THEATRE REVIEWS & PRESS EXTRACTS
Syd Barrett: ONE THINKS OF IT ALL AS A DREAM
Director Sacha Kyles production taps nicely into the ebbs and flows of Bissetts script…beautifully honed and truly evocative mini drama.’ Mark Brown, The Sunday Herald
**** Sacha Kyle’s production features a series of performances from Euan Cuthbertson, Andrew John Tait, Ewan Petrie and David James Kirkwood so impressive that this 55 minute show is a brief but complete immersion in sixties culture with its sense of infinite possibility.’ Joyce McMillan, The Scotsman
‘Sacha Kyle’s production captures the way a group of polite, young, middle-class men negotiate a line between hedonism and hard work.’ Mark Fisher, The Guardian
****Wonderfully touching portrait of a beautiful, hugely talented boy, who seemed ill-equipped to deal with the routine realities of life. Mary Brennan, The Herald
**** Under Sacha Kyle’s slick direction, the various significant stages of Barret’s life in the late ‘60s are realised as he slides away from the band while it continues its ascendency without him. The Edinburgh Guide
THE PURE, THE DEAD AND THE BRILLIANT
'A stunning piece of theatre'. TIME MAGAZINE
5 ***** The Stage ' Infectious musical hall, almost Theatre Workshop, romp.....an example of political theatre that embodies the power of the stage to empower the people though satire.'
***** Broadway Baby
**** Daily Telegraph "Raucous, high-energy and unashamed good fun."
***** ScotsGay "Crackling with life, energy and conviction"
"Clever and funny. If you're undecided, go!" 5***** - Lesley Riddoch
**** Broadway World 'Witty, entertaining and fiercely relevant, The Pure, The Dead And The Brilliant will take you away with the fairies all the way to the ballot box.'
WHAT THE F**KIRK
'A cheeky piece of oral history....a witty meditation on community and local pride that puts people first.' Neil Cooper, The Herald
'A cross between a documentary and a 55-minute stand-up set, with powerful live music by Adam Stafford, and an attractive solo performance by Bissett.' Joyce McMillan The Scotsman
BAN THIS FILTH!
***** 5 stars 'Uncomfortable, thought-provoking and hilarious.' Arts Desk
***** 5 Stars Across the Arts
***** 5 Stars Three Weeks
**** 4 stars ‘Brilliant Scottish writer and performer Alan Bissett uses grace and discipline to elucidate his
‘Eloquent and very funny…bold in his uses of pure physical theatre…oddly magnificent ’ - Joyce McMillan, The Scotsman
**** 4 stars 'A funny, thought-inducing furrow through the minefield of sexual politics.' - Donald Hutera, The Times
‘A convivial and crafty performer …Funny and profound…A super show, all the better for defining its own language somewhere between reading and confessional, comedy and theatre’ - Brian Logan, The Guardian
‘Intelligent, often hilarious, heady stuff’ - Alice Jones, The Independent
**** 'Fascinating exploration of feminism, pornography, and the ingrained individualism we plant into issues which stretch far beyond just ourselves.' The National Collective
THE RED HOURGLASS
***** 5 stars 'Long awaited, after the smash-hit success of The Moira Monologues, Alan Bissett's new drama, is an equally hilarious series of monologues all played by Bissett himself, but this time with a political edge.' The Skinny
***** 5 Stars 'As in the critically lauded Moira Monologues, Bissett’s a joy to watch as a solo actor, skilfully giving life to each character through versatility of voice and mannerisms.'' Edinburgh Fest Magazine
***** 5 Stars 'Excellently written and performed, this is definitely a work that holds you in its web — and a worthy successor to Bissett’s previous hit, The Moira Monologues' Broadway Baby
***** 5 Stars "Whip-smart, distinctly Scottish humour...Bissett's a joy to watch.' Fest Magazine
***** 5 Stars "A playful, instantly engaging presence...this is sophisticated, completely captivating theatre." 3 weeks
**** 4 Stars 'Unique, intelligent, funny and inventive piece of adult theatre... Bisset has become a spiderman (and woman) that may not swing from high buildings with his web but who spins a rare tale and knocks Peter Parker in to a wee tin hat.' The Edinburgh Guide
THE MOIRA MONOLOGUES
