REVIEW – Scotch and Soda at St Andrew Square Spiegeltent *****

This show is not for the faint-hearted, and we mean the audience. This is a complete thriller from end to end and will have you on the edge of your seat for most of it.

The death-defying acrobatics are delivered in a nonchalant manner which defies the hours of practice and sheer talent which allows the troupe to perform them this way. There is, you would think, only so much one can do with a trapeze, a fairly ordinary looking bicycle and a load of old boxes. Well you are wrong. There is so much originality and flair in this show we don’t know where to start. And it would be wrong to disclose all of it anyway, as it is all part of the surprise of the show.

The music is the original work of Ben Walsh who has fine-tuned his Crusty Suitcase band to mould itself around the acrobatic work of Chelsea McGuffin and Dave Carberry and their Company 2 troupe. The music is loud and raucous but gentle when it needs to be (cue budgies stage centre). This is the only spoiler we are willing to share with you as the show really deserves to be watched from beginning to end with no preconceived notions.

The Edinburgh Reporter chatted with them all earlier in the week when they had just performed a few excerpts from the show. Although the excerpts were very good, it is still true to say that we were left amazed by the whole fast-paced extravaganza.

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The Edinburgh Reporter NEWS Scotch and Soda comes to town from Phyllis Stephen on Vimeo.

Scotch and Soda are a close knit bunch who come from Australia and who will be heading back to Melbourne after what is sure to be a very successful run at Edinburgh’s Christmas. Get your tickets now and go along and see them while you can! Click on the poster below.

Edinburgh’s Christmas is contracted by The City of Edinburgh Council to Underbelly and runs from 21 November to 4 January.