Review: “I am Rachel Corrie”
Edinburgh Fringe 2025
****
I really wanted to see this performance as it felt one of the most relevant shows right now.
This solo performance was one of the longer ones of the fringe, and I always struggle with long shows, but Sasha Shinder as Rachel Corrie kept me there, fully present, with her the whole time.
My Name is Rachel Corrie” is a play based on the writings of American activist Rachel Corrie, who was killed in Gaza in 2003 by an Israeli military bulldozer while protesting house demolitions. The play documents her life and activism up to her death.
With such an important story and with the violence and genocide still happening in Palestine today – this story has to be done right. It has to work. Luckily it does. The opening of is immediately disarming in its intimacy. Rather than plunging the audience into the violence of Gaza, the play begins with Rachel’s own words youthful, restless, and full of curiosity about the world. Her early diary entries are witty, awkward, and raw, showing a young woman still figuring out who she is. This beginning resists turning Rachel into a martyr from the outset, and instead grounds her in the ordinary messiness of a teenager from Washington.
The tone is almost playful, at times even humorous, which might surprise audiences who come expecting only political gravity. This contrast gives the later sections of the play greater emotional weight; when Rachel’s activism intensifies and eventually takes her to occupied Gaza, the memory of her quirky, searching beginnings stays with us. The opening also sets up a universal entry point, the sense of idealism and longing for purpose that many young people share. We also are with her on her own discovery and disbelief as the extent of violence of the IDF is experienced through her eyes. For anyone not fully clued up on the colonial occupation of Gaza this performance brings it to you in a way that can not be questioned. This is so important for people to experience this – especially as this was in the 90s for anyone still thinking this all started on October 7th.
The performance is Rachel Corries own words from letters and diary entries. I really felt like I was in the experiences and memories that Sasha so beautifully painted. Shinder’s performance was gripping and powerful. There were no props just her and a stool but she told the story so well that nothing else was needed, we were in it. I believed she was Rachel Corrie. I felt her feelings through the journey; her frustration, her rage, her, disbelief, her love and care, her curiosity and her determination for justice. The way she looked into the eyes of every one of us in the audience, her voice cutting through us. I could tell she felt it. Was living it when she was on the stage. This was a very true telling of her life until she was killed.
At the end of the performance she holds out her phone with a video of Rachel Corrie as a child delivering a speech. The innocence and fire in this child suddenly here with us, hearing her voice, hearing her wanting change, knowing her fate – this hit. There was a feeling of both powerlessness, a deep haunting sadness but also I felt rage. It stirred up energy to keep fighting, and never give up. This is what this type of play should do.
A must see performance at this year’s fringe. All proceeds go to families in Gaza.
My Name is Rachel Corrie” is on at Zoo Southside every day (excluding the 18th) at 7pm until the 24th August.
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Review “Lula Mebrahtu’s I AM – One of Many, Many of One“
Edinburgh Fringe 2025
*****
I am still vibrating. Lula Mebrahtu’s I AM – One of Many, Many of One is not a performance, it’s an experience that wraps itself around you and pulls you in deep. From the first note, her haunting, powerful, and deliciously rich voice cut right through me. It wasn’t just singing; it was storytelling in its purest, most transfixing form. Her voice is a blade, a hand, a thread. It cuts, it cradles, it pulls us through.
This show makes you question, reflect, connect, laugh, cry, and ultimately feel. Lula invites the audience into her world – her Habesha heritage, her British identity, her memories, her joy, her longing, and she does it with such generosity and care that you feel both held and fully absorbed. Languages spill, lights cling to her skin, memories hum in the air and seep onto the stage through poetry, music, layered soundscapes, visual imagery and video clips, and moments that felt like an art installation merge into a living, breathing piece of theatre. She weaves languages, traditions, questions, relationships, and history into a tapestry that glows (sometimes literally, as she wears lights) and pulses with life. There’s humour and play as well as sometimes pain.
It’s a celebration of culture, survival, and the importance of preserving and honouring where you come from, while embracing the complexity of lostness, belonging and being.
Outstanding. Mesmerising. Deeply moving.
It runs at 5.10pom every other day at Underbelly Cowgate up until 23rd August.
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Review: “Katie Boyle: Roe v. Wade versus Katie“
Edinburgh Fringe 2025
*****
Katie Boyle is fucking hilarious. My stomach actually hurt from laughing.
As someone with ADHD, I was hooked for the entire hour – which almost never happens. If you are also someone who struggles to sit through a full comedy set without your mind wandering (even when it’s good), this is for you. You will be fully there, start to finish.
Instantly likeable, Boyle is this perfect mix of unhinged and all over the place while also somehow completely in control. The way she talks about Catholic shame, immigration, abortion, sex, and the similarities between Ireland and America, it’s never about shock value or just to make a point – everything feels relevant and relatable (even if they’re not). She makes these important, often heavy topics feel like they’re just part of a normal conversation, the way they should be. And at the same time, she’s brilliant at flipping the lens, showing how so many things we experience that are deemed “normal” are actually absurd. It’s funny, it’s necessary, and it’s all delivered with so much warmth, care, and that unstoppable sense of humour that makes you feel safe even when she’s going to the darkest, weirdest places.
An hour of pure joy, dark humour and one of the most satisfying comedy experiences I’ve had at the Fringe.
It runs at 10pm every day at Tron at Monkey Barrel: up until 24th August.
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Review: “Call Me Crazy”
Edinburgh Fringe 2025
There’s no doubt that Call Me Crazy tackles incredibly important and (not platformed) issues. Olivia Ormond shares her story of chronic pain, trauma, and medical gaslighting – things that so many people, especially women, go through and are rarely believed about. Everything she said, I agreed with, I related to. Her experience matters and deserves to be heard.
It is really hard to critique someone’s own lived-experience. The injustices she faces need more people to know about. But as a show, for me, the way it was put together didn’t quite work. I actually found my mind drifting at times – I was distracted, and not fully pulled in. There were moments that felt over-performed, like it was trying a bit too hard to be something that didn’t need to be, and instead came off as a bit too forced.
As a survivor of sexual violence myself, someone who experiences chronic pain, has trauma, and has been through similar health injustices, I felt the show didn’t quite put these issues out there in a way that served them the best it could. The overall structure and delivery just didn’t land emotionally in the way I had hoped it would.
It’s fucking hard to put your lived experience on stage. That takes guts, and I respect that hugely. I’m really glad stories like this are being told – we need more of them – but this one, for me, didn’t highlight the subjects in the way I’d hoped to see.
It runs at 1.30pm every day at Riddles Court: up until 24th August.
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Review: “Sikisa: Serving Justice”
Edinburgh Fringe 2025
****
Sikisa knows how to set a tone. As the audience enters, loud music plays filling the room, instantly energising us and setting the stage for the vibrant performance to come. And she delivers – bursting onto the stage with charisma and presence that immediately captures us.
Sikisa is sassy, sexy, geeky, and cheeky (and she knows it), yet also somehow awkward and fearless at the same. She drew us in with a seductively fun storytelling style, keeping us captivated as she invites us backstage to parts of her life. Pulling from her experiences as an immigration lawyer (and at one time a juror), she lights up the room with anecdotes that expose the absurdities of the UK justice and immigration systems and the people in them. She also comments on more intimate parts of her life through questions around family, queerness, her love of wrestling and living your best life.
The show opens with such a bang, but mid-set, the momentum drops slightly. Stories about things like spider phobias felt more generic and didn’t quite match the other material. While those moments may have been more broadly relatable, they didn’t have the same impact and uniqueness that makes her so great. However, all her stories are delivered with such charisma and joy that you want to listen to anything she says.
The whole show felt like both a party and a really good catch up with an old friend. Sikisa is a delicious force of fun, clearly living her best life, and she wants you to do the same.
This is a hilarious comic you’ll want to catch while you can.
It runs at 5.50pm every day at The Tron at Monkey Barrel: up until 24th August.
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Review: “R/Conspiracy”
Edinburgh Fringe 2025
***
A timely show about the impact and dangers of chronic phone and internet addiction, and getting sucked into conspiracies.
Ella Hällgren’s acting is phenomenal, her stage presence is compelling and nuanced, but the script itself made the show fall short – it felt more like someone recounting a personal anecdote than a fully realised play.
