one4review | On 23, Aug 2026

This is a lovely show with an interesting concept and lots of untapped potential. In it’s today form (which will change depending on the guests) it was a show for insiders who know about things like theatre layouts and that the industry term for ventriloquists is apparently ‘vent’. This is where a host can mediate, explain what the jargon means. Tuck tries, but ultimately got a bit caught up in chatting to industry friends.

That’s not a bad thing – industry friends chatting and reminiscing and pondering can be fascinating and enlightening and entertaining. In some places – lots of places – in this edition there were bits and flashes which were very interesting, and which, from an outsider’s perspective, held so many more questions and bits of interests that we never got to explore because we moved on to something else.

Perhaps these things that are fascinating to an outsider seem deadly boring to those on the inside, and so we skipped over them fast to avoid glazed eyes. But this is perhaps where the potential is untapped: who’s the audience for this? Is it industry insiders, or normal punters? Those of us outside the industry don’t know all those ‘boring’ details, like where the best backstage is, or if and how the Festival has changed, and how that seems to those in it, or at the slight remove of academia, so it’s still interesting to us.

Not a disappointing hour by any means, but be prepared to take some notes to look up later – this is not a beginners class.

Reviewed by Laura
Hoots @ Nicolson Square
Until 31st (not Mondays)