The Queen is Mad

I'll be honest and say before coming to see "The Queen is Mad", playing at Zoo Southside, I had never even heard of Joanna of Castille.

The show opens with a tour guide presenting a statue of Joanna, having to explain to a befuddled tourist who she was, the tourist only making a connection upon learning that she was Catherine of Aragon's sister.

We are led through a tragic tale of misogyny, deceit, and ambition. None of this brought on by Joanna but rather the men that surround her. The songs are all beautifully sung by the stong cast of three. Maria Coyne, Robert Finlayson, and Brian Raftery. Harmonies flowing better than any musical I've seen so far at fringe!

I feel a little guilty in saying so, given that the show is about a woman who is pushed aside and forgotten about, even as she bravely made a stance for change, but the two male leads absolutely steal the show! Their comedic timing and harmonies are a perfect combination for success, and their chemistry is so natural that you can tell they truly trust each other on the stage.

On that note, it does lead me on to a small critique: in a show that is supposed to showcase the truth about Joanna of Castille, I did find her scenes to be a little surface level. I wanted to know about her a little more, and I feel perhaps the fringe time constraints may have hindered this.

I would love to see the run time increased to get a little more scenes with Joanna so that we can learn more about her.

I really hope the show gets more runs outside of fringe because it is fabulous, and I really hope it can develop into a slightly longer runtime so that we can really dig into this all-important story about a woman sadly forgotten to history, and when remembered, is remembered incorrectly as Joanna the Mad.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Are there any fringe shows you would like to see outside the festival? Let us all know before they go so that we can all have a fantastic fringe!

Love,

Tony x

Knightclub

I'm gonna do it! I'm gonna break the first rule, and I'm gonna talk about "KnightClub". 

When I found this show in my initial search of fringe shows, it sounded so ridiculous that I knew I had to see it. A story about two monks that get kicked out of a monastery and decide to become knights instead? Count me in!

Playing at theSpace at Surgeons Hall, I entered a theatre that was playing medieval bard versions of modern day hits over the speakers. The show starts off quite strong, epic lighting cuts, stellar music, and monks fighting each other with swords.

The rest of the show is honestly a mixed bag. It has very good bones, but the cast struggle to maintain momentum. I really feel like the script needs heavy edits to help the flow, and honestly, it felt like a little more rehearsal was needed as the cast came across as a unsure as to what the next move was.

That's not to say that there are no strong moments. The show is filled with strong and silly gags, outrageous mustaches, and some fun and satirical social/political commentary! It's just not a polished show yet.

⭐️⭐️1/2

If this show comes back, I really would like to see it again. Performances followed by rewrites and rehearsals can improve a show drastically, and I really feel like Spruce Moose are onto something here.

Hoping you are all having a fantastic fringe!😁

Love,

Tony x

Why I Stuck A Flare Up My Arse For England

Growing up, everyone at my school loved playing soccer. It wasn't until I moved to England though that I realised I was committing a mortal sin by not calling it football or taking any interest in it.

In Ireland, there were defintely fans of the sport, but in England it is almost like a religion.

When I lived in England, my Saturdays were filled with my neighbour screaming at his television to games that weren't even for the team he supported, and my workdays were filled with an almost daily reminder that football jerseys were not to be worn in the office due to incidents in the past.

Although it was not a world I knew, when you see a play with the title: "Why I Stuck A Flare Up My Arse For England", you can't help but be a little curious as to what the heck it could be about. 

Running at Underbelly Cowbarn Theare for its third and final run, the songs you'd expect to hear at a football stadium are blaring as you enter the theatre.

Alex Hill storms the stage as Billy Kinley. There's an electric energy just radiating from Hill. You immediately want to be his best pal and hang on to every word that comes out of his mouth.

We are brought on a tale of friendship, love, and football!

We see how Billy goes down a path of destruction that starts with going to matches with his best mate and spirals into cocaine, booze, and fist fights.

What I really appreciated about this story is how it represents men's mental health. It doesn't have the lead character come from a rough and broken home, finding kinship with people who took advantage of his brokenness, a tale of poverty porn that is so often associated with football hooliganism. Billy comes from a family where his parents were theatrical, artistic types. His dad's a hairdresser, his best mate works in a bank, and he has a steady girlfriend. It shows that even when we have things society deems as a steady foundation, we can still feel lost, lonely, and low.

Being part of a football team fanbase makes Billy feel part of something important. School never made him feel that way, and he works for his dad, which doesn't give him fulfilment, and he most defintely won't become a football player. Having a best friend often isn't enough to make you happy if you don't have a purpose in life.

There were a couple of technical difficulties in the performance, but Hill handled it completely in character, so much so that it just became a part of the show.

It's a tragedy that this is the last time this show is coming to the fringe. The only thing I can hope is that someone at The National Theatre sees this show or gets a hand on a copy of the script quite recently published by Metheun and puts it on there.

This is a show that needs to be seen on a national stage, and wouldn't it be lovely to see tickets sold at a discount price to football fans in the clubs of the United Kingdom.

There's not much time left in its run, so please grab some tickets if you can! As you can probably guess already, I'm awarding this show a Fantastic Fringe Award!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Are there any shows you've seen at fringe that you feel need to be given a bigger stage? I hope you've found at least one and I hope you have a fantastic fringe! 😁

Love,

Tony x

Don't Tell Dad About Diana

It's been 28 years since Princess Diana tragically passed away. However, she has remained a steadfast part of pop culture even to this day. This is obvious at the fringe, where there are multiple shows that deal with topics surrounding Princess Diana.

"Don't Tell Dad About Diana" follows two Dublin teens, Connor and Hannah, trying to navigate their journey from secondary school to adulthood in 1990's Ireland.

Connor is in the closet due to his Catholic and close-minded upbringing. (A fun little juxtaposition being that the pearls he uses for his Princess Diana drag persona is actually his rosary beads worn back to front.) Hannah is his best friend who desperately wants to escape Dublin with Connor to live in London where she will design and create all his dresses for his drag career.

The show follows them as they work to enter Connor into the Alternative Miss Ireland competition. Its going to be their final triumph before London, but secrets are about to be ripped open and tragedies will happen that turn their worlds upside down.

For a show that has a gay teen in 90's Ireland, I wished we had more of a story to do with gay life and culture at that time period. Perhaps it's more to do with the time limit at fringe, but I felt the show revolved a little too much around the fear of letting Hannah down. Perhaps if there was a little bit more run time, we could have had more to say on gay irish society in the 90's.

The show was a fun time, though, and I would love to see how it grows from its fringe run. I would definitely love to come see it again if it returns next year.

⭐️⭐️⭐️ 1/2

Are there any shows that you are excited to see come back? Let us know in the comments so that we can all have a fantastic fringe!

Love,

Tony x

A Letter to Lyndon B Johnson or God: Whoever Reads This First

I bought my ticket to "A Letter to Lyndon B. Johnson or God: Whoever Reads This First" before fringe had even started. When I told people that I bought tickets to all three of Xhloe and Natasha's shows, I was told that I was crazy for getting all three and that I could just as easily get a ticket on the day if I liked their other shows.

Well, with their entire run selling out before the fringe was even halfway done, I think we all know who made the right decision!

You all already know that I have loved their two previous shows, so the bar was set even higher because I had two great shows to compare it to.

This show is a triumph!

I have seen 34 shows at the fringe; I still have a lot more to see, and I already know that this show is the best show I've seen at fringe this season.

The opening scene of the dynamic duo playing "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da" on their harmonicas whilst performing their signature physical movement style was enough for me to know that this was a masterpiece. The fact that I got an extra 45 minutes was my lucky day.

"A Letter to Lyndon B. Johnson or God: Whoever Reads This First" perfectly captures the innocence of boyhood trying to come to terms with a world that expects masculinity to be brutal, violent, and toxic.

I was instantly blasted back 25 years ago, fighting with my brother and my cousins about who was the strongest, the bravest, and the toughest. Desperately needing to be the man of the group, none of us knowing what the hell it meant but fearing what would happen if we didn't meet those expectations.

We see Ace and Grasshopper at a boyscout camp. They are obsessed with being tough and making Lyndon B. Johnson proud. We learn about their homelife and the expectations/lack of expectations to be a man. Ace comes from an army family, whilst Grasshopper comes from a family with no father in the picture. Both boys have this need to be a man in spite of their different backgrounds.

With the lone set piece of a tyre, we are hurled through stories of violence, of fear, and of trying to come to terms with right and wrong. We see the parallel of boy scouts and soldiers. Practically the same, except for the weapons. Both just boys trying to win badges and medals to show how manly they are. Both just as scared when faced with a danger they have never felt before. And like immature boys, soldiers can be just as cruel, because "All's fair when you're the good guys."

My mind is left with one unanswered question: Why is this show not on Broadway or the West End?

In a theatre world filled with commercial shows and overly artistic renditions of classics, we need to start filling our theatres with pieces that mean something and that are crafted with skill and brilliance, not alienenating, academic nonsense.