That said, it might really resonate with teens or younger twenty-somethings, who may connect more deeply with the online spirals, emotional avoidance and escapism that the story touches on. It didn’t resonate with us, so it was harder to connect with the tension and emotional beats of the story.
Certain plot moments felt tacked on, such as the avoidance of a mother calling from her care home or the awkward kiss with a character named Rosie. Because her mum and Rosie aren’t fleshed-out characters it is hard to connect to. We understood the point the show was making, that internet addiction had created a false reality, allowing her to escape both life’s problems, fears and the possibility of real happiness – but for us, this didn’t quite land, and the narrative felt somehow predictable.
Still, Hällgren’s is a powerful performer, and for anyone who’s been obsessed with or addicted to conspiracy theories, this show might hit closer to home and offer something uniquely engaging.
It runs at 3pm every day at The Gilded Balloon up until 24th August.
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Review of “Dreamscape”
Edinburgh Fringe 2025
*****
Dreamscape is inspired by the injustice of the real-life story of 19-year-old Tyisha Miller.
On December 28, 1998, four Riverside police officers shot at 19-year-old Tyisha Miller 23 times leaving 12 bullet wounds, all while she was unconscious in her locked car. After a flat tire, Miller stayed in the vehicle with a gun on her lap while her cousin went to get help. When they returned, Miller had passed out and become unresponsive, so they called 911 for an ambulance. But when the dispatcher heard there was a gun, they sent police instead. Officers claimed Miller suddenly grabbed the weapon, justifying the shooting. An investigation later found she never moved and was likely unconscious the entire time. The officers later retracted their whole claim. No officers were ever criminally charged in Tyisha Miller’s killing
In Dreamscape, director Rickerby Hinds retells this story through the fictionalised Myeisha Mills using poetry, hip hop, dance, and beatboxing. Using such a high-energy, stylised form to explore something so violent and important is risky if not done justice, but it hits in all the right ways.
Jada Evelyn, as Myeisha, is iconic. She fully embodies Myeisha and it is magnetic: sharp, funny, vibrant, alive. A 19-year-old full of dreams, sass, lust, joy, frustration, awkwardness. She wants to be a cheerleader. She spits bars. She crushes on Wesley Snipes and Denzel. She dances. She takes the piss out of people. She lives. It is truly a celebration of this girl, honouring who she was and is. Evelyn is everything.
What makes Dreamscape powerful is how it moves between Myeisha’s voice and story and the coroner’s voice, and tone of how the violence was recorded. Josiah Alpher delivers the detached, unempathetic descriptions of each bullet wound with a disturbingly cold and unsettlingly breezy tone. Phrases like “just entered” reduce acts of brutal violence to something minor. Myeisha doesn’t let it pass, responding in real time, outraged, sarcastic. Her voice pushes back against the way in which we record and minimise victims’ experiences, as well as highlighting how institutions not only kill but erase, reducing lives to statistics, medical reports void of care or humanity.
What we loved most was how the show doesn’t look for any kind of pity or sentimentality, and it doesn’t lean into easy outrage. Instead, it places the horror and violence next to the celebration of life itself. It felt honest. It fully centred Myeisha – her energy, her joy, her youth, her dancing, her jokes, cut through by white violence, clinical violence and institutional racism. It doesn’t shock for the sake of shock, it burns slowly, deeply.
Dreamscape is protest. It’s poetry. It’s dance. It’s theatre doing what art should do: telling the truth, honouring the people who are always erased from history, and demanding they are seen. This performance doesn’t just land, it makes this story real.
It runs at 1.30pm every day at The Gilded Balloon up until 24th August.
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Review of “With Ruby and I”
Brighton Fringe 2025
***
‘With Ruby and I’ reimagines the cult 1990s film ‘Withnail and I’ through a gender-swapped lens, delivering an emotionally charged portrayal of female friendship in its most dysfunctional form.
The opening scenes of ‘With Ruby and I’ garnered much enthusiasm and laughter from the audience, enthralling those watching with the high energy, joyous and chaotic go between of Ruby and Mags preparing for a night out. With Ab Fab dynamics between the pair and great chemistry, watching felt like being let in on their own personal ritual.
The intensity of Ruby and Mags relationship is consistent and real and this is where the strength of the play lies. Ruby’s jealousy is not only palpable but ravenous, morphing into something cruel and suffocating. Her behaviour becomes manipulative, abusive, and self-absorbed – and this is written well.
And yet, for all its emotional energy, ‘With Ruby and I’ stumbles when it comes to originality and narrative ambition. Beyond the gender twist, it doesn’t offer much in the way of new insight or exciting creativity. The script leans heavily on the legacy of its origins (Withnail and I), and at times seems more interested in emulating its cult status than carving out its own voice.
There’s an air of smugness with this play, an assumption of cultural importance that isn’t quite earned. What we’re left with is not a bold new take, but rather a less original story of two codependent flatmates spiralling through their twenties.
The play touches on themes of obsession, sexuality, lust, and unwanted pregnancy, but it doesn’t explore them with the depth and complexity that would have made the play stand out. These elements felt underwritten.
We also question the appropriateness of including a joke referencing suicide bombers. Even if the intent was to highlight the discomfort and inappropriateness of the moment (a joke that deliberately lands flat) it felt unnecessary.
‘With Ruby and I’ is ultimately an enjoyable piece of theatre; funny, affectionate, and occasionally gripping but it doesn’t quite live up to what it could have been.
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Review of “Bettie Hodd, Dad Jokes” Brighton Fringe
****
2025
Bertie Hodd’s “Dad Jokes” at the Brighton Fringe was a joyously chaotic burst of drag, clowning, cabaret and connection.
This one-person performance offers more than just puns (although we did enjoy those at the start), it delivers a messy and beautiful exploration of identity, queerness, and the complexities of parenthood, serving an array of different characters and moving snippets of relationships and love within parenting.
Bertie Hodd, performing as the character “Dad,” invites audiences into a world that is both humorous and touching. Absurdist in nature and creatively expansive, it was like watching some sort of fever dream, never knowing which turn it was going to take, yet committing to the journey with “Dad”.
A signaller of an entertaining and enjoyable show is when the audience is in hysterics. “Dad Jokes” was brimming with uncontrollable laughter and cackles throughout. The appearance of “Mummy”, an unhinged and chaotic character, introduced with much heavy breathing and a flashlight (go watch the play to understand how this worked) was wonderfully executed and added another layer of ridiculously hilarious comedy to succumb to.
There is so much scope to play with such as a character like “Dad”. The show missed opportunities to fully play with the gender stereotypes and clichés associated with the “Dad” character. We found ourselves wanting more exaggeration and originality in their portrayal. Leaning more into the arrogance, the perceived dominance, insecurities and the gloriously mundane nature of this figure could have elevated the satire to new heights.
Not all aspects of the characters were convincing and that’s where Bertie Hodd’s Dad Jokes sometimes fell short. The comedic possibilities of non-cis men playing roles not traditionally offered to us is huge, with potential to push boundaries and explore fresh and new perspectives. Unfortunately, in this case, it often felt like sometimes something was missing.
However, the performance as a whole was bold, fun and a pleasure to witness.
At a time when our trans community is under constant attack and violence from the state, the messages of trans solidarity and support within Dad Jokes, were both powerful and necessary.
Ultimately, Bertie Hodd had phenomenal stage presence and energy and held court in a way that only skilled performers master. They have created something truly unique, captivating and wildly entertaining, that’s definitely worth supporting.
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Review of “Pick Of The Fringe, The Laughing Horse” 21st May, Brighton Fringe
*
2025
If this is truly the Pick of the Fringe, we’re not sure we want to see the rest.
Maybe it was just a bad night but it wasn’t what we hoped for. The show featured a lineup of six middle-aged white guys (including the compare) delivering tired material full of easy jabs and low-effort humour. The setlist leaned heavily on things like jokes about alcohol, drugs, dogs, the royal family, self-deprecation and the usual lazy targets, too often veering into unoriginal “punching down” territory.
Lines like “I’m usually a one-line comedian, but after this I’m going to have a whole gram” got a few scattered laughs but mostly fell flat. Even though there was laughter, it often felt more forced, as if they were trying to stay engaged rather than genuinely enjoying the performance.
