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Articles by Suzanne O'Brien
Black Sabbath - The Ballet
★★★☆☆ Rebellious Festival Theatre: Thur 30 Oct – Sat 1 Nov 2025 Review by Suzanne O’Brien Black Sabbath – The Ballet at the Festival Theatre is a Halloween weekend treat of brilliant dance and darkness. Having premiered in 2023, the production returns with an extra poignancy following the recent passing of lead singer Ozzy Osbourne.
All Edinburgh Theatre.com
★★★★☆ Darkly compelling Festival Theatre: Thur 16 – Sat 18 Oct 2025 Review by Suzanne O’Brien Scottish Ballet returns to the Festival Theatre with their thrilling, modern reimagining of one of history’s most famous rivalries – the complex relationship between Elizabeth I of England and Mary, Queen of Scots. These two towering figures of British history continue to be rich sources of inspiration for storytellers, and it is easy to understand why.
All Edinburgh Theatre.com
★★★★☆ Thought-provoking Summerhall (Venue 26): Wed 13 – Mon 25 Aug 2025 Review by Suzanne O’Brien Balfour Reparations, created by Farah Saleh and playing Sunmmerhall for the last two weeks of the Fringe, imagines a hypothetical scenario that raises questions about Britain’s colonial legacy in Palestine and its role in the country’s past, present, and future.
All Edinburgh Theatre.com
★★★☆☆ Understated Assembly @ Dance Base (Venue 22): Tue 5 – Sun 24 Aug 2024 Review by Suzanne O’Brien Fields (Extract), presented by the In the Fields Project at Dance Base is an understated and stripped-back piece that quietly explores natural movement and stone forms. Upon entering, the performance is already underway. Two performers, Merav Israel and Claire Pençak, take turns shaping and repositioning stones into spirals, mounds and lines.
All Edinburgh Theatre.com
★★★★☆ Chaotic beauty Festival Theatre: Thurs 3 – Sat 5 July 2025 Review by Suzanne O’Brien Rambert returns to the Edinburgh Festival Theatre with KISMET a fantastic double bill which explores destiny, fate and unpredictability. Premiering at Festival Theatre, Gallery of Consequence is set in the hectic world of an airport. This is the perfect piece for people-watchers, those who love to observe, imagine, and piece together the lives of strangers.
All Edinburgh Theatre.com
★★★★☆ Dynamic Festival Theatre: Fri 23/Sat 24 May 2025 Review by Suzanne O’Brien Ballet BC‘s double bill showcases the company’s range and cohesion through two very different pieces: Crystal Pite’s enigmatic Frontier, and Johan Inger’s theatrical and emotional Passing. Touring the UK under the aegis of the Dance Consortium, Canada’s preeminent contemporary dance company stopped off for two nights at the Festival Theatre.
All Edinburgh Theatre.com
★★★★☆ Haunting Festival Theatre: Wed 21 May 2025 Review by Suzanne O’Brien Ballet Black’s SHADOWS, a double bill of new work seen at the Festival Theatre and then going on tour through the coming autumn, is a darkly compelling exploration of the psychological and the surreal. Though contrasting in tone and style, A Shadow Work and My Sister, The Serial Killer both grapple with what lies beneath the surface – whether repressed within the self or hidden behind a sister’s dazzling smile.
Through the Shortbread Tin
★★★★☆ Charismatic and witty Storytelling Centre: Tue 8/Wed 9 April 2025 Review by Suzanne O’Brien. Through the Shortbread Tin, written and performed by Martin O’Connor, is a captivating exploration of Scottish identity, history, myth and the truth. What begins with a playful, stereotypical depiction of Scotland in this touring National Theatre of Scotland production, quickly evolves into a rich, multi-layered story about the nation’s history and personal identity.
