Skip to main content
My Shows
News on your favorite shows, specials & more!

EDINBURGH 2011: BWW Reviews: GRISLY TALES FROM TUMBLEWATER, Pleasance Courtyard, Aug 13 2011

By:
Featured Topic Edinburgh Festival More Coverage

Ed Jaspers performs in a solo storytelling piece about a young orphaned man who arrives in the strange, rainy and sinister town of Tumblewater, intent on finding his long lost sister and facing up to the dangerous landowner Caspian Prye. Based on the novel by Bruno Vincent which was longlisted for the Waterstone's Prize, the show tells the tale of a town of people who tell each other grisly, gruesome tales to distract themselves from the tough times they are facing, and the mysterious Victorian town at the heart of it.

The show as a whole is beautifully engaging. The story itself is the perfect combination of surreal, gruesome and strangely lovely, balanced enough to keep children interested while still keeping adults entertained. Jaspers gives an energetic, enthusiastic and skilled performance as a range of diverse and sometimes bizarre characters, and also provides the slightly dark songs to accompany the story in the form of a mandolin and vocals. The minimal props and space are used creatively and help to conjur up the range of weird and wonderful locations within Tumblewater.

An example of skilled, one-man storytelling, and a great show whether you have children to take with you or not.

Reader Reviews

To post a comment, you must register and login.





Don't Miss a UK Regional News Story
Sign up for all the news on the Summer season, discounts & more...

Local Shows
THE PARTISANS at The Underworld - London in UK Regional THE PARTISANS at The Underworld - London
The Underworld (8/08-8/08)
Allo Allo Dinner Show 18/07/2026 - Hitchin in UK Regional Allo Allo Dinner Show 18/07/2026 - Hitchin
Sun Hotel (7/18-7/18)
The Wasp in UK Regional The Wasp
Greenwich Theatre (9/04-9/12)
Valhalla Viking Festival in UK Regional Valhalla Viking Festival
Dummer Down Farm (7/24-7/26)
Count Arthur Strong - And It’s Goodnight From Me! in UK Regional Count Arthur Strong - And It’s Goodnight From Me!
The Alexandra (5/23-5/23)
QUEENSRYCHE at Islington Assembly Hall - London in UK Regional QUEENSRYCHE at Islington Assembly Hall - London
Islington Assembly Hall (6/23-6/23)
Victorian and Edwardian Favourites in UK Regional Victorian and Edwardian Favourites
Milton Abbey Church (7/21-7/21)
G4 Christmas 2026 - Hexham Abbey in UK Regional G4 Christmas 2026 - Hexham Abbey
Hexham Abbey (12/27-12/27)
East Devon Soul Festival in UK Regional East Devon Soul Festival
Seaton (7/04-7/04)
G4 Christmas 2026 - Newport Minster (Show 2) in UK Regional G4 Christmas 2026 - Newport Minster (Show 2)
Newport Minster (11/06-11/06)


BroadwayWorld TV