You don’t expect a musical about corporate bloodsport to be one of the most energised, sharply tuned shows at the Fringe — but You’re Fired! The Musical blindsides you like a boardroom betrayal.

Staged at The Space, this ambitious satire transforms a modest black box into a humming arena of ambition, ego, and desperate networking. It’s a riotous send-up of reality business TV — think The Apprentice, if it were soaked in glitter, anxiety, and existential dread — but with heart, brains, and a surprisingly strong songbook.

The premise? Seven contestants, each armed with wildly suspect moral compasses, face off in the finals of The Trainee, a vicious business competition presided over by the iron-fisted Baron Sweetener — a delightfully dreadful mash-up of Lord Sugar and pantomime baddie. Through a gauntlet of back-stabbing challenges and glitzy power plays, our protagonist Steve begins to crumble beneath the fluorescent lights of late-stage capitalism. What starts as a hustle for success slowly warps into a crisis of identity and values.

What really lifts this above other Fringe fare is the writing. The book — co-written by Caitlin McPhilemy and Giacomo Pozzuto — is whip-smart, full of clever gags, bite, and just enough emotional ballast to keep it grounded. They know exactly when to twist the knife and when to let a laugh breathe.

The songs are a revelation too — occasionally brilliant and always distinctive, steering well clear of cheap parody. The score veers from bombastic corporate anthems to tender, oddly moving laments about burnout and compromise. The lyrics land with wit and warmth, and the musical direction shows proper thought and flair.

The choreography is confident without tipping into overblown West End sparkle, and the cast are dialled in from the jump — not coasting, but charging through each number with commitment and comedic precision. From ruthless HR assassins to wide-eyed tech bros, the ensemble keeps the energy fizzing. If there’s one quibble, it’s that the final act feels a touch rushed — a longer runtime would give the resolution space to land — but that’s more structural constraint than artistic flaw.

Crucially, You’re Fired! knows what it is — a satirical, self-aware, high-octane musical that doesn’t take itself too seriously, but still has something to say. It’s Fringe in the best sense: a bold, hilarious, surprisingly soulful shot across the bows of new musical theatre. The audience? Hooked from the first beat and whooping at the curtain.

This show has legs. Don’t be surprised if it returns — bigger, sharper, and aiming for a corner office of its own.