Theatre reviews: Not My Cup Of Tea | Life Is Too Good To Be True

Published on 09/08/2012 14:31

THEY poured it from a teapot, they drank it from mugs, yet this special brew was no ordinary cup of tea. It was the 1970s after all.

Not My Cup Of Tea

The Space on the Mile, High Street

Star rating: * * *

Set in the midst of the sexual revolution, Not My Cup Of Tea delves into the lives of five teenagers who learn the consequences of a hazy night experimenting with both sex and drugs.

Although it tackles serious subjects throughout, the characters are witty and well crafted – chauvinistic Eddy, played by Dashiell Barber; feminist Belle, played by Bethan McEvoy; vulnerable Suzy-Anne, played by Elisha Mansuroglu; and straight-talking Victor, played by Laurence Williams, complement each other perfectly.

A projected video also gives an extra twist including chilled, hippie music which continues the psychedelic theme.

• Until August 25

KIRSTY STEWART

Life is Too Good To Be True

Underbelly, Cowgate

Star rating: * * *

PART of the magic of the Fringe is finding that unexpected gem of a performance tucked away in between the hustle of the bigger shows.

In the relative calm of the Underbelly before midday, this piece from Dutch theatre company Het Geluid Maastrich neatly captures the spirit of the Fringe.

Shunning larger, more traditional, performance spaces, the small audience sits in an intimate semi-circle alongside actor Gable Roelofsen.

His one-hour monologue incorporates a range of characters, exploring the role of truth in popular culture.

Roelofsen quickly establishes himself as an engaging and capable performer. His portrayal of journalist and infamous liar Stephen Glass, who fabricated news stories to stay ahead of his colleagues, is warm and naturalistic, but he really shines speaking as cancer survivor and political activist 
Barbara Ehrenreich.

A beautiful, thought-
provoking exploration of the lies we tell ourselves.

• Until Monday

KIM MORRISON