I've been a hospice nurse for 20 years—people often have these 4 confessions on their deathbed | Flipboard
I've been a hospice nurse for 20 years—people often have these 4 confessions on their deathbed As a hospice nurse with more than 20 years of experience, I've sat with many patients at the end of their lives. But I've found that for most people, …
I've been a hospice nurse for 20 years. People often have 4 confessions on their deathbed—here's what they teach us Original
As a hospice nurse with more than 20 years of experience, I've sat with many patients at the end of their lives. But I've found that for most people, death isn't the biggest fear. It's the regrets. When we don't acknowledge that death is a natural part of our journey, or we treat it as if it's optional, we don't take careof the important things we're meant to do, learn and be.
I'm a death doula. Four things have convinced me dying is not the end
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I'm a death doula. Four things have convinced me dying is not the end
Microsoft Cares About Your Privacy Microsoft and our third-party vendors use cookies to store and access information such as unique IDs to deliver, maintain and improve our services and ads. If you agree, MSN and Microsoft Bing will personalise the content and ads that you see. You can select ‘I Accept’ to consent to these uses or click on ‘Manage preferences’ to review your options and exercise your right to object to Legitimate Interest where used.
I'm a death doula. Four things have convinced me dying is not the end
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All Edinburgh Theatre.com
★★★★☆ Compelling performances Traverse: Tue 25 Feb – Sat 1 Mar 2025 Review by Suzanne O’Brien. Heaven, by Eugene O’Brien at the Traverse until Saturday, is a fascinating exploration of human desires which strikes a delicate balance between humour and heartache.
All Edinburgh Theatre.com
★★★☆☆ Good fun Scottish Storytelling Centre: Sun 8/Mon 9 December 2024 Review by Suzanne O’Brien Capture the Flag! follows a group of fast-food workers on a mandatory company retreat where tensions build and relationships are tested. The Napier Drama Society’s Winter Show at the Scottish Storytelling Centre, is a light-hearted satire filled with workplace drama and absurdity.
All Edinburgh Theatre.com
★★★★☆ Captivating Edinburgh Playhouse: Tue 24 – Sat 28 Sept 2024 Review by Suzanne O’Brien Written by Willy Russell, Blood Brothers at the Edinburgh Playhouse all week and returning to the Glasgow King’s in October, is a compelling tale filled with moving performances. Known for his sharp social commentary and poignant storytelling, Russell’s work continues to captivate audiences decades after its debut.
All Edinburgh Theatre.com
★★★★☆ Sparkling Playhouse: Mon 7 – Sat 12 October 2024 Review by Suzanne O’Brien With all the vibrant colours of the rainbow, Hairspray at the Edinburgh Playhouse delivers hit after hit, taking the audience in with its high energy and dazzling performances. Once it gets into its rhythm, this production doesn’t slow down – bursting with some spectacular debut performances and sparkling moments.
All Edinburgh Theatre.com
★★★★☆ Enthralling Greenside @ George Street (Venue 236): Mon 19 – Sat 24 Aug 2024 Review by Suzanne O’Brien In the Round by Yucca Dance at Greenside on George Street for the last week of the Fringe is a captivating exploration of the circles and cycles that shape our lives. Choreographed and performed by Yuxi Jiang and Luca Vaccari, this piece blends Chinese and Western contemporary dance and is enriched by elements from various cultures, including Tibetan spiritual practices.
All Edinburgh Theatre.com
★★★★☆ Unstoppable Gilded Balloon Patter Hoose (Venue 24): Wed 31st Jul – Mon 26th Aug 2024 Review by Suzanne O’Brien Filled with banter and the odd Gaelic phrase, PALS at the Gilded Balloon Patter House is a brilliant adventure-comedy that will have you laughing one minute and holding back tears the next.
All Edinburgh Theatre.com
★★★★☆ Hallowe’en treat Traverse: Tue 31 Oct, Wed 1 Nov 2023 Review by Suzanne O’Brien Regardless which versions of fairy tales by the likes of Grimm, Perrault, Disney or Carter you are familiar with, there is no denying the darkness within them. Lesser known, is that the history of the tales is perhaps just as dark, twisted, and entertaining as the tales themselves.
Matthew Bourne’s Romeo and Juliet
★★★★☆ Radical and inventive Festival Theatre: Tue 19 – Sat 23 Sept 2023 Review by Suzanne O’Brien Matthew Bourne’s radical reinterpretation of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet for his New Adventures company, creates a ballet about the powerless and the powerful which highlights the madness of young love and the crazy things it forces us to do.