"A Letter to Lyndon B. Johnson or God: Whoever Reads This First" will have you so immersed, you will forget you are in a theatre.

Seriously, on the off chance that any big theatre producers stumble across this review, what on earth are you waiting for, get this show to bigger spaces NOW!!!

If you can't tell already, this show is absolutely getting a Fantastic Fringe Award!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

If you do manage to secure a ticket, "A Letter to Lyndon B. Johnson or God: Whoever Reads This First" is playing at theSpace on Niddry Street.

What show has been your favourite at fringe so far? I hope you have all been having the best time, and I hope you have a fantastic fringe! 😁

Love,

Tony x

Mothers

I haven't been to a lot of verbatim theatre pieces, so I was looking forward to seeing "Mothers" at the fringe this year to see something different. 

Running at the Space Annexe at theSpace at Symposium Hall, Mothers tells a story of what it means to be a mother from both a mother and daughter's perspective.

We hear voiceovers from interviews with actual mothers who are known to the cast and crew, each spurning on different scenes that cover everything from a first period to an unexpected death.

I appreciated the fact that the show doesn't paint mothers as completely without fault. It digs down deep into the complex relationships daughters can have with their mothers, how mothers can sometimes fail to see their child as anything other than their child. Sometimes, they refuse to acknowledge the fact that their child is their own individual person with their own thoughts and belief systems.

The show, however, is overall very sweet and warm. Showing love and connection in this bond that will have its strong and weak moments but, more often than not, will always be there.

I cried heavily (I'm talking deep sobbing as opposed to some delicate few tears and sniffling) during this show, but it's worth the tears at 10:35 in the morning.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Has there been any show that really moved you? Let us know in the comments so that we can all have a fantastic fringe!

Love,

Tony x

A Letter to Lyndon B Johnson or God: Whoever Reads This First

I bought my ticket to "A Letter to Lyndon B. Johnson or God: Whoever Reads This First" before fringe had even started. When I told people that I bought tickets to all three of Xhloe and Natasha's shows, I was told that I was crazy for getting all three and that I could just as easily get a ticket on the day if I liked their other shows.

Well, with their entire run selling out before the fringe was even halfway done, I think we all know who made the right decision!

You all already know that I have loved their two previous shows, so the bar was set even higher because I had two great shows to compare it to.

This show is a triumph!

I have seen 34 shows at the fringe; I still have a lot more to see, and I already know that this show is the best show I've seen at fringe this season.

The opening scene of the dynamic duo playing "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da" on their harmonicas whilst performing their signature physical movement style was enough for me to know that this was a masterpiece. The fact that I got an extra 45 minutes was my lucky day.

"A Letter to Lyndon B. Johnson or God: Whoever Reads This First" perfectly captures the innocence of boyhood trying to come to terms with a world that expects masculinity to be brutal, violent, and toxic.

I was instantly blasted back 25 years ago, fighting with my brother and my cousins about who was the strongest, the bravest, and the toughest. Desperately needing to be the man of the group, none of us knowing what the hell it meant but fearing what would happen if we didn't meet those expectations.

We see Ace and Grasshopper at a boyscout camp. They are obsessed with being tough and making Lyndon B. Johnson proud. We learn about their homelife and the expectations/lack of expectations to be a man. Ace comes from an army family, whilst Grasshopper comes from a family with no father in the picture. Both boys have this need to be a man in spite of their different backgrounds.

With the lone set piece of a tyre, we are hurled through stories of violence, of fear, and of trying to come to terms with right and wrong. We see the parallel of boy scouts and soldiers. Practically the same, except for the weapons. Both just boys trying to win badges and medals to show how manly they are. Both just as scared when faced with a danger they have never felt before. And like immature boys, soldiers can be just as cruel, because "All's fair when you're the good guys."

My mind is left with one unanswered question: Why is this show not on Broadway or the West End?

In a theatre world filled with commercial shows and overly artistic renditions of classics, we need to start filling our theatres with pieces that mean something and that are crafted with skill and brilliance, not alienenating, academic nonsense.

"A Letter to Lyndon B. Johnson or God: Whoever Reads This First" will have you so immersed, you will forget you are in a theatre.

Seriously, on the off chance that any big theatre producers stumble across this review, what on earth are you waiting for, get this show to bigger spaces NOW!!!

If you can't tell already, this show is absolutely getting a Fantastic Fringe Award!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

If you do manage to secure a ticket, "A Letter to Lyndon B. Johnson or God: Whoever Reads This First" is playing at theSpace on Niddry Street.

What show has been your favourite at fringe so far? I hope you have all been having the best time, and I hope you have a fantastic fringe! 😁

Love,

Tony x

Boiler Room Six: A Titanic Story

You can't grow up in Cork and not be obsessed with Titanic. From the moment I saw "Boiler Room Six: A Titanic Story" on the Fringe website, I knew that I had to see it.

I walked into the Forest Theatre at Greenside at George Street, and the music of 1912 was already playing like it was over a gramophone. This really set the tone and helped me get excited to see the show. The audience was the same, the theatre being completely sold out.

The show opens with Frederick Barrett, a true character who was onboard the Titanic, answering questions for an inquiry into its sinking. We are quickly transported to 1912 and told all about the lives of the coal shovelers in Boiler Room Six.

We meet our host of characters, all played by actor Charlie Sheepshank. The characters, although based on real people, often feel a little disingenuous due to the fact that they come across as stereotypes with slightly didgy accents rather than fleshed out characters. The story, however, is a fascinating one of compassion, human endurance, and quick thinking in a time of rapid disaster.

Even though you know that Frederick survives, you do find yourself worrying that something awful is going to happen as he journeys through the sinking ship, brilliantly laid out through the beautiful light/soundscape.

I did, however, feel a little disappointed that the audience was asked to suspend their disbelief about being on a sinking ship in 1912, yet we had to endure a 2 minute blackout where we watched the actor walk offstage and reappear with a head that had been clearly dunked into a bucket of water. The audience accepts that they are already on the Titanic, and it breaks the momentum of the story. 

Boiler Room Six is a solid play, and if Titanic interests you, you will have a good time. It just needed some tightening in my opinion, before I could be truly blown away.

⭐️⭐️⭐️

Hoping you are all enjoying your time at the theatre, and I hope you have a fantastic fringe! 😁

Love,

Tony x

That Show About The Hot Dog

The very soul of fringe is the fact that anyone can put on a show about anything. You don't have any big wigs worrying about whether it's going to appeal to the masses. If you think it's going to be entertaining, then go ahead and put on a show, no matter how weird it is.

And if you want the weird side of fringe, then look no further than "That Show About The Hot Dog" playing at the Forest Theatre at Greenside at George Street.

I entered the theatre to some funky live music being played as a projector screen showed the audience pictures of different types of hot dogs. Thank goodness I ate beforehand because that could have been torture!

We go through a mish mash of monologues, films, and sketches about the significance of the hot dog in american culture.

A lot of identity has been formed around the hot dog as an American staple, but what does it all mean? I still don't quite know myself, but I sure as hell had a fun time listening to a hot dog having an existential crisis about it! Not to mention a discussion between Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung about the significance of hot dogs and their condiments in dreams!

The play does get quite poignant in parts. I was surprised to find a very powerful monologue around immigration and identity within a new home in a play about hot dogs, but JoAnn Kelly Birt delivered her monologue with such passion and tenderness that it brought a little tear to me eye. This is a star in the making that I look forward to seeing more of on stage.

The show is a whole lot of fun, but the staging was a little hindered from time to time as parts of the screen were blocked by performers, making it difficult to read things being projected. The script could also use a little tightening as it got nearer to the end.

Overall,though, I had a real blast! I will be completely honest and say this show is not going to be everyone's cup of tea. For every reason that I loved it, I know there are some that won't.

But...

If you want a weird and kooky show with the spirit of fringe fully in tact, then come along to see "That Show About The Hot Dog"!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

What is the weirdest show you have seen at fringe? Let us know in the comments, and as always, have a fantastic fringe! 😁

Love,

Tony x

When I Grow Up

When I was a little boy, what I wanted to be when I grew up changed every couple of hours: Tarzan, police officer, ninja warrior to name a few.

Jeromaia Detto takes on this concept of childhood wishes and creates an incredibly sweet and funny show called "When I Grow Up" running at The Wee Coo at Underbelly George Square.

It opens up with a voiceover of children telling us all what they want to be when they grow up. It's so cute to hear them, and the audience is chuckling along at the innocence of it all and a shared sense of childhood nostalgia.

When the voiceovers end, Detto is sitting in the audience with us, telling us he is waiting for the show to start. His clowning is tremendous as he works through the crowd to get the show started. Writing something down on a piece of paper and popping it in to a bucket. Hinting to us all that we should do it. It's slow at first, but eventually we have people jumping out of their seats to write something down.

When it all ends, Detto gets to work taking the suggestions out of a bucket. What happens next is an hour of belly laughs and becoming a child again.

Detto is so respectful of his audience, asking permission for them to come on stage to play pretend as he clowns his way through the suggestions.

