Review: 549 – Scots of the Spanish Civil War, Prestonpans Town Hall

First published in The Times, Tuesday May 28 2019

Three Stars

This dynamic new play from Wonder Fools is part drama, part history lesson. Jack Nurse and Robbie Gordon’s script was inspired by the true story of four young miners from Prestonpans in East Lothian who fought in the Spanish Civil War. The company’s UK tour includes an interactive exhibition featuring stories of the Scottish volunteers who served as part of the International Brigades.

Review: Charlie Sonata – Royal Lyceum, Edinburgh

First published in The Times, Friday May 5 2017

Four Stars

Sandy Grierson is fast becoming the go-to actor for offbeat dramatic roles in Scottish theatre. The titles alone of his recent work hint at his versatility. In the past two years he has played the antihero of Alasdair Gray’s Lanark: A Life in Three Acts at the Edinburgh International Festival and the iconoclast musician in The Beautiful Cosmos of Ivor Cutler for the National Theatre of Scotland.