Mark Twain’s The Stolen White Elephant
★★★☆☆ Absurd Paradise in The Vault (Venue 29): 14 – 27 Aug 2023 Review by Suzanne O’Brien Performed by Andy Dickinson, this version of Mark Twain’s absurd short story The Stolen White Elephant changes the original setting of New Jersey to Manchester. It’s amusing, satirical and totally bizarre. The story begins with the King of Siam deciding to gift the Queen a Siamese white elephant. When the humongous elephant gets to England, it is stolen.
Edinburgh Fringe reviews: The Half Moon
STTF-26-08-23-FringereviewsHalfMoon-SCOTThere's four-star theatre aplenty in our latest bag of Fringe reviews, including an unforgettable look at the lives of four generations of Belfast women, an emotive tale about migration, and a quiet meditation on young womanhood Pleasance Dome (Venue 23) until 28 August ON A simple platform stage against a burning sky, writer Alice Malseed and actor Ruby Campbell take us through the lives of four generations of Belfast women, in this new play produced...
All Edinburgh Theatre.com
★★★★☆ Heaps of fun The Lost Close (venue 443): Thurs 3 – Mon 28 Aug 2023 Review by Suzanne O’Brien Set in an ancient courtroom, Edinburgh Storytellers’ Plague, Poo n’ Punishment is a comedy show filled with stories of Edinburgh’s gory history that is enjoyable for both children and adults. Just off the Royal Mile, The Prison Room at The Lost Close acts as the perfect venue for this entertaining and educational show.
Traditional Tales of Scotland
★★★★☆ Magical Scottish Storytelling Centre (Venue 30): Fri 4 – Sun 27 Aug 2023 Review by Suzanne O’Brien With a basic set consisting of a table and chair and no special effects or lights, Traditional Tales of Scotland at the Scottish Storytelling Centre, is a simple and relaxed hour of storytelling. Featuring a different storyteller each day, the sessions focus on tales about Scotland’s magical creatures, myths and legends – from which there is an abundance to choose.
The Real William Shakespeare… As Told by Christopher Marlowe
★★★★☆ Full of imagination Greenside @ Riddles Court (Venue 16): Fri 4 – Sat 19 Review by Suzanne O’Brien There are many debates and conspiracy theories surrounding Shakespeare’s life and work. The Real William Shakespeare… as Told by Christopher Marlowe, from Matchmaker Theatre Productions, pitches into one of those thought-provoking theories with great humour, music and lively performances.
The Grand Old Opera House Hotel
★★★★☆ Marvellous mayhem Traverse Theatre (Venue 15): Fri 4 – Sun 27 Aug 2023 Review by Suzanne O’Brien Isobel McArthur strikes again with The Grand Old Opera House Hotel, a wonderfully written fusion of farce and opera running the full length of the fringe. Following on from Kidnapped at the Lyceum and the Olivier-award success of Pride and Prejudice (sort of), this Traverse Theatre Company production with Dundee Rep truly is a gem of a show.
All Edinburgh Theatre.com
★★★★★ Exhilarating Assembly Rooms(Venue 20): Fri 4 – Sun 27 Aug 2023 Review by Suzanne O’Brien Cora Bissett is nothing short of incredible in her gig-theatre show What Girls Are Made Of. It is full-throttle, high energy and, at points, it really does feel like you are front row at a gig. Inspired by her teenage diaries that she found stuffed in her father’s attic, Cora relives specific times in her life which has brought her to this very moment.
All Edinburgh Theatre.com
★★★★☆ Sharp and witty Summerhall (Venue 26): Wed 2 – Sun 27 Aug 2023 Review by Suzanne O’Brien Dynamic collaborators Jess Brodie and Victoria Bianchi play expert hosts in Help Yourself, from Musselburgh-based Emma Ruse Productions running at Summerhall’s demonstration room for the full Fringe.