Some of the best from the show I saw were Detto becoming a member of ABBA, a concert pianist, a polka music stripper, and a bean farmer: The Master of The Beans!!!

The show has its limits though. It is very much at the mercy of audience suggestions and how people may behave on stage. I have to congratulate Detto on his utmost professionalism as he did have to deal with an exasperatingly difficult audience member, who stormed the stage with chants for his favourite football team, amongst a couple of other awkward encounters.

The show ends on an incredibly sweet note and had me leaving with a smile on my face, even in spite of the odd and slightly off putting stage stormer.

I highly recommend you check out this show, and even if you can't think of what you wanted to be when you grew up, then think of something fun and silly!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

What improv shows have you enjoyed at the fringe? I would love your recommendations, and I hope you are having a fantastic fringe! 😁

Love,

Tony x

Sauna Boy

One of the reasons why I love fringe so much is because you can find plays that aren't afraid to tackle taboo subjects.

When I saw the synopsis for "Sauna Boy", I knew that this was a show that was either going to be really freaking good or just raunchy with no substance. Given that it won the Oscar Wilde Award for new writing, I took a chance on it, hoping it would be the former.

And it was my lucky day.

Dan Ireland Reeves is captivating in this production that looks into the lives of the employees at a gay sauna. For a play that could just be filled with sex and swearing, we are treated to an endearing story of friendship and comradery.

Ireland Reeves takes us through a story that delves into the topic of toxic work place behaviour and relationships. We slowly but surely see the cracks emerge in what seems like a rag tag group of gay men working in a sauna, watching the fear of the ever-domineering owner who is affectionately (or is it obediently) known as Mother, grow more and more. 

That theme of workplace toxicity really strikes a chord with the audience. You could feel the collective knowledge of past experiences in the air. You don't need to have worked in a gay sauna to have had a boss that oversteps their boundaries, to have had to do tasks well beyond your job requirements, to have lost all sense of worth in the job, and to be constantly reminded that you don't deserve the worth you've lost.

I can see this becoming a Netflix mini-series in the next couple of years. It's funny, tender, and charming.

The play is a fantastic time, but it needs a tiny bit of tightening up script-wise. Little things like some character goals being forgotten about in the body of the story only to be mentioned in a rush at the end, almost like an afterthought.

But I really want to stress that these are so miniscule. This show is phenomenal and I hope it enjoys a wonderful run at theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall Museum and beyond.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

What one-person shows have you enjoyed at the fringe? Let me know in the comments please, and, more importantly, have a fantastic fringe! 😁

Love,

Tony x

Absurd Hero

"Absurd Hero" is a new musical about a modern day Sisyphus, a Greek myth about a king who is cursed to roll a boulder up a hill only to have it come crashing down, making to him repeat this action for all of eternity. I was interested in coming along to see this as it was an original musical and also because I've always had a soft spot for greek mythology.

The show, unfortunately, did not deliver.

The main reason for this is that the story is a mess. I had no idea what was happening in the show, nor did the three people I went to see it with, and not in a fun, absurdism way. The script just seemed like a bunch of ideas thrown together, fighting each other to be the main plot, but none ever succeeding.

It's a crying shame because the live music was top notch! 95% of the cast had really good singing voices too, and the original songs and harmonies were tight!

Unfortunately though, musicals are only as strong as their book, and the book for Absurd Hero needs to figure out what exactly it wants to be before it can grow.

I really do hope that the creative team can come together and get a clearer picture on the plot because I think they are onto something. But, for now, the show needs a little more work.

⭐️⭐️1/2

Have you seen any new original musicals at fringe? If so, please recommend them in the comments and have yourself a fantastic fringe! 😁

Love,

Tony x

Potty The Plant

I don't usually try to see shows again if they come back to the fringe because there is so much to see, and I want to see as much as I can!

However, when some friends of mine really wanted to see "Potty The Plant", I was happy to go see it again. And I am so glad I did because it was even better than last year!

The jokes were tightened, the additions made the show better, and the new casting was phenomenal. Ash K-B, in particular, is a star in the making. That voice, that charisma, that talent! Their performance of Dr. Acula blew the auditorium away! I'd say go to this show based on their performance alone.

That being said, the whole cast is a powerhouse. Every single one of them have fantastic voices, top-tier comedy chops, and the choreography, though simple, is done with masterful precision!

This may look like a kids show from the poster, but it's filled with plenty of sex jokes and some elements of horror, too!

It follows Potty the Plant and all the gang at Little Boo Boos General Hospital as they try to uncover the mystery of the missing kids, all disappearing on Dr Acula's blood test day.

A massive congratulations to Bayden Jack Burns for not only spending the show trapped in a box puppeteering Potty, but for also hilariously covering for a sound cue failure in the middle of a song. The audience were in stitches of laughter whilst the technical side was getting back on track! It shows the utmost professionalism of an actor to be able to carry on when things go wrong.

Seriously, everyone, you need to go Gilded Balloon Appleton Tower and see this show! I went, I laughed, I applauded, and I bought a pin badge and a magnet on the way out!

I have no doubt in my mind about awarding "Potty the Plant" a Fantastic Fringe Award!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

What is the best musical you've seen so far at Fringe? Let us know in the comments so that we can all have a fantastic fringe!

Love,

Tony x

Little Shop of Horrors

"Little Shop of Horrors" is one of my all-time favourite musicals! When I saw that it was running at the fringe, I thought it would be nice to see something I would know that I would like.

The production was good, but it played out like a very good secondary school production. What I mean by this is that the cast could absolutely sing, but they would struggle to hit their high notes and their low notes, and there was also just a tad bit too much background acting whilst the leads were performing their songs/scenes.

This may be nit-picking, but I really do love the show. I felt like the director both didn't fully understand the script and also didn't trust its humour. I know this show inside and out, and I found a lot of the B-horror movie homages in the script were lost, and the cast kept ad libbing lines to try and get an extra laugh or two in.

It might seem from all these comments like I didn't enjoy the show, but it's the opposite. I still laughed, had my heart drop, and grooved around in my seat to this wacky musical. The story and songs are just so much fun you can't help but have a good time. If you are looking for a musical away from the madness that is the royal mile, come on down to Braw Venues on Hill Street to see "Little Shop of Horrors"!  

⭐️⭐️⭐️

Are there any productions of your favourite musical at fringe? Let us know of any we need to see in the comments, and, as always, have a fantastic fringe!

Love, 

Tony x

Mythos: Ragnarök

I know nothing of Norse mythology, and I know very little about professional wrestling, so naturally a professional wrestling show about Norse mythology was the perfect choice for me. I really wanted to give myself some variety this fringe season, so I thought "Mythos: Ragnarök" would be very different to everything I had seen before!

I entered The Lafayette at Underbelly’s Circus Hub in the Meadows, a giant circus tent that can hold 550 people. I sat down and looked into the smoke-filled space, a wrestling ring barely visible. The crowd seemed like a genuine mix from all walks of life and all ages. The atmosphere was electric and the show hadn't even begun.

The next hour and 10 minutes were an absolute rollercoaster of emotions.

I was worried that the show was just going to be cheesey overacting and very little plot whilst people beat the living snot out of one another. Instead, I was treated to the most adrenaline-raising theatre experience of my life. It was the perfect mix of story telling and action, and I even found myself learning so much about Norse mythology through the show.

It has its tender moments too. The story line involving Loki and his daughter genuinely made my heart drop and caused me to let out an audible gasp. You could have heard a pin drop amongst the sold-out venue.

These performers are phenomenal. Not only have they got the skills of wrestlers, every single one of them are solid actors that can make you laugh your ass off as easily as they can make you shed a tear.

I know some of you might consider a pro-wrestling show to be a little too low brow and thus maybe unejoyable, but let me tell you this: Mrslovesthefringe is a literal PhD candidate who loves Oscar Wilde, baking, and wearing flowery dresses, and I swear to God at one point I heard her scream, "FINISH HIM!"

You just can't help but get caught up in the story, cheer for the good guys, and boo for the bad guys, all the while having the time of your life!

This show was so much fun that I even stayed behind after to get my photo taken with some of the cast! I am delighted to announce that I am awarding them a Fantastic Fringe Award!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I hope you are taking a chance on shows this year, and I hope you are having a fantastic fringe!

Love,

Tony x

A Jaffa Cake Musical

Musicals were my first introduction to theatre. I saw a musical even before I saw a panto, and for this reason, they have always had a special place in my heart.

An issue I find with musicals at the fringe is that you run the risk of copycats. "Six" has become really popular, so now, all of a sudden, you have 20 musicals about girl bands. 

"Hamilton" blew up and you either had Hamilton parodies or people desperately trying to make any historical figure's life into a musical.

Gigglemug Theatre decided to take a court case about whether Jaffa Cakes are a biscuit or a cake and created an entire musical around the court case. It's a risky subject matter because it's either going to really work or fall flat on it's face.

