I've travelled to some far away places in my life, but before 2 weeks ago, I had never been to Scotland.

That all changed when I went to Edinburgh for the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, and it was worth every minute and every hour of sleep lost!

Coming from a dance background, I feel like I'm always catching up with the world of theatre and sometimes one or two steps behind what's being created. After seeing 16 shows in under 3 days, I have definitely caught up and had my eyes opened to the incredible work that is out there being made by incredibly talented people.

So, I just wanted to share with you a couple of my highlights from the few days I spent up there and some top tips if you're heading there for the last week

First up, my number one show was definitely Last Christmas by Dirty Protest, written by Matthew Bulgo and performed by Sion Pritchard. I am always wary of one man shows and whether they will keep my attention for the duration, but I honestly couldn't drag my eyes away and I thought of nothing else the entire time. The beautiful story was perfectly paced, and I felt as though I was experiencing every emotion with him. I started thinking of how his situation would affect me, and how i felt about my family and that was it - I was an emotional wreck. This is a must see.

Not just for fans of dance, Wonders of the Universe was fantastic. Highly skilled contemporary dance set the perfect sounds of Professor Brian Cox - you cannot go wrong. It made me laugh and smile, while keeping me interested and transfixed by the technique of the three male dancers. I really hope this tours Wales at least because it really was beautiful and fun at the same time.

Another beautiful Welsh piece was Hiraeth. Buddug James Jones, you are hysterical and your story is beautiful. As an acute sufferer of Hiraeth, i could completely relate to the emotions and thoughts associated with having to leave home to pursue your dreams, but judging by the laughter and applause from the packed audience, you didn't have to be Welsh to get it. Max Mackintosh is also brilliant at playing his array of characters, and piece makes you leave with a giant smile on your face. Another must see for me!

This may not be for everyone, but Trainspotting by In Yer Face Theatre was an intense, shocking experience that really got to me. Think the film, but in a really small room and you are in it with a big group of strangers. It's dark. It smells. There are really angry young men and women screaming in your face off their heads on drugs. It felt so real and like I was stuck in this angry world full of drug abuse and filth. It was simply brilliant.

A final top tip, and one that creeped up on me, is The Future for Beginners from LiveArtShow. I don't feel my words would do it justice, but it was beautiful. From the performances to the breathtaking singing, this is a show that just blows you away. You really need to see it to understand what I mean by it's an opera-theatre piece that you fall i love with, and coming from someone who isn't really up on opera as an art form, it really was a surprise.

All in all, my trip to Edinburgh was incredible, and I am so proud of all the Welsh theatre I saw and all the theatre I experienced. If any of the work I saw tours in the coming year, I will definitely be going along to see it again. 

Head to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe website to find more details on all of the above plus booking details: https://www.edfringe.com/

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Comment by Matthew Bulgo on September 2, 2014 at 9:19

Thanks, Rhian! X

Comment by Laura H Drane on August 19, 2014 at 21:57

Diolch!

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