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Richard Stamp | The Wee Review

@FringeGuru

Co-founder of Fringe Guru and Editor-at-Large at @TheWeeReview. I'm a theatre reviewer, editor, and sometimes an awards judge. But I'm lovely really. (He/him)

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And that really is it! 37 reviews published this year, which I think is the most I've ever done. As always, I'm grateful to everyone who accommodated me and humbled by the quality of work on display. Let's do it all over again next year.


Plus, like everyone, I loved A Letter To Lyndon B Johnson Or God: Whoever Reads This First. As triple Fringe First winners, they need no validation from me. But for the record: theweereview.com/review/a-lette… You can see this at the King's Head Theatre in London right now.


And another belated 5*, this time for @The_Bronze_Boy I loved the balance and nuance of this one - it has a (very) important message but it isn't shrill or lecturing, and it raises some fascinating questions about art and artifice along the way. theweereview.com/review/the-bro…


Yes indeed - we're well into "better late than never" territory now, but here's 5* for One-Man Poe at EdFringe. Genuinely the most compelling Edgar Allan Poe interpretation I've seen, and I've caught quite a few over the years. A sold-out run, so perhaps it'll be back next year?

LOOK! 👀 Another BRAND NEW 5★ #edfringe review has come out for ‘One Man Poe’ ✨ “The four pieces together are well-chosen […] And what links them all is Smith’s immersive, imaginative characterisation” Thank you @FringeGuru 🙏 Read the full review: theweereview.com/review/one-man…

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And it's 5* for Singing Sands from @oor_theatre Rooted firmly in a specific place and at a specific moment in its protagonists' lives, it's a funny, yet emotionally compelling picture of family relationships and the importance of a place to call home. theweereview.com/review/singing…


Another couple of reviews to share. Remythed is a sweet and clever re-imagining of classic legends, which puts diversity and acceptance at their core. Enjoyable and affirming, bearing an important message lightly. 4*: theweereview.com/review/remythe…


(That was my 100th review for @theweereview Hasn't time flown! And, yes, I did finagle the publication order to make my century a 5*.)


And belatedly, The Red Room, a seemingly simple but powerful adaptation of an HG Wells ghost story. Less means more with this one - a simple set and single actor, yet we all feel we're right there in the haunted chamber. 5* for a dark story, creepily told. theweereview.com/review/the-red…


Reflections Upon An Ugly Little Soul was a raw, brutally candid depiction of mental ill-health. Combining poetry and physicality, Alex Macfarlane stands literally surrounded by mirrors, conveying a powerful sense of inescapable self-analysis. 4: theweereview.com/review/reflect…


Spy Movie: The Play is that quintessential Fringe staple, a parody of a much-loved genre that also pokes fun at itself. Fast-paced and funny, with particularly effective use of tiny props to convey cinematic sweep. 4*: theweereview.com/review/spy-mov…


I have a big batch of reviews coming out today and tomorrow as I catch up with my remaining backlog from EdFringe. (I'm determined not to run into September this time.) The runs are over of course, but the good ones still get their celebratory tweets...


And that’s it - after 70-something shows I’m done. I still have some reviews to get out though, so I won’t be returning fully to hibernation for another few days.


As has become tradition, I’ve closed off my Fringe account with @kevinquantum at the Gilded Balloon. Always a lovely, heartwarming magic show to finish on, and he’s always so kind to his on-stage volunteers. I know I’m going to feel better for having seen it.


London! Definitely go to this!

⭐️THE DEFECTIVE DOUBLE BILL IS BACK!⚡️ After an amazing Edinburgh run - Defective Inspector: An American Odyssey & A Stitch in Time is back! ⭐️🇺🇸🕵🏻‍♂️🐶🕰️⚡️ 7pm 30th Sept at @GooseTheatre theatre with @lambethfringe 🪿🐑🎭 lambethfringe.com/events/defecti… 🎟️🎟️ 🎨 = A.G. Grauwiler Design

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And now, at the start of the Fringe I told myself I could have ONE Nutella and strawberry crepe this August, and the hour of the crepe has come.


Piskie at Summerhall is difficult to respond to, because the two or three things I’d most like to praise are exactly the ones I mustn’t give away. But I loved the authentic uni-lecture format, and the slow unveiling of the back-story. Hope it has a lovely future.


A real privilege to catch Kafka’s Ape from @MiyamboT on its last day - both for the show itself, and to see first-hand how much a successful Fringe run can mean. I agree with our review, a stunning portrayal, and an adaptation which poses troubling questions without lecturing.


Since we’re venting, there have also been a distressing number of outright lies this year - particularly claiming a show has no reviews, when major publications have already run one. Do they imagine we won’t check?

Thanks Richard. You’re right - there can be a level of aggression from some (ropey) PRs, which does their clients no good.



Ah, an outside queue in a sudden monsoon, très Fringe.


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