Sh!t Theatre at Edinburgh Fringe review: Raw and uneven comedy about grief

Sh!t Theatre are the stuff of Fringe folklore – their shows, written and performed by Louise Mothersole Rebecca Biscuit, sell out and often get a near-perfect scorecard from the critics. Or What’s Left of Us is the veteran duo’s latest collaboration with Soho Theatre and is one of the hottest tickets for the Edinburgh Fringe.

Prompted by the loss of director, partner and friend Adam Brace, who passed away last year after complications due to a stroke, the show explores grief through the lens of folklore and music. In an intimate blackbox theatre, the pair enter in elaborate badger headdresses, their synonymous white face paint replaced with black scars, the pair singing English folksong John Barleycorn Must Die. 

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“This is not one of our usual shows,” Rebecca Biscuit warns us – some of us not sure what their usual shows are. Over the next hour, we are guided uneasily through a brief history of folklore. “This song…. is also about death” says Louise Mothersole, pausing to contemplate grief and repair. 

They are an undeniably talented duo – mastering complex harmonies, with some hilarious comedic skits. But to the uninitiated, much feels very raw – like they are working on fresh wounds on the stage while tiptoeing between humour and tragedy. Props tumble, unused sandwiches get soggy, audience participation feels stiff, and some moments fall flat.

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After the performance, the audience is invited to join the pair in a procession to Summerhall’s bar. In a haphazard singalong, reminiscent of a school assembly, someone is nominated to lead Simon & Garfunkel’s Mrs Robinson – it’s clear we don’t share the pair’s penchant for melodies.

Sh!T Theatre: Or What’s Left of Us plays in the TechCube at Summerhall 9-11, 13-18 and 20-25 August