All Edinburgh Theatre.com
★★★☆☆ Girl power The Studio: Mon 29 – Wed 31 May 2023 Review by Suzanne O’Brien Hannah Lavery’s Protest at the Studio as part of the Edinburgh International Children’s Festival proves that, to bring change, all you need is a voice and a little imagination.
All Edinburgh Theatre.com
★★★★★ Masterful Traverse: Tue 16 – Wed 17 May 2023 Review by Suzanne O’Brien Imogen Stirling does not miss a beat in Love The Sinner, an enthralling fusion of poetry and electronic music created in collaboration with Vanishing Point at the Traverse for two nights only. With the pressures and expectations that we all face, is sin-like behaviour forgivable? Or is it just dangerously consuming?
National Death Doula Day April 20th
Founder of Doulagivers Institute National Death Doula Day April 20th National Death Doula Day is being celebrated on April 20th to celebrate the new non-medical support changing end of life care Death is not a medical experience, It's a human one” — Suzanne B. O'Brien RN CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA, UNITED STATES, April 18, 2023/ EINPresswire.com/ -- National Death Doula Day is the day set aside to celebrate the progressive Death Doula Movement. Founded by Suzanne B.
Matthew Bourne’s Sleeping Beauty
★★★★☆ Enchanting Festival Theatre: Tue 11 April – Sat 15 April 2023 Review by Suzanne O’Brien New Adventures’ magical production of Sleeping Beauty, at the Festival Theatre all week, tells the timeless tale of Princess Aurora with a modern gothic twist that has you hooked from the start.
5th ANNUAL DOULAGIVERS END OF LIFE FAMILY CAREGIVER “WORLD TRAINING DAY” ANNOUNCED
Doulagivers Global Training Thailand Suzanne B. O'Brien R.N. and Founder of Doulagivers Doulagivers Institute Hosts the 5th Annual World Training Day Event to Help People Prepare for End-of-Life Care.
How a women-only programme impacted my career
For years I worked in Financial Services and loved it. A qualified accountant and tax consultant may not sound like the most exciting career to many, but I really enjoyed it. For the most part I worked with very talented and motivated colleagues, and cliched, but true – we worked hard and played hard! The hours could be very long, and there was constant pressure to perform but there were perks – I travelled, thrived under pressure, and I was very well remunerated.
Strange times indeed
Strange times indeed. So much has changed and so quickly. I have never experienced change at this speed or on this scale. It doesn’t seem real that just over a month ago I was in Dublin delivering Core Leadership Skills to a room full of wonderful, engaged and engaging Aurorans. It was a fantastic homecoming for me, and a powerful reminder of how important it is that we have this forum to express our passion for Higher Education, for leadership, and for equality. Lockdown doesn’t change that.
Peaky Blinders - the Redemption of Thomas Shelby
★★★★☆ Razor sharp Festival Theatre: Tue 28 Feb – Sat 4 Mar 2023 Review by Suzanne O’Brien Was there a need, desire or craving for a dance theatre version of hit TV show Peaky Blinders? Perhaps not. But Rambert Dance’s piece successfully plays on the show’s popularity to introduce new audiences to the world of dance. It is making dance theatre more accessible, engaging and enjoyable and it will most certainly be gaining fans along the way.
All Edinburgh Theatre.com
★★★★☆ Dusted with gold Dance Base (Venue 22): Tue 16 – Sun 21 Aug 2022 Review by Suzanne O’Brien Worn, White and Givan’s powerful new piece of contemporary dance, is at Dance Base for the middle week of the fringe only. Performers and choreographers Errol White and Davina Givan take inspiration from the Japanese art of Kintsugi, when breakages and imperfections in pottery are mended and highlighted with gold or silver.
The Beatles were a Boyband
★★★★☆ Powerful Gilded Balloon Patter House (Venue 24): Sat 6 – Sat 13 August 2022 Review by Suzanne O’Brien In a world where misogyny and sexual violence is normalised, F-Bomb Theatre’s powerful new show The Beatles Were a Boyband asks why? Playing at the Gilded Balloon Patter House on Chambers Street for Week One of the fringe only, it accurately highlights the harsh realities that women face and the lengths they are forced to go to in order to keep themselves safe.
