Presented by Finger Guns and Liebenspiel Present
Review by Hunter King
Belly Button at Underbelly, Cowgate
Any fan of cryptids would know about the classics: Bigfoot, Nessie (Scotland’s own) and the caked-up winged freak of West Virginia, Mothman. Finger Guns seemingly have a specific appreciation for the last of those three in their musical Mothman: A Romance Story, playing at Underbelly Cowgate.
One thing to make abundantly clear from the beginning is that this is by no means a polished piece or a serious piece of theatre, but rather elects to be an unpolished and purposefully low budget and messy piece, similar to the style of Team Starkid. When Anna (Alex Franklin), Kevin (Alex Prescot), and Natalie (Nikola McMurtrie) venture into the West Virginian wilderness they get more than they bargained for after a visit by Mothman. Rounding out the cast is Hudson Hughes who plays a variety of the characters over the course of the show.
The show is full from beginning to end with laughs. The characters all feel like they’ve come straight out of a horror B-movie from the 1980’s and exist perfectly naturally in that world. Hughes particularly brings an energy that gets the audience motivated and excited for the show from his very first forward roll onto the stage.
McMurtrie is fun as Natalie, but really shines when she doubles as the Mothman. The social awkwardness that she has given to the character adds a layer of humanity to the cryptid which makes the show both funnier and more heartwarming.
A musical would not be complete without its music, and in the case of Mothman the music is perfectly suitable. Once again, the show is not aiming for any tony awards with its composition, but songs like “I’m Just Kevin” and “Rural Paths” are silly and fun, especially if you know what they are parodying. Meanwhile “Monster in the Dark” was a seemingly completely new piece of music that could easily be the anthem for this show. Mothman is exactly what the Fringe needs: a schlocky, low budget, laugh machine that is guaranteed to put a smile on your face.
Exactly What The Fringe Needs
Mothman: A Romance Musical runs at Venue 61, Belly Button at Underbelly, Cowgate at 18:50
Running time – Sixty minutes
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.