Some of the material went into mildly offensive territory – sexist, ableist, classist, and racist undertones – though perhaps more depressingly – it wasn’t even provocative enough to offend. It was just dull. One of the comedians’ attempts to pre-empt criticism with digs at “people getting too easily offended these days” felt more bitter and defensive than humorous.
A few tried to touch on contemporary issues (including mentions of incels), but with such shallow, uninformed takes, it was neither insightful nor funny. In fact, it only highlighted how out of their depth they were beyond the slapstick and immature one-liners they clearly felt more at home with.
The only genuinely funny moment came when one of the comedians pointed out the painfully obvious lack of diversity (though the humor landed more because of the uncomfortable truth than the delivery itself).
It’s 2025. If this is what Brighton Fringe is spotlighting, then the bar is worryingly low. We left disappointed not just by the show, but by what it says about the state of comedy on offer.
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Review of “Junkies” at Brighton Fringe
**
2025
Junkies, a two-man show at the Brighton Fringe, opens with Adam and Mike, two strangers navigating an online liaison. Adam is a young, opioid-addicted sex worker; Mike, an older, wealthy, work-addicted client. What begins as a transactional setup aims to evolve into something more emotionally complex. Unfortunately, it rarely does.
Mike’s insecurities and his desperation for a genuine connection with a sex worker, felt realistic. There were moments where Mike felt like a fully realised person, thanks in part to a committed and convincing performance. Still, even his character leaned heavily on stereotypes that undercut the more human elements.
Adam, on the other hand, felt disappointingly underwritten. His portrayal was cliché, evoking the kind of caricature often seen in GCSE drama. This was particularly frustrating given that Adam is the play’s only voice representing drug addiction and sex work, issues that deserve far more care, insight, and authenticity than were given here.
The play grappled with heavy, complex themes, addiction, sex work, loneliness, and intergenerational dynamics, but rarely managed to explore them in nuanced or original ways. The script felt uncreative and predictable. Opportunities to delve into the power imbalances between age, wealth, and vulnerability were left underexplored.
At times, Junkies did show sparks of potential. There were tender moments and flickers of chemistry between the two characters. Both actors performed enthusiastically, with moments of humour and sincerity peeking through.
However there were unnecessary distractions that also interrupted the story. The music between scenes was overly jovial, ultimately felt like being on hold to the job centre rather than a dynamic scene change. Another time, a particularly large prop (a heavy block with a steering wheel attached), used only once, seemed unwarranted but was oddly iconic.
What could have been a layered story about connection, dependency, and power became instead a surface level portrayal propped up by tired stereotypes. The play never transcended its premise: it was simply a story of a younger and older man with addictions, but not much more than that.
In the end, Junkies felt deeply predictable.
Review of “Scraps” at The Wardrobe Theatre, Bristol
****
2025
Scraps offers us an original, hilarious, at times abstract (in a great way) look at class and culture played out by Mia and Daisy as they traverse the impact of their different class backgrounds within their friendship, all while on a quest to change the world, by putting on a play.
Daisy and Mia, working class and middle class actors respectively, take us on an invigorating, passionate and dynamic journey to expose whether liking sourdough bread means you can’t be working class and if they can bridge the gaps between us the people, and the tyrants of late stage capitalism.
No small feat for a play 75 minutes long.
We weren’t sure what to expect when we saw a stripped back stage with only 2 mics. Assuming it might be some sort of stand up comedy style show, we were quickly introduced to the talents of Mia and Daisy through a sheer perfect lip sync of that now infamous Posh and Becks conversation on what car Vic was driven to school in (disclaimer: a Rolls Royce)
Lip syncing monumental cultural moments in British society is a constant theme throughout Scraps that is executed wonderfully and with purpose. Mia’s embodiment of British posh babe Nigella was scarily accurate contrasted with Daisy assigned the role of the sacrificial pig she was buttering up for Christmas roasting made for a surreal but unbelievably entertaining scene to witness.
Scraps address class cliches before the audience has time to admit how we ourselves might uphold these narratives. Acknowledging their growing differences and Mia’s discomfort of receiving inheritance, we see the widening gap forming between the duo, a reflection of what can often happen in real life when class privilege isn’t recognised and owned.
There could have been more time spent on how being working class or feeling the ‘burden’ of being financially secure looked like to them on a personal level but the consistent energy, creativity and plethora of characters made for a highly comedic and compelling performance.
The satire, comedy timing and out of the box ideas for a play about class and fighting the widening wealth gap was exciting and enjoyable to experience collectively.
Scraps gave us the opportunity to reflect and engage with our own understanding and relationship to class in this country. It highlighted the reality that the 1% accumulating obscene wealth is changing the class landscape and system in the UK, making the argument that class solidarity might be the only way we move forward.
A pleasure to watch, Mia and Daisy’s Scraps is bold, relevant and joyously funny.
Review of “Funeral Teeth” at The Wardrobe Theatre
****
2025
Described as a ‘feel good, tragic comedy’, Funeral Teeth delivers this tag line with sincerity, truth and confidence. With audience participation (but not in an anxiety inducing way) as well as real life stories, Funeral Teeth offers us a fast pace, yet beautifully tender opportunity to explore our own relationship to loss, grief, kinship and violence, all in the loving arms of Kat, Amy and Rio.
Dancing between different characters and their actual selves (although dramatised) Kat, Amy and Rio bring the audience with them at every scene and story. Every member of this trio has their moment, multiple moments in fact, where they get to share themselves, their histories, their personal moments of loss.
The theme of loss this play explores is framed by Kat sharing their ordeal with a lost mooncup. The location of the lost mooncup; her cervix. In what ensues, is a hilarious representation of a serendipitous encounter with a trainee paramedic at their friends house in a desperate attempt to retrieve said mooncup. The use of the Casualty theme for this particular scene, threw anyone who grew up in the early 2000s, back into a welcomed nostalgia for the simpler times of Saturday night TV dramas.
Throughout Funeral Teeth, we meet Amy, Rio and Kat at the many iterations of their lives and experiences. From Amy’s realisation that the first time she had sex was actually with a girl to Rio’s experience navigating an abortion, the play explores queerness, race, sex, reproductive health and intimacy in honest and creative ways. One particularly hilarious and hate to say, accurate scene, in which Kat’s talking about her experience of losing her virginity, felt all too familiar. Squashed between Amy and Rio pretending to be a couple of lads lost in the throws of their passion, Kat’s absolute disbelief at the underwhelm of the situation was painfully relatable and hilariously validating to witness.
The roar and cackles from the audience were prominent and genuine throughout.
It can be incredibly difficult sometimes to dramatise a real life experience of trauma in contemporary theatre that feels original and fresh.
There were a few moments in Funeral Teeth that felt a little cliche or like we’d seen it before. While this didn’t take away from the weight of the subject matter, it at times fell into the trend of portraying trauma or painful experiences in a style that’s predictable or has been done before.
At the very heart of Funeral Teeth is a deep solidarity and chemistry between Rio, Kat and Amy and the offer to explore our own losses in ways that are personal and intimate to us. We were allowed to witness the collective trust and care these actors and individuals shared with each other, something so vital when processing loss and trauma.
It was a joy to watch this connection play out on a stage.
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Review of “Destiny” at The Wardrobe Theatre
****
2024
Fast pace, tender, hilarious and at times, deeply moving. Florence Espeut-Nickless’s one woman show, (named after the star itself), ‘Destiny’ intimately invites the audience into her world, as she navigates teenagehood, trauma and her everyday reality of growing up working class in a small West Country town.
For anyone coming of age in the early to mid 2000s with a love for MTV cribs, RnB music videos and JLo, watching Destiny was like being transported back to a simpler, more carefree time. Destiny’s infectious energy and ambitious dreams of being JLo’s back up dancer, means we find ourselves reminiscing about the freedom, possibility and excitement that comes with youth and zero responsibility.
Except Destiny does have responsibility.
Destiny’s responsibility is tied up with being an overlooked and under prioritised young person, forced to represent and advocate for herself across multiple systems and institutions. We bare witness to her encounters with the services in place to support and protect her, that ultimately fail and harm her further.
The play explores themes of neglect, grooming and sexual assault in ways that are honest, bold, flawed and funny. She balances the heaviness of her non-existent, abusive relationship with her mother by her comedic explanation of her mum’s thought process of naming all her siblings with names beginning with the letter D (it involves her love of the “Dick”).
There was loud and unapologetic laughter from the audience throughout.
