tribute to the NHS by Grassmarket Projects
Reviewed here

3 - 26 August 2018
After the Cuts
Gary McNair's drama contemplates a future without the NHS. The result isn't promising.
Reviewed here

3 - 27 August 2018
Another One
A nasty and absurd exploration of human existence
Reviewed here

3 - 26 August 2018
Bottom
Willy Hudson delivers a funny and touching performance that looks at queer identity and relationships.
Reviewed here

3 - 27 August 2018
De Fuut
Bastiaan Vandendreissche’s morally challenging solo play lacks focus despite a strong performance.
Reviewed here

3 - 26 August 2018
Egg
Sarah Bebe Holmes is entrancing from start to finish in this masterfully crafted piece of physical theatre.
Reviewed here

3 - 26 August 2018
Island Town
A dark and arresting tale of small town life.
Reviewed here

3 - 26 August 2018
One Life Stand
An enjoyable and interesting gig-theatre love story.
Reviewed here

3 - 26 August 2018
See-Through
Documentary drama gives an insightful look behind the screen of internet fame.
Reviewed here

3 - 26 August 2018
Square Go
A hilarious and boisterous fight in the round.
Reviewed here

3 - 27 August 2018
The Basement Tapes
A grandmother's secrets are discovered in this gripping Kiwi thriller
Reviewed here

3 - 26 August 2018
Tremor
Division and guilt reverberate in this coming together in the round.
Reviewed here

2 - 26 August 2018
A Generous Lover
La JohnJoseph paints a beautiful picture with their words.
Reviewed here

1 - 26 August 2018
All the Lights Are On
Finnish playwright Kaisa Lundan explores how illness can take its toll on loved ones.
Reviewed here

1 - 26 August 2018
Baby Face
A daring take on the infantilisation of women.
Reviewed here

1 - 26 August 2018
Everything Not Saved
Dublin's Malaprop Theatre explore the limitations of memory in intellectually teasing production
Reviewed here

1 - 26 August 2018
Never Vera Blue
Starkly observed insight into abusive relationships
Reviewed here

19 June 2018
Skids & Big Country
Cathartic double-header from Fife's finest that even the rain can't dampen.
Reviewed here

25 January - 10 March 2018
Burns Unbroke
Contrasting artistic interpretations of the Bard in a six-week Summerhall programme.
Reviewed here

4 - 27 August 2017
Slut
An interesting and challenging work, with remarkable narrative clarity.
Reviewed here

2 - 27 August 2017
Heart of Darkness
Engaging and effective, but just too short.
Reviewed here

13 - 14 October 2017
Blanche and Butch
Biting drag comedy that shines a discoball on disability in theatre.
Reviewed at Tron Theatre

7 October - 30 November 2017
Captured State: New Art from Macedonia
Curator Jon Blackwood brings six artists from the Republic of Macedonia to exhibit in Scotland for the first time.
Reviewed here

21 - 26 August 2017
Two Man Show
Words, music and physical theatre combine in this inventive performance piece.
Reviewed here

9 - 28 August 2017
No Show
A clever contemporary circus piece that may change how you look at the genre.
Reviewed here

7 - 26 August 2017
Cosmic Scallies
A tale of ambition, poverty, prejudice and finding yourself.
Reviewed here

6 - 27 August 2017
How To Act
Pacy, gripping theatre that questions our assumptions.
Reviewed here

4 - 27 August 2017
Doglife
A raw, dark and uncompromising portrayal of a gangland enforcer and his relationships with women
Reviewed here

4 - 27 August 2017
Heather
A powerful performance challenging stereotypes and how we judge others.
Reviewed here

4 - 27 August 2017
LIES (£¥€$)
A mesmerising demonstration of why the world's finances are in such a pickle
Reviewed here

2 - 27 August 2017
Last Resort
Boisterous, brilliant theatre that shines a light on the treatment of detainees in Guantanamo Bay.
Reviewed here

2 - 27 August 2017
The Gardener
Play about growing old packs an emotional punch far greater than subtle delivery would have you believe. 
Reviewed here

2 - 27 August 2017
The Shape of Pain
Pain is presented in a unique and tormenting performance.
Reviewed here