This musical was an absolute delight. I can't explain my excitement over the fact that they had a live band onstage. You very rarely get live music musicals at the fringe and it's a crying shame!

Artistic liberties are taken with the actual story, but when it produces a musical this good, who even cares.

The costumes and sets are simple but effective, every piece being vital and having multiple uses. The actors were all outstanding, but I would be doing an injustice if I didn't single out and heap praise upon Katie Pritchard. Her constant switching between characters, her smooth sax playing, her voice, her comedic skills, her presence, my God she is a star in the making!

I am very pleased to award a Fantastic Fringe Award to "A Jaffa Cake Musical" and advise you catch the show while you still can at Pleasance Courtyard!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Hoping you find more wonderful musicals at fringe, and I hope you have a fantastic fringe! 😁

Love,

Tony x

Any Objections?

Imagine if KT Tunstall and Bo Burnham had a baby and signed it up for harp lessons, that would describe Scarlett Smith.

I went to see "Any Objections?" without any knowledge of the show other than the fact that she played the harp on a loop deck and she was a comedian.

Smith comes onto the stage in a space themed jumpsuit and instantly mesmerises us with her skillfull playing. She has a sense of cheekiness to her with a smirk that tells us she knows something we don't know. We go with her through an hour of standup, music, and comedy sketches.

This is no classical music show though, as we go through Jurassic Park wedding marches, Taylor Swift and Linkin Park mashups, to hilarious harp sound effects!

As amazing as the show is, I feel transitions could be tightened a little. However, that is the only critique I can really find for this show.

I had so much fun, and I really enjoyed the fact that it was something different to the overload of standup shows you will see at fringe!

Smith is a massive talent, and I predict more than wedding gigs for her harp playing in the future!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2

"Any Objections?" runs at studio at C ARTS | C venues | C Aquila for the duration of the fringe!

I hope you all see some brilliant musical comedy, and I hope you all have a fantastic fringe! 😁

Love,

Tony x

Is This It?

I wanted to catch some free fringe shows to try and see as much variety as I could and so decided to take a chance on this show when I had some free time. "Is This It?" is a double bill stand-up show that happens in a room below a fried chicken shop on South Bridge.

The two comedians are Sophie White and Sam Hampson, who announce to us that they are presenting a work-in-progress and will be stopping to make notes, etc.

For this reason, I want to be a little less critical than I would be, as they announced the purpose of the show and gave us an opportunity to leave. I also want to split their reviews in two.

For Sophie's set, I found her to be quite nervous at the start. She did a bit of crowd work to warm up the room and got a chuckle here or there. I found she had good bones for her material but just didn't quite have a handle on it yet. Her section on dating apps was where the strength was in her set. She got a good few laughs from me, and she seemed most confident here.

I feel she could come back stronger next year with a show of her own, and I would be excited to see what she does. 

For her W.I.P, I will give her ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Sam Hampson had a lot of confidence but didn't really land a lot of jokes.

He tried very hard to be edgy but just ended up being offensive with the typical feeble excuse of "oh but not really" after every offensive comment.

Even as a W.I.P, I can't be less critical. Some edgy comedians can come across as likeable; Hampson just came across as arrogant and offensive.

⭐️

I hope your free fringe experiences are going well, and I hope you have a fantastic fringe! 😁 

Love,

Tony x

Shirley: A Ghost Story

I went to "Shirley: A Ghost Story" having misread what it was about, thinking it was funny for American horror writer Shirley Jackson to have an Irish accent and to be living in England.

Even in that confusion, I was drawn into the world of the play, waiting in anticipation to know what happened next!

Jasmin Gleeson plays Shirley amongst many other characters in the play. She breaks the fourth wall and talks to the audience, describing her life as the strange daughter of Irish immigrants, growing up with an overworked and underappreciated father and a demanding and unappreciative mother. We learn how all her life she was treated as never good enough, in spite of her actual talents and success. We can't help but feel sorry for Shirley as she is constantly second-guessed and manipulated for others benefits. Her talent for storytelling is at its strongest when she can talk to the audience instead.

What people forget is that horror doesn't have to be so scary that you wake up with nightmares. Horror is horror, even if it just gives you the heebie jeebies. I am not the biggest fan of horror, but I was gripping my seat, waiting to hear what would happen next!

This show is an afternoon of great story telling and is suitable, in my opinion, for all ages.

Running at TheSpace Surgeons Hall Museum, come along for a wonderful performance by Gleeson.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Hoping you are finding some great horror plays, and I hope you have a fantastic fringe!

Love,

Tony x

Roadkill

"Roadkill" was a show that I saw entirely by accident. I was waiting in line for another show at fringe when I was approached with comp tickets. This is something that has happened to me several times throughout the fringe, and unfortunately most of the time, my schedule is too full. This time though, I had time to spare and thought, "Why not? I'll take a chance!" Lucky for me that the exact amount of comps they had left were exactly how many people I had in my party!

Going in blind meant I really didn't know what to expect. We entered the theatre to see someone sitting in the corner of the room with their back turned us. We are greeted by Cosmo, who recounts us the story of their first sexual encounter, the person they were doing it with neglecting to tell them they were on their period, so it is a little bit of a shock for them when they found out.

We journey with them through their discovery of their identity, watching "The Rocky Horror Picture Show", Cosmo says they don't really remember what they felt or thought but that the next day they cut their own hair with some scissors so it must be what caused them to relate to their identity.

We learn more of their coming out and their social groups, how they lost friends along the way, and how when they partied, they would get new friends every few weeks. We learn of the trans ally men who cross boundaries and give the feeble excuse of, "I've never done something like that before, I just thought it would be something you would be into" to take advantage of people who don't get an advantage in life. Your heart breaks for Cosmo as they admit that they knew the way people treated them was wrong but confessed to us, "I wanted someone to look at me the way I imagined they would, so if I did everything they wanted, sometimes they would."

When we look at recent politics in the UK, we have unfortunately let the trans community down. Our supreme court rulings are an embarrasing chapter of what will be our history. Plays like this don't try to dive into an us against them movement but rather lend a voice to a community that never really gets a chance to speak. Most people's ideas of trans people are either a glitz and glammer Hollywood message or a derogatory hate-filled protest. I truly feel that everyone should be brought to see this play to see the reality of the trauma, hurt, and challenges trans people have to face. You wish workplaces could hire out shows like this the same way that schools hire theatre group to talk about mental health and drug abuse. As much as it benefits young people to hear these stories, it would also benefit the older generation to hear the human side of these issues rather than the hateful idea of trans people that exists online.

We already know Cosmo is hit by a car, we know that it was done as a hate crime, but what we don't know are the pains added to the already established pain of being hit by a speeding vehicle. On top of the struggling to breathe, the peeing into a bag, the surgeries, the recovery time, there are the pains of having the Gardaí [Irish police force] use your dead name when interviewing you, having your friends not talk about it all because it brings down the mood of the smoking area, and the man who widened his eyes in rage as he sped up his car and hit you to intentionally, hurt you for just simply existing, getting off with a suspended sentence because he was a "good lad" who made a mistake.

I cried a lot during this production, and I cried some more as I wrote this review. I don't discriminate against the trans community, but it certainly made me wonder if I'm doing enough to help. This show is neccessary for the times we live in, and it's necessary when we overcome this terrible time that we live in so that we don't ever take a step back again.

I am honoured to award this show a Fantasttic Fringe Award. Roadkill is only running until August 9th in The Space on The Royal Mile, so snap up tickets whilst you can!

Are there any queer based shows that you've seen or are excited to see? If so please suggest them in the comments, and remember to have a fantastic fringe! 😁 

Love,

Tony x

Charles ii: Living Libido Loca

Ahh, free fringe! A wonderful opportunity to see performances without having to worry about the high ticket price. Also wonderful for performers to get a space without the high costs of venue hire.

I was really looking forward to seeing "Charles II: Living Libido Loca"! It looked like Horrible Histories with a bit more adult humour.

Happening in the cellar bar at CC Blooms, there is a "tree" onstage as we wait for the show to start. The musical begins with two peasants telling us about how life is miserable for Puritans, and it's all because of Oliver Cromwell. [BOOOO, HISSS!!!! Sorry, as an Irishman, my hatred for Oliver Cromwell must come out, even in my reviews of shows.] We lead into our first song, and this is where the issues with the show unfortunately start.

Look, free fringe venues are often grotty bar spaces that are not suited for a theatre show. I get that technical difficulties happen, and I am happy to look past them. I understand free fringe shows are also very low on funds, so I can also forgive costumes or sets being okay, but what I can't look past or excuse is that it was a musical where 90% of the cast couldn't sing. We don't need West End talent for a show where the songs are parodies of well-known pop songs, but we could surely have cast people who could actually hold a note.

What saves the show, though, is a very funny script and a fantastic performance from Kyle Paton as Charles II. What he might not have in singing ability, he most definitely makes up for in stage presence, charm, and comedic prowess.