Destiny is beautifully lovable, relatable and brash (meant in the best way) and the use of RnB and garage classics that are used throughout scenes were lapped up by us, the audience. These musical nods to our past and the relevance to Destiny’s present, created a sense of kinship and connection to this sassy, loving and gutsy young woman.
She exposes the very real reality of what it’s like to exist in a culture that victim blames and slut shames young women whose resources are limited and whose proximity to harmful men are in some way their ‘fault’. Destiny’s experience taking the stand against the men that sexually assault her does not downplay or placate the reality and impact of being a working class, sexually active woman within our criminal justice system.
These scenes ignite rage, fury and frustration for how close to the truth this reality actually is.
There were a few scenes that felt like we’d seen them before in terms of how certain experiences were conveyed and delivered that could have been explored in more creative and expansive ways. However, ultimately, the depth and breath of Destiny’s character made us love her in every way she showed up.
Entering Destiny’s world gives us an opportunity to reflect on our own experiences as teenagers back then and engage with how we are showing up for our young people now. It allows us to validate the parts of our youth that were hard or painful, and that we did in fact experience ageism from adults. All of this is done with a remarkable balance of silliness, joy and realism.
Destiny invites you into her world and in doing so, allows you to acknowledge your own journey to adulthood.
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Review of “ZANELE MUHOLI” at The Tate Modern
*****
2024
Zanele Muholi’s exhibition at the Tate Modern is a beautifully curated collection of some of their most powerful work. We are invited through narratives both personal and political, intimate and universal.
The photographs brim with intimacy, queer love, pleasure, and raw joy—finding space for liberation in places where it has been punished.
Their photographs have such strength and emotion, each one stands alone as well as part of a wider exploration of race, gender, queerness and the violence inflicted on people’s lives simply because of their identities. Muholi’s documentation of the lived-experiences of the queer community and individuals in South Africa is a love letter to resilience and a celebration of life lived unapologetically, fiercely and joyfully in the face of violence and extreme oppression.
Muholi’s self-portraits, part of their ongoing “Somnyama Ngonyama” series, are utterly stunning, each image a beautiful and thought-provoking commentary on race, gender, and history. Their use of everyday objects as symbolic adornments makes each portrait also a complex narrative that invites the viewer to confront uncomfortable truths about racism, gender, objectification, and colonialism as well as love. These photographs are not just art or stories; they are acts of resistance and an archive of people’s stories and moments that need to be seen.
In Zanele’s extensive body of work, their profound care, respect, and love for those they photograph is forefront. They capture the raw reality of people who have experienced horrific violence—rape, hate crimes, and extreme brutality—including moments from their own life. The images are raw and brutal but also iconic and deeply emotional.
The series from gay and queer weddings celebrating love next those depicting funerals of individuals murdered in homophobic attacks hit hard. The contrast powerfully underscores the beauty of the love celebrated and the violence inflicted upon people for embracing that love.
Some of the exhibition provokes profound sadness, while other parts of it explode with a joy that bring tears.
Overall, the exhibition is electric, intimate, vulnerable and deeply moving. It is a testament to fierce, liberated, and uncrushable spirit.
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Review of “Character Flaw”
****
Edinburgh Fringe 2024
“Character Flaw” is a beautifully silly, heartwarming and poignant performance at this year’s Edinburgh Fringe. It offered a perfect blend of humour, vulnerability, and profound insight. As someone with ADHD, I felt fully seen—some moments were so relatable they were almost unbearably funny. The performer’s ability to make the audience feel like we really knew her, as if we were all invited to be her friends and welcomed into her mind, was truly special.
Her stories, like the one about accidentally flooding someone’s house or almost killing a cat, had the audience in absolute hysteria. You could tell how many ADHDers were in the crowd by the explosive laughter that erupted during the most relatable moments. The shared understanding in the room added a layer of connection that made the experience even more powerful and joyful.
Philippa Dawson splices her narrative with mini readings from medical descriptions of ADHD, and then unpacks and questions them in a way that’s both enlightening and hilarious. Her self-reflection and journey towards understanding and ultimately accepting her ADHD brain is deeply emotive, warm, and fun.
Using metaphors and real-life anecdotes, she explains how her neurodiverse brain works, highlighting the major mistakes and pitfalls that come with it, as well as the reactions of others. Her charisma lights up the stage, and the way she draws the audience into her world leaves you feeling connected and understood in a way that’s rare and beautiful.
“Character Flaw” is a must-see for anyone looking for a show that’s as insightful as it is entertaining. Whether or not you have ADHD, this performance offers a joyful, engaging, and thoroughly relatable experience that will leave you laughing and reflecting long after the show.
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Review of “Bounce Back”
****
Edinburgh Fringe 2024
Mallard is an undeniable comedic force, diving headfirst into the chaotic, bewildering, and often hilarious experience of the first few months of motherhood.
She deftly centres her multifacetedness and navigates the contradictions, irony, and nuance that exists around between societal expectations of motherhood and the raw, unfiltered reality.
Her sharp wit and incisive humour shine through as she offers laugh-out-loud insights on raising a son as a feminist had us cackling as we scoffed at the studies that show that men’s amygdalas are just as capable of responding to a baby’s cry despite the outdated arguments some scientists still stand by which Mallard brilliantly dismantles.
“Bounce Back” is such an important show at the Fringe, a vital exploration of modern motherhood that blends humour with thought-provoking commentary and analysis. We can’t wait to see what she will deliver next.
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Review of
Farah Al Qasimi in:
The Tate Modern: Artists and Society – 12 Rooms
*****
The Tate Modern: Artists and Society- 12 Rooms: Farah Al Qasimi
Farah Al Qasimi’s room in at the Tate Modern is a dazzling, delicious and vibrant. Her work is a kaleidoscope of colour and texture, where everyday scenes burst into life with a surreal and almost magical realism through collage. Her art gently challenges viewers to see beyond the surface and question the complexities of cultural identity, gender, consumerism, and modernity.
Faras’s photographs are rich with detail, capturing the contradictions and contrasts of life in the Gulf. She has a unique ability to find beauty in the mundane and the overlooked, turning seemingly ordinary moments into striking visual narratives.
Her visual exploration of the intersection between tradition and modernity and love of iconic symbols and patterns in her images make the past and the present collide.
The exhibition is not just visually pleasurable but also a poignant commentary on the complexities of identity in a rapidly changing world. It’s a bold, delightful, and deeply insightful exploration of a culture that is both familiar and foreign, traditional and modern, intimate and universal.
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Review of “Dan Wye Am I Sam Smith”
*****
Edinburgh Fringe 2024
Wow, wow, wow.
Dan Wye shared a thought provoking DMC (deep meaningful chat) with the audience that left us feeling wholeheartedly loved, warm and proud of our queerness.
Dan explains their sentiments to having been constantly confused for Sam Smith at moments that at times saved their dignity and at others made them spiral into losing themself. They share their story of growing up gay in a hyper-masculine English backdrop and challenges the hyper-sexual tropes of the gay community.
In laying out their own struggle with what it means to be gay when you’re finding your way in a world that is trying to define you at every step they are bold, unapologetic and firm in their rejection of dehumanising stereotypes and homophobic narratives.
“Dan Wye Am I Sam Smith?” was dynamic, delicious, nuanced and hilarious in its dissection of identity, queerness and sex. If we could give it six stars, we would!
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Review of “Good Girl”
**
Edinburgh Fringe 2024
An undeniably entertaining but disappointing show, whose commentary on centring women’s wants and needs felt like it did more harm than good in its lack of critical analysis of the different sexual fantasies explored in the play as well as the power dynamics that were exercised with the audience.
Rhiannon asks men before the show if they’d feel comfortable to take part and get up on stage and most of them consent to this. Most of her show then follows her ensuring “every man in the audience gets hard before leaving” by clowning and acting out stereotypical fantasies such as being a school girl, being a teacher, and being a nurse. During the nurse scene, she puts a man’s face between her breasts so that he can hear her heartbeat. At other times she brought men onstage and proceeded to touch their torsos, some looked uncomfortable whilst being touched.
Later on, we hear an audio of her narrating being 16 at a club and going back to an older man’s house and having sex for the first time. She mentions her body’s retreating and resistance due to a fear of anticipated pain. The man continues without any verbal communication despite her clear body language’s hesitation which then felt like we were listening to a young girl get assaulted. This audio’s ambiguous consent felt deeply uncomfortable and could’ve been addressed afterwards.