**** "Sharply observed and fiercely funny...Honed to perfection...Rivals any stand-up the Fringe has to offer." - Shona Craven, Onstage Scotland
**** "A rising star...The most charismatic character to appear on a Scottish stage in a decade. A roaring theatrical success." - Joyce McMillan, The Scotsman
**** "By playing it fearlessly straight, Bissett makes for the most believable of neighbourhood gossips." - Neil Cooper, The Herald
"Astounding, insightful, very Scottish, a wee bit sad and elegiac, but mainly very, very funny, and reveals Bissett as a quite extraordinary stage presence." - EdinburghFestival.org
**** Alice Jones, The Independent“Alan Bissett is one of the leading lights of a vibrant, young Scottish Literary scene. He’s also, it turns out, a pretty fine performer. His 'one-woman show’ is essentially a series of very funny doorstep vignettes, rattled off by Bissett in a thick Scots accent with whipcrack timing and eagle-eyed vim. It’s a – sometimes scary – pleasure to spend an evening in Moira’s company."
“Bissett has honed his act to perfection…This is no pantomime turn…Rivals any
stand-up the Edinburgh Fringe has to offer.”
**** Shona Craven, Onstage Scotland
“An often side-splittingly funny show that gleefully tramples over all
cliches about class.” Scotland on Sunday
“He completely took the theatre over, the audience laughing and crying with
Moira all the way.” The Skinny
THE KISS BY MURRAY WATTS
****‘A poetic, moving, meditative examination of memory that contains echoes of Waiting for Godot in its sense of limbo-like endless repetition…. Two quite wonderful performances by Andrew Harrison and Anne Kidd.' The Herald
**** ‘Sometimes memories return to this couple so vividly that both are almost persuaded of a shared past life; often they barely recognise one another at all. All of this is beautifully and subtly recreated in Watts’ text…. bold and powerful… two memorable performances from Anne Kidd and Andrew Harrison.' The Scotsman
TURBO FOLK
**** 'A three-handed show that focuses fiercely on a single aspect of Scotland's myth-making about itself, tells its story with pace and econokmy and delivers a real and frightening dramatic punch. This week's Play, Pie and Pint lunchtime show, written by rising star Alan Bissett, is the short and brilliant tale of a doomed visit by a touring Scottish singer/songwriter to a whisky bar in some Balkan town still riven by memories of war.' Joyce McMillan, The Scotsman
I TOMMY
**** 'Written in a bracingly confident Glasgow vernacular, stuffed with terrific one liners, and performed with hugely enjoyable flair by a five strong cast.' Joyce Mcmillan The Scotsman
**** 'En route to becoming as outrageous in its slaying of sacred cows as anything by Dario Fo.' Neil Cooper, The Herald
**** 'Des McLean better known as a stand up comedian captures Sherridans pugnacious, perma-tanned, self-belief perfectly, and the writer Ian Pattison feeds him all the neo-biblical fire and brimstone he needs' The Times
**** 'A tight piece of clever writing, allied with a great cast' The Evening Times
***** 'Riotously funny.' Counter Culture
LOST PROPERTY
***** 5 stars Discovering treasures in the basement. You could argue that a venue like Glasgow's The Arches - with its maze-like array of corridors, blind alleys, stairways and "behind-closed-doors" spaces - is a gift for anyone thinking of making a site-specific piece. But Sacha Kyle's Lost Property (****) doesn't just inhabit The Arches' dark, slightly mouldering basement warren, it haunts it with images of neglect and dereliction that all speak of lost hopes, lost opportunities, lost souls. Mary Brennan, The Herald.
