SATURDAY 24 AUGUST 2019 THREEWEEKSEDINBURGH.COM
It's the final Saturday of the Festival which means it's time to present our ThreeWeeks Editors' Awards for 2019.

We have been presenting the Editors' Awards every August since 2005. They go to the ten performers, shows or companies that the ThreeWeeks editors feel made that year's festival extra special. There are no specific categories, with most genres represented among the winners each year.

Some awards go to performers or companies who have consistently impressed the ThreeWeeks review team over a number of years. Others go to shows that particularly stood out that year.

This year's awards will be handed out theSpace @ Surgeon's Hall at 11am this morning. Look out for details about the winners on our Twitter and Facebook later today, plus we'll have a full run through all the winning shows and projects in tomorrow's TW Daily.
It's the finale weekend of the Festival, so here are some final Three To See show recommendations for 2019, all of them 5/5 performances.


THREE 5/5 THEATRE SHOWS>>

Fires Our Shoes Have Made | C aquila | until 26 Aug
We start with this show mixing rap, song and spoken word, exploring knife crime, loss and trauma through the experiences of two young siblings who have run away from home. According to our reviewer: "The performances were excellent, the music toe-tappingly good and the script was genius, using the imagination of children to create a gripping fairytale-like adventure with moments of vivid imagery". Listing here.

Wild Swimming | Pleasance Courtyard | until 26 Aug
Next up, Full Rogue Theatre with 'Wild Swimming', a show which our reviewer found hugely impressive. Here's the evidence: "We follow Nell and Oscar through the centuries, exploring attitudes to gender, literature and class, in a gleefully subversive modern idiom. Shows that involve their audience are ten a penny. Those that do so in the service of such big ideas, while having so much fun, are far rarer. This is their first production, and I cannot wait to see their next". Listing here.

First Time | Summerhall | until 25 Aug
Finally, we recommend this autobiographical show from Nathaniel Hall about staying positive despite an HIV diagnosis: "This personal and energetic production tackles the stigma through spectacular performing and a versatile stage presence. Hall's experiences are translated into a visceral, interactive and educational theatrical journey. The stage is wonderfully utilised and repeatedly converted for effect. Never has a standing ovation been more deserved - this is a must see". Listing here.

THREE 5/5 COMEDY SHOWS>>

Rob Auton - The Time Show | Assembly George Square Studios | until 26 Aug
It looks like tickets for the excellent and well loved past TW Editors' Award winning Rob Auton's show have been selling fast, but, word to the wise, there's an extra performance this evening at Assembly Roxy and it looks like tickets are available. Anyway, here's what our reviewer said about this year's show: "His ability to make you rethink what you know, delivered in his unique style - a cross between deadpan and awe at human behaviour - hits the mark every time. From eye-wateringly funny one-liners, to meandering musings on what it means to live in the moment, 'The Time Show' is beautifully uplifting". Listings here.

Lost Musical Works of Willy Shakes (The Lost Works) | Assembly Rooms | final show today
This comedy show based on the notion of Shakespeare attempting to put his plays to music ends its run today, so make an extra special effort to see it, because according to our writer, it's absolutely excellent: "This premise demands brevity, which tightens the performance of this madcap collision of musical and Shakespearean theatre. Guy Hughes and Joe Leather delight in boiling down the oeuvre of the great bard to its core, then skewering it with pitch perfect music and dance. This shows off their musical abilities and knowledge of the source material, and is coupled with lashings of humour". Listing here.

Rhys Nicholson - Nice People Nice Things Nice Situations | Underbelly Bristo Square | until 25 Aug (pictured)
Tickets for this are in high demand, but you never know, you might get lucky. If not, there's always tomorrow. It's no wonder, of course, because he's a class act, as our reviewer will attest: "Rhys Nicholson is certainly a distinctive character and his caustic wit and talent for storytelling leave you hanging on his every word. I honestly think I could listen to him read out a shopping list and would find it entertaining. His witty delivery as he pokes fun at himself - and of course others - is endlessly entertaining. He's unapologetic about who he is and, with the confidence he displays, it's hard not to be enchanted". Listing here.

5/5 HIGHLY RECOMMENDED | 4/5 RECOMMENDED | 3/5 GOOD | 2/5 MEDIOCRE | 1/5 BAD  
 
COMEDY

Police Cops: Badass Be Thy Name (CKP and InterTalent Group present)
Police Cops return to the Fringe with their unique brand of rip-roaring, sketch-style comedy. This time, we're transported into the hubbub of Manchester's nightlife, following one man's rejection of his nine-to-five job to embark on an unruly mission of slaying vampires and trying to defeat a hilariously mischievous devil. Wonderfully meta throughout, this daft show gives a satirical take on the kitchen-sink drama, fusing dancing, singing, multi-rolling and everything in between. With clever puns and risqué humour, the multi-disciplined performers bounce off each other's improvisations, heightening their enthralling comic chemistry. Extravagant physical comedy combined with razor-sharp quips make this fast-paced and quirky trio very exciting to watch.
Assembly George Square Studios, until 26 Aug.
tw rating 5/5 | [Ella Dorman-Gajic]


MUSIC

Notes From Shetland To Shanghai (Sophie Rocks)
Sophie Rocks produced an enchanting performance here, combining her superb harp playing with poetry on the theme of migration and the unseen bonds between migrants over time and across the world. Heavily influenced by her upbringing in Shetland and her own research into migration, the music complemented the poetry (voiced by a variety of recorded speakers) beautifully. Particularly effective were those sections which evoked the dangerous sea passages undertaken by migrants over the centuries, with Rocks fully utilising the percussive potential of the harp. Dramatic shifts in mood were achieved through Rock's skilful and committed playing. The final piece, 'Leaving Lerwick Harbour' (by Shetland fiddler Willie Hunter) ended a fine performance on a particularly poignant note.
theSpace on the Mile, until 24 Aug.
tw rating 4/5 | [Charlie Ellis]


THEATRE

Black Is the Color Of My Voice (Apphia Campbell presented by James Seabright and Play The Spotlight)
In this eye-opening, frank and deeply moving account of the life of Nina Simone, Apphia Campbell's stunning performance feels wholly authentic. We move from Simone's early love and discovery of music, to her ambition of becoming the first black concert pianist. Much of the writing is interspersed with Simone's music; Campbell's renditions could have strayed into tribute act territory, instead her singing beautifully captured the raw spirit of Simone's defiance and resilience. Most striking were the explorations of her activism and role in the civil rights movement, but in an hour-long piece these felt underdeveloped. Whether you're a fan of Simone's music or not, this ode to her life not only makes for a captivating performance, but is an inspiring story of a remarkable woman.
Gilded Balloon Teviot, until 26 Aug.
tw Rating 4/5 | [Amy Bonar]

Sexy Lamp (Katie Arnstein and Victoria Gagliano)
Fun yet thought-provoking, this timely one-woman show explores Katie Arnstein's experiences at the start of her acting career. Punctuated by charming renditions on the ukulele, we are guided swiftly down this yellow-brick-road, dropping us off at pivotal moments in her life: ones which inspired her love of acting, the need to say 'yes' to everything, and exposed the relentlessly unjust treatment of women. Deeply personal but undeniably universal, we see the systemic sexism of this industry unfold, taking us into darker and deeply moving territories. More theatrical stagecraft wouldn't have gone amiss, but overall this is a vital piece of feminist theatre, sensitively exposing how women are manipulated and exploited - powerfully performed by a superbly talented actor.
Pleasance Courtyard, until 26 Aug.
tw rating 4/5 | [Ella Dorman-Gajic]

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