If you're looking for a budget-friendly time at fringe with friends, something easy going to see after a couple of drinks in the bar above, this is the show for you. However, please be aware that it is a free fringe show, so the amount you give at the end is your decision. If you want to throw a tenner their way, happy days, but if you only have a couple of pound to your name then don't you dare feel bad about it. The point of free fringe is to support both performers AND audience, so don't let a show tell you that the show is worth the cost of the average ticket price for fringe because that goes completely against the ethos of free fringe.

⭐️⭐️⭐️

Hoping you all find some wonderful free fringe shows, and I hope you have a fantastic fringe!

Love,

Tony x

Shakespeare The Panto

Is Shakespeare a good subject matter for Panto?
OH YES IT IS!!!

I've been to a Shakespeare-inspired pantomime once before, and it was the biggest load of drivel I have ever experienced. It was reminiscent of the kind of show you'd see the sporty lads put on for the end of year show at school.

This time I decided to take another chance, given that an actor friend of mine vouched for the company.

I had just come from a show with a very dark subject matter that I was still drying my eyes from and was a little worried I would not be able to appreciate the show, but from the moment the first sentence was uttered, I was back to laughing my heart out!

The play starts as a panto, Shakespeare getting us involved with the call and response that is traditional to panto. Immediately, we understand this is not a panto for kids with the call out for when the baddie arrives, being, "F*CKETH OFF, VILLIAN!"

The main story is playwright Robert Green (most remembered now for his upstart crow comment on Shakespeare) tries to steal a play Shakespeare has written and ends up accidently ripping it in a tussle with Shakespeare!

We delve into a world where they are trying to get the works back together, but characters from Shakespeare’s plays get mixed up in each other's stories. Viola falls in love with Romeo Baynes, who is in love with Juliet Greggs. They search for a love potion, but will they be able to succeed with the evil King Oberon wanting to play a trick with the help of his minion, Puck?

It's all very silly and good fun! The cast have great singing voices and had a perfect mix of keeping to the original songs whilst only slightly altering lyrics to fit in with the panto theme!

One of the actors was subbed in less than 24 hours before their first show, so the show does stumble here and there, but overall, it's a fun night out for a great price!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Shakespeare the Panto runs until August 9th at Paradise in The Vault. Hoping you guys get a chance to see it and that overall you have a fantastic fringe! 😁

Love,
Tony x

What If They Ate The Baby?

I'm back again for another Xhloe and Natasha show! "What If They Ate The Baby?" is their second Fringe First Award winning show, and I was a little nervous coming to see it after seeing "And Then The Rodeo Burned Down".

When shows have the exact same creative team, you run the risk of seeing a show with the same tricks in a different package.

My fears couldn't have been further from the truth. The only thing that was the same in this show was that it starred two theatrical geniuses.

Whilst there were certainly a lot of movement elements in this piece, it was less clown/acrobatic and more absurd/physical theatre.

It is set in 1950s America with two housewives, both appearing prim and proper aside from the green splotches on their dresses. We know something is wrong immediately from their conversation, the knowedge that condolences are being given, the power struggle over a casserole dish, and that their conversation tip-toes around what has happened.

Every question feels like a trap, every answer like a step into a minefield. The audience are on the edge of their seat, waiting with anxious knots for someone to explode. But it never happens. Sure, they may get snappy, but the façade doesn't slip for long.

I'll be honest and say I have no idea what the play is about! I have a lot of ideas, but I am not certain about anything, and I absolutely LOVE that!

I haven't felt this excited about absurdism since I read "Waiting For Godot". I told Mrslovesthefringe, that I felt Xhloe and Natasha were the female Beckett's of the theatre world, but after some time reflecting on the play, I disagree with that statement.

They are not female Becketts. They are Motherf*cking Xhloe and Natasha!

But that absurdist mystery is what makes me giddy. The guess to what they did/are/have had happen to them, keeps my mind stirring. What if they were lovers, what if this was the aftermath of nuclear warfare, what if this is the Red Scare, what if... what if they ate the baby?

Xhloe and Natsha can be found performing at The Space in Niddry Street on a rotating timetable of three shows. A lot of their shows have already sold out as of me typing this review, so this is not one to sit and think about getting tickets to, get them whilst you can. If not, you may miss out on this wonderful show that I am delighted to award another Fantastic Fringe Award to!

Stay safe from the weather and have a fantastic fringe! 😁 

Love,

Tony x

Our Brothers in Cloth

We have a very peculiar relationship with the Catholic Church in Ireland. For me, when I was growing up, it held so much power that I felt controlled by it even after becoming an atheist, and it only lessened a minimal amount when I finally emigrated.

Priests are highly respected within the community. As a child, I remember adults tripping over themselves and getting into competition with one another trying to win the praises of the priest, like children in competition with one another to be mom or dad's favourite.

"Our Brothers in Cloth" opens with Alan given an interview and looking back on the events of everything. Allen's family is masking their grief over the loss of Allen's brother. Alan is unemployed and is unsuccessfully trying to curb a drinking problem. Their lives are turned upside down when an old neighbour who emigrated to England comes back for a visit and shares a dark secret: Father Mulvaney, who was the heart and soul of the community, abused Alan's brother, and may have been the reason he took his own life.

Alab's world is turned upside down, and he does everything in his power to get the truth out, but his declarations fall on deaf ears. No one wants a bad word said on Father Mulvaney. His succesor, Father O'Donovan, makes promises to talk to the Bishop about Alan's claims, but refuses to disclose the answers, instead siding the church and "all the good they do".

It is a poignant piece discussing the silence of the Irish people when it comes to clerical abuse. For my generation, it is a little easier to talk about, but the shame is still there, and the church still has a grip on Irish lives.

It was a heartbreaking piece and a very important story. I will say, though, that the script needs a little tightening up. Not a rewrite, exactly, but a small edit to make things as smooth as possible.

I felt that at during some moments of the play that the cast seemed a little uncomfortable with each other. Perhaps I was picking up on something that wasn't there, but it did pull me out of the show. Even when characters are in uncomfortable moments with each other, there should be a familiarity and almost contradictory comfortableness with the uncomfortable moments.

Overall, it's a great drama, and I would love to see it again as it develops!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Seen any good dramas at the fringe? Let us know your suggestions in the comments, and remember to have a fantastic fringe! 😁

Love,

Tony x

Wilde

This production advertised themselves as a group of college students.

When I turned up for the performance, I was met by a cast where the oldest couldn't have been older than 14.

I refuse to leave a review for this performance as it is morally wrong to pass judgment on the performance of children who are still gaining experience.

I couldn't find a social media page for the theatre company, but for the adults who put together this show, shame on you for the false advertising, and potentially subjecting children to criticism from people who will hold every show to a professional standard.

I hope the advertised youth casts are having a blast in their productions and enjoying their time in Edinburgh, and of course, I hope you all have a fantastic fringe! 😁

Love,

Tony x

Sh!tfaced Shakespeare

I love me some Shakespeare! The bard is just an endless source of entertainment, and you can forever come up with new interpretations to delight audiences throughout the years.

Sh!tfaced Shakespeare take an approach I have never seen before. They try to do a Shakespeare show as classically as possible but have one of the actors rip-roaring drunk.

I waited in a line that wrapped around the building, listening to the conversations of the people behind me saying, "Whho jo you thhink will be jrunk, Rromeo or Jjuliet?"...We were seeing "A Midsummer Night’s Dream".

But ya know what, the show is at least bringing people to the theatre who might not usually come.

The start of the show was unfortunately spoiled for me as two gents behind us were very intoxicated and chose to pick a fight with me because a guy in the row in front of me told them to shut the f*ck up due to their constant loud talking and playing Tik-Toks on their phone.

Thankfully though, the staff at McEwan Hall sorted that out fairly quickly and had them removed

The show was fun, but for an avid theatregoer, I felt it a little strange to stress to the audience at the beginning that the actors, aside from the drunk one, were going to be performing classical Shakespeare unless the drunk actor intervened, yet the other actors were constantly improvising throughout.

I also felt, at times, that the drunk actor was putting a lot of his antics on for show. It felt very disengenuine, aside from one moment where Demetrius is telling Helena he hates her and actor broke character to say, "That's only the character though cause I actually do love you, Freya."

Overall, I just wasn't very impressed. It had funny moments in it, but perhaps I would be writing a different review if I hadn't been accosted by the two guys behind me at the start of the show.

The rest of the theatre was having a rip-roaring time though, and as I said before, there were lots of people literally talking about how they never go to theatre, so it's at least introducing them to the arts. The performers are all a great talent too, I just feel like the shtick didn't work for me.

⭐️⭐️⭐️

Hoping you all a safe, happy, and fantastic fringe! 😁

Love,

Tony x

All-Stars Burlesque

One of the worst films I've ever seen is the 2010 box office flop Burlesque. However, I have always wanted to see a burlesque show, as it is forever seen in Hollywood movies, yet you never seem to find one, even in big cities. Were they even real, or were they something Hollywood invented?

I was excited to see this in my line-up of shows as it really was the only show genre I've never experienced and so I didn't know what to expect!