**** ‘A combination of installation and performance that begins with comedy, and then ranges on through an increasingly powerful alternation of melancholy and absurdity, as a team of performers lead us through all the physical and cultural debris of the lost 20th century, strewn through a dazzling array of hidden Arches spaces.’ Joyce McMillan, The Scotsman
Syd Barrett: ONE THINKS OF IT ALL AS A DREAM
Director Sacha Kyles production taps nicely into the ebbs and flows of Bissetts script…beautifully honed and truly evocative mini drama.’ Mark Brown, The Sunday Herald
**** Sacha Kyle’s production features a series of performances from Euan Cuthbertson, Andrew John Tait, Ewan Petrie and David James Kirkwood so impressive that this 55 minute show is a brief but complete immersion in sixties culture with its sense of infinite possibility.’ Joyce McMillan, The Scotsman
‘Sacha Kyle’s production captures the way a group of polite, young, middle-class men negotiate a line between hedonism and hard work.’ Mark Fisher, The Guardian
****Wonderfully touching portrait of a beautiful, hugely talented boy, who seemed ill-equipped to deal with the routine realities of life. Mary Brennan, The Herald
**** Under Sacha Kyle’s slick direction, the various significant stages of Barret’s life in the late ‘60s are realised as he slides away from the band while it continues its ascendency without him. The Edinburgh Guide
THE PURE, THE DEAD AND THE BRILLIANT
'A stunning piece of theatre'. TIME MAGAZINE
5 ***** The Stage ' Infectious musical hall, almost Theatre Workshop, romp.....an example of political theatre that embodies the power of the stage to empower the people though satire.'
***** Broadway Baby
**** Daily Telegraph "Raucous, high-energy and unashamed good fun."
***** ScotsGay "Crackling with life, energy and conviction"
"Clever and funny. If you're undecided, go!" 5***** - Lesley Riddoch
**** Broadway World 'Witty, entertaining and fiercely relevant, The Pure, The Dead And The Brilliant will take you away with the fairies all the way to the ballot box.'
WHAT THE F**KIRK
'A cheeky piece of oral history....a witty meditation on community and local pride that puts people first.' Neil Cooper, The Herald
'A cross between a documentary and a 55-minute stand-up set, with powerful live music by Adam Stafford, and an attractive solo performance by Bissett.' Joyce McMillan The Scotsman
BAN THIS FILTH!
***** 5 stars 'Uncomfortable, thought-provoking and hilarious.' Arts Desk
***** 5 Stars Across the Arts
***** 5 Stars Three Weeks
**** 4 stars ‘Brilliant Scottish writer and performer Alan Bissett uses grace and discipline to elucidate his
‘Eloquent and very funny…bold in his uses of pure physical theatre…oddly magnificent ’ - Joyce McMillan, The Scotsman
**** 4 stars 'A funny, thought-inducing furrow through the minefield of sexual politics.' - Donald Hutera, The Times
‘A convivial and crafty performer …Funny and profound…A super show, all the better for defining its own language somewhere between reading and confessional, comedy and theatre’ - Brian Logan, The Guardian
‘Intelligent, often hilarious, heady stuff’ - Alice Jones, The Independent
**** 'Fascinating exploration of feminism, pornography, and the ingrained individualism we plant into issues which stretch far beyond just ourselves.' The National Collective
THE RED HOURGLASS
***** 5 stars 'Long awaited, after the smash-hit success of The Moira Monologues, Alan Bissett's new drama, is an equally hilarious series of monologues all played by Bissett himself, but this time with a political edge.' The Skinny
***** 5 Stars 'As in the critically lauded Moira Monologues, Bissett’s a joy to watch as a solo actor, skilfully giving life to each character through versatility of voice and mannerisms.'' Edinburgh Fest Magazine
***** 5 Stars 'Excellently written and performed, this is definitely a work that holds you in its web — and a worthy successor to Bissett’s previous hit, The Moira Monologues' Broadway Baby
***** 5 Stars "Whip-smart, distinctly Scottish humour...Bissett's a joy to watch.' Fest Magazine
***** 5 Stars "A playful, instantly engaging presence...this is sophisticated, completely captivating theatre." 3 weeks
**** 4 Stars 'Unique, intelligent, funny and inventive piece of adult theatre... Bisset has become a spiderman (and woman) that may not swing from high buildings with his web but who spins a rare tale and knocks Peter Parker in to a wee tin hat.' The Edinburgh Guide
THE MOIRA MONOLOGUES
**** "Sharply observed and fiercely funny...Honed to perfection...Rivals any stand-up the Fringe has to offer." - Shona Craven, Onstage Scotland
**** "A rising star...The most charismatic character to appear on a Scottish stage in a decade. A roaring theatrical success." - Joyce McMillan, The Scotsman
**** "By playing it fearlessly straight, Bissett makes for the most believable of neighbourhood gossips." - Neil Cooper, The Herald
"Astounding, insightful, very Scottish, a wee bit sad and elegiac, but mainly very, very funny, and reveals Bissett as a quite extraordinary stage presence." - EdinburghFestival.org
**** Alice Jones, The Independent“Alan Bissett is one of the leading lights of a vibrant, young Scottish Literary scene. He’s also, it turns out, a pretty fine performer. His 'one-woman show’ is essentially a series of very funny doorstep vignettes, rattled off by Bissett in a thick Scots accent with whipcrack timing and eagle-eyed vim. It’s a – sometimes scary – pleasure to spend an evening in Moira’s company."