Following realising that she can prioritise her own desires and let go of the exhausting performance for the men, Rhiannon poignantly discussed what she truly wants in a way that gives the women and genderqueer audience members permission to all reflect on our shared wishes of safety and security and all-encompassing sexual pleasure. This portion of the show took up the smallest part of time at the end and it would have been great to hear more about Rhiannon’s journey of self discovery after decentring the male gaze.
Our biggest issue with this show though was the lack of acknowledgement of the problematic power dynamics that underpin many of the sexual fantasies she acted out as well as the power dynamics between Rhiannon and the audience.
The sexual fantasies exemplified classic pornhub categories that perpetuate rape culture and encourage the sexualisation of young girls. Acting out these fantasies without any critical analysis of their origins and harms felt like it then perpetuated the idea that all men want this (or should want this.) Due to the popularity of these sexual fantasies, it’s natural for them to be explored but critical analysis of why they’re popular in the first place would have been pertinent. We also would like to see a much more in-depth exploration of consensual and non-consensual objectification and a deep dive into the meaning of consent—not all kink/fantasies or power play are harmful or non-consensual, but there needs to be real clarity on where it is and where it isn’t.
The men brought on stage didn’t feel sufficiently informed of what was going on and their discomfort is no less acceptable even if it’s a play about decentring men’s wants.
The consent of the audience members could have been better attained and sensitivity given to any of them wanting to stop whilst up on stage already. The path to a better world is not just women rediscovering our wants and needs but a recognition that all bodies are sacred and deserve autonomy, including the men’s in the audience.
The show’s overarching theme of autonomy and liberation from patriarchal impositions would have felt more embodied and profound if the power dynamic between the audience and performer wasn’t so imbalanced and if the themes in the fantasies had been dissected.
Ultimately, Rhiannon is exceptionally talented, her singing elevated the show and her presence commanded all of our attention, we would love to see more of her and hope that future performances think critically about ensuring there is no abuse of power with the audience and that there is nuance given to the harms that sexual fantasies in the play can have.
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Review of “Fan girl”
*****
Edinburgh Fringe 2024
This show felt like a gentle, warm hug for our 12 year old selves. Bryony’s interactive performance sees her regress back to the 12 year old version of herself as she joins a new school and navigates the differences with her best friend, Steven after accomplishing some major football wins as captain of her team in primary school.
The first few weeks see her struggle as she realises there’s no room for her to play football , despite her hopes, and she must adapt to being bottom of the social hierarchy in secondary school by learning to do makeup and dress for boys. As she becomes more and more disconnected from football, she grows enraged at the double standards she faces whilst Steven enjoys his own new school.
Set in the 90’s, fan girl is a blast from the past as icons make their appearances and Bryony lets her alter ego, Eric Cantora guide her through her new life.
“Fan girl“ is an exceptionally amusing and silly exploration of the grief so many young girls experience, as they are forced out of their passions in exchange for male validation and acceptance in new spaces. It awoke the desire in younger us to get back in touch with the hobbies we loved as children and reminded us of the powerful sense of belonging that team sports give us.
From women in sports to puberty and patriarchy in schools, the topics embedded in this show are important and necessary. We were so happy to see them here— in a performance that is powerful, fun and incredibly enjoyable!
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Review of “Deadname”
****
Edinburgh Fringe 2024
Tender and hysterical show dedicated to Dee’s relationship with her former self pre-coming out. Her debut was touching but provocative, gentle yet sassy.
We loved her deep dive into how she’s finding transitioning whilst being in a relationship, as well as her rejection of tokenisation.
“Deadname” delivers a razor-sharp analysis of trans oppression in the media, while also offering a deeply moving exploration of transitioning within the context of a relationship.
It was refreshing to hear such open and vulnerable reflections on how she feels about her former self. In that way, she was relatable and poignant in identifying how many of us feel a tension with who we used to be even though they helped us become who we are today.
We can’t wait to see what Dee creates in future!
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Review of “The Wayard Sisters”
*
2024
“The Weyard Sisters” at Riverside Studios in London is an overly ambitious but ultimately uneven and confused production that left us frustrated. The play seems to attempt to humanise the three witches of Macbeth (this was a guess) transforming them into real characters, but this concept is lost amid a cluttered narrative, packed with ideas that never fully land.
What we perceived to be nods toward misogyny and male violence were superficial at best. At some points it seemed like we were just watching random acts of misogyny and violence against women, instead of any commentary on it. Scenes that should have been darkly humorous or deeply disturbing—like those suggesting rape and beatings—were so poorly executed that they lost all impact. Instead of delivering the poignant dark commentary the play seemed to promise, these moments were awkward, with unfocused staging and clumsy performances that were uncomfortable to watch. It’s telling that the content warning focused on “use of knives” (which were used in a slapstick duel) while ignoring the much more “brutal” violence that should have been front and centre.
The set was simple; three pillars and a white silk screen across the stage. There was a good use of shadows at one point behind the white screen (depicting a past battle). The rest of the time however, it wasn’t used at all and you could see actors walking and rummaging around behind it, when they were off stage.
The actors themselves struggled to keep up, and unfortunately frequently forgot their lines (some even reading their lines off the back of books) which can be forgivable on an opening night, but combined with everything else, only added to the overall messiness. Slapstick jokes fell flat, and the performances felt disjointed, contributing to a sense of inaccessibility. It was as though the cast and creators were in on a joke that the audience wasn’t part of, making for a viewing experience that felt like it wasn’t even for us.
Towards the end of the play the story jumped into the future, with no explanation, to an equally confusing and odd performance.
The chaotic storyline stretched on for an uncomfortable 2 hours and 40 minutes, leaving us bewildered and frustrated. Adding to this frustration was the production’s apparent sense of superiority–placing yourself as the “definitive sequel” to Macbeth is quite a move, one that having now seen the production, feels misplaced.
In the end, “The Weyard Sisters” struggled under the weight of its own ambitions, resulting in a stodgy production that was difficult to follow, poorly executed, and ultimately felt inaccessible. While there may have been some interesting ideas buried within the script, they were sadly lost in a muddled and messy presentation. Maybe it’s for someone, but it definitely wasn’t for us.
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Review of “Whiplash”
*****
Camden Fringe 2024
Rachel Isobel Heritage’s “Whiplash” is an outstanding, wildly captivating and iconically necessary production that strips away any unwanted noise or discord in the ‘debate’ about sex work. Instead it offers us a straightforward, raw and honest performance, addressing the very real issues and experiences sex workers continue to face with both ferocity and softness.
Whiplash delivers in ways that keep giving even after the curtains have closed.
Written by a stripper, set in a stripclub, the story follows the lives of the strippers who work there, and the multiple experiences and intersecting barriers they face when making their coin.
Whilst sassy, smutty and hilarious, “Whiplash” doesn’t sweep under the carpet the very real danger, violence and misogyny these women face–but makes a very clear and surprisingly (for some) simple case for sex worker rights and safety–effortlessly presenting what the real problems are: male violence.
The brutality in the scenes of male violence was deeply powerful, and gave full service to the reality of these experiences–we felt it. We were scared.
The relationship between the characters, in particular Nemesis, Candy and Nicki (played by Hannah Cauch, Rosie Carsonn, Rachel Heritage respectively) is expansive; tender, fraught, caring, challenging and protective. The sense of solidarity and the ways they conveyed their collective existence in their place of work, deeply moved us. The beautiful intimacy, unconditional love and care that women have when they support one another in these moments after violence and harm, was perfectly captured. We cried. This, contrasting with the genuine out loud laughter we experienced, by the joyous silliness and play in some of the scenes made for a dynamic, pleasure-filled delight of a performance that made us feel alive.
The narrative was punctuated by cheeky, hot and funny pole performances that allow us to fully experience the pleasure, joy and fun from watching someone strip tease. It feels unpretentious and necessary to give actual time to the skill and play of the profession itself.
The way the story skillfully unpacks the anti-sex work agenda and challenges the hypocrisies, stigmas, judgements in a way that is unforced and seamless–makes it hard to argue with, even for the most whorephobic of folk.
A truly memorable, liberatory and passionate production, offering us an opportunity to connect with the characters, and their stories in ways that theatre is supposed to. Whiplash did justice to exposing the realities of what sex workers face in a way that was authentically honest and gorgeously human, making it impossible not to join their fight.