What I got was a roaring good time at the theatre! The glamour, the confidence, and the sass were fantastic. It was all met with constant cheers and whoops from the crowd. You couldn't help but laugh at all the MC's corny jokes, her confidence putting you in your place and reminding you that Burlesque was not for you to get your socks off to. It's sexy, it exciting, and it leaves you wanting more!

The acts were very well varied: magicians, singers, musicians, dancers, and balloon sword swallowing (my party, and I still can't figure out how she did that!). I felt that for the price I paid, it was worth more than the value of the ticket, and even more so, deserving of a fantastic fringe award! This is a show well worth seeing and is more fun to see with friends!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I encourage you all to take a chance on show types you've never seen before, and, more so, I encourage you to have the most fantastic fringe! 😁

Love,

Tony x

Tartan Tabletop

I got my first glimpse in to the world of D&D when the 2000's comedy troupe, The Whitest Kid U Know, got back together to play D&D during lockdown. My wife and I watched it religiously!

So when a friend of mine who was coming over for fringe suggested that we all go to see Tartan Tabletop at Gilded Balloon Appleton Tower, I was game!

For those of you who don't know D&D, the premise, in a nutshell, is that a Dungeon Master writes out a quest and plays both the narrator and all the secondary characters. The rest of the team create their own characters and have certain skills, strengths, and weaknesses. They decide how to overcome the obstacles set out by the dungeon master in the quest and roll different die to determine if they succeed (roll a high number) or fail (roll a low number).

Easy concept to follow once you know it!

The team at Tartan Tabletop are hilarious and just seem like the sweetest bunch! Their audience interaction comes with a genuine thankfulness and affection towards their fans.. It felt like watching some very funny friends play some DND.

The guest star on the night I went was Sam Russell from improv group Shoot From The Hip. He just threw himself in to the story, and you could tell he was having as magnificent a time as we were!

The story for the night I came was an X-Men parody called the Cum-Men where they needed to stop the evil Crackneto from destroying Edinburgh with giant crack rocks.

The team was a jazz singer, a Beaver-like human, a French/Spanish/Something else mumbler with exploding Pokémon cards, and a man with laser vision that can only laser print blue words. They banded together into a very, very funny hour of hijinks, low rolls, and a puppet only a jazz singer could love!

I had an amazing night; however, I did find that the show could stand to be just that little bit longer. An extra 10 minutes could have really helped it not feel slightly rushed at the end. But, given that it's essentially improv, I understand that this might not be every single night, and I also understand fringe has certain time limits that must be respected. It would have been nice to have seen a little bit more dice rolling as it was exciting to see what would happen, but I also know they are doing a different show every night, so this could be just my own experience.

Perhaps I'm being too greedy though as I would ask for an extra 6 hours to hear more! Tartan Tabletop is a fun night out, especially with friends. It's a lot of laughs, and you just can't help but want to see the team have the time of their lives. I would go back again just to see what else they got up to. 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I'll leave you all with a fun suggestion: why not write out 20 shows you and your friends want to see and roll a D&D dice to determine what you're seeing! I hope it helps you see a great show, and I hope you have a fantastic fringe! 😁

Love,

Tony x

...Earnest?

Oscar Wilde is revered in my household. He has the most books of any author in our library, and he is the reason our cat is called Oscar. So an improvised version of "The Importance of Being Earnest" is right up my alley!

"...Earnest?" Starts off as a fringe production of the aforementioned play where the lead actor just simply hasn't shown up. It leads to panic amongst the cast and director, the latter of which making a quick decision to cast a member of the audience in Jack/Ernest's place. 

It lends to a lot of laughs as the play gets turned entirely on its head as the cast scrambles to get it together. More cast members end up getting injured or drunk, etc. and more and more audience members must take their place.

The laughs definitely lessen as the play goes on. And the whole thing gets a little improbable, even for a farce.

I did have a little extra fun as I got to make my fringe debut as Lady Bracknell, being plucked from the audience by the director when the actress lost her voice from excessive smoking and whisky drinking.

The show is a good time, but it felt very close to another play where everything seems to go wrong. It felt to me that if you've seen one of the many variations of that play-type, that you just can't get the wow factor from it anymore.

The cast were all incredibly talented, though, and I don't want to take away from their skill. The script is also very funny. I just personally wanted something a little different.

⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2

I'd still recommend it to a friend if they haven't seen a show like this before! I also know this is just my opinion. If it intrigues you, go for it, and more importantly, you should most definitely go out and have a fantastic fringe! 😁

Love,

Tony x

Always, Sometimes, Maybe

I've mentioned it before, and I'll mention it every time it's relevant: I absolutely LOVE clowns!

"Always, Sometimes, Maybe" is a show created by Chicago-based Clown, Michele Stine. We open in a room filled with rubbish and rubbish inspired art.

A clown, Lou, appears and starts playing with clap lights, bringing the audience in on the action, too. It's sweet in nature and, let's be honest, if I had clap lights, I'd probably burst all bulbs by playing with them constantly.

We have just joined them at a moment where they are sorting out the good trash from the bad trash. It's very important to know the difference as good trash can make great art whilst bad trash is just, well... trash.

Lou creates props and even other characters from these good trash pieces and embarks on stories of interactions that just don't end very well due to some sort of quirk or poor decision from Lou.

We learn that for Lou, this is something that has become the norm, but that they do everything in their power to try and stop it from happening.

They have been writing down all the rules for life, but it just never seems to help. The rules keep changing.

We witness a heartbreaking monologue that delves into this confusing world for Lou. How the rules of how to behave in society are constantly contradicting each other and that she struggles to keep up with these expectations. How no one seems to help, they just give another silly rule with an expectation for Lou to have already known something like that.

Growing up neurodivergent, I experienced a lot of this in my childhood, as do most of the neurodivergent people I know. The pressures that Lou talks about were very real to me, and I found it to be comforting even as an adult who has worked so hard to adjust with his disability, just to know that someone else felt like me. I wept in empathy for Lou.

We all feel a little alone sometimes, like something might be wrong with us. How comforted would we feel in the world if we knew others felt like us too and that we have nothing to feel shame for.

That's why pieces like this are important.

I would like to discuss some thoughts I had on the piece though. There was a huge section of the play that just simply didn't work. A shadow puppet segment that neither I nor the three other people I came to the show with could see.

It took me out of the show completely and it took a little while to get back into it.

I found Stine to be phenomenal in their puppetry and in their secondary characters, oozing with confidence in every step and word. However, I felt when they were Lou, a little bit of that presence was lost. I would have loved to have see Lou own the space just a little more, even in their vulnerability.

I would like to add a half star on to my usual rating system because I did really love this piece. However, sections need work.

If this show were to come back, I'd be first in line to see it. Stine is a great talent, but I feel the show is still in it's early years.

I still recommend going to this show. You will have a really fun time, and I really would love for the show to grow from audience response and any feedback people have to give.

⭐️⭐️⭐️ 1/2

I'm looking forward to seeing more from Stine in the future, and I'm looking forward to hearing about everyone's fantastic fringe!

Love,

Tony x

Bond-Age

In our world, the perception of bondage or BDSM for some will be defined by the horrific 50 Shades of Grey novels. I have seen a few interpretations of these ideas, and I was curious to see how a dance show would take on this subject matter.

I came along to the show with some friends, one of whom is a professional dancer. I felt lucky that I would have someone to discuss the show with after that could give a professional opinion on the genre.

We were both left the venue completely confused.

The show has an incredibly interesting idea; however, it seemed more like performance art rather than a dance piece. This is important because if you are expecting to see a dance show and there is no dance, you cannot rate it highly.

I also felt like the show should have been marketed as a work-in-progress (WIP) as it really felt like it was a collection of ideas being tested on an audience rather than a fully-developed performance. I have been to plenty of work-in-progress shows in the past, and I enjoy them more when I know I'm there to essentially help the show to develop. If this show is the finished piece, then I have to say it needs more work.

The show seemed to encourage disrespecting boundaries as the action showed continuation of play even after clear instructions to stop.

The quick changes took an exceedingly long amount of time, the audience being left in both silence and darkness for minutes as the two characters changed.

I did, however, find one piece of the show rather touching. A section of the show has the female performer tied up on a chain, uncomfortable with the actions of a person wanting them to call them mother, telling they love them. She refuses and calls her motherland, wanting to escape her. All four of my party who came to see the show either are, or at one point have been, immigrants. We know what it's like to be fearful of or betrayed by our own country, something we are supposed to love but quite often doesn't really love us back, all the while expecting that love from us through none of our own benefit.

In our world, the perception of bondage or BDSM for some will be defined by the horrific 50 Shades of Grey novels. I have seen a few interpretations of these ideas, and I was curious to see how a dance show would take on this subject matter.

I came along to the show with some friends, one of whom is a professional dancer. I felt lucky that I would have someone to discuss the show with after that could give a professional opinion on the genre.

We were both left the venue completely confused.

