Created by Harrison Sweeney and Rachel Kerry
Review by Hunter King
When they say “save the best for last” they are almost certainly referring to Grace Lightning as the classic “final girl” horror film survivor in her Edinburgh Fringe debut Final Queen. Harrison Sweeney and Rachel Kerry have struck the perfect mix of horror, circus, comedy, and most importantly, camp.
Joined on the stage by her “co-stars,” Jazz and Kerry, Grace must find her way out of a haunted house while being stalked by a chainsaw wielding killer. Lightning puts a new meaning behind lip sync for your life when she takes on the roles of all of the queens in their big shining moments. Combining classic lip sync with circus, acrobatics, dance, comedy, and horror, the show manages to feel fully action packed without a dull moment, but never excessive. Lightning knows exactly what level to reach for and has mastered the art of staying in the sweet spot without ever inviting in boredom or too extreme of a performance.
Lightning is a tour-de-force in her role and an absolute master of hula hoops. It only makes sense that the show is set in Australia, as that is where Sweeney is originally from, and the show knows this. While some of the jokes are a bit Aussie specific, overall, most of them landed well within the audience.
Lighting and sound were noteworthy for their precision, especially at the first preview of the show. Lightning utilizes technical elements well, doing a lot with some simple spotlights and stage washes (usually to red). The ingenuity with these elements especially shines when Jazz, Kelly, and Grace are all attacked by the wild killers, compounding into a moment that was the highlight of the night, when Lightning had a run in with a ghost, played brilliantly by a bit of blue fabric.
Some shows at the Fringe are meant for all audiences, and some shows are for Queer and alternative horror lovers. While this may be one of the latter, no matter who you are it is guaranteed to hook you, leave you with a sense of dread, and make you wonder if Kylie Minogue is as innocent as she seems. Imagine there is a chainsaw wielding maniac behind you and RUN to the box office to get tickets while you still can!
Guaranteed to Hook You
Final Queen runs Venue 61, Big Belly at Underbelly, until August 30th
Running time – Sixty minutes with one interval
Photo Credit – Anais Stewart
Review by Hunter King (contact@corrblimey.uk)
Hunter is a 2024 Master’s graduate of the University of Edinburgh and current doctoral candidate with a thesis focused on experimental theatre in Edinburgh. He has been a theatre practitioner for over a decade having worked in many capacities including as a director, actor, stage manager, front of house manager, and technician as well as others. Prior to moving to Edinburgh, Hunter was a high school English teacher in the United States. His passion for the written word as well as his passion for live performance are what motivated him to become a writer for this publication.
