one4review | On 03, Aug 2025

What does it mean to be Scottish? It’s a question Fringe-goers have probably asked themselves at least once—usually while queuing for a haggis toastie in the rain. But Daniel Downie comes armed with something sharper than clichés: wit, detail, and enough historical knowledge to outflank a textbook.
Known to many as the Fringe’s unofficial historian-in-chief thanks to his hit Mountebank walking tours, Downie swaps the cobblestones for the stage to explore identity, authenticity, and all the strange, tartan-draped myths we’ve built around what “Scottish” even means.
It starts with some brilliantly observed crowd work—never flashy, just instantly tuned-in—and then straight into the meat of it. Rod Stewart gets called out early doors (tartan trousers and a Cockney accent: discuss). From there we’re into rugby mascots, American presidents playing Braveheart cosplay, and a superb chunk about kilts that lands somewhere between sociology lecture and late-night pub rant.
The great strength here is the sheer level of research—Downie doesn’t just know his stuff, he’s interested in it. You feel that curiosity bleed into the writing. There’s no fat on the jokes, but beneath them there’s rigour: Jacobite history, cultural invention, appropriation, diaspora—all covered without ever slowing down the momentum.
And crucially, it’s not just clever—it’s funny. Downie’s delivery is relaxed, often deceptively so, but he knows exactly when to sharpen a line or let something sit. There’s a generosity in how he talks to the audience, but also a bite when the subject needs it. It’s rare to find a show this thoughtful that never once feels preachy.
By the end, you’ve laughed a lot—but you’ve also maybe reconsidered that novelty Glengarry you panic-bought on the Royal Mile. Is Scottish? is the kind of Fringe hour that feels built to last: specific, sincere, and with a brain behind the laughs.
More than worth your time—especially if you think you already know the answers.

****
Reviewed by Steve H
Beehive 2
14.45 (1 hr)
Until 24 Aug