Man of War: The Secret Life of Nadezhda Durova

THE highlight of our trip to Edinburgh. The show from start to finish was exciting , gripping and moving and is a credit to the four engaging actors owning the stage and venue with a captivating performance .
The true story itself was compelling and they certainly brought it to life with a performance that will be difficult to forget.

Excellent show. Story well told by 4 actors with nothing more than 4 chairs to take us through the birth of the main character to the drama of Napoleon’s march on Moscow and the Battle of Borodino. Well worth the watch.

This is a story I was completely unaware of prior to seeing this show and yet it is so superbly brought to life by these four very talented performers from Acting Coach Scotland that I was completely drawn into their compelling tale. Just with the aid of four chairs and simple yet effective costume these four students created a compelling tale which moved seamlessly through a vast swath of historical drama with verve and gusto due to their great talent and commitment. Brilliant storytelling and fab performances from a talented group of actors

A great show with completely engaging storytelling that moves at top speed from the opening scene to the close. Four actors on a a bare stage using only three chairs as props weave a grand tale of panoramic scope so vivid that the viewer easily forgets that they're not watching an epic big-budget film. The players create a detailed, multi-layered and touching portrait of a very unique and widely unknown historical figure using militarily precise blocking and flawless hand-offs of the storytelling baton.

Very well done performance. Enjoyed this play a lot.

Excellent staging of a compelling true story

***** Thought provoking and very skillfully performed

Was handed a flier for this, looked at the reviews, went yesterday. Excellent. A very interesting way of telling a true historical story. Would recommend.

This show is absolutely excellent- flawlessly executed and tightly choreographed and performed. Such an engaging way of telling an amazing true story. What I enjoyed most about this show is I could tell how hard the cast had worked on it, and that they were enjoying showing their hard work to an audience. They should be really proud of what they have achieved with this show.

Excellent production with only 3 chairs as props! Great acting!

Wow, a brilliant show and the energy of the performance was amazing. Really enjoyed it.

Many Fringe shows rely on one actor playing multiple parts. Here we have the luxury of 4 actors sharing one main role, along with what seems like half the cast list of War and Peace! Cleverly conceived and splendidly performed, with minimal props and a sparse soundtrack - most of the necessary noises are produced live on stage.
Gender is clearly a main theme but there's much else besides, not least the success with which this show engages deeply with Russian history and culture and treats its audience as intelligent enough to relate its subject matter to present-day circumstances without being either triumphalist or didactic. There's a priceless moment when Napoleon calls the tsar 'putain'...

Really engaging storytelling. A very tight ensemble who brought a physical style of performance that was effective and gripping. Seamless role swapping and scene shifting that brings the tale to the audience at a gallop!

Wow wow wow. What a fantastic performance by all four actors! Pure art and talent and an incredible, engaging true story. Highly recommend.

If you want to see the definition of a true "fringe" piece, look no further than this play! Perfect ensemble playing, minimal costume and 3 chairs as the set. And the writing is gorgeous. This is interesting, engaging and thoroughly entertaining. I loved it.

One of the best pieces of ensemble playing I’ve ever seen. Lots of physical movement tightly synchronized. Seamless character changes. Tons of energy. Very effective use of the minimal ‘set’. 5 stars from me.

Caught this show today and so glad we did. Powerful, slick, and utterly engaging- this is a show you don’t want to miss. Very talented cast and a cracking script combine with inventive staging to create an excellent piece of theatre. Fab.

Powerful, touching, enjoyable.

An hour well spent.

A compelling hour that is well worth spending. The script is clever and the acting notable. Adam Donaldson's brief portrayal of a horse was particularly entertaining!

Very clever, the four actors all playing the part of Nadezhda Durova, which worked very well. The true story was interesting and gripping, and the performance brought it all to life, purely by the words and actions of the actors, with no set. It's rare to find such a satisfying show in the Fringe.

Really enjoyed this play, touching and powerful performance by a talented 4 person crew! The play is based on a true story and beautifully shows the struggles and triumphs of a young woman on her journey to becoming a soldier.

Neat four hander, a crafted production and well executed by a young cast
Reviewer 71 year old white male