one4review | On 24, Aug 2026

We all love a blockbuster movie, and Top Gun is certainly that. Richard Marsh performs his one-man parody of the movie on stage at the Edinburgh Fringe with the awesome movie soundtrack and some interesting props, can Richard deliver the need for speed and perform the iconic roles of Maverick, Iceman and Goose?

When you enter the venue, you instantly hear the iconic Top Gun soundtrack which takes you back to the 80’s. Richard enters the stage as Maverick but soon jumps to when he was a child, he lived near an airbase and could hear aircraft taking off and alludes to his father also being a Top Gun fan and so it was Richards mission as a child to view the coveted Top Gun VHS video tape. With a swivel chair, authentic Maverick jacket and of course aviator glasses, pre-flight begins!

Richard cleverly goes through the movie with rhythm and rhyme, the use of some improvised props such as the cigar and the ‘no expense spared’ model planes are extremely funny. As he progresses through the film, he frequently jumps back to his childhood and specifically his relationship with his dad, as he grows older the relationship is distant and Richard struggles to keep a bond with his dad even after Richard becomes a dad himself.

As we jump back to the movie, the audience are invited to sing along to the iconic ‘You’ve lost that loving feeling’, and at that point his dad did, we jump back and discover his dad leaves his mum for another woman. After a bit of ‘Take my breath away’ and some clever comparisons to other Tom Cruise films, he discusses a time when he visited his dad and a few home truths were spoken, Richard’s feelings are summed up very well with the phrase, ‘Truth cuts deeper than his silence ever did’.

There is some funny enemy fighting with hilarious enemy names and Russian pilot accents, the model aircraft are well used to simulate the battle and how one of the aircraft is destroyed is genius given what the aircraft is made of. As the show moves towards its conclusion, there is a food for thought comparison between Maverick and his dad and how they have similarities before both meet up for the premiere of Top Gun 2, can they finally resolve their differences?

There is so much to like about this show especially if you are a fan of the movie, not only does Richard tell the story in great detail, he intertwines it with his own personal story and manages to make it work, with some skilful ‘Airtime Rhyme’ all through the show, a great soundtrack and an abundance of humour throughout, this really is a masterpiece.

****1/2
Reviewed by Steve.J.
Gilded Balloon Teviot- Wine Bar
Until 30 August (not 26)
17.05 (1 hour 10 mins)