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Note on the Theatre Company: Lockdown Productions are an exciting company with values close to our heart: A Female-led Theatre Company working towards socioeconomic accessibility of the arts for both performers and audience members. We want to see more theatre companies like this, particularly those prioritising those with lived-experience telling their stories! Whiplash also gave 50% of its donations to SWU.
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Review of ““The Evolutionary and Inescapable Rotting of Girlhood”
**
Edinburgh Fringe 2024
“The Evolutionary and Inescapable Rotting of Girlhood” was high-energy and impassioned, exploring the comedic, ridiculous, and confusing aspects of puberty and girlhood. A live band of two guys on stage gave the show a lovely, intimate feel. The cast responded hilariously and confidently to small mishaps during the performance, such as balloons popping. Three girls navigated various stages of adolescence and the different issues that arise. A puberty fairy grants the girls breasts when they wish for them, and one of the girls explores a connection and deep desire for a boy who visits her house. They all gather around a card game and talk about their relationships with their parents.
We expected a deeper dive and more nuanced examination of girlhood and were surprised that there was no mention of social media. The discussions on beauty standards and self-esteem in relation to changing bodies felt juvenile and lacked nuance. The commercialization of girlhood was only referenced in the context of discussing tampons, and a heavier scrutiny of how capitalism has shaped the evolution of girlhood would have been interesting. A deeper exploration of how the diet industry targets young girls would also have been pertinent.
Although the show brought up many important issues, such as exploring queerness, having sex for the first time, masturbation, puberty, and periods, the depth of these subjects left more to be desired. The age of the characters was sometimes hard to track, as they jumped from discussions about first growing breasts at 13 to having sex for the first time. The show has a strong foundation to build on, and topics such as how sexism, racism, fatphobia, ableism, and transphobia shape our experiences of puberty and body changes would have been a fitting addition. A deeper analysis of structural oppression would have made the play much stronger.
Additionally, an exploration of the history of how girlhood has been defined over time and how women’s rights movements have impacted the experience of growing up in the 2000s versus, for example, the 1950s, would have better honoured the title of the ‘evolutionary’ aspects of girlhood.
Ultimately, the show was fun, silly, and warm-hearted. However, the promised examination of patriarchy and the current state of girlhood was not fully delivered.
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Review of “Ebae“
****
Edinburgh Fringe 2024
Ruby commands the stage with a radiant, infectious energy in “Ebae,” where she makes a hilariously convincing case for why she should be eBay’s next brand ambassador. Through a series of colourful anecdotes, Ruby weaves together stories of her bizarre eBay purchases—haunted teddies, human beards, and breakup gifts—all while candidly reflecting on how these oddball acquisitions tie into her personal life and mental health struggles.
Her vivacious performance keeps the audience laughing, but it’s the underlying exploration of how we use unconventional methods to cope with life’s challenges that adds a deeper layer to the show. Ruby’s insights into her eBay obsession prompt us to question our own quirky habits and their impact on our well-being.
While the performance is undeniably entertaining and very very fun, it leaves you wanting a little bit more depth. A further exploration of how mental health influences financial decisions would have provided an even richer narrative. Still, Ruby’s magnetic presence and sharp humour make “Ebae” a thoroughly enjoyable and thought-provoking experience, and we loved it!
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Review of “Gurl Code”
***
Edinburgh Fringe 2024
“Gurl Code” offers a touching and humorous exploration of identity and the experience of navigating transness, with a relatable focus on the universal desire for love and acceptance. Highlighting some of the obscenities of our societies assumptions and judgements of trans people in a way that is silly, compassionate and funny.
The show itself is lively and eclectic in its use of PowerPoints, singing and playing keyboard, and philosophical thought experiments. This joyful and fun approach to presenting ideas was enjoyable to be part of. Alex’s musings on the arbitrariness and malleability of social categories–such as the actual difference between dogs and raccoons being a fine line that humans have created– was amusing and clever in highlighting the strangeness of gender as a category and concept itself.
Alex brings a warm presence to the stage, sharing comical anecdotes about how she fixated on the concept of masculinity and what kind of man she wanted to be before coming out. She cosplays different character traits, such as being the friend who always gifts furniture.
The show feels relatable and touching as it raises questions we all have about the people we aspire to be. Alex shares her fears, hopes, and the deeply personal experience of coming out to her traditional dad with vulnerability and tenderness.
A beautiful moment in the show is Alex’s use of the philosophical concept of “Mary’s Room” to explain what being a trans woman feels like after years of trying to learn what kind of man she wanted to be.
While the show sometimes lacks a strong narrative thread to tie everything together, and some parts of the performance definitely work a lot better than others, it remains funny, heartfelt and touching.
Alex also has two comp tickets available to trans, non binary, and gender queer people for every show – so tell your friends about it!
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Review of “A History Of Fortune Cookies”
****
Edinburgh Fringe 2024
“A History of Fortune Cookies” was a tender and beautiful experience.
In a low lit old room we sat around a table while Sean Wai Keung shared with us stories of his family, relationship to fortune cookies and food, and the history of fortune cookies themselves. There were only 10 of us around the table which made it feel very intimate.
Speaking to us while preparing and baking the cookies, his gentle energy, rhythmic movements and the occasional tapestry of sounds—stirring the fortune cookie dough, the cracking of a fortune cookies and rustling of wrappers—all added to the subtle magic and ceremonious feel. Sean also wove in some beautiful little phrases about the power of sharing food that filled us with warmth—‘Even when you don’t speak the same language you can give someone something sweet’.
It was an immersive, gentle and sacred performance where in just 30 minutes, we were welcomed into his life; hearing about his relationship to his mixed-race identity, introduced to his family through pictures and snippets of stories, and inviting us to create our own fortunes. A unique and deeply personal show that gives us the opportunity to explore our own connection to food and pleasure.
History of a fortune cookie was short, sweet and full of gentle beauty.
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Review of “you, I am a child”
***
Camden Fringe 2024
“You, I am a child” had a punchy, attention grabbing start that could catch the attention span of even the most tapped out audience member and kept us engaged for the duration of the play. It had what you might expect or want from a good play; sharp, smooth scene transitions that clearly conveyed the change in setting, time and characters, good acting and an impressive (and worthy of recognition) multi-character change that demonstrated theatrical skill and talent. There was also a good balance of both comedy and seriousness.
The story itself, however, was more of an easy watch rather than mysterious or exciting as promised.
For a play with such an ambiguous title such as this, there needed to be a little bit more clarity as to what the play was actually drawing upon? Men’s mental health? The woes of dating as a millennial? Our relationship to ourselves? The necessity of jaffa cakes in a police interview? There’s nothing wrong with theatre having layers of mystery, especially when trying to create a more thrilling storyline – but the level of depth this play could have gone to versus what it delivered, meant we were more confused than intrigued.
The narrative focused on the brief but intense relationship of two individuals who know each other only through one date. A seemingly successful date until the next day, when we find out one of the characters is missing and a police report is made.
The play moves between characters Hannah and Oliver (portrayed by Ruth Piggott and Drew Gregg) and their thirst to find a connection and possibly meaning. Hannah’s desperation for this however, plays a central theme throughout her scenes with Oliver. For a generation that has essentially coined the word ‘ick’ Hannah’s superiority and at times, perceived arrogance in trying to be ‘different’ or original in the questions she asks or the connection she’s seeking is, well, icky. However, perhaps this was the intention, and if so, it was done exceptionally well.
There was a genuine chemistry between the two main characters that was enjoyable, and their joint exhaustion of online dating felt relatable to anyone that’s even dipped their toes into what can be the current hellscape known as ‘The Apps’.
Our favourite part involved a lesser character: the support worker, whose primary role was to support Hannah at the police station. But their inept attempts at support and enforced positivity offered her nothing but frustration. For those that have never worked in the social care sector or support services, this character may have felt unnecessarily dramatised and only added for comedic value. For those of us more familiar with institutions and the systems, it provided a refreshingly authentic representation of how some support workers can be–hilariously bad. We lapped up this problematic ‘professional’, wishing they had more stage time and a much larger part of the play.
A well acted and well executed play, that brought a plethora of interesting characters into existence. But ultimately “You, I Am A Child”, didn’t provide the substance or deeper meaning that we hoped for. Whilst not a particularly memorable play, it was enjoyable to watch.
