Edinburgh Fringe comedy review

A hopeless wannabe influencer is dropped off alone in the Alaskan wilderness in Mark Vigeant’s new show, strapped to a livestreaming camera and seemingly destined for a sticky end hundreds of miles away from his remaining friends and family. It’s a tale at least as old as Werner Herzog’s 2005 masterpiece Grizzly Man, which this show homages extensively.

Vigeant’s character Larry is a little more modern than Timothy Treadwell in that he harbours absolutely zero notion of protecting the wilderness in any way, he just wants to boost his follower count above its current five and show his semi-estranged wife that he’s a big man after all.

As a setup it’s perhaps the source of more pathos than comedy, as Vigeant talks about his failing marriage and the good times he had with his erstwhile hiking club who have now drifted apart.

Vigeant’s written gags are decent but nothing too special. His strength – you might even call it his USP for how heavy a role it plays in his work – is the way he uses his audience and draws them into the play. Attendees are given a plastic frond and an electronic tealight on arrival, so we can all participate in being the forest or fireflies when called upon to do so. People at the front also get props to be a fire and a windswept lake, and we’re all encouraged to make ‘animal noises’ to bring the Alaskan forest to life. 

And that’s just the beginning of it. Vigeant spends more time in the crowd than on stage, and is constantly interacting with us whether on a group basis or by, for example, hunting one of us as a bear. 

With the camera mounted on his head, everything that we do in the audience is projected in real time on the big screen behind him. This is not a show to go to if you’re uncomfortable about being on camera.

The level of stagecraft and his incorporation of the camera is all really impressive, like seeing a no-budget indie film being constructed in real time, especially when he does stuff like using creative angles and a spray bottle to perfectly denote a rain shower. 

It’s a shame that beyond all the bells and whistles it remains comedically a little basic. Pair him up with a collaborator who has real funny bones and performance chops and they could make something amazing together. He could make a mint directing stand-up shows if he isn’t already.

Review date: 30 Aug 2026
Reviewed by: Tim Harding
Reviewed at: Assembly Roxy