2 - 27 August 2017
The Sky Is Safe
Compelling depiction of stories rarely told, by brilliant Scottish writer/actor Matthew Zajac
Reviewed here

2 - 27 August 2017
Workshy
Audacious, raw, and banal play addressing one woman's employment experiences.
Reviewed here

6 May 2017
Rura
Four piece traditional music outfit entertain the crowd at TradFest.
Reviewed here

2 May 2017
Dallahan
An inventive mix of Eastern European and Celtic folk music at Aberdeen's Underdog
Reviewed at Underdog

16 November 2016
Lee Ranaldo
Lee Ranaldo performs a rare solo show in Edinburgh.
Reviewed here

8 October 2016
Meursault
Meursault mark their return with an epic live show in Summerhall
Reviewed here

3 - 28 August 2016
Beyond Price
Skills and techniques of acting haven't changed... this is the valuable passing on of knowledge.
Reviewed here

3 - 27 August 2016
Equations for a Moving Body
Hannah Nicklin's triathlon tale is engaging, but only on an educational level
Reviewed here

5 July 2016
Dirty Three
Trio leave the audience mesmerised with a rare live show at Summerhall
Reviewed here

1 - 3 July 2016
MagicFair Lates
The hours fly by at Summerhall as audiences sample the best of MagicFest
Reviewed here

6 - 28 August 2016
Every Brilliant Thing
Duncan MacMillan and Jonny Donahoe’s touching comedy about coping with a loved one’s depression
Reviewed here

6 - 28 August 2016
Growth
A straight-talking Tinder date raises the possibility that a young man may have testicular cancer
Reviewed here

6 - 28 August 2016
The Brain Show
Meticulous delivery and ear for mimicry
Reviewed here

6 - 28 August 2016
World Without Us
Experimental Belgian theatre company Ontoerend Goed present a meditation on a world post human existence.
Reviewed here

5 - 28 August 2016
Love, Lies and Taxidermy
A dramatically presented, witty love story set in Merthyr Tydfil.
Reviewed here

3 - 28 August 2016
Faslane
Jenna Watt's one-woman lecture on the Trident debate.
Reviewed here

3 - 28 August 2016
Heads Up
A powerful, expressive monologue about the end of the world.
Reviewed here

3 - 28 August 2016
Mairi Campbell: Pulse
A story of homecoming and discovery told through music, dance and drama.
Reviewed here

14 - 26 August 2018
Tetra-Decathlon
A young woman with dogged persistence and determination charts her journey to the world championships.
Reviewed here

31 July - 25 August 2019
Alaska
An inspiringly honest account of a battle with depression, rage and perfectionism
Reviewed here

8 May 2017 - Invalid Date
Box Clever
A beautifully written show about neglect, with added clowning.
Reviewed here

8 May 2016 - Invalid Date
Adler & Gibb
A confusing, but engaging drama about the fictional and reclusive conceptual artists Janet Adler and Margaret Gibb.
Reviewed here

8 May 2016 - Invalid Date
Cuncrete
Rachael Clerke and The Great White Males present a punk rock drag king extravaganza.
Reviewed here

8 May 2016 - Invalid Date
MacBain
A disappointing and unimaginative take on Shakespeare and grunge.
Reviewed here

8 April 2017 - Invalid Date
You've Changed
Kate O'Donnell present a heartfelt music and storytelling show.
Reviewed here

8 February 2017 - Invalid Date
Sasquatch: The Opera
A popular myth is given an operatic make over.
Reviewed here

8 February 2017 - Invalid Date
Love Bombs & Apples
Sharp, funny, political theatre with some lovely moments of poetry.
Reviewed here

8 February 2017 - Invalid Date
Séance
Stupendously sinister, suspenseful immersive theatre in a pitch-black container from Darkfield
Reviewed here

Invalid Date
The North! The North!
Exciting and interesting visual theatre with animation and illustration.
Reviewed here

Invalid Date
Ma Biche et Mon Lapin
Collectif AÏE AÏE AÏE deliver quirky, funny, and charming object lessons in love
Reviewed here

21 August 2021 - Invalid Date
Admiral Fallow (Acoustic)
Scottish band's one-off Fringe appearance rouses and resonates with the audience
Reviewed here