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Review of “My Grandmother’s Eyepatch”
*****
Edinburgh Fringe 2024
Welcome to Mamie’s memorial service, sorry for your loss.
What does audience member’s feeding carrots to fake horses, card tricks, bringing back the dead, Miley Cyrus, and cracking every joint in your body have in common? Julia VanderVeen.
“My Grandmother’s Eyepatch” was a surreal, wild, freaky, and hilarious play exploring love, death, grief, loss, and how the dead live on through us after they pass.
Vanderveen’s absurdist and brilliant physical performance had the audience in hysterics as they interacted with what can only be described as a fucking weird show.
After gathering family and friends for her grandmother’s memorial, Julia makes the entire service about herself and her acting career.
“My Grandmother’s Eyepatch” provides the delicious weirdness that the Fringe is famous for, serving as a testament to how theatre can expand our perceptions and always return to humour to help us navigate the world.
VanderVeen’s acting is phenomenal—this is the kind of exceptional clowning that we rarely see in theatre—with intimate eye contact and precise leg movements provoking uncontrollable giggles throughout the show.
The performance was pleasurably playful, creatively unique, and an absolute delight—a perfect example of the unpredictable brilliance that makes the Fringe so special. “My Grandmother’s Eyepatch” is one of those stand out shows that you keep thinking about long after the fringe is over. It’s a show that shouldn’t be missed!
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Review of Dead Romance
**
Camden Fringe 2024
Two of us attended ”Dead Romance”, drawn in by its compelling description and beautiful flyer. The play promised a poignant exploration of queer identity and discovery amidst adversity and forced heteronormativity in China—a theme that resonated with me as I’ve been exploring my own Chinese heritage and identity and this looked really interesting. However, the performance didn’t quite deliver the depth or sensitivity required to tackle or explore what it intended to.
While the play attempted to address issues such as homophobia, heartbreak, forced heteronormativity, identity struggles, and suicide, it lacked the necessary weight and nuance. Instead the love story at the heart of the play actually felt quite generic and could have been anyone, set anywhere, which detracted from the unique perspective the show seemed to promise.
A major concern was the portrayal of intimate and sexual scenes where consent appeared blurred, yet this critical issue was not addressed. For example, the protagonist makes a move on the man he is in love with, who is described as extremely drunk, leading to a scene where the protagonist aggressively kisses him up against the wall and initiates sex while the other man is depicted as passive and uninvolved. This discomfort was amplified by the stage direction, where the other man is represented by a limp shirt. While this could have been accidental but the fact the intoxication itself was left unaddressed felt like a missed opportunity to talk about the power dynamics and consent issues at play. We were left feeling uneasy and uncomfortable.
In 2024, when even mainstream media is increasingly addressing male violence and rape culture, the lack of urgency and care in handling (or even noticing) these themes or experiences felt disappointing.
While the main actor was likeable and had some engaging moments, especially when working with the audience, the play as a whole needed a lot more work to tackle these critical subjects with the depth and sensitivity they deserve.
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Review of Midnight Cowboy Radio
****
Edinburgh Fringe 2024
“Midnight Cowboy Radio” at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival is a dynamic, one-woman show set in Kentucky on Labour Day 2022. It plunges the audience into the world of a late-night radio presenter, well-known in her tight-knit, deeply religious community for her relentless positivity—a positivity that quickly reveals itself as dangerously toxic and deeply unsettling.
The play’s structure is simple and effective, with voiceovers of listeners phoning in to share intimate details about their lives, particularly their love lives. The radio host responds with a syrupy sweetness and Christian platitudes, but it’s in these interactions that the true nature of the show’s critique begins to unfold. For instance, one caller, a woman struggling with her husband’s infidelity, receives advice from the host that underscores the dangerous implications of blind positivity: talks about “compromising” for your man, the host advises, continuing “it’s good that they know who you’re with, where you are and when you’ll be back, sometimes that means having one less margarita’, which she giggles about as she shares her husband punched the wall before her night out, unwittingly exposing her own entrapment in a controlling, abusive relationship. This moment, coupled with the constant calls from her own husband during the broadcast, paints a vivid picture of denial and internalised oppression.
A particularly poignant scene involves a child calling in, frightened to attend school due to the threat of shootings. The host’s response—urging the child to simply “be nice to people to stay safe”—highlights the show’s central critique of apolitical, Christian values that dangerously oversimplify and dismiss real, structural violence. As the narrative progresses, we see all the cracks in her relentlessly upbeat persona, especially during moments when she’s off-air, revealing a more chaotic woman frazzled by the contradictions she embodies.
The use of props, such as a flag and cowboy adornments, and the recurring playing of “American Pie,” roots the performance firmly in a quintessentially Southern American context, adding to the authenticity of the setting. Ally Ibach’s expressive facial gestures and outstanding acting add layers of complexity to her character—one that is both funny and challenging. Her performance makes you laugh while simultaneously revealing the unsettling reality of her world.
One of the show’s most striking moments occurs during a break, when the host makes a call to an anonymous abortion clinic, seeking the very procedure that her public persona would likely condemn. This scene lays bare the internal conflict between her outward facade and the painful reality of her own life choices.
“Midnight Cowboy Radio” is a cleverly executed exploration of the contradictions inherent in the relationship between religion, suppose apolitical stances, and violence against women in the midst of the overturning of Roe v. Wade. The show deftly handles the multifaceted nature of its protagonist, portraying her as both a harm causer and a victim. This is something we don’t see enough of.
In the end, as the host abruptly ends her show to run to an abortion clinic, the audience is left to grapple with the complexities of a character who embodies both the insufferable stereotype of this type of white Christian woman and the deeply human struggle of someone caught in a web of contradictions.
“Midnight Cowboy Radio” is a must-see for its sharp critique of toxic positivity, internalised misogyny, and the dangerous denial of reality—all presented with a darkly comedic edge that resonates long after the show.
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Review of Ukrainian Dream
****
Edinburgh Fringe 2024
“Ukrainian Dream” at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival delivers an hour of wry observational comedy, blending Dima Watermelon’s lived experiences with both life’s big questions and some more trivial musings. Dima’s immensely likable stage presence and sharp storytelling hold the audience as he takes them through a series of humorous anecdotes about his mother, stereotypes of Ukraine, and the quirky challenges of being an expat in Berlin.
Dima’s comedy is built on taking risks, and when those risks pay off, the results are golden. His reflections on political tensions, his interracial relationship (including his wife’s edgy suggestion of coloniser role play), and his little biting jabs at the UK’s colonial past are particularly well-executed. These moments highlight Dima’s ability to address uncomfortable but important subjects with both humour and honesty, offering sharp observations that resonate strongly. Hearing a Ukrainian perspective on global issues from violence to corruption is refreshing and often hilariously insightful.
However, not all of Dima’s jokes land as strongly. When he touches on important topics like abortion rights and toxic masculinity, the humour sometimes misses its mark, leaving these critical topics feeling underdeveloped. Given the gravity of these subjects, the show would have benefited from either refining these jokes to give them more impact or omitting them entirely.
There are also moments when Dima leans on more conventional jokes that, while not as unique, still entertain the crowd. The show’s international audience responded with laughter throughout, proving that much of Dima’s humour transcends cultural barriers.
Overall, “Ukrainian Dream” is a compelling mix of deadpan humour and thought-provoking content. Though it occasionally stumbles when addressing some material, we liked to see Dima include these issues. His charm, wit, and desire to push boundaries make this an engaging show well worth seeing.
The blend of risk-taking and accessible humour ensures that the show resonates with a wide audience, leaving everyone with something to think about and plenty to laugh at.
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Review of Saffron Cherry: Drag King Edition
*****
At PARADISE PALMS | Edinburgh Fringe 2024
Bathed in a full cocktail of high energy bliss that was bursting with queer joy, the room echoed with hysterical laughter and supportive cheers that flooded to the stage. The drag king performances were incredible, with particular obsession for hunky, handsome host Butch Cassidey, whose rippling muscles and smooth wit mesmerised, and the iconic Mx. Arrow Jackson whose lip-syncing genius stole the stage.
This gender-blending, unapologetically slutty celebration of QTPOC talent made Saffron Cherry as juicy as it was ripe—exactly where you want to be when escaping the overwhelm of mainstream Fringe parties with their tamer venues full of straight white men.
