Fringe Review: ACID’S REIGN, Forth at Pleasance Courtyard
There are few things quite like walking into an Edinburgh Fringe venue for your first show of the season with absolutely no idea what sort of chaos or quality you’re about to be subjected to. But when that particular show turns out to involve drag queens, climate activism, a live rock band, some seriously impressive vocals and enough glitter to probably violate several environmental regulations, you know you’re in for a good time.
Welcome to Acid’s Reign. The show has, for us, one of the stand out artworks of the Fringe, but did it have backbone, Besties? Keep on reading!
At first glance, a musical about climate change probably doesn’t sound like the most obvious recipe for a riotous afternoon at the Fringe. But then, of course, this isn’t just a musical about climate change. It’s a gloriously queer musical about a group of drag performers trying to save the planet while simultaneously attempting to navigate friendship, ambition, commercialism, ego and the small matter of whether selling out is actually selling out if it keeps you visible. We also think it’s genuinely the best musical showcase of drag that we have ever seen, tall words we know!
The story jumps between (we believe) 2019, when the titular drag supergroup first comes together with a mission to use their platform to challenge the climate crisis, and the present day, where the audiences have dwindled, funding has dried up and suddenly the group is faced with a very modern dilemma. At its heart, Acid’s Reign asks what happens when a cause you once felt passionately about stops being fashionable and whether staying true to your principles is worth it when there’s a much easier, more commercial option on the table.
What truly makes the show is the assembled cast. As an ensemble, they have clearly developed a tight community with one another and that shows on stage, with everyone being showcased in equal measure and EVERYONE incredibly talented.
Leading the charge is Victoria Scone as Alex Acid, a powerful presence with comedic mastery but could also break the audiences hearts with a look. We saw another review compare them to Judi Dench and we snapped our fingers in frustration because that is the same comparison we mentally jotted down, something about the simple but weighted delivery of their songs made us think back to Judi Dench singing ‘Send in the Clowns’ at the Proms.
Then, there’s Scarlett Harlett as the slightly villainous Dina Mite. She is completely captivating and seemingly incapable of entering a scene without immediately making it hers.
Gigi Zahir brings a different energy as Ria Listic, the emotional grounding of the piece, and their one solo in the solo in the show, performed, where they think of their legacy and ‘If They Aren’t Here Next Year’ had the audience on their knees! Simplistic and haunting like a love child of Larsons ‘Will I’ and ‘Without You’.
Sé Carr/Jamie Fuxx and Ash Weir round out a cast that genuinely feels like a group of performers who are having a bloody good time together. And that chemistry matters, because beneath all the wigs, heels and punchlines, this is ultimately a story about a group of people who care about one another. Weir is the bright eyed bushy tailed newbie that we watch discover the truths of this industry in really heartbreaking time and Jamie Fuxx, we would go so far to say has the song of the evening, raising the roof with ‘Last Minute King’. The spotlight on how drag kings are treated in the drag eco system is important and Fuxx has some of the most impressive vocals you will hear at the Fringe this year.
The world loves a cause when it’s shiny and new. But what happens when the Instagram posts stop getting likes? When the funding disappears? When another crisis comes along? When somebody offers you a big commercial opportunity that could make you famous, but asks you to compromise the very thing you started out fighting for?
Suddenly this isn't just about climate activism. It’s about artists, identity, capitalism, visibility and the increasingly bizarre world of trying to make a living while still having a conscience.
But don't worry, you are absolutely not required to think about capitalism for the entire hour long show. There is far too much camp for that.
The costumes are fabulous. The performances are top tier and the music is some of the most impressive new writing we have heard in recent years, thankfully with a cast full of vocal talent to do it justice. Relish Theatre Company is creating important and perfectly put together work - remember the name .
Acid’s Reign may the first show this particular reviewer has seen at the Fringe this year, but it may very well be our pick of the Fringe.
Make sure you squeeze it in your Fringe watch list, and if you cant squeeze it in, cancel something else.
***** Five stars
Reviewed by: James Edge
Acid’s Reign plays at Edinburgh Festival Fringe until 31 Aug, with further info here.