All Edinburgh Theatre.com
★★★★☆ Heartbreakingly honest Traverse Theatre (Venue 15): 4 – 28 August 2022 Review by Suzanne O’Brien Amy Molloy gives a raw and unapologetically honest performance as Kate in This is Paradise, a captivating solo show returning to the Traverse Theatre for the full Fringe. This Traverse production is set in Belfast on 10 April 1998, the day when The Good Friday Agreement was signed. Kate visits a man she had tried to leave behind and on this journey her personal peace is put into question.
All Edinburgh Theatre.com
★★★★☆ A roaring success Playhouse: Thurs 2 June – Sat 2 July 2022 Review by Suzanne O’Brien Disney’s The Lion King, at the Edinburgh Playhouse until July 2, is a sensory feast of colour, music and puppetry. Whether you have seen the classic Disney movie numerous times or never before, it is a spectacular musical that does not disappoint.
Adoptive Families
We carefully choose our children's names. But wait—our children will soon have their own ideas about who they are and what they should be called. Join or renew now for exclusive access to this article, the full searchable Adoptive Families Adoption Parenting Library, and more. Already a member? Log in below. [wppb-login] Need help? CLICK HERE
Adoptive Families
Adoption: By the Numbers, the latest report from the National Council For Adoption, shows a slight increase in U.S. infant adoptions from 2007 to 2014. Join or renew now for exclusive access to this article, the full searchable Adoptive Families Adoption Parenting Library, and more. Already a member? Log in below. [wppb-login] Need help? CLICK HERE
Adoptive Families
Each year, Adoptive Families polls newly formed families across the country to get actual information on the cost and length of time it took them to complete their adoptions. See the results of the most recent 2016-2017 Adoption Cost & Timing Survey. Join or renew now for exclusive access to this article, the full searchable Adoptive Families Adoption Parenting Library, and more. Already a member? Log in below. [wppb-login] Need help? CLICK HERE
Read, Share and Shape the News
Poll: Are you planning to re-gift anything you were given for Christmas? IT’S THE THOUGHT that counts when it comes to presents, but that doesn’t necessarily mean you have to keep everything you’re given. It might be seen as impolite to return a gift someone has carefully picked out for you to a shop, but re-gifting is more of a grey area.
Read, Share and Shape the News
Poll: When do you open your Christmas presents? CHRISTMAS ISN’T ALL about presents, but for many people it’s an important part of the festive season. Some people like to open their gifts on Christmas Eve or first thing in the morning on Christmas Day, but others prefer post-dinner or after a religious service if they’re attending one. The exact timing is a bone of contention in many homes, with some choosing to stagger the process. We want to know: When do you open your Christmas presents?
Read, Share and Shape the News
Poll: Did your car insurance premium increase this year? THE PRICE OF car insurance continued to be a political football this year, as opposition parties criticised the government for failing to do anything about the rising cost of premiums. Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin were at loggerheads in the Dáil recently as they made conflicting claims about whether the price of motor insurance has risen or fallen in recent years. We examine the issue in a FactCheck today.
Sydney's smoke: Looking out my daughter’s window the city was blanketed in orange dust, writes Dr Suzanne O'Brien
BEGINNING IN SEPTEMBER, this Australian bushfire season was proving to be particularly fierce and in New South Wales we observed the path of damage and destruction as the wildfires spread south from central and southern Queensland. In early November the fine dust and particles from raging flames hundreds of kilometres away first began sweeping into my adopted home city of Sydney. Looking out my daughter’s window on the first morning the city was blanketed in orange dust. It was an eerie sight.
Black is the Color of My Voice
★★★★☆ Spellbinding Young Critics Scheme review Gilded Balloon Teviot (Venue 14): Mon 12 – Mon 26 Aug 2019 Review by Suzanne O’Brien Apphia Campbell triumphs in Black is the Color of My Voice at Gilded Balloon Teviot. A riveting show inspired by the life and music of Nina Simone and featuring songs such as I Put a Spell On You and Feeling Good.
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