The show has an incredibly interesting idea; however, it seemed more like performance art rather than a dance piece. This is important because if you are expecting to see a dance show and there is no dance, you cannot rate it highly. 

I also felt like the show should have been marketed as a work-in-progress (WIP) as it really felt like it was a collection of ideas being tested on an audience rather than a fully-developed performance. I have been to plenty of work-in-progress shows in the past, and I enjoy them more when I know I'm there to essentially help the show to develop. If this show is the finished piece, then I have to say it needs more work. 

The show seemed to encourage disrespecting boundaries as the action showed continuation of play even after clear instructions to stop.

The quick changes took an exceedingly long amount of time, the audience being left in both silence and darkness for minutes as the two characters changed. 

I did, however, find one piece of the show rather touching. A section of the show has the female performer tied up on a chain, uncomfortable with the actions of a person wanting them to call them mother, telling they love them. She refuses and calls her motherland, wanting to escape her. All four of my party who came to see the show either are, or at one point have been, immigrants. We know what it's like to be fearful of or betrayed by our own country, something we are supposed to love but quite often doesn't really love us back, all the while expecting that love from us through none of our own benefit.

I feel my rating would be higher if this was labeled as both performance art and a work in progress, but going off the advertised fully developed dance show description, I can really only give it one star.

⭐️

I hope you all find some amazing shows to see, and I hope you have a fantastic fringe! 😁 

Love,

Tony x

Jeezus!

Growing up in rural, Catholic Ireland, I spent my entire childhood and teenage years surrounded by Jesus. His tortured, nearly naked body hung in every single classroom, his sacred heart was in the hallways of every house I visited, and the cross hung on a gold chain around the neck of most of the people in my village.

It's a funny thing growing up Catholic because there are certain things your non-Christian, non-Catholic friends just don't understand. I find often when I tell my wife something from my childhood that has to do with the church, she just stares in disbelief at me.

I was so curious to see another perspective of this Catholic world, especially through a Latinx lens, a sea away from my little rural village.

The pre-show for Jeezus! has songs of praise banging out, which was honestly a hit of nostalgia I wasn't expecting. Knowing that this show was meant to be a little raunchy, I did find myself chuckling at the juxtapostion.

I soon moved from chuckles to all out laughter! The story follows young Jesús from his miraculous birth up to his preparations for his first Holy Communion. Whilst on holiday to visit his family in Orlando, he ends up having his first sexual awakening after finding a secret porno in his cousin's bedroom, finding himself more attracted to the plumber than the bored and lonely housewife.

Back home, he is busy preparing to be the head alter boy, wanting to show how much he loves Jesus who just so happens to be one of the sexiest people he has ever seen. We get to peer in on the lessons with the local priest, who reminds them all of how they need to have their first confession before their communion becauss if they accept the Body of Christ with a sin in their soul, they will be damned for all eternity. It brought me back to my own first confession and the anxiety I felt as a 7 year old trying to figure out what my sins were.

Jesús is prepared with his childhood sin of stealing an eraser when he learns from his father that the church views gay people as a sin. He is completely torn as he doesn't feel he is a sinner for something that seems so pure. His mother, however, provides him with comfort in a beautiful song that brought me to tears. Growing up in Catholicism, I can absolutely relate to this moment. In a religion that is supposed to be of love and acceptance, you are surrounded by people who hate you. I remember being told I was going to hell for being the son of divorced parents, God help me if they found out I am bi as well. That first acceptance from someone in your life is a beautiful moment, and I'm so glad Jesús had his mother.

I don't want to spoil too much more, but to give you a heads up, there is crucifix dildo scene, divine fellatio, and butt-ton of twerking!

A couple of things were lost in the staging, such as when action happens on the ground. It's difficult to see even in the second row, and I felt like the sound was little iffy from time to time and made it so that you couldn't hear very well.

These are just my little bugbears with the show, but it was honestly such a great time. I was very much touced by one of the final message of: "Love is more powerful than God". In this terrifying world where we seem to sometimes be going backwards in the ideas of love and acceptance, where religion is growing in its hatred again, we deseperately need that message from Jeezus! We need to scream it from deep in our lungs, from deep in ours souls: "LOVE IS MORE POWERFUL THAN GOD!"

Jeezus! is running in Underbelly Cowgate, and I highly recommend you go to this Untapped Award winning, queer Latinx musical! I am very proud to award them a Fantastic Fringe Award!

I hope seeing this much theatre is a religious experience for you, but most of all I hope you all have a fantastic fringe! 😁

Love,

Tony x

Gumshoe!

I was the silliest of geese and accidently double-booked two shows. I reached out to Christian Dart to apologise for having to miss Gumshoe! I had already been to see his other show, "Bad Clowns: Long Live The King", and I was really looking forward to seeing him do a solo show. He very kindly sent me a filmed version of the show to watch, so I will be writing a review of that instead!

The show opens like a classic noir film, the titular character laying dead whilst a voice over tells us how, like any good noir story, we need to start at the beginning and come back to the end again.

Dart immediately jumps into action with his energetic charm! The audience creates what case he will solve, deciding the victim and the suspect as well. The rest is up to ole Gumshoe to solve! The audience is then brought through a wacky 1940's New York filled with shootouts, car chases, and romance.

The laughs simply don't stop in this amazing solo effort. Dart knows how to work a crowd and takes advantage of any comedic opportunity that comes his way. Even as Gumshoe becomes trigger happy or insults you right to your face, you just can't help but love him!

I'm bursting to tell you the ending of the show because it's actually quite clever, but, alas, SPOILERS!!!

I am utterly gutted that I can't make it for a live performance, but I'm so grateful to have had the opportunity to at least see a filmed version. Even in the recording, I can see how amazing this show is, and so I am over the moon to award "Gumshoe!" a Fantastic Fringe Award!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

"Gumshoe!" can be seen at Gilded Balloon Appleton Tower throughout the fringe!

Have a wonderful weekend everyone, and, most of all, I hope you have a fantastic fringe! 😁

Love,

Tony x

Ironing Board Man

Ironing Board Man is one of those ideas that really makes you think "fringe." It is a play where, out of 11 perfomers, only one is human, and the rest are ironing boards.

Set in the city of Crease, it plays out as an action movie where the hero of the city, "Jeremy Irons," is called upon to save the day.

Every other character is an ironing board in a costume, and we see them become everything from love interests, villians, and babies being birthed before our very eyes.

The play is fun, but I found myself getting a little tired of the constant voice-over changes, various bits from action films being played out, feeling like the play seemed to be one long-winded skit.

The show could be great if it was tightened a little and if Jeremy Irons had some more speaking lines. However, it did still have its high points, one being when a member of the audience became a wild lion that Jeremy Irons battles with, another being a lightsaber battle with one of the ironing boards, also some stellar ironing board dancing.

I found myself wanting a little more from this show, but it was still a fun time with a lot of laughs, and the audience enjoyed it greatly. 

☆☆☆

I hope you all find a wacky show to see at fringe, and I hope you have a fantastic fringe!

Love,

Tony x

And Then The Rodeo Burned Down

Xhloe and Natasha are practically the darlings of Fringe. In 2022, 2023, and 2024, they won Fringe First Awards [a three in a row feat that I believe has never been accomplished before]!

They are back this year at The Space on Niddry Street with all three of their previous shows in an ever-changing rotation that includes at least two shows a day.

I came to "And Then The Rodeo Burned Down" with a lot of high expectations. They seemed to have it all: the rave reviews, the awards, the front cover feature of The List! Having already been let down with some award-winning shows this fringe season, I was cautious about whether or not I would enjoy it.

I was absolutely BLOWN AWAY!

From the moment they stepped onstage, you could tell these two understood stage presence. The discipline, talent, and physical control that these two performers have is just simply mind-blowing. I have seen a lot of shows where actors are supposed to perform in sync and you can always find moments where they falter just a smidge. However, Xhloe and Natasha have achieved perfection in this play, even the smallest of their movements in perfection synchronisation. 

The story itself starts off simple. A rodeo clown wants to be a cowboy and is suddenly being followed about by his sentient shadow. We are told that the rodeo is the best place in the world and the happiest place in the world, yet we are slowly shown that the reality is very different. There is a hierarchy in the rodeo, from the shit shovel boys to the cowboys. No one thinks of anyone below them on the chain, either wanting to climb to the top or doing whatever they can to keep others from joining them in their place. Notably during the show, there is also a touching moment where we get the perspective of a rodeo bull, a moment that brought me to genuine tears.

The play snaps about 3/4 of the way through, switching to the actors trying to figure out the ending rather than playing on as usual, saying they can't afford to keep the lights on. It becomes a panicked, choreographed mess, the two actors picking fights with one another over the tiniest of things, knowing the rodeo needs to be burned down but being unable to decide who will be the one to do it.

It's reflective of the American Dream, how, when closely examined, it is not all its cracked up to be. It needs to be fixed, but who will do it? How will they do it? Will we ever get a clear idea or will we forever be stuck in an ever changing conversation of ideas, bickering, and no action?