“Bissett has honed his act to perfection…This is no pantomime turn…Rivals any
stand-up the Edinburgh Fringe has to offer.”
**** Shona Craven, Onstage Scotland
“An often side-splittingly funny show that gleefully tramples over all
cliches about class.” Scotland on Sunday
“He completely took the theatre over, the audience laughing and crying with
Moira all the way.” The Skinny
THE KISS BY MURRAY WATTS
****‘A poetic, moving, meditative examination of memory that contains echoes of Waiting for Godot in its sense of limbo-like endless repetition…. Two quite wonderful performances by Andrew Harrison and Anne Kidd.' The Herald
**** ‘Sometimes memories return to this couple so vividly that both are almost persuaded of a shared past life; often they barely recognise one another at all. All of this is beautifully and subtly recreated in Watts’ text…. bold and powerful… two memorable performances from Anne Kidd and Andrew Harrison.' The Scotsman
TURBO FOLK
**** 'A three-handed show that focuses fiercely on a single aspect of Scotland's myth-making about itself, tells its story with pace and econokmy and delivers a real and frightening dramatic punch. This week's Play, Pie and Pint lunchtime show, written by rising star Alan Bissett, is the short and brilliant tale of a doomed visit by a touring Scottish singer/songwriter to a whisky bar in some Balkan town still riven by memories of war.' Joyce McMillan, The Scotsman
I TOMMY
**** 'Written in a bracingly confident Glasgow vernacular, stuffed with terrific one liners, and performed with hugely enjoyable flair by a five strong cast.' Joyce Mcmillan The Scotsman
**** 'En route to becoming as outrageous in its slaying of sacred cows as anything by Dario Fo.' Neil Cooper, The Herald
**** 'Des McLean better known as a stand up comedian captures Sherridans pugnacious, perma-tanned, self-belief perfectly, and the writer Ian Pattison feeds him all the neo-biblical fire and brimstone he needs' The Times
**** 'A tight piece of clever writing, allied with a great cast' The Evening Times
***** 'Riotously funny.' Counter Culture
LOST PROPERTY
***** 5 stars Discovering treasures in the basement. You could argue that a venue like Glasgow's The Arches - with its maze-like array of corridors, blind alleys, stairways and "behind-closed-doors" spaces - is a gift for anyone thinking of making a site-specific piece. But Sacha Kyle's Lost Property (****) doesn't just inhabit The Arches' dark, slightly mouldering basement warren, it haunts it with images of neglect and dereliction that all speak of lost hopes, lost opportunities, lost souls. Mary Brennan, The Herald.
**** ‘A combination of installation and performance that begins with comedy, and then ranges on through an increasingly powerful alternation of melancholy and absurdity, as a team of performers lead us through all the physical and cultural debris of the lost 20th century, strewn through a dazzling array of hidden Arches spaces.’ Joyce McMillan, The Scotsman
