one4review | On 10, Aug 2025

Sometimes the comedy is in testing the limits of an audience. What will we tolerate, which plot elements are a smidge too far, what does it take to make us squeal and cringe. Can a character the audience has only just met be dispensed with and the audience not wholeheartedly reject the show? These questions and more are explored in Madeleine Rowe’s resplendent nonsense of an Arthurian romp. And there’s a sing-a-long at the end.

To take his rightful throne, our once-and-future King has a closet-skeleton and potential PR disaster to deal with before making his way to Camelot. Can he make a success of his reign? Only the plot will reveal! A couple of points in this show did raise the question of where is it going next, or how are things moving on from here, but it’s quickly resolved. Madeleine’s in complete control of the whole spectacle, even when the audience provide more participation than could possibly be anticipated. Some elements seem a little out of character for our Knight/King (like the strip scene), some things a bit belaboured, but it’s all worth it in the end: Madeleine understands that to getting to the heights sometimes involves a massive mobilising shove down into the lows. Cringe and catharsis collide in this tour-de-force of silliness and antics.

Reviewed by Laura
19:20 (1hr)
Underbelly George Square (Wee Coo)
Until 25th (not 11th or 18th)