Two local companies looking for fame, bring new produtions to the Capital

TWO exciting young theatre companies take to the stage in the Capital next week with very different productions.
EU Footlights in FameEU Footlights in Fame
EU Footlights in Fame

If musicals are your thing, then head to the Church Hill Theatre, where Edinburgh University Footlights take on that perennial favourite, Fame.

Founded in 1989, Edinburgh University Footlights is a student-run musical theatre group aiming to annually present the largest-scale production of the university’s theatrical calendar.

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Footlights has gone from strength the strength recently, here at the Evening News we even dubbed them “one of the most respected theatre groups in Britain”.

Now, following the success of last year’s production of Urinetown the Footlights return in Fame: The Musical.

For anyone who doesn’t already know (where have you been?), Fame follows a group of ambitious students as they attempt to navigate life at the illustrious High School of Performing Arts in 1980’s New York.

It tells the story of the students of the final class to graduate the school as they struggle with their journey into adulthood.

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As they battle with tempestuous relationships, ambition, their own self-confidence and fame itself as they pursue their dreams, will any of them make it and see their name in lights?

Fame runs from next Tuesday to Saturday.

At The Wee Red Bar, next week, emerging city-based company Twelve Twelve Theatre aim to write, produce and stage 12 shows in 12 months.

Their first two shows are taking place as a double bill.

The first, Drinks For The Old Man, written and directed by Andy Robertson, finds three brothers attempting to organise their father’s funeral.

With none of the brothers able to be open and honest about their feelings, they instead revert to drinking, telling stories and throwing the occasional punch - all to distract each other from the matter at hand.

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The second, Pharmacy Island, Jim Rennie, is a dark comedy about grief, charlatanism and lies.

Suzie is a charlatan psychic who takes people’s money and then ‘talks’ to their dead relatives.

Seemingly naïve Cathy wants Suzie to communicate with her dead dog, Petrograd.

Twelve Twelve Theatre, The Wee Red Bar, ECA, Lauriston Place, Monday-Thursday, 7.30pm, £10

Fame, Church Hill Theatre, Morningside Road, Tuesday-Saturday, 7.30pm (2.30pm matinee), £13.50