Edinburgh Fringe comedy review

In a concrete bunker, long after all sensible folk have gone to their beds, the freaks of Edinburgh gather for a noisy, punk-infused, queer-coded mashup of hardcore club night and sketch comedy – and it’s an absolute blast.

Straight outta Brooklyn – where else? – alt comedy powerhouses Ashley Blair and Drew Reilly belt out taut, intense, hyper-dynamic songs about the sexual allure of a backwards centaur or a man caught ‘gooning’ in the DJ booth. 

The high-octane pair – self-identifying as ‘gay guy and confusing girl’ – bring a raunchy, angry energy to everything they touch, which is counterintuitively joyous thanks to the refreshing release of raw energy. Even a number about bakery staff being rude to Reilly is delivered with pure truculence.  

A scene about a passive-aggressive dinner offers a moment of relative calm, but it is just a blip to recalibrate before the storm whips up again.

The crowd reaction is, understandably, insane given this is as much a party as it is a comedy show – but the pair, alumni of America’s prestigious Second City proving ground – have not neglected the laughs. The writing, not shy of a filthy/puerile double entendre, is as tight as their musical performances, yet they allow plenty of giddy chaos into the room, too.

Themes of being true to yourself and making human connections can be heard beneath the invigorating racket as they address the things to which people turn to plug their spiritual holes (Fnarr, fnarr). Meanwhile, they defiantly flip the bird to such attitudes as ‘God hates it when you’re gay’, reacting with bitter irony. 

But the best revenge is living well, and these two are on Cloud Nine, joyfully welcoming the whole pumped-up room to join in their celebratory rave.

An insane fever dream with a cracking soundtrack, Cambridge Footlights, this ain’t.

Review date: 18 Aug 2026
Reviewed by: Steve Bennett
Reviewed at: Underbelly Cowgate