This is absurdism at it's finest. Xhloe and Natasha know their craft inside and out. This is meticulously thought-out, with years of research, training, and experience, all of which ooze of this performance.

They've both heard it from much bigger names than little ole tonylovesthefringe, but well done! They are both superstars and with performers like them having a genuine love of theatre, the drive to push boundaries, and the talent to mesmerise us, I can rest easy knowing that the future of theatre is safe.

It goes without saying that Xhloe and Natasha are well-deserving of a Fantastic Fringe Award [I know it's no fringe first, but its all I have!] and, of course, 5 stars!

I wish Xhloe and Natasha a fantastic career, and I wish all of you an absolutely fantastic fringe!

Love,

Tony x

The Tale of The Loneliest Whale

I haven't been to a children's theatre show since I was a child myself, so I was very curious to see how I would enjoy it as an adult. I am forever telling people to bring their children to children's theatre to give them appreciation for the arts, but I never really considered it from the parent's perspective, and that is what I set out to do today. 

It's a little tricky to find the venue, Underbelly's Clover theatre [you have to head to the back of McEwan Hall]. But once you get to the theatre, it is a standard black box theatre with a bare stage. I was very aware that I was the only adult in the audience who didn't have a child with them. It's almost like a show in and of itself to see little tiny humans sit down and not be completey aware of why they are here or what it is all about. The room was filled with whispers from adults telling little ones how they need to be quiet during the show and give a big clap at the end mixed with the excited outbursts of children who are just excited to be doing anything [ah, those were the days].

The show starts a little abruptly with performer Gemma Sharp entering from the back of the audience. However, I noticed how the shock of this entrance managed to bring a hush across the room, with not a single parent needing to shush their child for the start of the show.

The show was incredibly charming. I couldn't help but have a big smile on my face as I was being lovingly bombarded with facts about the ocean and all the beautiful creatures that live in it. The kids get into the show straight away, literaly jumping at the opportunity to answer the Sharp's questions.

When the Whale puppet was produced, you could literally feel the childhood wonder fill the room, mouths agape as the creature spoke to them and wiggled its tail.

The story is a timeless children's story, our protataganist is just a little bit different than everyone else, so decides to go off alone on a big journey to find someone who is like them. Along the way, they meet lots of creatures who just so happen to be a litle bit different too, helping them to realise that maybe it's not so strange to be who you are. Of course, there is a happy ending, but I shan't be spoiling anything.

The show is dripping in creativity. I was blown away by the use of an umbrella and fairy lights to replicate a jelly fish, the theatre suddenly becoming an ocean full of jellyfish as the audience sang and moved the jellyfish about. I also found myself becoming a child again when the moray eel puppet came out. My eyes widened, my jaw dropped, and I let out an audible, "Wooooowww!" I felt like a child again, and it reminded me of the magic of theatre.

I have a split rating for this show.

For an adult going along, this gets 4 stars from me. However, this is not a show intended for adults, this is children's theatre, and from the reactions I saw all around me, and from my inner child, this show gets 5 stars and a well-deserved Fantastic Fringe Award!

Go see this show, borrow a child from friend's and family if you need an excuse to go, and enjoy a wonderful hour of theatre.

☆☆☆☆☆

Most importantly though, no matter how big or small you are, have a fantastic fringe!

Love, 

Tony x

Bad Clowns: Long Live The King

The thrill [and sometimes the dread] of improv is that absolutely anything can happen.

I have always felt that improv is the ultimate definition of winging it. You go into a show with a basic understanding of what's supposed to happen, but the lines are on you and anyone else you are performing with. I have seen many an improv show fall flat on its face from jokes that were way too niche, performers having an off night, and terrible audience suggestions. BUT... when a troupe can get it right, it's a glorious night of electrifying entertainment.

Bad Clowns was thankfully the latter! Comprising of three perfomers: Christian Dart, Sam Walls, and John Bond, they play a prince, a private counsel, and a slop boy, respectively, who all compete to determine who will become the king. What ensues is utmost hilarity!

The mark of a great improv actor, to me, is the ability to roll with it if things go wrong! Given that it was a preview night at the fringe, I was expecting this to happen, but the way in which they handled issues was comedy gold. It's clear that this isn't their first time at the rodeo!

Their crowd working is second to none, and the audience particpation gags are at the expense of themselves rather than the audience member, which is honestly so refreshing. It makes it easier for the audience to laugh, which they really don't need help with at a show this fantastic! 

It's difficult to review an improv show because the very nature of it is to change each night, so I'll leave you with this:

I never thought I would so happily give a 5 star review and a Fantastic Fringe Award to a show that had an actor tell my wife to go f*ck herself!

Bad Clowns are the real deal! Please, please, please go see their show and bring your friends. Hell, bring your enemies too, maybe you'll become best friends for introducing them to such an amazing show.

☆☆☆☆☆

As the song from the show [that I also can't get out of my head] says "Long live the king!" and long live you having a fantastic time at fringe!

Love,

Tony x

I Kissed Batman

Going to the fringe is such a mixed bag. So many shows, so many venues, so many different price points. It would be amiss to assume the cheap tickets are for shows of a lower quality, as some of the best shows I’ve seen have been on the budget-friendly side.

"I Kissed Batman" was no exception to that!

The show opens up on boyfriends Damien and Tim trying on their couples costume. They are discussing the idea of going public with their relationship whilst also getting into playful arguments about whether or not Batman and Robin were gay symbols or a father and son relationship. Tim and Damien are heading to a Halloween party hosted by Damien's rugby team mates, along with their friends and Damien’s twin sister. The whole gang knows about the relationship except for Damien's twin, Steph. Although the entire friend group are very open and welcoming to LGBTQIA+ community, with two members already being out and open, Damien has trouble being honest and telling his sister, despite multiple opportunities to do so.

I really appreciated this storyline as we have seen the afraid to come out to bigoted and homophobic family member stories, and I felt it was interesting to see a different version of that story. It was a really effective juxtaposition to the banter and laughs we get throughout the show.

Overall, "I Kissed Batman" is a really fun comedy filled with nerdy pop culture references and a lot of heart. The hijinks that ensue at the party had me in stiches with laughter, each character’s storyline funnier than the last! I can’t tell too much more without spoiling some major plot points, but what I can say is that this show is worth going to see. Top notch performances, solid direction, and overall just a really fun story!

☆☆☆☆

Running in Just The Fancy Room at Just the Tonic at The Caves until August 11th. Catch a ticket if you can and go with friends. But, most importantly, have a fantastic fringe! 😁

Love,

Tony x

It's Gonna Blow!

When thinking about Pompeii, I'm not sure if the first thing that jumps to my mind is comedy, but I'm willing to take a chance on anything!

Taking place at The Pleasance Dome, "It's Gonna Blow!" begins whilst waiting in line, a town crier coming over to us to ask us if we want anything to be brought up in the public forum. Slowly but surely, more characters begin to arrive and interact with us.

It was hilarious and very reminiscent of Monty Python, so I was already in a great mood when I was heading in to take my seat. At the door is a townsperson wearing a very familiar protest orange that warns us that the volcano is going to blow and that we need to band together.

The production doesn't shy away from the fact that, yes, they will be dealing with an ending that is historically accurate, the volcano will blow and we will all die. How cheery.

The play starts out strong. We are introduced to a multiude of characters in the city, the four actors playing numerous characters. It is such a fun and refreshing take to make what is considered to be a tragedy and try to humanise it, watching as the characters come to a public forum to complain about trivial things, like neighbours emptying their bins in to their neighbours bins, etc.

We get a sense that something is being hidden by the mayor of Pompeii, as we do with all political figures, but it's quickly brushed aside as the religious heads and dodgy "scientists" come to calm the masses. With it being a public forum, it's hard for the matter of political corruption to be taken seriously when matters of pub openings and mime nuisance are discussed in the same breath, but this is not meant to be a serious play. The audience is a part of the show from the moment they lined up at the doors, but they become even more involved with audience members being brought on stage multiple times with side-splitting results.

The show, however, takes a bit of a downturn about 25 minutes in. I found a little bit of the spark was lost, and the confinement of the setting suffocated the show. It just started to feel a little repetitive with yet another crazy character coming in to do another crazy thing with another silly pun. It also felt a little confusing when we were asked about three different times to leave only to be told be sat back down, not knowing if we should have left as part of the show or not. I found myself falling out of the reality of the show each time they did it.

The show, however, does pick back up at the end for what I felt was a strong finish!

Overall, I had an enjoyable time, but I feel the show needs to run a little and fix its issues in the middle. The cast are incredibly talented, the script is hilarious; it just needs a little bit of tweaking to make it a great show. I still think you should give this show a go if it intrigues you. I fully take into account that the show I saw was a preview, and if you were to see the show next week, it could be vastly different to what I experienced.

☆☆☆

I think it's a show worth taking a chance on, and if it comes back next year, I would be more than willing to go again and see how it has developed. I wish them the best of luck for their run, but more importantly, I wish for you all to have a fantastic fringe!

Love, 

Tony x