The weird and wonderful musical theatre shows at the 2014 Edinburgh Fringe Festival

Alice White
30 July 2014

This article is from 2014.

Weird and wonderful musical theatre shows at the 2014 Edinburgh Fringe Festival

Featuring UCAS, Bonded by Blood, Jack and I, Nando's and Nandon'ts and Adventures of the Singing Acupuncturist

We’re used to how ridiculous the Fringe can get. We’ve all accidentally ended up in a show with eighteen naked Australians throwing paint on a woman wearing a nappy. Still, serial killers, and chicken restaurants, getting the musical theatre treatment? We round up some 2014 shows that made us do a double take.

Try UCAS (Greenside @ Nicolson Square, 1–23 Aug) for starters. A chance to relive your least favourite conversation and sing along to ballads about deciding whether someone should go to uni or not?

Or Bonded By Blood (Spotlites @ the Merchants Hall, 2–16 Aug), a musical about the killings of Myra Hindley and Ian Brady. Cashing in on a nation’s morbid fascination, or an important new fresh look at the cases? You may love to boast ‘I’m not offended by anything!’ like a cool grown up, but keep remembering that some people’s children died as you ponder Myra’s costume. Elsewhere, there is an opera on Jack the Ripper, Jack and I (C Nova, 30 Jul--25 Aug), but at least all the victims’ families aren’t around to know it’ll be flyered on the Royal Mile next to a man balancing with his head in a bucket.

There are obviously thousands of excellent piercing, jabbing, painful needle jokes that could be made with our next find. For example, we could say she probably has a voice like someone swinging a bag of cat-shaped partially unproven medical practices. Find out for yourself at Adventures of the Singing Acupuncturist: Big O Finds Her Soul (Just the Tonic @ the Mash House, 1–25 Aug).

Severe choking-on-purpose-on-your-tongue hazard now with Nando's and Nandon'ts: A Musical (Phones 4U, 1-10 Aug), in case you thought that the only thing in the Fringe catering to lower-league footballers and stoners was that guy from Police Academy who can make the noises with his mouth.

Nando's and Nandon'ts: A Musical

Written by: James D Ward

A comedy about a couple and a chicken restaurant. Written by William Breden and James D Ward.

Jack and I

DHK Productions The hunt for Jack the Ripper is on! Detective Inspector Abberline is faced with the seemingly impossible task of satisfying his boss, the media, the public, his wife, and his own peace of mind. Oh, and there’s an equally impossible killer on the loose. In the midst of the depravity of Victorian London…

Bonded by Blood

3B theatre Myra Hindley and Ian Brady are two of the most infamous and taboo criminals of the last century. This dark new musical explores the mentality behind their horrendous acts and why and how this could have happened. Whilst deeply shocked and repulsed in researching this subject two generations on, Alana…

UCAS

Off Track Theatre Why go to university? Ms Miller has one hour to persuade her inner city school’s most difficult students to compose a personal statement. For her, university was a life-changing experience. For them, it’s a waste of time. A daring new musical examining the changing value of a university education.

Adventures of the Singing Acupuncturist: Big O Finds Her Soul

Diamond Wave Productions Soaring above popcorn clouds with Pegasus, Big O is back! Enjoy the year of the horse, as Olivia the singing acupuncturist embarks on a new journey, exploring the stuff that heals the soul. What is your soul telling you? Come and find out, as Big O sings the songs of her soul. Storytelling…