The day started at 6am to enable me to get to the local airport to fly up to Edinburgh. After a slight delay we eventually landed at around 10:45 (45 minutes later than scheduled). For me it was straight to the Balmoral hotel to meet the brilliant NT development staff, where I picked up my tickets for the first shows of the trip.
Nerds: The Bill Gates vs Steve Jobs Comedy musical
Playing at Venue 302 (Cowbarn at Underbelly, Bistro Square) starting at 12:30 with a running time of 1 hour 10 minutes was my first show of this years fringe. It was my two worlds colliding. My day job of IT and tech with my favorite hobby musical theatre. The combination was even better than I could think of. The show charts the intiail and continued rival of Bill Gates and Steve Jobs as they try and dominate the energy tech world. This is the most full rounded/completed musical I have seen at the fringe. With a fully rounded musical with story, costumes, props/small staging and dance routines. Has to be one of the best musical I have seen at the fringe it is up their with “Cathy and Stella solve a murder”. However unlike Cathy and Stella I don’t really see a place for this production outside of the fringe. The whole cast was amazing but “Dan Buckley” as Bill Gates steals the show for me. A very strong start to my 2025 fringe with an overall 4.5 out of 5 stars.
For more information about “Nerds…” click on the image above.
Ohio
Playing at venue 139 (Upstairs at Assembly Roxy) starting at 15:00 with a running time of 1 hour and 15 minutes. Although billed as a 15:00 start time, for this showing it was around 15 minutes late. Which meant that I had 5 minute turn around at the end of the show to catch my next, on a google map journey time of 9 minutes. Luckily I made the next show by the skin of my teeth. “Ohio” provides an insight into the life of the two performers while concentrating on Shaun who is gradually loosing his hearing and has turned his back on his religious up bringing. There were a number of technical issues during the first section of the show, however they quickly rectified by the crew. The show utilised a Ed Sheeran esc loop panel which was used throughout the show to create all musical aspects of the show. At some points I did find the looping a little grating especially amoughst the many chants that occurred throughout the show for no real reason. The whole show seemed a little disjointed with no real clear story arc and the songs some of which were good did not add to the overall narrative. It did contain a surprising but very interesting science lesson around the cause of tinnitus which I found very interesting. The show is coming completing a very short tour including performances at the Young Vic. Overall I give the show 2 out of 5 stars.
For more information about “Ohio” click on the image above.
Shantify
Playing at venue 3 (Palais du Variete at Assembly George Square Gardens) starting at 16:35 with a running time of 1 hour. This show takes classic and modern pop songs along with musical theatre and “shantifys” them. Think “Choir of Man” but in a Shanty style, if you have liked Choir of Man you will love this. It contains a little more of a storyline based around a fisher harbour in western England and a pair of brothers and their friends. The songs fit perfectly the narrative and really make you listen to the lyrics so much more than you would even during the musical songs. There is not much else to say that it is a lot of fun with very talented performers. Towards the end of the show we were told that the ruction has secure a 2 show performance in the West End, which I highly recommend seeing. Overall the show is 4 out of 5 stars.
For more information about “Shantify” click on the image above.
NT Welcome drinks
The next stage of Day 1 was to make my way to “The Scotsman” hotel for the National Theatre Welcome drinks. Were I was able to catchup with other NT Patreon’s and NT staff on the trip to discuss what we have already seen and what is to come. After a few hours it was time to move onto my last show of Day 1.
She’s behind you
Playing at Venue 15 (Traverse 1 at Traverse Theatre) starting at 21:45 with a running time of 1 hour and 15 minutes. This was my last show of day 1 and first at the traverse this trip. There was around a 15 minute delay to the start of the show which was well worth the wait when it started. The show consists of Johnny McKnight one of Scotlands biggest and best pantomimes dame. The shows charts Johnnys journey through the pantomime dame world from his early 20s through to writing some of the most progressive pantos on stage today. The shows consists of the expected snippets of one Panto one liners. However there is a deeper more meaningful story of how changeling the pantomime and dame stereotypes is the only way to move forward. I came out of the show with a new found appreciation of pantomimes and not only how they are constructed but how they challenge wider cultural differences and opinion. This show is A perfect way to end any day at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and for that I give this show 4 out of 5 stars.
For more information about “She’s behind you” click on the image above.
And just like that day 1 of my Fringe 2025 trip is over. It’s been a long 18 hour and over 18.5 thousand steps kind of a day. Which started at the literal other end of the country and ends with me sat in my room at the Balmoral writing this final review.
A SPURDLE reviews 