Help! My girlfriend has dragged me to Edinburgh

When: 18th-21st, 23-28th August at 13:35 Where: Assembly George Squart Studios (Venue 17) Ben's review: 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 Really well developed storyline through the extreme difficulties of the business world. It's not just suits and sunshine. Very very funny and a really well polished performance. Some great monologues thrown in too. Very impressed. The Girlfriend's review: 🌟 🌟 🌟 A great piece of absurdist comedy which everyone that has ever worked in an office will able to relate to. The plot is quite limited but the actors work well with what they have been giving and all four deliver an engaging experience.

When: 18th-20th, 22nd-26th at 15:00 Where: Underbelly's Circus Hub on the Meadows  (Venue 360) Ben's review: 🌟 🌟 This was a bit of a let down to be honest. Always chose to see one acrobatics piece a year and whilst the activities done in this piece were impressive it lacked a star quality that these types of performances need. There was no tying together of the acts in my opinion, not always needed but it helps. The opening made no sense and I didn't feel like the dance portion was particularly well rehearsed. It's good for younger ages maybe but not for the elder viewer The Girlfriend's review: 🌟 🌟 🌟 I can't deny that the cast were talented and did some impressive acrobatic tricks. However, the format of this show didn't quite work. The idea of it being the childrens' dream was unnecessary, all we got was a creepy projection of a man talking at the beginning. The very opening aside the first sequence was very impressive and high ener...

When: 20th-28th August at 22:15 Where: Underbelly, George Square (Venue 300) Ben's review: 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 Absolutely love this show! The actors in this are brilliant and there quick wordplay was very very impressive. It has been running here for quite a long time as a concept and so has had more time to refine it's art the land the showtime variety and you can really see that. There's something art boutique Shakespeare and Alcohol that was just meant to be. The Girlfriend's review: 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 I've never seen Romeo and Juliet end quite like this and I don't recall a dinosaur being in the original script. Back in the bard's day booze flowed quicker than water so I likr to think Shakespeare would love this! I laughed pretty much the whole way through. Last night's drunk was on top form, slurring his words, making lines up, going on about misogyny and trying to teach Juliet about bum sex. The cast are excellent at dealing with the drunk - ...

When: 18th-19th, 21st-26th August at 20:50 Where: Greenside at Nicolson Square (Venue 209) Ben's review: 🌟 🌟 🌟 This was really really interesting. Definitely makes you think about what the director is trying to get across without making any reading to be too inaccessible. To me it felt like a cross between inside out and Captain America: civil war. Their is a lot of violence and as with a lot of action movies there is only so many ways you can punch someone. But outside of these there are some truly beautiful moments. The Girlfriend's review: 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 Great piece of physical theatre showing the struggle for the last innocent character to destroy evil. I feel this piece is open to interpretation and I saw it as a person's inner struggle to fight off darkness. This show is aesthetically very pleasing, a range of colour with a simplistic, yet creative set and a strong lighting design. The sequences were well choreographed, although it got a bit repetitive...

When: 18th-27th August at 19:25 Where: Assembly George Square Gardens (Venue 3) Ben's review: 🌟 This show will not be winning anything anytime soon. For one the title is completely misleading there is no history in this show if you go in expecting a musical romp through the jurassic era culminating in a victorian garden party then you will be very let down (not bitter ). The show relies heavily for any laugh on an over characterisation of certain segments of society that only drives a bigger wedge between different backgrounds and has the very disappointing ending message of don't be yourself. Add this to a very poor vocal performance, some sloppy writing and choreography that was basic at its best. A positive... erm... well if the desired effect was to show that the lead character couldn't act then they certainly succeeded. Plus overran by 15 minutes. The Girlfriend's review: 🌟 I feel like I was missing something here as I just didn't get it. I...

When: 18th-20th, 22nd-26th August at 6pm Where: Underbelly's Circus hub on the Meadows (Venue 360) Additional performance: August 22nd at 23:45, Underbelly George Square (Venue 300) Ben's review: 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 This was a much better performance than I was expecting. The songs were on point and her jokes were very funny, if you've watched RuPauls Drag Race. That show has made such drag acts accessible to the public and you can really see the benefit in Courteneys show. If you haven't watched drag race then certain bits might go over your head but you'll still be able to enjoy the incredible vocal range and her on stage antics. The Girlfriend's review: 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 This woman's vocal range is absolutely incredible! She hit some beautiful notes as she took us through a wide range of music from Australian performers, my personal  favourite song was her unique take on the Bee Gees 'Staying Alive'. Vocal talents aside she looked incredible, w...

When: 17th-19th, 21st-26th August at 22:15 Where: theSpace at Surgeons Hall (Venue 53) Ben's review: 🌟 🌟 🌟 This was very similar to the style of fourth monkey (one of my favourite groups) so if you like them then you'll love this. Artistry in the movement and the minimalism is really thought provoking. I love it as a piece of art, however there are one or two areas that could be improved. Wardrobe might want to rethink the tightness of some of its clothes (sometimes it was a little too graphic). It took me a little too long to follow and understand the characters. And usually following these shows I find there is some kind of modern day message or spin that in this performance was lost on me.  But still very beautiful. The Girlfriend's review: 🌟 🌟 🌟   This performance was beautifully done and real emphasis was put on the chorus (a key part of any Greek play). Each chorus section had a different approach and all were done with great artistry. The perform...