Edinburgh Festival Bulletin, 5 August 2024: EIF opening weekend reviewed | Gwyneth Paltrow skis into the Fringe

Among the multifarious cultural delights zinging around the Edinburgh Festivals section of scotsman.com this morning, you'll find our critics' verdicts on the opening weekend of the Edinburgh International Festival, plus all our latest Fringe comedy and theatre reviews.

Also keep an eye out for Kelly Apter's interview with superstar juggler Wes Peden, whose show Rollercoaster is at Assembly Roxy until 25 August. Oh, and you wait years for a Fringe show about the Gwyneth Paltrow ski trial and then two come along at once. We've reviewed both of them here.

That's not even the half of it though – for full immersion in The Scotsman Festival experience check out today's beautifully produced Festival supplement in the print edition of the paper, or pay us a virtual visit at www.scotsman.com/arts-and-culture/edinburgh-festivals.

The cast of I Wish You Well: The Gwyneth Paltrow Ski-Trial Musical PIC: Lisa Ferguson / The Scotsman

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Not a subscriber yet? Don't worry, there's still time to take advantage of our fantastic Festival offer. For details, see www.scotsman.com/subscriptions

And finally, here are our Festival Picks of the Day for Monday 5 August.

Roger

FESTIVAL PICKS OF THE DAY, MONDAY 5 AUGUST

Grupo Corpo The famous dance company celebrate Brazilian culture with two new premieres at the EIF: Gil Refazendo, a tribute to musician Gilberto Gil, and Gira, inspired by the rites of Afro-Brazilian religion Umbanda. You can read our preview feature here. Playhouse, 7.30pm, today until 7 August, www.eif.co.uk

Soumik Datta The Hub Club, as the International Festival programme describes it, is “a new space for 2024 where artists, audience members and visitors can meet and spend time at the heart of the International Festival”. If this more informal, laid-back approach sounds a bit like the Fringe, that’s probably the intention. The Hub Club series continues tonight – following Breabach’s preview event last week and last night’s First Night – with British-Indian musician Soumik Datta. Perform on the sarod, an ancient Indian instrument, he will present Mone Rekho, a collaboration with the Alzheimer’s Society that draws on conversations with older people living in care homes. The Hub, tonight, 8pm, www.eif.co.uk

Natalie Palimides: WEER The Traverse Theatre is not where you generally expect to find an Edinburgh Comedy Award Best Newcomer premiering their new show, never mind on a Monday when Fringe venues tend to be at their quietest, but everyone involved is clearly doing something right because today and tomorrow's previews are already sold out, suggesting that you should book now if you want to see it later in the run. WEER, from the comic who brought you Nate – as seen on Netflix - is described as “an achingly tender 90s rom-drom (romantic dramedy) which asks you to look at every argument from two sides”. Traverse, 9.30pm, today until 25 August, www.edfringe.com