Venue note: SLEEC also very much love the vibe Paradise Palms as a space. From chaotic camp interior to its queer heart it feels both safe and joyful. Ethical values, vegetarian and vegan food and delightful cocktails – Queer dreams start right here!
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Review of Well Flung
***
The Edinburgh Fringe 2024
Chris Weir’s “Well Flung” dishes on his five-day holiday romance with all the sass and charm you’d expect from a gay rom-com, spilling the tea on the highs and lows of a fling with a Hungarian older man (Zoltan) that probably lasted longer than it should have.
His sun-soaked misadventures included some hilarious anecdotes around gay cruising experiences and highly amusing character portrayals but not all jokes were laugh out loud funny. Fortunately Chris’s softer more subtle humour was served with such likeable cheekiness we still enjoyed the ride.
The show touches on deeper themes like the role of money in relationship power dynamics, consent in weirder situations and the true meaning of companionship. However, these important topics are only lightly skimmed, as Chris seems more comfortable keeping things breezy and superficial. While we would have liked to see him dig deeper into these issues, “Well Flung” is still a fun watch, perfect for when you’re in the mood for some easygoing laughs with a side of rocky romance stories.
It’s like that fling you somehow can’t help but smile about—not true love, but worth a swipe right.
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Review of Political Breakfast
***
The Edinburgh Fringe 2024
“Political Breakfast” at the 2024 Edinburgh Fringe promised a hearty serving of political satire, but instead delivered a lukewarm buffet of easy jabs and surface-level humour. For a show with “political” in its title, there was a surprising lack of bite.
Instead of diving into the complex and important issues and controversies of our current political landscape, the show opted for safe, well-trodden territory—think jokes about the royals, Biden’s age, and other low-hanging fruit. While these jokes might get a few laughs, they don’t really challenge the audience or spark any real conversation.
For a Fringe audience craving sharp, insightful humour, “Political Breakfast” was more of a light snack than a full meal. There’s potential here, but the show needs to dig deeper and take more risks if it wants to stand out in a festival packed with more daring and necessary political comedy.
It seemed like there was a genuine want from the host and some panel members to discuss things like the the far right attacks, but the fear of not being able to use humour to open the dialogue and make it work held them back. We say just be brave and load up the (veggie) meat. We need this.
It was also noticeable that the men took up more space than the women (as usual in panel show comedy) which was a shame, as comedian Pauline Eyre was the only one not shying away from hard hitting subjects. If we had heard more from her it might have changed the conversation to the kind of issues and comedy we were craving.
Overall, “Political Breakfast” feels like a missed opportunity. Without engaging with the real issues, It’s an okay watch – mildly amusing way to start your day – but don’t expect anything groundbreaking.
*Note on tickets: It is pay what you can tickets from the free fringe so if you go and can afford to do support by donating generously what you can. We love the free fringe concept and it wouldn’t work without your donations.
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Review of Benevolence
*****
The Edinburgh Fringe 2024
Njambi McGrath’s latest show, “Benevolence”, is a sharp, unapologetic and much-needed dose of anti-colonial comedy confronting our ideas of race, identity, and the Western obsession with “helping Africa.”
With razor-edged humour, Njambi dismantles the white saviour complex, exposing the wild contradictions, harmful assumptions and absurdities in how charity and aid are often viewed. Her commentary cuts deep, challenging the audience to confront our own perceptions and the patronising undertones that frequently accompany charitable acts. This is everything SLEEC loves!
She doesn’t just skim the surface but uses her comedy to push the audience to rethink our beliefs and delusions confronting often-unspoken truths about race and post-colonial dynamics.
“Benevolence” strategically combines hard-hitting insights, personal stories and problematic characters to convey a powerful piece of social critique that leaves us in stitches. Our ribs were hurting.
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Review of Tending
*****
The Edinburgh Fringe 2024
“Tending” is a fiercely raw and hard-hitting performance that shines light on the lived experiences of nurses working in the NHS.
Through humour and heartbreak this play offers stories that are often unheard. With real-life testimonies, it captures the extreme highs and lows of what it means to dedicate yourself to hardcore care. Offering a glimpse of what went on inside the walls of the hospitals through the covid pandemic we see moments of pain, power, absurdity, strength, silliness, chaos and unconditional love.
“Tending” not only educates but also connects us to the nurses and care workers who literally held the NHS together at the risk of their own health and lives.
The very real performances of the three actors made it an intimate and powerful experience where we could experience the weight of emotions in these important stories. They had us in tears.
A must-see for those who want theatre that challenges and moves its audience.
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Review of Kate Cheka: A Messiah Comes
*****
The Edinburgh Fringe 2024
Kate Cheka’s magnetic presence and unapologetic storytelling in “A Messiah Comes” has us in stitches with the raw honesty and bold vulnerability she so casually brings to the stage. Watching her feels like being in her living room; from sharing laughs about hilarious sexual experiences and connecting over deeply personal stories, to finding much-needed dark humour in the fucked-up times we are living in.
Mixing silliness with sharp, poignant reflections and commenting on the embarrassment of living in oppressive structures we still don’t challenge, she gently pushes the audience’s comfortability but makes us feel held, alive, and connected.
Her lifelong belief that she is the messiah and her feeling of responsibility to save the entire world lead us into a conversation about what revolution, safety, and rest could look like if we reimagined them—giving us moments of parallel utopias we can only dream of.
Kate Cheka’s show is a must-see—it’s daring, genuine, and celebrates all the beautifully messy parts of life.
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Review of TERF
**
The Edinburgh Fringe 2024
“TERF” at the Edinburgh Fringe had the opportunity to address a critical and important issue, but it ultimately falls short in its execution. The show begins with a confusing, slow-paced start, and unless you’ve read up on its concept—examining J.K. Rowling’s transphobia through imagined conversations between the main actors of Harry Potter and Rowling—you might struggle to grasp the storyline for too long. The narrative takes time to gain momentum, making it difficult to connect with the story or its characters, even during moments that should have been compelling. While the actors deliver fairly solid performances, the story itself is underwhelming.
The show had the potential to present an innovative approach to important conversations around gender, transmisogyny, and public discourse, using familiar characters to draw the audience in. However, it misses the mark, opting for a conventional approach that only skims the surface of discussions on trans rights and transphobic abuse.
The show’s sympathy toward J.K. Rowling, particularly its focus on her experiences with male violence, feels tone-deaf given the ongoing, and raging, transphobia in the media. This angle seems out of touch and even dangerous, especially when the real impact of transmisogyny and the violence faced by the trans community—often incited by figures like Rowling—is glossed over. The only trans character in the show remains largely voiceless and underdeveloped, compounding the issue.
“TERF” disappoints by not delivering the incisive, thought-provoking experience it promised. Its promotional material, featuring a trans flag and a provocative title, suggested a genuinely daring critique, but the show instead leans toward understanding TERFs rather than critically and emotively examining the harm they cause. While exploring how harmful views are formed can often be an extremely powerful tool for understanding and change, this approach fully misses the mark by not sufficiently addressing the real-world horrific consequences of TERFY views.
Though it attempts to engage with significant issues, it lacks the clarity, accessibility, and weight needed to be the powerful play it could have been. Instead, it feels more like a missed opportunity than a meaningful contribution to the conversation on transphobia.
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Review of Main Character Energy
*****
The Edinburgh Fringe 2024
From the moment Temi sets foot on the floor, her energy steals the entire room. She has the audience hooked, hysterical, and whooping, in one of the loudest fringe audiences we’ve experienced so far.
With high energy, fierce joy, and unpredictable moments of rawness and vulnerability, we find ourselves laughing and crying at the same time.
Temi takes us on a journey through some of her most intimate moments, wildest fantasies, and sometimes heartbreaking memories.
With extreme sass and silliness, expect an unhinged, lavishly self-indulgent, chaotic hot mess of a show. Refusing to be sidelined anymore, Temi takes her rightful place in the roles and performances she’s always dreamed of, filling the stage with an explosion of dance, juicy comedy, song, and smut.
Main Character Energy is both sexy and goofy simultaneously, and Temi has us right where she wants us; lapping her up and obsessed.
TicketsFarah Al Qasimi in:
The Tate Modern: Artists and Society – 12 Rooms