For many of us, Girl Guides provided a sense of community amongst women. A charitable group providing opportunities to develop life skills and meeting friends from various walks of life, the influential group has helped to instil a sense of pride and worth to many. Continuing on from the topic of a sense of unity amongst women, the bonds between grandmothers, mothers and daughters are perhaps our introduction to future networks formed. An unconditional bond, these shape our interactions throughout life. Exploring these connections in her play Do Our Best, Remy Beasley tells us more about her personal reasons for creating the play, her creative process and how the whole experience has been cathartic for her to explore.

What do you immediately think of, when you think of the term ‘witch’? Archaic? Witch hunts? Trials? Potions? The list is endless, however evokes a certain feeling of fear and destruction. Defined as ‘A woman thought to have magic powers, especially evil ones, popularly depicted as wearing a black cloak and pointed hat and flying on a broomstick’ (Oxford Dictionary) this very labelling of women throughout history within societies has accumulated an atmosphere of fearing those who perhaps do not conform to the gender roles established by patriarchal communities, and has witnessed the creation of damaging divides. Addressing this troublesome societal issue throughout the ages, theatre company Incognito present The Burning – an exploration of gender non conformity within the patriarchal construct. Ahead of their performances at the Pleasance Courtyard, Edinburgh, Director Roberta Zuric tells us more about the show. 

It was recently reported that ‘centuries of domestication have radically reshaped dog’s eyebrow anatomy, making their faces easily readable to people (National Geographic)’. Honeyguide birds in Mozambique have been found to understand humans, guiding hunters looking for bees’ nests only after they’ve heard a certain trolling sound from them. There’s a long way to go in terms of fully understanding the communication signals/patterns of numerous species, but what’s exciting is that we’re beginning to witness how, if discovered, humans and animals can love side by side and work together without miscommunication or danger. Performer and Theatre Maker Pete Lannon explores ideas of human/animal love and communication in SUPERFAN’s production of Like Animals. Showing as part of this year’s Edinburg Festival Fringe at Summerhall throughout August, read on to find out more about the show.

E–commerce purchasing has significantly disrupted our shopping habits, many of the high-street giants turning to the web to reach audiences they perhaps wouldn’t be able to due to location. The rise is a sign of our times, and shows no signs of slowing down. Amazon, perhaps the world’s most famous and wealthiest e-commerce site has rivalled its competitors due to the variety in products it offers, it’s easy to use site and its infamous ‘prime’ delivery option, whereby customers can receive their goods the following day. But what goes into this seamless monetary exchange? How can, compared to any other retail business, can Amazon provide this service? Kezia Cole and Richard Hay’s Fulfilment delves into the real experiences of those who work behind the scenes in Amazon Fulfilment Centres, giving a voice to the hard workers behind the multi-billion dollar business who present a harsh reality. Fulfilment shows throughout August at Undrbelly Cowgate as part of this year’s Edinburgh Festival Fringe Festival. Read on to find out more about the show!

Courtesy of David White

Making choices for ourselves can very often impact on the lives of those around us, even if we don’t necessarily think it. Often times we’re faced with not only thinking of what’s best for us in the short term, but what would also be of great benefit in the longer term. We try our best to make decisions that make everyone happy, but does that fulfil our own happiness? Probably not as we’re always having to compromise, however if you operate by the principle of honesty, your happiness becomes the focal point. Exploring honesty and expectations, Directors and Circus Performers Nikki Rummer and Jean-Daniel Broussé discuss their show ‘Knot’, playing throughout August at the Assembly Roxy as part of this year’s Edinburgh Festival Fringe. 

From the updating of a status, to the purchasing of products to the sending of an email, these actions are all made possible by numerous algorithms programmed to make our online experiences as seamless as possible. Algorithms silently navigate the day, manipulating the feeds we see on social media platforms to lining up prospective matches on dating apps. Daily life now tends to include the online world, a phenomenon we’ve witnessed grow at speed within the past decade and shows no signs of stopping. Exploring our online era further, playwright Sadie Clark presents ‘Algorithms’ showing at the Pleasance Courtyard at this year’s Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Ahead of the month long run, Sadie talks more about the show.

Social issues have become the main focal points of discussions had within wider society, we’re now living in an era whereby certain topics can no longer be ignored. The rate of homelessness in November 2018 has risen 4% to 320,000 people in Britain, a figure that has risen by 13,000. Our awareness of mental health has deepened, with 1 in 4 people in the UK experiencing mental health problems and 1 in 6 in England experiencing a common health mental health problem such as anxiety or depression (CALM). Exploring the isolation felt from the perspectives of the materially advantaged and disadvatanged experiencing postpartum depression in the early stages of motherhood and homelessness, writer and performer Katie Guicciardi presents  ‘Fox’, questioning our complex relationship of asking for help. ‘Fox’ will be performed from late July at the Pleasance Courtyard at this year’s Edinburgh Festival Fringe.